Living in Berlin for 9 years, these are my absolute favourite spots in the city. I highly recommend visiting them if you’re traveling to Berlin.
I moved to Berlin in 2015, and here are my favourite spots (on no particular order) you should visit when you come to the city. Honestly, the places I’m introducing in this blog post aren’t hidden gems; on the contrary, they’re quite famous among Berliners. Nonetheless, I highly recommend visiting them.
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Strolling through the flea market on Sundays
If you’re looking for the perfect Sunday, you should visit Mauerpark. It is a park located between the two districts of Prenzlauer Berg and Wedding, and (almost) every Sunday, it hosts a huge flea market. Some commercial sellers offer a variety of handcrafted items like clothes, art, and jewellery, but there are also many private sellers mainly offering second-hand clothes. My flatmate and I love the mix of the market and have already bought lots of great clothes for just a few coins. But honestly, I also really love the handcrafted accessories. There are food trucks and Spätis (Berliner convenience stores) nearby as well.
Besides the market, the park is a great place to visit. Especially on weekends, many people come here to relax in the sun. And nowhere else will you find so many street musicians. Sometimes, there is even karaoke in the park. People also come here to play sports – I once joined a free Zumba session. Mauerpark is also one of the few places where having a BBQ is allowed.
- Mauerpark Flohmarkt
- Park/ flea market
- Bernauer Strasse 63-64; 10435 Berlin (Wedding/ Prenzlauer Berg)
- Admission is free
- The park: 24/7; The flea market: Sundays, 8am-6pm
- M10 Wolliner Straße; U8 to Bernauer Straße; U2 to Eberswalder Straße
A Taste of Thailand in the Heart of Berlin
Berlin is a place which thrives on its people and diversity. One of the most popular places to enjoy street food, and definitely my favourite, is Thaipark in the Charlottenburg district. It features mainly Thai food – as you can probably guess from the name – but you can also find other East Asian dishes.
It all started with a few people sharing Thai food in a park and grew into a large food market and a popular weekend meeting spot for Berliners. There were even several discussions about moving or closing Thaipark. This year, the street food market was relocated to a neighbouring street. I think the atmoshphere is still great. In the recent years, Thaipark has made significant strides in environmental responsibility. Food is served on reusable plates, which you can borrow for a small deposit (usually 2€). Alternatively, you can bring your own containers or plates. The food is freshly cooked right in front of you, and offers this little vacation nostalgia from your last trip to Thailand.
- Thaipark
- Thai/ Asian Street Food Market
- Württembergische Straße; 10707 Berlin (Wilmersdorf)
- Admission is free; A dish costs around 6-8€
- April-October, every Saturday and Sunday, 11am-9pm (can be closed due to rain)
- U2, U3, U7 Fehrbelliner Platz; Bus 101, 115, 143 U Fehrbelliner Platz
- Official page (only available in German)
Since this year, a smaller version of the Thai market can also be found at Gleisdreieck Park on Fridays. Please note that both street food markets accept cash only.
- Thai Bridge
- Smaller Thai/ Asian Street Food Market
- Gleisdreieck; Jules B-Part Café, Luckenwalder Straße; 10963 Berlin (Kreuzberg)
- Admission is free; A dish costs around 6-8€
- April-October, every Friday, 3pm-10pm (can be closed due to rain)
- U1, U2, U3 Gleisdreieck
- Official page (only available in German)
Visit an Urban Village Right Next to the Spree
Holzmarkt25 feels like its own little village, where people come to enjoy street food, dance, relax by the Spree (the largest river in Berlin), and simply have a good time. The urban village is named after its street address and is located between the S-Bahn stations Jannowitzbrücke and Ostbahnhof in the district of Friedrichshain.
There are many small shops and stalls offering food, and sometimes also handcrafted flea market jewellry, accessories, and clothes. My highlight is a large wooden ship next to the Spree, with benches and wooden chairs to relax in. Holzmarkt25 is also really family-friendly, they even have a small playground for kids. The atmosphere is always positive and open-minded. Entry is usually free, but a fee may be apply if a special event is planned. Please check their website for information on upcoming events. It is not allowed to bring any food or drinks (except water) into Holzmarkt, so please support this incredible place by buying food and drinks on-site. In winter, they also offer a small Christmas market and a bonfire.
Aside from the main village, there is also the famous techno club Katerblau, which is part of Holzmarkt. A little tip: you can only pay with cash inside the club, so be sure to bring enough. In addition to the club, Holzmarkt also has a restaurant, a kindergarten, a music school, and a small event space.
- Holzmarkt25
- Urban village with street food and events
- Holzmarktstraße 25; 10243 Berlin (Friedrichshain)
- Usually admission is free; Fees apply for events
- 24/7 (can be closed due to heavy weather conditions)
- Bus 300, N40 Holzmarktstraße; U8, S3, S5, S7, S9 Jannowitzbrücke; S3, S5, S7, S9, S75 Ostbahnhof
- Official page (only available in German)
Enjoy Street Art – Without Worrying About the Rain
One of my favourite museums is Urban Nation, which features urban art from various artists worldwide. The exhibition changes approximately once a year, as does the building’s façade. There is no entrance fee. Many of the art pieces reflect society and address political issues. The Urban Nation Museum also has its own art project called One Wall, which brings five artists to Berlin each year to repaint old building walls.
If you’re looking for more museums, check out my blog post on my favourite museums in Berlin: Free Admission to Berlin’s Best Museums.
- Urban Nation Museum
- Art museum
- Bülowstraße 7; 10783 Berlin (Schöneberg)
- Admission is free
- Tuesday-Sunday
- U1, U2, U3, U4 or Bus 106, 187, M19 Nollendorfplatz
- Offical page
Berlin from Above: The City’s Best Rooftop Bar
On the rooftop of a mall in Neukölln, you’ll find my favourite rooftop bar and club in Berlin: Klunkerkranich. Simply head to the upper floor of Neukölln Arcaden, where you will arrive at parking deck 5. From here, walk a bit further and turn right to reach the entrance of Klunkerkranich. There is uausally an entrance fee, starting at around 5 € (5.50 US$), depending on the evening. I recommend arriving early, as it can get very crowded at the door in summer.
Klunkerkranich is a combination of a bar and club, also depending on the event of the night. It can range from a club night to a Pride event or even a laid-back evening with relaxing house beats. The entire parking deck is part of the club, offering perfect sunsets over Berlin, and you can of course also see the TV tower at Alexanderplatz from here. You’ll find lots of plants and a small urban garden. There is even a small sand box in the middle of the floor. I absolutely love the vibe, especially on long summer nights in Berlin.
- Klunkerkranich
- Bar and club
- Neukölln Arcaden; Karl-Marx-Straße 66; 12043 Berlin (Neukölln)
- Usually 2-10 € (2-11 US$)
- In high season: daily; Thursday-Sunday from 4pm; Monday-Wednesday from 5pm
- U7 Rathaus Neukölln; Bus N7 U Rathaus Neukölln
- Offical page
Berlin's Most Unique Backyard
Another place you should visit is the backyard of Haus Schwarzenberg. It is a dream come true for street art lovers, filled with murals, drawings, stickers, graffiti, and collages that change over time. You’ll discover countless hidden messages and details, so be sure to take a closer look.
There are also two museums located here. One is a small museum about Anne Frank, which is also very suitable for children, and the other one is the Blindenwerkstatt Otto Weidt, a former factory where Otto Weidt hid Jewish people during the Nazi regime in Germany.
The backyard is located near the famous Hackesche Höfe, which is also worth a visit but offers a stark contrast. At Haus Schwarzenberg, you can relax in the backyard under red-yellow buntings with a beer from Café Cinema and soak in Berlin’s vibes in one of the city’s most unique backyards.
- Haus Schwarzenberg
- A backyard full of art
- Rosenthaler Str. 39; 10178 Berlin (Mitte)
- Admission is free
- 24/7
- S3, S5, S7, S9 Hackescher Markt; Tram M1 S Hackescher Markt; U8 Weinmeisterstraße
- List Item
Having a Picnic on a Runway
Nowadays, Tempelhofer Feld is used as a park and for sports, especially those involving wheels. Until 2008, it was an airport in the centre of the city.
The runyway is now open to various activities, from jogging, and biking to inline skating, or also wind sports. It is also the perfect spot to rent an e-scooter to dash around for fun or to fly your kite. The area is huge, offering not just green spaces but also a dog park, an urban garden, and a small observation tower. It is occasionally used for festivals, including music festivals in the past (Florence + the Machine and Muse were performing here) or the annual Festival der Riesendrachen (a festival showcasing some of the world’s largest kites, with free entry). Tempelhofer Feld is the perfect place to enjoy the unique, calm noisiness only cities can offer, all while being in the middle of Berlin.
- Tempelhofer Feld
- Park (former airport)
- Tempelhofer Damm; 12101 Berlin (Tempelhof)
- Four entrances: Tempelhofer Damm; Columbiadamm; Oderstraße/Herrfurthstraße; Oderstraße/Crashgate
- Admission is free
- Depends on the month; usually from dawn till dusk
- S41, S42, S47 S Tempelhof; U6 U Tempelhof or Paradestraße; U8 Leinestraße or Boddinstraße; Bus M43 Friedhöfe Columbiadamm or Golßener Straße
- Offical page
Between Urban Art, Clubs, and Bars
RAW is a place filled with small clubs, urban art, and good vibes. It is especially popular with night owls, but it also offers exhibitions, sports classes, and a flea market on Sundays.
You can even find Berlin’s smallest disco here – the Teledisco, a former phone box where you can have a private dance. I also love the little photo booths where you can create nice memories with friends in the form of a photo strip. Around RAW, you will find plenty of food spots and bars (especially Simon-Dach-Straße is really famous for all its bars). The RAW area consists of former railway halls, now repurposed as a hub for alternative culture.
- RAW area
- Area full of clubs, art, exhibitions, and a flea market on Sundays
- Revaler Strasse 99; 10245 Berlin (Friedrichshain)
- Admission is free
- 24/7
- S3, S5, S7, S9, S42, S75, U1, U3, Tram M10 Warschauer Straße; Tram M10, M13 Revaler Straße
- Offical page
These were my top favourite places in Berlin. Do you agree or did I miss something?
You have read the blog post Not to miss in Berlin – local’s favourites on My Travel Journal-Blog.