Berlin is Germany's capital and largest city. Within the city limits, Berlin in 2022 had a population of 3.7 million. Berlin is coming into its own again as a cosmopolitan capital of one of Europe's wealthiest nations. "Arm aber sexy" (poor but sexy), as a former mayor would have it, Berlin attracts young people, students, and a creative bohème like few other cities in the world.
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Berlin can be seen as a cluster of centres. While Mitte might be thought of as the core of the city, it's often not where local's lives revolve around. Berlin has many boroughs (Bezirke), and each borough is composed of several localities (Kiez or Viertel) — each of these boroughs and localities has a unique style. Some boroughs of Berlin are more worthy of a visitor's attention than others. Almost all of them have everything that you might need for daily life a short walk from your lodging, and easy access to a metro station.
The city of Berlin is co-extensive with the Land of Berlin, one of the 16 federal states that make up the Federal Republic of Germany. It has a population of 3.8 million (2019) (and a million more in suburbs like Potsdam across the state line in Brandenburg). Berlin is and has been far less dominant as the capital of Germany than London, Paris or Madrid are in their respective countries, because of the federal nature of Germany and because the havoc war and partition wreaked on the city.
Pedestrians should be careful not to walk in the designated bike lanes. As Berlin is a major metropolis with pretty decent public transit, you should take buses, trains and trams whenever possible as those cover most of the city and are often the fastest way to get to places. The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) list all their fares on their website. Consult their Berlin route planner (in English) to get excellent maps and schedules for the U-Bahn, buses, S-Bahn local trains (RB and RE) and trams, or to print your personal journey planner. The route planner can also calculate the fastest door-to-door route for your destination for any given day and hour.
Individual listings can be found in Berlin's district articles Berlin has numerous attractions dating from its turbulent history and in part owing to the fact that it was a "double capital" for 40 years. While the upkeep of some is an ongoing headache for the treasurer, they are a delight to visitors and many locals alike. Much of the city was destroyed in World War II, so Berlin is a rather modern city and does not have as much historic architecture as most other European capitals. What it instead has is some of the finest examples of contemporary architecture from the second half of the 20th century onwards. Berlin has a vast array of museums.
Individual listings can be found in Berlin's district articles Pick up a copy of Exberliner, the English-language paper targeting expats and guests of Berlin to find out what's on, when and where. It provides good quality journalism and up-to-date listings. If you understand German, the activity planners for the city, zitty and tip, are available at every kiosk. LGBT+/Queer themed magazine and guide Siegessäule is also one of the most prominent of its kind internationally. Be prepared to choose among a huge number of options. Go on a tour of Berlin. The Mitte and surrounding districts are sufficiently compact to allow a number of excellent walking tours through its history-filled streets.
Individual listings can be found in Berlin's district articles Lovers of street food rejoice! Berlin has an incredibly wide variety of different styles and tastes at very affordable prices (for European wallets, that is). You can find superb food in small stalls tucked away under the tracks of elevated U-Bahn stretches for well under €5. A staple in Berlin is currywurst for around €3 (April 2022). It's a bratwurst covered in ketchup and curry powder. You can find them all over Berlin by street vendors. It's a must try when in Berlin.
Individual listings can be found in Berlin's district articles A word of warning: Berlin's famous laissez-faire attitude is perhaps most evident in its approach to indoor smoking. Although smoking is prohibited in all but the smallest bars, you should assume that everywhere you go out, if no food is being served, will be quite smoky. This is also the case at clubs and large concert venues. If you have any medical issues, then you should be prepared, and either change your plans or bring a well-fitting mask. If not sure, call the venue and ask. The club scene in Berlin is one of the biggest and most progressive in Europe.
Berlin might be a safe place, but it is a huge city, and as such has some not-so-well maintained areas. No specific rules apply with the exception of public transportation and tourist areas where pickpockets are a problem. Watch your bags during rush hours, at larger train stations (with the central and Warschauer stations being notoriously sketchy at night). The police in Berlin are competent, not corrupt; therefore, if you try to bribe them you are likely to spend at least a night behind bars to check your background. They are generally helpful to tourists. Most of the officers are able to speak English, so don't hesitate to approach them if you are frightened or lost.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Berlin typically sees ~24°C daytime highs and 18 rainy days.
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