hipster places to visit berlin

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Berlin off the Beaten Path: 13 Unique Places to Visit

Berlin is on nearly everyone’s list when traveling to Germany. And given the city’s history, art, and feel-good, hip vibe, it’s easy to see why. While places like East Side Gallery, Brandenburg Gate, and Check-Point Charlie draw the biggest crowds, there are also tons of fantastic things to do in Berlin off the beaten path.

Of course, a trip to the capital isn’t complete without exploring some iconic landmarks. But after a long day of visiting touristy attractions and restaurants, you’ll want to check out these unique places in Berlin.

This city deserves to be explored more than the average tourist tends to do. Here are a few ways you can experience Berlin like a local and take in the city’s authentic culture.

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Things to do in Berlin off the beaten path

See a concert at berliner philharmonie.

Every Tuesday at 1pm, the Berliner Philharmonie hosts a free (yes, you read that correctly, FREE) concert, and surprisingly, not a lot of people know about it. You’ll mainly find locals on their lunch break and the odd group of like-minded travelers. It’s actually one of the most famous concert halls in the world, so it’s pretty cool that you can see a show for free.

It’s easy to get to as well, located just a block from the major transport hub Potsdamer Platz. The concerts are hugely popular among locals and spots can fill up quickly, so aim to arrive at least 30 minutes before the show. You can also buy food and drinks at the venue, so settle in for a casual lunch concert.

Shop at Bikini Berlin

A concept mall located on Breitscheidplatz, Bikini Berlin is unique in that it lets independent retailers rent space in the mall on short contracts, which means it is continually evolving. It’s a hipster spot and suits the vibe of Berlin.

Among the few well-established chain stores and cafes, you can expect to find a range of boutique stores. You can also head to the terrace on the top of the building, where you can admire views of Berlin Zoo while having a bite to eat.

Opening hours: 10am-6pm Monday-Saturday, closed Sundays .

If you are looking for more shopping, head to the huge Mall of Berlin (the largest in the city), or Alexanderplatz, where you will find huge chain stores, the Alexa shopping mall, and various markets.

Stop by the Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park

Among all of the historical and memorial sites in Berlin, this Soviet War Memorial is often missed.

Located in Berlin’s Treptower Park, it is both a war memorial and cemetery that was built to remember 7,000 of the 80,000 Red Army soldiers who died in the battle of Berlin. It’s one of three Soviet Memorials in Berlin (the other two are located in Pankow and Tiergarten), and makes up a triptych with two Russian memorial statues.

Visit the abandoned airport at Tempelhofer Feld

Sitting quite literally in the centre of the city, Tempelhofer Feld is Berlin’s abandoned airport. What was once one of Europe’s most iconic pre-World War II airports is now Berlin’s largest park, perfect for hosting a huge range of activities on its ground.

Frequented by skaters, basketballers, and many more locals, the coolest part is that some of the main indoor terminals are open for wandering. It’s an eerie experience that offers unique photo opportunities.

Opening hours: 7:30am-5pm daily.

Wander the Museum of Natural History

Berlin has an utterly massive amount of museums. Most of these are situated on the aptly named Museum Island, which is where most people head to get their history and art fix.

Despite being one of the world’s most impressive natural history museums, Berlin’s Museum of Natural History is often overlooked by travelers. However, it’s worth a visit to see the impressive collection, especially since it’s centrally located within walking distance of Berlin HBF. You could easily spend a day here, but 2-3 hours is enough to see the highlights.

Opening hours: 9:30am-6pm Tuesday-Saturday; 10am-6pm Sundays; closed Mondays.

Hunt for street art

Still looking for more street art after visiting East Side Gallery? Well, Berlin has plenty more to offer, and without the crowds, too!

Head to the Warschauer strabe S-bahn station, where you will find a huge range of street art in the area. This hip neighborhood is full of non touristy things to do in Berlin, with flea markets on Sundays, outdoor bars, and live music.

Book your Berlin street art tour and workshop here!

Save me for later!

If you have more time to spend in Germany, why not head to Cologne or Nuremberg ? These two beautiful German cities are calling you to visit!

Where to eat like a local in Berlin

A fan favorite among locals and clued-in travelers, Peter Pane is the spot to go for a good burger. Choose from a huge selection of deals which include a burger, side, and drink (the cocktails are worth trying!), and enjoy the cozy and relaxed vibe.

It’s perfect for a pre-night out feed or a quick lunch stop between sightseeing. Conveniently located across the road from Berlin HBF station, it’s a burger you won’t regret.

Zollpackhof

Just a 5-minute walk from Berlin HBF station sits the extremely authentic Zollpackhof, which features both an outdoor beer garden and restaurant on the river. Opt for a beer in the beer garden, or head inside for a traditional German meal picked from a huge menu.

Zollpackhof is extremely popular among locals, so bookings are essential, especially in the peak season.

Belushi’s Bar

Missing the sport that you normally watch at home? Belushi’s Bar has got you covered. One of Berlin’s top secrets, this bar and hostel in one that is not yet widely discovered. Check the schedule online to see which sporting events they are streaming and head in for a pub food and drinks while watching those sporting events that you just can’t miss.

Districkt Coffee

If avocado toast and good coffee for breakfast is your thing, then Districkt Coffee is the place for you. It’s a popular spot among locals for brunch, so head in early to grab a table and enjoy the delicious range of breakfast options.

Visit later in the day for a quick coffee and a cheesecake, because you definitely deserve it! Located in the Mitte district just a short walk from the Memorial to the Berlin Wall, the walk there will take you through a residential area to find this little gem.

RELATED: 2 Days in Cologne: Itinerary for First Time Visitors

Where to go for a night out in Berlin

Beach clubs are popular in Germany, and YAAM (Young African Art Markets) is a favorite among locals. Featuring street art, musical events, and a cool hang out place, YAAM welcomes everyone to enjoy a drink.

Apartment Bar

Located in the hotel Amano Grand Central located across the road from Berlin HBF station, Apartment bar is a cool and cozy bar with comfy lounge chairs, ambient lighting, and an outdoor terrace. Try one of the classic cocktails, and opt for a shot of the Berliner Luff liqueur, a must when visiting Berlin.

Admittedly, this place isn’t typically what you would consider “off the beaten path in Berlin”. Basically everyone who wants to go clubbing in Berlin tries to get into the world famous Berghain.

What is off the beaten path, however, is actually getting in! The security is a little scary and known to only let in around 20% of people. They have a “type” and will decide before you even open your mouth to say “hello” if they will let you in or not. Half the fun is seeing if you get in, and if you do, it’s not an experience many travelers can say they have had.

Top tips for getting into Berghain : Wear black, stay quiet in the line and learn some basic German!

Visiting Berlin at Christmas time

From late November through Christmas eve, Berlin hosts nearly a dozen holiday markets across the city. Most visitors tend to flock to the famous Gendarmenmarkt and Tiermarkt stalls. But if you want to stick with the off path Berlin theme, you should head to Sophienstraße’s Eco Christmas market for sustainable goods and treats.

Use this Germany Christmas market itinerary to plan a magical winter train trip across the country!

Explore Berlin with a local guide

To truly experience Berlin like a local, you need an expert who knows the city inside and out. Discover Berlin’s quirky cafes and hidden secrets with one of these tours:

• “Wild Kreuzberg” walking tour
• Customized city tour with a Berlin local
• Berlin street art tour with interactive workshop

Berlin travel tips

Where to stay in Berlin

For a nice stay in a convenient location, book at the Hotel Amano Grand Central .

It’s not only home to the aforementioned Apartment Bar, but also centrally located across from Berlin HBF station. Plus, the hotel offers a brilliant buffet breakfast, nice rooms, and multiple lounge areas.

If hostels are more your thing, the One80 Hostel offers hip lodging in both dorms and private rooms, as well as a courtyard, bar, and club on site.

Getting to Berlin

Berlin is a major transport hub in Germany, and you can fly directly from many cities in Europe and within Germany itself. If you are flying in from outside of Europe, it can be cheaper to fly to Frankfurt first depending on the time of year, so it’s worth checking prices. Most of the time a stopover in Frankfurt is necessary anyway.

Already in Germany? Fortunately, the country’s trains are frequent and comfortable. A five hour train ride north from Cologne, and a couple of hours from Nuremberg and Munich, it’s easy to make your way to Berlin without a car.

Getting around Berlin

There’s no shortage of public transport in Berlin. The S and U-Bahn trains will take you just about anywhere and are very affordable, and the trams are another great option. Cabs are also common in the area, but generally you can get whereever you want to go with public transport and/or a short walk.

I adored my time in this city. After traveling around Madrid and elsewhere in Spain and Germany, it was wonderful to spend over a week in Berlin.

As I have German heritage, I enjoyed meeting up with distant friends and relatives, and really seeing the city for more than its tourist hot spots (of course, I visited all those places too!). The experience did not disappoint at all, and I quickly learned how much Berlin has to offer.

Once you get off the beaten path in Berlin, you won’t want to stop! It’s a special feeling to know you have truly seen a place beyond its tourist hot spots. Berlin is the perfect place to chill out and explore thanks to its welcoming people and its good vibe.

Owner of Emma Adventures

Emma writes about all things travel & adventure. From travel guides, resources, and off the beaten path recommendations, her blog has everything you need to inspire your next adventure!

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Your Guide to Hipster Berlin

When you head to berlin, ditch the guidebook and don your horn-rimmed glasses. famously described as “poor but sexy” by a former mayor, berlin will inspire you to venture beyond the classic sights in search of emerging cultural hotspots, fantastic food, and unexpected spaces. follow this guide, and you’ll be acquainted with the grey city from the perspective of its hippest residents..

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Berlin Hipster City Guide for Travelers

Home » Hipster City Guides » Berlin Hipster City Guide for Travelers

A mecca of artists, bohemians and Europe’s creative class, Berlin is an old, historic city made new again thanks to a torn-down wall, a reunified country, and an influx of young, trendsetting individuals from around the world.

Whether for world-class nightlife, new tech start-ups, unique fashion, cutting-edge art, or international food, visitors often fall in love with Berlin’s unique vibe, staying longer than expected and returning frequently. Here’s what you need to see.

• Where to Stay
• Bars: Where to Drink
• Best Brunches
• Nightclubs: Where to Dance & Party
• Art Galleries & Museums
• Touristy Stuff
• Parks & Platz’s
• Travel Tips

Berlin is undoubtedly Europe’s coolest city. With 24-hour nightlife, a growing culinary scene and affordable living, the über hipster Berlin attracts people from all over the world. DJs want to play Berlin’s clubs (some of the best in the world) and artists want their work shown in the hundreds of independent galleries. There is always something interesting happening in Berlin.

And thanks to the city’s sprawling size and relative diversity, it’s now one of the world’s most hip cities. Whether visiting for a day, a weekend or a week, you should be able to use the Berlin travel guide below to find unique and interesting things to do in the world’s best city.

But first: What are the Top 5 Hipster Places in Berlin in 2023?

• Visit the Urban Spree for the best clubbing at night, flea markets during the day, and incredible street art.
• Shop at Mauerpark on Sundays for bric-a-brac and other great Berlin souvenirs.
• Take a stroll through Templehof (the former airport turned into a public park).
• Eat and drink your way down Westerstraße in Neükolln for international and ethnic restaurants, hip gay/queer bars, and chill cafés (also good for brunch).
• Grab a beer at a späti (or spätkauf—a small convenience shop) and sit alongside the Landwehr Canal, walk through Görlitzer Park, and enjoy the late summer evenings in Kreuzberg .

Read more tips from my Berlin travel guide below:

Where to Stay in Berlin

Most Berlin hotels are within walking distance of Alexanderplatz, but boutique and designer hotels are scattered throughout the other neighborhoods. Kreuzberg , Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg are easily accessible via public transportation and provide a more local experience for travelers. Neukölln is another great area to stay thanks to a handful of cool hipster hotels. Keep in mind that Berlin is a relatively safe city but, like anywhere else in the world, there can still be problems in some areas more than others.

I recommend using Airbnb to find apartment rentals in Berlin. Look for ones in Kreuzberg, Mitte (around Rosenthaler Platz) or Prenzlauer Berg. Also: anywhere along the U1, U2 or U8 U-Bahn lines will likely be especially convenient for visiting the city. You can also read my detailed neighborhood guide here for more tips on where to stay in Berlin.

Best Hotels in Berlin

• Gorki Apartments –  A meticulously designed property (but not overdone), each room in this well-designed boarding house comes with a kitchen. The building was designed to appear like a typical Berlin apartment building and with many of the interior decorations coming from nearby flea markets, the designers have definitely succeeded. Room prices from 115€ per night.
• Hotel The Yard – Set in new building in Kreuzberg, The Yard offers a luxury apartment style in an affordable, basic hotel setting. The lobby doubles as a cafe and restaurant, and a quiet outdoor patio and swimming pool make it a pleasant spot to hang out when not sightseeing. The hotel’s location just steps from some of the city’s best museums (the Jewish Museum, Berlinische Galerie, and St Agnes gallery) plus its convenience on the subway, make it an excellent place to base yourself for a first-time visit to the city so that you can experience both the nightlife and culture.  Room prices from just 95€ per night.

• Hüttenpalast – An indoor caravan hotel in Neukölln, the room prices are some of the best for such an unique hotel property.  Room prices from 55€ per night.
• Hotel Indigo Alexanderplatz – It’s a small design hotel but the location can’t be beat if you need something convenient. Rooms are simple but cool with small flourishes of design. Just don’t expect a lot of frills. The only downside is the expensive breakfast option. Room prices from 100€ per night.
• Sofitel Kurfürstendamm Hotel – This luxury 5-star hotel on Kurfürstendamm (a popular shopping street in West Berlin) has all the style and elegance of a luxury property without being as stuffy as others. There’s definitely a sense of “cool” in the air here. Room prices from 160€ per night.

Best Hostels in Berlin

• Circus Hotel & Hostel –  Located in the coolest area of the Mitte neighborhood, Circus operates both a hotel and hostel in two separate buildings at Rosenthaler Platz. Rooms are very comfortable and the hostel even has a nice design to it. Check out their craft beers in the hotel bar, too!  Double room hotel prices from 75€ per night, dorm prices from 19€ per night.
• Wombat’s Hostel – Prices aren’t cheap at this hostel in Mitte but the Wombat’s Hostel is a solid brand with great rooms, a fun bar and a good location. Dorm prices from 12€ per night.
• Generator Hostels – The Berlin properties from the popular European backpacker brand aren’t in the best Berlin locations, but they are convenient to public transportation and are popular with many solo backpackers. Dorm prices from 20€ per night.

Best Bars in Berlin: Where to Drink

Berlin seems to be fueled by cheap beers (this is Germany , after all) but there are an increasing amount of cool bars and pubs worth visiting. Many have their own unique design, special events or even just serve really good drinks (think craft beers or contemporary cocktails). There are a lot of areas in Berlin great for drinking but the best of the best are going to be in Kreuzberg, Neukölln and Friedrichshain.

Bar crawls aren’t excessively popular in Berlin but if you’re looking for a street full of great bars, check out Weserstraße in Neukölln. The bars here change quite a bit and new ones are popping up all the time, but you can’t really go wrong with a night out on Weserstraße. And while you’re there, keep your eyes out for the giant frogs!

• Lerchen und Eulen  – Moscow Mule cocktails and a cozy interior. A friend set her hair on fire in this bar (I’m not kidding) and no one noticed, so, uh, this place is amazzzzzing! It’s a smoking bar so unless the weather’s good and you’re sitting outside, you will come home with a smoky scent.
• Ä –  It’s got a simple name (if you can pronounce it with the umlaut) but there’s nothing simple about this laid-back bar in Neukölln. At the corner of Weserstraße and Fuldastraße, Ä has a few rooms (and basement dance floor when they feel like it) and thankfully the smoking section is kept separate.
• Klunkerkranich – Berlin’s best summertime bar! On the rooftop of a shopping center’s parking garage in Neukölln, Klunkerkranich is custom-built each season. Pro tip: skip the entrance fee and hang out at the smaller bar by the entrance. The bar’s only open March through December.

• Liberacion – It’s a more alternative bar, located in Friedrichshain not far from the super-cool area around Boxhagener Platz. It attracts a lot of students, hippies and queer folks for its random parties & events. Just be careful going to the bathroom here, it feels like you may never return.
• Multilayerladen  – A cool hipster place hidden behind the Kaiser’s supermarket at Kottbusser Tor. Once walking through the curtain, you’ll find cheap drinks, good DJs and a cool vibe from the other visitors.
• Locke Müller  – They serve some of the best cocktails in Kreuzberg. It’s got the Berlinerische atmosphere with a smoky atmosphere, but the bartenders really know their drinks.  €8 for a cocktail can be expensive for Berlin, but worth it here.
• Gastón – In trendy Neukolln on Weserstrasse, this little Spanish tapas bar serves cheap beer and affordable tapas. With outdoor seating on a quiet street corner, you may just think you’re back in Spain.
• O Tannenbaum – This kitschy bar and club near Hermannplatz (in Neukölln) is decorated with fake Christmas trees and lawn furniture. They often have great DJs and it’s always open late.
• 8MM – This bar in Mitte, near Senefelderplatz, is known for its great music and awesome DJs. It’s got a great atmosphere on the inside and might just remind you of Brooklyn. Also worth checking out is Neu! Bar by the same owners.

Coffee Shops & Cafés in Berlin

With Berlin’s growing start-up scene, cafés have become the “it” place for freelancers and self-employed entrepreneurs. Co-working spaces are popular in Berlin and new ones seem to open up every month. But still, with the Berlin café culture, it’s all about the coffee…

• St Oberholz  – This cafe at Rosenthaler Platz serves consistently decent coffee, but the real attraction is the free wifi and large workspaces. It’s Berlin’s best co-working café, often full of hipsters with MacBooks.
• Godshot – This friendly cafe in Prenzlauer Berg serves great coffee, has little coffee workshops and even sells Australian Tim-Tams for 1€ each!
• Café CK  – It’s a chic and trendy café but with good wifi and conveniently located in Prenzlauer Berg. But the soothing interior design and the top-quality coffee make it a great place to relax. Bonus: it never seems very crowded.
• Bonanaza Coffee Heroes – One of Berlin’s first new wave coffee houses, Bonanza Coffee Heroes is well known among connoisseurs. Located on the beautiful Oderberger Strasse, it’s just steps away from Mauer Park. Be warned that it’s a very small space so often crowded on the weekends.
• Oslo Kaffeebar – I first discovered this place while taking a German language class at a nearby school. With a cozy interior and good coffee, it’s one of my favorite places to chill out in a cool but quiet atmosphere.

Food & Berlin’s Best Restaurants

Berlin may not be known as a foodie destination , but over the years I’ve lived here, I’ve definitely noticed an improvement in the quality and quantity of good places to eat. Berlin’s food scene today rivals many of Europe’s top cities and it keeps getting better and better! Recently, Berlin was even named the vegetarian capital of the world…pretty surprising for the capital of Germany!

If you’re looking to sample a mix of Berlin’s best restaurants, try a food tour. There are a handful of different companies offering food tours in Berlin.

I sampled a vegetarian tour through Neukölln (one of my favorite neighborhoods!) and for just 25€, it’s an incredible value – the cost of the tour includes food and drinks at at least six different Berlin restaurants!

• Maroush – This cheap eatery at Kottbusser Tor probably serve’s the best shawarma in Berlin – no joke! It’s tiny and not really a sit-down place, but if you’re looking for something cheap and delicious to eat, this is it.
• Markthalle Neun – This Kreuzberg market hall is home to Berlin’s best food events, including the always popular Street Food Thursday (you guessed it: every Thursday evening). They do other food markets, sometimes specifically around certain meals such as breakfast or dessert. Be warned that sometimes you have to pay to just enter the hall. Street Food Thursday is an experience, but it’s also very crowded. I tend to prefer the smaller street food market Bite Club .
• Tiergartenquelle – My favorite German restaurant in Berlin, this old-school bar and restaurant sits underneath an S-Bahn station. Portions are huge (and I’m not exaggerating), the beer is cold and the staff is super friendly.
• Dong Xuan Center – This warehouse complex in Lichtenberg (that’s in East Berlin, accessible via tram) sells just about everything. Besides being an import center for random goods from Asia, there’s also a great Vietnamese restaurant.
• Thai Park – Great for the summertime, Berlin’s unofficially titled “Thaipark” is really just a weekend street food market reminiscent of those you’d find in Thailand . Full of Thai families, hipsters and picnicking Berliners , it’s a great place to spend an afternoon (or even an entire day). Many of the vendors sitting on the grass even make homemade cocktails such as mojitos or caipirinhas.
• Berlin Burger International – Another cheap eats in Berlin, this Neukölln restaurant is one of my favorite burger places.
• The Bird – Widely regarded as one of the better burger joints in Berlin, it’s a nice American-style bar that serves great burgers (even if they come on English muffins).
• Nollendorfplatz Chinese Noodles –  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bought a big box of €2.50 “Chinese” noodles at the Nollendorf U-Bahn station. The woman who runs the shop is super nice!

Best Brunches in Berlin

A typical Berlin brunch means a buffet-style meal with sliced deli meats, cheeses, soft-boiled eggs and fruits. And sausages – this is Germany, remember? But that doesn’t mean Berlin’s best brunches are tepid affairs. Several cafés and restaurants have found ways to make the Berlin brunch memorable. Plus, there are even a surprising amount of vegan brunch options!

• Bateau Ivre  – This French bistro located on Kreuzberg’s always popular Oranienstrasse is great to visit morning, noon or night. But their tasty brunches (meat & cheese plates) and rustic interior make it a great place for leisurely brunches.
• California Breakfast Slam – Go here for American-style egg plates, pancakes and the occasional bit of hair in your food (kidding – that only happened to me once!). They’ve also got Huevos Rancheros, though – yumm!

• Café Anna Blume – You’ve probably read about this place in other travel guides, magazines or maybe you’ve just seen it on Instagram…and rightfully so. Anna Blume serves one of Berlin’s most picturesque brunches!
• Datscha – Want to try something a bit different? This Friedrichshain café serves a delicious Russian brunch with blinis and pelmini, plus a whole array of vegetarian options. On Sundays they offer a buffet brunch (typical for Berlin).
• Café Morgenrot 404 – This queer-friendly bar & cafe also serves a vegetarian/vegan brunch every weekend. It’s just next to the K86 squat house  (the Tuntenhaus ). It’s a queer/gay squat and a lot of the parties & live music at Morgenrot (in the evenings) are free and fun.

Berlin Nightclubs: Where to Dance & Party

With more and more people visiting Berlin not for its tourist attractions but for its cutting-edge culture, much of the action in Berlin takes place at the city’s countless nightclubs. Resident Advisor lists what DJs will be where, but I also recommend checking the Open Airs Berlin Facebook page (especially during the summer).

For students and younger travelers, Magnet Club and Lido are decent choices for their indie music parties.

• Any U-Bahn station will do. You’ll find most of the pop-up U-Bahn parties in Kreuzberg, around Schlesisches Tor, Görlitzer Bahnhof and Kottbusser Tor.
• Berghain/Panorama  – Of course. The NYTimes has called it the “best club in the world” and its door policy is notorious. Formerly a gay club, it’s really for everyone — especially those that love to dance.
• Chalet – I really love this club. The music is good, the crowds are into it and the beer garden is perfect for chill-out periods. Inside the run-down buildings that make up the club it’s often hot and sweaty—just as it should be.
• Weekend Club – Located in one of Berlin’s few skyscrapers, this cool club overlooks Alexanderplatz with a rooftop terrace and indoor area great for groups and all-night parties. In the warmer months, make sure you stay until sunrise!
• Cassiopeia – It’s a consistently good club on Revaler Strasse. R&B and hip-hop nights are the most popular and the beer garden courtyard and rock-climbing are perfect in the summertime.
• Birgit und Bier – It’s a beer garden, but one that hosts a number of cool festivals, events and parties. There are regular gay parties here, too – and when you get hungry, the kitchen serves pizza.
• Astra Kulturhaus – This indie club (also on Revaler Strasse) gets some of Berlin’s best live music and the parties usually continue afterward.
• Kaffee Burger –  It’s a small indie club in Mitte with performances, DJs or special events just about every night of the week. It’s a bit small and smelly, but the crowd is usually cool.

Gay Berlin Travel Guide

Gay-friendly cafes and bars can be found throughout the city, though historically the streets around Nollendorfplatz in Schöneberg were the gay-friendly hotspots. Today you’ll find gay bars all over the city, though—even in the places you might least expect. The new gay Berlin has pretty much moved over to Neukölln where you’ll find gay clubs, queer bars and even occasional drag shows.

Popular gay parties include Buttons (formerly called Homopatik) at //about: blank and Revolver (and other nights) at the fetish-friendly Kit Kat Club . Though I tend to go for the smaller parties in more indie clubs like below. In Schöneberg you’ll find a lot more fetish clubs, but Hafen , Heile Welt and Tom’s Bar are all relatively tame bars worth checking out in that area. Other than those, spend your time in Kreuzberg, Neukölln or Friedrichshain where even if the bars aren’t labeled gay, you’re still likely to run into queer boys and girls on the dancefloor.

• Tom’s Bar – It’s a bit of an institution for gay Berlin. The bar has 2-for-1 drinks on Monday nights and a certain stench in the air (maybe coming up from the popular darkroom in the basement). Not for the faint-hearted though, the bar shows gay porn on the TV screens. Many tourists from the nearby Gay Hostel show up here.
• Schwuz – One of my favorite clubs in Berlin, Schwuz is gay every night with regular themed parties. My favorite is the first Friday of the month when it’s “London Calling” night with indie Brit-pop and occasionally live music. Also popular is the Madonnamania night (only when there’s a 5th Friday in the month).
• GMF – This is your stereotypical gay party. Think pop music, attractive boys without their shirts and just generally a lot of fun. It’s every Sunday night.
• Möbel Olfe  – It’s a gay bar but you might not know it (except for the giant sign out front proclaiming “Homo Bar.” It’s a smoking bar so you won’t come home smelling pretty if that’s what you’re after.
• Silver Future –  Located on trendy Weserstrasse in Neukölln, this quirky queer bar is a great place for a meetup or a casual drink.
• More gay Berlin recommendations are available here.

There is also a great Berlin meetup in Berlin for LGBTQ travelers – check the local gay magazine for more information.

Art Galleries & Museums in Berlin

Thanks to Berlin’s unique history in the world, the city has long been a hotspot for creative professionals and entrepreneurs. And what the city’s 100+ museums lack in world-class collections, they make up for in attracting new artists and exhibitions.

• Zozoville – It’s a small gallery near Kottbusser Tor with quirky exhibits. If you can’t make it during their awkward opening hours, they also usually have a stand at the Boxhagener Platz Sunday flohmarkt.
• NGBK Gallery – This Kreuzberg gallery usually has cool exhibitions from young and emerging Berlin (and international) artists. It’s hidden behind an equally interesting art bookstore.
• Hamburger Bahnhof – Inside a former train station, the contemporary art museum houses some truly unique and interesting art collections. Check for their special exhibitions, however, as they get a good variety of modern art.
• Museum for Film & TV – This quirky museum (in Potsdamer Platz) has permanent exhibitions about Germany’s film industry
• Museum of Photography  – Located just behind Zoologischer Garten, it’s a great photo museum and gallery with permanent exhibits from Helmut Newton.
• Shakespeare & Sons  – It’s not an art gallery or museum, but it’s a great bookstore (same owner as the bookstore by the same name in Prague ).

Touristy Stuff & Other Berlin Tips

I like to say that Berlin doesn’t has much in terms of tourist attractions, but what it lacks in things to see it makes up for in history. Berlin has its iconic buildings of course (Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Cathedral, TV Tower) but they’re mostly just pretty buildings perfect for Instagram, with very little worth seeing or doing on the inside.

Still, Berlin is very much a living city, with new and exciting things happening every day. The city is constantly changing and growing, with special thanks to the fact that it was once a divided city and only relatively recently reunited.

• Berlin Wall Memorial – Maybe you’ve heard of the East Side Gallery, but if you’re actually interested in learning a bit of history, this where you’ll actually prefer to visit. There’s a well-done museum and an open-air memorial on the site of the former Berlin Wall .
• East Side Gallery – It’s not as cool as you think it is, but the open-air gallery is probably why you came to Berlin in the first place.
• Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial – Located just a short distance outside of Berlin, Sachsenhausen is free to visit if you’re interested in learning more about the Holocaust. You can take sightseeing tours (which include important historical information) for as little as $20 from central Berlin, departing every day.
• Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe –  It’s a powerful memorial located just steps away from Brandenburger Tor. Also make sure you walk across the street and visit the oft-forgotten  Gay Holocaust Memorial .
• Reichstag dome – Germany’s parliament building is also one of the city’s best tourist attractions. You can go inside, and if it’s summertime, you can even walk around on the roof!
• Get the lowest prices by  booking tickets in advance. Berlin is one of the world’s busiest cities for tourists, so prepare yourself and save some time by booking in advance!

Parks & Platz’s in Berlin

Berlin has the unique accolade of being one of Europe’s greenest cities. With a massive park in the middle of the city, Tiergarten, there’s no shortage of green space in Berlin. Each neighborhood, or kiez , also seems to have their own public space for street festivals, weekly farmer’s markets, gelato-eating or ping-pong.

• Görlitzer Park –  It’s where all the hippies, hipsters and druggies hang. Try not to get stabbed. Also: it’s the equivalent to San Francisco’s Dolores Park if you know what that means.
• Tempelhof – Berlin’s most unique tourist attraction is the former Tempelhof airport. Since the airport’s closing, the huge open land has been converted into a public park. Parts of the park have been converted into everything from organic community gardens to mini-golf courses. Bring a bike with you to get the full experience and try racing the kite-surfers!
• Mauer Park  – Visit on a Sunday afternoon to witness something “so Berlin” (read: super cool and unlike anything you’ve probably seen before). Come for the outdoors karaoke but don’t bother to do your shopping in the flohmarkt (flea market).
• Winterfeldtplatz Platz  – There’s a great farmer’s market on Saturdays here with good food.
• Boxhagener Platz  – Visit  on Sundays for the hipster shopping market—everything from fashion t-shirts to used books & records. With antique furniture and other bric-a-brac mixed in for good measure.
• Badeschiff – Not really a park, the Badeschiff (part of Arena Club) is a swimming pool floating in the River Spree. And if you don’t think that’s cool enough, just imagine the place full of sexy hipsters in the summertime. Only 5€ entry, too!

Travel Tips & Berlin Local Blogs

For more Berlin travel tips and suggestions, check out some of my favorite blogs and resources:

• CeeCee.cc – The weekly Cee Cee email newsletter (every Thursday!) features cool events, club info and restaurant & art gallery openings. Just subscribe before you visit and unsubscribe after to avoid getting too many advertisements.
• VisitBerlin.com – The official tourism portal for Berlin, the site is full of helpful tips, suggestions and even a blog with more regular updates! Visit Berlin also sells the Berlin Welcome Card — a useful pass you can buy for anywhere from 2-5 days and includes free public transportation and reduced entry to many museums.
• SlowTravelBerlin.com – A site full of historical and long-form stories about Berlin as a tourist destination. Check the website for tour listings every weekend.

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[…] Hipster Berlin Travel Tips […]

the best nightclub fehlt. this is the kuhdorf!!! not so bad is the speicher and the matrix. dancing under the u-bahn!

completely agree with the below comment. please go back to where you came from ignorant hipster gringo

Being a “Hipster” is not a real job.

Also, calling yourself a hipster is the lamest thing I’ve seen in the internet for a while. Lamer than wearing socks with sandals.

So I was in Berlin last week and since I’m a hipster (hahahaha) I was happy to find your guide. Because we had only 3 days in the city we couldn’t check out everything but I’m happy to say that some of your tips helped us a lot.

California Breakfast Slam – Oh god I loved it so much, ate for like 20€ and it was worth every euro.

Dolores – Perfect start for the trip, enjoyed it a lot.

“Chinese” noodles at the Nollendorf u-bahn station – We checked it out when we were in the neighborhood and it was just right for lunch break.

I’m definitely going back to Berlin soon and will check out your other tips too. Thanks a lot!

PS: Since we discovered some places on our own, I can recommend the Burgeramt (great burgers for small prices) and a bar called Dachkammer (check out the first floor in the evenig) in Friedrichshain.

Love your hipster bike! I know you mean about dancing in the UBahn – so many times I’ve seen people get on with their little stereos on wheels. It’s great to get you into the mood before a night out (if it’s your type of music I guess, haha!). A mate of mine wrote about cool bars and clubs in Berlin too: http://www.handsoffourholiday.com/want-to-see-the-quirky-side-of-berlin-visit-some-of-the-coolest-bars-in-germanys-capital/

I’m finally going to get to see Berlin this year! We’re off on a mini honeymoon in April and came straight here to check out your tips. Am literally going to spend the entire evening reading all your suggestions of things to do!

I will be visiting Germany at the end of June from the U.S. My first trip out of the country and I am beyond stoked. Stoked across this page and man I am thanking you already. I have a friend in Stuttgart but she will be off on honeymoon a few days after I get there so I’ll be left to my own vices while traveling through Berlin, Prague and Zurich while over there. These tips will be a great starting point for sure!

Glad to hear you’re finding this guide useful Jerm. Enjoy Berlin!

Hi Adam, Nice places you have collected here mate – I visited Berlin in February(God I will not do that again). I have to say it was quite warm during the day but when you wake up in the morning it is like -3 C and you can barely walk. I loved the The Memorial Church (Gedächtniskirche) & the Victory Column (Siegessäule)

Cheers, Endri

it is so wrong. the hipsters in leipzig are much more avant-garde and soooo cool. everybody shall just go to leipzig leipzig is THE place to be. forget about berlin, berlin sucks. thanks the waschechterberliner

Thanks for sharing the information. Good for the traveler going there first time. It is a nice collection of all what one can do in Berlin. Thanks once again.

It might be worth mentioning that Badeschiff is only open from May to September. I was looking forward to going during my upcoming visit, booo.

LOVED this post thanks Adam – will help so much as I introduce myself to the city!! :)

You’re going to love Berlin Brooke! Looking forward to meeting you here in Berlin sometime :)

I’m so happy to have found this post. It will be such a great help. I’m taking a solo trip at the end of November and I can’t wait to see ALL of the things!!! Thank you! :)

What a great guide Adam – tips galore on where to find the best places in Berlin! Thanks for the details…. going to check out a few this afternoon…. Rachael, http://www.cumulusdiaries.com

Was in Berlin for only 1 day in 2010. found the city fascinating with the history and stores with items going back I history. And the Jazz history was fanominal

I’ll be reading this on the plane to Berlin. Can’t wait to explore the city. Took me long enough to finally go there…

Hi, great and usefull informations, gonna look at it again at the next trip to böörlin (2 weeks :) )! Todays live escape games trend can’t be unseen and should be added to the list. There are great escapes games all over europe and the adventures will always be a new exciting experience. For Berlin i recommand my friends the Hipster Escape Party. The theme is so great implented, the feeling in the room and the puzzles are so great done, that already at start a good funny mood comes in and the happiness to solve all barriers to escape will funny up the whole day, for the cheap price the new exiciting experience was totally worth it.

Thanks for the guide! Great post!

Adam! I love the article, and it inspired me a lot prior to travelling to Berlin. My family and I had such a great time in Berlin that I had to write my own article with a few alternative spots http://www.reformatt.com/blog/berlin

Hopefully it contributes a bit :)

Glad to hear that you enjoyed Berlin!

I hope you are well?

I wanted to speak to you because I just wrote a book about Berlin and I wanted to ask you about how to promote it in the city and get it out there.

The plot relates to crime there, I have got a lot of positive reviews on the general snippets and I never did this before, so I would love your advice.

many thanks.

I LOVE Berlin. A great guide with amazing photos! Reading this is making me need Currywurst!

My fiancé and I head to Europe on honeymoon in June. We’re spending a weekend in Berlin and we can’t wait to explore. This is the best guide to the city I’ve found so far. We were planning on booking the Gorki Apartments before I read this and this just helped us feel more confident about making the reservation.

Awesome to hear that Lauren. I’m sure you’ll have a great holiday. Thanks for using my guide!

Live right outside of Leipzig but love going to Berlin. Great article!

Great article! You should really add CocoLiebe bar/restaurant in Rixdorf as one of the best new places too, especially on a Thursday night they have a stunning ambient indie band, Alright Gandhi, playing free while you eat, it’s one of the best things I’ve done in a while.

Awesome list – quite glad I’ve been to lots of the food places and literally heard about the Russian brunch place yesterday – gotta get there quick! We write about Berlin too as we LOVE this city! Maybe we shall bump into each other sometime soon :)

I am thinking of going to berlin in August – do you know where i can find a list of events that are taking place ?

Hi Ayokor – Check the event listings of AwesomeBerlin, SlowTravel Berlin, Sugarhigh —  you can see the links linked to above in the “Local Blogs & Resources” section

I wouldn’t be talking to the Roma or “Bohemians”as you called them, in Berlin if I were you.

Hi Adam. I’ve found your site so helpful in planning my trip to Berlin and Amsterdam this summer. Thank you! Since you live in Berlin, I thought you’d be the best person to ask this question: Is there a significant different in tourist-crowd levels on a weekend in early August versus a weekend in early September? I know August is peak tourist season. But I often hear that most Europeans head to the sea in August, so perhaps it’s not really that much more crowded then. What do you think? (A weekend in August works better for us, but we’ll wait til September if there’s a significant advantage.) Thanks!

Hey Lindsay, I don’t honestly know but I think the difference should be relatively negligible. Universities don’t actually get started until October here, so both months are going to be before school starts.

I knew your guide was perfect when you mentioned a Banh Mi spot and Huevos Rancheros! Being from a fabulous food city in the US, we miss great food terribly. So looking forward to our 1st trip to Berlin in October. Thanks for all the info you provide..by far the best city guide I’ve ever found!

Awesome guide!! I am going to Berlin in August and staying until the end of December. I’ll be studying at Freie Universität Berlin. Right now I am leaning towards Kruezberg for my stay but need some better input. I am 21 years old and want to live somewhere with cool bars, good cafes and restaurants that are not too expensive (student budget haha), and close to or near the best nightlife. I love electronic music so ideally ones centered around that. Also a place with gyms nearby and parks would be great! Any more ideas Adam? Also if Kruezberg is ideal for me are there specific neighborhoods within that I should look for? Let me know what you think! I definitely want to live somewhere where it’s young, artsy, and could meet locals and students. Thanks in advance!

Hey Denis! To be honest, no matter where you stay in Berlin, it’s easy to get around. A lot of Freie Universitat students end up staying somewhere convenient to the school, maybe Nollendorfplatz or along the U3 in Schoneberg – it’s not the most exciting areas though. Gyms and parks are everywhere in Berlin so I wouldn’t worry about that one either – the city is the greenest capital in Europe! Look for student housing and you’ll find where the students are :)

Also, check out my blog’s FAQs for more tips about moving to Berlin.

You have missed “TAUSEND” on the list of where to drink. However, the BAR TAUSEND & CANTINA only with minimum age of 18.

Ah yeah, I know Bar Tausend but it’s expensive and not really my style.

Ahh Berlin.. How it’s growing. My wife is a East Berlin from “behind the wall” times. East & West Berlin is so different still and an amazing place to learn about their past. Berlin is so well connected with it’s Trams, Trains etc and the U-Bahn parties are the best haha. For me, I stay in Freidrichshain. It’s the place to be, Simon Dach Strasse has great bars as does Boxhager. Warschauser Strasse has the bahn & everything you need close to the Mitte. Definitely hire a bike (about 6euros a day). You want Currywurst??? Konnopke in the East is HANDSDOWN the very best Sausage in the world! Westies will try tell you it’s Curry36 but from a outsiders perspective… Konnopke is the bomb. If your a yank…The West is for you, if you want the REAL Berlin…You’ll know where to find it. EAST baby! Oh P.S. If you got a group of friends, do the Bierbike. Loads of fun haha

Thanks for this guide! I am in Berlin now, and it is so helpful! :)

I am moving to Berlin in two weeks and this blog post has got me so excited! The brunch looks delicious and the outdoor karaoke sounds hilarious.

Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for any other wonderful post. The place else may just anybody get that type of information in such a perfect manner of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I’m on the search for such information.

The reason behind all of it is a kindly cleric named Valentine who died greater than a thousand years ago.

I blindly came to Germany from L.A. to visit friends in the west side of the country. Tomorrow I’m heading to Berlin and I realized, I had no idea what to do! After reading this blog, I am so excited to be in the city for a week! Looking forward to visiting your other blogs and cities.

So happy to find this blogpost! We are moving with my “GerMan” in 2 weeks from NRW to Berlin for 6 month. This will be my guide there :) Thanks :)

Cool! And check out our regular meet-up in Berlin if you’re ever looking to make new friends: https://facebook.com/travelsofadam/events/

Thanks Adam :) Could I maybe ask you for your opinion? We are considering two flats. One in Charlottenburg and the other one nearby Arkonaplatz. The one in Charlottenburg is definitely closer to our work/school, however Charlottenburg tends to appear somehow too calm, even boring. The other one would mean cca. 30 mins way to our destinations – i guess it´s still OK in Berlin. We don´t really know these districts, but what we like, is to meet new people, having a good coffee, go out wining and dining… Which place would you recommend for a half a year living in Berlin, during spring – summer? I would appreciate any idea, which could help us to solve our dilemma :)

Arkonaplatz definitely has a lot more action in the immediate nearby streets. Charlottenburg is beautiful but they don’t call it Charlottenboring for nothing ;-)

In all seriousness, though, Chalorttenburg is quite nice and there is some cool stuff out there – it’s very family-friendly as well. Arkonaplatz, though, is also in a great family-friendly area and cool to many more bars, cafes, parks and restaurants. If it were my decision, I’d go with Arkonaplatz but please please please take this with a grain of salt considering I don’t know anything really about you! I will say that transportation is pretty great in Berlin and getting around is hardly ever an issue. A 30 minute ride really isn’t a bad commute and I know plenty of people who travel longer distances to commute b/c they choose to live in more trendy/hip areas…

Thank you, Adam, it´s really kind from you to helo us in orientation :) Charlottenboring, lol :D I´ve never heard it like that before, but my impression was similar. Hopefully, we can meet soon on one of your events :)

Hey Adam! Myself and my boyfriend are going to berlin and we were thinking of staying in the hotel lux 11, were a young couple and we want to stay somewhere cool and accessible do you know if that would be a good choice? Thanks

Hey Jessica – I don’t really know that hotel, but it’s in a decent area. For young couples, I do really think that the Michelberger is a good choice—they’ve got a great bar and lobby plus it’s in a really cool & hip area. Definitely caters to a young adult audience :)

Me and my wife are visiting Berlin in April, staying at the 25hr Bikini hotel on Budapester Str. any recommendations where to eat, drink and visit in that area?

That’s a nice area Gareth and a great hotel. Definitely check out the hotel’s rooftop bar, Monkey Bar, and the rooftop restaurant, Neni — both are excellent though you might want to make reservations as it can get crowded!

Check out some of the restaurants and cafes nearby at Savignyplatz—one of my favorite places is Schwarzes Café. The Helmut Newtown photography museums is also near your hotel, as is the C/O gallery – both are fantastic places for photography fans. You might also check out the Literaturhaus which is a great spot for lunch, plus a cool bookshop with some really unique events.

Know anything about Wolfsburg? Was just told by my job I’m leaving this Saturday to work there for 6 months. Just a southern boy in the US from Nashville about to venture to Europe for the first time. Do German women love Southern US accents? lol

I don’t really know anything about Wolfsburg, sorry Mick! I’m sure your southern accent will be charming for most Europeans :)

Me and a few friends bought flights over to Berlin with a view to go to the Germany-England match… But we’ve decided we’d rather check out the local bars, cocktail bars and nightclub instead of forking out a load of money for the game. That said, we would still like to watch it, so can you recommend any nice (not lager lout) bars what would be showing the football?

I’ve already saved a few of your bar recommendations to check out, so cheers for that! 8mm, A, Lerchen und Eulen, Locke Muller and Neu! Bar are my kind of place… And not too far from where we’re staying!

Check out Badfish Bar — kind of in the same area and they show a lot of matches/sports/events whenever something noteworthy is on. I’d check with them to see if they’re showing that game, though. But it’s a pretty popular expat hangout for Brits, Americans and Canadians so there’s a good chance :)

Hi Adam heading to Berlin bank holiday weekend. Staying at i31. Husbands 50th surprise so wanting to make it as memorable as possible.

Followed your recommendation list to Anna Blum’s for brunch and later walked past the Scotch & Sofa further down the road. Very intriguing/retro furnished/ great drinks & the staff match the venue. We thought we should recommend it for any future blogs & people reading your blog- from reading your blog, we’ve discovered great places in Berlin and the Scotch & Sofa def fits with your other recommendations!

Great guide!

I would add that anyone looking for nightlife should look for a hotel or hostel in the east, some of the best nightlife is here. I can recommend the one80 hostel at Alexanderplatz.

Also if you’re out late be wary of pick pockets. A guy approached my mate for a handshake, then turned it into some weird arm wrestle. It was only once he had gone, my friend realised he had his Roley swiped. Though to be fair if that guy knows how to take off someone’s watch without noticing, I guess he deserves it!

Hey Adam –

I’ve heard very mixed things about Chalet (one that it’s incredible, two that you won’t get in if you’re not a local). I’m Canadian, and well I can speak basic German, it’s definitely not on a high level. Will I have difficulty getting in? Is there a better time to try?

Came across your website and loved it! I’ve been wanting to visit Berlin since I was 17, and now I’m 29 and finally going :) your guide will be very useful.

I wanted to know if there’s a good jazz scene in Berlin, can you please recommend any places / bars where we can hear some great live jazz. We prefer blues rather than classical style, but anything goes really ..

Hey! Check out b-flat in Mitte (near Rosenthaler Platz). Wednesdays they do a free jam session.

Hey, Could you please recomend wich spot is a cool place to visit and see Graphic Design – Art and Clothing?

Try the Bauhaus Archiv museum for design history. And maybe a lot of the indie fashion shops in Mitte and Kreuzberg, as well as the art galleries – there are many!

Hey Adam, Brilliant blog :) I am writing a report on the creative scene in Berlin (fashion,graphic,music etc etc.). I was wondering if you could direct me to a any particular district or zone where they hang out or work out of. Thanks..

Kreuzberg and Neukolln are going to be your best bets. Look out for galleries and small art shops there. Also check out the Modular shop at Mortizplats—it’s where a lot of creatives buy their supplies ;)

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Excellent blog mate. Four of us are venturing from Scotland for a 3 night stay in mid-August. We’ve booked the Generator Hostel in Mitte, but I’m starting to feel that this may be off the beaten track in terms of the best bars, clubs and places to eat?!

Is there any clubs with a laid back, indie/rock tune sort of atmosphere (i.e. nothing too techno!) in the area or en route to some good bars, places that do traditional or craft beers without being too old fashioned in nature?

Hey Mike – yeah personally I don’t really care for the Generator Hostels’ location but in Mitte, you should check out these indie/hip bars and clubs: Kaschk (craft beer and shuffleboard), Kaffeburger (indie club) and Mein Haus am See (24-hour bar/cafe/club).

Hi Adam! I was wondering if you have any info or advice on your blog about obtaining a residency permit. My boyfriend and I and heading to Munich end of September and would like to stay through until March. So we will have an apartment and hopefully jobs! Let me know of any key pointers or musts going this route. Ps we are American.

Hey – check out my blog’s FAQ page (see link at top of page) which has more info on residency permits and visas!

Adam – really enjoy your blog. My bf and I are looking forward to visiting in October. As for places to stay, I was reading up on Ackselhaus and Blue Home, which looks nice/cool, if expensive. What are your thoughts? I’ve heard that area is kind of quiet and one review (albeit from 2013) suggested that “hipsters hate that area.” So maybe I already know your answer:). That said, it does look really nice and boutique-y, which I prefer and mapping it, it’s only a 20ish minute walk from Hackescher Markt.

Should I stick with your recommendations (and others) and go with either the Circus Hotel or Gorki (both of our other options right now) or is the Ackselhaus “nice/cool” factor enough to forget that it’s not in a hip area? Thanks!

Thank you Thank you KC! I don’t actually know the Ackselhaus but just looked it up – it’s still a great area ;) You’d be close to Senefelderplatz and Volkspark Friedrichshain – it’s a much more posh and ritzy area than others but still very nice!

 ¿Sabes que existen escuelas donde enseñan a redactar bien?

Si, y tambien escuelas que dan cursos de ingles. Gilipollas.

Thank you for keeping this blog, I already found a few good tips in it for my next trip to Berlin (7th time, yay!).

Are there any tips about dresscode for nightlife/bars mainly?

Heard that you tend to fair better if you’re dressed more casual? Coming from the UK where we tend to dress up for a night out.

Yep – casual is king here! Dress to dance, not to impress. More Berlin fashion tips here.

That suggests that there is typically more area with a short-term Airbnb leasing than with a hotel room.

Considering you only have to pay a one time fee for the plugin, as opposed to aproximado plugins, I would recommend WP Profit Builder in a heartbeat.

What good bars and nightlife is there in Tempelhof? We have just booked into a guesthouse Pension Friedrich-Wilhelm and wanted to know whats around. Thanks

Definitely check out Schillerkiez!

Where is the link to download the PDF format Berlin-guide-for-foodies which is sorced from the original B Hipster guide, could not find it on the BiteMojo site that you recommended ! Paul L Texas, USA

Hi Paul – it was a one-time promotion, but please send me an email and I can try and track down a copy for you :)

Hi Adam, Great blog you have! I’m traveling to Berlin from the US alone and staying for a week in April. I was wondering if you can recommend any decent hostels within the Kreuzberg area. I’m also hoping that I can meet people there who would like to go dancing in any of those epic gay parties! Any info would be great.

Hey Dave – check out these hotels near Kreuzberg . I stayed at Baxpax Kreuzberg a long time ago and had a great time – plus it’s in an awesome location (just across from Club der Visionaire. I’ve heard great things about The Cat’s Pajamas hostel , too—it’s near Hermmannplatz so it’s convenient to a lot of the Weserstrasse/Neukolln bars. 36 Rooms is also supposed to be nice but sells out fast…I think it’s small.

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Too old for Berghain too big for jockstrap and chaps so coming in August with my partner and a straight but user friendly girlfriend. Any good friendly (gay) bars that you could recommend

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What a great guide! I’ve visited Berlin from Texas texas for the past 5 years & I adore the city. Your guide is the most comprehensive English site I’ve read on this city.

I’m surprised you didn’t mention Lab or Der Boiler.

For those of us who like those type of gay establishments, what is a good resource for what’s happening? I’m really struggling because Lab has a fetish night I am not a fan of this coming Saturday…

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Hallo Adam,

Great post! On our last trip to Berlin we had a beer at Klunkerkranich watching a nice sunset :)

A different place to have a coffe or brunch is Café Ole in Neuköln is run by deaf-mute people, very nice guys!

If you heading to Berlin, I recommend combing this it with visiting Warsaw. Both cities has magical yet different feeling. I really liked how easy-going nightlife in the capital of Poland is. Places like New Orlean Club really stand out (great pole dancing shows there!)

I’m missing on this list Clärchens Ballhaus, not-so-hidden gem :)

Berlin's best neighborhoods

Aug 29, 2023 • 6 min read

Berlin has cool hipster vibes by day and an incredible nightlife when the sun goes down © Luis Alvarez / Getty Images

“Poor but sexy” – this is how former Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit famously described the German capital almost two decades ago. Rents were low, parts of East Berlin were completely abandoned and the city was embracing its reputation as the place to be for artists.

While the artists stayed, today the neighborhoods have changed. Berlin became a modern multicultural city, with artists hanging out with young start-up executives, cool hipster vibes by day and an incredible nightlife when the sun goes down. Berlin might not be poor anymore, but it's definitely still sexy.

Here are the best neighborhoods to explore on your visit to Berlin.

The best neighborhood for immersing yourself in Berlin's history

Destroyed and reconstructed several times, Mitte is the pulsating heart of Berlin. This is a must-visit area for first timers, and you can easily spend a full day touring the exact locations where some key moments of 20th-century history took place.

Start your day at the Brandenburg Gate  and follow the path of the Berlin Wall. Visit the powerful Holocaust Memorial , pass by Checkpoint Charlie  – the former crossing point between East and West Germany – and learn more about the Nazi atrocities at the Topografie des Terrors .

After that recap on world history, venture into the German Reichstag , one of Europe's most iconic buildings. Remember to book your free admission ticket ahead of time on the official Reichstag website to ensure a smooth visit.

Continue your journey with a stroll along Unter den Linden, where trendy cafes, art galleries, designer boutiques and historical buildings await. Another option is taking a relaxing walk east along the Spree river, where you can see some of the most striking modern architecture in the whole city. 

If you manage to reach the TV tower and feel like you've seen it all, you've truly experienced the essence of Mitte.

Prenzlauer Berg

Best neighborhood for trendy cafes and and charm.

Though Prenzlauer Berg is largely known for being a family-oriented neighborhood, it remains a great example of why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. This Berlin district exudes a boho-chic, laid-back atmosphere, making it a magnet for artists, musicians and young professionals. Its picturesque cobblestone streets are perfect for wandering around and taking pictures, while its diverse array of vintage shops and cozy bookstores make for an ideal rainy-afternoon outing.

If you're a foodie, Prenzlauer Berg won't disappoint. Its streets are lined with hip restaurants representing cuisines from around the world, while charming cafes offer countless options for personalized coffee experiences.

If you find yourself there during a summer weekend, a Sunday trip to Mauerpark  should be your top priority. Even if it means missing your train, grab some Späti beers and immerse yourself in the park's bustling flea market , where you can hunt for bargains.

Inside the park, check out one of the many buskers showcasing their talent, and, if you're brave enough, sing your favorite song in front of hundreds of people at the Bearpit Karaoke Show , one of the largest open-air karaoke shows in the world.

Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg

The best neighborhood for exploring alternative culture.

Although these are two completely different districts, we Berliners consider them one. Known as the epicenter of alternative art and culture in Berlin, " Kreuzhain " is more than just a neighborhood. It is an area that seamlessly blends edgy vibes with an eclectic mix of cultures. From the colorful graffiti-covered walls to the vibrant bars and clubs along Simon-Dach-Straße, this district is a haven for artists, musicians and those embracing alternative lifestyles.

Interwoven through its streets are secondhand shops, independent bookstores, captivating street art and lively bars, all of which contribute to the unique charm of this area. Whether you're trying a doner kebap  ( Berlin's unofficial dish ), strolling along the East Side Gallery  or enjoying " Späti beers" at Görlitzer Park, you can expect to encounter people from diverse religions, social groups and nationalities.

Once the sun sets, life in Kreuzhain takes on a new energy. Vegan cafes and vintage shops may close, but techno clubs and alternative bars come to life. The party never stops in this part of the city, with clubs like Crack Bellmer open every night and legendary venues like Watergate or Salon zur Wilden Renate occasionally hosting weekend-long parties. Kreuzhain is a place to feel alive, and if you find yourself bored, you're certainly bored of life itself!

The best neighborhood for a bohemian experience

From once being one of the most dangerous districts in Berlin to becoming the go-to area for every Berliner, Neukölln is a microcosm of the city encapsulated within a single district. With its cobblestone streets and charming boutique shops in Rixdorf , as well as the vibrant energy of Weserstraße, Neukölln pulsates day and night, never ceasing to captivate.

The streets of Neukölln are also a treasure of international flavors. Restaurants, cozy cafes and trendy bars line the bustling streets, satisfying any craving you might have. Whether you're yearning for Middle Eastern delicacies, Vietnamese street food or traditional German dishes, Neukölln caters to every palate.

Additionally, Neukölln boasts a thriving arts and cultural scene. Independent art galleries, offbeat music venues and alternative performance spaces have found their home in this district. 

Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf

The best neighborhood for an upscale experience.

Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf doesn't feel like Berlin, and that's precisely what makes it so appealing. Say goodbye to streets covered in graffiti, €5 kebabs and hipster vibes. Charlottenburg is the must-visit area for those looking for a more upscale vibe. With high-end boutiques and elegant baroque buildings overlooking quaint alleyways, Charlottenburg has gained recognition as the posh side of town.

But don't let the fancy cars and luxury brands overshadow its charm. This neighborhood is home to the Charlottenburg Palace, a baroque palace from the 17th century, with one of the most gorgeous landscaped gardens you will find in the city. For art enthusiasts, the C/O Berlin and the Helmut Newton Foundation  are exceptional places to spend an afternoon immersed in creativity.

Finally, if you're a night owl, indulge in one of the Asian restaurants along Kantstraße, and you'll soon forget you're in Berlin. Alternatively, cap off your day with a sophisticated cocktail at the Hat Bar Berlin, a cozy lounge that features nightly jazz performances, creating an intimate and unforgettable experience.

The best neighborhood for escaping the bustling city

While Berlin’s hectic and fast pace is exciting for some, it can get a little overwhelming for others. Luckily, Tiergarten offers an oasis of relaxation and peace.

Forget Berlin’s busy streets, constant traffic and chaotic urban life, and simply lose yourself in this massive forest in the heart of the city. Take a leisurely bike ride through the park, indulge in a peaceful picnic in the company of foxes and squirrels or explore the park's cultural attractions, such as the renowned Berlin Zoo and the iconic Bellevue Palace .

Tiergarten is not just a big park, however. Climb up the 270 steps to the top of the Victory Column to get some of the best panoramic views of Berlin, or pass by Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the President of Germany – even though you are not allowed to go in, it is still worth a quick visit.

Loving the charm of Tiergarten? Finish the day at the lakeside Café am Neuen See , a quiet beer garden located next to an artificial pond. If you're lucky, you might see one or two foxes wandering around on your way home.

This article was first published Jul 16, 2021 and updated Aug 29, 2023.

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Top 10: Hipster Hotspots

Admiralbrücke (Kreuzberg)

Sanfte Gitarrenklänge von jungen Musiker*innen, Studierende mit selbstgedrehten Zigaretten und  Sterni in der Hand, ein schöner Sonnenuntergang und dazu noch der leichte Geruch nach Gras – bei wärmeren Temperaturen bietet die Admiralbrücke also das perfekte Ambiente für ein paar philosophische Stunden am Landwehrkanal: Und das auch noch im Herzen des hippsten Viertels der Stadt (ja, Neuköllner*innen, darüber können wir streiten). Auch wenn Ordnungskräfte meist ab 22 Uhr den Spaß beenden, lohnt sich der Besuch vor allem in den sommerlichen Abendstunden, weil du im Anschluss noch wunderbar am Kanal entlang schlendern oder auch die eine oder andere Bar unsicher machen kannst.

Boxhagener Platz (Friedrichshain)

Rund um den Boxi findest du alles, was dein Hipster-Herz begehrt. Besonders hervorzuheben ist das Burgeramt. Dort erwarten dich dunkle Holzböden, gemusterte Kachelwände sowie rustikale und verdammt leckere Burger. Um am Wochenende abends einen Tisch zu bekommen, musst du unbedingt reservieren! Auch an alternativen Kinos mangelt es nicht – inklusive einfallsreicher Slogans wie   Dies ist kein Kino . Viele kleine Second Hand Läden und der   wöchentliche Markt   setzen dem Kiez die Hipster-Krone auf. Auf dem sonntäglichen Trödelmarkt bieten Händler*innen an Ständen rund um die zentrale Grünfläche neben Büchern, Kunst und Design auch Mode, Secondhand, Taschen und Vinyl an. Imbissstände versorgen hungrige Besucher*innen mit Snacks und Getränken.

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Öffnungszeiten: jeden Sonntag von 10:00 bis 18:00 Uhr Platzreservierung jeweils montags zwischen 9:00 und 10:00 Uhr sowie 19:00 und 20:00 Uhr

Coccodrillo (Mitte)

Mit seinem fotogenen Interior und der hippen Küche Italiens hat sich das Coccodrillo schnell als Place-to-be etabliert. Hier treffen Influencer*innen auf Prenzl-Hipster und Mitte-Entrepreneurs auf Student*innen. Geredet wird entsprechend viel, aber natürlich leise genug, dass der Nebentisch nichts mitbekommt, es sei denn, der soll etwas hören. Die Bedienungen sind italienisch, das verleiht dem Restaurant Authentizität. Draußen die Terrasse bietet einen schönen Blick über den Weinberg-Park, wo das schnöde Volk picknickt. Drinnen ist es sehr gemütlich und in jeder Hinsicht sehenswert.

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Öffnungszeiten: Montag bis Donnerstag von 12:00 bis 15:30 Uhr und von 17:30 bis 0:00 Uhr Freitag von 12:00 bis 15:30 Uhr und von 17:30 bis 0:30 Uhr Samstag von 11:30 bis 0:30 Uhr Sonntag von 11:30 bis 23:30 Uhr

The Barber Yard (Neukölln)

Für viele Hipster ist ein kultivierter Bart essenziell. Und wo lässt man sich den stutzen, wenn nicht bei   Kücük Istanbul , der sich in The Barber Yard umbenannt hat? Ein Besuch hier ist sehr exklusiv: Der Barber Shop besitzt eine eigene Pflegeserie, es werden fünf verschiedene Arten der Rasur angeboten und es gibt gerade mal vier Plätze. Wenn du warten musst, entspannst du dich auf einem der Clubsessel und genießt die Klänge der Vinylplatten.

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Öffnungszeiten: Dienstag bis Samstag von 10:00 bis 18:00 Uhr

Sisyphos (Lichtenberg)

Das Sisyphos ist allein schon besonders, weil es sich im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen Clubs nicht in einer angesagten Ecke, sondern abgelegen von U- und S-Bahn in Rummelsburg befindet. Wer die Reise in den Techno-Tempel auf sich nimmt, muss damit rechnen, nach langem Anstehen im schlimmsten Fall von den wählerischen Türsteher*innen abgewiesen zu werden. Die meisten Gäste versuchen mit Glitzer, Hippie-Style oder Berliner Understatement aufzutrumpfen. Wenn du es geschafft hast, kannst du unter dem Sternenhimmel vom Aufstieg träumen oder dich zu den Techno- und Elektro-Beats lässig bewegen.

Öffnungszeiten: Freitag 22:00 Uhr bis Montag 10:00 Uhr ohne Stopp Donnerstag nur bei Konzerten ab 19:00 Uhr

Holzmarkt und Kater Blau (Friedrichshain)

Der  Holzmarkt ist im Grunde ein großes Hipstertreffen an der Spree und für den „normalen“ Szenegänger selbstverständlich kein Geheimtipp mehr. Trotzdem: Am Wasser auf selbstgezimmerten Sitzgelegenheiten die Boote an sich vorbeiziehen zu sehen, ist einfach cool. Bei leckerem Streetfood, Bier und Wein macht Seelebaumeln doppelt Spaß. Ganz besonders schön ist hier auch der Weihnachtsmarkt. Wenn du am Wochenende vorbeischaust, kannst du nebenan im Kater Blau feiern. Der Club ist in Berlin eine Institution und bietet die besten DJ*anes der Stadt und der Welt hinter den Plattentellern. Auch wenn du an der etwas strengeren Tür durchaus mal ein bis zwei Stunden warten musst, das bunte Publikum, die guten Vibes und die Musik lohnen das Anstehen in jedem Fall.

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Vintage Revival (Mitte)

Es reicht natürlich nicht, trendige Locations zu kennen, um angesagt zu sein. Das richtige Outfit ist das A und O, auch wenn du am Ende so tust, als hättest du es wahllos zusammengestellt. Und wo kann man sich besser einkleiden als in einem der Berliner Vintage-Shop ? Ausgefranste Levi’s-Shorts, übergroße Lederjacken und eine riesige Auswahl an 70er- und 80er-Jahre-Highlights – das Angebot im Vintage Revivals in der Münzstraße ist ein Paradies für Fashionistas und trendbewusste Herren.

Öffnungszeiten: Montag bis Samstag von 11:00 bis 19:00 Uhr

Klunkerkranich (Neukölln)

Über den Dächern von Neukölln, im Klunkerkranich, ist hipstertechnisch so einiges los. Kein Wunder, bei dieser liebevoll gestalteten Location. Besonders der Sonnenuntergang ist von hier oben wunderschön. Für alle coolen Kids unter uns, die   Club Feeling   und entspannte Atmosphäre lieben, ist der   Klunkerkranich   der perfekte Ort, um den Feierabend zu genießen. Hipster kommen aber natürlich vor allem wegen der Kultur: Draußen und drinnen erlebst du hier Poetry Slams oder Konzerte. Um Wartezeiten zu vermeiden, solltest du früh vorbeischauen, aber das weißt du natürlich schon!

Öffnungszeiten: Montag bis Mittwoch ab 17:00 Uhr Donnerstag bis Sonntag ab 16:00 Uhr November und Dezember nur Samstag ab 18:00 Uhr für aktuelle News die Website oder Instagram checken, da bei extrem schlechtem Wetter geschlossen ist

Soho House (Mitte)

Wer drin ist, ist wirklich wer: Eine Mitgliedschaft im Soho House gehört eigentlich zur Grundausstattung der Berliner Hipster. Alle anderen können nur hoffen, von einem Mitglied eingeladen zu werden, oder sich auf öffentlichen Events und im Cecconi’s tummeln. Das Besondere am Soho House ist neben der Exklusivität, dass man alle Häuser der Nobelmarke weltweit nutzen kann: vom Gründungshaus in London – im namensgebenden Stadtteil Soho – über Miami, Los Angeles, Paris, Mykonos, Istanbul bis nach Hong Kong. Neidlos muss man zugeben, dass die 43 Häuser allesamt geschmackvoll eingerichtet sind und sich stets in sehr guter Lage befinden. In Berlin gibt es einen Roofpool, der im Sommer auch bei Nachwuchshipstern sehr beliebt ist.

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Michelberger (Friedrichshain)

Hier treffen sich Digitalnomaden, Berliner Hipster und Menschen aus der ganzen Welt, um zu arbeiten, Kaffee zu trinken oder im wunderschönen Innenhof zu chillen. Für das internationale Flair sorgen auch die Gäste, die im dazugehörigen Hotel ihre Zimmer haben und die lebhafte Warschauer Straße, an der das   Michelberger   liegt. Natürlich gibt es auch jeden Tag Brunch, zu dem spätestens am Wochenende die hippsten Frühstücker*innen Belrins pilgern. Und wenn du Lust hast auf richtig gute regionale Küche , empfehlen wir dir das hauseigene   Restaurant wochentags zum Lunch oder zum Dinner zu besuchen. Im   Michelberger   geht alles!

Telefon 030 297 785924

Öffnungszeiten: Brunch: Montag bis Freitag von 7:00 bis 11:00 Uhr Samstag und Sonntag von 8:00 bis 14:00 Uhr Weinbar: täglich ab 17:00 Uhr Dinner: Dienstag bis Samstag von 18:00 bis 23:00 Uhr

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2 Days in Berlin: A Guide to the Perfect Weekend in Berlin

Let’s get this out of the way up front – 2 days in Berlin certainly isn’t a whole lot of time to explore what is, in my book, one of the most interesting cities in Europe.  

This guide is meant to give you an idea of what to do in Berlin in two days to get the most out of your trip. You’ll find a mix of touristy activities, fantastic museums, and some time devoted to exploring local neighborhoods on foot so that you can get a well rounded picture of Berlin. 

Because if you spend your entire 2 days in Berlin doing just one of those things, like exploring Alexanderplatz, it would be a profound mistake. You’d miss out on the diversity of cultures, food, and people that make Berlin special.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I make a little bit of money if you click through and book. That being said, I would never recommend something to you that I don’t stand behind 100%.

Where to Stay for 2 Days in Berlin

There are three neighborhoods I’d recommend staying in while you’re in Berlin.

First is Prenzlauer Berg – this is my #1 recommendation for where to stay in Berlin . The reason I love Prenzlauer Berg is simple – it feels like you’re a local. Walking down the Paris-like wide streets, lined with apartment buildings that feature first floor shops, you’ll walk by young families and students going about their day. It also happens to have some of the best food and coffee in the city.

Second is Charlottenburg , which is the perfect place to stay for families. Or if you want somewhere quiet and peaceful. It’s a very pretty part of Berlin with great architecture, and it’s close to the Tiergarten and Berlin Zoo (zoos are for adults too, okay?!).

Last, but certainly not least, is Friedrichshain , which is the spot for you if you’re on a tight budget, or if you’re looking for the best nightlife in Berlin. Which often go hand in hand.

Want a deeper dive on where to stay in Berlin? I’ve got a guide to the best places to stay in Berlin with three of my favorite neighborhoods, and places to stay in each.

Circus Hostel, Hotel, and Apartments

I loved the Circus Hostel , which is where I stayed for my trip to Berlin.

They have bunks and private rooms that are clean and relatively quiet. The reason I really like it is that it perfectly merges the value and affordability of a hostel with the cleanliness and comfort that comes with a hotel.

Not into hostels? They also have the Circus Hotel and Circus Apartments for you depending on what level of accommodation you’re looking for.

2 Days in Berlin: A Perfect Weekend in Berlin for First Time Visitors

One of the best parts about Berlin is that there is something for everyone. World-class museums and a deep and fascinating historical context? Check. Insane nightlife? Yep. Interesting, walkable neighborhoods? Of course!

My travel style focuses on exploring the best parts of a city on foot. That means a lot of walking, so make sure you’ve got your comfy shoes packed. You’re going to be doing a lot of walking during your 2 days in Berlin.

In this 2 day Berlin Itinerary, you’ll explore: 

• Berlin’s iconic sights, like the Tiergarten, the Brandenburg Gate, and Museum Island
• Two of Berlin’s best neighborhoods – Kreuzberg and Neukölln
• The best coffee, bars, and more in Berlin

Day 1 Of Your 2 Day Berlin Itinerary: Sightseeing Day!

A lot of the major tourist attractions are grouped close together, making it easy for people short on time to see the major sights. And that’s exactly what you should do on your first of two days in Berlin.

Make sure you leave plenty of time to visit the cafes and gluten free bakeries around the city, because after all, it’s not about what to do in Berlin in 2 days as much as what to eat and drink in Berlin in 2 days! 

For recommendations on where to eat and drink in Berlin, check out the sections at the bottom of this post.

Walking Tours in Berlin

I almost always start a trip to a new city with a walking tour to get myself oriented and get some tips from the local guide on where to go, what to see, and how to get slightly off the beaten path. After all, the best way to explore a city is on foot. 

In Berlin, you’ll find a wide variety of walking tours depending on what you’re interested in.

For an overview of the city, I recommend the Discover Berlin half day tour . Get on the 10:30am tour and spend 4 hours essentially covering the first half of my itinerary below, but with a guide who has intimate knowledge of the city and its history.  

An alternative would be to do the 6 hour Berlin by Bike tour, where you’ll see most of the spots on day one of this 2 day Berlin itinerary, but on a bike. With a local expert guide. 

Here are some more niche tours that you might be interested in: 

• Third Reich Walking Tour
• Off the Grid Street Art Tour
• Berlin off the Beaten Path

Morning: The Iconic Sights in Berlin

Day 1 is going to be all about playing tourist – on day 2, we’ll get a little bit deeper into Berlin and see some of the best neighborhoods, and do some self-guided exploring. 

Brandenburg Gate

Start at the Brandenburg Gate which has seen a lot of the history of Berlin. It’s an obvious first stop on your 2 days in Berlin.

Historically, it used to attract visitors who would climb the viewing platform to look over into the East Side of Berlin to get a glimpse of the world that lay beyond the Iron Curtain.

Today bricks still run around the city to mark where the wall once stood and in some places portions of the wall remain standing.

The Holocaust Memorial

Just south of the Gate is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe which draws the eye with its 2,711 grey concrete blocks arranged in undulating waves. The Information Center contains information about the individuals and families that died during World War 2, and compliments the abstract nature of the memorial. 

The abstract nature of the memorial makes for an introspective experience. Wandering between the blocks, wondering what they mean, and thinking about what they represent. I like to think that’s the whole point – the abstractness is meant to get you thinking. 

The Reichstag Dome

The Reichstag in Berlin is your next stop, and it is one of the most important historical landmarks in Berlin. It’s considered a symbol of democracy and an important art venue. There are both permanent and changing exhibitions which are free to visit. 

Entrance to the Reichstag and the dome are free but visitors to the dome and roof terrace need to be registered in advance. You can do that here . This can be done online up to 2 hours before your visit, but it often fills up. It is definitely worth heading up to the dome for panoramic views of the cities and a birds eye view of the proceedings in the debating room below. Don’t miss the audio guide. 

The Tiergarten

The Tiergarten is a must see while you are in Berlin – it’s a huge green space in the middle of the city, kind of like Central Park in New York City, or Golden Gate Park in San Francisco . 

I’d recommend renting a bike to cycle around the park as there are plenty of bike lanes. It used to be a royal hunting ground but in the late 17 th century it was turned into a public park.

During World War II it was badly damaged, both from fighting and by people cutting down trees to use as fuel due to a lack of coal. It was replanted shortly after and is now a beautiful place to wander around or relax.

For me, there were three highlights in the park that you can’t miss:

• The Soviet war memorial
• The Victory Column
• The Tea House, and Café am Neunen which has a beer garden right on the edge of the lake. 

Afternoon: More Culture And Must-See Sights

After lunch we’re heading to Museum Island for a little bit of culture. On this little island there are 5 museums which can all be visited with one ticket costing EUR18 for adults. Which is CRAZY AFFORDABLE. Buy your Museum Pass here .

I want to pause here and talk about my philosophy on Museums. When I first started traveling, I was all about the museums. On my first trip to London, Paris, and Rome, I went to EVERY Museum. And I regretted it.

You only have two days in Berlin, you don’t want to spend it inside museums. I would pick one or two museums at most and focus on those.

Museum Island

The most popular of these museums, and the one that I would recommend you focus on, is the Pergamon Museum which exhibits monumental buildings like the Pergamon Altar, the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, and the Museum of Islamic Art. If you just want to visit 

Of course, there are four other museums to choose from if you’re particularly interested in something specific. 

• The Bode Museum holds a large collection of sculptures from the medieval period through to the 18 th century. 
• The Neues Museum has a curated selection of pieces from the Egyptian Museum and the Papyrus Collection. The jewel in this museum’s crown is the bust of Queen Nefertiti. 
• Alte Nationalgalerie focuses on the neoclassical, romanticism, impressionist, and early modernist art. Here you will able to see work from Monet, Manet, Renoir, and Friedrich. 
• The final museum on the island is the Altes Museum which is dedicated to art and sculpture from ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. It has the largest collection of Etruscan art outside of Italy.

Coffee Stop!

The Barn Café is a great coffee stop to break up the afternoon and try some of the offerings from the most popular German roaster.

They have a roastery in hipster Mitte, with a handful of tables and chairs outside that are perfect for people watching if you are lucky enough to nab one. There’s a brew bar where you can get your coffee prepared in basically any way you’d like, which was a rarity in Germany.

If you’re craving a solid pour over or a nice smooth cold brew, get it here. It can be really busy so be prepared to wait a little while but it is well worth the wait!

Can’t find a seat? Take your coffee to go and slowly wander through the streets of Mitte towards museum island again to see the best museum in Berlin, the DDR Museum . It is located just before the bridge onto museum island.

This museum is dedicated to life in East Germany and includes a reconstruction of an East German apartment where the TV even shows some of the old programming that would have been shown at the time. The most popular exhibit is a simulated drive in an original Trabant. 

Alexanderplatz

I actually wouldn’t recommend investing too much time in Alexanderplatz – there are plenty of more interesting parts of the city to explore during your 2 days in Berlin. But, it’s worth a stroll through bustling Alexanderplatz to see the sights. 

It is the site of the TV Tower, which is the 2 nd tallest structure in the EU. See the panoramic views of Berlin including information about the buildings you are seeing around you. In the square there is also the Fountain of Friendship, the World Clock, and plenty of shopping. 

The streets around Alexanderplatz are full of street art so take a wander or if you are spending a bit more time in Berlin book a street art tour.  

Evening : Nightlife !

After dinner enjoy some of the amazing nightlife that Berlin has to offer. You only have 2 days in Berlin, so you’ll have to choose where you want to go carefully. You can find a list of some of my favorite bars and clubs to visit down below. 

Looking for the Best Tours in Berlin?

Airbnb Experiences are designed by locals to bring you, a tourist, into their world, experience, and everyday life. It’s my new favorite way to find things to do when I’m traveling – from an amazing cooking class in Mexico City, to an inspiring look at Medellin’s transformation from one of the most violent cities in the world to one of the most innovative and forward-thinking.

Here are a few Airbnb Experiences to check out in Berlin to get deeper into the city’s rich history, culture, and food scene.

Tours For History Lovers

If you’re interested in Berlin’s history, particularly in World War 2 and the Cold War , take this WWII + Berlin Wall Tour , which takes you deeper into the story of Hitler’s rise and fall, and how it has shaped Germany today.

More interested in the current issues surrounding Berlin, like gentrification, migration, and sustainability? This Changemaker Tour takes you into two of Berlin’s most interesting neighborhoods to meet some of the entrepreneurs driving the important conversations in Berlin (and the world). Click here to check prices, availability, and reviews .

Tours For Foodies

One of my favorite things about Berlin is the fact that, more than many European cities I’ve visited, it is truly a melting pot of different cultures and influences. Those doner kebabs you see on every corner? They’re part of the story of migration that has made the city what it is today. Take this tour to learn about the story of Berlin through food (and see the city on a bike!). Check prices, availability, and read reviews here.

Have you ever made your own cheese? I certainly haven’t. Now’s your chance to make your own cheese (several varieties with your choice of flavors added)! Check prices, availability, and read reviews here.

Into Craft Beer ? Explore Berlin’s burgeoning Craft Beer Culture with a local brewer in Berlin. You’ll get to taste some iconic Berlin beers, learn about the process, and understand the context around beer in Berlin and Germany as a whole. Check prices, availability, and read reviews here.

Take this Kreuzberg Food Tour to focus on Berlin’s hippest neighborhood (also one of the best places to stay) and the multicultural story that has shaped it. Check prices, availability, and read reviews here.

Day 2: Explore Hipster (ish) Berlin

Morning: explore one of the trendiest neighborhoods in berlin .

Start off the morning in Neukölln, Berlin’s up and coming neighborhood. It is filled with vintage stores, graffiti covered alleyways and more quaint cafes than you could poke a gluten free biscuit at!

• Pequod Books is a second hand bookshop with books written in 25 languages. The owner Alvaro only sells books he personally likes so you can be sure to find some hidden gems. 
• BLUB Spassbad is a closed swimming pool which has been covered in graffiti and used as a place of underground (read: illegal) parties and for fashion photoshoots. 
• Weserstraße is a hotspot for small local boutiques and vintage shops. If you are in the vicinity in the evening it is also full of bars with cozy sofas, mood lighting, and vintage furniture. 
• Griessmühle Mühlenmarkt is a flea market held in a club in the middle of Neukölln on the first Friday of every month. 

Afternoon: Kreuzberg and the Eastside Gallery

Jump on the U-Bahn and head over to the East Side Gallery in Berlin . 

They have turned the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall into an open-air art gallery showing 1.3km of art. Walk off your lunch as you take in all of the political art covering the former Berlin Wall.

Here are a few of my favorites: 

Cross over the River Spree and head to Five Elephant Coffee in Kreuzberg . They offer no frills coffee and cakes, but the coffee is such high quality that Five Elephants has repeatedly been named one of the best cafes in Berlin.

They also make all of their pastries (minus the croissants) in house! If you’re a cheesecake fan, they have cheesecake that my little brother, who is NOT a fan of cheesecake, absolutely loved. IT IS NOT GLUTEN FREE. 

Here are some of my favorite things to do in Kreuzberg. 

• Check out Markethalle Neun , a super cool food hall with all sorts of food vendors. From cheese, to coffee, to bread, to beer (and everything in between). Don’t miss “ Street Food Thursdays ” where you’ll find it packed with locals looking for the best street food in Berlin – from Mexican Tacos to Nigerian FuFu, and so much more. 
• Stop and rest your feet in the concrete park of Admiralbrücke . Street performers of all kinds set up here most of the day, so it is a pleasant place to relax for a little bit.  
• Visit the Konig Gallery , a contemporary gallery housed in a former brutalist church and community center. You will discover plenty of emerging local artists while perusing the art. 
• Take a guided tour of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain where you’ll explore the counter culture movements that shaped the area, and learn about how immigration has shaped Berlin. 

Got More Than 2 Days in Berlin? 

Whether you have a late flight or you have more than 2 days in Berlin, these are some of my top picks of extra things to see if you have a little more time in Berlin. 

Topography Of Terror Museum 

Located at the site where the headquarters of the Gestapo once stood, this is a museum of remembrance of all the crimes committed. There are permanent exhibitions that detail the history from the moment the Nazis took power until the end of the war. Temporary exhibitions deal with different aspects of socialism. 

Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie and the connected museum should be top of your list if you have a little more time in Berlin. This was one of the main crossing points in general for people travelling between East and West Berlin and the designated crossing point for allied forces. However, it’s VERY touristy, so know that going in. 

Walking Tour

This is one of the best things to do in Berlin to learn interesting little facts about the city you are exploring. I found that I learned very little about the Cold War growing up in the US, and the walking tour I did helped me get a deeper understanding of what it was like to live in the epicenter of the conflict.

You will find all sorts of walking tours – food tours, street art tours, and tours focusing on communist Berlin, and the history of the war. The museum has a wealth of information about each side of Berlin, inventive escape tactics, and the history of the Berlin Wall.

Find the right walking tour for you here . 

Charlottenburg Palace

Formerly a summer residence, this is the biggest and most awe-inspiring palace in Berlin. Here you can explore the beautiful rococo ballroom, the Prussian Crown Jewels, and a display of the intricately designed tableware. Admission is EUR12 per person and both audio guides and guided tours are available. 

Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood

This little neighborhood is lovely and a calm side of the quirky city. Filled with professionals and young families it is filled with renovated pre-war buildings. Think Sunday afternoon mass public karaoke in Mauerpark, a ruin bar, and quirky little bars around every corner. This is a lovely little suburb for a relaxing wander to see how people live in suburban Berlin. 

Day Trip to Potsdam 

Stunning Potsdam is one of Berlin’s most picturesque towns, in contrast to Berlin’s grey soviet architecture, Potsdam looks like an absolute fairy tale. Just 45 minutes by train from Berlin. The highlight of a visit to Potsdam is a visit to Sanssouci Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tickets for this must be booked in advance and cost EUR19. Alternatively, you can book a guided day trip to Potsdam here (or check out this cool bike tour of Potsdam ).

An interactive museum that takes you through the history of espionage throughout the world. It has over 300 exhibits on display, including a laser course, and learn about computer hacking and code cracking. The highlights are an enigma style encryption device, and an exhibit on data protection and social media, a timely topic. 

How to Get Around in Berlin 

Berlin’s public transportation system is so easy to use; everything runs perfectly to schedule and signs are in English as well as German. 

Day passes are just EUR7 per adult and are valid for all types of transport so are well worth it for a 2 day Berlin itinerary so you have more time for exploring. Single tickets are EUR3 each if you just need to make one trip. There is a fine of EUR60 if you are caught travelling without a ticket and ticket inspectors travel regularly so it is worth making sure you buy a ticket. 

Central Berlin is easy to walk or bike if you want to be a little more active and experience as much of the beautiful city as possible. The cycling infrastructure is really advanced so there are plenty of bike lanes to explore the city. 

Where to Eat in Berlin

Berlin is a great food city. Whether you’re looking for world class dining (like at Katz Orange ) or some quick and easy street food, like a doner kebab, Berlin has you covered. 

Traveling to Berlin with Celiac Disease? Guess what? I have you covered with my Gluten Free Travel Guide to Berlin for Celiacs . 

When in Berlin, do as the Berliners do. Which means you have to try Currywurst – a delicious concoction of sausage, fries, and ketchup topped with curry powder. Head to Witty’s Currywurst where they have organic and gluten free sausages, and the chips are fried in their own dedicated fryer. The servers will happily change their gloves to make your currywurst to prevent cross contamination. 

Amrit – an Indian restaurant that offers all the usual Indian fare. Most of the menu is naturally gluten free but it’s worth checking with your server just to be sure. My favourites were the Butter Chicken and Aloo Saag. They have a couple of locations in the city. 

Chutnify – more Indian food! This time, it’s Chutnify, which has a range of (objectively delicious) curries and dosas, all of which are gluten free. Locations in both of my favorite neighborhoods in Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg. Most of the menu is gluten free. 

Glutanada – a dedicated gluten free bakery. They serve a fantastic brunch but also do bread, pastries, crepes, and even spaetzle. Located near Tempelhof park. 

Cevicheria – a Peruvian restaurant on Dresdener Street in Kreuzberg. Most of the menu is in English and contains plenty of seafood dishes and tapas. Everything is gluten free except the desserts. 

Cafe Tante Nanni – 100% Gluten Free cafe in Berlin. It’s a little outside the heart of the city center, but worth the detour.  

Brotquelle – near the Eastside Gallery, a 100% gluten free bakery that has all the gluten free baked goods you could possibly imagine. 

Burgerie – in the mood for burgers? Head to Burgerie in Prenzlauer Berg for delicious burgers and fries. Celiac-safe gluten free options available, and fries are in a dedicated gluten free fryer. 

Where to Drink in Berlin

Berlin has such a wide range of places to drink that it’s hard to feature them all here, and it totally depends on what you’re looking for.

However, I’m pretty confident that whether you’re looking for a romantic speakeasy for a date with that special someone, or a rowdy nightclub to find that special someone, you’ll find great options in Berlin. Here are some ideas for you. 

Cocktail train – a renovated S-Bahn train car from the 1920s that has been made into a lovely cocktail bar. 

Tarantino’s Bar – a bar in homage to Quentin Tarantino. The walls are covered in movie posters, the majority of them signed by the man himself.

B-Flat – a premier live music and jazz venue in Berlin.

Klunkerkranich – if you’re into working hard to even find the bar you’re trying to go to, this is the spot for you. I very much enjoy the search – one time in Melbourne, Australia I spent 45 minutes circling a block to find the coffee shop I was looking for. Alysha, my wife, was not terribly pleased.. Some might call me a hipster. And they’re probably right. It’s located in hipster Neukolln (ish), which totally makes sense. 

Department – a stylish restaurant/club in a former post office. Visit later in the evening when it turns into a club to dance until sunrise. 

Die Schöne Party – A club spread out over four floors with every floor offering a different style of live music. Some of the best DJs in Berlin line up to play here. 

Monkey Bar – a lovely rooftop bar overlooking the zoo, Tiergarten, and the rest of Berlin. Snap some photos of the city lights of Berlin as you sip a cocktail and think of the highlights of your trip. It’s expensive though, so keep that in mind. 

More on where to drink in Berlin here . 

Where to find the Best Coffee in Berlin

Prior to visiting Berlin, I had only heard of one German coffee roaster – Five Elephant Coffee .

I had read about them in a few places, including Sprudge , and was super excited to try their coffee. They lived up to the hype. And they should be a coffee lover’s first stop in Berlin. They have a location in Kreuzberg, and a newer location in Mitte. 

If you’re not a Celiac, you should know that they make all of their pastries in-house (except for the croissants) and they have excellent cheesecake according to my brother, who doesn’t even like cheesecake but devoured the Five Elephant cheesecake in 14.2 seconds.

There were several other fantastic coffee shops that I visited in Berlin – here were the best of the rest to check out during your 2 days in Berlin.

In Prenzlauer Berg: 

Bonanza Coffee Heroes – On the outskirts of Prenzlauer Berg, the first time we tried to go here I accidentally took us to the coffee shop a few doors down (Café KRONE, which was also very nice). So naturally, we had to come back. Lovely outdoor seating area for a nice day in Berlin. 

The Barn – they now have locations all over Berlin, and they sell their coffee in craft brown bags, so you know it’s good. The roastery location in Mitte has a brew bar where you can have your coffee prepared in all sorts of different ways – a must for coffee lovers. Well worth setting aside some time during your 2 days in Berlin for this coffee experience. 

In Kreuzberg/Neukölln:

Chapter One Coffee – In Kreuzberg-ish, stylish but tiny. Don’t expect to find a seat in peak hours – grab your coffee to go and get walking!

Roamers CC – cute space with great coffee that turns into a bar in the afternoon. 

In Friedrichshain:

Happy Baristas – Looking for a nitro cold brew in Berlin? This is your spot. They use coffee from the Barn (see above).

Final Thoughts on 2 Days in Berlin

Berlin was my favorite city in Germany, and is one of the best and most diverse cities in Central Europe. No matter what you’re into, you’ll find something for you in Berlin.

Did I miss something that HAS to be on a 2 day Berlin itinerary? Let me know in the comments!

Matt is the founder and main writer behind Wheatless Wanderlust, which he started back in 2018 as a way to share his gluten free travel guides with his fellow Celiac travelers.

Since then, Matt and his wife Alysha have visited 18 national parks, spent three months in Europe and six weeks in Colombia, and have explored every corner of the Pacific Northwest, which is where Matt grew up.

He writes super detailed guides to the places they visit, bringing together personal experience and historical context to help YOU plan an amazing trip.

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Plan & book your dream trip, destination, previous posts, berlin hipster guide: find the coolest places to visit.

• By Routeperfect Team
• on August 1, 2016

Are you an artist? A poet? A bohemian? A deep thinker? Well, Berlin has cool places that are young and with a cutting edge vibe to answer all of your needs! Berlin is often referred to as “hipster central” and with good reason. Since the fall of The Berlin Wall in the 1980s, the city has continued to transform and evolve and is a favorite for thousands who arrive in search of the coolest and hippest places around. Find out more on your trip to Berlin! Trust us, there is an endless number of hipster bars, cafés and places to hang out in around the city.  Use our Berlin Hipster Guide to find the best places to check out around the city.

What are you waiting for? Start planning your trip to Germany !

Hipster Bars in Berlin

Multilayerladen – We’re starting off our Berlin Hipster Guide in one of  Berlin ‘s best bars, Multilayerladen. Though it may be small, it more than makes up for it by having genuine character. In fact, the size has everything to do with why it is such a great bar to include on your trip to Berlin. Mutilayerladen is an intimate cafe-turned-bar and venue, which hosts a wide variety of local bands and musicians in the evenings. The small nature of the space inside is a wonderful opportunity to mingle with the local crowd and it is quite normal to spend an evening here discussing the local performances with strangers sitting on the table next to you. We want to give you some travel options that will reduce as many of these challenges for you as possible. Travel to Europe because is the best place to start from!

Hipster Cafes in Berlin

Cafe CK – Matcha latte and yummy banana bread, anyone? The rich aroma from the coffee plantations of central Kenya makes its way through the chic and trendy decorated interior of what is quite possibly the best hipster cafe in Berlin. If you are planning a trip to Berlin , make sure this coffee shop is where you start your morning. Cafe CK serves up a perfect mix of mouthwatering cakes, fine tea, delicious coffee and a very friendly staff in a relaxing and cool atmosphere.

Mein Haus am See  –  The moment you set foot inside “Mein Haus am See” you’ll see why this is one of the best coffee shops in Berlin! This former bookshop is an ultra trendy cafe to hang out during the day and also a highly sociable joint to spend the evening in. A lot of budding entrepreneurs can be found working away on their laptops and creating the next big Startup venture. It is much more spacious than many of the other cafes or bars you will find around Berlin, there is a nicely thought out area for those who like smoking and the random design of the furniture scattered around the space gives Mein Haus am See a very homely feel.

Best Hipster Nightclub in Berlin

Chalet –  There are many good choices for hipster nightclubs in Berlin but if you are planning a trip to Germany in the near future and would like a groovy vibe then Chalet is an uber cool place to visit. The music is consistently good, there is a nice mix in terms of the crowd and there is a charming personality to the interior design. One of the things that makes Chalet one of the best nightclubs in Berlin, is the enticing beer garden which makes for an excellent place to chill. It even has a dance-floor outside and a fire pit –let’s face it, sometimes you just need a good fire pit!

Best Hipster Art Gallery in Berlin

Zozoville –  An essential on any Berlin Hipster Guide, this Unique and quirky gallery describes itself as “a platform for freaks, misfits, and the occasional well balanced individual.”  Zozoville is one of the little secrets and best local experiences in Berlin as far as art and museums are considered. This is a fantastic opportunity to see the raw talent and unique style of two of the city’s most inspiring talents in a small local setting. How can we explain the art? Let’s just say you will have to go there and experience it for yourself!

Best Hipster Museum in Berlin

Museum Für Fotografie –  The Museum of Photography is known for having the works of Helmut Newton on display, but there are also many individual styles and concepts on each floor to explore. This is by far the best place in the city in terms of photography collections. While it’s certainly the most mainstream place to visit on this list, the design of the building itself, combined with the excellent work on show, make it a favorite for local hipsters in Berlin.

Best Berlin Hipster Icon

East Side Gallery – Next on our Berlin Hipster Guide is an iconic memorial for freedom and diversity. The wall was used to divide the German population until its fall in the 1980s. This open air gallery is made from that wall, which served as a huge canvas and an art gallery for fatastic and colorful paintings, graffiti and messages of peace and hope. The East Side Gallery was painted by 118 artists depicting  political events that took place in 1989 and 1990 in over 100 works of art found on the eastern side of the wall. The paintings on the east side of the wall are a poignant contrast to the days when that side was blank as opposed to the west side.

Best Berlin Hipster Bookshop

Motto –    With its shelves overflowing with art and photography magazines, literature and poetry, this little bookshop is hipster’s heaven. Motto is tucked away in a courtyard just off Skalitzer Strasse and offers a safe haven for book lovers, with rare finds, posters and discontinued magazine. A perfect sanctuary for a rainy day!

Best Literary Bar in Berlin

Cafe Hilde – Cozy, comfy and artsy, this cafe has everything an aspiring hipster needs. Aside from the delicious Irish breakfast and yummy homemade cakes, this cafe is a perfect literary getaway, hosting prose and poetry events, book readings, film nights and the famous Orson Welles Appreciation Society of Berlin’s radio play season.

Best Berlin Hipster Neighborhood

Kreuzberg – Known as “Europe’s hipster central, “Kreuzeberg is where it all goes down. Referred to as X-Berg by the locals, the neighborhood is full of wall art and graffiti, cool vintage shops and groovy cafes. Kreuzeberg also has the world’s highest density of businesses accepting Bitcoin. When you visit, make sure to rent a bike and have a leisurely brunch as all locals do. Yes, being a hipster in Berlin is a full- time job but, hey, somebody’s gotta do it!

Have you made your own discoveries while in Berlin? Let us know what you would add to your Berlin Hipster Guide!

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• art , bars , berlin , coffee shops , euro trip , Europe , eurotrip , food , germany , hipster , museum , restaurants , travel , trip planner , wanderlust , world

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Berlin Hidden Gems: 25 Unusual Things To Do In Berlin

Table of Contents

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Berlin is a city with many popular tourist attractions, but there are also plenty of hidden gems in Berlin and lesser-known attractions.

BERLIN QUICK LINKS Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld Tours: GetYourGuide / FreeToursByFoot Food experiences: EatWith Copy of Lonely Planet Berlin Getting there: flight ( Skyscanner ), train ( RailEurope ), bus ( FlixBus )

As my plane landed on the Berlin runway, my feelings were mixed. On the one hand, my arrival meant I’d officially left my beloved Asia behind after 13 months living there. On the other, it meant my Europe backpacking adventures were about to begin. With the promise of hearty German food and unusual things to do in Berlin, I couldn’t feel too down in the dumps. It was my second time in Berlin, the capital of Germany . Since I’d seen all the tourist highlights before, I decided to focus on the more alternative things to do in Berlin which I’d missed last time. Follow along with me for hidden gems in Berlin that often get overlooked!

Map of unusual things to do in Berlin

Alternative things to do in Berlin

Once I was checked in to my accommodation, it was time to explore . Even though it was still early, I was still on Asia time meaning it was already my late afternoon. So, not knowing when I was going to wilt, I headed out to find alternative things to do in Berlin. These are the coolest places to enrich your Berlin bucket list ! Explore quirky Berlin with a guide:

Explore Kreuzberg & Orienstrasse

My accommodation was located in Kreuzberg. Since I was on the hunt for quirky places in Berlin, this couldn’t have been better. Known for its artists, students and Turkish population, this part of Berlin is quirky, colourful and full of tasty hummus, falafel and shawarma. You’ll find street art galore and hipster bicycles lent against retro shop fronts. There’s an abundance of cafes, restaurants and bars all with outdoor seating, as well as boutiques, bookshops and record stores.

Suggested activity: Take an alternative bike tour of Kreuzberg

Oranienstraße is a particularly cool part of Kreuzberg. This long street technically stretches all the way from Checkpoint Charlie to Kreuzberg so you can walk the whole way if you want, though the first half would be less interesting. 

Oranienstraße becomes lively with lots of bars spilling out onto the streets. Arrive into Moritzplatz station and you’ll be in the thick of alternative Berlin.

Indulge in the vegan food scene

While vegan food is hardly unusual these days, the vegan scene in Berlin started with quirky pop-up cafes that have now become popular with people of all ages, but particularly the younger generation. While exploring the quirky places in Berlin, you’ll stumble across plenty of vegan cuisine. I visited Brammibal’s Donuts , a hidden Berlin gem in Kreuzberg beside the river, where I tucked into the most divine cherry cream glazed doughnut. Other vegan doughnut flavours include blackberry and matcha, raspberry pistachio and salted caramel hazelnut.

Suggested tour: Berlin vegan food tour

Markthalle Neun

If you’re looking for unusual things to do in Berlin, it doesn’t get better than a 120-year-old historic market full of hipster street food. Head down on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays for a weekly market, and all other days (apart from Sundays) for general food stalls.

At Markthalle Neun there are German and Italian delicacies, craft beer, deli goods, pulled pork, vegan food and more. Seriously, come hungry! I wasn’t quite there after my Brammibals doughnut and that, my friends, was a crying shame. Don’t forget to snap some photos in the photoautomat booth.

Looking for foodspiration? Check out EatWith ‘s immersive food experiences by locals. From supper clubs to food crawls and cooking classes, there are some fantastic options.

Wander The East Side Gallery

It’s not exactly alternative Berlin: in fact, the East Side Gallery is one of the most popular places to visit. Still, there’s street art which makes it a cool, quirky place in my book. This open-air gallery on a 1,316m remaining section of the Berlin wall displays the work of artists from all around the world. Street art is renowned for telling stories, few of which are as important as the tale of the Berlin Wall.

Set your Google Maps to the East Side Gallery and spend an hour or so strolling while taking in the artwork.

HolzMarkt 25

Once you’ve had your fill of urban art at East Side Gallery, you’re really close to Holzmarkt 25 . This awesome outdoor market, meeting spot and bar is slightly off the beaten track in Berlin since it’s mainly locals who know about it. By the venue’s own admission, they’re fighting to save alternative venues in Berlin during an era of inflated rents and chain establishments invading the city.

So, to support the hidden places of Berlin and have a refreshing beer on the banks of the Spree, come down to Holzmarkt 25 from 2pm on weekdays and 1pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Klunkerkranich rooftop bar

To finish your day at one of the coolest hidden places in Berlin, you could consider visiting a rooftop bar for views over the city. If that sounds good to you, I’d suggest Klunkerkranich on the rooftop of Neukölln Arcaden shopping centre .

Rather than a fancy sky bar, this hidden gem in Berlin is hipster-friendly. It’s tricky to locate but once you’ve taken the lift to the top floor and walked through the parking lot, you’ll find the entrance to the bar. The views out over the city are unrivalled, especially on a clear summers day. There’s a cover charge of $5 to enter Klunkerkranich. It’s right beside Rathaus Neukölln station so jump on a Metro from wherever you’ve been previously.

Stay in a refurbished caravan

For a quirky place to stay in Berlin, you can’t do better than the cosy caravans at Huttenpalast. Not only did I have a comfy double bed, but there were quirky furnishings and hot showers. Not the caravan life I’m used to but no complaints here. Check availability here . These next quirky places in Berlin were contributed by some of my favourite fellow travel bloggers…

The Stand By Me Tree

With its beautiful open spaces, tree-lined paths and boating lake, Berlin’s Tiergarten Park is the perfect escape from the busy city streets. One of the most unique things to see in Berlin is the Stand By Me Tree, located in the heart of the park with the opening lyrics of Ben E King’s iconic Stand By Me etched in its bark.  The tree grew in popularity after the death of Ben E King in 2015 and the chorus ‘Darling, darling, stand by me’ was etched on a second tree nearby. It can be quite difficult to locate the Stand By Me Tree in the 520-acre tree-filled park. Luckily the pathways are named and it is close to the intersection of Großer Weg and Großer Sternallee. The tree is about a 10-minute wall from the park entrance just off the roundabout at Victory Column. The pathways are named on Google Maps and the tree is located just off the side of the path. Entry submitted by David from Your Ireland Vacation .

Explore Teufelsberg

Another of the most unusual things to do in Berlin is find Teufelsberg , a site layered with history and modern quirkiness on a massive hill in the outskirts of the city.

Teufelsberg was the construction site of a planned Nazi military and technology college. The occupying forces attempted to demolish the building but were unable. Instead, they filled the building with rubble from war-torn Berlin and formed a man-made hill. It was covered with fill and trees were planted on the site that became one of the highest points in the American sector of West Berlin.

In 1961, the hill’s strategic importance stood out to American and British military figures. They built a secret spy tower and listening station on the site. It was constructed under the guise of a weather station and the East Germans and Russians were spied on until the end of the Cold War in 1989.

Once the Berlin Wall fell, the site was abandoned and changed hands several times. Today it is privately owned, but you can visit this Berlin off the beaten path attraction and check out the grounds and tower. It features several floors of street art as you ascend the spy tower. Entry submitted by Derek and Mike from Robe Trotting.

Take a small group tour to Teufelsberg .

Take a Cold War bunker tour

Dive into the dark past of Berlin and descend into its labyrinth of underground tunnels with Berliner Unterwelten. During a Berlin bunker tour , you’ll see how West Berlin prepared itself for the Cold War. With Russia threatening to use nuclear weapons, special bunkers were built throughout the continent. Often using vast empty spaces in the Berlin subway system, these bunkers were fitted with the most basic amenities. Only able to hold a limited number of people, the locations of these shelters weren’t even always disclosed to civilians. While the guide leads you through inconspicuous-looking doors of the fully operating metro stations, you’ll discover there’s a whole different world hiding behind them. Covered in cobwebs, the Cold War bunkers are intriguing relics of a slightly mythical event in European history. Situated underground, the Cold War bunker tour is quite literally a hidden gem in Berlin! Entry submitted by Zarina from Miss Travel Clogs .

Browse Cold War Berlin tours .

Visit the Waterfall at Viktoriapark

This lesser-known waterfall with a 79-feet drop is located at Viktoriapark in the borough of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. Viktoriapark is free to visit and includes the highest hill of the inner core of Berlin, offering great views of the city. The park is a quiet oasis within the bustling city of Berlin and invites for a little break to relax. By walking 5 minutes, you can visit to the former airport Berlin-Tempelhof, the Bergmannkiez (a famous area for cafés, restaurants and clubs) and Schwerbelastungskörper (the location the Nazis were planning to erect a gigantic triumphal arch in this area). Entry submitted by Chris from Punta Cana Travel Blog .

Berlin Street Art Tour & Workshop

Another option for visitors looking for alternative things to do in Berlin is a street art tour. There are a wide variety of tours to help you experience the hidden gems of Berlin. Many of the guides are street artists themselves (although they won’t disclose who they are).

After exploring the East Side, a fun option is to take a tour which includes the chance to create your own mural. You’ll be able to pick a stencil, trace it and then spray paint your design. Your guide will show you all of the various techniques. The street art workshop provides a wonderful way to not only visit unusual places in Berlin, but learn a new skill, too. Entry submitted by Kim from My Global Ways .

Book a Berlin street art walking tour .

The Parliament Of Trees

Located on the shore of Spree river in Berlin, across the Reichstag building, the Parliament of Trees is easily included in your Berlin itinerary . It’s often mistaken as a garden, but this Berlin hidden gem is actually a work of art created by Ben Wagin as a memorial for the victims of the Berlin Wall. Sixteen trees (for each federal state) were planted inside symbolising the unification of Germany.

The garden is bordered by a granite wall formed of authentic parts of the Berlin Wall. The blocks are painted with scenes from the Wall’s history and with the number of victims who died before the wall was demolished. Visitors can sit down on the bench and discover the different elements of the garden. 

The Parliament Of Trees may be off the beaten path in Berlin, but it’s an important landmark for those who want to know more about Berlin’s history and especially for those who are interested in Berlin Wall.

Entry submitted by Corina from Another Milestone.

Relax at Badeschiff

As if quirky Berlin wasn’t cool enough already, there’s a swimming pool in the river and a city beach! Badeschiff means ‘bathing ship’ and refers to the mechanism of the floating swimming pool in the river. The Spree is not clean enough to swim in so the inventive Berliners found a way to get around that: swimming in a beautiful and clean pool with views of the river.

The whole area around the pool works as a beach bar. There’s sand on the ground, a bar with plenty of drink options and sunbeds to relax anytime. The actual swimming pool is 2.1m deep and only for swimmers.

Since the capacity of the Badeschiff is limited, it’s best to buy a ticket online. As of 2021, time-slots of two hours are available for purchase for €6.50. The Badeschiff can be found on the river Spree in the East of Berlin, in front of Arena Berlin. The closest S-Bahn stop is Treptower Park.

Entry submitted by Veronika from Travel Geekery .

Wander Hackesche Höfe

Since much of Berlin was rebuilt after WWII, you’ll see a lot of 1960s and 70’s ‘modern’ architecture with a sprinkling of some older styles. What you don’t expect is an Art Nouveau complex but that’s exactly what you get with Hackesche Höfe. This hidden gem in Berlin is located next to the Hackescher Market in Mitte district, featuring eight central interconnected courtyards. This style of architecture dates back to the 18th century when it marked significant expansion in Berlin. Although the structure itself was fairly traditional for the area, it was designed with a modern art deco facade that’s rare in Berlin. Luckily, the damage during the war was minor and was it was restored in the late 1990. Hackesche Höfe is now a vibrant community home to an eclectic mix of cafes, shops, apartments, businesses, cultural institutions and a cinema. You’re free to wander the area at no cost. Entry submitted by Sam from My Flying Leap .

Hidden courtyards

In addition to Hackesche Höfe, there are several hidden backyards in Berlin sprinkled with quirky street art, unusual architecture and niche museums. Discovering them is a fantastic way to get off the beaten track in Berlin, soaking up the atmosphere of the city and leaving other tourists far behind. Since they’re hidden by nature, it’s a good idea to take a small group backyards tour with a Berlin guide .

Trabi Safari

Another unusual way to experience Berlin is by going on a Trabi safari. The Trabant, affectionately known as the Trabi, was the car of the former DDR (East Germany). These vehicles were highly coveted with a waiting period of up to 15 years, and while they weren’t known for their reliability, there is a sense of nostalgia about them. 

Today, tour operators allow you to relive the magic of these one-of-a-kind vehicles. The excursions are typically safari-style where you have a lead guide and driver, and everyone follows behind in their own Trabant. You get a quick driving lesson at the start of the tour as this is a rather unusual car. Over the course of the Trabi safari, you get to see some of Berlin’s top tourist attractions . At the end of the excursion, you receive a Trabant driver’s license as a souvenir. Entry submitted by Audrey from That Backpacker.

Zauberkönig Magic Store

One of the best places to shop for Berlin souvenirs is Zauberkönig on Hermanstrasse in Neukölln. Opened in 1884, this magic shop has been in business for over 130 years. If you’re looking for unusual things to do in Berlin, prepare to spend some time here perusing their trinkets, tricks and costumes to rent. This shop belongs on Diagon Alley as much as it does in Neukölln! Entry submitted by Stephanie from History Fangirl.

Berlin hidden gems – nightlife

Discos inside phone booths.

Berlin is famous for its glitzy mega clubs but did you know there are some tiny discos hidden away in converted phone booths? They’re decked out with strobe lights, fog machines, disco mirror balls and your choice of music. They also have cameras in case you want to record your three-minute dance party. Visit Club Katerblau (open at night) and Raw Gelande (open day and night). These hidden gems in Berlin are easy to operate: insert €2 and pick a song. The doors will open and the party starts. You can pay an extra €2 for a photo strip or a video recording of the whole thing. Entry submitted by Henry from This Life of Travel .

Golden Gate nightclub

If you get rejected from Berlin’s most famous club, the Berghain, take a trip to this nightclub tucked away under Jannowitzbrücke station bridge. Follow Google Maps to find the entrance. Be prepared for a true underground Berlin experience in this tiny, dark club. The lineup changes every night with up-and-coming Berlin artists playing from Friday night to Monday morning. Don’t come overdressed or arrive before 3am! The club is separated into a dancing and chill area. You’re guaranteed to strike a conversation which makes this club a good place if  you are travelling solo and to get out of your comfort zone . Entry submitted by Lucile HR.

Quirky museums in Berlin

The david hasselhoff museum.

Perhaps the most unusual Berlin hidden gem is the David Hasselhoff Museum in a tiny 2×1 metre corner of The Circus Hostel. It’s jam-packed with memorabilia about this actor/singer popular in Berlin.  On 31 December 1989, Hasselhoff performed a concert at the site of the Berlin wall, singing his iconic Looking For Freedom to Berliners celebrating German reunification. You can learn more about this story through the memorabilia at the museum and read about the movement to create a David Hasselhoff Straße (Street). David Hasselhoff often returns to Berlin; sometimes he visits the museum. He also performs a few concerts in the city. In 2019, he held a ‘30 years of freedom’ concert to mark the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. When you’ve finished at the museum, the bar upstairs serves steins and pretzels! Entry submitted by Claire from Claire’s Footsteps .

Ramones Museum

Fans of the American punk rock band, The Ramones, will be thrilled to know that the first and only museum dedicated entirely to the band is located in Berlin. The bassist, Dee Dee Ramone, grew up in Berlin and, if you listen closely, you’ll hear references to Berlin in a number of their songs. Inside the museum, you’ll find more than 1,000 examples of Ramones memorabilia. Concerts are occasionally held here, and C.J. Ramone even performed once. The museum’s plant-based cafe will please vegan travellers visiting Berlin. Come for breakfast and choose from dishes named after Ramones songs. The ‘I Wanna Live’ includes vegan cheese, bacon, marmalade, fruits and hand-baked bread from Kreuzberg. Yum! Entry submitted by Wendy from The Nomadic Vegan.

Urban Nation – quirky Berlin street art museum

If you want to see some of the best street art in the world, make sure you check out Urban Nation . This street art and graffiti museum in the most bombed city in Europe is free to visit. Browse impressive installations from renowned artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairy. It’s no surprise to find such a quirky museum in Berlin. Graffiti and street art played an important role in shaping the identity of the city, which was named a UNESCO City of Design in 2006. The facade often changes at Urban Nation and the pieces are updated regularly. The street art museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm. The easiest way to get there is by taking the subway to the station Nollendorfplatz. Entry submitted by Carine and Derek from We Did It Our Way.

Visit LGBT+ Schwules Museum

Another unusual thing to do in Berlin is explore the chronicles of LGBT+ history, culture, oppression and rights, both in Germany and internationally. Since the mid-60s, the LGBT+ rights movement has gained traction thanks to large efforts originating in major cities throughout Europe and North America. Germany has made many contributions to the effort and it is known for being a tolerant country offering LGBT+ people many rights and protections.  However, this hasn’t always been the case. The Holocaust carries a variety of horror stories specific to the treatment of LGBT+ people. These stories are told in the various displays at The Schwules Museum , open in the afternoons (closed Tuesdays). Admission costs €9. Entry submitted by Austin from Two Bad Tourists.

Take a LGBT+ tour in Berlin .

Stay in a quirky Berlin hotel

For such a quirky city, there are of course plenty of unique and unusual places to stay in Berlin. These include: Huttenpalast: This caravan hotel in Kreuzberg is a berlin hidden gem in its own right. The double bed in the caravan was super comfortable, plus I had an ‘outside’ seating area to relax in. Since there are only a handful of caravans in the large complex, each seating area is tucked away for privacy. Check availability for €77pn .

Michelberger: This hip hotel inside a refurbished warehouse is totally ‘Berlin’. With high ceilings, flea market-style decor and stacks of books as high as the ceiling, it’s the perfect mix of quirky and light & bright. There’s also a vegan cafe onsite and its perfectly located in busy Friedrichshain. Check availability for €107pn . Boat hotels in Berlin: Bored of staying on land? Opt for a quirky houseboat located inside a refurbished cabin floating on the Spree. Many have double rooms, living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms. Book Eastern & Western Comfort Boathotel or Spreeapartment MARA .

I hope you enjoyed these alternative things to do in Berlin

Check out my other Europe posts:

• The 30 best German dishes to try
• A complete guide to Munich
• Nuremberg travel guide
• Guide to visiting Nuremberg Castle
• 3 day Vienna itinerary
• 3 day Copenhagen itinerary
• How to spend 3 days in Budapest
• What to eat & drink in Prague

See you next time for more adventures,

Ps. Liked these hidden gems in Berlin? Pin it for later!

TRUSTED RESOURCES FOR VISITING GERMANY Getting around by air – I use Skyscanner to find the best-value flights, using the ‘search by month’ tool to find the cheapest dates. You can also use the ‘to anywhere’ feature if you’re flexible on where you’re going. Driving in Europe – use Rentalcars.com to compare car rentals in European countries (and all around the world). For trains , I use RailEurope . The search feature allows you to compare prices, and they show live departure times on the website. For buses , I use FlixBus . Find journeys between European countries from €1. Use Omio to compare trains and buses in one search. It’s so handy! For hotels and self-catering apartments, I use Booking.com . You can filter by review score and price to find the best-rated budget places. For hostels, I use Hostelworld.com . To save money on accommodation, I use Trusted Housesitters , a website that connects homeowners going away and travellers who can sit their homes & pets. Browse tours and activities on GetYourGuide . Need travel insurance ? I use True Traveller (for UK & Europe residents) since it’s some of the most affordable insurance out there but still covers everything you’d need including various activities, valuables and pre-existing conditions. Unlike some companies, they insure you if you’re already travelling / don’t yet have your flight home booked. Get a quote . For travel insurance for other nationalities, I recommend Hey Mundo and for long-term digital nomad travellers, I suggest Safety Wing . Check out my resources page for more travel discounts and budget tips from my 10+ years on the road!

Rose is a solo traveller from the UK who has been on the road since 2015. She wants to show other women that solo travel isn't scary and doesn't have to be expensive! Rose has lived in Mexico, Canada and all over Asia, seeking out food, bubble tea and street art wherever she goes!

4 thoughts on “ Berlin Hidden Gems: 25 Unusual Things To Do In Berlin ”

Great post and collection of quirky places to see in Berlin! Thanks Rose! Even for me as a German who have visited Berlin more than a dozen times there a some new things. I’ll definitely check out the Stand by me tree, the Badeschiff and the Teufelsberg next time – I haven’t heard of them before!

Thanks for reading, Chris. Yes, let me know how you get on! I’m craving another trip too now 🙂

I like summer better but all your pictures and the descriptions you wrote made me want to go for a winter vacation.

I liked summer best too!

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Neukölln: your guide to Berlin’s hippest ’hood

The restaurants, cafés, bars and shops the locals don’t want you to know about...

When you're planning a trip to Neukölln - the latest Berlin borough to be hailed as the centre of all things hip - Google Street View is of no use to you. Where I'm told I'll find an organic café, it shows me a battered old launderette, while typing in the address of an art gallery returns an uninspiring image of a miniature supermarket, its rusty, graffiti-stained shutters clinging stubbornly to the pavement. Further searches yield similar results, and I begin to wonder if my sources are playing games with me. As it turns out, Neukölln's transformation is very much a reality, it's just happening so quickly that not even the internet's most invasive superpower can keep up with it. As my guide explains, it's all thanks to an airport. Or, rather, the lack of one. 'The area is basically unrecognisable from when I lived here seven years ago,' she tells me over coffee at Pappelreihe. 'Not long ago, Neukolln had more social problems than anywhere in Berlin. It's become a completely different place since the airport closed.' Stretching across the borough's western border, Tempelhof airport was once one of the world's busiest transport hubs. When it closed for good in 2008, property prices in the surrounding area duly went through the roof and those who weren't priced out were left with a multi-purpose community park, where barbecues, sports clubs and other social events are held around the twin runways. But that's not all. In September Tempelhofer Feld hosts  the Berlin Festival , last year headlined by The Killers, Orbital and Sigur Ros. It's events like these that are slowly enticing artsy-minded Berliners away from Kreuzberg - the city's established bohemian district - and into the scuzzier, immigrant-ruled streets of Neukölln. The result is a patchwork of trendy trappings and international influence, with Turkish kebab stands and African cosmetics stores sandwiched between style-conscious bars and vintage furniture boutiques.

Navigating Neukölln

Restaurants and cafés in Neukölln

Located right next to Tempelhof, the Schillerkiez – a residential grid based around the leafy Schillerpromenade – is where you'll find Neukölln's best cafés....

Bars and pubs

Bars and clubs in neukölln.

For a well-paced night out in Neukölln, start off in the quieter, more contemplative drinking dens of the Schillerkiez, before moving on to the rowdier venues...

Art galleries in Neukölln

Neukölln's art galleries tend to operate on a somewhat clandestine basis, putting on exhibitions with just a couple of hours' notice and spreading the word via...

Shops and markets in Neukölln

Vintage fashion, cupcakes and floppy-haired boys with guitars: 'art and project space' Let Them Eat Cake (Weserstrasse 164, +49 30 6096 5095) is an...

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• Ich Bin Ein Hipster Berlins...

Ich Bin Ein Hipster: Berlin's Coolest Spots For Creative Minds

With its hordes of youths donning black wardrobes and athletic wear, its thriving creative scene, and its ever increasing startup potential, Berlin may very well be the hipster capital of the world. At the very least, our fair city plays the part quite well when superimposed with an Instagram filter or written about in the blogosphere. Attracting talented creatives and hip youths, Berlin is burgeoning with cool spots for mingling with likeminded people, getting inspired, and executing innovative ideas.

Work: betahaus, hang out: michelberger, shop: voo store.

Market, Store

Gallery: Sammlung Boros

Nightlife: Berghain

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Eat: Cocolo Ramen

If you must eat some actual food – the Berlin hipster life style is a pretty active one after all – there are a few approved options. For breakfast, it’s worth making the trek from Kreuzberg or Neukölln into Mitte – by bike, of course – to enjoy an utterly Instagrammable açaí bowl at Daluma . Berlin’s cold, dreary, industrial aesthetic may be the perfect backdrop for a hipster lifestyle, but it is also an ideal breeding ground for the common cold. Thus, it’s a good idea to wash it down with a cold pressed green juice or fortify that immune system with a lemon-cayenne shot. For lunch and dinner, return to X-berg by the canal, every hipster’s comfort zone, for some satisfying, picturesque ramen at Cocolo Ramen .

Daluma: Weinbergsweg 3, Berlin, Germany 030 20950255

Cocolo Ramen: Paul-Lincke-Ufer 39-40, Berlin, Germany , +49 030 98339073

Pick-me-up: Silo Coffee

Cafe, Coffee Shop, Coffee, Australian, European

Get inspired: Bless

While all these places are basically essential on any hipster’s itinerary, there is always a need for that extra dose of inspiration for staying in the loop. For this purpose, it’s best to frequent some of the city’s most intriguing concept stores. One of our favorites is Bless . This place is arranged to inspire with the latest styles in such a way that might actually be applicable to your daily life, as it is arranged to resemble an apartment, and at times, the curator actually does live here! They sell clothes, home goods, and some of the best design accessories around. For those instead looking to get cognitively inspired, Do You Read Me?! is a must. This bookstore on the trendy Auguststrasse circulates all of Berlin’s most intriguing indie publications and periodicals. Bless: Oderberger Str. 60, Berlin, Germany , +49 030 27596566 Do You Read Me?!: Auguststraße 28, Berlin, Germany +49 030 69549695

Live: Neukölln

While you’re not out and about, perusing the streets and interacting with some of Berlin’s most extraordinary and inspiring creatives, you’ll need to find a place to lay your head – and quick! Berlin is known for its affordable rents, but this is rapidly changing. Even though Kreuzberg is typically regarded as the most hipster neighborhood in Berlin, we recommend settling in Neukölln, a district that is already growing more established than up-and-coming as a hive for creative energy. There are still spacious apartments available here, and new cafés, restaurants, shops, and other points of interest are cropping up on the daily.

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Nattie on the Road

A hipster’s guide to berlin.

I first visited Berlin in January of 2010, it was cold and snowing, but I sort of fell in love with the city, I dug the artsy and hip vibes of everything and everyone around.

I was pretty excited to come back in the summer and to see the city that had so captured my attention on my first trip to Europe. All I can say is, Berlin might be even cooler now than it was then. The art scene is exploding, hipster cafes and bars are popping up, but the city still seems to retain its history and grittiness.

Being the hipster’s we are, we enjoy the weird and the funky. So with the help of a couple of friends who really know Berlin, we visited some of the coolest areas around the city.

What to pack for Europe in the summer ? I got you covered!

The Badeschiff

Not your average public pool, the Badeschiff  has a sandy beach, bar, food truck, beach chairs, a dock going out into the river, and the pool itself sits in the river! And it seemed like all of Berlin’s young cool attractive people were there the day we went. It really was an awesome setup, we were able to rent towels from the bar and posted up on the dock in the sun. The breeze coming off the water kept the temperatures pleasant while we lounged, ate tacos, and had a beer. And when it got too warm we jumped in the pool.

Riverside Bars

I didn’t even realize Berlin had canals running through it until we were standing on a bridge over one scoping out the bar/cafe/club situation along it.

We hit up Freischwimmer , a cute little cafe type bar, that felt like it might be something out of Pirates of the Caribbean. The vibes were slow and mellow, and it was a nice place to hang out with a radler (beer and lemonade cocktail, sound weird, but is delicious) for the afternoon.

We then went across the river to Club der Visionaere , which during the day is a pretty chill bar, but at night is more of a club. The red vinyl and dj booth definitely gave it a clubby type feeling, but it was cool. They also serve homemade pizza oddly enough.

The street art in Berlin was what got me the first time around, and I was so excited to go see more of it this time.

The East Side Gallery  is not to be missed and probably the most famous area of street art in Berlin. In the center of Berlin a section of the Berlin wall is still standing, and in 1990 it was sectioned out and given to artists to paint as a tribute to the fall of the wall and peaceful negotiations after. There are 105 paintings along it, and it is the largest and longest open air gallery in the world.

Urban Spree  is an artist space and gallery dedicated to urban culture. There is an indoor gallery you can check out but I think some of the best art is all around outside on the walls of the building itself as well as the street overpass near by and all over the buildings in the surrounding area. There is also a beautiful and uniquely artsy biergarten where you can sit outside and enjoy the art with a cold one.

The whole area around Urban Spree might at first glance look like a bunch of abandoned warehouses but you’ll realize that there is plenty of life amongst the run down looking buildings. From clubs, to bars, to a craft beer bar and plenty of art you won’t get bored wandering around.

All around the Kreuzberg neighborhood you’ll find plenty of street art as it is Berlin’s epicenter for counter culture and punk rock. Some of Berlin’s most famous murals are in Kreuzberg including the cosmonaut (one of my personal favorites!). So just go wander around you’ll find some cool stuff!

Check out more hipster guides to other cities!

I feel like Kreuzberg is Berlin’s hipster neighborhood, as I said before, it’s the center of the counterculture, punk rock, art, as well as a haven for LGBTQ, and is more culturally diverse in general as it was the area that many immigrants flocked to in the 60’s. It is now has one of the highest populations of young people in all of Europe due to it’s cheaper rents and general culture. Here you’ll find cafes and bars and late night eateries to your heart’s content.

We went bar hopping all around the area and had a blast. I can’t tell you what bars we went to, because honestly I was having too much fun to notice, but I can tell you if you go out to have a good time you definitely will. And it doesn’t hurt that there are falafel spots open late for your walk home at the end of the night.

So I don’t really think this counts as hipster, but there are some fancy ice cream places around and the concoctions are definitely instagram worthy. My friend Jennifer told me I had to try the Spaghetti Ice, vanilla ice cream that is in strands like spaghetti topped with strawberry topping and chocolate chips. It really was pretty, and delicious, and I scarfed it down before I could think to take a picture of it.

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One thought on “ A Hipster’s Guide to Berlin ”

Great city! I’ve also switched to a healthier lifestyle and training with SportMe running app for my first 5k race. Sneaking in my running routine into my travel destinations is super challenging, and your blog posts are super inspiring.

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Here’s Your Perfect Berlin Itinerary To Hit The Tourist Musts And Hipster Faves

Unsplash/Stefan Widua

Brooklyn is out, Berlin is in. If you enjoy visiting places where everyone looks like cool young TV stars living their best creative lives, the German city is the place to be. But Berlin also has a complex history, which makes it overwhelming to begin planning a trip. If you want to see a little bit of everything — museums, memorials, street art, cafes and clubs — here’s where we’d go.

Tourist Spots You’ll Actually Want To Visit

Like all of Europe’s amazing metropolises, you could spend days wandering Berlin and taking photos of historic building after museum after church after palace. But if you’re only picking a few tourist stops on your cultural tour, we’d start with these four.

The Berlin Wall

Flickr/Jeanne Menjoulet

The first thing you should know before visiting Berlin is that it’s only been one city for less than 30 years. After World War II, Germany was split into two parts. East Germany belonged to the Soviet Union while West Germany was occupied by the United States, Great Britain and France. And the way the deal was struck meant Berlin was also split. For more than 10 years, Berliners could cross between East Berlin and West Berlin. But as the Cold War escalated, so did conflict in Berlin between the Soviet and U.S., U.K. and French forces. In 1961, the Berlin Wall was constructed, making it impossible to cross from East to West.

One of the only ways across the border was Checkpoint Charlie, although residents of East Germany couldn’t get through from communist East Germany to the democratic West. When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, masses of people crossed from East Berlin into West Berlin through Checkpoint Charlie’s gates — one of the biggest signs of the end of the Cold War. Now, you can see a replica of the checkpoint in its original location at the former border or visit the actual guardhouse in the Allied Museum nearby.

Flickr/Mike McHolm

After the wall fell, more than 100 artists decorated a portion with protest art, political messages and expressions of peace. It’s now called the East Side Gallery, and it’s the longest preserved section of the wall left standing. Another section of the wall now hosts Berlin’s best flea market at Mauerpark, which literally means “wall park” in English. You can find historical information and a section of the “death strip” (the space between the East and West walls where guards used trip wires, machine guns and floodlights to keep residents from crossing) at the Berlin Wall Memorial.

Flickr/Tobias Nordhausen

Berlin’s central green space, the Tiergarten, is one of the largest public gardens in Europe and a great place for a picnic in the middle of your tourist tour. You’ll be able to spot the Victory Column, Prussian War Memorial and Schloss Bellevue, a former palace and current residence of the German president.

However, if you have more time on your hands, we’d recommend heading to Grunewald Forest. It’s a little further out of the city than some tourists venture, but it offers hiking, biking and even swimming in the park’s lakes.

Museum Island

Flickr/Jim Woodward

Helpfully clustered together, Museum Island is home to five of the best museums in Berlin. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in the River Spree, the city’s main waterway. You’ll find the Neues Museum, Pergamon Museum and Altes Museum housing ancient treasures, as well as the Alte National Galerie and Bode-Museum boasting classical and modern works of art. (If you’re a true design fan, you probably also want to hit a museum not housed on the island — the Bauhaus Archive with art on display in the unique Bauhaus style.) The island is also home to the Berlin Cathedral, a gigantic baroque-inspired basilica.

Holocaust Memorials

Flickr/Dominic Simpson

On any visit to Berlin, it’s crucial that you see the city’s Holocaust memorials. Germany’s reckoning with its horrific past during World War II is expressed in moving monuments to the lives lost in the Holocaust throughout the city. We’d suggest starting with the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, an abstract display of 2,711 concrete slabs spread across a city block near the Brandenburg Gate. For a more detailed history of the horrendous genocide, you can visit the Jewish Museum Berlin and the Topography of Terror, an in-depth look at the Nazi regime located on the former SS Gestapo headquarters.

Cafes Where You’ll Wanna Stay Forever

Flickr/Erik Boralv

Playing tourist in Berlin can be emotionally exhausting, so take time to both let yourself refresh and experience the city’s cafe culture. There’s no better way to understand how a city flows than to hang out in one of the beloved local coffee or lunch spots.

Cafe am Neuen See

Located in the middle of the Tiergarten, you can grab a refreshing glass of beer (or wine) in this  popular beer garden . As the name implies (“cafe on the new lake”), it’s right on the water and they also serve grilled pizzas, making it the summer people-watching spot of your dreams.

A mixed function space,  Nest  is a cafe, bar and coworking space, meaning it’s always bustling with creative energy. You can sit inside or outside to dine on the German and Mediterranean-influenced dishes and sip on a local Pilsner. P.S. Yes, there’s WiFi.

Berlin’s premiere third-wave coffee spot is where you’ll find the uber-pretentious coffee nerds and the most carefully crafted latte art on your order. You’ll get a great brew at  The Barn  and a taste for the local coffee snob spirit.

Neighborhoods Where The Cool Kids Hang Out

Flickr/Sascha Kohlmann

We get it — you want to see the city like a real Berliner. So when you’re choosing where to stay, whether in a hotel, Airbnb or hostel, consider these trendy neighborhoods. (Although, with rents rising due to the influx of tourists, you might not get quite as warm a welcome now as when the city was fresher on the traveler circuit).

Friedrichshain

Expressive street art covers Friedrichshain, an East Berlin neighborhood with a lot of character coloring the streets filled with bars, boutiques and cafes. This is where you’ll find the East Side Gallery, but the neighborhood’s artwork extends into basically every corner.

Flickr/Rae Allen

Kreuzberg is probably what you imagine when you picture a punk Berlin experience. We’re talking vintage shops, graffiti and cafes. It’s a little wild, untamed and filled with counter-culture. People hang out along the Landwehr Canal, the more off-beat waterfront than the Spree. Pro tip: Grab grub at Markthalle Neun, a giant food hall selling local specialties and food from around the world.

A little more upscale, Mitte combines the grit of artist squats with glossy professional apartments. Many of the city’s most famous cultural sites are here, which does mean it’s more expensive but also a little more polished and central.

Bars To Experience Berlin Nightlife

Flickr/Mitch Altman

Even if the intricacies of Cold War era history are new to you, you may have heard rumors of Berlin’s epic clubs where the party rages on until the sun comes up. Travelers can wear their best “Ich bin ein Berliner” outfits and dance the night away at these fab spots.

The Klunkerkranich

Whether you want to listen to slam poetry, watch movies under the stars or enjoy concerts, you’ll love the rooftop garden at The Klunkerkranich. The view from the roof is stunning, and it’s the perfect place to hang out for hours if the clubs aren’t calling your name. Or before the clubs start calling to you. You do you, friend.

Luzia is a Kreuzberg bar housed in an updated industrial space that looks like your most hipster friend’s apartment. You know, the one where they threw their grandma’s fading armchairs and chic patio furniture against exposed brick and it looks better than a magazine spread. That’s Luzia. Chill cocktails by day, techno beats by night. And somewhere in the middle, you’ll find live music and special events.

Flickr/Max_7000

The most (in)famous club in the city, Berghain is in an old power plant and is the place to see techno stars and dance until your feet feel like they could melt off your body. But entrance isn’t guaranteed. You gotta speak German (or have a great interpreter friend with you) and dress truly cooler-than-you-without-trying to get past the bouncer.

If you can’t get into Berghain — and never say never but unless you’re on a list, you probably can’t — you can always try Watergate (for great acts), Club der Visionäre (on the river) or Sisyphos (easy to get into and still a blast).

Don’t forget to grab some currywurst on your way home. The local favorite and one of the original purveyor’s of the hybrid food is  Konnopke’s Imbiss  near Mauerpark. It’s worth eating when in Berlin and even better after a wild night on the town.

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The Berlin Hipster Break: 8 Ways to Channel Your Inner Hipster in Berlin

See recent posts by Toby Orton

To make the most of a long weekend in Berlin , we suggest embracing the independence and quirks of one of Europe’s most stylish cities. And, if that means getting in touch with your inner hipster, then so be it. If you want to explore Berlin’s hippest hotels to the best bars in Friedrichshain , pull on your plaid shirts, strut through Görlitzer Park,  and -- like JFK in 1963 -- repeat “Ich bin ein… hipster” as you go. Here are eight ways to channel your inner hipster in Berlin.  

People Watch In Kreuzberg

Tony Webster via Flickr

Begin by immersing yourself in Kreuzberg with some prime people watching. Once one of Berlin’s poorest areas, this neighbourhood is now one of its hippest. When you’re not taking in the crowds, keep your eyes peeled for the great art at the East Side Gallery, the summer open-air performances in Gorlitzer Park, and the huge array of vintage shops. Garage is a favourite — it charges by weight rather than item, so any budget will buy you a full hipster uniform!

Oyster Hotel Tip: Stay at Kreuzberg’s  Relexa Hotel Stuttgarter Hof . All room rates include an extensive breakfast buffet and there’s even an in-house tanning bed if the weather outside lets you down.

Watch Outdoor Karaoke

Julia Viajando via Flickr

Make sure your stay includes a Sunday. Why? Well, because Sunday means outdoor Bearpit Karaoke at Mauerpark, which is possibly Berlin’s most unmissable event. Hundreds (if not thousands) of people gather every week at the amphitheatre to watch brave volunteers give their best renditions of Total Eclipse of the Heart/Living on a Prayer/I Will Always Love You (delete as appropriate).

Cycle Everywhere

Jan Voigtmann via Flickr

If you want to get about like the locals, then it has to be on two wheels. Exploring Berlin by bike is the best way to see the real city, and fortunately, it’s quite easy. Most sidewalks have cycle lanes, the roads are wide, and most importantly, it’s flat. Take one of the many tours or pedal whimsically from cafe to bar, stopping at will.

Oyster Hotel Tip: The modern Abba Berlin Hotel in Charlottenburg provides its own bike hire service to save you time and effort. Its plush rooms offer big bathrooms, flat-screen TVs, and minibars.

Bargain Hunt At The Flea Markets

Gertrud K. via Flickr

Your flight might not leave for another few days but you can still go hang out at the airport; the old Tempelhof Airport that is! Boom-tish! Closed in 2008, the huge public space is the pride of Berliners. It’s used for music festivals, skating, cycling, running, and all manner of wholesome activities — but as a hipster you’ll be mainly grilling food and drinking beer in the vast BBQ area.

Eat Berlin's Best Burgers

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Locals' Secrets: How to See Berlin in a Weekend

It only took me nearly five years of living in Berlin to FINALLY write a two-day itinerary for Berlin. I winged it with so many visitors – but this time, I wrote it down. Just for you 😘 If you only have a weekend in Berlin, obviously it’s impossible to see absolutely everything – but you can still have an incredible experience and leave the city wanting more!

Here is the itinerary for seeing Berlin in two days, which strives for a balance between the most important touristic and historical sights and having some great local experiences: whether it’s underground art, great international food, or scenic viewpoints a little further outside the city center. I can understand that it’s a pretty popular option to do just 2 days in Berlin, so you have to optimize what you see for your first time and what you save for your next trip.

I’m pretty sure I can help you there 😉

Here’s my local guide to Berlin in a weekend , based on living here for more than four years! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll do my best to follow up quickly. 👌

Some links in this post are to affiliate sites. If you purchase something through them, I may earn a small comission — which costs you nothing! I am very grateful when you use my links to make a purchase.

Table of Contents – I started writing this guide and it got a bit…long. Here are specific things you can do in two days in Berlin, as well as my top recommendations for food, drinks, where to stay, tours and activities, and (BONUS!) a section for special things you can do in Berlin depending on what season you’re visiting in 😏

Where to stay in Berlin

Best things to do in berlin on the weekend, day 1: city center and landmarks, day 2: hipster berlin, tours and activities to try in berlin, getting around berlin, things to do in berlin by season, day trips from berlin.

The most important thing when choosing accommodation in Berlin (especially during Winter, which is coming up), is selecting a hotel that is close to a subway station. When it’s cold at night or even raining, the last thing you want to do is be waiting for a notoriously late bus, or walking long distances against strong wind.

For first-time visitors to Berlin , I almost always recommend staying in Mitte , which is the most central neighborhood in the city. Super close to the most famous landmarks, lots of transportation hubs that will take you in any direction, and easy to get to/from Berlin’s airports. It has a really urban vibe, but is so well-connected that you’ll have no trouble getting to neighborhoods all over the city.

My hotel recommendation in Mitte is The Circus Hotel which has tons going for it: awesome location at Rosenthaler Platz with excellent food and restaurants nearby, connected to the U8 subway, and the floor-level breakfast spot called Commonground is one of the best brunch locations in Berlin in its own right.

If you’re on a tighter budget, just across the street is their sister property, The Circus Hostel . Possibly the top-rated hostel in Berlin, it is often booked out so be sure to reserve in advance.

I’ve got an entire post dedicated to the best places to stay in Berlin , so check that out for an in-depth Berlin neighborhood guide based on your budget and requirements.

Learn about the best areas to stay in Berlin, whether you're a first-time visitor or a veteran. This Berlin neighborhood guide demystifies how to decide where to stay in Berlin, based on my experience living in Berlin for over five years!

Coming up is a super long itinerary of exactly how to spend 2 days in Berlin , as recommended by myself! But if you're just looking for the highlights, here are the coupled of don't-miss activities that I always recommend to people who come and visit me and only have a weekend in Berlin.

• Berlin TV Tower Fast Track tickets : The weekends are especially busy days for tourism in Berlin, since Berlin is such a popular city break, so skip-the-line tickets are a good idea. From the TV tower you can get a birds-eye view of Berlin from its highest point (and most recognizable landmark!).
• 1-hour Berlin City Tour by Boat : One awesome thing about Berlin is that so many of the most impressive landmarks can be seen from the river, such as the Berlin Cathedral and the German Parliament. How cool is that? This tour has audioguides in a bunch of languages, so you don't have to worry about your tour guide having a "very thick accent" 😉 I've taken my parents AND my boyfriend's parents boat trips with this company when they visited us!
• Berlin Top 20 Sightseeing Tour : So, obviously when I have visitors I am the tour guide but since you don't have me to show you around, this seems like the next best thing. It covers some of my favorite sights, and the reviews for this walking tour are through the roof. Especially on a sunny day, a walking tour is an awesome and active way to see the city.

Looking for a massive, awesome, updated and ultra-detailed list of activities to try in Berlin? Head over to my list of the best things to do in Berlin for a bajillion additional recommendations based on my last 5 years in the city.

How to spend a weekend in Berlin

So, I’ve broken this itinerary into two parts that I think are really important, especially if you are a first-time visitor to Berlin. On the first day, we’ll see historical Berlin: all the famous landmarks, museums, things going on in the city center. I’ll give you tips on which tourist spots to avoid as well as the ones that are really worth your time.

On the second day, you’ll get a look at the “real Berlin” as many people experience it, in the neighborhood of Kreuzberg. That’s where I’ve lived the whole time I’ve lived in Berlin, so you can say I’m a bit of an expert 😏 That said, it’s a massive neighborhood so I’ll pick out my absolute favorite spots for you to spend your second day at.

• Day 1: City center and famous landmarks : Centered around Mitte and the main historical landmarks in the center of Berlin.
• Day 2: Hipster Berlin : “Real Berlin” how the city’s world-famous hipsters, artists, and alternative crowd experience it.

Gooood morning! Assuming you have a full first day in Berlin, let’s start in the morning with breakfast. Where you decide to stay in Berlin will determine the best spots you can go for breakfast, naturally. If you’re staying in Mitte, I recommend a couple different nice spots for breakfast:

• Chipps – Make a reservation online to be sure you’ll get a spot. Great vegetarian options.
• Commonground – Beautiful cafe on the ground floor of the Circus Hotel at Rosenthaler Platz. You can come here even if you don’t stay at the hotel.

Breakfast in our bellies, let’s get started with the day!

Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate is perhaps one of the most iconic sights in all of Germany. It was built on top of the former city gate, on the orders of the Prussian king Frederick William II in the late 1700s. About fifteen years later, Napoleon has even passed through the Brandenburg gate, after the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt. So just think, you’ll be passing through a place where Napoleon once stood!

If you want to take photos with minimal crowds, do show up early in the morning. Brandenburg Gate is one of the most popular sites in Berlin for a reason!

Plus, the gate is very close to a couple of other important locations we’re going to visit next: the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the Reichstag.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

It wouldn’t be right to visit Berlin without recognizing what happened in the city and in Europe during World War II. Just a short walk from the Brandenburg Gate is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, also known as the Holocaust Memorial. The memorial was only built in recent years, from 2003-2004 to commmemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the second World War.

There’s a place you can visit underground containing the names of about 3 million Jewish victims. It’s a somber place, but important to visit.

If you want to learn more about Jewish history in Germany, I highly recommend the Jewish Museum in Kreuzberg. It covers not only the war-time experiences of the Jews in Germany, but also their rich history in the region and their many contributions to society. Entry to the Jewish Museum is included in the Berlin Museum Pass .

The Reichstag is the name of the building that is home to the German Parliament (called the Bundestag). It’s located a short walk away from the Brandenburg Gate and has a vast lawn stretching out in front of it. The Reichstag original dome was damaged during World War II, and ultimately was replaced with the glass dome we know today. You can visit this dome, as well as eat at a restaurant on top of the Reichstag – maybe you’ll see some famous German politicians you’d never recognize 😎

You NEED to register in advance in order to visit the Reichstag, because the German government will run a quick check on you (you are entering a government building after all!). Ideally register at LEAST one month in advance, the more the better. It can, and has happened to people visiting me in Berlin, that there were no more slots available.

There are a few different ways to register for entrance to the Reichstag. You can either register directly with the German government or sign up for a guided tour that will take care of the registration for you . This is especially important as an option for those who procrastinate (!) because tour operators reserve a certain number of tickets.

Check availability of guided Reichstag tours

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Victory Column

The Victory Column (called the Siegessäule in German) gives you sweeping views over Berlin, where you can see the Tiergarten on one side, all the way to the Brandenburg Gate down a row of trees (it’s hard to see because I took this on a foggy day but I promise it’s there!). One interesting fact is that the current location of the column, at Großer Stern , was implemented by the Nazis. They had a lot of ideas for how to redesign Berlin as a city. Fortunately, the fact that they did relocate the monument meant that it was saved from a lot of the bombing by the Americans on Berlin during WWII.

The entrance fee costs just a few euro, and allows you to climb the stairs inside the column to a height of 51 meters. It takes nearly 285 steps to get there, but the view is well worth it. I’ve been up twice and unfortunately both times it was cloudy but I’m sure it’s even better when the skies are clear 😂

To reach the Victory Column from the Reichstag you can either walk through the Tiergarten park for about 25 minutes, or take the 100 Bus for about 15 minutes. Since it’s only 4 stops, you can get a Kurzstrecke (short trip) bus ticket for just 1.50 €. But the walk is nice too 😄

Finding the best photography locations in Berlin can be tricky as a tourist, but this list is a solid blend of classic locations and locals-only secrets! Here are the best spots to take photos in Berlin during all seasons.

Tiergarten is a huge park that encompasses the Berlin Zoo (home to the most species in the world), the Victory Column (as mentioned above), as well as the next spot on our list (one of Berlin’s nicest beer gardens).

Tiergarten is German’s third largest urban park, after Tempelhofer Feld (also in Berlin) and Munich’s Englischer Garten . It’s absolutely huge and you won’t possibly see every corner, but you can hit the highlights.

In good weather, Tiergarten is a beautiful place to have a picnic or just walk around. In Germany, there are no laws about not being able to drink in public, so you can freely bring your own beer to the park and have a drink by a pond or while sunbathing.

Alternatively, you can visit one of Berlin’s prettiest beer gardens: Cafe am Neun See

Cafe am Neun See

This beer garden is situated on an inlet from the Spree river in the middle of the gigantic Tiergarten park.

While it’s not world class food, the view and atmosphere is fabulous. Enjoy a traditional German beer and go for a typical German food, whether that’s currywurst (sausage with curry sauce), potato salad, or bail out and go for a pizza. This spot is one of my favorite beer gardens in Berlin for its beautiful views, but do be aware that beer gardens open in late Spring and close in Autumn!

If you’re in Berlin for a weekend, expect this place to be pretty crowded. It’s popular with both locals and tourists. The earlier in the day you’re able to come, the better.

From here, it’s time to take public transit back to the center for an afternoon of sight-seeing and museum-hopping. You can take the same 100 Bus the other direction, and get out at Lustgarten , which is a stop right behind the Berlin Cathedral on the Museum Island.

Berlin Cathedral

Before heading into a museum frenzy, take a minute to enjoy Berlin Cathedral. Some of the best views of the cathedral can be head from the park in from of it, or from the Friedrichsbrücke which connects Museum Island to Hackescher Markt.

If you have the time, you can buy a ticket that lets you go to the top of the dome and get a view from above. I’ve never done this myself, but some members of my boyfriend’s family have done it and really enjoyed it. The cost is 7€ per person.

Photo of the Berlin Cathedral, taken from the Friedrichsbrücke.

Museum Island

Museum Island is quite literally an island in the middle of the River Spree, which runs through the city. It hosts a complex of internationally recognized museums, and is a UNESCO world heritage site. Museum Island is connected by short bridges from the main part part of the city.

Here are some of the museums I would recommend checking out while you’re in Berlin. You can spend days in all of Berlin’s more than 170 museums, but here are a few right in the middle of the city you can pop into. Entrance to each museum costs 10-19€, depending on the museum.

If you know which museum you want to visit, I’d advise buying a ticket in advance . Otherwise you will end up waiting in line during the peak tourist season to buy tickets. I’ve seen it. I’ve done it.

Be mindful that the museums close at 6PM most days, so do check how much time you have. Be sure to also check opening hours for the dates you’ll be visiting in case of special events, bank holidays, etc.

* - If you want my opinion, Neues Museum and Pergamon Museum are the two coolest museums on Museum Island. And if you only have two days, you probably don’t want to spend ALL your time in museums. While the Museum Island day pass is an excellent deal if you’re visiting several museums, at only 18€, it does NOT include the Asisi Panorama which is one of the main attractions of visiting Pergamon. If I had to pick just ONE for you, I’d recommend the Pergamon Museum , including the Panorama for 19€. Unless you are an Egyptian nerd, in which case the Neues Museum is your ticket.

How to get the best deal on Berlin’s museum tickets

If you plan to go to museums on both days of your trip, check out the 3-day Berlin Museum Pass . The 3-day museum pass costs 29 € (~$33) and covers 30 museums, whereas individual museums on Museum Island cost 10-19 €. So in short, you need to visit 3 museums to make the pass worth the cost, unless you add the Pergamon Museum then it only takes 2 because Pergamon is expensive!

However, if you only plan to visit museums on ONE day and ONLY the museums on Museum Island (there are many more museums besides on the one on Museum Island), you can also buy the Museum Island-only day pass for 18 € (~$22) which is obviously cheaper.

NOTE – Berlin also offers reduced ticket prices for seniors, students, and those with severe disabilities. If you want to get a student ticket, you need to be able to present a student ID that has a date on it. If you’re under 18, you qualify for a free ticket .

Alexanderplatz

Alexanderplatz isn’t the prettiest part of Berlin, but you can see the TV tower up close here. It’s possible to go up to the top of the TV tower, and even eat at a restaurant up there! I’ve never done it but it’s something I really need to do before I leave Berlin. You can get skip-the-line tickets for the TV tower so you don’t need to wait.

Apparently you can even book a ticket for the TV tower that includes getting a window seat at the restaurant! If that sounds awesome to you, you can get a ticket here for just 3€ more than you’d pay for the regular ticket.

If you want to go somewhere high up where you can also see the TV tower, try the Panoramapunkt . This is a cheaper alternative to the TV tower that costs just 7.50€ and gives you a chance to ride the fastest elevator in Europe! It’s located at Potsdamer Platz so you’ll need to take the subway or a bus to reach it.

Otherwise, also located at Alexanderplatz is the St. Marienkirche and the Rotes Rathaus . If you come in Christmas there’s a popular Christmas Market here as well.

This photo was taken from Museum Island, facing Alexanderplatz.

Hackescher Markt

Hackescher Markt is one of the main areas you can go shopping in Berlin. If you want to pick up some mementos of your time here, this would be a great place to do it. My personal favorite shop on Hackescher Markt is Muji , which is a Japanese clothing brand. From here you also have tons of restaurants to try, or places that are within walking distance. Now that the day is mostly done, let’s talk about dinner!

Where to eat in Berlin Mitte

Berlin is like a Mecca for fabulous international food. Thanks to the rich cultural diversity of the city, you can basically eat any kind of food you want here (except really good Mexican food…but I digress). Buuut, I’m going to guess that when you’re in Berlin for just 2 days, you want to try something local. So here are a couple of great places to go for dinner, with a heavy focus on trying the local cuisine.

• Schnitzelei Mitte ($$) – Menu – Excellent Schnitzel, tasty craft beer, also has plenty of vegetarian options and one vegan option. Outdoor seating available in good weather.
• Clärchens Ballhaus ($$) – Menu – Combines classic German dishes with some more generic offerings, you’ll find something for everyone. One vegan option 🌿 Plenty of outdoor seating for good weather.
• Schwarzwaldstuben ($$) – Menu – Classic Southern German food, vegetarian options (not sure about vegan though). Just a few tables available outside.

In all cases, make a reservation . Of course you might get lucky, but reservations are free so get it done 😉

German restaurants in Berlin aren't hard to come by, but not all are created equally. These are my personal recommendations for where to eat German cuisine in Berlin!

Evening activities in Mitte

If you’re not totally wiped out from a busy day of activities, there are of course things to do at night. Here are a few ideas:

• See the landmarks illuminated. The Berlin Cathedral and the Brandenburg Gate both look very impressive by night.
• See a live show. There are some popular arobatics shows at Friedrichstadt-Palast as well as at the Chamaeleon Theatre .
• See a movie in English – with no subtitles! Super boring for those of you coming from English-speaking countries, but if you’re an expat living in Europe you can enjoy an English, subtitle-free movie at the Sony Center .

Welcome to day two of our two days in Berlin! Now that you’ve soaked in the biggest part of the typical Berlin tourist route, we’re going to spend some time doing as the locals do. And that begins with brunch.

I live in Kreuzberg, so this is the area I know best and can recommend a lot of local activities. Historically, Kreuzberg has been a Turkish neighborhood which has seen a lot more people move here. It was famously where David Bowie used to hang out when he was in Berlin.

Today we’re going to enjoy Kreuzberg’s local side, as well as see some of the best tourism highlights in the area: the Berlin Wall and Oberbaumbrücke.

Kreuzberg brunch

If you’re staying in Mitte, take the U8 to Kreuzberg. Depending on where you’d like to go for brunch, you’ll need different public transit options. Here are a few of my favorite places for brunch in East Kreuzberg.

• Cafe Bastard – Great traditional German breakfast. Come early, this place doesn’t accept reservations.
• Five Elephant or Bonanaza Coffee Roasters – If you’re not much of a breakfast person, stop by one of Berlin’s best coffee shops.

If you happen to get lucky and it’s the third Sunday of the month, you can also go the next place for a breakfast market…

Pancakes at Be Coffee My Friend , another great breakfast spot in Kreuzberg.

Markthalle IX (if open)

If you’re coming to Berlin on the weekend, double-check that Markthalle Neun is open before you arrive. Once a month on a Sunday, they have a breakfast market where you can basically get food from a ton of different stalls. Check out Markthalle IX's website for details on the different events they have going on.

If you happen to be here on a Thursday, you can come by for Street Food Thursdays, probably the most regular highlight of the market. Besides that, there are a number of stalls that are permanently installed. Such as the bakery where Berlin’s top-rated bread is baked at Sironi , some tasty craft beer at Heidenpeters , or just a really nice cup of coffee at Kaffee 9 .

Oberbaumbrücke

After you’ve had a proper meal, let’s head by foot through Kreuzberg to one of the city’s most famous sights that also happens to lie outside the center: Oberbaumbrücke. This gorgeous bridge is probably one of the most common things you’ll see in movies or TV shows about Berlin. Perhaps you recognize it if you watched Berlin Station , the Netflix series, because in the show they thwarted a terror attack that was planned to happen on this bridge.

Come around to the north side of the bridge to take some fabulous photos, and then continue on to the East Side Gallery where you’ll see the best representation of the Berlin Wall that the city has standing.

East Side Gallery (Berlin Wall)

There are a lot of different places you can see the remnants of the Berlin Wall. For instance, there are some pieces at Potsdamer Platz, there are pieces in random places throughout Berlin. But the very best spot to see the Berlin wall, and the most famous art that has been painted on it, is at the East Side Gallery. This stretch of approximately 1 kilometer of wall is the longest in the city.

The art on the wall was painted in around 1990, and unfortunately there is a lot of vandalism that takes place and the murals are in need of regular restoration. You can grab an ice cream while you walk down the wall and reflect a bit on what it must’ve been like to live in a divided city. (In case you don’t know, there is only one city in the world today that is divided as such, and that is the capital of Cyprus).

This is my little sister. You know my itinerary is legit because I also use it on my own family 😂

For lunch, head back to the Schlesisches Tor U-bahn station and grab a burger at a Berlin institution, Burgermeister . They even have a veggie burger, so no one goes hungry!

From here, you have basically a lot of options for things to do in Kreuzberg. You can mix and match these depending on what you’re in the mood for and how much energy you have at the end of your trip!

Things to do in Kreuzberg

Visit Treptower Park where you’ll see a huge Soviet memorial with Stalin quotes everywhere. It’s pretty impressive albeit also strange. The main memorial is quite deep in the park so you’ll need to take public transit.

Go for a craft beer at Hopfenreich, a craft beer bar in Kreuzberg that opens its doors from 4:00 PM every day. They offer both domestic and imported beers and have limited but lovely outdoor seating for days with good weather.

Go for a walk down the Landwehrkanal , a canal that runs through Kreuzberg. On Tuesdays and Fridays you’ll find the Turkish Market at Maybachufer, where you can get street food and eat it by the water.

Alternatively, you can also take a Spree and Landwehrkanal boat tour . Did you know that Berlin has more bridges than Venice? Now you do. Learn that and more on this tour.

Visit Viktoriapark , my favorite park in all of Berlin. From the top you see a panoramic view over the entire city. Inside the park you also have a lovely beer garden where you can relax at the end of your trip and swipe through the neat photos you’ve taken.

Take an Alternative Berlin walking tour , this four-hour tour takes you through Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, and Neukölln as well as other districts where you’ll learn about the alternative side of Berlin. Whether it’s street art or house squatting. You’ll get a better idea of how people live in the city, what are their struggles, as well as what local culture and art is like.

Besides the tours and activities I’ve mentioned in this post, there are a few others that you might find particularly interesting, and worth doing instead of a different part of the itinerary.

• Berlin Underworld Tour – You can take a tour through the underground tunnels and bunkers that people hid in while Berlin was being bombed by the Allied forces in World War II. I’m planning to do this one with my Aunt and Uncle when they visit next month, and have heard good things about it from friends and colleagues (Note: there are four different tours offered by this company, check the others out too if you are interested)
• Berlin Tempelhof Airport Tour – This airport was originally commissioned by Hitler, and was used until the 80s. Today you can take a really awesome tour inside and learn about its interesting architecture and history. I’ve done this tour and it really exceeded my expectations.
• Berlin Sachsenhausen Memorial Day Tour – You might not realize it, but there is a concentration camp located just a 40 minutes subway ride from the Berlin city center. You can also go on your own, as admission is free. But to get the most out of it, you will want a guided tour.

Yes, sometimes travel isn’t the most uplifting but Berlin has a dark history and it’s important not to gloss over that. To wrap up this guide, I want to share with you a couple of specific things that happen in Berlin based on the season you’ll be visiting in.

Public transit in Berlin consists of four main parts: subway (U-bahn), express trains (S-bahn), busses, and trams (Strassenbahn). Any ticket you buy for one system will also be valid for the others. A daily pass will run you 7 € (which is a bit more expensive than 2 x 2.70 €, the cost of a standard ticket). You can also buy 4 tickets in a batch for 9 €. So for the daily ticket to make sense, you really need to be taking 3+ rides per day.

Do check out the Berlin Welcome Card , which offers unlimited public transit in A, B, & C zones (meaning, it includes the “budget” airport called Schönefeld, which is super far outside Berlin as well as Potsdam, the location of a famous palace). Plus, it includes all the museums on Museum Island, two photography museums, walking tours, boat tours, up to 30 different activities.

TIP – If you don’t opt for the Berlin Welcome Card, BVG, Berlin’s public transit company, has a handy mobile app you can use to buy tickets from. It’s often cheaper to buy batches of 4x tickets than individual tickets.

Besides public transit, you can get around by foot, using Uber, or by taxi.

Lastly, I want to collect all my favorite things to do in Berlin based on the season you’re visiting in. There is something unique for every time of the year!

Things to do in Berlin in Spring

There are plenty of great things you can do in Spring in Berlin, even if the weather is still relatively cold and subject to rain. Just be sure to pack layers to defend against the wind, and an umbrella and/or rain jacket.

• See Berlin’s more than 9,000 cherry blossoms. After the wall fell, Japan gifted Berlin with thousands of cherry blossom trees to mark a new era in her history. Find out where to find cherry blossoms in Berlin .
• Peruse art galleries during Gallery Weekend. Contemporary art fans will enjoy this weekend in Berlin where over 50 art galleries open their doors for three days. Learn more about it on the Berlin tourism website .
• Enjoy International Museum Day’s special tours and talks. This international event also takes place in Berlin and gives visitors a special museum experience!

You don't have to go to Japan to experience cherry blossom season. Berlin has over two kilometers of cherry blossoms waiting to be wandered through, admired, and photographed! Here are the best places in Berlin to enjoy cherry blossoms.

Things to do in Berlin in Summer

• Participate in two of Berlin’s biggest street fairs: Carneval of Cultures and May Day. Each of these street fairs gives you a chance to experience fabulous street food and live music.
• Take part in Europe’s largest street fair: Gay Pride in Berlin. More than 400,000 people participate every year. Happens in mid-July.
• Go to a German beer garden. Do like the Germans do and enjoy the great weather with a beer! Here’s where to find Berlin’s best beer gardens .
• Visit a nearby lake. Berlin has tons of beautiful lakes and green spaces. Come for a swim or even go naked in the FKK area.

No trip to Germany is complete without visiting a beer garden. Especially in the Summer where beer garden season is in full swing. Here are the best beer gardens in Berlin, based on my experience living here for the last four years!

Things to do in Berlin in Autumn

• Enjoy Oktoberfest…in September. Did you know that Oktoberfest happens in September? And that it also happens in Berlin? Now you do.
• See Berlin illuminated by the Festival of Lights. You can see some of the most famous sights of Berlin illuminated with artistic light shows around the middle of October for two nights.
• Go to Jazzfest! Berlin has some famous jazz clubs, and there’s no better time to enjoy them than this.

Autumn in Berlin is a transient season in a transient city. These things to do take advantage of the wonderful place between the vibrant summer and dead of winter!

Things to do in Berlin in Winter

• Attend Berlinale, a large international film festival. Berlinale takes place during the end of February into the first of March.
• Go to the Christmas markets! If you’re in Berlin for the holiday season, this is an activity you can’t miss. Visit the Berlin Christmas markets for a taste of mulled wine and pure holiday spirit. Christmas markets usually start at the end of November and end by January 1st.
• Read my full post on things to do in Berlin in Winter for loads of specific tips for your time in Berlin, especially during December and the holiday season.

Because it's the off season for tourism in Germany, Berlin in Winter is a side of the city that few visitors actually get to see. Here are the best things to do in Berlin in Winter, how to get around, and tips for Berlin's winter weather!

In my opinion, two days is too short to do day trips out of the city. You’ll just lose too much time. That said, if you have extra time or if you really want to get out of the city, there are a ton of great day trips from Berlin ranging from 45 minutes to 3 hours away.

I have an entire article on the best day trips from Berlin so I won’t repeat all the information here. Just go have a read!

Whether you're looking for nature or culture, monuments or mealtime, these unique day trips from Berlin are a seriously great way to round out your experience in Berlin, Germany.

Will you visit Berlin anytime soon?

Share your thoughts in the comments about Berlin, whether you’d like to visit, and what you would want to see the most!

About the author

Hi there! I'm Monica, an American expat living in Germany for over six years and using every opportunity to explore the world from my homebase in Berlin. My goal is to capture my memories in photos and posts that show how easy it is to start from scratch and travel the world by working abroad.

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A Guide to the Best Berlin Neighborhoods

• August 20, 2012

Berlin is an endless blur of inspiration. From trendy Mitte to the hipster haven that is Kreuzberg, here are five of my favorite Berlin neighborhoods to appeal to the avant-garde traveler . If these districts don’t spark your interest, I’ve included a couple other areas that are also worth exploring when trying to decide where to stay in Berlin.

Located in the former West Berlin near the River Spree Oberbaumbrücke bridge, Kreuzberg is one of the best neighborhoods of Berlin. For decades, this area has been a major hub for “squatters”, punks, hipsters, creative types and liberal-minded thinkers. The neighborhood has a rich cultural flair , as many Turkish immigrants call Kreuzberg home. Within its borders, street art fanatics will have a field day due to the countless graffiti and wall paintings that line the streets. Just a short walk from Kreuzberg’s center is the East Side Gallery, (the former Berlin wall).

Friedrichshain

I discovered Friedrichshain during my last few days in the city and it quickly became one of my favorite districts of Berlin. Situated between Prenzlauer Berg in the north and Kreuzberg in the south, this area is filled with personality. In recent years, many Kreuzberg residents have moved to Friedrichshain, therefore extending the bohemian flavor to both neighborhoods. Architecturally, Friedrichshain showcases a mix of styles ranging from high-rise buildings to 19th century town houses. Partly due to its alternative bars, restaurants, nightclubs and coffee shops, many students gravitate toward this neighborhood.

Prenzlauer Berg (Pankow)  

After German reunification and the recent process of gentrification, Prenzlauer Berg has evolved over the years, becoming one of the “cool” areas of Berlin. Generally characterized by early 20th century historic buildings, Prenzlauer Berg is a mix of several different neighborhoods. Similar to that of Schöneberg and Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg has a huge art scene and much like Friedrichshain and Kreuzbergit, a young student population frequent the many bars, restaurants and nightclubs located here. Comparatively, rent in Berlin is lower than New York, London and Paris, therefore attracting artist-types from nearby countries.

Unlike most global cities, Berlin doesn’t really have a defined central district. However, Mitte comes close as the neighborhood houses many of Berlin’s oldest buildings including Marienkirche and Nikolaikirche. Other noteworthy sites include Museum Island, Humboldt University, the Crown Prince’s Palace, the Opera House and Brandenburg Gate. Occupying areas of both former East and West Germany, Mitte is often crowded by locals and tourists alike for it’s proximity to Alexanderplatz , and the railway station. Shopping boutiques also contribute to heavy foot-traffic in Mitte.

Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf

Merging both Charlottenburg and Wilmersdorf, this neighborhood is located in West Berlin and is a solid mix of old and new influences.  Here one will find the oldest chocolate producer, the Georg Kolbe Museum, Astor Film Lounge cinema, Villa Harteneck, and a slew of upscale lounges and boutiques.  Kurfürstendamm boulevard continues to be a popular shopping destination for high-end designer wear. In general, this district largely attracts families and a wealthy clientele. Charlottenburg Palace and the Ahmadiyya Mosque are two impressive architectural spaces worth visiting.

This trip was partially hosted by Visit Berlin. All opinions are my own. 

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41 Free Things To Do In Berlin – Travel Berlin On A Budget

Berlin, the capital of Germany, is probably Europe’s most trending city right now. Especially famous for the great nightlife and hipster vibe, it’s a must-go destination for anyone visiting Germany.

And you know what’s the best part of it? It’s sooo much cheaper than other European capitals like London or Paris. There are plenty of free things to do in Berlin.

It’s a city that’s not only great for foodies and hipsters , it’s also insanely rich in history and filled with the most interesting corners and districts.

Whether you have to  travel Berlin on a budget or just like to do things that are free (cause who doesn’t?), you’ll be happy to know that I’ve found  41 Free Things To Do In Berlin which can keep you busy for days, if not weeks! Let’s dive right in, shall we?

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure page for more information.

Historical Sites

1. Dome of the Reichstag Building

The Reichstag building is one of the most important and historic buildings in Berlin. It was constructed to house the Imperial Diet (highest representative assembly) of the German empire.

Though it costs to enter, you can visit the dome and the roof terrace for free. The views up here are spectacular. You do need to register online in advance to get in so make sure to prepare that ahead!

2.   East Side Gallery

This is a part of the Berlin wall that serves as a thousand meter long memorial with artwork done by artists from all over the world.

It’s now like a really cool open air art gallery. Discover all the colourful artwork that send out messages of peace, unity and also some political views.

3. Museum Island

Take a walk along Spree River and check out the beautiful architecture of important museums in Berlin. 5 museums are located on the northern part of an island in the river.

There are entrance fees to get into the museums but it is definitely free to stroll around the area and take in all the beautiful scenery!

4. Holocaust Memorial

Reflect on the events of the past and pay your respects at the Holocaust memorial.

The memorial comprises of huge slabs of concrete – more than two thousand of these in different heights and levels.

5. Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial

Admission to this memorial and exhibit is free. It was the site of the largest concentration camp in German territory.

The memorial is one where you can walk around and see where everything was when it happened in its actual place, rather than having everything all in one area.

You can see buildings, bunks where the prisoners were kept and even parts of the gas chambers that were left.

6. Topography of Terror

This is an open air museum where you can see the site where the SS headquarters were during the Third Reich of Germany.

It’s well worth a visit as the displays are very informative and the presentation rather impressive. The name itself couldn’t be more fitting.

It chronicles the history, timeline and events during that terrible time in history. One of the many free museums in the city!

7. Checkpoint Charlie

Checkpoint Charlie was famous for being the only crossing where tourists and non-Germans can get from the West to the East side and vice versa during the cold war.

It is also famous for the face-off that happened in 1961 between Soviet Tanks and US Tanks. Many feared and thought that this point in history could have led to World War III.

Today, it is a significant icon of history. The city area around it is also booming with many restaurants, shops and galleries – great free things to do in Berlin.

8. Berlin Wall Memorial

This monument was created in 1998 to commemorate the division and the deaths that happened there. It features a remnant of the wall.

It’s important to remember that this site used to be where the division of the city was and that in the past nobody could cross over as you can now.

It’s a must visit to learn more about the history and events that took place during this time.

9. Brandenburg Gate

One of the most famous and important monuments in Germany. A former symbol of the divided city that is now a symbol of unity. It was built in a neo-classical style in the 18 th century.

It’s a beautiful structure and a must-see while in Berlin. It’s also breathtaking at night when it is all lit up.

10. Room of Silence

A must visit landmark that’s located just off the Brandenburg gate, this place is a 30 sqm. room where you can come in to get lost in your thoughts.

A room where you can contemplate all the happenings in the past and let all that history sink in.

11. Berliner Dom

Of course, how can you miss visiting this iconic building in Berlin. It’s a cathedral and the inside is filled with a lot of noteworthy artwork.

The admission is free during services. Be sure to check ahead the schedule for the services!

12. Tiergarten

You must visit the Central district of Tiergarten, where you can find a huge park. Take a stroll and see some statues and memorials, wildlife and a beautiful lake.

It’s a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the big city. You can also do a nice little scenic picnic here!

13. Tempelhofer Park

Another open space and park in the city where you can do lots of outdoor activities like hike, run or bike – all fantastic free things to do in Berlin.

You can have picnics here and some people even grill sausages and bring out some beers for a lovely Berlin day out in the sun.

14. Mauerpark

Once known to be in the “death strip”, a militarized area that divided the east and west side of the Berlin wall. Now, the whole area spans both sides of the wall.

It is known to be a social, artistic, cultural center and park where you can lie around, take walks, have picnics and take in all the greenery.

There is also a flea market going on every Sunday and it’s known for the Bearpit Karaok e – where people gather in the amphitheater to watch others bravely belt out tunes voluntarily.

15. Lustgarten

It is a park situated on Museum Island with the Berliner Dom  right in front of it so you can get some of the best angles for your photos.

Sometimes there are even street musicians, adding such a wonderful vibe to the ambiance.

It’s one of the most perfect places to just sit around, people watch and enjoy the open air scenery while you travel Berlin on a budget.

16. Treptower Park

The river Spree runs right through it and this is one of the best places to do a variety of activities from running, to cycling and boating.

You must check out the giant Russian War memorial. There’s also a woodsy area that has a rather eerie abandoned amusement park.

17. Volkspark Friedrichshain

This park contains a huge fountain that features fairytale characters. There is also a swan pond.

Perhaps one of the most interesting features of this park are the hills. They are actually rubble covered bunkers that were destroyed during WWII.

18. Schlosspark Charlottenburg

One of the prettiest parks in Berlin, located behind the Charlottenburg Palace. This has one of the best views of the palace and its grounds.

19. Volkspark Humboldthain

Another one of the more interesting parks as it still has anti-aircraft towers and also some of the remaining bunker walls from the war.

You can go up these towers and see beautiful views of the city – a completely free thing to do in Berlin. There is also a rose garden that you should check out.

20. Görlitzer Park

This park is located in the Kreuzberg area, so be sure to pop by here when you’re in the neighborhood. It features a huge open and green space where you can just chill after all the hectic activities you no doubt crammed into your itinerary.

21. Viktoriapark

A beautiful park located in Kreuzberg. Besides being one of the most usual places for relaxing and having a barbecue, it’s also located in the most elevated part of Berlin so you have a gorgeous view.

The park also has an artificial waterfall and is bordered by two vineyards.

Districts and Neighborhoods

22.  Mitte

This is one of the most interesting areas in Berlin as this is where the Reichstag is located, the Berliner Dom, Museum Island and many other popular attractions.

You will have no doubt checked all those out but whilst in this area, have a walk around to check out the shops and cafes and some other sites.

Don’t miss the Kindertransport Memorial statue which is located in the Friedrichstrasse Railway station (one of the main international railway stations in the Nazi era).

This statue which is made of bronze depicts two children about to board a train, but each had very different destinations and fates.

23. Kreuzberg 

Another great area to visit in Berlin.  This quirky and hipster area has a lot of interesting cafes, street art, thrift shops and also gorgeous Viktoriapark. You can find a lot of bars and food stalls here.

There are a lot of shaded pathways that are perfect for walking around or cycling in so you can travel Berlin on a budget.

You should also visit the Turkish market here as its home to the largest population of Turkish people in Berlin.

24. Friedrichshain

This is a must-see neighborhood in Berlin. It has a very alternative and also artsy vibe about it with many techno clubs, indie boutiques as well as Soviet era style buildings.

It’s linked to the Kreuzberg district by a castle like bridge. It’s a part of Berlin with such an interesting mix so it’s worth a visit!

25. Prenzlauer Berg

This is one of the prettiest neighborhoods in Berlin. Spend an afternoon walking around and discovering markets, parks, nightlife and a lot of pretty looking streets and buildings.

Most parts of this area were spared from much destruction from world war II so a lot of the buildings and architecture have really been preserved.

Squares and Courtyards

26. Die Hackeschen Höfe

A complex of courtyards that feature restaurants, cafes, and markets in the center of Berlin. It consists of 8 interconnected courtyards with a beautiful arched ceilinged entrance.

It’s a great place to just walk around in for hours, discovering all the great eateries and other establishments if you travel Berlin on a budget.

27. Alexanderplatz

Check out one of the city’s most visited squares. The square has layers of history on it – from the time it was built, to being destroyed during the war and to being an important site where thousands gathered in protest right before the Berlin wall fell.

Now it’s a modern area made for pedestrians with lots of shops and interesting buildings to see and take pictures of – one of which is the Fernsehturm , a 365 meter TV tower which is the highest point of Berlin with a globe at the very top.

The World Clock (also known as Urania) is also here. Lots of things to see in this square!

28. Gendarmenmarkt

Another square to visit in Berlin. This one has the most picturesque scenery with a lot of beautiful buildings on display like the Konzerthaus and the French and German churches.

You should also come here at night and see these magnificent buildings all lit up! There are some bars nearby so it’s the perfect place to start for a night out in town too – amazing free things to do in Berlin.

29. Bebelplatz

One of the most attractive public squares in Berlin. It’s also one of the most historic ones and has famous buildings like St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, the State Opera and Altes Palais.

Definitely a picture perfect spot! The book burning memorial is also found here – great historic places to see if you’re on a budget.

30. Pariser Platz

A beautiful and historic square that is located just by the Brandenburg gate. The square is closed off to cars making it very pedestrian-friendly. The French and US Embassies, as well as the famous hotel Adlon are located here.

This square is definitely a must and the point where you will probably start off if you’re going on a walking tour of Berlin!

Food Markets

31. Arminius Market Hall

An old-school market located in Moabit. Coming here is like going back in time. It features local and artisanal products although it has recently also been serving up some new and foreign food concepts.

32. Markthalle Neun in Kreuzberg

If your trip schedule happens to include a Thursday in it, make sure you go here.

You definitely need to experience Street Food Thursday as it has one of the biggest diversity of food and different cuisines from around the world – always one of my favorite free things to do in Berlin.

33. Thai Park

This is one of the longest-running street food markets in Berlin. For over 200 years, Thai families in Berlin gather at a park and cook and sell their food.

This is THE place in Berlin where you can get the most authentic Thai food . It’s also nice to be caught up in the bustle of the Thai community here! The atmosphere is amazing and perfect if you’re on a budget!

Flea Markets

34. Arkonaplatz

One of the must-see flea markets that feature vintage East German items. You can find an assortment of furniture, jewelry and clothes here.

It’s set next to a really huge playground too and is fantastic when you travel Berlin on a budget!

35. Kunstmarkt Straße des 17. Juni

This is a traditional flea market and is one of the oldest and most famous in Berlin. It’s not one of the cheapest as it contains many antiques and unusual items.

Even if you’re not planning to buy anything, it’s fun to just have a poke around and examine all the curiosities on display.

Other Things To Do and Places To Visit

36. Deutsches Guggenheim Museum

Berlin has its own Guggenheim museum! Admission is free every Monday so be sure to time your visit here on that day to save your travel budget for something else!

37. Landwehrkanal

A picturesque scene, this canal is a long stretch that’s parallel to the spree river. Have a lovely walk here at sunset.

Many people gather here also for drinks since there are a lot of beer gardens dotted around! A great local free thing to do in Berlin!

38. Neptunbrunnen

Check out this iconic fountain that is located at the very center of the city. Neptunbrunnen, or Neptune’s fountain is a beautiful sight.

Standing at 10 meters tall with a baroque style, it consists of a statue of Neptune (the god of the seas) and four women surrounding him representing the four rivers of Prussia (the old name of Germany).

39. Street Art

Walk or bike all over Berlin and discover the amazing street art dotted all over the city. There is so much of it here!

Check some of them out in these areas: Kreuzberg, Lake Tegel Art Park, Urban Spree Area, East Side Gallery, around Moritzplatz and Urban Nation.

Some of the most notable ones are The Cosmonaut by Victor Ash, Elephant playing a balloon by Jadore Tong, Linda’s Ex by Ronald Brueckner and Robi the Dog.

40. Berliner Philharmonie 

For a world famous concert hall, you would probably think that it costs an arm and a leg to get tickets to a show inside and it would never make it on a list of free things to do in Berlin.

Yes, in some cases, maybe that’s how it is but every Tuesday from September to June, they actually offer free lunchtime concerts every 1pm.

Be sure to catch one for a chance to experience this superior concert hall.

41. Tegeler See

This is one of the largest lakes in Berlin. Take a stroll around here or have a swim if you’re visiting in the summertime. The waters are really nice and clean!

As you can see, there are lots of free things to do in Berlin. It really is one of the most fantastic capitals in Europe.

Don’t let a pesky little thing like a budget get in the way of doing as much as you can when you visit Deutschland – it’s much easier to travel Berlin on a budget than other Central European cities!

If you’re touring around Europe, you might also want to check out my lists of 101 Free Things To Do In London, 56 Free Things To Do In Amsterdam and 17 Free Things To Do In Zurich !

Pin “41 free things to do in berlin” for later:.

I’m sure there are many more free things to do in Berlin, so if you know of any other activities, I’d be more than happy to hear from you and add them to the list! Just leave a comment below 🙂

If you’re traveling to Germany, these guides might be helpful for you as well:

• Hiking in Bavaria – Stunning Beauty Awaits You!
• 61 Awesome Things to Do In Munich
• 20+ Photos That Show How Surprisingly Beautiful Germany Is
• 41 Free Things To Do in Berlin

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I’ve always wanted to go to Berlin. Sounds like there is so much to do. I love that there are so many free things to do, definitely helps with my travel budget.

Berlin is awesome when you’re traveling Europe on a budget, sooo much cheaper than the other capitals! You should go soon before it’s getting cold 😉

I love finding free things to do when I travel! It sounds like there are enough free things to do in Berlin to last a couple of days!

Yep, easily! And even the other activities aren’t super expensive 🙂

I’m not a history buff so I didn’t enjoy Berlin as much as I should have! But your post certainly reminded me of my awesome time there. By the way your Brandenburg gate photo is stunning!

Lovely post on Berlin with some great pictures. Very informative and well constructed. Will help and encourage many to go and visit Germany and particularly Berlin…..:)

Thanks Anindya, I hope so 🙂

[…] If you’re planning on going to Berlin, make sure you read my collection of 41 Free Things To Do In Berlin! […]

Thanks for giving us ‘new comers’ to berlin a good start.I can now try a few of your suggestions.

[…] you’re traveling Europe on a budget, you might also want to check out my lists of 41 Free Things To Do in Berlin and 101 Free Things To Do In […]

This is the best compilation of (free) things to do in Berlin that I’ve found so far! Wish I had seen it before going there. I did half of the things only, max. Locals always have the best tips, right? Thanks for the info!

[…] This article was originally published here: Alittle Nomad […]

[…] around Europe on a budget, make sure you also check out my lists of Free Things To Do in London, Berlin and […]

[…] 41 Free Things To Do in Berlin […]

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