GAY AND LESBIAN ATTRACTIONS
1.Christopher Street Day
Kurfürstendamm and Straße des 17. Juni • 4th weekend in June 
Every summer, Germany’s largest gay festival, Christopher Street Day, transforms Berlin into a giant street party, with thousands of gays and lesbians walking in a parade from Kurfürstendamm down the Straße des 17. Juni to Siegessäule (for further details see Christopher Street Day). At night, the party continues in the city’s many gay clubs and Kneipen.
Christopher Street Day parade
2.Siegessäule
Free in gay cafés and shopsBerlin’s oldest and best-selling gay magazine is named after the Victory Column, Berlin’s landmark. This colourful monthly magazine includes all sorts of useful information, a round-up of what’s on, small ads and interviews from the city’s gay scene.
3.Mann-o-Meter
Bülowstr. 106 • 030 216 80 08 • 5–10pm Tue–Fri, 4–8pm Sat–Sun Berlin’s best-known advice centre for gays offers help and advice of all kinds. Apart from psychological support relating to AIDS, safe sex and coming out, its counsellors offer help in finding accommodation, give support to those in troubled relationships and provide legal advice. Mann-o-Meter is also a good starting point for gay visitors to Berlin who wish to find out about the gay scene, and, last but not least, the café is also a good place to meet people.
4.SchwuZ
Rollbergstr. 26 • 030 629 08 80 • Open from 11pm Wed, Fri and Sat • Admission charge • www.schwuz.de Located in a handsome ex-brewery in Neukölln, this is one of the best venues for gay parties in Berlin, drawing a young, lively crowd for dancing, drinking, seeing and being seen. The parties are often themed – details can be found in gay magazines such as Siegessäule or Sergej, or on the club’s Facebook page.
5.Tom’s Bar
Motzstr. 19 • 030 213 45 70 • Open from 10pm daily • www.tomsbar.de One of the traditional pubs in Berlin, in the centre of the city’s gay heart in Motzstraße, this is not for those who are shy and timid – Tom’s is a well-known pick-up joint. Below the (rather dark and dingy) Kneipe is a darkroom.
6.Prinz-Eisenherz- Buchhandlung
Motzstr. 23 • 030 313 99 36 • 10am–8pm Mon–Sat Germany’s oldest openly gay bookstore stocks the entire range of German and international gay and lesbian publications. Its knowledgeable bookshop assistants will track down rare or out-of-stock titles at your request. The bookshop also hosts frequent literary readings.
7.Connection
Fuggerstr. 33 • 030 218 14 32 • Open from 8pm Thu, from 11pm Fri–Sat • Adm charge It may not be the best, but this is certainly one of the most popular gay discos in Berlin. Late at night, this is where gays – mainly scenesters – meet and dance to house and techno rhythms. In the basement under the club is a labyrinth of darkrooms.
8.Schwules Museum
Lützowstr. 73 • 030 69 59 90 50 • 2–6pm Mon, Wed–Fri, Sun, 2–7pm Sat • Admission charge • www.schwulesmuseum.de Situated in Tiergarten, this small Gay Museum documents, through temporary exhibitions, the high and low points of gay and lesbian life since the 19th century. Next to the museum is an archive, a small library and a venue for cultural events.
Galleries at the small Schwules Museum
9.Café Berio
Maaßenstr. 7 • 030 216 19 46 • 8am–1am Fri–Sat, 7am–midnight Sun–Thu A long-time favourite among Berlin’s scene, Café Berio is an old-fashioned café that has been turned totally gay. In the summer its terrace is a great place to have breakfast while people-watching, or to relax over a great meal or afternoon coffee and cake.
10.SO36
Oranienstr. 190 • 030 61 40 13 06 • check website for current programmes and opening hours • www.so36.de This famous – and infamous – dance venue for young gays has been very popular for many years. The Sunday night club “Café Fatal”, when old German chart hits and dance tunes are played, is legendary (for further details see SO36).
Band flyers and posters, SO36
