Everything You Need to Know About Visiting the Berlin TV Tower
If you’ve ever visited Berlin, you’ll know there’s one building that stands out amongst the skyline – the TV Tower. It’s the tallest building in Germany and in my opinion, one of the best things to do in Berlin.
I spent a weekend exploring the Berlin TV Tower, visiting at all times of the day, from the observation deck to the revolving restaurant right at the top.
This guide covers everything you need to know before you go, from ticket types to the best time to go, to help you make the most of your visit.
This trip was in partnership with the Berlin TV Tower, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
VR experience
When you first enter the TV Tower, you’ll see their VR experience. It’s tempting to skip past it when you’re desperate to get to the top and admire the view, but honestly this was one of my favourite parts of my visit.
There’s two movies to watch, one about the history of Berlin and one on the history and construction of the tower.
The one about the history of Berlin takes you all the way back to the 12th century, when Berlin was a small village, through 9 centuries of change, including becoming the home of the Hohenzollern dynasty, the capital of Germany, and more recently, the divide of the city with the Berlin wall.
It’s a really emotional video that helped me really understand the city, and set the scene for everything I was about to see when I went up the tower.
Observation deck
After watching the video, you’ll head up to the observation deck at 203 metres, where panoramic windows give you a full 360° view over Berlin. Underneath each window there’s a plaque telling you exactly what you’re looking at, so you can easily spot landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, Museum Island and the Berliner Dom.
There are also coin-operated telescopes dotted around if you want to have a closer look. On a clear day, visibility stretches for miles up here, and the view really is something special.
Sphere bar
The Sphere bar is located on the observation deck and is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail with a view.
Access is included with your entry ticket, so it’s a good option if you want to enjoy the view with a cocktail and a snack.
The cocktails here start from around €15.00, so if you think you’ll want to have a drink, I’d recommend booking the View and Drink ticket, which starts at €31.00. This saves you over €5.00 versus buying a standard ticket and a drink separately.
The revolving restaurant
For me, the Sphere Tim Raue restaurant at the TV Tower is the coolest part of the whole experience. It’s Berlin’s only revolving restaurant, and one of three in the whole of Germany.
The restaurant slowly rotates so you can admire lots of different views of the city whilst you eat. And I promise it is very slow, so there’s no chance of motion sickness!
Tim Raue is one of Berlin’s most well known chefs – he has a fine dining restaurant in the city that’s been awarded two Michelin stars. So this definitely isn’t a gimmicky restaurant where you’re just paying for the view, the food is exceptional.
The restaurant is open from 9am-11pm so you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner there, but make sure you book a table in advance as it’s extremely popular.
There’s several ticket bundles that include your TV Tower admission and your meal, with prices starting at €33.50.
Breakfast
The breakfast menu includes the classics such as eggs, avocado toast and granola, as well as a whole waffle menu!
I’d really recommend the Sphere Breakfast, which is a spread of local Brandenburg cheeses and cured meats, plus fresh bread, fruit and a berry smoothie. It’s a great way to try local flavours.
Lunch and Dinner
If you’re visiting for lunch I’d recommend the set “Berliner Schnitzel Menu” for €44, which includes a soup starter, a pork schnitzel as the main, and a banana split for dessert. You can’t come to Germany without having at least one schnitzel.
Don’t skip the cocktails either. I had an espresso martini with my meal and it was delicious.
Souvenir shop
Before you leave, make sure you visit the souvenir shop on the ground floor. It’s got all the usual things like postcards, magnets and mugs, as well as some bespoke items like TV Tower-shaped ornaments and Berlin-themed prints that are great reminders of your visit.
Ticket types
There’s lots of different tickets to choose from depending on what you want from the experience.
A Standard Ticket starts from €20.00 and gets you access to the observation deck, the Sphere Bar and the VR experience.
If you want to have a drink in the Sphere Bar (which I’d 100% recommend), go for the View and Drink ticket, which starts at €31.00. A cocktail alone costs around €16.50, so you’re saving over €5.00 by choosing the bundle.
If you want to eat at the Sphere restaurant, there are ticket bundles that combine your TV Tower admission with your meal. The Highest Breakfast ticket is the most affordable, starting at €33.50 for your entry, a waffle, tea or coffee and a juice or non-alcoholic drink.
When you book your ticket, you’ll need to select a time slot, and you’ll have a 45 minute visit to explore the observation deck, or 1 hour 45 minutes if you’re visiting the restaurant.
The best time to visit the Berlin TV Tower
The TV Tower is open throughout the year (yes, even on Christmas day!), and there’s really not a bad time to visit.
Of course it’s amazing on a sunny day when you can see for miles across the city, but when it’s raining there’s a moody atmosphere and it’s really interesting to see the city change with the weather.
If you want to avoid the crowds, I’d recommend going early in the morning. But having visited the TV Tower at all times of the day, I think sunset is the most magical time to go.
You’ll get to see the view in daylight, then watch the sun go down over the city, and finally see the city light up as it gets dark.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to visit the Berlin TV Tower?
Your ticket gives you a 45-minute time slot on the observation deck. If you want to stay for longer, it’s worth booking a table at the rotating restaurant, where you can enjoy lunch with 360° views of Berlin.
Can you go up the Berlin TV Tower for free?
No, you can’t visit the Berlin TV Tower for free, you’ll need a paid ticket to access the observation deck, whether that’s a standard ticket, a restaurant booking, or one of the other ticket types. Tickets start from €20.00.
Do you need to book tickets in advance?
Yes, I’d really recommend it. Booking online in advance means you get a set time slot and can skip the queues, especially in summer when walk-up wait times can be longer. If you want a table at the Sphere restaurant, book that ahead too, as it fills up fast.
Is the Sphere restaurant at the TV Tower worth it?
Absolutely yes, it was my favourite part of the experience. The 360° rotating view alone makes it worth it, and the food, cocktails and service are all brilliant.
What’s the best time to visit?
There’s no bad time, but sunset is the most magical in my opinion – you get the daylight views as you arrive, and then you can watch the whole city light up as it gets dark.
