The feeling everywhere is trendy and cool when I arrived in Berlin. The city is a very multi-cultural destination and the capital of Germany. It’s probably the New York City of Germany with the variety of people you see there. The attraction of Berlin is that there are a lot of opportunities for hip parties offering a unique mix of an historical environment–with remaining parts of the wall–and a political center from where nowadays all the important decisions are made.
How to get there ?
The city is quite big and everything is spread out, so I either recommend going by foot, public transportation, or maybe rent a bike (Bike 44 in Berlin Neukölln) to cycle around the city, which is in my opinion a very enjoyable and fun way to discover the sites.
The local hotpots of Berlin
Teufelsberg
Wow, this is the hippest spot in Berlin because its run down and it gives an incredible view over Berlin.
Görlitzer Park
Very nice, hip of course but also full of drug dealers. Görlitzer Park is a pure experience to walk through.
Holzmarkt
Hip location and market made out of wood. All the cool, hip and young people gather there.
Strandbar
Berlin is so hip and this is a nice spot along the Spree, which reminded me of the tubing in Vang Vieng in Laos.
Treptower Park
Not as nice as the English Garden in Munich but good to relax in a natural park along the river.
Berlin Wall Memorial & Lookout
This is a must visit spot when in Berlin. Remaining part of the wall that divided east and west.
Brandenburger Tor
The Brandenburger Tor (Triumph Gate) is probably the most well-known site of Berlin besides the Reichstagsgebäude (Parliament), and it is very beautiful to see. This location is always very busy and very in demand, so I would recommend to go in the early morning.
Reichstag
Reichstag (Parliament) is an architectural beauty that plays a very significant role in Germany as the German Federal Parliament rules from here. I recommend to go there after visiting the Brandenburger Tor as they are located right next to each other. From here, it would be very nice to go through the Zoo to see the remaining parts of the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche (memorial church).
Mauerpark
The Mauerpark is a cool park (with graffiti’s on what was once a wall between two neighborhoods. The locals like to hang out in the park because it has a good vibe and is suitable for young and old visitors; you get a nice feel for the Berlin atmosphere. On Sundays, a very hip Flohmarkt (flea market), is very nice to visit, but it’s a real tourist magnet.
Wandering around Kreuzberg
Kreuzberg is a great neighbourhood (touristy !) to wander around in and see a different side of Berlin as it consists of multi-nationalities living in one neighborhood. It has been an up and coming neighborhood for many years now, and everyone I know who wants to live in Berlin desires to move to Kreuzberg. There are many interesting streets with graffiti to wander through, beautiful parks, and good restaurants. I recommend the first ever Burger restaurant in Germany called Burgermeister.
Eat a currywurst
This is a very typical dish made in Berlin, and I recommend to eat the Currywurst mit Pommes rot/weiss, which is pork sausage covered by a hot tomato sauce spiced with curry and includes fries on the side. A well-known place that is busy all day long is called Curry 36.
Affordable sushi: Zen Sushi L5
View Berlin Skyline from Solarbar
Whenever I discover a new destination, I like to view the skyline and thus I found a 360° view from Solarbar with lounge music on the 17th floor overlooking Berlin. It is especially nice at sunset.
Going out at night in Berlin
I connected with locals as always and someone who has been in the “Berlin night scene” recommended a couple of places, which are extremely hip:
- Wilde Renate
- Suicide Circus
- Golden Gate
I TRAVEL FOREVER’s VIEW & RECOMMENDATION
Berlin is a must visit city that should be very high on your list when traveling to Germany because it is very multi-cultural, fun, and cool with a remarkable history and beautiful architecture. Get up early in the morning to discover as it is a very busy city. As a little getaway from the city I recommend you go for a day to Spreewald, just a 1-2 hours bus ride from Berlin (check out Flixbus). The canoe ride on the Spree river surrounded by the beautiful nature is nice, especially if you like pickles, it’s the place to go.
#TW
Recommended accommodation / restaurants
