Berlin’s neighbourhoods could not be more different from one another – sometimes a whole new world is just a few U-Bahn stations away. Every district has a unique personality, and it’s well worth exploring them all.
Don’t know where to start? Take the scenic route through Berlin with us as we tour some of the city’s prettiest neighbourhoods.
Bergmannkiez
Bergmannkiez has always been considered cleaner and more bourgeois than the area around Kotti, Görli, and Schlesi, and many Berliners (rightly) consider Bergmannstraße the epitome of gentrification.
The streets are neat and bursting with interesting shops and restaurants. At Kellerbar Ernst, the bartenders mix a particularly tasty whiskey sour, and Sushi Cube on Zossener Straße serves quality sushi at a good price.
At Weilensee, you can buy handmade picture frames, and at Ararat, anything to do with paper. On the quieter half of Bergmannstraße, you will find one of Berlin’s enchanting cemeteries, the Dreifaltigkeit cemetery, which is home to grandiose mausoleums of wealthy Berlin families, as well as the grave of famous composer Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.
- Weilensee Bergmannstr. 9
- Ararat Bergmannstr. 99A
- Ernst Bar Solmsstr. 29
- Sushi Cube Zossener Str. 18
Wrangelkiez
Wrangelkiez is romanticised by tourists from all over the world for its multicultural charm, loose drug policy, and historic buildings. But while it may host a fair number of tourists, its neighbourhood haunts are also beloved among locals.
Sumak, for example, serves the city’s most delicious menemen (Turkish scrambled eggs). The vintage store Pink Cadillac is a bit of a hidden gem, and it boasts a unique selection of second-hand and fetish wear. And though the traditional ice cream parlour Aldemir Eis is always busy, the long wait becomes worth it the moment you finally get your hands on a warm cheesecake ball on your merry way to enjoy the sunset at Görli.
- Sumak Oppelner Str. 9
- Pink Cadillac Wrangelstr. 55
- Aledmir Falckensteinstr. 7
Kollwitzkiez
This lovely corner in Prenzlauer Berg is named after Käthe Kollwitz, a renowned painter and sculptor who lived in Berlin from 1891-1943. Kollwitzkiez hosts several markets, but the most famous is a weekly eco-market that brings together over 40 farmers and entrepreneurs from Berlin and Brandenburg.
Every Thursday, year-round, you will find delicious regional foods, organic produce, flowers and homemade clothing. When the weather is good, you’ll often find people playing music and dancing here. In addition to the great markets, the Kollwitzkiez has a huge selection of restaurants and laid-back bars.
- Kollwitzkiez Prenzlauer Berg, U-Bahnhöfe Senefelderplatz und Eberswalder Straße (U2), Tramlinien M2 und M10
- Wochenmärkte am Kollwitzplatz Kollwitzstr., Prenzlauer Berg, Thu + Sat
Schillerkiez
Schillerkiez is a small idyll between Hermannstraße and Tempelhofer Feld, where buildings designed by Bruno Taut as well as magnificent Wilhelminian architecture in pastel shades line the streets.
But it doesn’t just look pretty – there’s also no shortage of things to do and see here. You can check out one of Berlin’s best second-hand shops or browse at Buchhafen, one of our favourite bookstores. If you’re hungry, grab a bite at the Terz. If you’re not in the mood for a whole meal, you can munch on some specialty snacks from Portugal or Africa at the market on Herrfurthplatz – or order a dark cheesecake ice cream aptly named “Darth Vader” at the Mos Eisley-themed ice cream parlour.
But much like the force, there is a darker side to Schillerkiez: Its once thriving alternative culture has all but disappeared since the left-wing neighbourhood pub Syndikat was forcibly closed down – though it finally got a new home earlier this year. And as with all gentrified districts, anyone looking for an apartment here will have to pay an obscene amount.
- Mos Eisley Herrfurthpl. 6
- Buchhafen Okerstr.1
- Schillermarkt auf dem Herrfurthplatz Wed + Sat
Helmholtzkiez
Helmholtzkiez in Prenzlauer Berg, also affectionately known as “Helmi,” is a place to play table tennis during the day, sit on one of the many sunbeds, or go for a quick walk around the leafy Helmholtzplatz. You can stroll by the stately buildings from the Gründerzeit, window-shop at the numerous small boutiques, and feast your way from one street corner to the next.
If you’re in the mood for breakfast food, visit Café Frieda for a poached egg on homemade sourdough bread, and end the day on a high note at one of our favourite Tanzbars. When it’s warm, be sure to sample the many ice cream flavours at Hokey Pokey – we recommend the Sicilian pistachio and white chocolate with passionfruit.
- Eispatisserie Hokey Pokey Boutique Stargarder Str. 73
- Café Frieda Lychener Str. 37
- Zu mir oder zu dir Lychener Str. 15
Reuterkiez
In Kreuzkölln, between the noisy Urbanstraße and the green Maybachufer, Reuterkiez gives off a somewhat messy, but overall easy-going vibe. There is much to see, taste and discover: small, improvised-looking galleries and Urberliner stores have taken up residence next to sophisticated drinking establishments and trendy restaurants, where waiters serve fancy food in casual dress. A Turkish bakery on one corner, a hip craft beer pub on the next – Reuterkiez is a land of contrasts.
The soul of this neighbourhood is best experienced when you stroll down the Maybachufer on a sunny market day, settle down in a local pub on Weichselplatz or Friedelstraße, and then (in true local fashion), order your first beer before the clock strikes four.
- Reuterkiez U-Schönleinstraße (U8)
Savignyplatz
Savignyplatz is a historic square in Charlottenburg, the buildings and design of which date back to 1862. Magnificent old architecture and ancient sycamore trees surround the central park, which is intersected by the lively Kantstraße. Neighbours meet here to enjoy the first rays of sunshine and relax together.
The cosy streets that meet at the square are home to many quaint cafés, restaurants, and pubs. The traditional Zwiebelfisch pub is well-known in the city, where old revolutionaries meet students for beer and home cooking. Kantstraße, on the other hand, is a paradise for foodies, especially fans of Southeast Asian cuisine. The bookstores in the S-Bahnbogen are among the finest in the city, and several have a sizable English selection.
- Savignyplatz Charlottenburg
- Zwiebelfisch Savignyplatz 7
Karl-August-Platz
Savignyplatz may be better known in Charlottenburg, but Karl-August-Platz is just as charming. There are two markets every week, always on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Pedestrians have recently reclaimed Krumme Straße, a growing trend in the city, and the area behind the church is a meeting place for working people during their lunch break and a popular route for those with dogs. Two large playgrounds are also located nearby. Overall, the neighbourhood is a nice contrast to the hustle and bustle of Wilmersdorfer Straße.
Soldiner Kiez
Soldiner Kiez is a bit of a diamond in the rough: There’s more to the district than meets the eye. For example, there is the Ballhaus Wedding, a cultural institution that opened in 1889. The two operators Djamila Rempel and Robert Bittner are working to maintain the charm of the former high-end venue at Wriezener Straße.
If the Ballhaus is too fancy for you, you can visit the trash museum on Prinzenallee , where trash exhibits tell the story of the Soldiner Kiez. Nature lovers, on the other hand, can head to the Panke River for some cosy green spaces, or to ElisaBeet, a community garden on Wollankstraße. Here, cigarette butt-paved streets are replaced by beautiful flower beds, and a wonderfully rustic café.
For health fanatics, there are vegetarian dishes at BAOBAB on Soldiner Straße, and the Ghanaian peanut soup alone makes the trip to Wedding worthwhile. Breakfast at Joumaa on Wollankstraße offers heartier fare: dumplings filled with vegetables and meat, hummus, halloumi, and many other Arabian specialities. Soldiner Kiez may be dirty here and there, but it is charming, diverse, and free of the pseudo-aesthetics that appear in gentrified districts.
- Ballhaus Wedding Wriezener Str. 6
- Müllmuseum Prinzenallee 39
- ElisaBeet Wollankstr. 66
- BAOBAB Soldiner Str. 41
- Frühstückshaus Joumaa Wollankstr. 27
Sprengelkiez
This little neighbourhood stretches from the Wedding S-Bahn station to the back of the north bank. It is bold and colourful, but not quite as noisy as the rest of Wedding. This neighbourhood is ideal for nice walks in spring through the cute little side streets leading off Müllerstraße, where you can admire the colourful facades.
In the summer, try to find the hidden Spreekanal so you can sit and drink on the north bank. Fuel up with the tastiest falafel in Berlin at the Libanon Falafel. At night, go to the bar Freya Fuchs for schnapps and foosball or visit the lovely Eschenbräu beer garden.
Still hungry? Here are some more of the best restaurants in Wedding.
- Frey Fuchs Tegeler Str. 34
- Eschenbräu Triftstr. 67
- Libanon Falafel Müllerstr. 165
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