After having lived here in Berlin for almost 2 decades now, and by virtue of being a photographer, travel writer, and part-time tour guide, I like to think that I’ve pretty comprehensively explored this city and that I know it as well as anyone can ever really “know” a beast of a city like Berlin.
Considering the city’s formidable size and wealth of attractions spread throughout it, deciding on your home base is surprisingly challenging, and also very important. And when you add in that the atmosphere from one neighborhood to the next can change rather drastically (much more so than in most other cities), it’s not just about location; you also have to carefully think about the type of atmosphere that you want, and the type you want to avoid.
Berlin is incredibly diverse, and while this is very cliché to say, and it really does have something for everyone, but it also has lots that will most definitely not be your speed, so you can’t just choose a central area at random and expect it to be a good fit.
Germany’s capital city, Berlin has 12 official boroughs, called Bezirke in German. These boroughs, which vary wildly in terms of size, each contain between two and fifteen smaller districts or quarters known as Ortsteile. These can then be broken down even further into what are called Kieze, or local neighborhoods.
While this can seem confusing and overwhelming (because it kind of is!), I have some good news: you can immediately disregard around half of the boroughs since they lie outside of the inner-city areas where you’ll likely spend most, or all, of your time.
Even so, it can still be a challenge to work out the best place to stay, since each borough or neighborhood tends to have its own vibe and demographic and travel times between them and the sights are often not insignificant. Of course, that diversity is a big part of this city’s appeal (Berlin welcomes and makes space for everyone), so it’s just about finding what’s right for you.
And that’s what I’m here to help with! Below, I’ve put together a fairly comprehensive overview of the 6 central neighborhoods that I think are the best choice for the vast majority of travelers, especially those coming here for a first visit.
Each one has its own set of appeals, as well as some drawbacks, so read on to find out more about them and get a sense for which one seems like the ideal spot for you.
And in case you’re looking for more Germany travel info, have a look at some of our other guides and articles:
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3-day Berlin itinerary
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Where to stay in Munich
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Where to stay in Hamburg
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10-day Germany itinerary
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15 beautiful towns in Germany