- OVERVIEW
- GAY LIFE
- HOTELS ETC
- HOT TIPS
A guide to Gay Berlin
Berlin will impress you, regardless of whether you’re visiting the German capital for the first time or if you’re catching up with a city that has re-invented itself after the fall of the wall in 1989. It is both modern and old, warm and cold, green and industrial, local and international. Because the city was divided in two for almost 30 years, which you will still notice today, Berlin has developed very distinctively.
With over 3.5 million inhabitants, Berlin has a rich history that dates back from the late 12th century. It has been the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich and is now again the capital of the re-unified Germany. Its diverse history is reflected in its architectural legacy, with representatives of almost every architectural style. Post war reconstruction and development following unification and its reinstallation as the German capital, has led to a boom in modern construction. The reconstruction of areas such as the Potsdamer Platz and the new government buildings are in strong contrast to old buildings such those seen on the boulevard Unter den Linden.
Berlin has three opera houses, a very lively cultural scene with worldwide famous musicals and is of course the seat of the world famous Berliner Philarmoniker. It hosts famous festivals, such as the Berlin Film Festival in February which includes the Queer Film Award Teddy and ITB, the world’s largest tourism trade show in March. For more on Berlin’s calendar of Events, please click here >
Our top sightseeing tips for Berlin
ShoppingAs Berlin was divided for such a long time, shopping areas are spread throughout the city. In addition, newly-developed areas have emerged since the re-unification, such as Potsdamer Platz. In the former West, the Ku’Damm and Tauentzienstrasse are the main shopping areas. KaDeWe (Ku’Damm) is an impressive department store. Friedrichstrasse, in former East Berlin is elegant and upmarket, with Galleries Lafayette and Quartiers. In Schoeneberg gay shops are around Eisenacher Strasse and Motzstrasse. Most large shops are open until 9 or 10PM.
Getting ThereBerlin has three airports, Tegel, Schoenefeld and the new Berlin Brandenburg. They all offer easy and inexpensive access by public transport. If you are arriving by train, the new Hauptbahnhof connects easily with the all public transports, the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn. Inter-city buses – Berlin is connected to over 350 cities in Europe – arrive at the Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof in Charlottenburg, from there you can access any part of town by S-Bahn or bus. If you decide to drive, you will need to display a “Low Emission” sticker, in order to enter the city centre, for more information, please click here >
Getting AroundBerlin has an impressive transport systems with a very efficient underground “U-Bahn” and overground “S-Bahn”. Buses are also an excellent way of moving around Berlin as they are inexpensive and punctual. Plan how to move around by clicking here > For further information on travel passes and other important hints, please visit Berlin Tourism’s website. You may wish to pedal your way around Berlin – or explore it by scooter. |
Gay Berlin
Events in Berlin
You will find three different gay areas: two in what was formerly West Berlin (Schoeneberg and Kreuzberg) and Prenzlauer Berg in what was once the capital of East Germany. All these three areas are close to the city centre. Most recently the area called Friedrichshain, by Kreuzberg, has also started developing an interesting gay scene. The gay areas are marked clearly on our gay accommodation map – so you should be able to find a gay-friendly or gay hotel in Berlin very easily.
Schoeneberg was already famous in the 1920’s for its gay life and is still today the main gay area in the city. It hosts Europe’s largest Gay & Lesbian street festival called Strassenfest (around Nollendorfplatz) in mid June.
Kreuzberg, formerly a fairly run down area has become a hub of avant guard galleries and a mix of gay bars and low price restaurant.
PrenzlauerBerg, is where east Berlin’s gays gathered, both socially and politically. It is now a thriving gay area, although less concentrated than those of the west.
Berlin has a great café culture. The city’s first gay magazine, Der Eigene was published by Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld in 1896 and in the 1920’s you would find a larger selection of gay press sold in newsstands alongside the mainstream press. The Eldorado night club, in Schoeneberg, was one of the most famous gay venues of the golden 20‘s. The city has a gay museum (Schwules Museum) with very interesting exhibitions and is well worth a visit.
Berlin is very liberal and is known for its very diverse gay scene: from gay cafés to leather festivals, it has a lot to offer to the gay traveller. The city hosts famous gay festivals such as Folsom Europe, the Hustlaball and central Europe’s largest Gay Pride.
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There are a few gay-only hotels in Berlin, including the Axel and Tom’s. We've listed gay and gay-friendly accommodation in Berlin on the right. However, should you want to search using a map, then visit our main hotels search page. The main gay areas of Berlin ( Schoeneberg, Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg) will be marked on the map, making it easier to find somewhere near 'the action'.
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Links to the best Gay Berlin linksSo many Gay Berlin destination guides attempt to list the top restaurants, bars, shops, events, and websites for a given town - but their suggestions quickly become out of date, because such information is constantly changing. So instead of trying to list our own suggestions, we've listed the best websites or 'apps' for finding out what's hot in Gay Berlin. That way, you get the best information possible. Simply click on any of the logos below to visit any of our recommended sites.
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