Areas and Suburbs in Berlin
Berlin is a dynamic city in constant change, and no other metropolis in Germany has created so much history. Once divided into East and West, both halves had to find each other and reconnect after the fall of the Berlin Wall. As a result, elegant boulevards alternate with trendy and alternative neighbourhoods. The futuristic architecture in the government district and at the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin-Mitte contrasts to the Wilhelminian style in Charlottenburg.
If expats are looking for the perfect home they should consider exactly in which area of Berlin they’d like to live. Accommodation options differ vastly in each of the city’s twelve districts; each consisting of several neighbourhoods.
Certain districts are more popular than others. Expats will need to consider their priorities carefully before choosing an appropriate area of the city in which to settle, but whatever the demands, Berlin leaves no wish unfulfilled. In this multifaceted city there will be something to suit every taste.
Berlin Mitte is extremely international, and it can feel like every part of the world is intersecting here. Residents live between world-famous sights, government quarters and cultural temples. Nowhere in the capital is reunification more evident than in Mitte.
Here beats the heart of Berlin, and desired addresses are aplenty; including Friedrich-Wilhelm-Stadt, Spandauer Vorstadt, Rosenthaler Vorstadt and the historic Nikolaiviertel.
The district also consists of the neighbourhoods Tiergarten and Wedding; that are, in contrast to the exquisite Mitte, multicultural and less fashionable. Nevertheless, these districts also can be quite attractive. The Tiergarten in Berlin is what Hyde Park is to London and Central Park is to New York. This park, located in the Tiergarten district, is Berlin's largest and most beautiful, and lifts the area's image accordingly. Even Wedding, despite its low-brow reputation, reveals its handsome side here and there with imposing architectural facades.
Mitte is home to all the Berlin sightseeing institutions, from the Reichstag to the Chancellery to most embassies. At Alexanderplatz the famous television tower extends into the sky. Not far away is the Unter den Linden boulevard, at the end of which stands the Brandenburg Gate. The Museum Island has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1999 and attracts culture lovers and tourists alike.
Expats who choose to live in Mitte will quickly find that parking is a problem. Spaces are rare, and the traffic can be nerve-wrecking. That said, Berlin has an excellent public transportation system by which one can reach every point in the city.
If you prefer the quiet life, then the district of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf may be perfect for you. Residents are typically bourgeois, cosmopolitan, tradition-conscious and ambitious.
In addition to the upmarket neighbourhoods of Grunewald and Schmargendorf, Charlottenburg stands out for its solid middle-class respectability. Unlike in the student districts of Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg, in this neighbourhood expats can anticipate living alongside the affluent and those who value a certain quality of life.
Wilmersdorf is the cosy part of the Western city. Also, normally thought of as bourgeois, wealthy and conservative, the neighbourhood is evolving slightly due to the return of young people. Wilmersdorf offers an environment with lots of green space and a wide choice of schools, and is popular among families.
Although Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is not a hip area overall, Savigny Platz - with its countless restaurants and bars - is a one neighbourhood that’s become a magnet for the younger generation.
The main attraction in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is the Kurfrstendamm, Berlin's most popular boulevard and shopping mile. In the immediate vicinity lies the Zoological Garden, a must-see and the best-stocked zoo in the world. In the heart of this City West lies the magnificent Schloss Charlottenburg, affectionately known as "Little Versailles". The famous Olympic Stadium built during the Third Reich is also worth a visit.
If you prefer to live where it happens, as opposed to just nearby, then head for Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. Though this area used to be predominately a working-class district, it has evolved into a fashionable area that captures the attention of young international expats, students and artists
Both neighbourhoods, Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg, are among Berlin’s trendiest; countless bars, clubs and pubs pop up on every corner. Because of the cheap rent and burgeoning nightlife, Friedrichshain is now the student quarter of the city. Expats will find a lively scene around Simon-Dach Straße and Boxhagener Straße, in particular.
In Kreuzberg many different cultures co-exist, and the residents have a different approach to everyday life – easy going and unassailable. Kreuzberg, together with Wedding, claims the most Turkish residents in the city.
The Berlin Wall used to run between Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg, and though the feeling of division is still present in many minds, the residents add a lighter spin to the location by organising a water fight each year at the Oberbaumbrücke, which connects the two parts of the district.
Other attractions in this quarter include the East Side Gallery, with remnants of the Berlin Wall, and the former prestige boulevard of the East, the Karl-Marx-Allee.
Expats who think highly of themselves may want to move into the densely populated and trendy Prenzlauer Berg. In addition to actors, designers and artists, this area also attracts foreign academics and a large contingency of families, hence its nickname – “Pregnant Hill”.
With its countless bars, clubs, theatres and clothing stores, Prenzlauer Berg is one of the most modern districts of Berlin. It is also home to the famous Kulturbrauerei, a former brewery.
Expats will want to beware of Neukölln, as this area has one of the worst reputations in the city. The cheap living space lures socially disadvantaged people into the neighbourhoods; nevertheless, Neukölln is still popular with students, artists and intellectuals.
Large pockets of foreign residents are also found in this district. Sonnenallee is predominately Arabic, Hasenheide is increasingly becoming home to Africans and in Hermannstraße there is a large population of Turks.
If expats are looking for the perfect home they should consider exactly in which area of Berlin they’d like to live. Accommodation options differ vastly in each of the city’s twelve districts; each consisting of several neighbourhoods.Certain districts are more popular than others. Expats will need to consider their priorities carefully before choosing an appropriate area of the city in which to settle, but whatever the demands, Berlin leaves no wish unfulfilled. In this multifaceted city there will be something to suit every taste.
Berlin-Mitte
Berlin Mitte is extremely international, and it can feel like every part of the world is intersecting here. Residents live between world-famous sights, government quarters and cultural temples. Nowhere in the capital is reunification more evident than in Mitte.
Here beats the heart of Berlin, and desired addresses are aplenty; including Friedrich-Wilhelm-Stadt, Spandauer Vorstadt, Rosenthaler Vorstadt and the historic Nikolaiviertel.
The district also consists of the neighbourhoods Tiergarten and Wedding; that are, in contrast to the exquisite Mitte, multicultural and less fashionable. Nevertheless, these districts also can be quite attractive. The Tiergarten in Berlin is what Hyde Park is to London and Central Park is to New York. This park, located in the Tiergarten district, is Berlin's largest and most beautiful, and lifts the area's image accordingly. Even Wedding, despite its low-brow reputation, reveals its handsome side here and there with imposing architectural facades.
Mitte is home to all the Berlin sightseeing institutions, from the Reichstag to the Chancellery to most embassies. At Alexanderplatz the famous television tower extends into the sky. Not far away is the Unter den Linden boulevard, at the end of which stands the Brandenburg Gate. The Museum Island has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1999 and attracts culture lovers and tourists alike.
Expats who choose to live in Mitte will quickly find that parking is a problem. Spaces are rare, and the traffic can be nerve-wrecking. That said, Berlin has an excellent public transportation system by which one can reach every point in the city.
Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
If you prefer the quiet life, then the district of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf may be perfect for you. Residents are typically bourgeois, cosmopolitan, tradition-conscious and ambitious.
In addition to the upmarket neighbourhoods of Grunewald and Schmargendorf, Charlottenburg stands out for its solid middle-class respectability. Unlike in the student districts of Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg, in this neighbourhood expats can anticipate living alongside the affluent and those who value a certain quality of life.
Wilmersdorf is the cosy part of the Western city. Also, normally thought of as bourgeois, wealthy and conservative, the neighbourhood is evolving slightly due to the return of young people. Wilmersdorf offers an environment with lots of green space and a wide choice of schools, and is popular among families.Although Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is not a hip area overall, Savigny Platz - with its countless restaurants and bars - is a one neighbourhood that’s become a magnet for the younger generation.
The main attraction in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is the Kurfrstendamm, Berlin's most popular boulevard and shopping mile. In the immediate vicinity lies the Zoological Garden, a must-see and the best-stocked zoo in the world. In the heart of this City West lies the magnificent Schloss Charlottenburg, affectionately known as "Little Versailles". The famous Olympic Stadium built during the Third Reich is also worth a visit.
Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg
If you prefer to live where it happens, as opposed to just nearby, then head for Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. Though this area used to be predominately a working-class district, it has evolved into a fashionable area that captures the attention of young international expats, students and artists
Both neighbourhoods, Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg, are among Berlin’s trendiest; countless bars, clubs and pubs pop up on every corner. Because of the cheap rent and burgeoning nightlife, Friedrichshain is now the student quarter of the city. Expats will find a lively scene around Simon-Dach Straße and Boxhagener Straße, in particular.
In Kreuzberg many different cultures co-exist, and the residents have a different approach to everyday life – easy going and unassailable. Kreuzberg, together with Wedding, claims the most Turkish residents in the city.
The Berlin Wall used to run between Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg, and though the feeling of division is still present in many minds, the residents add a lighter spin to the location by organising a water fight each year at the Oberbaumbrücke, which connects the two parts of the district.Other attractions in this quarter include the East Side Gallery, with remnants of the Berlin Wall, and the former prestige boulevard of the East, the Karl-Marx-Allee.
The district of Pankow - Prenzlauer Berg
Expats who think highly of themselves may want to move into the densely populated and trendy Prenzlauer Berg. In addition to actors, designers and artists, this area also attracts foreign academics and a large contingency of families, hence its nickname – “Pregnant Hill”.
With its countless bars, clubs, theatres and clothing stores, Prenzlauer Berg is one of the most modern districts of Berlin. It is also home to the famous Kulturbrauerei, a former brewery.
Neukölln
Expats will want to beware of Neukölln, as this area has one of the worst reputations in the city. The cheap living space lures socially disadvantaged people into the neighbourhoods; nevertheless, Neukölln is still popular with students, artists and intellectuals.
Large pockets of foreign residents are also found in this district. Sonnenallee is predominately Arabic, Hasenheide is increasingly becoming home to Africans and in Hermannstraße there is a large population of Turks.
