Berlin Germany Travel Guide [Non-Touristy Things to Do!]
I traveled to Berlin recently. I loved it and I want to break down how you can have an amazing time visiting Berlin. You can check out my YouTube channel to watch my Berlin Vlog and Berlin Travel guide. That way you can see all the places I discuss in this guide. I saved for this trip I paid for this trip. Throwing that out. In the future when I start getting free rooms and food I’ll let you know. Manifesting. But this trip wasn’t the one.
I’m a chill, laid-back traveler. I see a few things but I’m about eating and drinking. You’ve seen enough super touristy travel guides by now. This will be a good supplement for those guides.
Berlin is hipster grunge in the best ways. I found the prices pretty affordable for Europe. Remember I’m coming from Los Angeles so everything might be cheaper for me. If you want to see certain tourist attractions like the Reichstag dome. You must book it way in advance. I’m talking months!
How to get to Berlin?
We flew Lufthansa to Frankfurt and then Frankfurt to Berlin. There wasn’t a direct flight from LA to Berlin. It was a comfortable flight. Dinner and lunch were good. Breakfast was ok. My Dagne Dover personal item did not fit under the seat in front of me during this flight. I still loved it but I had to throw it in the overhead compartment real quick. I would still 100% travel with it though.
From the airport, we couldn’t figure out Uber so we took a taxi. Which cost about 50 euros, the same amount an Uber would have been.
How to get around Berlin?
Getting around Berlin is fairly easy. They have a straightforward metro. Though we walked most places. I love to walk when I’m traveling. You get to see more of the sights and get the lay of the land. The best mode of transportation if you’re up for it is riding a bike. They have a lot of different apps you can use to rent bikes right from your phone. But, the only one that worked for us having an American phone number was Donkey Republic Bikes. You can rent two bikes on one account.
My best tip if you plan on riding bikes is to rent a bike the first day you’re there and jump in. Otherwise, you will see the bike riding and psych yourself out. I found side streets easier to ride when starting out.
It costs us about 3 euro each for 2.5 hours of riding. Not sure if it was a promotion but that’s how much it costs and we used them on two different days.
Our Airbnb
Where to stay in Berlin?
We stayed in the area Kreuzberg. Which I picked for the location. I loved the vibe of the area it had a lot of cute restaurants, shops, bars, and coffee nearby which was fantastic. I would definitely stay here again.
We decided on Airbnb instead of a hotel. When looking for vacation rentals I like natural light, a clean aesthetic, and a view. Our spot in Berlin delivered. If you would like to book the same accommodations you can find the Airbnb here.
It was one bedroom, with a bathroom with a heated towel rack. It had an open-concept kitchen and living room space and a view of the TV Tower. Fair warning, there are a lot of stairs to get to this rental. I say that and I’m sure some of you are like “a few stairs no biggie” because that was me. No, you will hike lots of stairs in Europe for views.
Where to eat in Berlin?
We had an Airbnb and didn't cook any meals while we were there. Here is a rundown of some tasty food you can get while you’re in Berlin. I always make sure where I eat has reviews of 4.0 and higher. I don’t have time for mediocre food while traveling.
Jolesch - Muskauer Str. 1, 10997 Berlin, Germany
Recommended by our Airbnb host. This served Austrian food. We went and scored a table but I do think you should make reservations since it was pretty popular when we went. The menu is always changing. I got the vegetarian dish and my husband got the schnitzel. For dessert, we got an apple strudel. I also tried Lillet cocktail which is a french liquor that I had never tried. If you get the schnitzel ask for some sauce or jam. Later on in the trip, we had more schnitzel and realized that Jolesch was the only place we didn’t get a sauce. And we are a saucy couple.
Markethalle Neun - Eisenbahnstraße 42/43, 10997 Berlin, Germany
If you are indecisive or with a group that can’t make up their mind on where to eat. This Markethalle is a great option. Street food Thursdays are the best day to go and that's when we decided to check it out. They have a lot of different food options and if you’re a foodie that means heaven. We decided on Mani Pasta which had great portions. I got the basil tomato pasta, my husband got Arriabata and I got an Italian soda. Grab a table when you see an opening and let someone in your group order the food.
Zola - Paul-Lincke-Ufer 39-40, 10999 Berlin, Germany
This is a trendy restaurant with a patio that serves Neopolitan-style pizza. If the weather is nice, there is a wait to sit on the patio during dinner. But you can drink in line while you wait. It’s faster to grab a seat inside which is what we did. Still cute vibes. Ordered a beer and the house red wine. I got the Bufalini pizza and my husband got Salami. Both were pretty big and delicious! Some of the best pizza I’ve had.
Cocolo Ramen - Gipsstr. 3, 10119 Berlin Germany
This is a delicious ramen restaurant in Berlin. It’s cute and it hit the spot. If you like ramen I recommend this place. It’s in a cute neighborhood too. I got the Miso Ramen with extra noodles and the cocktail was a yummy honey soda chuhai cocktail. If it has honey I’m going to get it.
Goldies - Oranienstraße 6, 10997 Berlin, Germany
This is a french fry place I had walked by a few times and I had to try it. I love fries and a place dedicated to loaded fries is a must-visit for me. It is a bit of a fast-food or after-bar type of place. The portion was big. I would definitely get these fries again. They were greedy goodness. Again this was a fast-food style place. I’m sure there are places near you that are as good. But it’s nice to have comfort food like this while traveling. Especially if you want to save some money.
From Wurst :) - Ebertstraße, Ecke, Scheidemannstraße, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Located near a lot of tourist attractions - Brandenburg Gate and Tiergarten. We went here for quick currywurst and fries fix. If you’re taking a break from sightseeing and you need a quick snack in the area this is a cool place to get a bite.
Where to get Coffee?
If you love coffee like us then it’s always good to try a few local coffee shops during your travels. Here are two favorites we had while we were visiting in Berlin.
Bonanza - Adalbertstraße 70, 10999 Berlin, Germany
This is part of the third-wave coffee scene in Berlin. Which means they are serving high-quality coffee. This location was fun to go to because it’s a bit hidden but great for some IG photo opportunities. Also, their croissants are fresh and made by a French pastry chef in Berlin. I got a flat white, croissant and pain au chocolate. All delicious. Apparently, they sell out of pastries a lot. So if you see them out order some. My husband got a filter coffee, which we learned was how you ask for “black coffee” if that’s your thing.
Kaffebar - Graefestraße 8, 10967 Berlin, Germany
A trendy hipster coffee shop. They have a lot of gluten-free and vegan options. Cute place started to get a line while we were there so the locals definitely like it. Not the cheapest coffee we got in Berlin. Also got a slice of honey almond lemon cake but cause I couldn’t resist. Glad I did, it hit.
Where to go out?
Let’s get this out of the way. Sometimes I like to go clubbing. But most of the time I’m a true millennial and I like a good bar with some cocktails and good music. We did go out in Berlin but to dope bars and lounges. If that’s your thing here are some favorites I visited.
Cake - Mariannenstraße 27, 10999 Berlin, Germany
Loved this little bar. They had a cool vibe with good music. Sexy atmosphere. Also, there was a stage so I’m assuming they have live music sometimes. The bartender was very friendly. So friendly she offered to make me a drink to see if I liked it. I ended up ordering the Basil Smash Cocktail. It’s a popular choice there and it was delicious.
Fuchsbau - Planufer 96, 10967 Berlin, Germany
This bar serves breakfast and coffee during the day and cocktails and light food at night. We went at night and scored a cozy spot on their patio. The staff was super friendly and it had great vibes and people-watching. They provide blankets too if it gets more chilly and you want to sit outside. Grabbed some beers here.
Die Perle - Reichenberger Str. 47, 10999 Berlin, Germany
This felt very local. Which made us love it even more. I don’t even think the bartender spoke English. We grabbed beers here and enjoyed the music and people-watching of this cool local spot.
Fun things to do in Berlin?
Rent Bikes or Electric Scooters
You want to have a lot of fun on your trip. Rent bikes. You will feel like a local and see so much more than you would if you take the metro everywhere. Plus it’s fun. We used the app Donkey Republic Bikes because it was the only one that worked with our American phone. You can rent two bikes on one account. Unfortunately, I believe Donkey Bikes is only located in Berlin. We didn’t see these again in other cities.
Electric scooters are also a fun option. You can get these through the Uber app which will connect you to lime scooters. You can only rent one scooter through your account though.
Holzmarkt 25
I didn’t put this under “going out” because it’s a fun daytime hangout. This is a great spot when the weather is good so Spring and Summer. This cool market/beer garden is near the Spree River Banks. We loved grabbing beers here and hanging by the water with the locals. We loved it so much that we actually went here twice during our trip. They have beer garden, some food options, and a restroom. I have to say that because it’s nice to know when traveling!
When you get the beer you pay a euro deposit. Then when you return your glass for the day you get the euro back. During your stay when you buy more beer they will rinse and refill the glass you have. One of my favorite spots in Berlin.
Take a Picture in a Photoautomat
These are all around Berlin and other places in Germany (I saw a few in Hamburg). Anyway, make sure to grab a photo in one of these at some point. Some are cleaner and better than others. You will be able to tell. There was one in the Markethalle Neun and next to the Holzmarkt. The photos cost 3 Euro make sure you have the exact change if you can. Otherwise, you won’t get your change back. Also, hold those poses! Once you’re done you have to wait about 5 minutes for your photo to print. You will get one strip.
Visit the Brandenburg Gate
Always good to fit one touristy thing in the mix. Visit the Brandenburg Gate (on the way to Tiergarten). It’s Berlin’s top tourist attraction. It’s very cool to see. A symbol of Berlin and German division during the Cold War, it is now a national symbol of peace and unity.
Tiergarten
From the Brandenburg Gate, it’s a short walk to Tiergarten. A beautiful park that I recommend you ride bikes in. It’s Berlin’s version of Central Park. It’s 210 acres and beautiful. It’s the perfect location to get used to bike riding if you’re intimidated about it. There is a beer garden in the park, it’s called Cafe am Neuen See. We stopped by there and grabbed some beers - Helles and Radler. It’s a very large beer garden with ample seating. There is also a restaurant. You can park your bikes and hang out here for an hour or two.
Tempkof
Another cool park. If you like parks I mean this one is another option to ride bikes in. This was one of the first airports built in Berlin and was operational for 85 years. Now it’s Berlin’s largest urban park spanning 800 acres. For reference Central park is 335 acres. It’s huge but super flat. It’s fun to see because it’s an old runway. However, if pretty parks are more your thing then stick with Tiergarten.
Tiffy Quick Tips
Everyone smokes in Berlin. They will smoke in restaurants and bars. It is what it is.
Spring is a great time to go and enjoy some good weather before it’s packed during summer.
To see more videos on the Millennial lifestyle and travel check out my YouTube Channel.
