10 people going to Berlin in July: What to see?

June 19, 2008 6:18 AM

I'm organizing a trip to Berlin for about 10 people in their mid-twenties in July. What should we not miss?

We are about 10 Danes in our mid-twenties who are going to Berlin from July 9th to July 16th. We are going to stay with friends scattered around Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain. We are less interested in the big tourist sites and more into anything quirky or different.

So what should we see?

I've been to Berlin several times before so I have an idea of some of the things but I'm still very much interested in suggestions for

- museums, galleries, etc.
- restaurants, bars, cafes, clubs (esp. not too expensive restaurants where 10 people actually have a chance of getting a table!)
- places where we can rent bicycles for cheap
- non-touristy non-obvious sites we should go see
- any concerts or other events we should go to (most of us like indie rock and electronic stuff)
- any other good advice you have for 10 young people traveling to Berlin for a week in July

I have read the previous Berlin travel questions. Answers that take the size of our group and dates we are going to be in Berlin into account are especially appreciated. Thanks!

posted by sveskemus to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

General advice would be stay in Mitte and stick around Hackersher Markt. Be careful to avoid Oranienburger Strasse (despite what most guidebooks say, its just too obvious) and instead focus on Rosenthaler Strasse.

My favourite cocktail bar is Cibo Matto which has very long cocktail list and they are never less than splendid. Also, try and find out when the happy hour is (6-8pm if memory serves me correctrly) where all cocktails are half price. There's also an excellent italian menu.


Over the road and in one of the courtyards (or 'hofs') is the inexpensive but brilliant Pan Asia , which is both a fantastic pun, and Berlin's artsier take on Wagamama. Further up the street is Delicious Donuts which used to be very, very trendy as a late night bar (but not really a club as such). There are also many excellent shops on this street, including the famous British miliner Fiona Bennett and the entrance to Den Hackersher Hof Cafe and Berlin's best kebab shop just over the road.

I highly recommend exploration of the Hackersher Hofs and the nearby, avante-garde architecture of the the hof on Sofienstraße. These are best seen after sunset as many are beautifully enriched with bright neon lights.

There you go, just one corner of a very impressive city ... Kunsterheim Luise would be my choice of hotel. And you can rent bikes from a place in the shopping precinct of Fredrichstrasse Bahnhof.
For culutre, its difficult to know where to start. Maybe the Pergamon Museum, where sites the fabulous Gate of Ishtar, which once stood in the ancient city of Babylon. Its intact and so beutifully colourful.

Ah, you will have a great time.
posted by MrMerlot at 7:04 AM on June 19, 2008

All the bars north of Oranianburgerstrasse, Currywurst, and indeed the Currywurst museum
posted by Jofus at 7:13 AM on June 19, 2008

I can really only weigh in on a couple of museums as I've only been to Berlin once, over 8 years ago (although I loved it and have been dying to get back ever since).

If you know or think that members of your tour group are interested in German Expressionist artists I'd highly recommend Die Brucke Museum. It's in an out of the way neighborhood, although very easily to get to via the bus. There are directions on their website. The point is, it wasn't very crowded and I bet that a lot of tourists miss it due to its location. If you like German Expressionists though it's definitely not to be missed.

I also really enjoyed the Bauhaus Archiv, and the Neue Nationalgalerie, both of which are easily accessible.

Have a great trip!
posted by kaybdc at 8:16 AM on June 19, 2008

The flea market in Mauerpark on Sunday mornings is very cool.

Mayda3000 has a great video blog about Berlin and probably has some good local advice if you shoot him an e-mail or look at his previous entries.
posted by mdonley at 10:56 AM on June 19, 2008

My suggestions from here and here are still valid.

For clubs, my favorite are Berghain/Panoramabar, Watergate and Arena (for minimal techno). I also love Club der Visionaere.
posted by atomly at 11:07 AM on June 19, 2008

The DDR Museum gives a really interesting look at life in the GDR. They have a lot of everyday stuff from that time period--foods, electronics, children's books, a Trabi you can sit it, even some hilarious DDR fasions (communist jeans!). I highly recommend it.
posted by Jemstar at 11:24 AM on June 19, 2008

The jewish musuem is worth a visit; very moving and sparce but I think its a must see. Also the film musuem is cool if your at all into cinema. We also took a moderate U-bahn journey to see the olympic ground build for the 30's games; very strange and haunting due to its past, beautiful but mostly like a ghost town. Of course the Berlin wall that is still there, ask for directions from the station as i remember getting lost around there, its a bit empty.
posted by Neonshock at 10:52 AM on June 20, 2008