Foreword

Berlin is slowly entering adulthood. If that means that major construction sites such as the airport or the Humboldt Forum finally get completed, then we’re all for it.
If it suggests the city is growing dull, expensive and intolerant, then not so much. And that’s where you enter the equation: Come to Berlin! We need lots of young people so that Berlin remains young, open-minded and tolerant; a city of opportunities and freedom.

The Prussian King Frederick II was privy to this (“everyone is free to pursue his own happiness …”). The entire world bore witness 30 years ago, when the wall crumbled following a peaceful revolution. To this day, Berlin remains true to its identity: regardless of your nationality or religious / sexual ­orientation, everyone is tolerated – at the very least – and even considered welcome by most Berliners.

The guide kicks off with a historic overview, followed by different ways to discover the city. Then we ­examine the cultural aspects of Berlin before heading into the minutia of places and scenes.

Every Kiez (neighborhood) has ist own individual way-of-life in Berlin. To avoid getting lost, we’ve included Kiez maps with the most interesting streets highlighted. If you follow these routes by foot (or by bike), you’ll definitely get a good feel for the area without unnecessary detours.

And finally, we cap things off with several wonderful excursion trips in the sections “Around the edges and beyond” and “Potsdam today”.

No matter whether the bike (or electric scooter) is yours, shared or borrowed, our Kiez tours and excursions are now also on www.young-berlin.de, as a gpx download and at komoot, Europe’s No. 1 outdoor adventure app, with stress-free voice navigation and one-click offline maps.

Our app Young Berlin also has some brand-new features. Check it out. That way you’re always up to date and equipped with even more tips for day and night. The content is constantly being updated. If you have ideas about what we can do better, please let us know. We look forward to your suggestions.

Urban sketching – a lovely way to (re)discover the city with pen and paper. The cover art is by Marisa Kirko and the other works were provided by Urban Sketchers Berlin. Learn more on Page 2.

Welcome to Berlin!

Martin Herden