So much more than just sightseeing: Energetic, Vibrant Berlin Adventures

Tina offers tours for English speaking guests which are rich with history and packed with energy. When touring with Tina you don’t just hear Berlin’s best stories and visit its most important sights, you also connect with the city’s spirit and uncover its real soul.

Reviews

  • Our walking tour of Berlin with Tina was absolutely outstanding! From start to finish, she impressed us with her incredible depth of knowledge and engaging storytelling. Her ability to bring Berlin’s complex history to life made the tour both educational and deeply compelling. Tina has a wonderful style of presentation—clear, insightful, and full of fascinating details that made even the most well-known landmarks feel fresh and new. She has a real talent for weaving historical facts with personal anecdotes, making everything feel more relatable and vivid. It was evident that she is truly passionate about the city and its history, and that enthusiasm was contagious. Whether you’re a history buff or just curious about Berlin, this tour is an absolute must. We left with a much deeper appreciation of the city, thanks to Tina’s expertise and engaging approach. Highly recommended!

    drdetim Avatar drdetim
    February 28, 2025

    Tina was the best tour guide ever! She show us so many interesting things and gave us a really unique insight into Berlin!

    Niek Wiltjer Avatar Niek Wiltjer
    February 24, 2025

    Tina was a fantastic guide - both in leading us through some of the historical highlights of Berlin as well as taking us on a very meaningful visit to a concentration camp outside the city - Sachsenhausen. Her knowledge of her subject matter is broad and detailed, and her passion for history, culture, and human stories is palpable. She is smart, quick-witted, funny and personable - and was the perfect guide for my young adult children and me. Tina was truly one of the highlights of our trip to Germany. We highly recommend her services.

    Terri Hawkes Avatar Terri Hawkes
    February 3, 2025

    My wife and I spent 3 hours with Tina. It was a cold and rainy Berlin afternoon, but we really enjoyed the time. Tina is very professional and super well informed. On the rare occasions she didn’t know the answer to one of our many questions, she quickly looked up the correct response. Her enthusiasm for Berlin and its history was terrific. Highly recommend.

    Matthew Carpenter Avatar Matthew Carpenter
    January 3, 2025

    Tina is not only an exceptional guide and street art aficionado - she is a wonderful person who went beyond the extra mile for our tour. Having asked for unique support as part of a wedding proposal, she designed a new tour and went far to the outskirts of Berlin to make our experience unique. We learned tons about street art, with breaks to enjoy coffee and street art-related shopping in key spots. Throughout all my interactions with her, she was incredibly respectful and warm, and it felt like gaining a friend more than a guide. She’s a rare gem - if you’re in doubt, just go for it.

    Ida Svenonius Avatar Ida Svenonius
    January 3, 2025

    Tina is an amazing tour guide! Very knowledgable and friendly while sprinkling in humor on our tour. She has a wealth of knowledge for the rest of your trip too. Highly recommend her!

    Aaron Tang Avatar Aaron Tang
    January 3, 2025

    On our first full day in Berlin we went on a 3 hour tour with Tina. It was the perfect way to start our stay. Tina is funny, warm and engaging with a wealth of knowledge about Berlin's culture and history. I was travelling with my 17 and 19 year old daughters and they were completely engrossed in everything we saw and discussed. The 3 hours flew by and we were sad when it ended, however Tina also sent us tips for the rest of our stay and the sights we should defiantly see before we go. You can tell Tina has a deep love of Berlin and all it has to offer. If we are ever back, booking Tina will be the first thing I do.

    Elizabeth Avatar Elizabeth
    January 3, 2025

    Tina led our group of 6 over 2 afternoons in Berlin. Her knowledge and enthusiasm were just what we needed on a rainy day in Berlin! She also took us out one evening to a district of Berlin that we would never have known about. We did a two hour "pub tour" followed by a meal at a authentic German restaurant. Nothing was a problem for her and her wealth of knowledge and information that she passes on is incredible We all had an amazing time with Tina and would not hesitate to recommend her ro anyone.

    Lisa Calabria Avatar Lisa Calabria
    January 3, 2025
  • Tina was full of wonderful information and tailored our walking tour to what we wanted to see and do. If you want to see Berlin book a tour with Tina.

    Maureen Read Avatar Maureen Read
    December 3, 2024

    If you think a five-hour walking tour with a group of 20 people sounds like a nightmare, you’d be correct … unless Tina is leading the group. From the moment she started speaking, all of us were completely riveted. Her vast knowledge of the history of Berlin was not only impressive, but it was conveyed in a clear, humorous, and thoughtful way, with anecdotes that brought the history alive. If you have time for only one tour in Berlin, make sure Tina is leading it. (She also leads tours that are shorter than five hours.) It was definitely one of the highlights of my time in Berlin.

    wromary Avatar wromary
    December 3, 2024

    Tina was a superb guide. She not only has an outstanding knowledge of history, but also an appreciation of the significance of that history to visitors like my wife and me. Tina is extremely personable, and it was fun spending four hours with her. She also knows about all there is to know about contemporary Berlin, so she can be your personal concierge if you are new to the city.

    Jim Fiffer Avatar Jim Fiffer
    November 3, 2024

    Tinas tours was amazing! We were with the Legendary Movie Orchestra from the Netherlands on tour in Berlin, and Tina sure made our trip unforgettable. Shes very knowledgeable and is an interesting and enthusiastic guide, answering all your questions. She shows you around all interesting spot without getting bored or tired 🙂 Would definately recommend this tour and even do it again when im back in Berlin. THANK YOU TINA!!

    Chloe De Vries Avatar Chloe De Vries
    November 3, 2024

    Highly recommend. Tina customized the itinerary to fit our interests and actively offered suggestions for sites of interest that had not occurred to us. Tina knows a lot of German history and stories, making the sites more interesting than reading a placard at the site or a website summary. Tina navigated the city with ease, and offered suggestions to us for meals and sites to consider for the rest of our time in Berlin. I’ve never booked a private tour like this before, I felt the price was worth it, and would consider doing similar in the future because of this positive experience..

    Kim D Avatar Kim D
    October 3, 2024

    One of the best walking tours I’ve been on! Let her take you around Berlin!!

    Eshaan Gandhi Avatar Eshaan Gandhi
    October 3, 2024

    Delightful private tour with Tina. Excellent introduction of the street art scene in Berlin. She is really passionate, bring us to some secret spots and share her preferred artworks. Thanks again. Don’t hesitate, far away from the tourist trap

    yann balbaert Avatar yann balbaert
    September 3, 2024

    Fantastic tour guide, highly recommend!

    Y S Jess Avatar Y S Jess
    September 3, 2024
  • Super visite de 2h avec Tina dans Berlin pour découvrir des tags magnifiques,hors des sentiers battus avec des explications sur les artistes!possibilité de faire 3h! On était un petit groupe de 6. C’était vraiment top! On a adoré !

    D G Avatar D G
    September 3, 2024

    I did the Berlin highlights tour with Tina and it was awesome, she was super knowledgeable and kept the tour really entertaining and engaging, definitely one of the best walking tours I’ve been on!

    Chelsea Russell Avatar Chelsea Russell
    September 3, 2024

    We fell in love with Tina on the first tour we did with her, she was super informative and delivered the tour in an interesting and encapsulating way. We even extended our trip to go on another tour with her and she impressed us all over again. She is happy to answer all questions and is well equipped to answer all questions in depth. We also looked through her instagram and she had so many recommendations and the ones we explored did not disappointment. Overall, Tina is the best and deserves all your money . . U

    Bradley Hora Avatar Bradley Hora
    September 3, 2024

    The tour I received (Counter-culture and street art) was interesting, I liked the topics she dealt with, it was a nice tour of Berlin. Nice murals! Nice vibes from her as well. She was nice, pleasant and communicative about the topics she dealt with. I would recommend 🙂 Thank you 😊

    Luciana Topp Avatar Luciana Topp
    August 3, 2024

    If you want someone who is knowledgeable and passionate about Berlin, Tina’s your girl! A truely captivating tour guide with a wealth of information, both the key details and the lesser known facts. Highly recommend!!

    Tiffany Hurwitz Avatar Tiffany Hurwitz
    August 3, 2024

    I took Tina’s Cold War tour today and WOW-- it was so worth my time. Tina is incredibly knowledgeable and her passion for history, Berlin, sharing stories, and being with people really shines. I was amazed how much I learned on this tour. 10/10 I would recommend Tina to anyone looking to learn about Berlin!

    Erin Conway Avatar Erin Conway
    August 3, 2024

    Evert S Avatar Evert S
    August 3, 2024

    Steen Kirchhoff Avatar Steen Kirchhoff
    July 3, 2024
  • We had planned a tour that highlighted the Jewish sites and history around Berlin. At the last minute, our guide was sick. He referred us to Tina and I don't think anyone could have given a better tour. Before the tour, I shared what we'd already seen and she adjusted our schedule so as not to repeat things. She is so knowledgeable and shared interesting facts at every place we visited. Beyond that, she is a true delight!

    Sara Gaviser Leslie Avatar Sara Gaviser Leslie
    July 3, 2024

    TINA was an absolutely fantastic guide. She was passionate, interesting and clearly devoted to delivering a fantastic experience for everyone involved. Even in spite of the heat and sweltering conditions, she did exceedingly well to keep myself and the group, entertained and thoroughly engaged. I was very impressed and will personally seek her out for the remainder of my tours that I book in Berlin. I cannot recommend Tina or her tours enough!

    Kylie Neilson Avatar Kylie Neilson
    July 3, 2024

    Tina provided an engaging walking/bus tour during our stop in Berlin during a student trip. She adapted quickly to the interests of the group. Her energy is infectious.

    Deb Eaton Avatar Deb Eaton
    July 3, 2024

    olive langford Avatar olive langford
    July 3, 2024

    My EFT Group tour of the Memorial and Museum Sachsenhausen, led by Tina, was a thought-provoking experience. Her insightful reflections on the museum's exhibits brought the history to life and left me feeling moved.

    Nelson Pesigan Avatar Nelson Pesigan
    July 3, 2024

    We’re not frequent review writers but after spending the day with Tina in Berlin, well … wow. At the suggestion of a friend, we signed up with Tina and, in short, can’t recommend her highly enough. Eight stars out of five. She is definitely not the follow-the-umbrella, “we’re walking, we’re walking” type of guide. Rather, she’s an Aussie who is fluent in German, who came to the city, instantly fell in love with it, and seeks to share her appreciation. She more than succeeds. Tina is smart, funny, curious, kind, entertaining, enthusiastic, prepared, present, and thoughtful. But above all, she is a gifted storyteller who excels at bringing Berlin’s historical layers to life. Her passion is contagious and her knowlege of the city is equally vast and deep. Over the day we spent with her, she took us to some of the must-see sites and provided nuanced context (historical, cultural, architectural) that helped us understand what we were seeing on a whole different level. She also took us to out of the way, off-the-path nooks and alleys and storefronts where more subtle but equally evocative stories lay. Also, Tina read us well, picking up on our interests and shifting the tour in real time to give us more of what she thought would spark us. (She was right.) We’ll be back to Berlin, and when we come, we’ll be back to Tina.

    Bill Shapiro Avatar Bill Shapiro
    July 3, 2024

    amazing, so funny and entertaining 🫶 learned so much and was really captivating 🙂

    Cindy Wu Avatar Cindy Wu
    July 3, 2024

    This is an honest feedback- the tour was informative and I liked Tina style. She is generally polite and had lots of stories to tell. However, there are few points which I feel could have been improved upon: 1. There were no stops at all during the 3 hour tour. Which I feel was a bit of stretch. Most of the group members looked visibly so tired. 2. Following on the first point, she ended our trip 30 mins before which meant that the points to cover were not as many so she could have accommodated few rest in the middle of the tour 3. I know it’s extremely professional nowadays but she didn’t wait for ANYBODY. You tell her I will be back in 2 second and she will say ok and continue with her tour. I totally get it, but I guess sometimes you need to see if it’s reasonable. I had to grab a bottle of water and she just continued without waiting - other guided tours, I have not experienced this tbh. 4. This to me was the biggest disappointment. I felt rather forced by her to give good rating of the tour. It’s quite a turn off for me. You can ask people to give reviews but don’t ask them to give you 5. One should learn to receive genuine feedback even if it would impact you but that’s how you learn

    Ankur Gupta Avatar Ankur Gupta
    July 3, 2024

Who is Tina?

I am a storyteller, a passionate nerd for modern history, a psychology graduate, a curious observer and lover of mankind. 

Aussie

Born and raised in Queensland Australia, English is my native language. I have Italian family heritage, so my real name is Ernestina, after my great grandmother. I am proudly now also fluent in German, for my sins!

History Nerd

Growing up in a house where the walls were lined with history books and the corners crammed with boxes of newspapers, my parents ignited my fascination with modern history and what it can teach us about humanity.

Berlin Addict

I came to Berlin in 2017 for a 10 day nerdy history vacation of tours, museums and historical sites. I had not expected to encounter such a free, fierce, bold and unapologetic city. I made it home.

Eine Berlinerin

I've run an underground music venue, performed hula hoop dance at festivals and clubs and been both accepted and rejected by Berghain. Curious about what this is to do with history? This is why you need to tour with me.

Storyteller

I bring Berlin's history to life, make it accessible and help people to connect with it on an empathetic level. My passion for the city energises my tours. Passion is contagious - so prepare yourself to be captivated by Berlin.

Berlin Guides Association Member

I have been a member of the Berlin Guides Association (Bündnis Berliner Stadtführer) since 2021.  

Personalised Tours

Whether you are a local wanting to better understand your home, a first-time visitor to Berlin or a business looking for an inspiring team-building event, Berlin has plenty to “wow” you.
Pick from one of my favourite topics listed below or let me design your own, personalised Berlin adventure.

I particularly love designing a “Best Day Ever”: a full-day Berlin adventure combining history, sightseeing, art, culture, food, drinks, people-watching and whatever else Berlin throws at us along the way!

Yes, I do accept multiple-day bookings.

Below are some of my favourite tours, which can be tailored to your likes and interests:

Berlin Highlights

Let’s do the “must sees”, but more importantly, let’s bring them to life with their incredible, fascinating and sometimes surprising stories.

Highlights include the Brandenburg Gate, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, site of Hitler’s bunker, the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Museum Island and many more. East Side Gallery tours also available.

Socialist East Germany and the Berlin Wall, the Cold War era

Up until 1990, much of Berlin stood in a completely different country: the socialist German Democratic Republic (GDR). What was life like in the GDR and what marks has it left on Berlin and the German people?

We will see some remnants of the Berlin Wall, check-out some communist art and architecture and visit some of the most important sites from the Cold War.

GDR tours could also include sights like the former Stasi headquarters, East Side Gallery, escape sites, memorials and former ghost tunnels.

third reich tour

Hitler's Berlin: The Nazi Years

Let's tour the scars of Adolf Hitler's "Third Reich", which reigned from 1933-1945. The Nazis built intimidating buildings, drew-up plans to develop Berlin into a megalomaniac global capital, purged art and literature which they deemed "degenerate", horribly persecuted and murdered people who they deemed "Ungerman" and dragged the globe into World War II. By the end of their 12 year dictatorship, the Nazis had devastated humanity and reduced Berlin to rubble.
Let's tour what's left of their architecture, envision how their planned capital would have looked, trace the stories of some of the top Nazis and also those of their victims. Sites might include former Nazi government buildings, exhibitions, the site of Hitler's Bunker, war damage (bullet holes etc), air raid bunkers, stumbling stones, sites of resistance acts, the Reichstag building, memorials to Nazis victims e.g. the Memorial to the Murdered Jews or Europe or Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted under Nazism etc.

tina standing in front of street art mural

Counter-culture and street art

Street art, squats, alternative living projects, LGBTIQ culture, demonstrations, clubs, techno, punk… Berlin emerged from its oppressive history to value freedom and LIFE above all and to revel in both through art, parties and politics.

How did Berlin’s WWII bomb damage give birth to some of the world’s most famous (and notorious) street artists? How did the Berlin Wall lead to new styles of rock music and a wave of occupied houses? Why were artists like David Bowie and Nick Cave so inspired by this city? Why are Berlin locals locked in a fierce battle to remain masters over their own city and what does this have to do with an anarchist- queer- feminine housing project? How did the fall of the Berlin Wall transform the city into a “temple of techno”, why is it so hard to get into the city’s clubs and why are they so important to Berlin? What is Berghain and what does it take to get in?

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

The concentration camps of the Nazi era continue to appal and horrify the world. These were places of forced labour, medical abuse, torture and mass murder.
Many diverse people suffered in Sachsenhausen, from homosexuals to pacifists, priests to artists, journalists to Jews, resisters to ethnic minorities slandered as “gypsies”.
In this tour of Sachsenhausen’s former prisoner area, we will share some of their stories. We will build an image of life inside a concentration camp, explain how this hideous episode of history escalated and address Sachsenhausen's specific role in the Holocaust. A tour here is an emotionally challenging experience, but also extremely worthwhile.

Vintage/ Second Hand Shopping

Berlin has great second hand and vintage shopping scenes! I'm afraid that I'm absolutely useless where brands and fashion are concerned, but I know where to find the best deals and unique collections! For several years, I've been trying to only buy second hand textiles for environmental and human rights' reasons. Let me show you my favourite spots!

Local bar experience with Tina and an original Berliner

Let's show you some of Berlin's best bars! My boyfriend is born and raised in Berlin and I think that I'm humbly able to finally call myself a Berlin expert. We love exploring the city's best nightlife spots and have a huge list of our favourites. We'll take you to a few of our favourite bars, varying from "hip" modern Berlin bars to old Berliner "Eck-Kneipe" (traditional pubs). This is bookable privately and also occurs regularly in in small, open groups.

Socialist cinema and high rise

Modern Architecture East vs West

"Can you tell whether you are in East or West Berlin based on the buildings?" Is one of the most common question asked by guests. The answer is more complicated than you might think. There are some places in former East Berlin where the architecture is clearly socialist. Along the former Stalin Allee for example, you can trace the journey of socialist architecture from the unexpected classicism of Stalin's time to the later, prefabricated, concrete, high-rises. The socialists did not, however, have the monopoly on utilitarian, practical buildings. Many superstars of modern architecture in the capitalist world, such as Martin Gropius, Le Corbusier and Oscar Niemeyer left their mark on West Berlin with buildings that are often mistaken to be socialist because of their appearance. Let's trace the East vs West, socialist vs capitalist battle as it played out in the modern architecture of Berlin. Sites include the former Stalinallee and Hansaviertal or Kottbusser Tor.

Jewish Berlin

Let's trace the history of Berlin's modern Jewish community. We'll see some of the empty spaces where the Nazis successfully purged sites of Jewish life from Berlin's cityscape, but we'll also visit many survivors.

This tour is around Große Hamburger Straße in the Hackesher Markt area. Sites include the location of the first, "old" Synagogue of Berlin and the grand New Synagogue, the first Jewish cemetery of Berlin, and many memorials. We'll share the history of Berlin'd modern Jewish community and their experience during the devastating years of the Nazi's atrocious Third Reich.

I'll share with you stories of some Berliner Jews who did particularly amazing things in the city's history.

Bavarian Quarter

This tour is particularly good for someone who's visited Berlin many times and would like to go off-the-beaten-path to a neighbourhood that most people never see.

The Bavarian quarter in the Schöneberg district was home to many of Berlin's most famous residents, including Albert Einstein, the writer Alfred Kerr, the sportswoman Lilli Hennoch and the director Billy Walder.

The Bavarian Quarter had a significant Jewish population, meaning that it bore the brunt of the Nazi persecution particularly harshly. A clever art installation around the streets tells the story of the escalation of persecution.
This tour is a combination of elegant pre-war and less elegant modern architecture, Jewish history, Cold War intrigues and stories of celebrities from Berlin's.

The best day ever

Private tours are always tailored to your personal interests. Don't feel that you have to restrict yourself to only one of the topics above: we can mix and match and combine as many as we have time for!

Let’s spend a day or half-day exploring some of the best that Berlin has to offer for you personally.

We can balance sightseeing and history with gastronomy, people watching, art, architecture and whatever else interests you the most. Are you a coffee nerd? Wine lover? Graffiti addict? Let me know and I will tailor our day to your interests.

Want it on wheels?

Please let me know if you'd like me to organise a private vehicle and driver for our tour i.e. bus, minivan or car.

I do offer bicycle tours, but for groups of maximum 6 people, unless you're already confident riders in city traffic.

Dying to tour with Tina!?

Private tours range between 75€ and 120€ per hour (excluding 19% VAT).  This is per tour and not per person.  If this isn’t in your budget, then get in contact to ask about joining one of my regular, public tours.

Call/ Whatsapp/ SMS/ carrier pigeon me on +4915906391611, e-mail me at ernestina.searle@gmail.com or send me a message on Instagram or Facebook and I will get back to you.  

Extra Content?

Check-out my interview with Trip101 for tips on visiting Berlin.  We discuss everything from how to best reach the city from the airport, to the importance of carrying cash when in Berlin, to tips on what to do in the city:

Podcast Episodes

I’m a regular guest at the Ministry of History podcast in episodes about Berlin.   Listen online here:

Escapes over the Berlin Wall

Rubble Women 

East Germany 1953 Uprising

Or watch us on Youtube:

Impressions