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Hipster Berlin

Berlin may as well be a hipster heaven, so I thought I’d share some of my favorite highlights of the most hipster city in Europe (or at least of the few I’ve been to).

First, a quick introduction…

Berlin’s Kreuzberg neighborhood has an interesting history. But while history can be interesting, I’m a bit more fascinated by what’s happening NOW. It’s been said before and by others, but Berlin really feels like the place to be right now. Things are happening here. Art, culture, politics—Berlin feels like a true modern-day melting pot. An international city with big dreams and high hopes for the future. (Kind of like me, I suppose…) 

Kreuzberg has been a part of Berlin’s “alternative” culture for a while now. Long a hotspot for cheap housing, the neighborhood has attracted a generally younger demographic, especially since the fall of the Berlin wall. Hipsters, artists, bohemians, international tourists, immigrants and expats—Kreuzberg just may be the coolest, most hip part of Berlin.

Berlin's Görlitzer Park

Görlitzer Park is one of a few parks in Kreuzberg, but it’s definitely the one with the most character. Every summer afternoon you can find an assortment of people just hanging out here. (Just not too early, because hipsters like to sleep in late.) In evenings, there are sometimes spontaneous parties—people bring their music, and everyone gets to enjoy it. There’s a bar das edelweiss which has a pretty popular Friday-night jazz jam session. There’s the King of Bottles who happily comes by to take your empty bottles. There’s the guy who goes around selling samosas (€2.50 for 2 – not the greatest deal, but saves you the trouble of going far to find food). There’s a delicious roast-chicken stand just outside the park (Hühnerhaus – check out this guy rapping about it on YouTube) where you can get half a chicken with fries & mayo/ketchup for just €3.50.

A park where there is almost always free music, attractive hipsters, grass, samosa delivery service, cheap food & a bar? It’s got everything I never knew I needed in a park!

Interested in reading similar stories from my month as a hipster Berliner? Follow along on my Hipster Blog and  subscribe to RSS for more hipster Berlin travel tips.

  1. Excellent blog post thanks a lot for sharing :-)

  2. Alexander Schwarz says:

    Hi Adam, have you tried the Volkspark Friedrichshain? It’s similar, but different. ;)

    Alex

    • Adam says:

      Went there this afternoon! Not as cool as Görlitzer, but still a very nice park. There was a massive slackline set up (the longest I’ve ever seen) and lots of people trying to tightrope across it. Not to mention the beach volleyball. Pretty different from Görlitzer but still very cool!

  3. nod 'n' smile says:

    Sounds like a fun place! Your description of Berlin sounds a lot like the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn in NYC.  Hipsters in abundance, and McCarren Park would be the equivalent of Görlitzer Park.

    • Adam says:

      Yes! McCarren Park is the park I was thinking of but couldn’t remember the name. Thanks for sharing!

  4. Heather says:

    Every Berlin post just makes the itch to go back greater :-) Thanks for introducing me to another green space!

  5. thetravellingcavalcade says:

    Cant believe I missed ya! Hope you had a fantastic time here.

  6. Tom Volpe says:

    Sounds like the perfect summer hangout, shame I wasn’t aware of it when I was in Berlin. +1 ;)

  7. that time i saw a shakespeare play in german | Travels of Adam - Hipster travel around the world says:

    […] und Julia. Besides briefly running into some sort of outdoor Shakespeare production at Görlitzer Park last summer, I haven’t seen any theater production in years. And though this one was nice and […]

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