If you want to enjoy Berlin like a Berliner, this guide will help you experience the city like a local. Here is a list of what to check out besides touristic attractions in Berlin:
All Seasons:
Alternative Free Walking Tour: http://alternativeberlin.com/tours/free-tour/
You can walk around and see Berlin but if you want to learn about the spirit of Berlin, this is super recommended. If anyone is in Berlin for only a day, this would be my #1 recommendation.
You will not only see the nicest murals in the city but you will also get the stories behind them, as well as a dive into the street art culture. You will get the stories and meaning behind the small graffitis or little tags that seem insignificant to you but defines a part of Berlin underground culture. You will learn a lot about what makes Berlin so special.
RAW (pronounced “Air Aah Vay”): https://goo.gl/maps/LYS864qcEqS2
It used to be a train repair company, now the industrial area is turned into a graffiti haven filled with clubs, art galleries, skate park, and in the summer, they even have open air movies, a beer garden, and wall climbing.
East Side Gallery: https://goo.gl/maps/SchUYPPw78R2
This is probably on every one’s touristic list but it’s still very recommended. A lot of great murals on a part of the Berlin wall.
Walk the Warschauer Brücke at night: https://goo.gl/maps/SFR777kSTv12
Walk on the Oberbaumbrücke at sunrise: https://goo.gl/maps/QH9QEdU6zsJ2
Walk around Kreuzberg, Neukölln, then go do touristic stuff in Mitte, you will see the contrast pretty quickly.
Visit Abandoned Buildings: http://www.abandonedberlin.com/
There is also a theme park but that is technically illegal.
Take the U1 U-Bhan from Warschauer to Banhof Wittenbergplatz, spot all the different street art along the way and see the difference when you get off. It really is like being in 2 different cities.
Visit Teufelsberg: https://goo.gl/maps/zHYeDkfTufw
This is a man made mountain/hill. After the 2nd World War, Eastern Germany could dump the rubbles from the war into Eastern Germany, right outside Berlin but they wouldn’t let Western Germany do the same. They had to dump the rubbles somewhere in West Berlin so they decided to do so here, which created this man made mountain/hill. Nowadays, the place is filled with super nice graffitis.
Watch the Sunset at Monkey bar: https://goo.gl/maps/TMbFwvMpF7p
Especially in the Summer:
Mauerpark: https://goo.gl/maps/azTWzmUf6Yu
Especially on Sundays, they have a flea market, food trucks, people having BBQs, there is a basketball half court where people play and others just chill and hang out, watching them while drinking their beers. There are a dozen of bands and street artists as well and the most popular attraction is the outdoor karaoke where hundreds of people come sit on concrete steps à la coliseum shaped in a semi circle to watch people come on the stage. Good or bad, it is always great to just come chill and enjoy the amazing vibe. At the top of the hill, there is a remaining piece of the Berlin wall where people can spray paint graffitis freely and there are also some swings for you to enjoy the view of the city.
Tempelhof Feld: https://goo.gl/maps/isc8HVKPizp
It used to be an old airport, now converted into a park. It is massive, people come to rollerblade, bike, or jog on the tarmac, there is a restaurant, a basketball court, people come to BBQ or fly their kites, there is an urban garden. It is just a cool place to experience, I don’t know of any other airport in the world that people can just go chill in as a park.
Go chill at a lake.
Weissensee is probably the closest to the city: https://goo.gl/maps/TCjY2Ahf6aL2
But the nicer ones are probably: Müggelsee: https://goo.gl/maps/AV75KAPKeQE2
Or Wannsee: https://goo.gl/maps/GTEJkVQc6cn
Prinzessinnengarten: https://goo.gl/maps/nFkt5Cv43D32
Sort of like an urban forest slash beer garden that you can go drink and have a bite in.
Grab a drink on the Kreuzberg side of the Spree. Get some Wegbier, then find a spot along the river, dab your feet in the water and enjoy the view and the night lights: https://goo.gl/maps/sFGEa2L19fN2
Grab a drink on the Admiralstr. Bridge: https://goo.gl/maps/KizM2XeqhVN2
Open Air Clubbing in the afternoon:
Either at Sisyphos: https://goo.gl/maps/36arVi4ysST2
or if you couldn’t get in to Sisy, go to Klub der Visionäre: https://goo.gl/maps/btUg6j9wm5C2
Treat your hangover by chilling at Badeschiff: https://goo.gl/maps/4WqkUNtyiPr
It is a pool on the river and they have a lot of sand to massage your toes. ‘Nough said.
Watch the sunset at Klunkerkranisch (Especially on a Sunday, you won’t have to deal with 2h line ups): https://goo.gl/maps/s1w2XVUVHT22
It is an open air bar on top of a parking lot, on top of a shopping center. Great place to see the city.
Bike to Thai Park: https://goo.gl/maps/LJt8sZEZfdR2 and eat some delicious Thai food (some Chinese and Korean as well) in the park. For about 20 some odd years, Thai ladies who were working as nannies or maids in West Berlin would meet up every Sundays in this park to relax, eat, and spend quality time together (Similar to Indonesian women in Hong Kong). The story goes that over the years, Berliners would love the smell of the food and would approach them asking if they could buy some of their food. Today, you can visit the park every day of the week during lunch time to buy delicious Thai food cooked by Thai people.
Grab a beer, or two, or three… on Admiralbrücke (and if it is too crowded for you, kein Problem, just crash some on the grass in the sun alongside the canal next to the bridge: https://goo.gl/maps/p7vzHNA7eV62
Bars:
Berlin has an amazing nightlife from very cool bars to great clubs where you can party until past noon. However, the only downside of Berlin’s nightlife is that everything is very far away from each other. If you are looking for a “strip” where the night life happens, these are the top areas to go out (pretty much in order):
- Weser Str. in Neukölln
- Simon-Dach Str. in Friedrichshain
- Eberswalder Str. in Prenz Lauerberg
- Rosenthaler Platz in Mitte.
Bars in Neukölln:
- Soul cat: https://goo.gl/maps/kHxMYSzRiBT2
- Nathanja & Heinrich: https://goo.gl/maps/bXEnfVfBnqm
- Ω Bar – Omega Bar: https://goo.gl/maps/YPvCwa5uNiH2
Bars in Kreuzberg:
- Multilayerladen: https://goo.gl/maps/qabY5CgmjsH2
Really cool dirty bar, very “Typical Berlin bar”. You drink on pallets. There is a swing right in front of the bar if you are lucky enough to take it over. (Only in the fall/winter/early spring) - Pony Saloon: https://goo.gl/maps/d44KFZoAszK2
- Mano Cafe: https://goo.gl/maps/fmsHmDypcKA2
Really cool bar, if you are lucky enough, you can take over the top bunk bed, chill and grab a drink there. - Das Hotel: https://goo.gl/maps/tiesB4k82iR2
- Bei Schlawinchen: https://goo.gl/maps/jmbjAyDNLrw
Go there when you are A) already drunk and B) After 3AM - C-Base: https://goo.gl/maps/AqRyYPokQ1P2
Hacker’s space bar right on the water, half of the fun is to try and find the actual place. - Filmkunstbar: https://goo.gl/maps/efFbHXc453y
Have you ever danced in video store? This is a bar with a dance floor by night and where you can rent videos during the day!
Bars in FHain (Friedrichshain):
- PK Bar: https://goo.gl/maps/7xoW2LT4Wxs
Very “typical Berlin bar” with a local neighbourhood feel. Very cozy with comfortable couches, has a foosball table and very cheap drinks - Minimal Bar: https://goo.gl/maps/mVDXWzbtAz32
You can play ping-pong. Very “typical Berlin bar” too and in a local neighbourhood feel version. - Zimt & Zunder: https://goo.gl/maps/L2iVRZAd4pE2
Same as Minimal, but not as nice but drinks are way cheaper. - Hops & Barley: https://goo.gl/maps/EZjF3y2truK2
Great craft beers. - Fitcher’s Vogel: https://goo.gl/maps/ADByvzUrhxr
Nice “typical Berlin bar”, a little dirty and really nice atmosphere with cool decor. - Geronimo: https://goo.gl/maps/n5rUVFndN382
Very cool bar with plenty of comfortable couches, cheap drinks, and best of all, they have actual airplane seats!
Bars in PBerg (Prenz Lauerberg):
- Nemo: https://goo.gl/maps/rr8ewfYJm6E2
Berlin dive bar style with cheap drinks and very cool decorations. - Dr Pong: https://goo.gl/maps/pQDQJi7W3s32
- Prater Garten: https://goo.gl/maps/xpq2c1GjERu
Nice Beer Garden.
Bars in Mitte:
- Mein Haus am See: https://goo.gl/maps/sX9Kgy5Favr
Go sit in the giant staircase, hang out, drink, repeat. - Muschi Obermaier: https://goo.gl/maps/3FQYJ2qiVy32
Small dirty little place that has great hip-hop and soul music. - Hackbarth’s: https://goo.gl/maps/g7qiaW9xjy22
Great atmosphere and trendy spot for drinks. - Schwarze Pumpe: https://goo.gl/maps/T1MSMVt4eh62
Great rums and whiskeys for cheap
Clubs:
- Wilder Renate: https://goo.gl/maps/mwt93qBq7Jy
- Süß War Gestern: https://goo.gl/maps/m2E5hsQgWgA2
Great atmosphere, bouncers can be a little dickish. You can play Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo there. - Ritter Butzke: https://goo.gl/maps/X4ByF5nHcd32
- Bohnengold: https://goo.gl/maps/tZBWtZmTYP52
When you walk in, it looks like a small bar, but then at the back, there is a somewhat hidden club in a big room with walls of stones/bricks without any windows. - Kater Blau: https://goo.gl/maps/4UpgAaJn2wq
- VOID: https://goo.gl/maps/y6N4Q3g4Jxk
- Cosmonaut: https://goo.gl/maps/Cq3F4L5bv6z
- Kit Kat Club: https://goo.gl/maps/nhKoTHcEooJ2
Clubs that will play Hip-Hop:
Berlin is known for its techno scene but if that is not for you, there are still places that you can go dance.
- Cassiopeia: https://goo.gl/maps/85Mqt8gz1kR2
- Prince Charles: https://goo.gl/maps/BMNiG8AYVRs
- Yaam: https://goo.gl/maps/Q3E79GWCZx52
- Bar Zum schmutzigen Hobby: https://goo.gl/maps/1QKMFHYX5Mv
- Badehaus: https://goo.gl/maps/4cYWFJV5CQH2
Outdoor Clubs:
- Sisyphos: https://goo.gl/maps/36arVi4ysST2
tip: In the summer, go on a Saturday afternoon, before 4PM and you will get in a lot easier. Once you get the stamp, you don’t have to wait in line for two hours (literally). - Klub der Visionäre: https://goo.gl/maps/btUg6j9wm5C2
- IPSE: https://goo.gl/maps/KMbcQmMU3km
Restaurants:
German/Austrian cuisine:
Schneeweiß
Simplonstraße 16, 10245 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 29049704
https://goo.gl/maps/KNkpTaM7ZUF2
Max und Moritz
Oranienstraße 162, 10969 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 69515911
https://goo.gl/maps/fekDugWwmjs
Imbiss 204
Prenzlauer Allee 204, 10405 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 24038543
https://goo.gl/maps/sMcyQEheR332
Thai:
Khwan
Revaler Str. 99, 10245 Berlin
+49 1525 9021331
https://goo.gl/maps/nH3NBG8muTA2
Mae Charoen Thai Imbiss
Sonnenallee 134, 12059 Berlin
+49 30 56829381
https://goo.gl/maps/jvuTZDgb3dr
Burger:
If there is one thing that Berlin is good at, in terms of food, it is Burgers. Among the best in the world, no kidding. If you walk into a random Burger joint, chances are, it will be quite good. If you want the best burgers:
Lily Burger
Am Friedrichshain 34, 10407 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 20927127
https://goo.gl/maps/Eu4gSDSEZSF2
The Bird (The one in Prenzlauerberg NOT Kreuzberg):
Am Falkpl. 5, 10437 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 51053283
https://goo.gl/maps/8YBXQuZCy6P2
Viêt/Asian fusion:
Berlin is the only city outside of Vietnam (and Little Saigon, albeit not really a real city) where if I walk in the streets, 99% of the time, I will understand what another Asian person is saying. Usually, I don’t understand anything. Whether it is in Montreal, San Francisco, NYC, Paris, Cape Town, Buenos Aires, London, you name it, I don’t understand anything because it is usually Chinese. However, in Berlin, I am actually surprised now if I see some Asians and I actually don’t understand what they said. With that said, I am quite disappointed with the quality of Vietnamese restaurants in Berlin. I spoke to some Vietnamese restaurant owners and they basically say that they cater to the German palette. With that said, here are a few legit Vietnamese restaurants.
Basil
Best Pho I have had in Berlin. They claim that the broth is done without MSG – all beef broth and I am inclined to believe them.
Winsstraße 65, 10405 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 55285900
https://goo.gl/maps/mHoE8hcU2TE2
Chen Che
Rosenthaler Str. 13, 10119 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 28884282
https://goo.gl/maps/9sdN623paC72
Dudu
Torstr. 134, 10119 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 51736854
https://goo.gl/maps/nD7VFrE5Hjw
MAMMAM
Gabriel-Max-Straße 2, 10245 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 20318482
https://goo.gl/maps/rCeyfnK8sdL2
Kissho Sushi:
Great value for money and amazing service. Good Vietnamese food and also very good sushi, especially for that price.
Graefestraße 83, 10967 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 61623505
https://goo.gl/maps/NFpss9MaJQM2
GAO Fresh.Food.Fast
Best Banh Mi in Berlin (And the only place that I was also able to find some, couldn’t even find them at the Dong Xuan Viet Market)
Landsberger Allee 68D, 10249 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 40690817
https://goo.gl/maps/2QBwZ1tWQu62
Check out the Dong Xuan Vietnamese market for more Restaurants and Viet groceries: https://goo.gl/maps/9m1ZtCYbMrB2
Italian/pizza:
If there is something else that Berlin is good for, in terms of food, it is the pizza. Don’t trust me. Trust the Italians who have shared their favorite pizza restaurants with me.
ZOLA
Paul-Lincke-Ufer 39-40, 10999 Berlin, Germany
+49 1514 3596561
https://goo.gl/maps/3WSmK36JjDS2
Prometeo
Goebenstraße 3, 10783 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 23638837
https://goo.gl/maps/sRL7xCJd5rD2
Aceto Lokanta – Pizza Dach:
Best value for money AND Italian approved (especially for after 3AM cravings).
Simon-Dach-Straße 12, 10245 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 20078786
https://goo.gl/maps/Um2maxBiqkK2
Ramen:
Cocolo Ramen X-berg
Paul-Lincke-Ufer 39-40, 10999 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 98339073
https://goo.gl/maps/tnja5FkygJT2
Japanese:
Go Bento:
There is no menu. The chef is a sushi master and he does groceries every morning. He will ask you if you have any allergies, preferences in terms of spiciness, or if there is something that you just don’t want to eat and he will prepare you a meal on the spot. There are no drinks so BYOB (This means you can bring your own alcohol as well!). This place is a hole in the wall, the chef works alone and prepares every dish with love. You can play boardgames while you wait for your food or just admire all the manga pages plastered on the wall. You must reserve by texting: +49 176 23662693
Stubbenkammerstraße 5, 10437 Berlin, Germany
+49 172 3652269
https://goo.gl/maps/53P6rogHXPF2
Cheap Bites:
Azzam
Best hummus in town. Super cheap and huge portions. I eat a lot and have a hard time finishing my plate. For about 5-6€, I actually get a lunch for the next day!
Sonnenallee 54, 12045 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 60977541
https://goo.gl/maps/976j2wUcwP52
Sahara Imbiss
Best Sudanese in Berlin.
Reuterstraße 56, 12047 Berlin, Germany
https://goo.gl/maps/bJsJ2JPxmy82
Indian:
Yogi Snack
Designated as the Best Indian food in Berlin according to my Indian friend. Nuff said.
Simon-Dach-Straße 11, 10245 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 29004838
https://goo.gl/maps/XYF2wF7ovZB2
Fried Chicken:
Risa:
Best Fried Chicken in Berlin.
Sonnenallee 26, 12047 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 60975295
https://goo.gl/maps/RkDbBuiHBKT2
Mexican:
Santa Maria
Best Mexican in Berlin. Great Margarita for 5€ from 19-21h every day.
Oranienstraße 170, 10999 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 92210027
https://goo.gl/maps/GRmn7afQWCU2
Indonesian:
Maybuhay
Köthener Str. 28, 10963 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 2651867
https://goo.gl/maps/7KYQDYBCKD82
Chinese:
Long March Canteen
Wrangelstraße 20, 10997 Berlin, Germany
+49 178 8849599
https://goo.gl/maps/RJm6c27br7y
Aroma:
Best Dim sum in town
Kantstraße 35, 10625 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 37591628
https://goo.gl/maps/CFKSFfQ8dFU2
Lon Men’s Noodle House
Kantstraße 33, 10625 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 31519678
https://goo.gl/maps/PPGn6JV174m
Museums:
-
- Pergamon museum:
- DDR Museum:
- The Wall Museum:
- German Historical Museum:
- Guided Tour: Berliner Unterwelten (Tour 3 – Subways and Bunkers in the Cold War)
Last update: April 18, 2018