Fun and entertainment Germany

Formerly a repair station for the Reichsbahn carriages, then a gigantic squat, it is today a vast complex of bars, restaurants, nightclubs, etc. Fundamentally alternative, this place is a paradise for street-art lovers. Frescoes cheerfully colour the brick façades. You will also find a climbing gym, a skateboard room and, in the summer, an open-air cinema. At nightfall, it's the meeting place for late-night sleepers. Unfortunately, the RAW-Gelände is threatened by a new building project.

Our favorite cocktail bar is located in the Victoria Best Western Premier Hotel, between the train station and Bertoldsbrunnen Straße. Surprising? Wait until you see the rest. As you enter, you'll instinctively come across the first bar, the Cocktail Bar. Classic decor, hushed atmosphere, not particularly original but comfortable: a good place for a quiet drink with your partner. But the real attraction lies elsewhere. Follow the stairs to the toilets and go down to the second bar: the Smoker Lounge. An immediate change of atmosphere! Here, the decor is much more original and elaborate, the atmosphere more relaxed and less formal. Sink into one of the quilted leather sofas and enjoy friendly, professional service, some of the best cocktails in town, a carefully selected playlist and a melting-pot, intergenerational atmosphere. As you may have guessed, this part of the establishment is a smoking area, and you can buy cigars to complete your journey in this Prohibition-inspired atmosphere. The menu is the same for both bars. Here, the cocktail is king, with a few classics such as mojitos and margaritas, and more original offerings such as the "Sage Old Buck" made with whisky, vanilla syrup, lemon, ginger beer, pear liqueur and sage. Of course, non-alcoholic cocktails are not to be outdone. For the less courageous: wines, champagnes and beers are also on the menu. The more expensive prices than elsewhere seem entirely justified in view of the quality of the offer and the experience on offer. In short, it's a door you have to dare to push, and an appearance you have to overcome, for an excellent evening out in Freiburg.

A Berlin institution, this huge gay and trans-friendly karaoke consists of an open room, where you perform in front of an overexcited crowd, and booths that you rent with your friends to sing along to the Jackson Five or Britney Spears. A crazy, glittery, too much and kitsch atmosphere, absolutely delicious. Don't miss the POPPERS night every month. A drag night where at 8pm the Kings and Queens can perform for the first time.

Bar, club, renowned concert hall, art gallery, beer garden and artists' studio: Urban Spree symbolizes the festive and artistic spirit of Friedrichshain. Set up by the French team of the former HBC, which in the late 2000s was already organizing numerous performances popular with Berlin's underground scene, this establishment is the venue for the wildest parties. Excellent DJs, readings and performances, (urban) art markets and, in summer, a garden ideal for drinks and food from the food trucks set up on the premises.

This breakfast paradise is located on the outskirts of Freiburg, in Freiburg-Lehen to be precise. This bucolic café is a veritable institution of the German "Frühstück". After all, in Germany, breakfast is no joke! For prices that defy all competition on the other side of the Rhine, you can take advantage of several formulas featuring a wide variety of fresh produce of undeniable quality. It's fresh, tasty, local and well-cooked - you'll want more! The service is pleasant, smiling and bilingual.

The Ludwigkirchplatz ice cream parlour offers exclusive ice cream creations, lovingly prepared by Lali. At Sweet2Go, we're very demanding: the organic ingredients that give them their exceptional flavor guarantee exquisite ice creams. For more unique flavors, try toasted pumpkin seeds, mint and saffron, honey and goat's cheese or lime and basil. Cakes based on old family recipes are just as tasty. The outdoor tea room is charmingly typical of Berlin.

Attention trendy address in sight! Skajo is the place to be when it comes to drinks in Freiburg. Ideally located on the main alley, venture into the lobby, take the elevator to the top floor and discover the city's most beautiful rooftop. The view is quite incredible, in fact, and is the reason why Fribourg's elite flock here at weekends, especially for the now-famous soirées blanches organized by the establishment. The elite? Yes, because the prices are in keeping with the establishment's luxurious surroundings. The modern, sleek, trendy, designer decor and the view do come at a price. That's why we don't particularly recommend this restaurant: the prices seem to us frankly too high for the quality and level of cuisine on offer, although the quantities are there. Although the cocktails, wines and softs are more expensive than elsewhere, they are nonetheless of the highest quality, and we're sure you'll appreciate them for what they're worth. You can also take advantage of this sublime terrace in the afternoon, if you prefer a more leisurely pace. It's worth noting that it's open on Sundays in summer, which is not the case for many establishments in the center of town, and it's very much appreciated if you feel like cooling off after a day of wandering around the city. We recommend the Skajo bar for its social evenings, where you can rub shoulders with the fashionable people of Fribourg.

One of the few breweries held by a brewer, for a relatively masculine (even macho) occupation. In summer, this beer garden under chestnut trees is the place where Fribourg will be happy after work. In addition, we eat for really cheap.

The Matrix attracts a very young and mainly tourist public, partly due to the many youth hostels in the surrounding area. Its popularity among young people is also probably due to a well-known German reality TV series, partly filmed at the Matrix: Berlin Tag & Nacht (Berlin Day & Night). You won't find a typical Berlin atmosphere here. On the other hand, the venue is quite large - seven rooms - and offers a heterogeneous, though mainly commercial, musical program.

A bar for an early evening. It has an intimate atmosphere and a rich cocktail list. The menu includes drinks such as gin and tonic or moscow mule (vodka, cucumber, ginger beer), cocktails that are very popular in Berlin. The prices are as high as the place is trendy, it is the ransom of the gentrification of Mitte. Little by little, you'll see the bar filling up to the rhythm of the DJ's music and the atmosphere becoming more festive. The place is a bit "have you seen me", to be avoided if you are looking for an authentic bar.

One of the district's flagship addresses, the Watergate is one of Berlin's trendy youth venues, but tourists are also welcome. A magical view of the river, two beautifully glazed floors where the DJs - techno, electro and house - are always good and the sound system absolutely excellent. Although not as popular as it used to be, it is still a very good place to spend evenings and the entrance is much easier than in other clubs. Its floating terrace on the Spree with a view of the Oberbaumbrücke is unique.

Cafe Coyote has made a name for itself in the sun! It's brought Arizona's, painted on a large mural inside. Young and friendly atmosphere, crowded on weekend evenings. In summer, the terrace is very pleasant, just a stone's throw from the heart of the city, yet quiet. In the midst of all this activity, you'll find burgers, pizzas and Tex-Mex dishes on the menu at affordable prices. For those who want to discover German nightlife, there's plenty of entertainment during happy hour!

After several moves, Yaam has settled in Friedrichshain, opposite the Ostbahnhof (East Station), on the water's edge, in a surprising setting. The Yaam concept is simple: to offer a playground and relaxation area for all Berliners in need of roots and sunshine. You'll find all the regulars here: rastas, small families and young people who have come for an after-party to chill out to the sounds of ragga and hip-hop. The range of entertainment is vast and the soul-food delicious, while the atmosphere is one of ganja and Jamaican sound systems.

The best breakfasts from Freiburg! In summer, terrace with sun loungers to enjoy the day that starts.

The pink walls, gold lamps and dark wood of Café Mozart take us back some twenty years to the 1980s. And yet! What's the secret behind Le Mozart's success in attracting students, bankers and greedy grannies? The cakes, of course, but not only. There are also crêpes, breakfasts, good coffees, soups and a few snacks... It's hard to resist the pastries on display in the window, or the Viennese coffees topped with whipped cream!

Since it opened in 2013, it has had several identities. It was first known as Kosmonaut Club, then Polygon Club before being christened OXI. The club has two indoor dance floors and an open-air area called OXI Garten. The club's main focus is electronic music in all its facets (House, Techno, Acid, Breaks...), with an eclectic line-up and renowned DJs from Berlin and beyond! Go when the weather's nice and enjoy the garden!

Formerly the gymnasium of the Allied troops, the acoustics and size of the hall have made it the second largest venue for rock, pop and rap concerts after the Arena and it can accommodate up to 3,500 people (plus 1,400 seats). The hall can also host all kinds of events (sporting events, fashion shows, etc.). Right next door, the Columbia Theater replaced the Columbia Club in 2015 and also hosts concerts, but the hall can only hold 800 people. It used to be the cinema of the US Air Force.

It is the classical counterpart of the Philharmonic and the second temple of classical music in Berlin. In 1821, a Schinkel construction replaced the Langhans Theatre (Brandenburg Gate) which was destroyed by fire. The bombing of 1943 will come to an end, but the building will be rebuilt identically in 1979. In the retro ambience of the small and large hall, the performances of the musicians are religiously attended. The Musikclub programmes musical-literary meetings and performances for children.

Next to the city's major opera houses, this one is a bit of a UFO: located in the formerly working-class district of Neukölln, this theater has established itself as Berlin's "fourth opera house" by means of lesser-known creations. The range of genres is very broad: experimental chamber music, great romantic operas, musicals, music hall, operettas - there's something for everyone, opening the doors of opera to everyone. Housed in a former ballroom, the large auditorium seats 120.

It is the oldest opera house in Berlin: Frederick the Great entrusted its construction to Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorf with the intention of making it his Court Opera. Since 1743, the geniuses of music have walked the steps of this institution without interruption: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Meserbeer, Richard Strauss, Otto Klemperer and many others. This great house continues to enjoy tremendous popularity today, thanks also to the fame of its director, Daniel Barenboim. Since its restoration, the opera house has been sublime.

Destroyed by the bombings, the Deutsche Oper was rebuilt by the Berlin architect Fritz Bornemann in a resolutely modern and functional style. The facade on the street is severe but the foyer and the windows are gigantic. With 1,865 seats, it is one of the largest theaters in the city. The program includes the great classics: Verdi, Mozart, Wagner, etc. The Staatsballett Berlin also presents some of its productions here. A great house in the European opera landscape.

Founded by the famous playwright Bertold Brecht in 1949 after his return from exile and recently renovated, the Berliner Ensemble was part of the theatre avant-garde of its creator's time. After his death in 1956, directors such as Heiner Müller continued to celebrate the Brechtian spirit. For theatre lovers who understand German, a performance at the Berliner Ensemble is a must. Perhaps the Threepenny Opera or Galileo Galilei will be performed there during your stay? And the hall is beautiful.

Founded in 1890, this Mecca of the German theatre was built with the financial participation of the neighbourhood's workers. The layout of the place carried with it this socialist spirit: no dressing rooms in the hall, to break with the spirit of privilege. Since then, the Volksbühne has played an ever-increasing role in the German cultural landscape, and its somewhat intimidating building still sits proudly on the Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz. Its programme is very varied, and keeps - in keeping with its history and tradition - the heart on the left.

Under the direction of Thomas Ostermeier since 2004, this great Berlin institution has evolved into a contemporary theatre scene. Classical texts (Shakespeare, Ibsen, Strindberg, Horvath) or contemporary authors (Milo Rau, Lars Norén) are performed, always with themes that resonate with the times. The program is very francophile, with texts adapted from Edouard Louis, Virginie Despentes, Didier Eribon and many shows are surtitled in French. Without doubt the best theatre in the city.

This small stage is one of the most successful theatres in Berlin, especially with a young, international, committed audience. The plays, which are often conceived with the actors, intelligently address current topics. His company aims to reflect the diversity of German society: gender, origin, sexual orientation, etc. The plays are mostly in German, but Arabic, Turkish, Spanish, etc. are also performed. In addition, all shows are surtitled in English!

Created in 1883, the theatre's mission was to present classical works accessible to all. Directed between 1905 and 1930 by Max Reinhardt, the latter revolutionized the staging, giving a new craze to German theatre. Since then, the Deutsches Theater has remained a place of reference for fans of Goethe, Schiller, Shakespeare and other pillars of classical theatre. Alongside the classics, there are also plays by contemporary playwrights such as Dürrenmatt and Dario Fo. Some plays are subtitled in English.

Situated in the centre of Berlin, a stone's throw from the S-Bahn, this place is proof that a jazz club doesn't have to settle in a smoky cellar. On the contrary, at the B-Flat, the stage is in the window, on the street side, and it swings every night of the week. Its eclectic programming is rarely disappointing, harmoniously alternating prestigious names and local stars. The B-Flat also hosts tango evenings on Sundays. An excellent address for jazz lovers or those who would like to get acquainted with the genre.

With a huge cocktail-bar room, this café-restaurant between Friedrichstraße and La Spree offers a wide variety of guests: At noon, students benefit from low priced dishes (between € 10,90 and € 4,90), the evening of yuppies transforms the place into a chic and trendy cocktail-bar. Great choice of Italian wines.

Mr. Husen, a trashy writer and cult figure, is the owner of this trendy bar decorated in blue and green, comfortable and dark as one could wish for. People come here to smoke a cigar, drink a cocktail, or more modestly a beer, and have fun, but dignement ! Mister Hu is the kind of bar that is recommended to small quiet groups and couples looking for a nest to drink a colourful cocktail. Cocktails are rather expensive but will satisfy the amateurs. On Sundays, at Mister Hu, you can listen to soul and funk music.

The name alone speaks for itself for this lascivious, relaxed and cultured place. A bar of reference, which has managed to retain a clientele that enjoys excellent cocktails and flirts without complexes. You can drink a lot, talk even more, and sometimes dance there when the atmosphere is right for it, that is to say late at night. It's better to finish your night at the Gainsbourg than to start it, otherwise you might not see much! In the summer, the Gainsbourg has a small, very pleasant terrace where you can sip your cocktail while chatting in the sun.

Located opposite the Berlin University of the Arts, this spacious and relaxed café is the place to be for students who are skipping classes, or who have joint projects to prepare, and who are constantly rebuilding the world or imagining their future! In a relaxed atmosphere and a warm setting, classical music is played, but beware, the place is always very lively and noisy! In short, it's a student café, the large wooded room is animated like a train station hall and bustles all day long with all kinds of people.

The Women's centre organizes many evenings including dance party every first Friday of the month.

It's the most Latin of Berlin's big clubs. On three floors, you can dance to all kinds of Afro-American music: salsa, merengue, everything you need to party in a torrid atmosphere. The audience is varied, but you don't see many people under 25. The club may be huge, but it is quickly saturated and very quickly we dance tightly together. It is not uncommon that the doormen have to turn away newcomers after 1am! And while we're at it, we might as well go very early, because we offer free dance lessons from 9pm.

Former premises of the Haus des Reisens, the place where visas were granted to East German citizens, you come here to dance at the weekend and enjoy the beautiful panorama. The club is located on the 12th floor of a building near Alexanderplatz. You can enjoy the sights of Berlin, the view of the Museumsinsel and Unter den Linden. To enjoy this view, you will have to put up with the somewhat snobbish atmosphere and the sometimes very picky guards at the entrance. On the playlist side, a rather bland mainstream electro is waiting for you.

Babylon! The name makes you dream and it already made Berliners dream in the 1920s when this silent movie theatre opened. Babylon is the great city, the metropolis teeming with exchanges, ideas and vices! In the Roaring Twenties, Berlin was no longer compared to Sparta or Athens, but to Chicago... and Babylon. Today, it is a beautiful independent cinema that hosts cutting-edge festivals, original films, readings and concerts. Silent films with live orchestra are screened there. An address steeped in history.

The Kino Arsenal is the cinema of the Deutsche Kinemathek (the film and television museum) in the basement of a building in the Sony Center. There are few or no current films shown there, but there are cycles and retrospectives with films from all over the world. It's a venue for the Berlinale of course and also shows films during the French Film Week (Französische Filmwoche) between the end of November and the beginning of December.

It's one of the biggest stages in Berlin and Germany! The traditional themes of the 1920s are successfully adapted to the modern Las Vegas style, with a lot of feathers, flesh and special effects in shows that attract large numbers of German and international tourists. Language presents absolutely no obstacle in Friedrichstadt-Palast, the shows are above all visual: dance, circus, acrobatics, etc. Every two to three years the Friedrichstadt-Palast presents a new production.

The Chamäleon Theater on the floors of a building in the Hackesche Höfe offers quality performances, often by contemporary circus companies from all over the world. In a cosy atmosphere worthy of a cabaret from the 1920s, you can eat and drink here (the menu is excellent!) while admiring the performers. The shows are a little crazy, original, deeply contemporary: acrobatics, human pyramids, trapeze, breakdance... You will come for the virtuosity of the productions, but also for the charm of the place.

The Theater des Westens (Theater des Westens) is a beautiful example of Wilhelmian architecture, imposing and opulent. Built in 1896 by the architect Bernhard Sehring to host operetta performances, it also hosted Josephine Baker in the 1920s and Maria Callas in the 1950s. Carefully restored on the eve of Berlin's 750th anniversary, the Theater des Westens is now renowned for its great musicals (The Lion King, Mamma mia...). But be aware that the musicals are presented in German.

The place is enchanting: a big top with mirror-covered interior walls that hosts the city's best entertainers . The place has something of the glamour of the 1920s, enough to make you forget the discomfort of the tables. The program includes cabarets, circus, songs, etc. The pun in the name may have escaped you: bar is also an old word for "without" and vernunft is the reason. So it could be translated as "without any seriousness".

From the same managers: the Tipi am Kanzleramt, as the name suggests, next to the chancellery.

In the 1920s, this mythical Berlin venue was home to magazines, operettas, thermal baths, variety shows, etc. Today, this splendid building has revived its tradition of entertainment and houses a theatre where a variety of shows are programmed all year round. It is also the scene of a founding event for the (future) GDR. It was here in April 1946 that the famous handshake between Wilhelm Pieck and Otto Grotewohl took place, sealing the merger of the KPD and the left wing of the SPD to create the SED (Socialist United Party of Germany).

One of the nicest coffee bars in the neighbourhood with its grandmother's lounge décor and odd armchairs, a decoration so typical of Berlin. In the summer, the terrace is a popular spot for strolling, ideally located opposite Helmholtzplatz. Inside, silver walls, soft sofas and a subdued atmosphere are the order of the day. In the evening, the Wohnzimmer (Goethe's language lounge) fills up to become an antechamber for the festive night. It is also a favourite place for first love encounters.