1Parliament
Reichstag
A glass dome rises above the chamber of Germany’s parliament, with ramps looking across the government quarter. Arrange this visit first, then build the nearby sights around the time you receive.
Multi-city itinerary · first-timers
7 days in Berlin and Munich
Three days of the government quarter, Museum Island and the Wall, a morning on Deutsche Bahn ICE, then three days of Marienplatz, a science museum and Nymphenburg. Direct ICE trains take a little over four hours. Book the Reichstag dome before you lock Berlin.
- 7days
- 2cities
- 23sights
3 Berlin · 3 Munich · trains and tickets checked September 2026
The trip at a glance
7 days, in order
Open a day for the stops, the walk and the ticket that belongs to it. Each city day has a full map on its own page.
Day 1 · BerlinThe government quarter and its historyReichstag · Brandenburg Gate · Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe · Topography of Terror · Gendarmenmarkt5 sightsDay 2 · BerlinMuseum Island and the courtyards of MitteNeues Museum · Berlin Cathedral · Hackesche Höfe3 sightsDay 3 · BerlinThe Wall, from a border to a galleryBerlin Wall Memorial · East Side Gallery · Oberbaum Bridge3 sightsDay 4 · MunichICE to Munich, then the old townMarienplatz and the New Town Hall · Frauenkirche · Viktualienmarkt · Munich Residenz · HofgartenTrain morningDay 5 · MunichScience and the English GardenDeutsches Museum · Englischer Garten · Siegestor3 sightsDay 6 · MunichNymphenburg and the Olympic areaNymphenburg Palace · Olympiapark · BMW Welt · BMW Museum4 sightsDay 7 · MunichA slower Munich morning, or a day outSix walking days are already spoken forExtra day
Day 1 · Berlin
The government quarter and its history
Begin at the Reichstag and work south through the Brandenburg Gate and Holocaust Memorial. After lunch, give the Topography of Terror time, then finish on Gendarmenmarkt.
- 5 sights
- 2.5 km on foot
Morning
280 m · about 4 min on foot
2Landmark
Brandenburg Gate
Once beside the border between East and West Berlin, this monumental gateway is now a natural starting point for understanding the reunited city. Look through its columns toward the Tiergarten before crossing Pariser Platz.
280 m · about 4 min on foot
3Memorial
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
A field of concrete stelae occupies the ground south of the Brandenburg Gate. Walk through quietly and leave time to reflect; the underground information centre is a separate, longer visit if you choose to enter.
Midday
LunchTake a proper break around Potsdamer Platz before the afternoon exhibition. The walking route passes nearby, so there is no need to travel to another district for lunch.
Afternoon
890 m · about 14 min on foot
4History museum
Topography of Terror
Documents and photographs explain the Nazi institutions that operated on this site. The outdoor remains and surviving Wall section make the relationship between the buildings and the history unusually direct.
1.0 km · about 16 min on foot
5Square
Gendarmenmarkt
The concert hall and two domed churches frame one of central Berlin’s most formal squares. After the heavy history of the afternoon, take a slow circuit and find dinner in the surrounding streets.
Evening
DinnerChoose a restaurant in the streets around Gendarmenmarkt or along nearby Friedrichstraße.
Reichstag dome visit first — register on the official Bundestag site. The Holocaust Memorial and Brandenburg Gate are outdoor stops.
Day 2 · Berlin
Museum Island and the courtyards of Mitte
Spend the morning in the Neues Museum, then cross to the cathedral and walk north into the courtyards behind Hackescher Markt. The afternoon stays deliberately lighter than the museum morning.
- 3 sights
- 820 m on foot
Morning
1Museum
Neues Museum
Egyptian antiquities and prehistoric collections fill a building whose restored rooms retain traces of wartime damage. Give the galleries a proper morning rather than treating Nefertiti as a quick photo stop.
Midday
LunchEat around the Spree or Hackescher Markt; leave enough time between a timed museum visit and the next ticketed stop.
Afternoon
260 m · about 4 min on foot
2Cathedral
Berlin Cathedral
The cathedral’s dome dominates the eastern edge of Museum Island. Visit the interior if it interests you, or enjoy the exterior from the Lustgarten and save your energy for the courtyards north of the river.
560 m · about 9 min on foot
3Courtyards
Hackesche Höfe
A chain of courtyards behind Hackescher Markt reveals a quieter city of tiled façades, small shops and passages. Explore the publicly accessible areas without straying into residents’ entrances.
Evening
DinnerStay around Mitte for dinner. A short evening stroll along the river fits more comfortably than another museum.
Neues Museum timed ticket. Swap this day around Museum Island opening calendars.
Day 3 · Berlin
The Wall, from a border to a gallery
Start with the preserved border landscape at Bernauer Straße. Travel to the East Side Gallery after lunch, then walk toward and across the Oberbaum Bridge into Kreuzberg. The walk along the gallery itself is part of the visit and is additional to the distance shown between sights.
- 3 sights
- 140 m on foot
Morning
1Memorial
Berlin Wall Memorial
Bernauer Straße preserves a section of the border landscape, showing how the Wall divided streets and homes. The open-air interpretation gives essential context before you see the painted Wall in Friedrichshain.
Midday
LunchFind lunch near Bernauer Straße before the cross-city journey. Allow roughly 35–45 minutes for the transfer, including station walks.
Afternoon
Public transport: travel from the Bernauer Straße area to Ostbahnhof, then walk to the western end of the East Side Gallery. Allow about 35–45 minutes overall; check the current connection in the BVG journey planner. The day’s Google Maps link shows walking, so use it only for the local sections.
2Open-air gallery
East Side Gallery
Artists transformed this long surviving section of the Berlin Wall into a sequence of murals. Walk along the paintings toward the Oberbaum Bridge, allowing for crowds at the best-known works.
140 m · about 2 min on foot
3Bridge
Oberbaum Bridge
Brick towers and an elevated railway span the Spree between Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. Cross on the pedestrian side for river views, then finish with a meal in the streets south of the bridge.
Evening
DinnerFinish in the streets around Schlesisches Tor, where the route leaves you on the Kreuzberg side of the river.
A Wall day with a public-transport transfer between Bernauer Straße and the East Side Gallery.
Day 4 · Munich
ICE to Munich, then the old town
Leave Berlin Hauptbahnhof after breakfast. Deutsche Bahn's fastest ICE to München Hauptbahnhof takes 4 hours 5 minutes, with up to 17 direct trains a day and a first departure at 05:36. That puts you in Munich in time to keep Marienplatz, the Frauenkirche and the Residenz as a full first day.
- 5 sights
- 1.5 km on foot
Berlin Hauptbahnhof → München Hauptbahnhof
Direct ICE in 4 hours 5 minutes. First Berlin departure 05:36; up to 17 direct trains a day.
Source: Deutsche Bahn · checked Sep 2026. Fares change with the date — buy on the operator site.Morning
1Square
Marienplatz and the New Town Hall
The square is the natural starting point for the old town, with the New Town Hall’s elaborate façade as its focal point. Explore the exterior and surrounding lanes; a tower visit is an optional addition.
190 m · about 3 min on foot
2Cathedral
Frauenkirche
The cathedral’s paired towers form a familiar part of Munich’s skyline. Visit the main interior when open for sightseeing; the tower is a separate choice outside this short church stop.
410 m · about 6 min on foot
3Market
Viktualienmarkt
Food stalls, small shops and open-air seating make this a good place to slow down in the old town. The allowance covers browsing; take your full lunch break afterward.
Midday
LunchHave lunch around the market or the streets leading toward the Residenz. Leave a real break before the palace visit.
Afternoon
670 m · about 10 min on foot
4Palace museum
Munich Residenz
Courtly rooms, galleries and richly worked interiors fill the former royal residence. Choose the Residence Museum as the main visit; the Treasury and theatre would extend the afternoon.
210 m · about 3 min on foot
5Garden
Hofgarten
Formal paths and arcades provide a gentler finish beside the Residenz. Walk around the central pavilion and take a seat before heading back into the city.
Evening
DinnerThe old town and nearby university quarter offer plenty of dinner options. A beer hall can be an evening choice, without turning it into another timed sightseeing stop.
Residenz museum route for the afternoon. Viktualienmarkt is the outdoor lunch stop.
Day 5 · Munich
Science and the English Garden
Choose a few Deutsches Museum galleries for the morning. After lunch, use local transport toward the southern English Garden, then enjoy a manageable park walk ending near Siegestor.
- 3 sights
- 730 m on foot
Morning
1Science and technology museum
Deutsches Museum
The museum on the Museumsinsel is large enough to fill a day. This route gives it a substantial morning: select a handful of galleries that interest you and leave the rest for another visit.
Midday
LunchEat near the Museumsinsel before heading toward the park. Museum enthusiasts can spend longer inside and shorten the outdoor circuit.
Afternoon
Use local public transport toward the southern Englischer Garten or university area; allow about 30–45 minutes including waiting and the walk into the park. Choose the connection for your intended park entry. The Google Maps link represents walking, not this transfer.
2Park
Englischer Garten
Open meadows, streams and wooded paths spread north from the centre. Keep this visit to a relaxed circuit in the southern park, with time to sit; the route does not cover the full length of the garden.
730 m · about 11 min on foot
3Monument
Siegestor
The gateway stands between the university district and Schwabing. See it from the pavement and continue into the nearby streets for dinner after the park walk.
Evening
DinnerStay around the university quarter or Schwabing for dinner. The park visit is a southern circuit, not a walk through the entire garden.
Deutsches Museum morning. Choose a few galleries; the English Garden is the outdoor half of the same day.
Day 6 · Munich
Nymphenburg and the Olympic area
Begin with the main Nymphenburg Palace interiors and a short garden walk. After lunch, travel to the Olympic Park, then visit BMW Welt and the BMW Museum nearby.
- 4 sights
- 1.0 km on foot
Morning
1Palace
Nymphenburg Palace
The palace interiors and the formal view across the gardens provide a quieter start to the final day. Choose the main palace and a short garden walk; the carriage museum and distant park pavilions need extra time.
Midday
LunchEat near Nymphenburg before travelling northeast. Keep the afternoon museum’s last admission in mind when choosing how long to spend in the park.
Afternoon
Use a bus, tram or other current public transport connection from Nymphenburg toward the Olympic area; allow about 45 minutes including the final walk. Check the route for your travel day. This leg is excluded from the walking total.
2Park
Olympiapark
Lakeside paths, sculpted ground and the Olympic roof structures make an interesting outdoor circuit. This stop focuses on the park rather than tower admission, stadium tours or another booked activity.
860 m · about 13 min on foot
3Architecture and exhibition space
BMW Welt
The sweeping building presents current vehicles and the company’s delivery experience. Explore the public exhibition areas and architecture after the Olympic Park walk, then continue to the museum across the road.
190 m · about 3 min on foot
4Museum
BMW Museum
Vehicles and engineering displays trace the company’s history in the museum beside its headquarters. Choose a focused route through the collection; this visit is separate from BMW Welt across the road.
Evening
DinnerReturn to the centre or your accommodation by public transport. Factory tours, stadium tours and extra palace pavilions require additional time and are not included today.
Nymphenburg Palace first to make its seasonal closing time easier. Then transport to the Olympic Park and BMW Welt.
Day 7 · Munich
A slower Munich morning, or a day out
Six walking days are already spoken for. Use the seventh to linger in the English Garden, to catch a palace room you skipped, or for a day toward Dachau or the lakes — those sit outside this city plan. Keep the morning unhurried if you fly that evening.
Only if you leave the city: check opening hours for that extra day before you lock it.
Before you fly
Buy these first
Berlin · Tickets and bookings
- The Reichstag dome and roof terrace are free to visit, but registration is required. Use your confirmed appointment to set the order of day one and check the current access notices.Source: German Bundestag · checked Sep 2026
- Check the Neues Museum’s calendar and ticket availability before assigning the museum day; Museum Island buildings have separate visiting arrangements.Source: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin · checked Sep 2026
Munich · Choose the museum branch and scope
- Book the Deutsches Museum on the Museumsinsel for this route. The institution has several branches; a visit to the transport centre or an outlying branch would change the day’s geography.Source: Deutsches Museum · checked Sep 2026
- The Residenz Museum can be explored without a guided tour. The Treasury and Cuvilliés Theatre have their own visiting arrangements; check opening times and the scope of your ticket.Source: Bavarian Palace Administration · checked Sep 2026
Munich · The palace and BMW day
- Nymphenburg’s buildings have seasonal hours and stop admission before closing. This route puts the main palace in the morning and does not assume that the carriage museum or every park pavilion is included.Source: Bavarian Palace Administration · checked Sep 2026
- BMW Welt is a free public exhibition space; the BMW Museum opposite is a separate ticketed museum. Check the museum’s calendar and last entry, particularly when arranging the final afternoon.Source: BMW Welt and BMW Museum · checked Sep 2026
Questions
7 days in Berlin and Munich: quick answers
Is 7 days enough for Berlin and Munich?
Yes for a first trip: three clustered days in each city and a little over four hours on ICE between them. It does not include Hamburg, Dresden or the Romantic Road. Add those as a second trip.
Which tickets must I buy before I fly?
Reichstag dome (official Bundestag registration), Neues Museum, and Nymphenburg. Buy Berlin Hbf–München Hbf on bahn.de; the first ICE is 05:36.
Where should I sleep?
Berlin: Mitte, so the government quarter and Museum Island stay walkable. Munich: the old town or the university quarter for the first two mornings, or near the palace if you reverse the last day.
Can I do this in the reverse order?
Yes. Fly into Munich and out of Berlin and run the days backwards. ICE still runs direct. Keep Museum Island on a day it is open either way.
