In the past 30 years, Berlin has evolved from a city divided between East and West to a unified melting pot of art, food, nightlife, and politics. From ramshackle flea markets, historic murals, and thought-provoking museums to pounding techno parties, hidden jazz clubs, and no-frills beer halls, you could spend an entire month here and still just scratch the surface. Our advice? Keep an open mind and embrace everything the world capital of cool throws at you. Just don’t ask us for help impressing the bouncers at Berghain.
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Berlin Travel Guide
Plan Your Berlin Trip
Featured
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6 Places You Wouldn't Have Recognized 30 Years Ago
In celebration of Condé Nast Traveler's 30th anniversary, we decided to look at some of today's most popular destinations and what makes them so. We don't use the world "cool" lightly—but these places actually deserve it. They weren't always thriving: Berlin has come a long way since the fall of the Wall; the same can be said for Medellín, Colombia, once nicknamed the “murder capital of the world.” Other places have boomed thanks to airline stopover programs and off-the-beaten-path appeal. Regardless, all have changed—in a big way—in the past three decades. Here are six places around the world you wouldn't have recognized 30 years ago.
15 Best Hotels in Berlin
Your bases of operation to see the new Berlin.
Editor Hotel Recommendations
Hotel Oderberger Berlin$ | Germany, Berlin, Oderberger Strasse 57This hotel's setting is one of the most splendid in Berlin: inside Prenzlauer Berg's landmarked 19th-century public bathhouse.Read full review
Michelberger Hotel$ | Germany, Berlin, Warschauer Str. 39-40No hotel captures the youthful, creative spirit of Berlin quite like this indie hotel.Read full review
Roomers Berlin Steinplatz, Autograph Collection$$ | Germany, Berlin, Steinplatz 4Brigitte Bardot once stayed at this now-renovated 1913 luxury hotel in posh Charlottenburg.Read full review
Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin$$$ | Germany, Berlin, Unter den Linden 77The most glamorous landmark address of all the city’s five-star hotels, and arguably Berlin's best.Read full review
Schlosshotel Berlin by Patrick Hellmann$$ | Germany, Berlin, Brahmsstrasse 10A palatial getaway in leafy and peaceful Grunewald.Read full review
The Hoxton, Charlottenburg$ | Germany, Berlin, Meinekestrasse 18–19A design-forward hotel that invites lingering in its common areas and dining spacesRead full review
Hotel Zoo Berlin$$ | Berlin, Berlin, Kurfürstendamm 25More than a century old, this is one of West Berlin’s poshest stays, with a modern update that makes its rooms all the more covetable.Read full review
The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin$$$ | Germany, Berlin, Potsdamer Platz 3A recently updated tower on bustling Potsdamer Platz inspired by the glam Berlin of the 1920s.Read full review
Orania.Berlin$ | Germany, Berlin, Oranienstraße 40This is the only upscale option in edgy Kreuzberg; if you're a frequent visitor to Berlin and love nightlife, it's ideal for you.Read full review
25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin$ | Germany, Berlin, Budapester Str. 40A renovated 1950s high-rise is home to the Berlin outpost of a hip German hotel chain right near the zoo.Read full review
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Telegraphenamt$ | Germany, Berlin, Monbijoustrasse 11A grand neo-Baroque building that was once housed the most sophisticated postal building in Germany.Read full review
Chateau Royal Berlin$ | Germany, Berlin, Neustädtische Kirchstraße 3This arty but not too-cool-for-school hotel in central Mitte is a fine place from which to reframe the city.Read full review
Waldorf Astoria Berlin$$$ | Germany, Berlin, Hardenbergstrasse 28Modern luxury steps from Ku’damm's upscale shopping, dining, and attractions.Read full review
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The Best Things to Do in Berlin
17 Best Things to Do in BerlinYou'll never be bored in the German capital.
3 Best Day Trips from BerlinWhere to eat, drink, stay—and what to do—in Hamburg, Leipzig, and Potsdam.
10 Best Museums in BerlinThere's more to Berlin than the clubs.
Top 10 Free Things to Do in BerlinThough Berlin’s already one of Europe's most affordable cities, nothing’s cheaper than free—and with that in mind, we’ve handpicked the top 10 free things to do in the city.
8 Best Nightclubs & Nightlife Spots in BerlinGet ready for a night to remember.
Editor Recommendations
Stern und Kreis: CitytourGermany, Berlin, Puschkinallee 15Cruise right through the center of Berlin.Read full review
Berlin CathedralGermany, Berlin, Am LustgartenThis protestant church has been a mainstay of the Berlin skyline across the ages.Read full review
Hamburger Bahnhof—Museum for Contemporary ArtGermany, Berlin, Invalidenstraße 50A zig-zaggy monument to contemporary artRead full reviewPionStudio_4.jpg)
Fotografiska BerlinGermany, Berlin, Oranienburger Str. 54For regularly rotating exhibitions of contemporary photographyRead full review
SisyphosGermany, Berlin, Hauptstraße 15From dawn to dusk and all over again— Berlin's iconic, carnival-esque nightclubRead full review
Topography of TerrorGermany, Berlin, Niederkirchnerstraße 8Even if you’re well-versed in the history of the Nazi movement, this is an essential Berlin visit for everyone to remember these terrors. Aim to set aside at least a couple hours to take it all in.Read full review
Humboldt ForumGermany, Berlin, SchlossplatzAllot as much time as you can—or, better yet, spread your visit out over two or three days.Read full review
TiergartenBerlin's green lung, Tiergarten Park is a leafy 519-acre oasis that was once used as the hunting grounds of Berlin’s rulersRead full review
East Side GalleryGermany, Berlin, Mühlenstraße 3-100Open air gallery along what was once the east side of the Berlin WallRead full review
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of EuropeGermany, Berlin, Cora-Berliner-Straße 1Reflect as you lose yourself in this maze.Read full review
Sammlung BorosGermany, Berlin, Reinhardtstraße 20Hulking five-floor Nazi bunker turned Soviet prison turned nightclub turned art galleryRead full review
Museum IslandGermany, Berlin, Bodestrasse 1-3Berlin's compound of best-in-class museumsRead full review
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East or West: Which Side of Berlin Has the Best Architecture?
Plenty of structures besides the Berlin Wall provide an excellent lens for seeing how two sides of the same city were constructed by different ideologies—here are eight bits of architecture that tell the story of the city's Cold War past.
The Best Places to Eat & Drink in Berlin
19 Best Restaurants in BerlinIn a city long known for its art and club scenes, things on the food front are catching up.- 8 Best Nightclubs & Nightlife Spots in BerlinGet ready for a night to remember.
13 Best Bars in BerlinWhatever setting you fancy to get your evening started—or to wile away an afternoon—Berlin has it. Read on for 13 of the city's best bars, biergartens, and speakeasies.
9 Best Brunch Spots in BerlinThis city's brunch scene feels like a natural part of its rhythm—and appropriately, begins much later than in other places.
8 Best Coffee Shops in BerlinIn the last few years, a swell of chic caffeine chapels has sprouted up faster than you can say "cold-drip brew" and transformed the German capital into something of a third-wave coffee mecca.
Editor Restaurant and Bar Recommendations
Mr. SusanGermany, Berlin, Krausnickstraße 1These might be some of the friendliest bartenders in Berlin.
Buck and Breck$$$This bar has been named the best in Germany, appearing on the World’s Best 50 Bars list for multiple years running.
Clärchens Ballhaus$$On beautiful afternoons and evenings, one of the best places in the city to drink is this lively courtyard biergarten.
Geist im Glas$$Dark and intimate, this spot in Neukölln is one of the city's best places for cocktails.
Pars$$$ | Germany, Berlin, Grolmanstrasse 53Natural wine obsessives who appreciate unique food will feel right at home here.
Happa$$ | Germany, Berlin, Schlesische Strasse 35AHomestyle Alpine Bavarian, by way of vegan, low-waste cooking.
Goldies Smashburger$ | Germany, Berlin, Graefestrasse 93Where two of Berlin's best chefs create what many consider to be the best burger in Berlin.
Lovis$$$ | Germany, Berlin, Kantstrasse 79Beautifully-presented, vegetable-forward contemporary German cuisine, with many ingredients sourced from the nearby Brandenburg region.
Julius$$$ | Germany, Berlin, Gerichtstrasse 31For a place that prides itself on attention to detail in all things, especially its local, sustainable, seasonal cuisine, the vibe is surprisingly casual and laid-back.
Café Frieda$$ | Germany, Berlin, Lychener Strasse 37A sustainable Berlin bistro with notes of Paris and Tokyo.
Golden Phoenix$$ | Germany, Berlin, Brandenburgische Strasse 21This throwback to 1920s Paris seduces with tin ceilings, plush red sofas, black leather chairs, and, of course, the people-watching.
A Day in Berlin
The fertile breeding ground of cutting edge art, fashion, and nightlife, Berlin is quickly becoming the cultural capital of Europe. Filmmakers Audrey Goss and Aaron Zucker take us on a tour of a city that, to borrow a German word, captures the zeitgeist of the 2010s.
More from Berlin
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15 Best Airbnbs in Berlin, From a Houseboat to a Five-Bedroom Penthouse
Whether you're traveling solo, with kids, or in a group, we've found top properties around the city.
Destinations
15 Best Ways to Experience LGBTQ+ Berlin, From Gay Bars to Bookstores
A former resident returns to take stock of the multitudes on offer for queer visitors.
Destinations
Where to Eat, Stay, and See Art in Berlin, Where People Are Tiring of Just Clubbing
A generation after Berlin's reinvention as the after-hours king of Western Europe, the German capital enters a new chapter as a softer-edged city that has settled more fully into its own skin.
Shopping
My Packing List for a 10-Day Trip to Germany
The packing essentials that carried me through Vienna, Munich, and Berlin.
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How to Get Outdoors in Berlin—From Lush Gardens to Swimming Lakes
These urban escapes promise a taste of the countryside.
Places to Stay
My Favorite Airbnb: A Light-Filled Duplex in Berlin's Stately Prenzlauer Berg District
Rented and reviewed: Walls of skylights, two balconies, and a striking spiral staircase made this rental feel like home for one of our editors.
Air Travel
After a Decade of Delays, This Airport Was Completed During COVID-19
Berlin Brandenburg Airport has finally opened its doors—nearly 10 years late, billions over budget, and during a pandemic.
The Latest
Oumi Janta Is Leading a Skating Revolution in Berlin
COVID-19 may have closed the clubs for the summer, but Berliners have found a different way to dance.
The Latest
On the Berlin Wall, Street Artists Are Leaving Coronavirus-Inspired Murals
The beauty is in the impermanence.
The Latest
CNN Pays Tribute to Anthony Bourdain by Airing Last Three Episodes of 'Parts Unknown'
Segments on Berlin, Cajun Mardi Gras, and Bhutan will air to complete the show's 11th season.
Inspiration
Where to Enjoy the German Tradition of 'Kaffee und Kuchen' in Berlin
It means coffee and cake, but there's more to it than that.
Stay Here
Airbnb Is Making a Major Comeback in Berlin
Government officials have softened the city's strict Airbnb regulations, which means more rentals for travelers.
Destinations
Beyond the Basics: Berlin
A complete guide to Berlin, compiled by Condé Nast Traveler editors.
Inspiration
How Berlin Became the World’s Coolest Capital City
The German capital has grown from political pawn to global trendsetter.
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