Berlin is a city with a rich political history that is reflected in its infrastructure, architecture, and overall ~vibe~. When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, an explosion of art, music, and culture emerged during the reunification of East and West creating the Berlin that so many people love today. A Berlin where anything goes, the 24-hour nightlife is the norm, and an alternative, anarchist, creative spirit fills every street corner.
Essentially, Berlin is a place that contains multitudes. It’s a place that is continually growing and evolving, and new places are always opening up. It’s up to you to choose your own adventure when you visit — but here are a few recommendations to start you off.
Michelberger Hotel: The rooms are quirky, the restaurant attached is super popular (check it out even if you don’t stay here!), and the lounge/lobby area is a great place to mingle, grab a drink, and hear some laid-back DJing.
Orania: If you’re looking for a bit more of a grown-up place to stay, try Orania. It’s a luxury boutique hotel in Kreuzberg with a popular restaurant (one person I know called it “the best meal she’d had in continental Europe”) and live music.
Taut’s Home: Have you ever wanted to cross off “stay in an architecture museum” from your list? Well, now you can! This one goes out to all of our hardcore design and architecture lovers looking for a unique experience. Designed by Bruno Taut, this rentable museum gives you a glimpse into true 1920s design history. Each room in the house is filled with color and character. Check out the images below to start daydreaming.
Find a local Airbnb: There are plenty of Airbnb rentals to explore in Berlin. You’ll probably spend most of your time in East Berlin in neighborhoods like Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, and Neukölln. Most ex-pats and young people live in these neighborhoods and tend to be where you’ll find most of the excitement and buzz of the city. It’s worth exploring West Berlin for a day, though. West Berlin has more of that Old World glamour with ornate architecture akin to what you’d find in Paris or another European capital. You’ll immediately notice the contrast between West Berlin and the Soviet, blocky Bauhaus architecture of East Berlin.
Dance: You can’t go to Berlin without going out dancing. Throw on your all-black outfit and your most blasé attitude, and be prepared to meet some tough doormen. Sure, you can wait in the hours-long line at Berghain, but why queue up for almost-certain rejection? Plenty of other clubs in the city have more relaxed door policies. For a chill night in a smaller environment, check out Paloma. For a proper Berlin experience, try Watergate or Tresor, which tend to be more tourist-friendly. Pro tip: Check Resident Advisor for the most popular club nights happening around Berlin while you’re in town. And whatever you do, don’t go to Matrix.
Visit Museums and Galleries: Another must-do while visiting Berlin is checking out all the local museums and galleries. Berlin is one of the only major European cities where artists have been able to afford to live, and this has lent itself to a flourishing creative scene. The city offers a 3-Day Museum Pass that allows you to access most museums for only 29€, but the real magic is found in the local galleries. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of our favorites: Helmut Newton Foundation, Neue Nationalgalerie, Tchnoban Museum for Architectural Drawing, KW Institute of Contemporary Art, Bauhaus Archive, KINDL, Koenig Gallery, and Sammlung Boros.
Admire Mother Nature: Despite its reputation for blocky Soviet-style architecture and gray skies, Berlin is actually a pretty green city. If you find yourself with no plans on a sunny weekend, go explore Berlin’s greenery by visiting a park or garden. Some notable mentions include Botanischer Garten (Berlin’s botanical garden), Tiergarten (a tree-lined park perfect for sunbathing), and the infamous Bearpit Karaoke at Mauerpark (okay, so this is technically karaoke, but it is outside! Best of both worlds.)
Markthalle Neun: A market hall originally built in 1891 (!) that’s been in continuous operation for over a decade. The street food market on Thursday nights is a great place to get a taste (literally) of what Berlin has to offer — from Currywurst to local coffee roasters to regional cheeses at Alte Mich (translation: “Old Milk”).
Perfect for: First-time visitors to Berlin who want to get a feel for the local food scene.
Barra: A small plates restaurant and wine bar in a tiny space in Neukolln. The dishes are creative and seasonal, and the clientele is stylish. Be sure to reserve in advance, though — the place is small, and reservations fill up quickly!
Perfect for: A date night, whether with your significant other or just a friend.
Sofi Bakery: An almost-hidden bakery in a courtyard (a “Hof”) in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood. The pastries and bread are some of the best in the city and super emblematic of a certain type of fermented sourdough bread you’ll find throughout Berlin — but be forewarned, they only have drip coffee. No espresso drinks in sight.
Perfect for: Carbs. Seriously.
Ora: Ora has an undeniable charm. Located in a former pharmacy, the restaurant maintained many of the original characteristics of the building, including walls full of pharmacy cabinets and antique lighting fixtures. Worth stopping in for a drink at the cocktail bar just to see the interior.
Perfect for: A cocktail before going out and for capturing some good Instagram photos.
Katz Orange: Located in an old brick brewery, this spot is great for an intimate dinner setting with amazing food and natural wine. Pro-Tip: Ask to see their board game selection for an extra fun night.
Perfect for: Anyone who appreciates a big glass of natural wine and long nights of Backgammon.
Other places to check out: For bars, check out JaJa Wine Bar, Bar Normal, Monkey Bar, Neni, and Paris Bar. If you need fresh juice or a salad after days of unhealthy eating, go to Daluma. If you’re still hankering for some carbs, go to What Do You Fancy Love? for an unexpectedly great German bagel. And for cheap eats, try currywurst at Curry 36 and döner at Mustafa’s Gemüse Kebab. If you’re in Berlin in the summer, check out Thai Park on the weekend for their weekly Thai food festival. And if you’re craving German, Obermaier is the spot.
General shops to check out: The Store at Soho House Berlin, Ting, Bikini Berlin, and Super Store.
Vintage and Secondhand Shops: The Good Store and Neu Zwei are both great, curated vintage spots. There’s also Humana, the equivalent of the Salvation Army stores in the US. They’re cheaper, but you have to really dig to find the good stuff.
High-End Concept Stores: Voo Store and Andreas Murkudis both feel like entering museums. They embrace the industrial interior design choices you’ll find throughout Berlin. The prices are high, but the merch is stunning. Worth a visit, at least.
Do You Read Me?!: Great place to head after grabbing a pastry at Sofi. Full of indie magazines and coffee-table books (dream!).
Hallesches Haus: One of the Spoakier places in Berlin, you can shop and eat at Hallesches Haus. The General Store has a curated selection of home goods that make for perfect gifts or souvenirs. You decide!
Visit Flea Markets: On Sundays, most stores in Berlin are closed, but Berlin is FULL of great flea markets that operate on Sundays. Check out the Boxhagener Platz Market in Friedrichshain or the Mauerpark Market in Prenzlauer Berg for vintage clothes, furniture, home goods, vinyl, books, and other odds and ends.
Have a must-have recommendation for Berlin that isn’t on our list? Email our editorial team at content@spoak.com and let them know.
Berlin is a city that has it all — it's an explosion of history, design, art, music, and culture. Explore what the city has to offer in this exclusive guide.
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Berlin is a city with a rich political history that is reflected in its infrastructure, architecture, and overall ~vibe~. When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, an explosion of art, music, and culture emerged during the reunification of East and West creating the Berlin that so many people love today. A Berlin where anything goes, the 24-hour nightlife is the norm, and an alternative, anarchist, creative spirit fills every street corner.
Essentially, Berlin is a place that contains multitudes. It’s a place that is continually growing and evolving, and new places are always opening up. It’s up to you to choose your own adventure when you visit — but here are a few recommendations to start you off.
Michelberger Hotel: The rooms are quirky, the restaurant attached is super popular (check it out even if you don’t stay here!), and the lounge/lobby area is a great place to mingle, grab a drink, and hear some laid-back DJing.
Orania: If you’re looking for a bit more of a grown-up place to stay, try Orania. It’s a luxury boutique hotel in Kreuzberg with a popular restaurant (one person I know called it “the best meal she’d had in continental Europe”) and live music.
Taut’s Home: Have you ever wanted to cross off “stay in an architecture museum” from your list? Well, now you can! This one goes out to all of our hardcore design and architecture lovers looking for a unique experience. Designed by Bruno Taut, this rentable museum gives you a glimpse into true 1920s design history. Each room in the house is filled with color and character. Check out the images below to start daydreaming.
Find a local Airbnb: There are plenty of Airbnb rentals to explore in Berlin. You’ll probably spend most of your time in East Berlin in neighborhoods like Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, and Neukölln. Most ex-pats and young people live in these neighborhoods and tend to be where you’ll find most of the excitement and buzz of the city. It’s worth exploring West Berlin for a day, though. West Berlin has more of that Old World glamour with ornate architecture akin to what you’d find in Paris or another European capital. You’ll immediately notice the contrast between West Berlin and the Soviet, blocky Bauhaus architecture of East Berlin.
Dance: You can’t go to Berlin without going out dancing. Throw on your all-black outfit and your most blasé attitude, and be prepared to meet some tough doormen. Sure, you can wait in the hours-long line at Berghain, but why queue up for almost-certain rejection? Plenty of other clubs in the city have more relaxed door policies. For a chill night in a smaller environment, check out Paloma. For a proper Berlin experience, try Watergate or Tresor, which tend to be more tourist-friendly. Pro tip: Check Resident Advisor for the most popular club nights happening around Berlin while you’re in town. And whatever you do, don’t go to Matrix.
Visit Museums and Galleries: Another must-do while visiting Berlin is checking out all the local museums and galleries. Berlin is one of the only major European cities where artists have been able to afford to live, and this has lent itself to a flourishing creative scene. The city offers a 3-Day Museum Pass that allows you to access most museums for only 29€, but the real magic is found in the local galleries. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of our favorites: Helmut Newton Foundation, Neue Nationalgalerie, Tchnoban Museum for Architectural Drawing, KW Institute of Contemporary Art, Bauhaus Archive, KINDL, Koenig Gallery, and Sammlung Boros.
Admire Mother Nature: Despite its reputation for blocky Soviet-style architecture and gray skies, Berlin is actually a pretty green city. If you find yourself with no plans on a sunny weekend, go explore Berlin’s greenery by visiting a park or garden. Some notable mentions include Botanischer Garten (Berlin’s botanical garden), Tiergarten (a tree-lined park perfect for sunbathing), and the infamous Bearpit Karaoke at Mauerpark (okay, so this is technically karaoke, but it is outside! Best of both worlds.)
Markthalle Neun: A market hall originally built in 1891 (!) that’s been in continuous operation for over a decade. The street food market on Thursday nights is a great place to get a taste (literally) of what Berlin has to offer — from Currywurst to local coffee roasters to regional cheeses at Alte Mich (translation: “Old Milk”).
Perfect for: First-time visitors to Berlin who want to get a feel for the local food scene.
Barra: A small plates restaurant and wine bar in a tiny space in Neukolln. The dishes are creative and seasonal, and the clientele is stylish. Be sure to reserve in advance, though — the place is small, and reservations fill up quickly!
Perfect for: A date night, whether with your significant other or just a friend.
Sofi Bakery: An almost-hidden bakery in a courtyard (a “Hof”) in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood. The pastries and bread are some of the best in the city and super emblematic of a certain type of fermented sourdough bread you’ll find throughout Berlin — but be forewarned, they only have drip coffee. No espresso drinks in sight.
Perfect for: Carbs. Seriously.
Ora: Ora has an undeniable charm. Located in a former pharmacy, the restaurant maintained many of the original characteristics of the building, including walls full of pharmacy cabinets and antique lighting fixtures. Worth stopping in for a drink at the cocktail bar just to see the interior.
Perfect for: A cocktail before going out and for capturing some good Instagram photos.
Katz Orange: Located in an old brick brewery, this spot is great for an intimate dinner setting with amazing food and natural wine. Pro-Tip: Ask to see their board game selection for an extra fun night.
Perfect for: Anyone who appreciates a big glass of natural wine and long nights of Backgammon.
Other places to check out: For bars, check out JaJa Wine Bar, Bar Normal, Monkey Bar, Neni, and Paris Bar. If you need fresh juice or a salad after days of unhealthy eating, go to Daluma. If you’re still hankering for some carbs, go to What Do You Fancy Love? for an unexpectedly great German bagel. And for cheap eats, try currywurst at Curry 36 and döner at Mustafa’s Gemüse Kebab. If you’re in Berlin in the summer, check out Thai Park on the weekend for their weekly Thai food festival. And if you’re craving German, Obermaier is the spot.
General shops to check out: The Store at Soho House Berlin, Ting, Bikini Berlin, and Super Store.
Vintage and Secondhand Shops: The Good Store and Neu Zwei are both great, curated vintage spots. There’s also Humana, the equivalent of the Salvation Army stores in the US. They’re cheaper, but you have to really dig to find the good stuff.
High-End Concept Stores: Voo Store and Andreas Murkudis both feel like entering museums. They embrace the industrial interior design choices you’ll find throughout Berlin. The prices are high, but the merch is stunning. Worth a visit, at least.
Do You Read Me?!: Great place to head after grabbing a pastry at Sofi. Full of indie magazines and coffee-table books (dream!).
Hallesches Haus: One of the Spoakier places in Berlin, you can shop and eat at Hallesches Haus. The General Store has a curated selection of home goods that make for perfect gifts or souvenirs. You decide!
Visit Flea Markets: On Sundays, most stores in Berlin are closed, but Berlin is FULL of great flea markets that operate on Sundays. Check out the Boxhagener Platz Market in Friedrichshain or the Mauerpark Market in Prenzlauer Berg for vintage clothes, furniture, home goods, vinyl, books, and other odds and ends.
Have a must-have recommendation for Berlin that isn’t on our list? Email our editorial team at content@spoak.com and let them know.
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