Just got back. In short, really loved Berlin. It's funny because in the US everyone tries to make things "the next Brooklyn" in terms of somewhere being the next really cool spot to go, but I feel like that whole hipster vibe was really invented in Berlin. Really cool city with so many different layers to it.
Clubbing Highlights:
- Club der Visionaere: Really think this is among the most unique venues and multi-dimensional places in the world. You have the sunset time, when the place is absolutely rammed (was there on a Sunday) and it's very much a seen/be seen type atmosphere. I hated that end of it, too much nonsense and no vibe. But then we came back after hours right before the sun came up and it was like a completely different place - everyone was happy, dancing, very socialable. We stayed until like 930am and had an absolute blast. So funny how a place that really doesn't have much to it can take on two totally different personalities.
- :// about blank: A fun time for sure, though I had read so much about it that I was a bit disappointed by what it actually was. I was surprised that it wasn't very lively at all despite being packed and drawing a crowd that at least looked the part + having a door that cared enough to ask why you were there, what the party/DJ was, etc. That said, the garden area is very cool and it was fun to huddle around the bonfire and watch the sun rise there. We came back there for a daytime session, too, and it was a great, chill pregame for a long afternoon/evening of revelry.
- Sage Beach Berlin: Perfect spot for day drinking. They had a house music party benefit for East Africa the day I was there, and it was a really good time.
- Suicide Circus: Boy, what a death trap this place is! Complete shithole, and the whole place seemed to fill up with legitimate smoke machine smoke every 10 mins. Ironically, also one of the more fun venues we visited - funny how this works doesn't it haha. Also - don't use the pisser here. By far, the worst bathroom I've ever been in my life and saw a dude wankin it to the guys pissing in a doorless stall.
- Chalet: Haunted house meets a club, it felt like. Very cool. Depends on the party but went on a Tuesday and it was perfectly busy for our tastes + very international.
- Berghain: Tried twice. First time was Saturday morning at 8am, no wait but also no go, just a simple "Sorry guys, not today." We also tried around 3am on Sunday, and again no line, but we got up front and the bouncer waved us in. My heart skipped a beat but then he asked to see our wrist and he said he thought he saw that we had a hand stamp from the club (we had four hand stamps from the past 36 hours
). He said generally once it hits midnight Sunday, it gets hard to let people in without hand stamps. Not sure I've ever heard any Berghain bouncer be this candid before but take that as you will. We had a beer at the stand at the end of the road and a couple people who were also rejected told us the bouncers said "no hand stamp, no entry."
Non-clubbing Highlights:
- Stayed at the Circus Hotel. Was there for 5 days, which seemed long to be in that type of room, but it would be great for a clubbing weekend when you're too drunk to notice how hard the bed is.
- Mitte is a cool neighborhood to stay in, pretty central to everything.
- Enjoyed the East Side Gallery, Jewish Museum and the Reichstag building. Don't waste your time going to Checkpoint Charlie.
- Currywurst for life.
Yes, I wasn't in it a lot to be honest. I was with my partner. I meant the city is over priced in general. Not the weed and hookers
