Friedrichshain
The former East Berlin district of Friedrichshain is famous for such high-profile Cold War–era relics as the longest surviving stretch of Berlin Wall (the East Side Gallery), the socialist boulevard Karl-Marx-Allee and the former Stasi headquarters. But the area also stakes it reputation on having Berlin’s most rambunctious nightlife scene, with a glut of clubs and bars holding forth along Revaler Strasse and around the Ostkreuz train station.
Confront the ghosts of the Cold War on a stroll along the East Side Gallery, then pop into Michelberger for a late breakfast or early lunch. Energies renewed, sample the monumentalism of Karl-Marx-Allee on a short stroll before delving deep into the East German underbelly at the Stasimuseum. Finish the afternoon poking into boho boutiques around Boxhagener Platz, then head to the RAW Gelände to chill in the beer garden at Cassiopeia or Urban Spree. Gear up for a night of dance-floor shenanigans at Berghain, if you’re lucky to get in, with dinner at trendy riverside Katerschmaus.
Getting There & Around
b Ostbahnhof and Warschauer Strasse are handy for the East Side Gallery; Warschauer Strasse and Ostkreuz for Boxhagener Platz and Revaler Strasse.
X U1 links Warschauer Strasse with Kreuzberg, Schöneberg and Charlottenburg; the U5 runs from Alexanderplatz down Karl-Marx-Allee and beyond.
j M10 and M13 link Warschauer Strasse with Prenzlauer Berg
Top SightEast Side Gallery
The year was 1989. After 28 years the Berlin Wall, that grim divider of humanity, met its maker. Most of it was quickly dismantled, but a 1.3km stretch along Mühlenstrasse, between Oberbaumbrücke and Ostbahnhof, became the East Side Gallery, the world’s largest open-air mural strip. Today it’s a memorial to the fall of the Wall and the peaceful reunification that followed.
MAP GOOGLE MAP
www.eastsidegallery-berlin.de
Mühlenstrasse btwn Oberbaumbrücke & Ostbahnhof
admission free
h24hrXWarschauer Strasse, bOstbahnhof, Warschauer Strasse
yTop Tips
AThe more famous paintings are near the Ostbahnhof end, so start here if you’ve got limited time.
AFor more street art and graffiti, check out the river-facing side of the East Side Gallery.
AThe grassy strip between the gallery and Spree River is a nice spot for chilling with a picnic or a cold beer. There are supermarkets in the Ostbahnhof.
5Take a Break
AThe Floating Lounge bar at the Eastern Comfort Hostelboat (Mühlenstrasse 73; XWarschauer Strasse, bWarschauer Strasse) is a great spot for a drink. Sit on the sun deck in summer.
AOn weekdays, mingle with Universal Music staff on the lovely riverside terrace of the Eatside (
%030-520 071 823; www.eat-side.de; Stralauer Allee 1; mains €6.50-7.50; h11.30am-3pm Mon-Fri; 
W
v; bWarschauer Strasse, XWarschauer Strasse) bistro.
Dmitri Vrubel: My God, Help Me To Survive This Deadly Love
The gallery’s best-known painting – showing Soviet and GDR leaders Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honecker locking lips with eyes closed – is based on an actual photograph taken by French journalist Remy Bossu during Brezhnev’s 1979 Berlin visit. This kind of fraternal kiss was an expression of great respect in socialist countries.
Birgit Kinder: Test the Rest
Another shutterbug favourite is Kinder’s painting of a GDR-era Trabant car (known as a Trabi) bursting through the Wall with the licence plate reading ‘November 9, 1989’. Originally called Test the Best, the artist renamed her work after the image’s 2009 restoration.
Kani Alavi: It Happened in November
A wave of people being squeezed through a breached Wall in a metaphorical rebirth reflects Alavi’s recollection of the events of 9 November 1989. Note the different expressions on the faces, ranging from hope, joy and euphoria to disbelief and fear.
Thierry Noir: Homage to the Young
This Berlin-based French artist has done work for Wim Wenders and U2, but he’s most famous for these cartoon-like heads. Naive, simple and boldly coloured, they symbolise the new-found freedom that followed the Wall’s collapse. Noir was one of the few artists who had painted the western side of the Wall before its demise.
Thomas Klingenstein: Detour to the Japanese Sector
Born in East Berlin, Klingenstein spent time in a Stasi prison for dissent before being extradited to West Germany in 1980. This mural was inspired by his childhood love for Japan, where he ended up living from 1984 to the mid-’90s.
1Top Sights
1Sights
5Eating
6Drinking
3Entertainment
Sights
1Volkspark Friedrichshain PARK
Berlin’s oldest public park has provided relief from urbanity since 1840, but has been hilly only since the late 1940s, when wartime debris was piled up here to create two ‘mountains’ – the taller one, Mont Klamott, rises 78m high. Diversions include expansive lawns for lazing, tennis courts, a half-pipe for skaters, a couple of handily placed beer gardens and an outdoor cinema. (bounded by Am Friedrichshain, Friedenstrasse, Danziger Strasse & Landsberger Allee; h24hr; 
g142, 200, j21, M4, M5, M6, M8, M10, XSchillingstrasse)
1Karl-Marx-Allee STREET
It’s easy to feel like Gulliver in the Land of Brobdingnag when walking down monumental Karl-Marx-Allee, one of Berlin’s most impressive GDR-era relics. Built between 1952 and 1960, the 90m-wide boulevard runs for 2.3km between Alexanderplatz and Frankfurter Tor and is a fabulous showcase of East German architecture. A considerable source of national pride back then, it provided modern flats for comrades and served as a backdrop for military parades. (admission free; XStrausberger Platz, Weberwiese, Frankfurter Tor)
1Holzmarkt AREA
The Holzmarkt urban village on the Spree is a perpetually evolving cultural open playground – and a nose-thumbing at the luxury lofts, hotels and office buildings that continue to gobble up the riverside real estate. (www.holzmarkt.com; Holzmarktstrasse 25; XJannowitzbrücke)
1Urban Spree ARTS CENTRE
Comprising a gallery, a bookshop, artist studios, a concert room and a beer garden, this grassroots urban art hub is a top stop in the RAW Gelände compound along Revaler Strasse, especially in summer. That’s also when it hosts festivals and special events and presents Berlin’s best street musicians on weekends. (%030-740 7597; www.urbanspree.com; Revaler Strasse 99; hnoon-11pm; XWarschauer Strasse, bWarschauer Strasse)
1Boxhagener Platz SQUARE
The heart of Friedrichshain, ‘Boxi’ is a lovely, leafy square with benches and a playground. It’s framed by restored 19th-century buildings harbouring boho cafes, artisanal bakeries and shabby-chic boutiques. The area is busiest during the Saturday farmers’ market and on Sundays, when a flea market brings in folks from all over town. (Boxhagener Platz; admission free; h24hr; 
p; g240, bWarschauer Strasse, XSamariterstrasse, Warschauer Strasse)
1Computerspiele-museum MUSEUM
No matter if you grew up with Nimrod, Pac-Man, World of Warcraft or no games at all, this well-curated museum takes you on a trip down computer-game memory lane while putting the industry’s evolution into historical context. Colourful and engaging, it features interactive stations amid hundreds of exhibits, including an ultra-rare 1972 Pong arcade machine and its twisted modern cousin, the ‘PainStation’ (must be over 18 to play…). (Computer Games Museum; %030-6098 8577; www.computerspielemuseum.de; Karl-Marx-Allee 93a; adult/concession €9/6, after 6pm €7/5; h10am-8pm; g240, 347, XWeberwiese)
The Stasi: When the Walls Had Ears
Founded in 1950 and modelled after the Soviet KGB, East Germany’s Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (Ministry of State Security, ‘Stasi’ for short) was secret police, central intelligence agency and bureau of criminal investigation all rolled into one. It put millions of its own citizens under surveillance in order to suppress internal opposition and, by 1989, had 91,000 official full-time employees and 189,000 IMs (inoffizielle Mitarbeiter, unofficial informants). The latter were regular folks recruited to spy on their coworkers, friends, family and neighbours.
Stasi Museum
The often cunningly low-tech surveillance devices (hidden in watering cans, rocks, even neckties) are among the more intriguing exhibits in the Stasimuseum (%030-553 6854; www.stasimuseum.de; Haus 1, Ruschestrasse 103; adult/concession €6/4.50; h10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 11am-6pm Sat & Sun, English tour 3pm Sat-Mon; XMagdalenenstrasse) inside the actual former Stasi ministry in Lichtenberg, just east of Friedrichshain. Another highlight are the stuffy original offices, private quarters and conference rooms of Erich Mielke, head of the Stasi from 1957 until the end. Other rooms introduce the ideology, rituals and institutions of East German society. Information panels are partly in English. In the foyer is a van honeycombed with teensy, lightless cells that was used to transport suspects to the nearby Stasi prison.
Stasi Prison
Officially called Gedenkstätte Berlin-Hohenschönhausen (%030-9860 8230; www.stiftung-hsh.de; Genslerstrasse 66; tours adult/concession €6/3, exhibit free; htours in English 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm Mar-Oct, 11.30am & 2.30pm Nov-Feb, exhibit 9am-6pm, German tours more frequent; p; jM5), the Stasi prison is, if anything, even more creepy than the Stasi Museum. Tours, sometimes led by former prisoners, reveal the full extent of the terror and cruelty perpetrated upon thousands of suspected political opponents, many utterly innocent. If you’ve seen the Academy Award–winning film The Lives of Others, you may recognise many of the original settings. An exhibit uses photographs, objects and a free audio-guide to document daily life behind bars and also allows for a look at the offices of the former prison administration.
Eating
5Michelberger INTERNATIONAL €€
Ensconced in one of Berlin’s hippest hotels, Michelberger makes creative dishes that often combine unusual organic ingredients (eg wild boar with miso, scallops, cabbage and gooseberry). Sit inside the lofty, white-tiled restaurant or in the breezy courtyard. (%030-2977 8590; www.michelbergerhotel.com; Warschauer Strasse 39; 3-course lunch €12, dinner dishes €8-15; h7-11am, noon-2.30pm & 6.30-11pm; Wv; bWarschauer Strasse, XWarschauer Strasse)
5Silo Coffee CAFE €
If you’ve greeted the day with bloodshot eyes, get back in gear at this Aussie-run coffee and breakfast joint favoured by Friedrichshain’s hip and expat. Beans from Fjord coffee roasters ensure possibly the best flat white in town, while bread from Sironi (Markthalle Neun) adds scrumptiousness to the poached-egg avo toast. (www.facebook.com/silocoffee; Gabriel-Max-Strasse 4; dishes €6-12; h8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-6pm Sat & Sun; Wv; jM10, M13, XWarschauer Strasse, bWarschauer Strasse)
5Katerschmaus INTERNATIONAL €€€
From the homemade bread to the wicked crème brûlée, dining at this carefully designed ramshackle space under the U-Bahn tracks is very much a Berlin experience. The kitchen embraces the regional-seasonal credo and presents meaty, fishy or vegetarian multicourse dinners as well as à la carte dining. Reservations essential. (%0152 2941 3262; www.katerschmaus.de; Holzmarktstrasse 25; multicourse dinners €50-80; hnoon-4pm & 7-10.30pm Tue-Sat; W; XJannowitzbrücke, bJannowitzbrücke)
5Khwan THAI, BARBECUE €€
For some of the best Thai barbecue this side of Bangkok, pounce upon this rustic lair ensconced – for now – among the clubs and bars on the RAW Gelände strip. Let your nose be hooked by the aromatic smoke (khwan in Thai) wafting from the wood grill, where flames lick chicken, pork, fish, lamb and vegetables to succulent smokiness. (%0152 5902 1331; http://khwanberlin.com; Revaler Strasse 99; dishes €4.50-19; h6pm-late Tue-Sat; W; jM10, M13, XWarschauer Strasse, bWarschauer Strasse)
5Vöner VEGAN €
Vöner stands for ‘vegan doner kebab’ and is a spit-roasted blend of wheat protein, vegetables and herbs. It was dreamed up more than a 20 years ago by Holger Frerichs, a one-time resident of a so-called Wagenburg, a countercultural commune made up of old vans, buses and caravans. The alt-spirit lives on in his original Vöner outlet. (%0176 9651 3869; www.facebook.com/Voener; Boxhagener Strasse 56; dishes €3.50-6.50; hnoon-11pm; v; bOstkreuz)
5Schneeweiss EUROPEAN €€
The chilly-chic snowy white decor, with an eye-catching ‘ice’ chandelier, complements the Alpine menu at this fine-dining pioneer in Friedrichshain. Although the emphasis is on such classics as schnitzel, goulash and spaetzle (mac’ ‘n’ cheese), the chef’s talents also shine through with seasonal specials. Reservations essential for weekend brunch. (%030-2904 9704; www.schneeweiss-berlin.de; Simplonstrasse 16; mains €13-25, Sun brunch €15; h10am-3pm & 6pm-1am Mon-Fri, 10am-1am Sat & Sun; 
c; jM13, XWarschauer Strasse, bWarschauer Strasse)
5Lemon Leaf ASIAN €€
Cheap, cheerful and stylish, this place is always swarmed by loyal locals, and for good reason: light, inventive and fresh, the South Asian menu goes beyond the standard dishes and has few false notes. Intriguing choice: the sweet-sour Indochine salad with banana blossoms. (%030-2900 9428; www.lemonleaf.de; Grünberger Strasse 69; mains €8-14; hnoon-midnight; Wv; jM10, XFrankfurter Tor)
5Aunt Benny AMERICAN €
This daytime cafe in an unhurried yet central section of Friedrichshain combines urban sophistication with down-homey North American treats. Tuck into avo toast, a BLT sandwich or homemade carrot cake while catching up on chit chat or your reading (lots of international magazines). (%030-6640 5300; www.facebook.com/auntbennyberlin; Oderstrasse 7, enter on Jessnerstrasse; mains €5-10; h8.30am-6pm Tue-Fri, from 9am Sat & Sun; bFrankfurter Allee, XFrankfurter Allee)
5Milja & Schäfa CAFE €€
Natural woods and an airy layout lend a Scandinavian vibe to this mellow cafe, where mouthwatering breakfast options are listed on a black-slate board behind the counter with cases full of homemade cakes. Much creativity goes into the pasta dishes and sharing plates as well. Bonus: sunny pavement seating. (%030-5266 2094; www.facebook.com/MiljaundSchaefa; Sonntagstrasse 1; mains €11-21; h8am-midnight Mon-Thu, 8am-1am Fri, 9am-1am Sat, 9am-6pm Sun; W; bOstkreuz)
5Spätzle & Knödel GERMAN €€
This elbows-on-the-table gastropub provides a southern German comfort-food fix, including roast pork with dark-beer gravy, goulash with red cabbage and, of course, the eponymous spaetzle (German mac’ ‘n’ cheese) and Knödel (dumplings). Bonus: Bavarian Riegele, Maisel and Weihenstephan beers on tap. (%030-2757 1151; www.spaetzleknoedel.de; Wühlischstrasse 20; mains €9-16; h5-11pm; XSamariterstrasse)
Drinking
6Berghain/Panorama Bar CLUB
Only world-class spin-masters heat up this hedonistic bass-junkie hellhole inside a labyrinthine ex-power plant. Hard-edged minimal techno dominates the ex-turbine hall (Berghain) while house dominates at Panorama Bar, one floor up. Long lines, strict door, no cameras. Check the website for midweek concerts and record-release parties at the main venue and the adjacent Kantine am Berghain (www.berghain.de; Am Wriezener Bahnhof; admission varies; hhours vary; bOstbahnhof). (www.berghain.de; Am Wriezener Bahnhof; hFri-Mon; bOstbahnhof)
6://about blank CLUB
At this gritty multifloor party pen with lots of nooks and crannies, a steady line-up of top DJs feeds a diverse bunch of revellers dance-worthy electronic gruel. Intense club nights usually segue into the morning and beyond. Run by a collective, the venue also hosts cultural, political and gender events. (www.aboutparty.net; Markgrafendamm 24c; hhours vary, always Fri & Sat; bOstkreuz)
6Suicide Circus CLUB
Resident and visitors hungry for an eclectic techno shower invade this midsize dancing den with its industrial warehouse feel, top-notch sound system and consistently capable DJs. In summer, watch the stars fade from the open-air floor and garden. It’s still a great spot to connect with the earthy Berlin club flair. (http://suicide-berlin.com; Revaler Strasse 99; hhours vary, often from midnight Tue-Sun; bWarschauer Strasse, XWarschauer Strasse)
Urban Playground
The jumble of derelict buildings called RAW Gelände (along Revaler Strasse; bWarschauer Strasse, Ostkreuz, XWarschauer Strasse) is one of the last subcultural hubs in central Berlin. Founded in 1867 as a train repair station (‘Reichsbahn-Ausbesserungs-Werk’, aka RAW), it remained in operation until 1994. Since 1999 the graffiti-slathered grounds have been a thriving offbeat sociocultural centre for creatives of all stripes. They also harbour clubs, bars, a beer garden, an indoor skate park, a beach club, a bunker-turned-climbing-wall and a Sunday flea market.
6Briefmarken Weine WINE BAR
For dolce vita right on socialist-era Karl-Marx-Allee, head to this charmingly nostalgic Italian wine bar ensconced in a former stamp shop. The original wooden cabinets cradle a hand-picked selection of Italian bottles that complement a snack menu of yummy cheeses, prosciutto and salami, plus a pasta dish of the day. Best to book ahead. (%030-4202 5292; www.briefmarkenweine.de; Karl-Marx-Allee 99; h7pm-midnight Mon-Sat; XWeberwiese)
6Cassiopeia CLUB
The down-to-earth crowd at this charmingly trashy dancing den defines the word eclectic, and so does the music. Dive deep into a sound spectrum ranging from vintage hip-hop to hard funk, ’80s pop and punk to electronic beats, delivered both live and via DJs. It’s in an industrial hall on the RAW Gelände, a train repair station turned subcultural party village. (www.cassiopeia-berlin.de; Revaler Strasse 99, Gate 2; hfrom 7pm or later Tue-Sun; jM10, M13, XWarschauer Strasse, bWarschauer Strasse)
6Monster Ronson’s Ichiban Karaoke KARAOKE
Knock back a couple of brewskis if you need to loosen your nerves before belting out your best Adele or Lady Gaga at this mad, great karaoke joint, which went through a major rejuvenation in early 2018. Shy types can book a private booth for music and mischief. It also has gay-themed nights and drag queen shows on Tuesdays. (%030-8975 1327; www.karaokemonster.de; Warschauer Strasse 34; h7pm-4am; bWarschauer Strasse, XWarschauer Strasse)
6Hops & Barley MICROBREWERY
Conversation flows as freely as the unfiltered pilsner, malty Dunkel (dark) and fruity Weizen (wheat) produced right here at one of Berlin’s oldest craft breweries (since 2008). The pub is inside a former butcher’s shop and still has the tiled walls to prove it. Two beamers project football (soccer) games. (%030-2936 7534; www.hopsandbarley-berlin.de; Wühlischstrasse 22/23; h5pm-late Mon-Fri, from 3pm Sat & Sun; jM13, XWarschauer Strasse, bWarschauer Strasse)
Entertainment
3Astra Kulturhaus LIVE MUSIC
With space for 1500 in the former cultural hall of a Cold War–era train repair station, Astra is one of Berlin’s bigger indie concert venues, yet it often fills up easily, and not just when international headliners hit the stage. In addition, parties lure punters with danceable tunes across the sound spectrum. (%030-2005 6767; www.astra-berlin.de; Revaler Strasse 99, RAW Gelände; hhours vary, always Thu-Sat; jM13, bWarschauer Strasse, XWarschauer Strasse)
Shopping
7RAW Flohmarkt MARKET
Bargains abound at this smallish flea market right on the grounds of RAW Gelände, a former train repair station-turned-party village. It’s wonderfully free of professional sellers, meaning you’ll find everything from the proverbial kitchen sink to 1970s go-go boots. Bargains are plentiful, while street food and a beer garden provide handy post-shopping pit stops. (www.raw-flohmarkt-berlin.de; Revaler Strasse 99, RAW Gelände; h9am-5pm Sun; jM10, M13, bWarschauer Strasse, XWarschauer Strasse)
7Flohmarkt am Boxhagener Platz MARKET
Wrapped around leafy Boxhagener Platz, this fun flea market is just a java whiff away from oodles of convivial cafes. Although the presence of pro vendors has grown, there’s still plenty of regular folks here to unload their spring-cleaning detritus at bargain prices. (Boxhagener Platz; h10am-6pm Sun; jM13, bWarschauer Strasse, XWarschauer Strasse, Samariterstrasse)
7Antikmarkt am Ostbahnhof ANTIQUES
If you’re after antiques and collectibles, head to this sprawling market outside the Ostbahnhof station’s north exit. The Grosser Antikmarkt (large antiques market) is more professional and brims with old coins, Iron Curtain–era relics, gramophone records, books, stamps, jewellery, etc. It segues neatly into the Kleiner Antikmarkt (small antiques market), which has more bric-a-brac and lower prices. (Erich-Steinfurth-Strasse; h9am-5pm Sun; bOstbahnhof)