Our Visit to the Berlin TV Tower and Dining at the Revolving Restaurant Sphere

Contents Berlin TV Tower Visit

Tickets for the Berlin TV Tower: Everything You Need to Know for Your Visit

There are various ticket options for visiting the TV Tower, depending on the experience you’re looking for. In addition to a standard admission ticket*, you can combine your visit with a meal* at the restaurant. Here, we’ll show you the best ticket options and what they include.

Admission Ticket for the Berlin TV Tower with a Three-Course Menu at the Restaurant

For our visit to the TV Tower, we booked the ticket that includes a three-course menu at the revolving restaurant Sphere. This ticket provides access at your reserved time, a table at the restaurant, and the three-course menu.

The official time limit for staying in the restaurant is 1.5 hours. However, the staff did not enforce this, so we stayed for a total of 2 hours, enjoying both the food and the view.

You can book the ticket for the tower visit with a restaurant experience and three-course menu [here]*.

Ticket for the Tower Visit with Restaurant Access

You can also opt for a simple ticket that combines access to the tower with a visit to the restaurant. With this ticket, you are not required to choose the three-course menu. Instead, you visit the observation deck and get a reserved table at the revolving restaurant.

You can then select your meal from the à la carte menu. However, the food is not included in the ticket price. The official time limit for staying in the restaurant is 1.5 hours. You can book the ticket for the tower visit with restaurant access here*.

The Sphere restaurant is located at 207 meters in the large sphere of the tower. During our dinner, the restaurant was fortunately not very crowded. This allowed us to talk to the staff about getting better seats. Our table was right by the window, giving us the most spectacular view over Berlin.

By the way, the revolving restaurant completes two full rotations every hour, which was faster than we had expected. If you place your bag or phone on the railing to your right, you’ll notice it quickly moves away as the restaurant rotates.

We had been eagerly waiting to catch a view of the high-rise Park Inn building opposite. It took us a while to realize that the tower is so much taller that you can’t see the Park Inn without standing up.

The three-course menu was also very delicious. In terms of value for money, we can highly recommend this combo ticket*, especially for a special occasion.

Souvenir Shop

Right after entering the tower on the ground floor, you’ll find the souvenir shop. We actually spent quite a bit of time browsing here because, surprisingly, it offered some really cool and high-quality souvenirs.

Elevator with a View into the Elevator Shaft

On your way to the elevator, you’ll walk through corridors designed in a modernized 1960s style. The elevator itself is also styled to match this era, making you feel like you’ve stepped into an old James Bond movie.

The elevator ride is an experience in itself. If you look up, you can see into the elevator shaft, which gives you a better sense of the speed at which you’re traveling. You can see what it looks like in the video.

Berlin’s Odyssey: Virtual Reality Journey

If you’re interested in an additional experience, you can try “Berlin’s Odyssey.” This interactive VR attraction takes you on a journey through Berlin’s history, allowing you to witness the city’s most significant moments and landmarks as if you were there yourself. You can find more information about it here.

Getting There

We traveled by car and had no issues, partly because we scheduled our visit for a weekday evening. During peak hours, however, it’s recommended to use public transportation. The Berlin TV Tower is easily accessible by S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram, and bus. The closest stops are Alexanderplatz and the S-Bahn station.

Parking

We found a parking spot at the Rathauspassagen parking garage. From there, it’s just a 300-meter walk to the TV Tower, making it a very convenient option. The parking garage is well-lit and offers plenty of spaces, even during busy hours. If you’re planning to drive, this is an excellent choice, as its proximity to the tower makes starting your visit hassle-free.

History and Background of the Berlin TV Tower

The Berlin TV Tower was built between 1965 and 1969 in the former East Germany (GDR) and officially opened on October 3, 1969. Constructed in the International Style, its design is still evident in the interior of the tower today. At 368 meters, it is the tallest structure in Germany.

Originally conceived as a symbol of technological progress and the superiority of the socialist system, the tower has since become an iconic landmark of Berlin, attracting millions of visitors every year.