Anna Geary-Meyer

Berlin has never been particularly interested in behaving herself. This is a city  that turns abandoned airfields into playgrounds, a trip to the shops into a free open air street party, a lake trip into naked frolicking, and an innocent beer at a cornershop into clubbing among strobe lights and smoke. Then there are the flea markets,  galleries, cinemas and more history than you could hope to get your head around in three decades – let alone on a three-day trip.   But while she might be a tough one to crack at first, that’s where the insider knowledge comes in. From the obvious must-dos to the places Berliners spend their weekends, here’s how to get lost in the city where anything goes.   The best things to do in Berlin, at a glance: 👨🏾‍👩🏾‍👧🏾‍👦🏾 Best for families: Postdam 🍛 Best for foodies: Thaipark 📚 Best for history buffs: Reichstag 😎 Best for solo travellers: Guided tours 🧘 Best for relaxation: Vabali Spa 👯 Best for friend groups: Street festivals 📍 RECOMMENDED: Ultimate guide to things to do in Berlin  This guide was updated by Berlin-based writer Kate Bettes. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

For a city known for such creativity, Berlin’s art world isn’t particularly showy. Unlike Europe’s grander capitals, the artistry of 2025 feels more grassroots, with a DNA shaped by rejecting convention and raw industrial spaces that artists made their own in the nineties. While today it might be light years beyond the cheap, radical artistic playground Berlin was when the dust was still rising from the fall of the Wall, its unruly streak isn’t going anywhere. Instead, she maintains her edge with art that remains experimental, contemporary and constantly prods at society’s expectations.  From graffitied walls and BDSM photography to WWI bunkers and cavernous breweries, here’s our guide to the best art museums and galleries in Berlin. The best art museums and galleries in Berlin, at a glance: 🖼️ Best for contemporary art: KINDL - Centre for Contemporary Art 🌇 Best for street art: East Side Gallery 📍 Best for local art: DAADGalerie 🧑‍🎨 Best for new artists: BQ Berlin 😎 Coolest mix of art and history: Sammlung Boros Anna Geary-Meyer and Kate Bettes are writers based in Berlin. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

This list is from 2025. Our latest ranking for 2026 is live here. People who don’t live in cities will tell you they’re busy, lonely and expensive places. But there’s a reason so many people choose to live in them: with world-class art and culture, unbeatable food and nightlife, buzzing neighbourhoods and a dizzying amount of stuff to do and see, there’s simply no better place to be.  Every year, we take the pulse of city living by quizzing thousands of locals across the planet about life in their hometowns. This year, more than 18,500 city-dwellers shared their insights on everything from food, nightlife and culture to affordability, happiness and the overall city vibe. When urban living can sometimes feel isolating and costly, this year we wanted to get a sense of what, exactly, makes a city feel like home. Sure, the nightlife is great, but is the city safe and walkable? Is good quality food and art available at a reasonable price? Is it easy to make friends, find love, and access nature?  Livability was a key factor in our ranking this year. But a great city to live in is, naturally, a great city to visit. So, along with the thousands of responses from locals around the world, we asked Time Out’s global network of city experts to vote on the places they think are particularly exciting right now. After crunching all that data, here we are: Time Out’s definitive ranking of the world’s best cities in 2025. Read on to see how your hometown fared… RECOMMENDED:🛍️ The coolest n

When you picture a classic Christmas market, it’s likely you’re thinking of Germany. In fact many of our Christmas traditions are actually German (including the Christmas market itself), as well as advent calendars, gingerbread houses and even ol’ Sankt Nikolaus. Every German city has its own yearly Weihnachtsmarkt, while bigger cities like Berlin have multiple pop up all over the place. But all of them are very special places to be, specialising in food, drink or local bits for gifting. Wherever you’re based this Christmas, here’s the full lowdown on Germany’s festive markets. Ho ho ho! Germany’s best Christmas markets at a glance 🔔 Most traditional: Striezelmarkt, Dresden 🎠 Most unique: Santa Pauli, Hamburg 🎅 Most famous: Christkindlesmarkt, Nuremberg 🎡 Most special features: Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin 📍 RECOMMENDED: Discover the best Christmas markets in Europe At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Berlin is one of the modern world’s most important cities, a place whose reputation routinely sees it top bucket lists and best-ofs alike, as people from all over the world head here to see the famous buildings, explore the incredible museums and overindulge in Europe’s most exciting nightlife scene. In short: Berlin is a city that does it all, in a way that’s utterly unique. On this list, you’ll find a hit-list of the absolute top attractions in the city. No hidden gems, just brilliant activities and things to see in Germany’s capital. If you’re looking for curated, off-the-beaten-track recommendations, head to our guide to Berlin’s best things to do instead.  📍 Our essential guide to what to do in Berlin Anna Geary-Meyer is a writer from Berlin. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

If you’re in Berlin, it’s likely you’re here for at least a bit of a good time. After all, you’re literally in the party capital of Europe, so even if you’re not cut out for the clubs, a bit of partying is mandatory. Luckily, there’s a middle ground before you have to queue eight hours for Berghain (and likely not get in anyway). And that’s one of Berlin’s many, many bars.  From glitzy cocktail bars to grotty dive pubs, Berlin is a hub for the strange, the wonderful and a little bit of the ordinary too. Of course, a whole lot of them are found in Mitte, one of Berlin’s trendiest neighbourhoods, but there’s plenty across Kreuzberg, Neukölln and more. The nightlife here is unmatched, so you’re guaranteed to love these great bars in Berlin.  RECOMMENDED:🪩 The best clubs in Berlin💃 The best nightlife spots in Berlin🏘️ The best Airbnbs in Berlin🏨 The best hotels in Berlin This guide was recently updated by Kate Bettes, a writer based in Berlin. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

Somehow, when it comes to accommodations, Berlin remains one of the most affordable European cities, with the average room price just over one hundred euro per night. Especially with advance booking, it’s possible to score a perfectly lovely and well-located hotel room below this average. While hugely popular nowadays, apartment sharing isn’t as cheap as it once was, and you could find yourself negotiating recycling laws with the neighbors in broken German. You might want to skip the party hostels, too—there’s plenty of that in places where you aren’t trying to sleep—and opt to recharge your batteries after a day of graffiti-gazing in a cheerful room of your very own at the very best cheap hotels in Berlin. What to do with all that extra cash? Plenty: eat traditional German foods at the best restaurants town, meet the locals at neighbourhood bars, tour the city’s top attractions properly and more. Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.  

This city sure knows how to have fun – and the very best annual events in Berlin reflect that. From kitsch carnivals to international film celebrations, there’s always something big, bright and brash going on in this madcap town. While it’s true the German capital has typically forgone high-profile happenings for more DIY efforts, in recent years Berlin has warmed to the idea of international recognition. Contemporary art festivals like Transmediale and Berlin Art Week now draw appreciative crowds from Europe and beyond. And ever heard of the Berlinale? If drinking in the sunshine among over-excited crowds isn’t your bag, you may well want to avoid the city between May and August, when there seems to be some kind of street festival every weekend. But if it is? Then alongside the endless succession of excellent bars, restaurants and attractions, this city’s going to spoil you. So go ahead and coincide your trip with one of these brilliant events… then come straight back for the next.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best things to do in Berlin

Cuando visites Berlín en los meses de verano, es fácil pasar todo el tiempo en la calle, ya sea haciendo un pícnic en alguno de los numerosos parques de la ciudad, descansando junto a los lagos de los alrededores o tomando una cerveza fría. Pero eso no significa que el invierno sea un mal momento para visitar la ciudad. De hecho, te sentirás mucho más atraído por el rico paisaje cultural de Berlín, desde los pilares de la Isla de los Museos hasta la Berlinale, sin olvidar los mercados locales y los museos. Y si está oscuro la mitad del día de todos modos, no hay nada de malo en quedarse en Berghain, el mejor club de la ciudad, hasta el día siguiente. ¿Tal vez reservar dos viajes? Es posible que lo necesites una vez que hayas leído nuestra lista de las mejores cosas que hacer en Berlín. ¿Has hecho algo en esta lista y te ha encantado? Compártelo con el hashtag #TimeOutDoList y etiqueta @TimeOutEverywhere. También, descubre cómo selecciona Time Out las mejores cosas para hacer en todo el mundo.

What’s the vibe? Local Kreuzberg lad done extremely well, Tim Raue is a bit of a legend round these parts; his flagship has found itself on the World’s 50 Best once again, and he’s retained his two Michelin stars. His main restaurant is sleek and decorated with delicate Chinese pottery and dark wood furniture, sitting just 30.  While many of Berlin’s fine dining establishments follow the traditional French service dictum, here they pride themselves on informality, the front of house staff sporting jeans and trainers (the kitchen even has a TV mounted in the corner for football fans in the kitchen). None of this detracts from the exacting dishes.   What are the prices like? The two six-course tasting menus come in at €292, the vegan at €248. It’s a splurge, for sure, but the food here showcases Raue’s fusion style: far east meets west on the former borderland of Berlin.  What should I order? The tasting menu with wine pairings, of course. Just close your eyes when the bill comes. Think wagyu beef goulash, sprat and caviar, chicken fricassée with black truffle. There are signature specials too which can be incorporated into either tasting menu, like the Wasabi Langoustine and the Duck ‘Marie-Anne’.  This guide was fact-checked and updated in 2024.  📍 Discover the best things to do in Berlin