The nightlife in Berlin – a fascinating and crazy city that is not only known for its famous party scene and the TV tower – offers that certain something. The city, which basically has no curfew and therefore doesn’t stand still at night, has a lot in store for you, from exciting voyages of discovery to cultural highlights. Ideally, you should combine what you like and discover the city in as many different ways as possible.
The long tradition of nightlife in Berlin
Berlin is known as the capital of clubs. Berlin’s nightlife was already booming in the 1920s and attracted numerous international visitors. Fans of the night partied well into the morning in clubs and bars, popular cabarets and variety shows. Marlene Dietrich left her mark on the city, as did Josephine Baker.
In the 1930s, the diversity of nightlife in Berlin collapsed. The National Socialists closed numerous clubs and defined them as “degenerate”. After the Second World War, the American occupying forces not only brought completely new styles of music, but also revitalized the entire scene. As time went on, the Kreuzberg district in particular became the place to go for anyone who wanted to experience Berlin at night.
Since the end of the 1980s, the scene has benefited from the fall of the Berlin Wall. The party culture reinvented itself and fans from all over the world came to Berlin.
The famous clubs Berghain, Tresor, KitKat and Watergate have become the most important venues for night owls. Today, the city offers you a colorful and creative nightlife in Berlin, which consists not only of parties, but of a variety of culture and entertainment for almost every individual taste.
The club highlights of Berlin’s nightlife
When it comes to choosing your favorite venues to experience at night in Berlin, you are spoilt for choice. The selection is huge and it all depends on your taste in music.
Techno and house
One of the city’s best-known clubs is Wilde Renate (Friedrichshain), which offers several dance floors and often crazy theme parties. Berghain/Panorama Bar (Friedrichshain) is probably the best-known techno club. You’ll find top DJs here as well as the best parties. You can expect an impressive atmosphere at Tresor (Mitte), a now historic club that has been one of the most important addresses for techno in Berlin’s colorful nightlife since the 1990s.
Hip-hop and R&B
Caribbean fans should definitely pay a visit to Yaam (Friedrichshain) at night in Berlin. In addition to hip-hop and dancehall, reggae is a big thing here. The Astra Kulturhaus (Friedrichshain) is a popular venue where you can find the hottest and best artists from R&B and hip-hop. The Prince Charles Club (Kreuzberg) also offers cool parties and well-known DJs.
Indie and rock
The legendary SO36 (Kreuzberg) is your first port of call in Berlin’s nightlife if you like indie and rock. Originating from the alternative punk scene, this club steeped in history is a real highlight. If you like it lively and active and enjoy listening to bands from all over the world, Cassiopeia (Friedrichshain) is the place for you. Up-and-coming newcomers can be found at the Lido (Kreuzberg). It’s always worth taking a look at the current list of events when you visit Berlin at the weekend.
Electro and pop
At Kater Blau (Friedrichshain) you will find a club that stands for an impressive mix of pop, electro and a variety of experimental sounds. At Ritter Butzke (Kreuzberg) you can let off steam on a really big dance floor with a mix of electro and pop. Club der Visionäre (Treptow) is a stylish venue right by the water. The atmosphere is always very relaxed with electro music in Berlin’s nightlife.
The queer scene not only in Kreuzberg
Pride culture is also very important in Berlin’s nightlife. The scene is extremely lively and has a wide range of offers and events in store for you. Berlin by night is no exception to this rule. There are numerous LGBTQ+ locations that you can visit and where you can meet new people.
Some districts offer you a particularly extensive queer scene, especially in Berlin’s nightlife. This includes Schöneberg in particular, with the area around Nollendorfplatz. There are also bars and pubs in Kreuzberg that you can visit.
The best way to get to know the scene is to let yourself drift and not stick to just one place. The legendary SchwuZ (Neukölln), one of the largest and oldest bars, should not be missing from your list. Silverfuture (Neukölln) is also one of the top addresses in Berlin’s nightlife scene with dance music and varied drag shows. Very popular is Connection Berlin (Schöneberg), a location with first-class DJs.
Sightseeing in Berlin’s nightlife
Berlin is particularly spectacular at night. The lights are impressive and the city has a special atmosphere that very few visitors can escape. Whether it’s the Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Gendarmenmarkt or the illuminated TV tower at Alexanderplatz, a tour of Berlin’s attractions is a must.
In principle, you are spoiled for choice here. Whether you take a digital city guide on your smartphone and explore Berlin’s nightlife yourself or book a guided themed tour, you can do whatever you like. Either way, Berlin has a unique atmosphere that you shouldn’t miss. If you’ve walked enough, you can of course also take a ride around. The bus line 100 is particularly worthwhile here, taking you from the zoo to Berlin’s TV tower at Alexanderplatz for about an hour until well after midnight, taking you past the most important sightseeing hotspots. The best thing is that it doesn’t cost much, a normal AB ticket is sufficient for the tour.
Exceptional night photography tours
One of the best ways to discover Berlin’s nightlife is on a night photography tour. If you like photography and want to capture the great light effects of the city at night, then one of the many tours offered by various providers is worthwhile. The best way to find out more is to search for the term “night photography Berlin” or “night photography tours Berlin”.
Important to know: These tours of Berlin’s nightlife are not for people who want to take a few snapshots with their smartphone. They are generally aimed at amateur photographers and photo enthusiasts who are out and about with an SLR camera. It is primarily about seeking out special locations at night and taking great shots.
Berlin’s nightlife for culture fans
If art and culture are an essential part of your nightlife activities in Berlin, then the capital has a lot in store for you. During the Long Night of Museums (times vary), tens of thousands of visitors take the opportunity to get to know new museums or rediscover old ones all night long. The Museum Night is always associated with many impressive events that take place in the museums.
Late night film screenings are also a regular feature of Berlin’s nightlife. It’s worth taking a look at the movie schedules here, as well as the range of open-air cinema events. The variety of theater in Berlin is also great and, above all, creative. The Maxim Gorki Theater is one of the most political and deals intensively with social issues. A visit to the Berliner Ensemble, which was founded by Bertolt Brecht, is also very promising.
If you like street art, Berlin is definitely the city for you. There is a huge scene here with guided tours by local artists that take you to the city’s best hotspots. Be sure to walk along the impressive East Side Gallery (Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg). The illuminated artworks create an almost magical atmosphere in Berlin’s lively nightlife at night.
