10 Reasons Culture Lovers Should Visit Berlin

As someone who’s passionate about cultural tourism, I think Berlin is one of the most underrated cities in Europe. Now, I’m slightly biased saying this as I’m an expat who now calls Berlin home. But even still, every day that I’m here, I find another reason to fall more in love with it. A big part of this has to do with my love for culture. Growing up in the Washington, D.C area where the Kennedy Center for the Arts and the Smithsonian Institute were just a hop, skip, and a jump away, I feel grateful to live in a city whose richness of culture rivals that of my hometown.

Whereas in Washington, D.C, you have the National Mall, where you are surrounded by monuments and museums, in Berlin you have Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which houses ____ museums. Needless to say, I spend a lot of time here. Even if I’m not spending the day at a museum, I love spending an afternoon either going for a walk here or relaxing in front of the Berliner Dom and doing some people watching.

Yet Museum Island is just one of the many reasons culture lovers should visit Berlin. If you’ve been thinking about Berlin as your next cultural destination, I hope after this post, you’re sold :) Or, if you’d like more information, you can check out my other guides on Berlin here.

1. History

Berlin’s rich and tumultuous history has shaped it into the unique city that it is today. Everywhere you walk in the city, you are surrounded by history. Whether it’s the architecture or the memorials, you are reminded of Berlin’s history with every step. This offers an incredible opportunity for visitors who travel to Berlin to learn more about the historical events leading up to today. 

2. Art

Berlin attracts artists from all over the world. It’s a creative city and you can feel that energy in the air. In fact, Berlin is known for its street art and graffiti. There’s even a museum dedicated specifically to street art which I highly recommend visiting while you’re here. There are absolutely breathtaking murals that have been painted on buildings and of course, the stunning display of art on the Berlin Wall that you can see as you walk past the East Side Gallery.

3. Architecture

As I mentioned earlier, with Berlin’s history comes historical architecture. However, since most of the city was destroyed during the Second World War, many areas in Berlin were re-built giving the city’s architecture some contrast. A great example of this is the architecture along Karl-Marx-Allee in Friedrichshain, a monumental socialist boulevard built by the GDR.

4. Music

Berlin has a well-known and highly-respected music scene. From the Berlin Philharmonic to techno, music lovers are drawn to Berlin. The music venues in Berlin are also incredible. I recently went to see Ólafur Arnalds perform at the Tempodrom and I was completely blown away by the acoustics and the beautiful design of the venue. If you love music, I’d highly recommend taking advantage of the impressive selection of music while you’re in town.

5. Food

Since Berlin is a very diverse and multicultural city, the food options are endless here. You’ll have no problem finding delicious, authentic cuisines from all over the world. Be sure to stop and try a Turkish doner, a type of kebab that is well-known and loved in Berlin.

6. Museums

I could go on and on about my love for the museums in Berlin. Since I’ve written about them in-depth, you can read those posts here if you’re interested. I’ll say this… if you love museums, then Berlin is the city for you to visit! You can spend days visiting as many of the museums as possible or simply spend a day on Museum Island.

7. The Diversity

As I mentioned earlier, Berlin is a bustling, international city that attracts people from all over the world. So while Berlin has a culture of its own, I think a big part of the culture is all the people who make up the population. With people from all over the world, the culture is rich here in Berlin.

8. Special Events

There’s always something going on in Berlin. This city is full of life. With so many people from so many backgrounds with such a wide array of interests and tastes, you can count on multiple events occurring every weekend. Whether it’s the Long Night of Museums each August or the Berlin Coffee Festival, there’s sure to be something happening that will allow you to dive deeper into Berlin’s culture.

9. Palaces and Gardens

Though Berlin doesn’t have a Versailles, we have Schloss Charlottenburg or the Charlottenburg Palace in English, built in the late 17th Century. Growing up outside of Europe, I’m still in awe any time I get to take a peek into what this way of life once looked like. If you’re visiting Berlin, you’ll definitely want to spend a day at the Charlottenburg Palace. Whether you take a tour of the beautiful inside or go for a long walk around the palace gardens, it will be something you’ll remember for a long time.

10. Fashion

And I’m not just talking about shopping. Berlin is a trendy city where anything goes. I’d go so far as to say that being a city where anything goes is a big part of what makes this city as special and unique as it is. Berlin is such a hub for fashion, Berlin Fashion Week is held here twice a year and has been since 2007.

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As you can see, Berlin has so much to offer culture lovers. This list only begins to scrape the surface.

Related Reading: Berlin Travel Guides

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