Berlin Boat Tour

Situated on an area of twenty hectares (about 50 acres) beside the River Spree, Schloss Bellevue ("Belle vue" meaning beautiful view in French) was built for Prince August Ferdinand of Prussia, the younger brother of King Frederick II of Prussia. It sits on the north edge of the large Tiergarten park and served as the Prince's summer residence. Today it is the official residence of the German president.

Berlin Central Station is the central hub for all rail traffic in the capital. Here inter-city and regional trains connect with Berlin's local rail, underground, tram and bus network.

Like arms of a starfish, five roads merge into the Grosser Stern roundabout at the heart of the huge Tiergarten park. The Victory Column at its centre celebrates 19th-century Prussian military triumphs and is crowned by a gilded statue of the goddess Victoria. Climb 285 steps for sweeping views of the park. The column originally stood in front of the Reichstag until the Nazis moved it here in 1938 to make room for their Germania urban planning project. The pedestal was added at the time, bringing the column height to 67m.

Charlottenburg Palace is one of Berlin's few sites that still reflect the one-time grandeur of the Hohenzollern clan, which ruled the region from 1415 to 1918. Originally a petite summer retreat, it grew into an exquisite baroque pile with opulent private apartments, richly decorated festival halls, collections of precious porcelain and paintings by French 18th-century masters. It's lovely in fine weather, when you can fold a stroll in the palace park into a day of peeking at royal treasures.

The Federal Chancellery (Bundeskanzleramt) in Berlin is the official seat of the Chancellor of Germany as well as their executive office, the German Chancellery. As part of the move of the German Federal Government from Bonn to Berlin, the office moved into the new building planned by the architects Axel Schultes and Charlotte Frank. The building, which is the largest government headquarter in the world, is part of the ″Federal Belt″ (Band des Bundes) called assembly in the Spreebogen, Willy-Brandt-Straße 1, 10557 Berlin.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, abbreviated BMWi, is a cabinet-level ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany. It was previously known as the "Ministry of Economy". It was recreated in 2005 as "Ministry of Economics and Technology" after it had previously been merged with other ministries to form the Federal Ministry for Economics and Labour between 2002 and 2005. The Ministry is advised by the Council of Advisors on Digital Economy.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, abbreviated BMI, is a cabinet-level ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its main office is in Berlin, with a secondary seat in Bonn. The BMI is tasked with the internal security of Germany. To fulfill this responsibility it maintains, among other agencies, the two biggest federal law enforcement agencies in Germany, the Federal Police and the Federal Criminal Police Office. It is also responsible for the federal domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum for Contemporary Art – Berlin (Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart – Berlin) presides over a comprehensive collection of contemporary art, which it presents in a variety of exhibitions. The museum’s name refers to the building’s original function as one of the first terminal stations of the rail system in Germany. It opened as the terminus of the railway line between Hamburg and Berlin in December 1846. The building’s late Neoclassical style was conceived by the architect and railway pioneer Friedrich Neuhaus. It set an architectural precedent for the subsequent designs of Berlin’s train stations through the second half of the 19th century. Today it is preserved as the city’s only train station remaining from that time.

Berlin’s Museum Island (Museumsinsel) is a magnificent total art work, a truly outstanding ensemble of five world-renowned museums. Apart for the legendary bust of the Egyptian queen Nefertiti, the most famous and important cultural exhibits on show here include the breathtaking Pergamon Altar and the stunning Ishtar Gate. In 1999, the Museum Island complex was inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage. The five museums on Museum Island are: Pergamonmuseum (Pergamon Museum) Bode-Museum Neues Museum (New Museum) Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) Altes Museum (Old Museum)