Deciding on an area where to stay in Berlin for first time visitors can be quite difficult, as it is one of the largest cities in the world with an area of almost 900 square kilometers and 45 kilometers from end to end.
Although Mitte is the district where you first look for to book a hotel is not necessarily the best option for everyone, depending on what you are looking for, whether it is visiting the most famous monuments, shopping, seeing the most alternative Berlin, enjoying its intense nightlife, or staying in a quiet and green area, you should choose one area or another.
The best areas to stay in Berlin
The most recommended areas for to stay in Berlin are in Mitte, which is the city center, and in several surrounding neighborhoods such as Charlottenburg, Tiergarten, Schöneberg, Kreuzberg, or Prenzlauer Berg.
Mitte is the most demanded area.However, the other neighbourhoods can be a very good option, or even better, depending on what you are looking for for your stay in the German capital.
Berlin is a city with a lot of history, and with neighbourhoods with a lot of personality that have very interesting things to see and experience.here are the best areas to book your hotel.
1.Mitte
Mitte is the central section of the old East Berlin.Before the war and the division of the city, it was the center of Berlin . After the reunification it recovered its former importance to such an extent that many tourists never visit the western side of the city.
Being the oldest and most historical part of Berlin , Mitte has numerous cultural attractions and more and more restaurants, clubs, shops and art movements.If you really want to be where the action is, stay in Mitte.
At its western end is the Potsdamer Platz and the Brandenburg Gate.
This boulevard houses palaces and monuments of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and it also contains two of the three most important opera houses in the city as the Staatsoper Unter den Linden and the Komische Oper.
In this district is also located the Museum Island (Museumsinsel) , declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, and where are 5 of the most important museums in Berlin.On the eastern edge of Unter den Linden sits the colossal Berlin Cathedral These are just a few of the things you can find in this area.
Within Mitte there are several distinct areas to book hotel in Mitte are Friedrichstrasse, Alexanderplatz, the Brandenburg Gate, and Potsdamer Platz.
– Accomodation in Mitte
2.Friedrichstrasse
Friedrichstrasse is the most important shopping street in Berlin You will find the main international brands, boutiques, and many luxury shops, and there are many restaurants, and it is known for its theatres.
It,s a good area to stay in Berlin although the accommodation offer consists almost exclusively of expensive hotels The cheapest options in this area are near Checkpoint Charlie
– Accommodation in Friedrichstrasse
3.Alexanderplatz
Alexanderplatz is one of the most famous squares in the city, completely destroyed during the Second World War and rebuilt during the Soviet era in a very communist style.
A short distance from the square, south of it and near the river Spree, is the charming neighborhood of St. Nicholas The neighborhood has taverns and restaurants on the river that make it an ideal place for lunch or dinner, and for a fun walk.
– Alexanderplatz accommodation
4.Brandenburg Gate
This area is home to two Berlin icons such as the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag , the building that houses the German Bundestag (the German Parliament).It is also the seat of many ministries, institutions, and embassies.
It is one of the most elitist and expensive areas of the city.
At the Brandenburg Gate you are in an elegant and clean area , very central and well connected , which allows you to enjoy all that Mitte has to offer as well as being able to relax and stroll through Tiergartenpark.
– Accommodation near the Brandenburg Gate
5.Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz is another popular area for to stay in Berlin It is the most important financial and commercial district of the city and is home to many companies, offices and large shopping centers is an area that is close to everything, very lively and with many leisure options .
– Accommodation at Postdamer Platz
6.Tiergarten
The area known as Tiergarten includes the huge Tiergartenpark which is the green lung of Berlin , and a residential and business district of the same name located near the Bahnhof Zoo.
It is a very central area which borders Mitte.At its eastern end is the famous Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag (the German Parliament building).
Tiergarten has such interesting tourist attractions as the Kulturforum , which houses the Berlin Philharmonie, the famous Gemaldegalerie (Painting Gallery), the Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery), and other museums. is also home to the Berlin Zoo, and the emblematic Victory Column.
– Accommodation in Tiegarten
7.Charlottenburg
The Charlottenburg district is the richest and most commercial district in the western part of Berlin The famous Ku’Damm Boulevard runs through this elegant district and you will find one of the highest concentration of hotels, elegant restaurants, theatres, cafés, discos, shops and shopping centres.
This part of the city is home to the Charlottenburg Palace with its beautiful gardens, and nearby museums such as the Bröham Museum and the Berggruen Sammlung, and the Deutsche Oper Berlin (German Opera House Berlin), one of the three most important opera houses in Berlin.
It is an excellent choice for to stay in Berlin for a number of reasons: it is an elegant, clean, safe , with plenty of possibilities of leisure and is excellently connected to Mitte .
Charlottenburg has a good offer of accommodation, there are quite a few luxury hotels , but also a good number of affordable hotels and some guesthouses bargains
– Accommodation in Charlottenburg
8.Kreuzberg
In the past Kreuzberg was the poorest and most populated district in the western districts of Berlin, today it is in the process of gentrification and social transformation, yet it still retains some of its traditional alternative character
35% of its population is still made up of immigrants from countries such as Turkey, Greece, and the former Yugoslavia, many of whom have lived in Kreuzberg for 40 years or more.
In the 60s and 70s, the district became home to the city’s counter-cultural art movement, and this alternative atmosphere still marks the personality of the district. It is one of the districts with the most nightlife in Berlin, and there are such interesting things here as the Jewish Museum and the Checkpoint Charlie.
Since it is a very central neighbourhood and there are a good number of restaurants and some of the best bars and clubs in the city.
– Accommodation in Kreuzberg
9.Schöneberg
Schöneberg is one of the best neighbourhoods and one of the most beautiful areas of Berlin .Located near the Ku’Damm, it is a neighborhood that without being one of the most central, is close enough to the center to be a good choice for sleeping in Berlin . it has excellent connections with public transport that allow you to get to Mitte in a few minutes.
Traditionally has been the epicenter of the gay community of Berlin .The largest concentration of gay bars and clubs in Berlin is between Nollendorfplatz and Victoria-Luise-Platz.
Schöneberg is a area that is elegant, quiet, and with few tourists , but nevertheless has a good number of hotels and affordable pensions, and apartments for rent .
– Accommodation in Schöneberg
10.Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Berg situated in the northeast of Mitte is now the most modern district in the east of Berlin, and one of the preferred districts for living among young Berliners .The neighbourhood, which after reunification was very modest, attracted many artists and bohemian people attracted by its central location and low rents.
Today the neighbourhood has undergone a significant process of gentrification which has made it a very popular area to live in.The neighborhood is experiencing a growing proliferation of cafes, nightclubs, fashion boutiques, art galleries, and good restaurants.
Prenzlauer Berg is very up and coming and is a serious alternative to consider for to stay in Berlin as it is playing with Mitte, and has very good public transport communications.
– Accommodation in Prenzlauer Berg
If you have been interested in this article about where to stay in Berlin you can also use this one: Where to stay in Munich, where to stay in Hamburg, where to stay in Frankfurt
Accommodation in Berlin
Berlin is one of the European capitals that present one of the best value for money in its hotels.
By booking in advance it is possible to find double rooms for 60 euros in very central areas , near the tourist attractions and nightlife.
This city offers you all possible ranges of prices and qualities in abundance .In Berlin the most luxurious hotels in the world coexist with some of the best and most affordable youth hostels in Europe.
On the other hand Berlin is one of the cities with more offer of tourist apartments of all Europe.
Best area to stay in Berlin
The district of Mitte ( Mitte means center in German), is the central area and the best area for stay in Berlin for a sightseeing tour. Mitte , which is divided into 10 districts, houses the historic city center and hosts some of the main tourist attractions of the city such as the Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, the Reichstag and the Gengarmenmarkt.
The avenue Under den Linden is the main tourist street of Berlin The avenue that runs from the Museum Island to the Brandenburg Gate is always full of life, full of Berliners drinking beers or riding their bikes.
Mitte is very large and we have several areas to stay in, if we want to be in the city centre we can stay in the surroundings of the Alexanderplatz Potsdamer Platz is the most modern part and it has the luxury hotels.If our preference is to visit museums we can stay in the Cölln area and if our priority is shopping we can stay in the Kurfürstendamm area.Due to the large area of the city center it is convenient to stay near one of the subway stops of Berlin (U-Bahn).
If you are interested in knowing where to stay in Berlin , you may also be interested in knowing where to stay in Munich, where to stay in Hamburg, where to stay in Frankfurt and where to stay in Amsterdam.
The main areas in the centre of Berlin
The 10 districts of the Berlin-Mitte or Mitte district, allow those who stay there to get to know the main attractions of the city, however, each one offers a particular experience.
Alexanderplatz
Staying close to Alexanderplatz is a good option because from here you can easily reach any other part of the city by public transport, even the airport without the need for a transfer.Alexanderplatz is not only one of the most prominent squares, but also one of the city’s nerve centres with train, underground, bus and tram stations.
The square is easily recognisable because it is home to the Fernsehturm, the tallest television tower in the European Union; there is also the city’s highest hotel, the Park Inn Hotel Berlin.So if you are looking for spectacular views of Berlin, you should not miss this square, which also has the world clock, which shows the time in different time zones of the planet.
The shopping malls, restaurants, cinemas and many shops around Alexanderplatz, as well as its various means of transport, make it a practical area, but also very crowded, so if you are looking for more tranquility, but good location and various forms of transport, staying at Potsdamer Platz is recommended.
Potsdamer Platz
In what is currently the symbol of the new unified Berlin, the hotel offer is characterized by luxury and elegance, so if you are thinking of staying at Potsdamer Platz, you need to have a good budget. 5 minutes from the square you will find The Ritz-Carlton, the Grand Hyatt Berlin and The Mandala Hotel; the three 5-star hotels.In this neighborhood, modernity is combined with history, since the oldest traffic light in Germany is located in front of the Sony Center, where the latest technological advances of the brand are found, as well as a great diversity of restaurants, shops, offices, cinemas, an IMAX theater, the Legoland Discovery Centre, and the Museum of Cinema and Television.Without a doubt, if you stay in the area, you should visit this centre that receives more than 35 thousand visitors every day.
A little further away, on the boulevard Unter den Linden, but also accessible from the square, is the Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, which not only combines luxury, but also history, as it was built in 1907 and its guests include names such as the actors Charlie Chaplin and Marlene Dietrich.Staying in this area you will be steps away from some of the most outstanding tourist attractions: the Brandenburg Gate, the German Parliament in Berlin (which you must book in advance to avoid long queues), Checkpoint Charlie and the Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe.
Cölln
Between Alexanderplatz and Potsdamer Platz is Cölln, a perfect neighborhood to stay if you want to have the main works of art of the city of Berlin within walking distance.In Cölln you will find the Museum Island, the Berlin Cathedral and the Lustgarten (Pleasure Garden).
On the island you will find the Old Museum, so called because it is the longest one, as it was built in the 1820s.Behind it is the New Museum, built in 1859, but reopened in 2009 because it was practically destroyed by the Second World War. Perhaps its most notable piece is the famous bust of Nefertiti, which is exhibited alongside the Egyptian and prehistoric collections.There is also the Ancient National Gallery, inaugurated in 1876 and reopened in 2001, which houses a collection of 19th century art, and the Bode Museum, with collections of sculpture and late antique and Byzantine art, and the Pergamon Museum with reconstructions of original size buildings such as the Pergamon Altar.
Kurfürstendamm
In the former district of Kurfürstendamm, which is now part of Mitte, there are not only important attractions such as the Berlin Zoo – with the largest variety of animal species in the world – but also one of the most important shopping streets that shares the name of the district.When walking through the 3 kilometers of Kurfürstendamm, known colloquially as Ku’Damm, it is possible to find exclusive boutiques like Channel, Dior, Burberry or Jil Sander, to more affordable fashion stores like Zara, Bershka, Forever21 or Desigual.But in what used to be the centre of West Berlin it is also possible to find prestigious stores, among which KaDeWe deserves a special mention, the largest in Continental Europe and with the largest delicatessen department in the continent.
The nightlife in the area is also remarkable, its many bars, restaurants and nightclubs allow you to have a night full of fun, so if you stay here you will have many options.The area is easily accessible, as it has the S-Bahn (railway) station Zoologischer Garten and several underground stations.
