Berlin is an energetic city that thrives on creativity. From exploring eclectic graffiti-covered neighbourhoods to discovering experimental art and music scenes, the city offers alternative experiences that are hard to find anywhere else.
Enjoying a sunset picnic at a former WWII airport or losing yourself in a "no photos allowed" techno club are just some of the cool things you can do in this boundary-pushing city.
Drawing from our own explorations, we’ve curated 10 unique things to do in Berlin that showcase the city’s exciting offbeat experiences that you don't want to miss.
10 Unique Things to Do in Berlin
1. Hunt for bargains and treasures at the Mauerpark Flea Market
We think Mauerpark Market is the best flea market in Berlin. If you’re in the city on a Sunday, it’s the perfect place to spend the day outdoors, browsing hundreds of vendors selling secondhand treasures and unique local finds.
I picked up a vintage Adidas jacket, a beach blanket and earrings, while Ari scored an '80s denim jacket and a watch with a rust-and-stone face.
With plenty of food trucks, you can grab a bite or a beer as you weave through the stalls. The market is set in Prenzlauer Berg, one of Berlin’s hippest neighbourhoods.
Hours: Sunday from 10am - 6pm
2. Enjoy a sunset picnic at a former WWII airport
Tempelhofer Feld is one of Berlin’s most unique public spaces - a former WWII airport turned massive open-air park near the creative hub of Neukölln.
Its history is as layered as the city itself, once an airline factory, a Nazi power symbol, a concentration camp, and a U.S. military base during the Cold War. Today, it’s a place where locals walk, bike and picnic down the old runways.
We spread out a blanket, cracked open a drink, and watched the sun go down. Sitting there on a warm autumn evening, surrounded by so much history, was a surreal experience. We came back three times during our stay!
3. Experience Berlin's raw music scene and dance until sunrise
We are both techno fans and were thrilled to be in the techno capital of the world. Berlin has an incredible nightlife scene with some clubs opening Friday at 11:55pm and closing Monday at 12pm.
Kudos to anyone who has actually partied non-stop that long. The best we managed was a night out until 7:30am the next day.
Once inside, you're given stickers to place on the camera of your phone. No photos allowed! We love this rule. The club is a safe space inside to let loose and dance like a freak if you want to ;)
Door Politics
There are door politics in Berlin and tourists are regularly denied entrance to Berlin's top clubs. Make sure you know the name of the event you're going to and the headlining artist.
Try speaking in German the best you can, even if it's just hello. Berliners tend to wear dark relaxed clothes and shoes you can dance in - no heels and no collared shirts. Most clubs open at midnight and don't get busy until 2am.
Check out our opinion of Berlin's underground club culture.
Authentic clubs in Berlin to check out
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With two main dance floors and an outside garden, this is one of Berlin's best clubs for techno and house music in an intimate and gritty atmosphere.
Salon Zur Wilden Renate
Located in Friedrichshain, the run down apartment building is a play haven with multiple levels and dance floors. Here you'll find a broader range of music and a wild and euphoric atmosphere.
The club holds some of the longest parties in the city and feels like the coolest house party on earth. There is a courtyard outside where you can cool off from sweating on the dance floor.
A head's up: sadly due to financial problems extending their lease, this iconic club open for 18 years will permanently close by the end of 2025. Go while you can to experience this piece of history.
Berghain
Berghain is one of the most legendary clubs in the world, known as the “church of techno” and notorious for its extremely strict door policy.
Housed in a former power plant, the club emerged from Berlin’s underground scene in the early 2000s and became the epicentre of electronic music. It's known for marathon parties, a state of the art sound system, and an anything-goes atmosphere.
If you don’t make it past the bouncers, take it with a grain of salt. Sometimes you get in and sometimes you don't - it's like a lottery. There are plenty of other incredible spots in Berlin that will guarantee an unforgettable night out.
✔️ Top Tip: Check Resident Advisor for upcoming club events in Berlin. Listen to the DJs on their SoundCloud page to get a feel for their style and find the music that resonates with you.
4. Take a dip in a floating swimming pool on the Spree River
Badeschiff, a summertime hotspot on the Spree River
Badeschiff is a summertime hotspot with a sandy beach bar, lounge chairs, and a floating pool set right in the middle of the river.
The pool wasn’t open when we visited in mid-September, but we still enjoyed kicking back in the beach chairs and feeling the sand between our toes. There are also a few hammocks you can snag.
5. Refuel at one of Berlin's quirky brunch spots
After a night out in Berlin, there’s no better way to reset than with a satisfying Berliner brunch. Hearty, healthy and packed with flavour, it’s the perfect way to ease into the day.
Luckily, brunch is served late, so there’s no rush to roll out of bed after a big night. We regularly fuelled up on avocado and hummus toasts, bagels, breakfast bowls, good coffee and smoothies - just what we needed to bounce back.
Cool cafes in Berlin:
Greens Cafe: best for a relaxed ambience
Greens was one of the most visually appealing cafes we visited in Berlin. True to its name, each dish includes something green. Our breakfast was fresh and hearty, and we loved the cozy loft in the back, where you can relax on bean bags and read.
Katie's Blue Cat: best for homemade goods
Our local host recommended Katie's Blue Cat for its coffee and homemade baked goods - think shortbread, scones, pies, and bagels. We had other breakfast plans, but the sight of a fresh basket of bagels changed that instantly.
The smoked salmon and loaded avocado bagel were well worth the detour and paired perfectly with the house-roasted coffee. It's easily one of the cutest cafes in Berlin.
Cafe Pfoetner: best unusual cafe in Berlin
Café Pförtner, tucked away in the up-and-coming Wedding district near the Panke Canal, is one of Berlin’s most unusual cafes. It’s a bit farther from the centre, but worth the trip to see the '70s bus converted into a dining space.
The cafe sits at the entrance of a former bus repair station, which is now filled with artist studios.
6. Bike the East Side Gallery
Biking along the East Side Gallery
We rented our bikes from Rent a Bike 44 located in Neukölln, where a daily bike rental only costs you 6 euros!
The sustainable bike shop restores old bikes and saves them from going into the dump. The bikes we rode had a lot of character but shifted well and did the job. You'll feel like a Berliner riding around the city on one of these.
From the bike shop, we took our bikes up through Tempelhofer Feld and the neighbourhood of Kreuzberg to reach the East Side Gallery in Friedrichshain.
The gallery has over 1 km of murals painted by artists on the remains of the Berlin Wall. We walked with our bikes for most of it to spend time looking at each mural.
7. Explore the artistic neighbourhood of Neukölln
We spent 12 nights in Neukölln and loved every moment of it. Traditionally known as Berlin’s Turkish quarter, the neighbourhood has grown into a hub of creativity, filled with eclectic cafes, restaurants, bars, and a few nightclubs.
The shift came as artists and creatives moved in from Kreuzberg, drawn by rising rents and gentrification next door. We were surprised by just how many quirky spots we stumbled upon while wandering the streets.
Grab a drink and soak in the energy of this eclectic neighbourhood.
Cool bars in Neukolln
Best locals' bar: Fuk;s Bar
Best alternative bar: Syndikat
Best bar for the cocktails: TiER
Best bar for the budget: Any convenience store with a table outside. If you're looking for a non-alcoholic boost try a Club-Mate, a caffeinated yerba-mate type drink popular with the locals.
8. See the Boros art exhibition in a WWII Bunker
The Boros Collection isn’t just an art exhibition - it’s an experience. Housed in a towering WWII-era bunker with a wild and layered past, this private contemporary art collection is as much about the building as the artwork inside.
Over the decades, the bunker has served as a Nazi air raid bunker, a Red Army prisoner-of-war camp, a tropical fruit storage facility, and "the hardest club on earth" for its iconic techno and fetish parties.
In 2003, Christian Boros transformed it into a world-class contemporary art space, showcasing 700 thought-provoking works, many by local artists. The guided tour is packed with fascinating stories, offering a deep dive into both the art and the history of the space.
9. Visit the Berlin Wall Memorial
We didn't know what to expect when visiting the Berlin Wall Memorial. If you don't know your history (like us) you might even think that the wall in Berlin separated the country - it didn't.
To get caught up on what happened in Berlin we watched a few history documentaries and checked out this Google map of the old wall.
It was crazy to think that people lived so closely but so differently up until 1989. We went to see it and continued to wonder how it shaped people's lives in Berlin today.
The Berlin Wall Memorial is an eye-opening outdoor exhibition that brings history to life. Giant steel columns, preserved wall segments, guard towers, and memorials for those who lost their lives stand alongside large-format photos from the era, showing exactly how this street once looked.
Standing beside the existing buildings, you can vividly imagine the wall in front of you, dividing the city as it did for decades. It’s a powerful and sobering experience.
10. Eat dinner along the canal
We walked along the beautiful canals and stopped in at Freischwimmer, a restaurant right along the forested waterway. We enjoyed the nature and ordered some drinks, flatbreads and roasted pork.
There are many restaurants along the canal bank to choose from and a day/nightclub called Club Der Visionaere. Make sure you know the name of the event or who's playing!
We hope you enjoyed these 10 unique things to do in Berlin!
See what it was like in our Berlin vlog.
Bonus: Our top hotel picks in Berlin
Start planning your trip to Berlin
- 🛏️ Accommodation: Booking.com is our go-to for finding places to stay. Sort by top reviewed.
- 🤠 Browse tours: with Viator or GetYourGuide.
- 🛫 Book your flight: use Skyscanner to compare flights across different airlines (we recommend booking direct with the airline however).
Planning a trip to Europe? If you liked these unique things to do in Berlin, you may also like the alternative and creative capitals of Amsterdam, Tbilisi, Budapest or Helsinki:
- 2 Day Amsterdam itinerary with local hot spots
- 13 Unique things to do in Tbilisi, Georgia
- Fun-filled 2 Day Budapest Itinerary
- 2 Days in Helsinki for food, design & culture
Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out our list of Unique Cultural Experiences to Inspire Your Next Trip
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