15 Best Things To Do In Kreuzberg
Berlin’s Kreuzberg, in the south-east of the city, is often coined as one of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods. A strong-hold of left-wing politics and the anti-establishment movement, and a hub for punks, hipsters, the LGBT+ community, creatives, graffiti artists and techno fans.
The area is still home to a number of large squats, has many creative and culture centres, exhibition spaces, gig venues, nightclubs, independent businesses, street parties and other events.
It’s also incredibly multi-cultural, with large Turkish and Vietnamese communities, among many other nationalities.
The combination is what makes the area so vibrant, interesting and exciting. Expect the unexpected in Kreuzberg, keep your mind open and throw yourself into one of the most interesting neighbourhoods on the planet.
Join us as we highlight our top picks in Kreuzberg.
Also check our article on What to Do in Berlin in 3 Days
15 Best Things To Do In Kreuzberg
#1. Street art and graffiti spotting
Kreuzberg is one of the most heavily painted districts in Europe, with full-scale murals by some of the world’s most well-known street artists and home of the world famous 1UP graffiti crew.
You can’t go 5 metres without seeing some sort of painted building.
From painted rooftops, to trains running on the area’s metro line, on the side of vehicles and down the side of full buildings – it’s a hub of creativity and a feast for the senses.
If you like artwork and graffiti culture, it’s one of the best spots in Europe to see top works by well-known graffiti artists.
Kreuzberg attracts many thousands of graffiti tourists every year, to paint and to spot the pieces.
#2. Turkish food
There are said to be between 120,00 and 130,000 Turks living in Berlin, with the largest percentage in any area living in Kreuzberg and the neighbouring Neukölln.
As a result, there are 100s of authentic and tasty Turkish restaurants around the neighbourhood. From traditional börek bakeries and sweet pastry shops, to gluttonous donor kebab outlets and Turkish fine dining restaurants.
You can eat some of the best Turkish food outside of Turkey here in Kreuzberg.
Our top picks:
Fes – Hasenheide 58, 10967 Berlin – ££
Hasir – Adalbertstraße 12, 10999 Berlin – ££
Leylak – Kottbusser Str. 25, 10999 Berlin – £
#3. Techno
Berlin is famed for having one of the best clubbing scenes on earth, particularly for techno music.
There are nightclubs which open on Friday evening and stay open until Monday morning, without stopping. Some are notorious for being hard to get into and wild inside, but if you manage to get in, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most hedonistic and pulsating music scenes on earth.
Tresor, in a former power station, is in the north of Kreuzberg, attracting some legendary names from the world of techno and house, meanwhile, just across the ornate Oberbaumbruke Bridge you’ll find the infamous Berghain.
Berghain has often been called the world’s best nightclub – it has one of the toughest door policies on earth, with people regularly rejected from going in.
This place isn’t for the prudes amongst us, it’s an incredibly liberal place – where sexual acts can be spotted taking place, where scantily clad ravers dance for days on end, where drug use is fairly easy to spot and where there’s a no-photo policy.
It’s wild and unlike many other nightclubs on the planet.
There are other many other nightclubs dotted around Kreuzberg and in nearby areas.
Our top picks:
Location – Berghain – Am Wriezener bhf, 10243 Berlin
Location – Tresor – Köpenicker Str. 70, 10179 Berlin
#4. Coffee culture
Kreuzberg has a vast array of excellent coffee roasteries and cafes, so sampling some of the excellent third wave coffee spots in the area is a must.
Our favourite coffee roasteries in the area include Bonanza Coffee Roasters and The Visit Coffee Roastery.
Although there are many others dotted around Kreuzberg including, Five Elephant, Kaffeekirsche, Cabana, among many others.
Our top picks:
Location – Bonanza – Adalbertstraße 70, 10999 Berlin
Location – The Visit Coffee Roasters – Adalbertstraße 9, 10999 Berlin
Location – Five Elephant – Reichenberger Str. 101, 10999 Berlin
#5. Vintage shopping
Vintage clothing and other vintage items are big business in Berlin and Kreuzberg is well served with a large selection of cool vintage shops.
Around Kreuzberg you can pick up many a bargain – from 90s rave jackets, to 80s leather and colourful items from the 1950s and 1960s.
There’s also a popular market down by the Landwehrkanal every weekend, with a number of great vintage clothing stalls and many other shops around the area selling vintage furniture, records and other items.
Our top picks:
Location – Humana – Oranienstraße 25, 10999 Berlin
Location – Vintage Living – Oranienstraße 169, 10999 Berlin
Location – Vintage market – Landwehkranal – Maybachufer 3, 12047 Berlin
#6. Go to a gig
As a result of Kreuzberg’s alternative culture heritage, the area has a number of excellent music venues – hosting all sorts of gigs – from punk and ska, to electronic music DJ sets, Balkanistic bands and classical music.
Among some of the most interesting to go to are Madame Claude, SO36 and Wild At Heart.
In the summer months there are many street performances and concerts in local parks, on the streets and in the courtyards of many of the local buildings.
Our top picks:
Location – Madame Claude – Lübbener Str. 19, 10997 Berlin
Location – SO36 – Oranienstraße 190, 10999 Berlin
Location – Wild At Heart – Wiener Straße 20, 10999 Berlin
#7. Cycle down an old airfield
Although technically just south of Kreuzberg, the former Tempelhof Airfield is one of the world’s largest inner-city parks and is a magnet for the Kreuzberg community, particularly during the summer months – where tens of thousands of people go to relax and escape the busy streets of the city.
The airport closed in 2008 and is now a popular park, where people can cycle, skateboard, play sports, have BBQs and relax. It’s a green lung in the middle of the city, but the signs of the old airport are still clear, which makes it a very unique environment to pass a few hours.
The former terminal building remains in situ, complete with a vintage aircraft outside and you can run and cycle along the old runways.
Location – Tempelhofer Feld – Tempelhofer Damm, 12101 Berlin
#8 Visit the Markets in Kreuzberg
There are numerous excellent markets around Kreuzberg, serving up all manner of goods – from vintage clothes and records, to Turkish food and antiques.
Two of our favourites are the covered Markthalle Neun – a large, predominantly, food and drink market hall, which has many tasty eateries, numerous bars and a brewery.
Another great spot, particularly on weekends, is the flea market down by the Landwehrkanal, which has lots of vintage items, including vinyl records, clothes, antiques and other slices of memorabilia.
During the week it’s a conventional on-street food market, which has many types of world cuisine, but a particularly large amount of Turkish items.
Our top picks:
Location – Markthalle Neun – Eisenbahnstraße 42/43, 10997 Berlin
Location – Vintage market – Landwehkranal – Maybachufer 3, 12047 Berlin
#9. Brutalism spotting
If you’re a fan of odd Cold War architecture, then there are numerous examples dotted around Kreuzberg.
Some of the best include residential tower blocks around the Kottbuser Tor Metro Station and the Tresor nightclub building.
The former St Agnes church and community centre is another excellent example of the area’s Brutalist architecture – it was restored by an art dealer in 2015 and now hosts many exhibitions, but it’s the exterior which is particularly striking.
The concrete architecture attracts many photography groups and Brutalist fans from around the world.
Our top picks:
Location – Kotnbusser Tor – U1 Kottbusser Tor, Skalitzer Str. 136, 10999 Berlin
Location – Tresor – Location – Tresor – Köpenicker Str. 70, 10179 Berlin
Location – St Agnes Church – Alexandrinenstraße 118-121, 10969 Berlin
#10. Soak up an art exhibition
As you might expect from a centre of creativity, there frequent art exhibitions on show around Kreuzberg.
One of the best contemporary art galleries in the city is based within Kreuzberg – called Bethanien – a former hospital, which dates back to the 1800s and now hosts art exhibitions, workshops and many other events.
The Berlinische Galerie is also based in the area, which has an excellent collection of modern art. The Konig Galerie is another top spot to soak in some great artwork.
There are many other pop-up galleries, exhibition spaces and street performances throughout the year.
Our top picks:
Location – Bethanien – Mariannenpl. 2, 10997 Berlin
Location – Berlinische Galerie – Alte Jakobstraße 124-128, 10969 Berlin
Location – Konig Galerie – Alexandrinenstraße 118-121, 10969 Berlin
#11. Tuck into local cuisine
Kreuzberg has all manner of awesome eateries from countries around the world, as we’ve already touched upon, but it also has some of the best local dishes on offer in the city as well.
Two of the city’s best currywurst spots are situated in the area, one in the south of Kreuzberg and one in the north.
Ketels Wurstpezialitaten, just south of the canal, has legendary currywursts, which some say are the best in Germany.
Meanwhile in the north, near Tresor, you can find Wurstpate. Both offer affordable and tasty German street-food dishes, which you eat while sipping an ice-cold beer at high tables on the street.
Another Kreuzberg institution is Max und Moritz – it was established in 1902 and is based in a former ballroom.
They serve up tasty traditional German dishes and brew their own beer.
Our top picks:
Location – Ketels Wurstpezialitaten – Kottbusser Damm 1, 10967 Berlin
Location – Wurstpate – Kottbusser Damm 1, 10967 Berlin
Location – Max Und Moritz – Oranienstraße 162, 10969 Berlin
#12. Have a beer at a Späti or on the streets of Kreuzberg
Spatis are a Berlin institution. To the non-native these are essentially corner shops, dotted on almost every street around Kreuzberg.
They have excellent alcohol choices, including some of the top German breweries, and uniquely they often have relaxing tables outside, so you can drink your beer outside the shop.
It’s an affordable way to enjoy some of the best local beers, while soaking up the hustle and bustle of the street outside.
These are far from magnets for the rough and ready, the Spatis attract all sorts of folk and are a great place to immerse yourself in the local culture.
Location – Various – just wander the streets and choose your favourites
13. Wander down Landwehrkanal
The canal wraps around the south end of Kreuzberg, before coming out at the Spree River in the north. There’s a walkway along its entirety and also small boat tours along it.
The canal wraps around the south end of Kreuzberg, before coming out at the Spree River in the north. There’s a walkway along its entirety and also small boat tours along it.
In summer you often find paddleboarders and kayakers traversing the waterway and there are many tasty eateries, bars and boutiques along the full stretch. There’s also excellent flea and food market, which we’ve already mentioned.
A great place to escape the busy streets of the city and take in a little bit of nature, with many sorts of bird life frequenting the water and its edges.
Location – Various – just wander the length of the canal.
#14. Tourist attractions and museums
On the eastern edge of Kreuzberg you have some of Berlin’s most famous tourist attractions. These include Check Point Charlie, the historic and most well-known border crossing between the old East and West Germany.
The old checkpoint is still in situ and still attracts millions of tourists each year, with a museum nearby.
The museum tells the story of the check point and the many attempts by people trying to escape East Germany by crossing the border illegally, during the time of the Berlin Wall.
Among other tourist attractions and museums nearby is the Jewish Museum of Berlin, which tells the story of Jews in Germany, along with the horrors of the Holocaust. A moving and very poignant museum.
There are many other big attractions close to the area.
Our top picks:
Location – Check Point Charlie – Friedrichstraße 43-45, 10117 Berlin
Location – Jewish Museum – Lindenstraße 9-14, 10969 Berlin
#15. The Berlin Wall
Although technically just north of Kreuzberg, on the other side of the Spree River, the largest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall, which is still intact, is within short walking distance from the northern edge of Kreuzberg.
The East Side Gallery is a 1.3km stretch of the old Berlin Wall, complete with murals along the whole stretch. It’s a free art gallery and has moving murals from the time the wall stood complete, along with newer pieces.
A living and moving gallery, along with relaxing seating areas alongside the Spree River.
Location – East Side Gallery – Mühlenstraße 3-100, 10243 Berlin
We hope that you enjoy exploring this vibrant neighbourhood of Kreuzberg.
