Shopping in Berlin
Berlin is a true paradise for shopping enthusiasts. There’s probably not much you can’t find here—not just typical products, but especially unique and unusual items. You’ll find fashion, accessories, art, creative goods, and trendy items to suit absolutely every taste and budget. Whether you’re looking for something specific or just like to browse, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more impressive city for extensive shopping than Berlin.
The Most Important Classics
Berlin has shopping destinations that are known far beyond the city limits and are true must-see attractions. These include, above all, the following four classics.
KaDeWe
KaDeWe—Kaufhaus des Westens—is not only one of the most famous but also one of the largest department stores in Europe. It has long been considered a city landmark and is primarily known for its luxury goods, ranging from delicacies to fashion and accessories. The various departments span 60,000 square meters across eight floors on Tauentzienstraße.
Dussmann—The Cultural Department Store
If you love culture, you can’t miss the Dussmann KulturKaufhaus on Friedrichstraße. Five large, spacious floors offer everything you could want in the areas of music and sheet music, movies and audiobooks, stationery, and books. Events are held frequently, such as book presentations, workshops, and small concerts.
Hackesche Höfe
The Hackesche Höfe is a large complex of buildings in Mitte consisting of eight separate courtyards. Each courtyard is surrounded by shops, restaurants, and cultural venues. The Art Nouveau-style courtyards are worth a visit for their architecture alone. Here you’ll find a colorful mix of fashion, art, and jewelry, as well as the famous Ampelmännchen store, where you can buy a wide variety of merchandise featuring the coveted East German traffic light man.
Bikini Berlin
Located right next to the Zoologischer Garten, this so-called “concept department store” is one of a kind in Berlin. The historic building houses numerous brands and lifestyle companies in temporary pop-up spaces. Each is on display at the Bikini-Haus for only a limited time—usually a few weeks to a few months at most. This flexibility allows new brands, for example, to test the waters and showcase their products.
Not only can you shop inside the building, but you can also enjoy a view of part of the Berlin Zoo from the 7,000-square-meter rooftop terrace. The view of the Monkey Rock is legendary.
The Best Malls in the City
Berlin is probably the city of malls—at least that’s the impression many people have, given the sheer number of large and often exciting shopping centers. From shopping in Berlin at Alexanderplatz in the famous Alexa, to the Gropius-Passagen in Neukölln, all the way to the Boulevard Berlin in Steglitz, there’s a shopping center in just about every major neighborhood. The following three are among the most popular.
Mall of Berlin
At Leipziger Platz in Mitte, you can shop at the famous Mall of Berlin, which features about 300 stores spread across 76,000 square meters. The covered passageway is certainly impressive; it offers a direct line of sight to the Bundesrat building and is considered an interesting sightseeing spot, not least for that reason.
Eastgate Berlin
If you’re into fashion, you can’t miss Eastgate in Marzahn. Spanning about 32,000 square meters, the mall offers more than 150 stores, including numerous fashion boutiques carrying well-known brands. Be sure to bring some time and an appetite, because the mall’s large food court is both tempting and diverse.
The Playce
Following its extensive renovation and redesign, the former Potsdamer Platz Arkaden has not only adopted a new name—The Playce—but also introduced an innovative and versatile concept. Here you’ll find Europe’s largest food court featuring international specialties, a large Gamestate arcade, and the world’s second-largest NBA Store for basketball fans. The mall is also a hidden gem for numerous events and art exhibitions.
One unique feature at The Playce is the Second Hand in the City Club. Here, you can find clothes that have been worn by stars and well-known celebrities. Profit isn’t the main focus, though, because the owner donates half of her proceeds to charity.
Vintage and Thrift Stores
You can shop for clothes in Berlin in a wide variety of styles. Among the most popular are retro, vintage, and—by extension—all kinds of secondhand clothing. You don’t have to look far in Berlin; there’s a wide selection of exciting shops scattered throughout the city.
Vintage Revivals
Shopping in Prenzlauer Berg is popular thanks to its many small shops. You can just wander around here, but you should definitely stop by Vintage Revivals on Schönhauser Allee. The store is a must-visit for retro and vintage clothing. High-end designer brands, in particular, are usually well-represented.
Garments Vintage
Hopefully, your shopping trip through Berlin-Mitte will take you past Garments Vintage. Here you’ll find many unique one-of-a-kind pieces, as well as plenty of accessories and items from well-known designers. If you’d rather shop in Prenzlauer Berg, Garments Vintage has a location there, too—the owner operates two stores.
#HAHAYOUREUGLY
Things get unconventional at #HAHAYOUREUGLY on Warschauer Straße. The focus is on transforming supposedly ugly and old items into something beautiful and special. The selection includes both new collections released weekly and an extensive range of premium-quality secondhand and vintage clothing. The owners place a great deal of emphasis on diversity.
Creative Shopping Concepts
Berlin offers a wide variety of sustainable, forward-thinking, or simply particularly creative shopping ideas. Among them are numerous shops off the beaten path that are well worth a visit.
Love at Second Sight
If you enjoy shopping at flea markets or on various online platforms, you’ll love Love at Second Sight. Here, private individuals can reserve a clothing rack in the store in the Bergmannkiez for either one or two weeks and sell their clothes and accessories there without having to be on-site themselves.
NochMall
“Re-Use” is the motto of the Berlin City Cleaning Department’s secondhand department store. In Reinickendorf, you’ll find just about everything you’d expect in a department store across more than 2,000 square meters of space. Items must be well-maintained and in good condition to be sold. And if you’re in the mood for unique pieces, rarities, or popular classics, you can stop by the auction on the first Saturday of every month.
The Imaginäre Manufaktur
On Oranienstraße, you’ll find lovingly crafted products from workshops where people with and without disabilities work together. Whether it’s wooden toys, ceramics, stationery items, or textiles, sustainability is a top priority here. These handmade items make wonderful gifts and are also perfect to keep for yourself.
The best flea markets
Berlin’s diverse flea markets are an integral part of the city’s creative scene. There are a large number of them, some of which remain, while many others disappear. Competition is fierce, but there are also markets that have been a fixture of the cityscape for years and represent a genuine asset.
Flea market, Straße des 17. Juni
A now-traditional flea and art market takes place on Straße des 17. Juni every Saturday and Sunday. You can find everything here, from typical attic finds and clothing to high-quality handicrafts. Haggling is a must, and real bargains are definitely possible. You won’t go hungry either; there are various food stalls with fresh, delicious food.
Flea market in Mauerpark
One of the most important flea markets is the one at Mauerpark, which takes place every Sunday. Mauerpark is a large park located on Bernauer Straße in the Prenzlauer Berg district. The crowd is a diverse mix, ranging from students and artists to locals and visitors to Berlin. The market is large, offering everything from handmade items to curiosities, vintage clothing, handicrafts, and books. There’s also plenty of live music and a wide variety of delicious food.
SO36 Night Flea Market
The well-known music club SO36 is located in Kreuzberg. Once a month, starting at 8:00 p.m., the night flea market takes place here. Creative flea market stalls, combined with live music and a relaxed atmosphere, await you. You can also play a round of foosball or take advantage of free social counseling.
And anything else?
Finally, here are three more tips and suggestions for strolling around Berlin.
Shopping Districts in Berlin
Unlike many other cities, Berlin does not have a single, specific downtown area with a traditional shopping district. Instead, there are many city centers (neighborhoods), each with its own shopping options and, in some cases, exciting shopping districts, such as:
– Kurfürstendamm (many luxury stores and boutiques)
– Alexanderplatz (large shopping centers and department stores)
– Wilmersdorfer Arcaden (many retailers)
– Schönhauser Allee (designer boutiques, small, unique shops)
– Friedrichstraße (high-end fashion, designers)
Sunday Shopping in Berlin
Contrary to popular belief, you unfortunately can’t shop every Sunday in Berlin. There are supermarkets (such as those at train stations or the airport), flea markets, and designated Sunday shopping days, which take place annually at set times and apply to all stores.
Even the ever-popular “Spätis” are subject to Berlin’s Shop Opening Hours Act and must close on Sundays and holidays.
The Nightmarket
The Nightmarket takes place at irregular intervals at the Napoleon Complex, the former Deutsche Bahn workshop halls. It usually starts at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 1:00 a.m. You can mainly shop for fashion and vintage items, art, and designer goods. Live music is part of the experience, as is an art exhibition.
