{"id":9431,"date":"2019-05-14T01:00:39","date_gmt":"2019-05-14T01:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/venturing-off-beaten-path-berlin\/"},"modified":"2022-07-11T20:47:54","modified_gmt":"2022-07-11T20:47:54","slug":"venturing-off-beaten-path-berlin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/venturing-off-beaten-path-berlin\/","title":{"rendered":"Venturing Off the Beaten Path in Berlin"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ah, Berlin<\/a>, the city that has always reinvented itself. If you\u2019re a first-time visitor, you\u2019d have glimpsed in its many historical monuments the tumultuous change that the city has been through. Its progressive and counter-cultural spirit continues to reverberate today, drawing hordes of hedonists and hipsters to its streets. But to find it, you\u2019ll have to look beyond the central tourist belt and towards the less traditional things to do in Berlin. The city\u2019s kaleidoscopic heart beats within its eastern fringes.<\/p>\n

Here are five hidden gems in Berlin where you too can join in in the spirit of reinvention \u2014 as a top-secret spy or a connoisseur of Turkish kebab.<\/p>\n

The Top Things To Do In Berlin Off The Beaten Path<\/h2>\n

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Where to Stay in Berlin<\/h2>\n

\"Bed\"Dining\"Food<\/p>\n

Full of quirky cool, each room in\u00a0Michelberger Hotel<\/a>\u00a0is as distinctive as Berlin hotels<\/a> come. Linger in the spacious courtyard and trendy bar, which often play host to DJ acts and other live music. It\u2019s also located a stone\u2019s throw away from Berlin\u2019s most famous nightlife spots.<\/p>\n

[button style=’blue’ icon=”entypo-suitcase” url=’https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/Berlin-Hotels.d179892.Travel-Guide-Hotels’ fullwidth=’true’] Find Hotels in Berlin [\/button]<\/p>\n

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1. Pick up some\u00a0dance moves at Cl\u00e4rchen Ballhaus<\/h2>\n

\"ClarchenImage<\/span>\u00a0<\/em>@claerchens_ballhaus<\/em><\/a>\u00a0\/\u00a0 Instagram<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

A long-standing institution in Berlin, the 19th-century dance hall Cl\u00e4rchen Ballhaus has lived many lives for more than a hundred years. Having survived two world wars, it has played host to communist spies and the glitzy nightlife of the 1920s. Twenty-something scenesters and cha-cha regulars now frequent it. There is an array of dancing classes, live concerts, and proms you\u2019ll stumble upon on any evening.<\/p>\n

\"Dancing Image<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em>@claerchens_ballhaus<\/em><\/a>\u00a0\/ Instagram<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

When I visited, a crowd of Berliners swarmed the open dance floor in an accessible style of dance from the 1940s known as swing. That, along with the sparkling streamers and chipped, peeling facade, lent the entire place a festive decadence. Even if you have two left feet as I do, you can surely gulp down some\u00a0bratwurst and beer while people-watching.<\/p>\n

2. Sample Turkish and Levantine cuisine in Neukolln<\/h2>\n

In the vibrant borough of Neuk\u00f6lln, Berlin\u2019s hippest kiez, you\u2019ll find trendy burger joints one street down from Sonneallee\u2019s many d\u00f6ner kebab shops. Beneath its layer of rapid gentrification, Neuk\u00f6lln\u2019s working-class roots live on in the bustling Arab enclave that has sprung up in the years since.<\/p>\n

\"FalafelFalafel at Azzam Restaurant\u00a0<\/span><\/em>\/\u00a0@rachsig<\/a>\u00a0\/ Instagram\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Having stayed in Neuk\u00f6lln before on a recent trip to Berlin, I can heartily recommend its Turkish and Syrian eateries. Berlin food is, after all, a diverse array and flavors and the city is home to the largest Turkish community outside of Turkey. A favourite of mine is\u00a0Azzam Restaurant, a fast-food joint that serves excellent, crunchy falafel along with specials like Fatteh<\/em>\u2014crumbly pita drenched in creamy yoghurt and chickpeas. For under seven euros, the portions are so generous that you can make two meals out of one!<\/p>\n

\"AImage<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em>@lenaschk<\/em><\/a>\u00a0\/ Instagram\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Another favourite is\u00a0Konditorei Damaskus, helmed by a family of pastry chefs who fled from Syria as refugees. It\u2019s hard to pick from its mouth-watering range of Levantine delicacies, but the mini-platters of varied small bites are a good start. Me? I love the pistachio-studded pastry nests called Esh Al-Bulbul, and most of all the bakery\u2019s pi\u00e8ce de r\u00e9sistance \u2014 sweet cheese rolls called Halawet El Jibn that simply\u00a0melt in your mouth.<\/p>\n

3. Party at an underground music venue<\/h2>\n

Known for its legendary diversity of nightlife and all-day nightclubs, Berlin is truly a city that never sleeps. In fact, on weekends, its underground train network U-Bahn operates for 24 hours. Which means it\u2019s a perfect time to check out the city\u2019s coolest clubs.<\/p>\n

\"Silent<\/em>Image\u00a0<\/em>Cordia Schlegelmilch<\/em><\/a>\u00a0\/ silent green Kulturquartier<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

You might start with the notorious\u00a0Berghain. Famed as the \u201cbest club in the world\u201d, it’s one of the biggest Berlin attractions for party-goers and operates a brutally selective door policy. To avoid the queue, I checked out a grittier alternative called\u00a0:\/\/about blank, a dingy techno cavern with a sprawling outdoor courtyard. When I went in fall, there were fire pits in the yard to take a breather from the dense atmosphere indoors.<\/p>\n

\"Partygoers<\/em><\/p>\n

But for an authentic Berlin experience that leans towards the avant-garde, take a northward-bound sojourn to\u00a0silent green Kulturquartier\u00a0in the Wedding borough \u2014 a historical crematorium (yes, you read that right) that hosts some of the most cutting-edge music acts. The night I was there, Berliners laid out on the floor, all dressed in black, as we came up against a wall of electrifying guitar noise.<\/p>\n

4. Take a soak in the River Spree<\/h2>\n

\"Badeschiff Image<\/span>\u00a0<\/em>@badeschiff_berlin<\/em><\/a>\u00a0\/ Instagram\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

If you’re ever wondering what to do in Berlin, then simply do as the Berliners do. Come summer, you’ll be sure to find Berliners flocking to the city’s lakes, pools, and city beaches that are scattered along the banks of river Spree. One of these is\u00a0Badeschiff, an ultra-hip swimming pool that floats over the river on a moored barge. A modern throwback to the tradition of open-air baths.<\/p>\n

\"RiverRiver Spree<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

There\u2019s even a beach bar to boot, which means you can soak up a panoramic sight of the city\u2019s iconic monuments with a cocktail in hand. Berlin sightseeing<\/a> doesn’t come much more laidback than this. Stand-up paddling courses and massage treatments are also available during summer. Check out their events calendar too for the latest beach parties and concerts.<\/p>\n

5. Dodge a laser maze at the German Spy Museum Berlin<\/h2>\n

\"Laser\u00a9Deutsches Spionagemuseum Berlin<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Looking for a museum that\u2019s unlike any other? Then the German Spy Museum near Potsdamer Platz \u2014 the only museum of its kind in Germany \u2014 will be right up your alley.<\/p>\n

Often overlooked by Berlin tours and holidaymakers on the tourist trail, the museum is a true hidden gem for history buffs, where you\u2019ll get to uncover the covert world of espionage through a variety of interactive multimedia installations.<\/p>\n

\"Interactive\u00a0\u00a9Deutsches\u00a0Spionagemuseum\u00a0Berlin<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The museum is small but full of fascinating exhibits that range from secret Biblical scriptures to cyber-espionage. Witness cold war-era surveillance and see bizarre weapons up close, like an umbrella hiding poisonous arrows, for example. Compete in the laser maze room to avoid detection as a secret agent and have fun deciphering encrypted codes!<\/p>\n

[button icon=”entypo-flight” url=’https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/Cheap-Flights-To-Berlin.d179892.Travel-Guide-Flights’ fullwidth=’true’] Flights to Berlin [\/button]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ah, Berlin, the city that has always reinvented itself. If you\u2019re a first-time visitor, you\u2019d have glimpsed in its many historical monuments the tumultuous change that the city has been through. Its progressive and counter-cultural spirit continues to reverberate today, drawing hordes of hedonists and hipsters to its streets. But to find it, you\u2019ll have… Continue reading Venturing Off the Beaten Path in Berlin<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":9432,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,18,65,78],"tags":[402,647,256,168,82],"authors":[672],"class_list":["post-9431","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-destinations","category-europe","category-germany","category-travel-diaries","tag-berlin","tag-hidden-gems","tag-non-touristy","tag-off-the-beaten-track","tag-travel-diaries","authors-krystalle-teh","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThings to Do in Berlin Off the Beaten Track - Travel Blog - Expedia SG<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover the best things to do in Berlin off the beaten track with our handy guide to the city's most wonderful hidden gems and lesser explored attractions.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/europe\/venturing-off-beaten-path-berlin\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Things to Do in Berlin Off the Beaten Track - 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