Organized Tours in Berlin

WALKING TOURS -- For an excellent introduction to Berlin and its history, try one of the themed walking tours offered by Berlin Walks (tel. 030/3019194; www.berlinwalks.de). “Discover Berlin” is a 4-hour introductory tour; “Infamous Third Reich Sites” focuses on the sites of major Nazi buildings in central Berlin; “Jewish Life in Berlin” takes you through the prewar Jewish community; Reservations are unnecessary—simply meet the guide at the appointed starting point, which will be listed on the website. Tours (in English) cost 14€ for adults, 12€ for 14- to 25-year-olds and seniors.

BUS TOURS -- Berlin is a sprawling metropolis and an organized bus tour can be the best way to get a good overview of the entire city and its many neighborhoods and sights you might not otherwise have time to see. Severin+Kühn, Kurfürstendamm 216 (tel. 030/88-04-190; www.severin-kuehn-berlin.de; U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm), offers a half-dozen tours of Berlin and its environs. Passes start at 15€, but vary by route.

BOAT TOURS -- Berlin is a city of rivers (the Spree and Havel) and canals, and a boat tour opens up a different side of this endlessly fascinating metropolis. The city’s best-known boat operator is Stern und Kreisschiffahrt, Pushkinallee 15 (tel. 030/53-63-600; www.sternundkreis.de). The most popular of their cruises, “Historische Stadtfahrt” (Historic City Tour), offered daily from March through October, takes you for a 1-hour ride on the Spree; see their website for departures times and prices.