Reviews — WALKING TOURS IN BERLIN

I believe that the experiences of my past guests speak louder than any description I could write. In this Reviews section, you’ll find honest testimonials from travelers who have explored Berlin with me. Whether you're still deciding or ready to book, take a moment to read these reviews and see what others have said about their adventures with me. Discover why my guests leave with more than just memories!

"Our tour with Jan was a favorite part of our vacation in Berlin. He is extremely knowledgeable about history and his ability to make it come alive even kept the children in our group engaged. Jan is personable and helpful, as well as a good story teller. His anecdotes about current events were entertaining, and he conveyed the history of Germany clearly to help us understand the buildup to WWII. We toured sites of recent historic importance, such as Checkpoint Charlie and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, and Jan’s insights added deep meaning to those. We would not return to Berlin without booking another tour with Jan. "

Margaret W., Saint Charles (USA)
“Jan was brilliant. He managed to cover a huge amount of information about the ancient and modern history of Berlin from its founding, to the 1st and 2nd World Wars and on to the Cold War. We saw all the “classics” – Reichstag, Museum Island, the Berlin Wall, Check Point Charlie etc. But also look at the history of Germany and Berlin through the neighbourhoods of the Mitte. I think what makes Jan stand-out is his background: (i) he is German and has lived the history he is talking about: (ii) he is a lawyer and so has the attention to detail; (iii) as a former Naval officer and current reservist he knows and lives Germany’s current and previous military history without which you cannot really understand Berlin. I would recommend Jan unhesitatingly.”

Nick W., London (UK)
"Jan is a knowledgeable, affable, and energetic guide who ushered me on a splendid six-hour walking tour of Berlin. Steeped in the history of Germany and its capital, Jan focused the tour (at my request) on the period from Weimar through the Cold War. Examining key sites and offering enlightening commentary on the compelling and troubled history of Berlin in the twentieth century, Jan usefully drew on his own background as an attorney and naval officer for contemporary context. Highly recommended. Plus, he had great un-touristed restaurant recommendations."

Daniel W., New York City (USA)
"Jan was the perfect guide for our group of three on our first visit to Berlin. Of course he took us to all the important sites, but he also gave us a deep understanding of events that led to their fame, and how they affected people both ordinary and official at the time. He's clearly an expert and passionate historian. His stories are nothing like the canned bits we've heard in other travel. He also helped us with a lot of mundane tourist issues like parking and travel cards. Highly recommend."

Dee G., Florida (USA)
“Jan took my family on a five hour tour of Cold War Berlin. I went to Berlin a long time ago before the Wall came down, and I wanted to see how the city changed since then. I am a Cold War history buff and my son loves world history. Jan’s tour was everything we could have hoped for when we signed up. Jan took us to the well-traveled spots of the Cold War (The Brandenburg Gate, the East Side Gallery, Checkpoint Charlie). He also took us to lesser known spots for Americans such as Prenzlauerberg, where dissidents in East Berlin were concentrated, to an old prison run by the East Berlin Stasi, and subway stations where plaques commemorated the stations’ part in a divided Berlin. Throughout the tour, Jan narrated events that transpired to start the Cold War in Berlin, the clashing and politicking of superpowers over forty plus years, and harrowing tales of Berliners’ and East Germans' struggle for survival and freedom. Jan possesses deep, extensive knowledge of German history, and his passion for sharing that knowledge oozes out of him. He is a wonderful guide and made my family’s trip to Berlin a truly memorable experience.”

Katherine G., San Francisco (USA)
"I can’t say enough good things about our tour with Jan. We saw and experienced so much of Berlin in a short amount of time. He synthesized centuries of history in brief vignettes that made learning fun and easy to absorb. Jan and his tour are extremely thoughtful and well-researched, not afraid to address difficult questions, funny, and sensitive. The tour was customized to our interests and Jan easily held the attention of my children. This was the perfect introduction to Berlin. Highly recommended!"

Laura T., Nashville, TN (USA)
"If this is your first trip to Berlin definitely hire Jan Katzmarczyk as your guide. He made the history of the city come alive with stories about the burning books memorial and the memorial to soldiers killed in the wars. It would be very easy to walk by both and not realize what is right by you. The Holacaust memorial is not to be missed and he recommended we go back the next day to the Topography of Terror museum which we did. You could spend 2-3 hours. There are so many interesting parts of Berlin so grab a good pair of walking shoes and spend your time with Jan. It will make your trip to Berlin. P.S. His dinner recommendation for a local casual restaurant was great as well."

Lynne and Joe R., USA
"We had a 5 hour private tour with Jan. It was excellent and a great start to our Berlin visit. He started out with what he called his "7 minute history of Germany". Then he led us through many of the historical sites providing insightful information. This provided us with a good context for our subsequent days in Berlin. On top of all that he was funny and he even sang a couple of German songs !! Highly recommend."

Nedra W., USA
"The walking tour of Berlin led by Jan was an exceptional experience that I highly recommend. Jan's depth of knowledge about Berlin's history was evident from the start. Not only did he provide an impressive array of facts, but he also delved into the underlying motives and the mood of the times, which brought the city's past to life in a unique and engaging way. Jan's tour covered all the major historical landmarks, including the Brandenburg Gate, Soviet memorial among many others . His storytelling was vivid and compelling, making each stop along the tour not just a point of interest but a window into the complex and tumultuous history of Berlin. He seamlessly integrated historical facts with anecdotes and personal stories, offering a multi-faceted perspective on the events that shaped the city. What stood out most about Jan was his ability to discuss not just the what, but the why and how. He provided context for the decisions made by historical figures and the impact of those decisions on the ordinary people of Berlin. This deeper analysis added a rich layer of understanding to the tour, allowing us to appreciate the nuances of Berlin's history. In conclusion, Jan's walking tour of Berlin is not to be missed. "

Joseph Y., PH
"Jan is a superb tour guide. My wife, brother-in-law and I had a five-hour walking tour with him, and we were dazzled by his knowledge of German history from medieval times to the present. He has a warm and engaging personality and sprinkles his commentary with interesting and amusing anecdotes. He welcomed our questions and was willing to shape the tour to accommodate our special interests. In addition to being an excellent guide, Jan impressed us with the clarity of his communication in preparation for the tour. We highly endorse Jan and will recommend him to all our friends traveling to Berlin."

William K., Washington DC (USA)
"Our Third Reich tour with Jan was one of the highlights of our stay in Berlin. Jan is an exceptional guide who truly brought the city's rich history to life. His incredible knowledge and storytelling skills turned the historical locations we visited into a fascinating tale with personal stories, political insights, and military know-how. Jan managed to keep our group with varying interests engaged for the entire duration of the walk making Berlin's complex history accessible and memorable. Highly recommended!"

Niek V., Manila (PH)
"We throughly enjoyed Jan's tour of the key historical sites in Berlin. After our tour of the Reichstag was cancelled at the last minute, Jan reconfigured our tour and met us near our hotel. At each stop, Jan not only gave us a through explanation of the site, but also peppered it with intersting stories and corrected a lot of misinformation. He was kind to every member of our group. We loved Jan's tour!"

Steve W. Calvin Christian School, Escondido, California USA
"Jan is a wonderful tour guide who is extremely knowledgeable and personable. He led my husband and me on a tour of Sachsenhausen concentration camp, This was a very heavy and sobering experience, and Jan's in-depth knowledge of the camp and its history -- as well as German history in general -- added so much to our experience. Jan is very client-focused and answered all of our questions thoroughly and understandably. We highly recommend Jan as your tour guide in Berlin."

Julie G., USA
"On our recent trip to Berlin, we were lucky to have Jan accompany us for a half day. His knowledge of all things Berlin was exactly what we needed to help immerse ourselves in the history and culture of the city. Jan was pleasant, easy to converse with and was able and willing to answer questions that were poised. Jan comes highly recommended by us."

David C., New York, USA
"Hi Jan! We all learned so much from you and we're impressed by your deep knowledge of Berlin's history! Also, really appreciate your response time and working with us to help plan great tours! Good luck with your new website! I'm sure you will be very successful, and we all wish you the best of luck! Thank you for making our trip to Berlin so memorable!"

Cathy R., USA
"Hello Jan, Thank you so much for the wonderful personal tour of Berlin that you gave us yesterday. Your in-depth knowledge of the history of Germany, Berlin, the rise of fascism, World War II and the Cold War was fascinating. Your insight is something that we could not have gotten from a typical group tour. We highly recommend your expertise to anyone interested in more than just a skimming of the surface."

Phil W., USA
"Jan, David and I found your tour about Holocaust and Cold War Germany very, very informative. Your choice of sites to share, including the ghost stations, illustrated the fascinating history you presented in a coherent and mesmerizing fashion which included personal family history. I highly recommend your guiding."

Lisa N., New York, USA
"Just did a 6 hour tour with Jan on June 14th. He is a great guide with immense historical knowledge about Berlin and Germany's history. Jan is highly educated and has lots of experience that works perfectly with his tours that will be completely customized to your liking. Do not hesitate to book him, you will not be disappointed."

Stan S., USA
"I’m 15, and I took this tour with my parents. It was excellent! Jan answered all of my questions and provided us with a lot of valuable information on several monuments. We got to see several parts of Berlin, including the older parts and hidden gems. I would definitely recommend him for a tour."

Ainsley H., USA
"Jan has a superb breadth of knowledge around Berlin's history, but also of current issues affecting Germany and the world. The tour itself was interactive and engaging, even for our adolescent children. Jan managed difficult topics sensitively, but honestly. I highly recommend Jan, and I could not have imagined exploring this fascinating city without a tour at all."

Sumitha R., USA
"Our tour of Berlin with Jan was absolutely a high point on our Germany trip. Jan wisely advised us to tour the Reichstag building first and our tour built from there. In 1.5 days, I feel that we got a wonderful overview of the city and its history. I would like to tour some of the museums he highlighted on a future trip, but felt that 1.5 days plus the Reichstag gave us a wonderful sense of the city and its history. There was plenty of time to ask questions. Furthermore, Jan's real life stories brought the history to life. I highly recommend investing in his tours!!!"

Meg L., New York (USA)
"After spending the day with Jan in August we enthusiastically recommend him. He picked us up in Rostock and we visited the site of a World War 2 POW camp in Barth. He had obviously researched it thoroughly. Then, at his suggestion, we visited the medieval town of Stralsund in the afternoon and found it fascinating. Jan talked to us about the history of both these locations during the drives. We could tell that History is his Passion. We covered a lot of miles but returned to our cruise well before our departure. It was a solid 5 Star day."

Art A., Los Gatos, CA (USA)
"My wife, daughter, and I did a 6-hour Berlin tour with Jan. He was a great tour guide and provided us with an excellent overview of this complex and fascinating city. He has a deep knowledge and understanding of Berlin's history and is passionate about sharing it. It would've taken us a number of days on our own to even try to cover all that we saw and learned about. We highly recommend booking a tour with Jan."

Jim O., USA
"Jan hosted My wife and I, as we toured Berlin for several days at the end of August, 2024. He was the consummate professional tour guide. Over this timeframe, he clearly explained the highlights of Berlin, The Third Reich, a visit to Sachsenhausen Memorial Camp, The Cold War, and modern Berlin. Jan is a teacher. Being very personable, helpful, and respectful, he has the unique ability to ‘put you there’ and hold your attention; as he describes each subject in great detail. In addition, several books and movies were mentioned and noted by Jan, for us to reference at a future time. He provided hotel and restaurant recommendations, organized transportation to and from the airport, and explained other sights to see outside of our scheduled tours. Jan was always on time each day. Your ‘Unconventional Berlin Guide’ will not disappoint."

Jake S., USA
"I had a wonderful time and learned/saw so much more than I ever would have on my own. Jan is so knowledgeable, engaging and fun to be with!! What a gem. Jan, thank you again for a truly special tour of Berlin, filled with fascinating stories and details that I never would have known and made the history come alive for me! "

Susan M., USA
"Today I just finished a tour of Berlin with my tour guide, Jan Katzmarczyk. I have done a fair amount of traveling and been on many tours. This tour was by far my best experience. Jan was punctual, pleasant, and a pleasure to deal with. His English was perfect. He was extremely knowledgeable (history, architecture, culture, current affairs) and an excellent teacher. I recommend his tour without reservations."

Steve G., USA
"We did 3 tours with Jan. His knowledge of all things Berlin is incredible! We toured Sachsenhausen concentration camp, toured all the highlights of Berlin, and finished off with a bar tour! I cannot recommend Jan and his private tours enough! You will never receive the personalized service from group tours."

Jennifer L., USA
"The tour was fabulous! He is very knowledgeable and explains everything regarding the sites. Highly recommend Jan as a tour guide!"

Lisa G., USA
"Jan's tour was wonderful! We learned so much, were very entertained and enjoyed all that Berlin has to offer. Jan is very knowledgeable of the history, the city and shared it all with us in an interesting and enjoyable day!"

Julie W., USA
"Jan made our trip to Berlin 5+ stars! We did the Overview of Berlin tour and it was fabulous. We learned so much history that we did not know before and it helped make all the sights more interesting with this context. Jan is so warm and friendly, he is someone you want to spend a few hours with while in Berlin. Thank you, Jan!!"

Holly P., USA
"Großartige, maßgeschneiderte Tour durchs Scheunenviertel in Berlin Mitte. Jan hat ein beeindruckendes historisches Wissen und unterhält mit zahlreichen Anekdoten, die selbst echte Berliner beeindrucken. Absolute Empfehlung!"

Philip H., Berlin (Germany)
"Difficult to imagine a better guide. We lucked out with Jan, who, in addition to being extremely knowledgable, is also humorous and friendly — and all that in perfect English. We are older, and Jan tailored the pace and experience - in this case, the Cold War - to our capabilities. Highly recommend."

Pat F., USA
"Jan, if you would post this on your site I would appreciate it! I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your personal tours through both Berlin’s Third Reich and Sachsenhausen!! You endured my endless questions with grace! I am grateful for your knowledge and sharing of how Berliners are dealing with their past. Your sharing of both deep academic knowledge with personal history experiences and military background really helps provide a well rounded, solid tour. I highly recommend you as a guide for tours for anyone looking for informative, entertaining experience in and around Berlin!!"

Carolyn and Kevin S., Omaha, Nebraska (USA)
"Hi Jan, thanks so much for your wonderful tour. You opened our eyes to the real Berlin, explaining the history so well, that the city really came alive. As someone who has never been to Berlin, your tour was quite a remarkable experience. I highly recommend any tour that you offer. I would give it ten stars!"

Allie F., USA
“Jan’s historical tour of Berlin was absolutely fantastic! His deep knowledge of the city’s history, combined with his engaging storytelling, made the experience both educational and enjoyable. Jan brought Berlin’s past to life by pointing out details and sharing stories that aren’t in the guidebooks. He was patient with all our questions and tailored parts of the tour to our interests. The pacing was perfect, with just the right balance of walking, exploring, and taking breaks. His recommendations for places to visit after the tour were also spot-on. Jan’s passion for Berlin’s history is contagious, and I highly recommend his tour to anyone visiting the city!”

Joshua S., USA
"We had the pleasure of having Jan as our walking tour guide in Berlin. At our request, he prepared a tour based on our specific requests which included key landmarks and the Jewish quarter. His breadth and depth of knowledge on all the sites was impressive. Jan also provided a meaningful yet humorous history of Germany (use of the chalk tracing the German States on the sidewalk was a hit! ). He included personal histories of his family which added a level of understanding and appreciation of pre/ post war Germany as well as the fall of the Berlin Wall. The 6-hour tour was delightful and I can highly recommend it."

Kerrie & Richard L., CA
"Hi Jan, just wanted to say thank you so much for our tour on Saturday. We absolutely loved hearing all about Berlin and Germany and it was the absolute highlight of the weekend. I learnt more about Germany in the 3 hours than I have in the rest of my life! Thanks again!"

Annabel A., UK

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