10 Most Beautiful Streets to see in Berlin

Image by Robert diam from Pixabay

10 Most Beautiful Streets to see in Berlin

Berlin, Germany’s capital, dates to the 13th century. Reminders of the city’s turbulent 20th-century history include its Holocaust memorial and the Berlin Wall’s graffitied remains.

Divided during the Cold War, its 18th-century Brandenburg Gate has become a symbol of reunification.

The German capital is wonderful and unconventional – Berlin is not your average European city. It has a dark recent history it has had to reinvent and rebuild itself.

Berlin is famous for its many museums such as the Dahlem Museums, the Egyptian Museum, the Berlin Cultural Forum with the New National Gallery, and the Museum of Arts and Crafts.

Other postwar institutions are the Brücke-Museum, the Berlin Museum, the Museum of Transport and Technology, and the Jewish Museum Berlin.

Recognised as one of the top street art cities in the world, Berlin is a haven for street art enthusiasts.

Take a stroll on these 10 most beautiful streets in Berlin.

1.  Revaler Strasse 99

Image by OTFW from Wikimedia

Here you will find Raw Gelände.

 The urban hotspot of Raw Gelände in the funky neighbourhood of Friedrichshain offers a big dose of street art.

Literally, every inch of the walls of this huge former train repair station is covered in extraordinary graffiti and street art.

Housing independent clubs, bars, galleries and quirky shops, Raw Gelände is a fantastic alternative destination for curious minds.

While the vast open beergarden looks very inviting, don’t forget to wander around the large compound in search of art. Especially the hidden alleys and corners house the best gems!

You won’t be able to miss this large tucan by Portuguese street artist Bordalo II though.

Questioning today’s materialistic society, Bordalo is famous for using garbage to make his large-scale artworks.

However, the activities here aren’t just limited to street art hunting and drinking beer.

For more active visitors, there’s an indoor skate park and also a climbing wall.

But if you’re like me and prefer to take things easier, then come here for the vibrant Sunday flea market.

2.  Oderbergerstrasse

Prenzlauerberg is characterised by its wide, leafy and tranquil streets and in that sense, the Oderbergestrasse fits in perfectly.

Boasting streets bursting with vintage clothes shops, vinyl record stores, atmospheric cafés, affordable restaurants and hip bars, Prenzlauer Berg is such a cool area that it’s just so easy to spend time here and so very hard to leave.

Even if you’re visiting Berlin for the first time and are intent on ticking off some sights, all the major monuments are a 15-minute train ride or half-hour to an hour’s stroll away.

So it’s very easy to do your museum-hopping by day and spend your evenings kicking back in the local ’hood.           

The beautiful pastel-coloured buildings in this street house some of the neighbourhood’s prettiest cafes and terraces.

3.  Kastanienallee

Image by Oh-Berlin.com from Wikimedia

The elegant Kastanienallee in Prenzlauerberg is a joy to walk through.

Flanked by chestnut trees (‘Kastanien’ in German), this street has some of the nicest independent stores, coffee shops and lunch bars in the area.

It is one of the most popular promenades in Berlin. The street is lined with modern cafés, boutiques and innovative small shops.

Designers offer their collections and artists realize them in temporary projects, making the streets one of the creative centres of the city for many observers.

That’s why the shopping mile is not only popular with Berliners and many tourists from all over the world come and go there.

There are also galleries, second-hand shops and stylish fashion boutiques.

4.  Unter den Linden

Image by Adam Carr from Wikimedia

Unter den Linden, meaning “under the linden trees” in German, is one of the main boulevards in Berlin.

Unter den Linden is one of the most important arterial roads in the centre of Berlin and is the ideal starting point for getting to know the city.

The magnificent boulevard in Mitte is the venerable heart of Berlin and takes you from the Brandenburg Gate to the Schlossbrücke and the new Humboldt Forum. 

Strolling along the 1.5 km long road, you pass numerous important buildings such as the Humboldt University and the Staatsoper, and landmarks such as the Neue Wache and the Zeughaus.

The boulevard also boasts restaurants, cafés and shops.

5. Simon-Dach-Strasse

image by Gryffindor from Wikimedia

Located in eclectic Friedrichshain, the Simon-Dach-Strasse feels worlds apart from the much busier and congested Warschauerstrasse, which runs parallel to it.

The crowds on Simon-Dach-Strasse could not be more colourful. This is where old-school Berliners mingle with hipsters, gourmands, and punk rockers.

This diversity is also reflected in the restaurants, cafés, and bars of the neighbourhood, which have established quite a reputation for themselves in recent years.

Many restaurants serving cuisines from all over the world have opened up in this neighbourhood around Boxhagener Platz.

The gourmet restaurant PlusMinusNull for example, serves Mediterranean cuisine, while Fatoush serves Middle Eastern food and Habana serves Mexican.

In addition to the wide range of culinary offerings, you can also spend a fun evening in the area’s cafés and bars. 

This place is especially worth checking out on a Thursday or Friday evening!

6. Oranienstrasse

Image by de-Okin from Wikimedia

Kreuzberg is one of Berlin’s most multicultural neighbourhoods and that’s reflected in the Oranienstrasse.

The street is full of Turkish, Vietnamese, Iranian and Italian shops and restaurants. The diversity of this street is what gives it its special vibe.

At night, life continues in one of the street’s many bars.

At number 190 you’ll find SO36, one of Berlin’s most legendary music venues, made famous by David Bowie and Iggy Pop.

7. Kurfürstendamm

Image by Willy Pragher from Wikimedia

The Kurfürstendamm, known as Ku’Damm, is one of the most distinguished avenues in Berlin and a famous shopping street.

The Kurfürstendamm is the lifeline of Berlin’s western city centre and one of the most famous streets in the world.

The number one shopping mile in Berlin is 3.5 kilometres long and located in the Charlottenburg district between Breitscheidplatz and Halensee.

Kurfürstendamm got its name from the prince-electors who rode along it to hunt in Grunewald, but now it’s full of Berliners and visitors on the hunt for the latest fashion and designer items or the best bargains. And that’s how Kurfürstendamm became Ku’damm.

No trip to Berlin is complete without a stroll down Kurfürstendamm. Berlin’s most popular shopping boulevard is the beating heart of the western city centre.

8.  Weserstrasse

Image by Museum.eulenburg from Wikimedia

The Weserstrasse, between Kreuzberg and Neukölln, may seem rather unremarkable at first sight, but look beyond the gritty facades, the shut window blinds and the messy pavements and you’ll find some pretty cool new shops and bars as well as good old kebab places.

This area, including the surrounding streets, is busiest in the evenings when the hipsters come out to play.

This bustling street is filled with stylish cafés, small independent shops selling everything from books to wine and upcycled clothes and, at night, becomes a hotspot for eating and drinking.

Vin Aqua Vin at number 204 is a popular wine bar and KADUKA at number 207 is a perfect spot for a drink in a cosy, homely environment.

New places seem to be popping up every week in this up and coming area that is the heart of Berlin’s creative scene.

Young, cosmopolitan, lively and creative: Weserstrasse just sums up Berlin perfectly.

9. Rosenthaler Strasse 39

Street art alley on Rosenthaler Strasse.

In the heart of Berlin, there is a sweet little street art hotspot. Tucked away in a little alley off Rosenthaler Strasse near Alexanderplatz, you’ll find Haus Schwarzenberg.

Owned by a non-profit art organisation, this vibrant cultural pocket is one of the best places to see street art in Berlin.

However, due to its inconspicuous looks, you can find it by its bright orange and red bunting.

Despite being an alley, you could easily spend hours there trying to take in the wide variety of murals, graffiti and paste-ups.

And while the artworks in this Berlin street art alley are known to change frequently, there’s one piece that has remained untouched since 2012.

Painted by London-based artist Jimmy C using his signature style of large paint dots, the portrait of Anne Frank is a work of significant importance.

You can find it on the wall of Anne Frank Zentrum at the end of the alley.

10. The Alte and Schönhauser Strasse

Image by Gunnar Klack from Wikimedia

The Alte Schönhauser Strasse and its extension the Neue Schöhauser Strasse lie in the heart of Mitte, Berlin’s present-day centre.

For funky, offbeat stores, it’s hard to beat the quarter around Alte and Neue Schönhauser Strasse.

When the Wall came down, the streets around Hackescher Markt had to be totally refurbished.

The houses were dilapidated and grey and interspersed with empty wild plots.

Overnight, the area was revamped, transformed into one of the hippest places in town.

They offer a range of cool fashion and design shops – both independent and chains – and some brilliant easygoing restaurants and coffee shops.

Compared to the nearby grey and brutalist Alexanderplatz these two streets feel cheerful and cosy.

The mix of trendy and alternative lifestyles around Hackesche Höfe draws Berliners and visitors.

Berlin is by far the cheapest capital city in Western Europe, so it’s a great place for budget-minded travellers and backpackers seeking world-class museums, cheap food, crazy nightlife and affordable accommodation.

Prices are slowly rising but there are still easy to visit without spending a lot of money.