Plenty of European cities have history, art and nightlife. So why is Berlin so popular? Pull up a seat and let’s talk about what makes Berlin unique.
- In a rush? Check out our 24 hours in Berlin itinerary for what to do in Berlin in one day.
Why is Berlin so popular?
Berlin. The world seems to love you but I’m not quite sure why. I went, once, and the two of us had a pretty good time. Your Christmas Markets glittered, your Currywurst tickled me pink and the history from your Wall (and the years that surrounded it) seeped deep into my soul. I was tired, almost broken. Searching for missing pieces and finding them in your winter heavy rain.
But I can’t help but notice that others talk about you in a very different way.
“I love Berlin,” they gush whenever I mention your name. “It’s such an exciting city.”
In Toronto, people told me “We want Toronto to be like Berlin. A place people can’t wait to go to.”
And then I understood. Simply put. Berlin is cool.
So why is Berlin so popular? Here’s what locals, both German and not, had to say. Their collection of unique things to do in Berlin, reasons why they find Berlin so special.
What makes Berlin unique?
Freedom
Why is Berlin so popular? For its history and the sense of freedom.
That doesn’t seem quite right, at first, for a city steeped in the history of oppression and ultimate cruelty. Yet that’s what the people who live here say.
To understand, we need to remember firstly that the World Wars and Cold War are not the only history linked to this land. And second, it’s precisely because that history was so bad that people cherish freedom so much now.
As Nuremberg has found its soul with a focus on human rights, so Berlin pursues freedom, design and self-expression with the almost tangible knowledge of just how precious it is.
5 Reasons Berlin is so popular
1) History
Berlin has been at the centre of, arguably, the three biggest conflicts of the 20th century and the evidence is everywhere.
From the fragments of the Berlin Wall to the remnants of Allied Bombs, you can reach out and touch evidence for everything you studied at school.
Plenty of cities have statues of kings on horseback, and Berlin does too, along with beautiful, grand museums. But when it comes to what makes Berlin unique… It’s standing on the ground of where events took place.
2) Remembrance
The second thing that makes Berlin so special is the way the city tackles the issue of remembrance. Plenty of countries have atrocities in their past. But they’re often hushed into the sidelines in favour of pomp and glory.
Not so Berlin.
Museums that catalogue the rise of the Third Reich in the Gestapo Headquarters, for example, are unflinching and free to enter.
The Memorial to Jews Murdered in Europe sits within walking distance of the German government headquarters at the Reichstag.
Heck, even the Reichstag itself has a glass dome to symbolise the transparency required by a government towards its people.
Museums and memorials are free to enter; there is no profit to be made.
3) Reinvention
Why is Berlin so popular? She isn’t stuck in her past.
She remembers and reflects but does not live there forever. In spite of what I’ve written so far, Berlin is not defined by historic monuments and memorials.
Ambitious art, design and music projects take place all year, with creatives actively welcomed through flexible international visa arrangements.
There’s a pulse, a vibe, an energy here and all eyes are on the future, without forgetting the past. It’s Berlin cool.
4) Some Cosy European Culture
For all that’s already been said, Berlin also has some of the highlights of many a European city.
You’ll find rich renaissance and baroque architecture brimming with sculptures, paintings and curious ceramic urns.
Snuggle up with friends at cosy Christmas markets, amid mulled wine, freshly scented wooden ornaments and candy canes.
And in the summer? Head to an outdoor festival with tankards of beer…
Shop at designer shops, boutique shops, international shops and quirky shops.
And taste food from everywhere in the world.
5) A Space to Be You
Berlin is big enough and varied enough to appeal to almost everyone. I mean, seriously appeal to almost everyone, rather than in that commercial, cheesy advert kind of a way.
Want to go clubbing all day and night? Done. Want to painstakingly delve into the past? Museums aplenty. Want to wander from gallery to gallery throughout the day or take a street food tour or feast your eyes on street art?
Done, done and done.
Berlin caters for luxury travellers and budget travellers, with easy public transport and a whole lot of people who can make life easy by speaking the English language.
She packs a serious punch in terms of standing on the world stage in terms of diplomacy and art. And in clubbing all day and all night.
So I’m curious to know. What makes Berlin so special for you?
So, I’m curious to know. What makes Berlin so special for you?
Travel Tips for Germany
- How to spend two days in Cologne
- 21 Surprising and Unusual Things to do in Germany
- The Nuremberg sausage and an unusual story of love
- What was it like to grow up in East Germany?
- How to spend one day in Berlin
Hi Abi!
A cycling tour maybe a good idea to ensure you see (and feel) the main areas of the city. The ‘main’ sights are all relatively close so you could certainly tick them off your list through the day. A Currywurst for breakfast and a Döner for lunch, then, all that’s left is to head to the Berghain for some famous Berliner hedonism. Make those 36 hours count! :).
Yes – I’m liking the sound of a cycling tour. It might keep me warm as well!
Say hi to me while you’re here. What are you here for and why so short on time?
A really short assignment…Would be good to say hi…will drop you a line.
Abi, I think you need to visit in summer to feel the energy everyone is gushing about. Parks and streets are absolutely flooded by people enjoying the outdoors after the kind of cold winter you mention. It’s like one big party, but not a party like a crazy summer festival – more like a lazy summer party in a good friend’s backyard. You’re just there visiting the friend, but you realize that if you lived there, you’d definitely be friends with all of these people, too.
Fall and spring are stand-ins, but winter would be tough unless you’ve been there in a different season previously. However, you can still find a lot to enjoy. Eat at Monsieur Vuong’s – yummy Vietnamese, and the entire street is fun to stroll, with a great coffee shop up the way. Favorite museum is actually The Story of Berlin – best interactive history museum I’ve visited, with a nuclear fallout shelter underneath that eerily tells of how futile their attempts would have been to withstand a nuclear attack (luckily they didn’t know it at the time). The places under the S-bahn near Humbolt are always lively because of the university students, and they’re probably the best ones to help you find the good stuff going on behind closed doors (the ones blocking out the winter chill). Good luck
Thanks Jenna. It’s snow covered right now but the sun is shining! I’ll have to imagine it’s summer – or else follow all these recommendations and come back again in August.