Germany
Berlin is open, creative and a little rough around the edges, and it is easy to enjoy on foot. I spent a few days there in late July 2023, and a couple of nights in Frankfurt in August 2022.
What I did
Spent about three days in Berlin in July 2023.
Used Berlin as a gateway to the Balkans, flying on to Tirana.
Spent a couple of nights in Frankfurt in August 2022, with its skyline over the Main river and the old town square at Römerberg.
Where to stay
Mitte: central and full of sights, easy for a first visit.
Kreuzberg and Neukolln: the food, bar and canal-side scene.
Prenzlauer Berg: leafy, with good cafes and a calmer pace.
Friedrichshain: close to the East Side Gallery.
Getting there and around
Berlin airport: the Airport Express train to the main station takes about 30 minutes. The S-Bahn also runs there. You need an ABC zone ticket.
Frankfurt airport: the S-Bahn reaches the center in about 15 minutes, and long-distance trains leave from the airport station.
In Berlin: the U-Bahn and S-Bahn are excellent and run all night on weekends.
Between cities: Germany's long-distance trains are fast and connect nearly everything.
What to eat
Currywurst from a classic stand.
Doner kebab, which is Berlin's real national dish.
Schnitzel, sausages and pretzels.
What to drink
Beer: Berliner Weisse, a sour wheat beer, usually served with raspberry or woodruff syrup. Pilsner is the everyday pour, and Kölsch and Altbier are worth trying if you head west.
Beer: a beer garden afternoon. Prater Garten is the oldest in Berlin.
Wine: German Riesling is world class. Berlin has plenty of wine bars, and the Rheingau vineyards are an easy day trip by train from Frankfurt.
Cocktails: a Hugo (elderflower and prosecco) in summer, and Berlin's bars are inventive and relaxed.
Spirits: Jägermeister, schnapps, and Berliner Luft, the peppermint shot.
Coffee: Berlin has a strong specialty coffee scene, and Kaffee und Kuchen is a real afternoon ritual.
Don't miss
Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag dome. The dome is free, but register ahead.
The Berlin Wall Memorial and the East Side Gallery.
Museum Island.
Tempelhofer Feld at sunset.
Markthalle Neun and a Kreuzberg food crawl.
Day trips and side trips
Potsdam and Sanssouci Palace.
Sachsenhausen memorial.
Munich and Neuschwanstein Castle on a longer trip.
Festivals and events
Oktoberfest: Munich, usually from late September into early October. The big one, with beer tents and lederhosen.
Time Warp: Mannheim, usually in spring. One of the world's top techno festivals.
Fusion Festival: Mecklenburg, usually in late June or July. A huge electronic and arts festival run like a small town.
Parookaville: Weeze, usually in July. A big EDM festival set up as a city.
Nature One: Kastellaun, usually in early August. A long-running techno and trance festival.
Berlin Atonal: Berlin, usually in August. Experimental electronic music and art.
Rock am Ring and Rock im Park: Nurburgring and Nuremberg, usually in June. Twin rock festivals.
Wacken Open Air: Wacken, usually in early August. The world's biggest metal festival.
Lollapalooza Berlin: Berlin, usually in September. Big names on the old Olympic grounds.
Berlinale: Berlin, usually in February. One of Europe's major film festivals.
Karneval der Kulturen: Berlin, usually in May or June. A multicultural street parade in Kreuzberg.
Berlin Pride: Berlin, usually in July. A huge parade and street party.
Festival of Lights: Berlin, usually in October. Landmarks lit up as art.
Christmas markets: across Germany, usually late November to December. Glühwein, sausages and gingerbread.
Cologne Carnival: Cologne, usually in February. Parades and costumes for days.
Music and dance
Techno and house: Berlin is the world capital of techno. Berghain, Tresor and Watergate are the names, and many clubs run from Friday night through Monday morning.
Classical: the Berlin Philharmonic and the opera houses are among the best anywhere.
Jazz and indie: small venues across Kreuzberg and Neukolln, with live shows nearly every night.
Biergarten and folk: brass bands and sing-alongs are standard in Bavaria.
Club dancing: Berlin is the place to go dancing, with all-night techno clubs, and salsa and swing nights in Kreuzberg. In Bavaria, beer tents run polka and folk dancing.
Photography spots
Oberbaum Bridge: blue hour, with the U-Bahn crossing.
East Side Gallery: murals in morning light.
Reichstag dome: inside at sunset.
Tempelhofer Feld: wide sunsets over the old airfield.
Drones: central Berlin and the government district are no-fly zones.
My experience
Berlin felt relaxed and a bit gritty, with a lot of history around every corner. It is a good city for walking, eating cheaply and staying out late. I would recommend it to anyone who likes culture, markets and a casual pace.
Cost of living
Overall: Berlin and Munich: $$$, about 20% cheaper than New York. Munich runs noticeably higher, and Leipzig is cheaper.
Coffee: about $4
Local lunch: about $13
Dinner for two at a nice restaurant: about $90
Beer or cocktail: about $5 / $12
Ride across town: about $12
Mid-range hotel: about $140 a night
Furnished one-bedroom in a good area: about $1,500 a month in Berlin's Mitte or Kreuzberg, $2,000 in Munich's Schwabing
Daily budget: about $80 budget, $170 comfortable, $350+ luxury in Berlin, around 20% more in Munich
Berlin is the cheap one of the big western European capitals, though rents have climbed fast. Eating well is still affordable, and street food and Turkish bakeries are a bargain. Prices are approximate in US dollars as of 2026.
Working remotely
Wi-Fi: Good in modern hotels and apartments, but Germany lags some neighbors, and older buildings can be slow. Expect 50 to 250 Mbps with fiber.
Coworking and cafes: Berlin is the nomad capital, with Factory Berlin and betahaus and cafes across Neukölln and Kreuzberg. Munich is polished and wealthy but pricey. Leipzig and Hamburg are good alternatives.
Time zone: UTC+1, 6 hours ahead of US Eastern (5 hours for a couple of weeks around the daylight saving changes).
Visa for longer stays: US citizens get 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen Area. There is no digital nomad visa, but Berlin is known for its freelancer visa. Check current rules.
Nomad rating: 4 out of 5. Big community, safe, and affordable by capital city standards, with decent internet.
Good to know
Language: German. English is widely spoken in Berlin, especially in cafes and bars, and less so in smaller towns.
Currency: Euro. Germany is cash-friendly, and many bars, late-night shops and small restaurants take cash only, so carry some.
Plugs: Type C and F, 230V.
Entry for US citizens: Germany is in Schengen and US citizens can visit visa-free for short stays. Check current rules.
Best time to visit: May to September for beer gardens and lakes, or December for Christmas markets.
Getting around: Public transit is excellent. Validate paper tickets, because inspectors fine on the spot.
Apps: Uber, Bolt and FreeNow for rides. Lieferando, Wolt and Uber Eats for food.
SIM/eSIM: An eSIM from Airalo or Holafly is easy. Local prepaid from Telekom, Vodafone or O2 needs ID registration. EU roaming applies.
Water: Tap water is safe to drink.
Tipping: Round up or leave 5 to 10 percent. Tell the server the total you want to pay instead of leaving cash on the table.
Sundays: Most shops are closed, so plan groceries ahead.
Useful phrases
Hello: Hallo or Guten Tag
Thank you: Danke
Please: Bitte
How much?: Wie viel kostet das?
The check, please: Die Rechnung, bitte (or Zahlen, bitte)
Nightlife
Berlin runs on its own clock. Nightlife here is less about going out for a drink and more about an all night, sometimes all weekend, club culture that is part of the city's identity. It is relaxed, inclusive and low on pretension, and very different from a typical US night out. Frankfurt is much calmer.
When people go out: Bars get busy after 10 pm and clubs open around midnight. Parties can go through the night and, on weekends, from Friday into Monday. Friday and Saturday are the big nights.
Where the action is: In Berlin, Kreuzberg and Neukölln have the bars and small clubs, Friedrichshain is the club district, and Mitte has cocktail bars and rooftops. In Frankfurt, Sachsenhausen has apple wine taverns.
The music: Techno and house dominate Berlin, with plenty of electronic and indie in the smaller rooms.
Must-visit: Berghain is the most famous club in the world and worth planning around if clubbing is your thing. The door is famously strict, so go in a small group, dress in dark understated clothes, stay calm in line and don't plan on getting in.
Good to know: Beer is inexpensive and covers run from small to around twenty euros for the big names. Many places are cash only, so bring cash. Dress casual and often dark. Keep your phone and wallet in front pockets in busy club areas, and use night transit or a ride app to get back.
Meeting people
Social scene: Berlin is one of the most open cities in Europe for newcomers, with a big international crowd. Kreuzberg, Neukölln and Mitte have coworking spaces, language exchanges and plenty of casual meetups.
Apps: Meetup, Tinder, Bumble and Hinge are common, and Facebook groups and Telegram or WhatsApp groups for expats are active.
Etiquette: A handshake is standard. Punctuality is taken seriously, plans are usually set ahead of time, and most people pay for their own share of the bill.
Stay smart: Meet in public, watch your drink, and be wary of overpriced bars that pull in tourists off the street.
Staying safe
Watch for pickpockets around Alexanderplatz and on the U-Bahn.
Do not walk in bike lanes. Cyclists move fast and do not slow down.
Carry some cash, since not every bar takes cards.