If it’s your first time visiting Berlin, know this: it’s grungy.

Compared with the rest of Western Europe, Berlin is light on creature comforts, it isn’t picturesque, and the locals aren’t keen on making your day (or meeting you at all, tbh).

Think about Berlin’s past and you’ll see why. The city endured massive suffering as the frontline of two of the 20th century’s biggest conflicts: World War II and the Cold War.

But Berlin’s rough past gave it resilience, adaptability, and fierce originality, and those qualities make it the most interesting place in Europe today.

There’s a lot lying beneath the surface in Berlin. Ditch the Michelin stars for cheap neighborhood eats + drinks (my favorites are below), ditch the central tourist district for the areas along the Ring (especially in the East), and ditch the idea of going to bed at a remotely reasonable time if you want to see the city really come to life.

You can’t appreciate Berlin the way you’d appreciate Paris, Rome or Barcelona. The city isn’t going to charm you, or make you feel at ease. But Berlin will challenge your comfort zone, push your boundaries, and in its own way — it’ll love you back.

Here’s a few big boxes to check — because despite all it’s been through, Berlin is still the capital of Europe’s most powerful country, and it does have some impressive, important attractions.

Berlin’s one big gift to tourists (and locals) is that like 80% of the worthwhile-but-touristy stuff is all compressed into one central area.

On Museum Island, you’ll find the Berlin Cathedral, Alte Nationalgalerie, Altes Museum, Pergamon Museum, Deutsches Historisches Museum, Humboldt Forum, TV Tower and plenty more.

If you ask me, the first three are the best (and I can’t speak to the last two at all) but you might as well get a Museum Pass and knock it all out in a day — then get to really exploring.

The seat of Germany’s Bundestag (Parliament), the Reichstag building is super impressive, has a fascinating history, and the spiral walkway up its transparent dome is (like Germany itself) gorgeous and informative.

Worth doing, and swing by the nearby Brandenburg Gate for a look (that’s pretty much all you can do, it’s just a big gate) then check out the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and walk through the Tiergarten if it’s sunny.

The most famous stretch of the Berlin Wall still standing. It’s covered in murals that are alternately political, spiritual, abstract or just straight up weird. It’s totally free to visit.

If it’s summertime, I recommend starting on the Warschauer Straße side and finishing with a drink + bite at Holzmarkt, one of the city’s best riverside hang spots. If it’s colder, start at Ostbahnhof, then walk toward Warschauer, across the Oberbaum Bridge, and into Kreuzberg.

Some Foursquare lists of my favorite places — I keep these super up-to-date.

(Tip: Use Foursquare’s Map View to get your bearings.)

Let’s get this out of the way: Never been to Berghain, sorry! 🤓

If your idea of “clubbing” involves bottle-service, velvet ropes, etc, drop those notions in Berlin. Clubs here are a more egalitarian kind of cultural experience.

That means no dressing up, no phone cameras allowed, and no guarantee you’ll be let in the door.

To get in, you should be quiet, be sober, and be humble. Don’t be in a huge group, dress very casually, and don’t get in line without knowing why or what you’re getting in line for.

Once you’re in, have fun, be nice, keep your wits about you. Parties usually go for 12+ hours, some go as long as 3 days.

I’m old now + not a big clubgoer these days. But I’m still a big dance music fan (+ hobbyist DJ), and will go out now and then, especially if an artist I know is playing or if the vibes call for it.

For my (aging millennial) money, the best places to go out dancing are Sisyphos, Heideglühen, Paloma Bar, Monarch, OHM. About://blank and Wilde Renate are both hit-or-miss.

Check Resident Advisor for what’s on, and if you need advice, ask me.

My neighborhood. Clubs aside, it’s otherwise always just below the hype radar, and has an intensely local feel + pride.

Head to "Boxhagener Platz", especially if it’s Saturday or Sunday (markets!) and just walk around the nearby streets. Hip shops, cafes, bars. If you want that rarest of delicacies- real authentic/old-fashioned Berlin food- hit Fleischerei Domke on Warschauer Str. – not for vegetarians.

RAW Gelände by the river is worth a wander too. It gets rowdy when it’s dark — good place to glimpse Berlin’s nightlife energy, even if you don’t partake.

The neighborhood that gave Berlin its reputation. Cool before the rest of the town was cool.

Start at the Warschauer Str train station and walk south over the "Oberbaumbrücke" (bridge), then walk below the elevated train line through Schlesisches Tor, Görlitzer Bahnhof, Kottbusser Tor.

Swing down some side streets and discover random shops, bars, etc. Then turn south and follow the Landwehr Canal for a bit, or head over to Gräfekiez for a classy/green feel.

Recommend doing this with a cheap beer from the späti (bodega/late night shop) in hand for the full Berlin simulation experience.

Ground Zero for hipster hype, and the place to go if you want to dive into Berlin’s multicultural ethos headfirst.

Start up in Kreuzkölln by the Schönleinstr. U-Bahn stop and walk south to Hermannplatz. Then either choose Weserstraße and follow it the whole way south, or swing up through Reuterkiez and Schillerkiez, two vibey areas with a ton of good food. Stop by Tempelhofer Feld, then head south toward Rixdorf (Neukölln’s cute historical bit).

Tons to discover, just follow your nose. Get baklava if you need a boost.

As nice as it gets in the East! I worked in this area for 4 years. P-Berg’s for the upscale-expat-stroller-organic crowd, but it’s very green, picturesque, and has fantastic food.

I’ve found that businesses here particularly know how to cater to international customers/visitors, so if you need a break from Berlin’s raw grunge and grumpy demeanor, a day wandering around here is a day well-spent.

Start at Eberswalder Straße, check out Mauerpark (especially if it’s Sunday), then head over to Helmholtzkiez + Kollwitzkiez and ogle at the pretty buildings that somehow survived WWII.

My first love — where I lived as a study abroad student. The joke is that Wedding’s always been up-and-coming, but it’s never arrived.

My favorite areas are Leopoldplatz and the Sprengelkiez. Both are great for a wander. A few points of interest: Silent Green, a former crematorium that’s now a cultural center + concert spot, and Eschenbräu, my favorite biergarten + local brewery in the whole city, hidden in a courtyard behind a student dorm. Authentic as it gets <3

For two very hidden, very picturesque ways back to downtown, find the Panke river and follow the path by the stream all the way to Chausseestraße, or the path along the Nordhafen canal that goes through the Invalidenfriedhof (veterans cemetery) to Naturkundemuseum.

It's very worth it to make a trip out to Teufelsberg if you have time. Former NSA radar station built on a giant landfill built on a former Nazi military college. The biggest/coolest outdoor graffiti installation ever. Worth the 8 euros and the hike.

If you have a lot of time to spare, go even further out to Brandenburg and explore some abandoned stuff. The most amazing spot I've been to (by far) is the Chemiewerk Rüdersdorf. Abandoned Berlin is a good blog with directions.

The Brandenburg countryside’s nice too. Really depends on the weather, time of year, and what you’re looking for. The spas of Bad Saarow and Gut Klostermühle are both excellent, and day-trippable from Berlin.

If you need more tips…