You could visit Berlin for just one reason – maybe its notorious history or nightlife – and likely find much to see and do just within the district you’re staying in. But why limit yourself when this sprawling city offers so much variety? All the better if there’s nobody else holding you back!

1. Sing like everybody’s listening

Karaoke

Weather permitting, Mauerpark’s vibrant flea-market pretty much guarantees a fun Sunday out. Perhaps more of a highlight than the market itself, though, is the open-air karaoke that takes place in the park’s stone amphitheater. If you want to belt out a few numbers the rest of the week in front of a less daunting audience, or if Sunday happens to be raining, check the program at Monster Ronson’s instead.

2. More than sport

OlympicStadium

You’re unlikely to witness the beautiful game in a more imposing arena. The Olympiastadion (Olympic Stadium) was commissioned by Hitler for the 1936 Summer Olympics, but is now home to the city’s top soccer club, Hertha Berlin. Match tickets are fairly inexpensive and usually available on the day, but if you’re more interested in the history then avoid match days for a guided tour instead.

3. Creative curation

Berlin’s art scene may well be more alternative than cultural hubs like New York, Paris or London, but its reputation is no less prestigious. Sadly, the era of the squat-gallery has already past, but visitors can still enjoy exhibitions in appropriated spaces as inspiring as the art itself. Located in a huge World War II bunker near Friedrichstrasse, the Boros Collection is one of the best, but visits must be booked months in advance. If you can’t plan that far ahead, try the old Hamburger train-station or the 19th-century Bethanien hospital instead.

4. Celebrate the magic of movies

Berlin has a fantastic cinema scene, with enough indies to make most bigger cities blush with blockbuster embarrassment. The Kino Babylon, which boasts Germany’s largest cinema pipe organ, and the Soviet Union’s grand Kino International might appeal more to history nerds, but head to Lichtblick-Kino on Kastanienallee if you’d prefer to be whisked away in an intimate setting. This charming little picturehouse shows just one classic or independent movie a day and seats just 32 people!

5. Mingling meals

BerlinFoodScene

Berlin’s food scene has finally started to pick up speed, and its food markets are a great place for a solo traveler to mingle while savoring all sorts of specialties. Markthalle IX and Neue Heimat cater towards a more fashionable crowd, although the former’s long history has made it an established part of Kreuzberg’s community life too. Charlottenberg’s Rogacki and Moabit’s Arminiushalle provide for a more authentic, though still quite lofty experience, even if you might struggle without knowing some German.

6. Where East meets West

Unification left East Germany’s many Vietnamese immigrants stranded in a legal no-man’s-land, thus the Don Xuan Center in Lichtenberg was created to provide them with jobs and a social space. As well as one of the city’s most exciting shopping atmospheres, the immense solar-powered market halls offer plenty of bargains, from frivolous souvenirs to delicious food. Speaking of which, more adventurous foodies ought to visit Preussenpark (“Prussian park”) on sunny weekends, where an informal congregation of mostly Thai chefs gather to sell authentic delicacies without the spice-muting influence of the average German taste-bud.

7. Beer there and everywhere

BeerGarden

With the passing of winter, Berlin’s beer gardens immediately blossom back into life. With the eponymous social lubricant working wonders, they can also be a great place to make friends. Among the best are the city’s oldest, Prater; its most scenic, Café am Neuen See; and perhaps its most sociable, the ‘50s-throwback that is Schleusenkrug. All three also happen to serve some of the city’s most exemplary German food.

8. Gain some perspective

It’s impossible to ignore the roles that 20th-century segregation and terror have played in modern Berlin’s yin and yang-like balance of hope and cynicism. Both the Sachsenhausen concentration camp and the Hohenschönhausen Stasi prison will help you appreciate what an incredible achievement modern Berlin truly is. Be warned though, if you’ve got the city’s nightlife on your agenda that evening, these sites will kill your vibe. The Stasi Museum is also an unsettling eye-opener, but provides a considerably less intense experience.

9. Reflections of Neukölln

Most Berlin districts have their own museum, but wherever you’re staying, the Museum Neukölln is truly worth travelling for. Its permanent exhibition, 99 x Neukölln, showcases the area’s history – ancient to recent – through 99 collected objects. You’ll get more out of it if you speak some German, but the entrance fee is small change and the surrounding grounds of Schloss Britz (Britz Palace) – with its baroque gardens, tranquil lake, and peacock-patrolled stables – nicely round off a cheap and relaxing afternoon.

10. The coldest bouncers in town

BerlinClub

If you’re visiting Berlin for its famous club scene, then you’ve no doubt already heard of Berghain. Regarded by many as a mecca for techno, it’s just as famous for its cryptic door policy. Even bonafide regulars get turned away sometimes, but if there’s one thing the bouncers do seem to respect, it’s showing up solo like you just don’t care. Have a back-up plan ready, but honestly, don’t even bother if you’re not an electronic music nut – the line can be hours long and they’re pretty skilled at sniffing out the tourists.

 

Charlie Pite

Charlie Pite

Charlie Pite

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