Tiergarten
There are few cities in the world where one can lie naked in the middle of town at noon and not be arrested. Besides having delightful tree-shaded walks, canals and flower gardens, the Tiergarten also has a couple of open fields on either side of Hofjägerallee, where the locals sunbathe au naturel. While the sunbathers cannot be seen from the Siegessäule (the Victory Column in the centre of the park) it does provide a good view of the other major sights around Berlin. The angel at the top of the 69m (226ft) column was the perching place for the angels in Wim Wenders' film Wings of Desire (1987).

Strasse des 17 Juni
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Free admission.

Siegessäule
Strasse des 17 Juni
Tel: (030) 391 2961.
Website: www.monument-tales.de
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1830, Sat-Sun 0930-1900 (Apr-Oct); Mon-Fri 1000-1700, Sat-Sun 1000-1730 (Nov-Mar).
Admission charge.

Fernsehturm (TV Tower)
The best views in East Berlin are from the Fernsehturm at Alexanderplatz. Looking vaguely like the 'Death Star' on a concrete spit, the television tower is Berlin's tallest structure at 368m (1,207ft) and makes for a good reference point, as well as blighting many views of the city skyline. The Communist designers inadvertently made it so that sunlight reflecting on its facets forms a Christian cross. In a sign of changing times, a glare of advertising neon surrounds the base of the tower. Visitors can take an elevator up 203m (666ft) to the viewing platform or the revolving cafe, for a good look over the city.

Panoramastrasse 1A, Alexanderplatz
Tel: (030) 242 3333.
Website: www.berlinerfernsehturm.de
Opening hours: Daily 0900-2400 (Mar-Oct); daily 1000-2400 (Nov-Feb).
Admission charge.

Spandauer Zitadelle (Spandau Citadel)
This 16th-century fortress is the oldest non-religious building in the city. Its location overlooking the Havel River and the charming old town of Spandau make a trip to this district a lovely excursion within the city.

Am Juliusturm
Tel: (030) 354 9440.
Website: www.zitadelle-spandau.de
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700, last entry 30 minutes before closing.
Admission charge.

The Bode Museum
The Bode Museum houses one of the best collections of antique and Byzantine sculptures in the world. Closed in 1939 and left to decay for over six decades, the museum reopened its doors in October 2006 after a £102 million (US$203 million) renovation project. Boasting over 1,700 exhibits, the museum, now back to its former glory, is a must see not just for sculpture fans, but for anyone with an interest in the arts.

Museumsinsel, Entrance: Monbijoubrucke
Tel: (030) 2090 5577.
Opening hours: Fri-Wed 1000-1800, Thurs 1000-2200.
Admission charge.