Catedral de Berlin, Berlin Cathedral. (Source: Vvillamon)

Berlin, the capital city of Germany, is an ultra-modern, high-tech city just like any other at first glance. Spend more time here and you can't help but notice the looming shadows of the country's rather tumultuous past. You will find remnants of a dark history in the form of WWII bombed down buildings,the fragments of the famous "Berlin Wall" and multiple memorial museums that make you shudder through their reflections of a gruesome Nazi regime past. If you haven't visited the world famous memorial museums here, you really haven't visited Berlin.

Holocaust Memorial Berlin (Source: danielfoster437)

The 'Holocaust' refers to the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime. The Holocaust Memorial in Berlin is one of the most evocative monuments that reminds visitors of the gruesome Holocaust history of Germany and was designed by the American architect Peter Eisenmann. The centerpiece of the Holocaust memorial is the “Field of Stelae” with a unique architecture of more than 2,500 geometrically arranged concrete pillars of varying heights. Walk through it and you feel very disoriented and gloomy and that is exactly the mood the architect intended to create.

Holocaust Memorial (Source: milan.boers)

An adjacent underground museum serves as an information center and is located below the field of pillars. It offers an exhibition on Nazi terror in Europe and holds the names of all known Jewish Holocaust victims, obtained from the Israeli Holocaust museum Yad Vashem. (Address: Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe Cora-Berliner-Straße 110117 Berlin; Phone: +49 (0) 30 - 26 39 43 36; Open Hours of the Information Center: April – September: 10 am to 8 pm (last entrance 7.15 pm) October - March 10 am to 7 pm (last entrance 6.15 pm) Closed on Mondays, except public holidays)

Berlin - Philharmonie (Source: roger4336)

Berlin Philharmonic is considered one of the best concert halls in the world. Amazing architecture, mind blowing acoustics, creme de la creme of performances. If you love music, you have to visit the Berlin Philharmonic for a soul quenching experience of a lifetime. To find out about concerts that are taking place during your stay there, please click here. (Address: Herbert-von-Karajan-Str. 110785 Berlin; Telefon: (030) 254 88-999)

Berlin en 1947 (Source: dalbera)

East Central District is a bohemian area that consists of Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg. Kreuzberg is one of Berlin's most eclectic districts, and the comfort zone of left-wing punks, anarchists, gays, creative artists and Turkish immigrants who are in majority owing to which the area is sometimes referred to as Little Istanbul. Area is dominated with plenty of kebab joints and funky nightclubs and hotels. Here you can check out the following; Oranienstrasse is a street here full of cozy cafes, restaurants and shops. Two world famous tourist sites steeped in history - Topography of Terror (an outdoor museum at the location where the Nazi paramilitary buildings were based before the Allied bombings) and the Jewish Museum. Görlitzer Park: You'll see Turkish families barbecuing on summer weekends. Failed contemporary art is also displayed here. Landwehrkanal: Take a stroll along this peaceful and traffic free canal lane laced with benches, bars and restaurants with terraces.

Topographies of Terror (Source: Hollingsworth)

Museum Island is considered as the heart of Berlin's museum Landscape.Since 1999, the Museum Island is the world's unique architectural and cultural ensemble of the world cultural heritage by UNESCO.It consists of following museums-

Berlin, Museum Island 5/12 (hs29) (Source: Ted and Jen)

Altes Museum - It houses  collection of antiques, sculptures, weapons, gold jewelry and silver treasures of Greek art and cultural history of the Cycladic culture to the Roman era.

Pergamon Museum -It houses architectural constructions and sculptures of the Greek and Roman Antiquities, the Museum of Near Eastern with 6,000 years of history, art and culture of the Near East and the Museum of Islamic art with the art of Islamic peoples from the eighth to the 19th Century.

Old National Gallery - It houses sculptures and paintings of the 19th Century by Caspar David Friedrich of the French Impressionists to make the frescoes in Rome Nazarene.

Bode Museum - It houses artifacts of 15th Century, in the Italian and German Sculpture Collection sculptures and statues from the early Middle Ages to the 18th Century. (Address: Bodestraße 1,10178 Berlin-Mitt; Phone: 030/3339509; Open Hours: Daily: Everyday 10:00-18:00 except Thursday when its 10:00 - 22:00; Tickets:  14 Euro (17.88$)

Trabi Safari (Source: ilovebutter)

You cant be in Berlin and not visit anything to do with the World wars and the fall of the Berlin wall, can you? To have an amazingly unique (but incredibly local and Berlin'esque') experience, go on the Trabi safari, where you see the places 'where the cold war was at its hottest.'

Trabi Safari (Source: Marco Zanferrari)

You'll get to see Berlin from an entirely different perspective, and you'll get to take (and keep) an original piece of the Berlin Wall as a personal souvenir! Along the way, you will pass many important historical locations and headquarters of world politics as well as places brimming with drama and excitement. This is absolutely the kind of activity an entire family would enjoy! (Address: Trabi-World at WELT-Balloon, Zimmerstr. 97/ corner, Ecke Wilhelmstr. 10117 Berlin-Mitte; Call: +49-30-27592273; Email: berlin@trabi-safari.de; Safari price: Ticket prices range from 79 to 89 euros ($110 to $124). It also includes snacks (known as bread&salt); Click here to book your tour tickets)

Berlin Wall (Source: carolynconner)

The only part of the Berlin Wall that now remains intact lies to the east of the city centre, along the River Spree. It is known as East Side Gallery for the many murals painted on the wall. There are some other places where parts of the wall remain standing. It it fascinating reminders of the horrors of German history. (Address: Mühlenstraße (near Oberbaumbrücke) ,10243 Berlin; Timings: always accessible; Cost: Fee charged)

Battered Brandenburg Gate in 1945 (Source: stoixeia)

The Brandenburg Gate or Brandenburger Tor was once a city gate which functioned as Berlin's entrance. Today, it has become the defining symbol of Berlin and Germany. Located in downtown Berlin, on the Paris Square and by the end of the Unter den Linden Avenue, it is not an Arc of Triumph but the access to the “New Berlin” of its time. Enjoy the view of the marvelous architecture while walking through this historic place! (Address:Unter den Linden,Pariser Platz,10117 Berlin; Timings: 24hr open; Cost: Free)

Badeschiff (Source: Hen_son)

The Badeschiff (bathing ship) is one of Berlin’s most unusual swimming pools. It is part art project and part contemporary solution to living in a polluted urban center. Originally  it  was conceived by local artist Susanne Lorenz. Badeschiff, on the Danube Canal is an anchored ship that’s been converted into a club that’s packed with Viennese and with interesting slide shows projected on the walls. (Address: Eichenstraße 4, 12435 Berlin; Phone: 0157 - 876 259 19; Timings: In the summer of 1 May: daily  8:00 - 0:00, SAT. 30 JULY: 08:00 a.m. - 06:00 p.m; Special Note:   On Sunday 31 July, & friday 26 August  the Badeschiff  will remain closed all day; Cost: Summer  from 1st May: 4, - € / students 3, - € / children under 14 € 1.50)

Bill Speidel's Underground Tour (Source: cliff1066™)

The Underground Tours are organised by the Berlin Underworlds Association. This bizarre and spectacular walking tour will lead you into the weird interiors of a blasted air raid shelter from World War II. You will also be able to explore two of the original 7 floors of Berlin's biggest bunker complex. All these were a part of am ambiguous construction program proposed by Adolf Hitler himself to supply the civil population with shelter places. Look out for a former ammunition elevator via a solid and safe steel construction. (Address: Brunnenstrasse 105, 13355 Berlin; Phone:49-30-4991-0517)

Videogame Milestones (Source: bonus1up)

If you are a tech geek or into computer games, this place will be like a paradise! And even if you're not, Computerspiele Museum guarantees good fun time for everyone. Here is history of a different kind - there's Lara Croft, Super Mario Bros, and a whole bunch of games and their history too! (Address: Karl-Marx-Allee 93a; Tel.: 030 - 60988577; Entrance fees: €8 ($11.13); Opening hours: Wed to Mon 10am-8pm)

Frankfurt (Source: azroby)

Frankfurt is one of the most popular tourist destinations that is also the business and financial capital of Germany. It is also the largest city in Germany located on the banks of River Main and is popular for its futuristic skyline and the biggest German airport.

ROEMER (Source: D Petzold Photography)

There are many things to see while you are in Frankfurt. The most popular being the historical attractions of Römerberg - old center of Frankfurt that houses a number of old world churches and villas dating back to 14th & 15th century, Dom or The Saint Bartholomeus' Cathedral - A Gothic style church built back in 14th century, Eiserner Steg - which is an Iron Bridge, Hauptwache, Alte Oper or the Old Opera, Börse - The Frankfurt Stock Exchange building, Paulskirche or St. Paul's Church, Sachsenhausen etc.

Saint Bartholemeus' Cathedral (Source: tinyfroglet)

Other popular places that you can check out are museums like Architektur Museum, Deutsches Filmmuseum, Städel-Museum, Museum Giersch, Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Liebighaus, Museum der Weltkulturen, Museum für Kommunikation, Portikus etc.

Commerzbank Tower (Source: loop_oh)

Frankfurt has some of the tallest buildings and Commerzbank tower is the tallest among all. Frankfurt known for its unique skyline is a beautiful wonder which is relegated to one part of the city and this is something you might have not seen anywhere in the world. Other notable things to see are Main River Bridges, Henninger Turm, Palmengarten - Botanic Garden, Grüneburgpark - largest public park, St. Leonhardskirche - Romanic Church, Bornheim etc.

Mainkai (Source: Martin Kliehm)

Like the city the nightlife of the city is also very unique and spectacular, there are numerous cafes, pubs, nightclubs, discotheques, restaurants, cinemas, entertainment centers etc. This is one city which you will love exploring with your partner.