This is an overview of the free walking tours in Berlin that are available to you, including pay-what-you-wish, self-guided, as well as GPS-led audio tours. (auf Deutsch)
We are local walking tour guides who want to share our inside knowledge and the history of Berlin and Germany with you.
In the video below, Steve, a local tour guide with us, Free Tours by Foot, gives a virtual tour of the Brandenburg Gate.
While you can find 100% free, self-guided, or audio-guided tours in Berlin, what most people think of when they hear free tours are actually pay-what-you-wish guided tours.
These tours are free to sign up for and are technically free to take.
However, it is recommended that you pay your guide what you felt the tour was worth, or what you could afford, at the end of the walk.
In Berlin, you can find free tours not just for a city orientation, but also on topics such as street art, the Third Reich, and the Cold War.
There is even a free bike tour (sort of).
- Intro to Berlin
- Street Art + Graffiti
- Third Reichh + WW2
- Cold War (GDR)
- Free Tours with Tourist Passes
- Tours en Español
Free Tours with Tourist Passes and Bus Tours
Keep in mind that if you are considering purchasing a tourist attraction discount pass, several of these passes include free (not pay-what-you-wish) walking tours.
Likewise, the major hop-on-hop-off bus companies in Berlin also offer free walking tours (not pay-what-you-wish) with paid tickets.
BERLIN CITY CENTER (INTRO TO BERLIN TOURS)
These pay-what-you-wish walking tours concentrate on Berlin’s Friedrichstadt neighborhood with the Mitte district.
They are the go-to tours to get your feet wet and to see the top sights in the capital of Germany.
Top Attractions on the Berlin City Centre Tour
- Reichstag
- Brandenburg Gate
- Unter den Linden
- Holocaust Memorial (Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe)
- Checkpoint Charlie
- Potsdamer Platz
- The Topography of Terror
- Humboldt University
- Bebelplatz
- Museum Island
- Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral)
- The Berlin Palace
Every tour company in Berlin offers tours here and most cover all of these stops and more. Starting points and times vary.
Holders of either the Berlin Pass or the Welcome Card All-Inclusive already have a free tour of this area included.
Walkative
This company with its yellow umbrellas offers a tour every day, usually 3x a day. The tour starts in Alexanderplatz and ends at the Brandenburg Gate.
- Check the calendar above for an updated schedule.
New Berlin Tours
New Berlin offers a pay-what-you-wish Berlin city center tour.
Clocking in at approximately 2 ½ hours, this excursion will take you past locations such as TV Tower, Luftwaffe HQ, and Brandenburg Gate.
This walking tour is offered in English, German, and Spanish.
Availability: Daily (fewer tours may be offered due to the Covid-19 pandemic)
- 10:00 am
- 11:00 am
- 12:00 pm
- 13:00 (1 pm)
- 14:00 (2 pm)
- 16:00 (4 pm)
- Check the calendar for an updated schedule.
With a 5 out of 5 stars rating on TripAdvisor, New Berlin Tours is quite popular despite often having very large group sizes.
They also offer a wide range of Berlin tours, including the Third Reich, Cold War, and Royal Potsdam Tours.
FREE STREET ART TOURS - ALTERNATIVE BERLIN
These pay-what-you-wish walking tours concentrate on Berlin’s alternative scene with a focus on street art and graffiti.
These tours tend to visit parts of the city less frequented by visitors.
Many are led by single tour guides who promote their tours in various locations.
It's best to consult our calendar above for the most up-to-date schedule.
There is even one graffiti and street art workshop.
Top Attractions and Artworks on the Berlin Street Art Tour
- Hackescher Markt
- Dead Chicken Alley
- Kottbusser Tor
- RAW
- SO36
- Astronaut - Space Crusader
Small-Group Tours
And as with most free tours, this tour can get very crowded, particularly in the tourist high season.
You might consider a small-group tour which costs around €14 per adult.
We also offer a free Berlin street art tour that is self-guided.
FREE THIRD REICH (WW2) TOURS BERLIN
These pay-what-you-wish walking tours concentrate on the Nazi and World War II era of Berlin.
There is currently one company offering regularly scheduled pay-what-you-wish tours.
As we mentioned earlier, if you are considering either the Berlin Pass or the Welcome Card All-Inclusive, you already have a completely free tour included in both passes.
Top Attractions on the Third Reich Tour
- Reichstag
- Brandenburg Gate
- Unter den Linden
- Holocaust Memorial (Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe)
- Sinti Memorial
- Ministry of Propaganda
- The Topography of Terror
- Memorial to Soviet Soldiers
- Bebelplatz (Location of the Book Burnings)
- Monument to Homosexuals Persecuted under National Socialism
- Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral)
- The Location of Hitler's Bunker
Small-Group Tours
And as with most free tours, this tour can get very crowded, particularly in the tourist high season.
You might consider a small-group tour which costs around €14 per adult.
Self-Guided Exploration Games
These games are an excellent alternative to tours, allowing you to solve a mystery using clues that will take you to some of the most notable WW2 landmarks in the city.
Although this game isn't free, at under €10, the price is about what most people would tip their guide during a pay-what-you-wish walking tour.
Related Posts:
- How to Find the Site of Hitler's Bunker
- Berlin Bunker Tours
- How to Tour Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
- Self-Guided Third Reich Berlin Tour
COLD WAR (GDR) TOURS BERLIN
These pay-what-you-wish walking tours concentrate on Berlin's GDR era, Soviet rule, and the Cold War.
Many are led by single tour guides who promote their tours in various locations.
It's best to consult our calendar above for the most up-to-date schedule.
As we mentioned earlier, if you are considering either the Berlin Pass or the Welcome Card All-Inclusive, you already have a completely free tour included in both passes.
Top Attractions on the Cold War Tour
- Reichstag
- Brandenburg Gate
- The Berlin Wall Memorial
- Checkpoint Charlie
- East Side Gallery
- DDR Museum
- Self-Guided Cold War Berlin Tour
Small-Group Tours
And as with most free tours, this tour can get very crowded, particularly in the tourist high season. You might consider a small-group tour which costs around €14 per adult.
Self-Guided Exploration Games
If you're looking for an interesting way to discover East Berlin or learn the history of the Cold War, there are two games available that allow you to solve a mystery using clues from around the city.
These outings are not free, but at €10 or less, they cost about as much as you might tip your guide for a pay-what-you-wish walking tour.
Related Posts:
- The Berlin Wall Memorial
- Checkpoint Charlie
- East Side Gallery
- DDR Museum
- Self-Guided Cold War Berlin Tour
FREE TOURS WITH TOURIST PASSES
If you are considering purchasing one of the tourist attraction discount passes in Berlin, then keep in mind that they already include free walking tours (not pay-what-you-wish) with small groups.
These passes work by bundling together entry fees for popular tours and attractions and can save you up to 50% off the retail prices.
Walking Tours Included in Each Pass
Both the Berlin Pass and the Berlin Welcome Card All-Inclusive include the following free tours
- Berlin Orientation
- Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
- Potsdam
The Berlin Pass also includes the following:
- Cold War Berlin
- Third Reich Berlin
- Street Art and Graffiti
- Queer Berlin
- Jewish Berlin
In addition to free walking tours, these passes also include bike and bus tours as well as boat cruises, not to mention numerous attractions.
Learn more about how you could save money with a tourist pass.
OTHER TYPES OF TOURS
In addition to walking tours, there are other ways to explore Berlin - by bus, boat, bike & more.
- Alternative Berlin Street Art Tours
- Berlin's Best Pub Crawls and Night Tours
- Berlin Boat Tours + River Cruises
- Which Berlin Bike Tour Is Best?
- Berlin Audio Tours (GPS-enabled)
- Which Berlin City Tour Is Best?
- Berlin Graffiti and Street Art Tour
- Berlin River Cruise Tour
