FAQs about Best Places to Stay in Berlin

Welcome to my Frequently Asked Questions about the best places to stay in Berlin, you can see more about where to stay in Berlin in this guide 12 Best Areas to Stay in Berlin.

Where Should I Stay In Berlin For The First Time?

For a first time visitor, Mitte is a great choice because this is the best place to be for all the most famous attractions and museums. If you stay here you will be able to tick off almost all of the bucket-list attractions in the city. However, this makes it a very popular tourist destination – so if you’d rather stay away from the crowds you might want to think about staying in Charlottenburg or Friedrichshain and traveling in to do your sightseeing. 

If you’re less interested in ticking off sightseeing destinations and are more of the exploring type, then Bergmannkiez is a great first-time destination for backpackers and couples.

Is Mitte Berlin Safe?

Berlin is a very safe city in general, especially if you stick to areas popular with tourists. As with any big city or tourist destination, your biggest risk will be becoming a victim of petty theft or pickpocketing.

Mitte itself is an upmarket area with a very low incidence of crime. This neighborhood is even safe after dark, and it’s common for the streets to be busy late into the night.

Is Berlin Expensive For Tourists?

Berlin is easily the cheapest capital city in Western Europe, filled with affordable accommodation, cheap food, and an ideal destination for backpackers and anyone budget-minded.

Excluding nights out and souvenir shopping, a comfortable daily budget for visiting Berlin is around €60; enough to visit a couple of attractions, feed yourself, use public transport and spend the night in a hostel.

How Many Days In Berlin Is Enough?

Berlin is one of the biggest capital cities in Europe (5x the size of Paris), so how long you need to spend there completely depends on how much of the city you want to explore. You could easily stay in this cultural hotspot for months and not get bored!

You should give about three days to visiting and enjoying all of the bucket-list spots in the city, plus another two to explore the neighborhood you’re staying in and any other area you want to know more about. 5 days to a week should scratch your Berlin itch, but rest assured that if you stay longer you won’t run out of things to do!

How Much Is A Meal In Berlin?

Traveling on a budget, you will find meals to be very affordable in Berlin. Breakfast can be bought for under €3, lunch for around €4 and dinner for €9-€10.

At a mid-range restaurant, a three-course meal for two will set you back around €45, and half a liter beer will cost you on average €3.50 -how much that adds up to is down to you!

Where To Stay In Berlin East Or West?

This depends entirely on what you’re looking for. If you enjoy shopping, stay in West Berlin neighborhoods such as Charlottenburg.

Neighborhoods in the east, especially the east center, tend to be trendier and popular with the younger crowd and couples, whereas the atmosphere of West Berlin is more suited to families and older travelers.

Whether you choose east or West, it’s generally better to stay closer to the center as you’ll be closer to the main attractions and it’s generally prettier or more attractive the closer to the center you get.

Where To Stay In Berlin For Christmas Markets?

Many of the famous Christmas markets in Berlin are in the central neighborhood of Mitte, so this is an excellent area to stay in if you are visiting this festive city in December – staying near Hackescher Markt is a particularly good location as you’ll be within 15 minutes walk of four different markets. 

For more unusual Christmas markets selling quirkier or more niche products away from the hustle and bustle, you should give Kreuzberg and Bergmannkiez a try – if it isn’t to your taste, it’s only a short journey into Mitte.

Where To Stay In Berlin for the Gay Scene?

Berlin is well known for having a vibrant LGBTQ+ scene – in the 1920s it was one of the most progressive areas in Europe, and it lives up to the reputation today.

The epicenter of LGBT culture in Berlin is Schoneberg, boasting some of the best nightclubs in the city and plenty of LGBT+ run businesses. Schoneberg is closely followed by Prenzlauerberg and Kreuzberg for enjoying LGBT+ culture in Berlin.

The world’s first gay museum (the Shwules museum), dedicated to the history of gay rights and 200 years of gay culture in Europe, is located in Mitte and is well worth a visit

Where To Stay In Berlin For Sightseeing?

If you’re looking to do a lot of sightseeing, then Mitte is by far the best neighborhood to stay in as it is filled to the brim with art galleries, museums, and famous landmarks.

As the center of the city, it’s also very well connected with public transport, which makes it easy to get around the rest of the city and visit sites in other neighborhoods such as Victoria Park in Bergmannkiez. 

Where To Stay In Berlin For New Year’s Eve?

One of the biggest street parties in Europe takes place in Berlin between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column, both in Mitte, starting off the new year with an unbeatable open-air party.

With live music, laser shows, fireworks and a seemingly endless array of food stands this is definitely the place to be on New Year’s Eve in Berlin.

To be close to the action (and close enough to get home easily when you’re a little the worse for wear on January first), find accommodation in Mitte – ideally close to either end of the street party. Make sure to book well in advance, as over a hundred thousand people attend this event every year!

Where To Stay In Berlin In December?

Berlin is a cold place to spend time in winter, but there are many reasons to enjoy a visit at this time of year. If you love the sight of frost-covered leaves and grass, stay in Tiergarten and indulge in long walks in the crisp air.

For a cozy atmosphere and lots of quirky coffee shops to visit, stay in Bergmannkiez, or to really feel the festive hustle and bustle as well as being close to the best Christmas market in the city then Mitte will be an ideal destination.

If you’re looking for some Christmas shopping, then Charlottenberg-Wielmensdorf is always a great choice for retail.

Where To Stay In Berlin Culture Trip?

Friedrichshain is a very ethnically diverse neighborhood, filled with edgy street art and home to the international East Side Gallery, displaying artworks from 21 countries painted onto a section of the Berlin wall. Another culturally diverse and artistic neighborhood is Kreuzberg, home to the famous Turkenmarket and plenty of trendy cafes and bars.

If you’re interested in beautiful historic architecture and beautifully cultivated baroque gardens, then Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf will be to your taste, while Mitte is home to the biggest selection of cultural attractions such as galleries and museums.

Where To Stay In Berlin At Christmas?

Many of the famous Christmas market in Berlin are in the central neighborhood of Mitte, so this is an excellent area to stay in if you are visiting this festive city in December – staying near Hackescher Markt is a particularly good location as you’ll be within 15 minutes walk of four different markets. Another festive attraction is the Berlin Christmas Garden, a light show at the Botanical Garden modeled on Christmas at Kew in London.

For more unusual Christmas markets selling quirkier or more niche products away from the hustle and bustle, you should give Kreuzberg and Bergmannkiez a try – if it isn’t to your taste, it’s only a short journey into Mitte.

Where To Stay In Berlin With Family?

Tiergarten and Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf are both very family-friendly neighborhoods away from the hustle and bustle and noise of the city center’ Tiergarten is a great destination for a quiet family break, with the enormous park providing the perfect venue for long walks in nature appreciating wildlife. 

Charlottenburg Wilmersdorf has plenty of options for visiting museums to entertain the whole family, as well as more cultural and glamorous options for parents to enjoy during the evening.

Where To Stay In Berlin On A Budget?

Generally speaking, and similarly to any capital city, the neighborhoods of Berlin become more expensive the more central you get; areas including Mitte and Kreuzberg can be really pricey.

The backpacker’s home in Berlin is Bergmannskiez, with plenty of options for hostels and budget Air Bnbs.

In general, east Berlin is cheaper to stay in than West Berlin, or there is quite a healthy range of cheaper accommodation options in Tiergarten in West Berlin.

Where To Stay In Berlin Near Attractions?

Mitte is s the best place to be for all the most famous attractions and museums. If you stay here you will be able to tick off almost all of the bucket-list attractions in the city. However, it is a very popular tourist destination – so if this is something that would bother you, think about staying in another neighborhood and traveling into Mitte to see the attractions.

Where To Stay In Berlin As A Tourist?

Mitte is by far the most tourist-filled neighborhood in Berlin, and for good reason – it’s home to the most famous attractions, such as the Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island, as well as having fantastic dining options and, as the most central area, it’s the most well connected to public transport.

If you’re less interested in ticking off sightseeing destinations and are more of the exploring type, then Bergmannkiez is a good option for a more relaxed destination, or if you’d like to enjoy soaking up some cultural attractions without the crowds of tourists, Charlottenburg Wilmensdorf is also full of museums and galleries as well as beautiful architecture.

That’s my  Frequently Asked Questions about the best places to stay in Berlin. See more about German travel here:

• 2 Days In Berlin Itinerary
• Where to Stay in Frankfurt
• Where to Stay in Hamburg
• Where to Stay in Munich