While London’s own telecommunications tower will always be remembered for hosting the Noel Edmunds Christmas show, Berlin’s TV tower – the second highest in Europe – has become an international landmark. During bad weather the red and white mast disappears almost completely in the fog, but on clear days it’s a permanent fixture of the city’s skyline. Built by Walter Ulbricht in Communist times, the 368-metre tower (also visible in the west) was intended as an assertion of power and dynamism. Taking four years to build, it was finally completed in 1969. Legend has it that when the sun shines on the tower reflections on the ball form a cross, dubbed ‘the Pope’s revenge’. Take a lift up to the observation tower where on a clear day you can see up to 40km; a great way to see the entire city in one short trip. A revolving restaurant serves food and snacks, but book in advance if you’re not a fan of queuing.