Berlin Travel tips and advice for exploring the city

As one of the most culturally rich cities in the world, Berlin is a favourite destination for culture fanatics seeking inspiration in the many vibrant galleries, bars, restaurants and clubs.

Whether you’re taking your trip in the crisp of winter (which can get extremely cold so wrap up warm!) for the Christmas Markets, or in the height of summer for a stroll along the banks of the River Spree, the city has a form of highly social, cosmopolitan entertainment for everybody.

I hope you enjoy this list of my favourite places to eat, drink, sleep, party and socialize!

Where to stay in Berlin: St Christopher’s Inn

When it comes to places to stay in Berlin, you could easily become lost for choice.

I like to stay in St Christopher’s Inn, which is located directly next to Rosa Luxemburg Platz station and a short 5 minutes’ walk to Alexanderplatz.

Affordable prices, clean rooms, friendly staff and all with an awesome chilled hostel vibe. If you’re looking to meet other travellers, this is the spot for you.

For solo travellers, I like that they have capsule style bunk pod rooms. You can divide off your own bunk with a curtain and each pod has its very own reading light and power plug.

This means you have your own privacy, sort of like your own mini private room for the fraction of the cost of a single hotel room. Great value for Berlin.

This way you can save your hard-earned travel funds and enjoy some German beer at the hostel bar, Belushis, which is busy most nights and full of travellers looking to party the night away.

Get a one week public transport pass

For €30.00 you can get a one week public transportation pass. One activation stamp and you’re done, it’s that simple. You can even purchase the pass from Tegel airport and use the TXL bus to transfer to Alexanderplatz. Great value if you happen to be spending a week in the city and want to get around easily.

Try a currywurst at Curry 61

A trip to Berlin wouldn’t be complete without a stop at a currywurst stand. With so many to choose from, I’m going to go ahead and recommend Curry 61. If you decided to rent a bicycle you could even do a currywurst tour!

Here is a video of me checking out Curry 61:

Salami Social Club

This new craft beer and pizza spot brings a bit of hip wood fired pizza culture in Berlin. The restaurant has cool interior design and a weekly rotation of craft beers.

Monkey Bar

This sophisticated cocktail bar is a favourite meeting up spot for hip young Berliners, and the low seats, roaring fires, great music and even better cocktail menu make for the perfect night out with a bit of class. It’s located on the top floor of the 25hr Bikini Berlin Hotel, so head up to floor 5 to enjoy!

Go for a run around Tempelhofer Park

If you like to wake up early before the sun rises, why not bring your running shoes and head to Tempelhofer Park.

The airport is no longer in use, but the runway can still be found and has since been turned into a popular location for Berlin runners.

Join the early morning crew for a few laps around the park. Go just before sunrise for the best sunrise views.

Visit the Reichstag

The Reichstag is an iconic building in Berlin that’s not to be missed. Avoid the long weekend lines and book your ticket and time slot online before you arrive (it’s free!) in Berlin otherwise you could be waiting for some time and that’s not a great way to start your trip.

Enjoy a free walking tour of Berlin

Berlin has much to offer that it can be tough to navigate around. Why not start your trip with a free Berlin walking tour to find your way around? This way you can jot down the areas you like to come back to on another day and learn some history about Berlin at the same time.

Berlin is the sort of city you could easily get lost exploring around; a walking tour will keep you on top of things.

Berlin Zoo

The world famous Berlin Zoo is the most species-rich in the entire world, meaning there pretty much isn’t a type of animal you can’t see here! The zoo is strongly committed to worldwide conservation efforts and also offers guided tours so you can get as much animal knowledge out of your trip as possible.

Badeschiff Outdoor Pool

One of the best spots for enjoying the summertime sunshine in Berlin. Badeschiff has a pool in the side of the River Spree, so you can take a dip to cool off with amazing views of the riverside buildings in Berlin. Enjoy a seat in one of the many deck chairs, have a beer or two in the sun, and maybe treat yourself to a delicious halloumi burger from the BBQ!

Mauer Park Flea Market

Berlin is famed for its huge flea markets filled with energetic traders. Hunt down all sorts of authentic bargains in Mauer Park every Sunday.

Take a Photoautomaten Selfie

These old-school photo machines are dotted over the whole city and are surprisingly good quality!

Get as many of you in the booth as you possibly can. Just be prepared to wait a while for your photos as they can take a good few minutes to develop!

Drink Club Mate or Gosser

Berlin’s cosmopolitan culture means it’s perfectly acceptable to enjoy a calm alcoholic beverage on public transport, as long as you’re not being a nuisance to anyone else!

Enjoy the Berlin favourite Gosser for a delicious 2% lemony beer, or the clubber’s favourite Club Mate for something non-alcoholic.

Hire a rental bike and explore

One of the best ways to see Berlin has to be by bicycle, and this eco-conscious city encourages bike hire. On my travels, Donkey Republic is my go-to Bicycle rental company. It works easily with your smartphone to take payments and bookings.

Berlin is home to some of Europe’s best clubs

Berlin’s laws actually protect its nightlife scene, and Germans take their clubbing very seriously.

Check out Watergate and Salon Zur Wilden Renate, or try to get into the legendary (and super exclusive) Berghain for a more extreme Berlin experience!

Thank you for reading my blog post.

Thank you for reading my blog post all about tips and advice, I hope you found it useful.