Get to know the Berlin that locals know
One thing is clear: Berlin has many different faces.
So you think you’ve discovered Berlin? Perhaps you’ve taken selfies in front of the Brandenburg Gate, been to see Nefertiti and enjoyed the view of the capital from the TV tower.
Then it’s time for a different side of Berlin: its twelve boroughs. Get out and explore the districts and neighbourhoods. Twelve different faces, different stories, undiscovered places and a side of the city you’ve never seen before – but still unmistakably Berlin!
Our Going Local Berlin app is a great way to explore the city’s neighbourhoods.
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Reinickendorf? Treptow-Köpenick? Is that Berlin? Of course it is! The twelve boroughs of Berlin are what give the capital city its character.
The glorious variety of all the different boroughs has grown: every neighbourhood, known in Berlin as a Kiez, has been shaped by its own characteristic history – Charlottenburg in the west by the rich industrial pioneers of the 19th century, or Marzahn in the east with its typical East German socialist architecture.
Berlin’s boroughs include old industrial areas that have become thriving cultural centres, as well as sleepy villages, busy markets and arcades, and endless green landscapes, rivers and bathing lakes. But above all it’s the people who live there that make each neighbourhood unique. Just sit in the sun outside the cafés and restaurants and immerse yourself in the world of Berlin’s local neighbourhoods, far from the hectic pace of the metropolis. Have a look here:
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Or for a fascinatingly different take on life in Berlin, expand your horizons by going local in Berlin’s 12 districts and exploring the diverse neighbourhoods. But no matter how varied the city’s neighbourhoods are, they all share that special Berlin feeling and sense of freedom.
For your summer in Berlin
Summer is here, so it’s the perfect time to experience Berlin again! Here are our best offers for everyone who already has a public transport ticket. Have some unforgettable experiences with the Berlin WelcomeCard - Summer Edition – your perfect companion in Berlin. For just 9 euros, the Summer Edition of the Berlin WelcomeCard gives you from 25% to 50% off on tickets and attractions at over 180 partners throughout Berlin and Potsdam for 72 hours. If you want a little more culture, you can get the Discount Card including Museum Island.
The center of Berlin is one thing above all: pure culture! Around the new Humboldt Forum you will find many historical top sights, but also the other neighborhoods in the heart of the city will surprise you - with life culture. Get to know Mitte, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Neukölln and Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.
West Berlin fascinates with clear waters, vast green landscapes and lively city life. Discover the lakes and cycle paths in Spandau and Steglitz-Zehlendorf, enjoy the shop culture in Tempelhof-Schöneberg or cultural walks in Reinickendorf.
The neighbourhoods in Berlin's east follow one rule: no two are alike! Whether you discover the castle of Frederick the Great's wife in cool Pankow, experience the "real slab" in Marzahn-Hellersdorf, visit Europe's largest zoo in Lichtenberg or sail across the water in Treptow-Köpenick.
Enjoy our exclusive hotel deal – and get one night for free! Simply decide how long you want to stay:
Book 3 nights and only pay for 2 or book 4 nights and only pay for 3.
This deal always includes breakfast as well as the Berlin Welcome Card for your Berlin city break!
And one more thing before we start: are you looking for a detailed sightseeing programme? You won’t need one to explore Berlin’s districts. Just do whatever you want: wander through the side streets, take a look at the art scene or choose your favourite food from the huge range available in the city’s neighbourhoods.
Whether you want to climb the steps of a mediaeval tower or descend into Berlin’s underground world – get out to the districts and discover Berlin twelve times over!
You can find out more about they city’s neighbourhoods with our Going Local Berlin app.
Tickets for your visit in the neighbourhood
Have you already seen all the main sights of Berlin? Experienced a piece of world history at the Berlin Wall or got an impression of what life was like under dictatorship in the GDR Museum? The twelve boroughs of Berlin tell the capital city’s story in more detail. In the local neighbourhoods you often stumble across remnants of history and authentic stories. You might be walking through a manor park and suddenly see a piece of the Berlin Wall, and not far away come across the rusting remains of the old border fortifications.
And what you can see in the GDR Museum, you can hear about first hand if you go to the neighbourhoods: discover a flat with the original East German furnishings in a tower block in Hellersdorf. Or you can see the furnished offices of the East German leaders in a Baroque palace in Pankow.
We have tourist tips for every borough in Berlin!
And another tip: The U5 underground line connects several districts from Mitte to Lichtenberg and Marzahn-Hellersdorf with many exciting sights and hidden places.
You have already discovered a lot, but still have a little time left? Visit more sights and attend more events.
