24 hours in Berlin
– What to see, to do, to eat, to shop & to sleep –
Last week I did a whirlwind weekend trip to Berlin. Yes, only for a weekend. But I had a full 24 hours and it was my mission to tick everything off my check list. Quite the challenge, but hey, that’s the way I do it. Berlin is massive and has too many hip and cool places to choose from so I’ve put this 24 hour guide together to help you navigate your way around Berlin with no hiccups.
Just a little side note before I get started with all those addresses; the shining sun does make Berlin just a tad more fun. People are always harping on about Berlin being a grey and gritty city and now I have seen for myself that the sun makes it all that cozier. But, if you find yourself in the right neighborhoods there is absolutely not a speck of somberness to be seen. Okay, that said, first check out these treasures. If you come by car, your point of entrance will lead you to the Siegessäule, the Victory Column. Driving further you’ll come across the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Cathedral and the television tower (hosting the best view of the city). Don’t forget to open the sun roof so you can enjoy a bit of that sun and get a better look at all the tall buildings…. if you’re the passenger that it. To get a glimpse of the Berlin Wall you need to drive a bit further, but it is well worth it; not only because of its history but also the amazing creativity. Even though it’s hugely touristed it is easy enough to park just across from the wall.
Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg neighborhoods are the places to see and be seen. Mitte is the most hip district with all the usual city regulars, but you’ll also find fine stores such as COS, & Other Stories, Denham and 14oz. You will also find concept stores like Type Hype. Prenzlauer Berg is up there too, but it is more a family neighborhood. Sounds dull, but it’s not. From early in the morning, coffee time, the terraces are already pumping. It is also fun to just drive through the neighborhoods and take inspiration from the houses and little buildings. The parks are great and be prepared for plenty of rubber necking. The people are totally hip (think cool dressed fashion girls). Kreuzberg is the district centered around the Berlin Wall. Colorful, a mix of different cultures and very worldly. On face value it may not be the first district that you’d choose to get out into, but for socializing and nightlife, it is absolutely worthwhile.
Food, yes, that’s a thing. Plan enough time for eating out because Berlin offers so much in the way of coziness and yumminess. I’ll give you a few addresses to help you get through the 24 hours.
breakfast:
KAFFEEMITTE. Here you can choose from a light breakfast with fresh fruit or you can go for the aniti-hangover menu where omelettes are their specialty. The plates are full to overflowing, everything is farm-fresh and looks deliciously colorful. You can eat your hangover away.
coffee:
The Barn is the place to get your coffee. In true German style the design of all coffee packaging and cups are graphically über cool and the beans are ethically sourced and locally roasted. This is where the locals swing by to grab their coffee, but the bean bags outside are so enticing that you will want to hang there to fully enjoy your cup of coffee.
Lunch:
It is often full to the brim but for a good salad (the quinoa salad was truly scrumptious) go to Café Oliv on the corner in Mitte. Tourists sit inside, so take your salad and join the locals outside on the windowsill.
dinner:
Evening dining is done at NENI Berlin. You’ll find it on the roof of the 25hours Hotel with a view of the monkeys in the zoo. You eat a mix of Arabic, Moroccan and Turkish cuisine that come in to the table on shared mezze style plates. Then of course you roll yourself straight out of NENI and into the Monkey Bar.
ice cream:
It is pretty amusing to get an ice cream from California Pops in Berlin. It looks like a whole-in-the-wall fast food joint, but instead of hotdogs and fries they sell super fresh popsicles and ice creams. Made from the freshest fruits; melon, mango or raspberry. An ice cream has never been so healthy.
cocktails:
So by now you have no doubt swung into the Monkey Bar. Also on the roof of the 25hours Hotel and also overlooking the monkeys. Makes sense. And what is on the menu? Cocktails with the most hysterically cool names (think hipster, think monkeys and think the craziest combinations).
Mitte is the shopping mecca where you can find everything you need to fill the trunk. And believe me, you need a lot of shops to be able to do that. There are the must-do’s like COS and & Other Stories, as well as 14oz., from the founders of Bread & Butter. A place where all the fine brands gather. Step outside into the surrounding streets and there’s plenty more fun to find. R.S.V.P. Mitte is a sweet shop to buy greeting cards, labels, and tapes (a must-do for the creatives out there). Type Hype is another shop where you want everything from off their shelves. Here you’ll find materials, posters, prints and designs from Berlin graphic artists, renowned for their cool work and style. Just punch all the addresses into the navigation system, set your route, and you’ll be led from one street to the next. Couldn’t be easier.
After eating at NENI Berlin and probably following that with a few Monkey Slushies or King Kong cocktails at the Monkey Bar, it’s probably not so responsible to drive home. Luckily you don’t have to. Just check into the 25hours Hotel. This is by far the coolest hotel I shave ever slept in. The rooms are stylishly hip, the beds are super comfy and it is run by hipsters so you never actually really want to go to your room. And to top it all off, the next morning you walk out and find yourself standing in the middle of concept store heaven: Bikini Berlin. So if time permits, you might be able to squeeze in an hour or two to find some more hot Berlin items to fill the backseat of the car.
