We will arriuve in Berlin july 11 (after a 10 hours flight including a layover in Zurich) around 11 am. We stiil haven't decide how many nights we should spend there (4 or 5). We have two yound kids (4 and 8 tyears old). We plan to do the basic touristic stuff : Brandebourg, remains of the wall, topography of terror, tv tower, Reichstag, couple of free museums, some monuments, the zoo.

We don't know if we should stay there 5 nights of 4 would be enough for our plans.

Berlin is a big city but easy to get around because of excellent public transit.
4 nights is basically 3 days...a would go for 5 nights...so much to see.

I'm inclined to agree with danon, but it really depends on what you want to see and experience. I recommend that you get some good guidebooks or spend some time with a few in your local library (IME, Fodor's and Frommer's generally include specific attention to traveling with children), identify the things you most want to see in each location, check opening/closing times on the internet, and mark them on a calendar. Then pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting oriented, etc.). Only then can you really decide on the time you and your family want.

Hope that helps!

Berlin - it's Germany's capital city, a vibrant metropolis, full of history, spectacular architecture, urban life - there are endless things do to. Although there are some of the world's best museums in Berlin (Nefertiti's bust, Babylon's Ishtar Gate, the Pergamon altar, the world's largest dinosaur...), there is much more: strolling along the "Unter den Linden" boulevard with all these grand historical buildings on both sides, sitting in a café on historic Gendarmenmarkt with two spectacular cathedrals, having a scenic boat trip on the river Spree, a nightly walk over hip Oranienburger Street... - whatever you want, Berlin can offer it.

The kids will like the Naturkundemuseum with the dinosaurs, the Pergamonmuseum with the impressive Babylon Gate and Neues Museum with Nefertiti and other stuff from ancient Egypt. Just prepare them a bit for antique history.

I agree that there is so, so much to see and do in the city as well as nearby (think the palaces nearby if nothing else). A blend of old, reconstructed, and new. Plenty of green spaces, too. Enjoy your stay.

If you book five nights and run out of things to do in Berlin, you can always make a day trip to Potsdam.

Five nights for sure! Take your kids to one of the fabulous adventure playgrounds,
for instance one in Prenzlauerberg.
Take a boat ride. Go to the kids' exhibits at the European Cultures Museum in Dahlem, as well as the nearby farm. Try a meal at Markthalle IX, which has wonderful artisanal food options and an indoor
playground right in the middle. Follow a hiking trail in Grunewald, which you can access with an old-fashioned bus, which is a mini- adventure in itself.
There would be plenty to do for upwards of a week.
Check out some off- the-beaten- path options in the Slow Berlin guide. [slowtravelberlin.com] Allow
plenty of time to play and wander. While you have named many interesting places to visit, I believe your kids would appreciate the opportunity to "go native" at a kid- friendly pace.

Hi. I think if you are not in a rush Berlin is a perfect place to sight see and also relax. Potsdam by car rental is better than a guided tour. It is a wonderful day trip. We stayed at the Pullman last year and we'd wake up to go to the gym, have a swim, and then go discover the city. Between the museums, the city, and its restaurants and bars--so much to do, eat, and see. I hope this helps.

You don't need a guided tour or a rental car to visit Potsdam. Public transport works just fine.