Free Walking Tour Berlin

When: Every day 10am & 12pm every day
Where: The meeting point is in front of the ehemaliges Kaiserliches Postfuhramt Berlin, Oranienburger Straße, 10117 Berlin, Germany, next to the entrance.
Price: Free

What Does it Take to Become a Tour Guide in Berlin?

by | Mar 7, 2024 | Walking Tour

If you have ever strolled through Berlin, explored the historical, colorful and energetic spirit of the city or simply desired to make a profession out of being a tourist guide. But what does it really mean to become a guide in this interesting place? In this blog post, I am going to tell you more about real-life career-changers, who decided to become a tour guide in Berlin and tips on how you can do it too!

Why Choose Berlin as a Tour Guide Destination?

Berlin, which is the capital city of Germany, is a place of mixture of history, art and tradition. Starting from the Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag building, Berlin’s museum landscape and the young street art scene – the city had many incredible things and stories to tell to the guests. Discovering the past of the city you live in, presenting it to visitors from different parts of the world, and providing them with a marvelous trip is what a tour guide should do.

How to Get Started

To become a tour guide in Berlin needs knowledge, passion and other practical skills. Let’s take a look at the essential steps to get started:

1. Gain In-depth Knowledge of Berlin

To become a tour guide first of all you need to understand every single piece of information regarding the history and architecture of the city. To better understand Berlin, one should read books, watch documentaries and attend local tours. Prominent and historical people, events and places associated with the city should not be unfamiliar to you. These will be the things you will base your future tours on..

2. Obtain Relevant Qualifications and Certifications

Even though they are not always necessary to achieve to get the job, having the proper certifications and degrees will only work in your favor if you choose to pursue a career as a tour guide in the city of Berlin. It is recommended to take courses in tour guiding, history or cultural programs. Also, you may require a first aid certificate, as well as a fluency in one or several foreign languages based on the conditions of the chosen tour company or organization.

3. Gain Practical Experience

Lots of turnover is important when it comes to becoming a tour guide out of practical experiences. Volunteer for museums, join historical organizations, look for any chance to follow senior guides around or simply offer your services to friends and family. Such experiences will be useful in the enhancement of your narration skills and your communication skills and knowledge on the realistic part of the tourist group guiding.

4. Research and Choose a Niche

Berlin has a rich offer of different areas, and as a tour guide, you can choose different kinds of specialization. From historical tours, art-based tours or food tours, deciding on a niche will set you apart from other guides, and market to a more targeted clientele. Criticize various niches, evaluate yourself, and choose the niche that you are interested in and that no one in the world can offer better than you.

Stories of Career-Changing Tour Guides in Berlin

That said, let us take a look at personal success stories on how people changed careers and became Berlin tour guides .

1. From Finance to Cultural Ambassador

The lady who has left a good financial analyst’s job to do what she wanted to do most- History. Finally, after many months of forums, research, certification, and volunteer experience, she started her own tour company. At present, she provides historical tours where she guides the guests through Berlin experiencing different major events in the city’s history and whatever may happen a guest feels like they have really been through history.

2. From Teacher to Art Enthusiast

Mark, who was previously an English teacher, made a switch and became a tour guide in Berlin after he was enthusiastic about art and wanted to create it as a subject matter as a guide. He dedicated his time by moving around galleries, museums and attending art to gain more knowledge. Today Mark leads creative and interactive tours covering modern artwork and allowing the guests to get familiar with the Berlin art scene.

3. From Chef to Culinary Tour Guide

Eva was a professional chef who wanted to discover more about culinary and creative blog narration. Being acquainted with numerous kinds of German dishes and the rich history of the city’s eating places, she turned into a culinary excursion server. Eva offers a culinary tour where she shows people and explains when they can try local food, when they can try berlin food and taste it.

Conclusion

To become a guide in Berlin is not only a possibility to disseminate one’s interests to the foreigners but also it is a chance to create a unique impression about different people. Therefore, if you wish to become a professional tour guide in Berlin you have to successfully complete the process of gaining all the necessary knowledge and gaining the necessary qualification and work experience as well as choosing a particular specialization. If you are willing to discover the interesting history and place to visit in Berlin, then let’s begin the first step as a tour guide now!

Thank you for reading. If you're inspired by the stories of Berlin and want to delve deeper, why not join us on our Free Berlin Walking Tour? It's a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the city's rich history and vibrant culture. We look forward to welcoming you soon.

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WHAT TO EXPECT

  • 3.5 hours walking tour
  • Berlin’s major highlights
  • Brandenburg Gate
  • Reichstag and Berlin Wall
  • Historical sites

Free Walking Tour Berlin

When: Every day 10am & 12pm every day
Where: The meeting point is in front of the ehemaliges Kaiserliches Postfuhramt Berlin, Oranienburger Straße, 10117 Berlin, Germany, next to the entrance.
Price: Free