Uncovering Berlin’s Hidden Gems

Berlin was, is and will never be finished. Divided, then reunited. Here and there, you can still see and feel it. Berlin, the young city of experimentation, sometimes failing, sometimes shining. High culture alongside subculture, even if the latter presents itself much more socially acceptable than in the past.  

There is almost nothing that you can't find here, and Berlin is also an incredibly green metropolis. Like many cities, it has its challenges,  but there is so much to see that even secret places and special gems are abundant. My advice? Calmly immerse yourself in the city, go with the flow and then make your way to selected places that are surprising, exciting and show the many facets of Berlin. 

Around one-third of Berlin is covered with parks, forests and gardens.

MUSIC: WHY SETTLE FOR ONE WHEN YOU CAN HAVE TWO?

When it comes to Opera houses, we actually have three. This can and must be attributed to the city having been divided for 45 years, and so there are three large opera houses and two national galleries alone. There is probably no music fan in the world who does not rave about the Berliner Philharmoniker. But there is also a newer concert hall that many say is even more beautiful. Pierre Boulez Hall in the Barenboim-Said Academy in Berlin-Mitte is located in the former scenery warehouse of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden (Berlin State Opera). It was designed by world-famous architect Frank Gehry, together with the magnificent Japanese acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota. It is a place of versatility, where contemporary works meet classical and romantic music, where the repertoire encompasses classical, romantic and modern music, and where the spectrum ranges from Arabic music to jazz and improvisation. A listening pleasure that’s not only for die-hard music fans. 

The Berlin State Opera features historic Prussian classicist architecture. 

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CONTEMPORARY ART IN A FORMER AIR-RAID SHELTER

Media entrepreneur and art patron Christian Boros hails from Wuppertal, a city best known for its suspension railway. Together with his wife Karen, he collects contemporary art that is true to their personal motto: ‘We collect art we don't understand.’ They have made their private Boros Collection accessible to the public in Berlin. The works from 1990 to the present day would be exciting enough on their own, but what makes them even more unusual is that they can only be viewed as part of a guided tour, which provides a wealth of information (tickets cost EUR 18). And the location is spectacular: a former air-raid shelter, which Christian Boros spent five years converting and whose rough concrete provides the perfect backdrop for the Boros’ artworks. And speaking of suspension railways, a cable car hovers above the ‘Gardens of the World’, a park in north-east Berlin.

‘Gardens of the World’ is a diverse collection of themed gardens.

A BAROQUE PARK AND AN ENCHANTED GARDEN

What strikes me in other cities is the lack of greenery in the streets. Where are the trees? Berlin, on the other hand, has over 430,000 of them, and almost 40 percent of the city area is covered by forests, parks, lakes and rivers. The multicultural district of Neukölln has two green gems. They cannot be compared; depending on my mood, I sometimes prefer one, sometimes the other. And they are only a ten-minute walk apart. Körnerpark is a horticultural and architectural jewel. This small neo-baroque park is also home to the Galerie im Körnerpark, one of Berlin's leading galleries for contemporary art. Even smaller is the private Comenius-Garten. Johann Amos Comenius was a 17th-century polymath who was concerned with human self-determination and wanted to plant a new paradise. If you open a small garden gate in Rixdorf – an old village with cobblestone streets and blacksmiths – you will find yourself in his vision come true, an enchanted garden and a wonderful place for inner reflection. The gardens are open every day from midday until the evening, and access is free of charge.

Körnerpark resembles a palace garden, with flowers, fountains and a charming café. 

THE NEW EXCURSION GASTRONOMY: RELAXED CASUAL DINING ON THE SPREE

Excursion restaurants are usually considered rather conservative. They may have a great location, often by the water, but the cuisine is frequently unremarkable. Just six kilometres from Alexanderplatz, in Rummelsburger Bucht – which nevertheless feels to me like it's jottwede (quite far out) – Hafenküche proves the opposite. Young Berlin restaurateurs have joined forces to create a great culinary destination right on the Spree: a glass pavilion with fireplaces for casual dining, a chilled lounge sun deck from which you can watch the boats go by, and a chic barbecue area that you can rent. Host and sommelier Mathias Brandweiner serves great wines from both established wineries and the booming natural wine scene.

ART IN THE LISTED BREWERY

Beer brewing in Germany is actually attributed to the far north, the home of bitter beer, with smooth beer coming from the south. Berlin can compete on a smaller scale and also looks back on a past with numerous breweries and beer gardens. Where beer is no longer brewed, art has found a home – a wonderful alternative use. Such is the case with the former, imposing KINDL brewery site. Today an industrial monument, it was built in the expressionist style in the mid/late 1920s. The boiler house is 20 metres high, and the brewhouse was the largest in Europe at the time. Since 2016, the KINDL has been hosting changing exhibitions of international contemporary art (tickets cost EUR 10). In addition to painting, sculpture, installation and performance, the programme also includes film and video presentations (five exhibitions per year). This inner-city art venue also offers a café and a beer garden. And, it can be easily combined with a visit to the nearby Tempelhofer Feld, the city’s largest open space.

The open spaces of Tempelhofer Feld are a popular space for outdoor activities. 

SIGHTSEEING BY S-BAHN THROUGH A BERLIN OF CONTRASTS

I used to be a big fan of the 100 bus. However, I have since become a big fan of the S-Bahn, which runs above ground almost everywhere and offers sightseeing for around four euros. My favourite route isn't that long, just a short section served by several lines, my ‘chic, has-its-own-charm’ tour, so to speak. I get on at Savignyplatz S-Bahn station, where old West Berlin still lives on, and travel on the S3 through Zoologischer Garten station to get off at Kurfürstendamm, where you can look down on the animals in Berlin Zoo, one of the most species-rich in the world. My journey continues on through the green of Tiergarten, the new government district and Hackescher Markt, an epicentre for shopping in small stores and the gateway to nightlife and backyard excursions, on to Alexanderplatz station. Not beautiful, but with its GDR prefabricated buildings and the Berlin TV Tower, the tallest tower in Germany, it has its own charm. If you were to continue westward, you would come to the green, partly rural suburbs – it couldn't be more contrasting.

HANSAVIERTEL: MODERNIST ICONS NEAR TIERGARTEN

Not far from the Bellevue S-Bahn station, on one of the magnificent public S-Bahn sightseeing lines, stands the Hansaviertel district, on the edge of the Tiergarten park, surrounded by greenery and one of the prime examples of modern architecture. The neighbourhood, which is still a residential area to this day, was built in the 1950s as part of the International Building Exhibition and was designed by the famous architect Walter Gropius, among others. 

Because city explorers always need places to take a breather, one piece of news is particularly welcome. In the summer of 2025, the traditional Café Tiergarten reopened. Many of Berlin's museums also have great museum cafés. One of the most beautiful is Café Benjamine in the Georg Kolbe Museum, an idyllically located temple of the muses for classical modernism and contemporary art.

Staying a little longer? Continue your trip to another city in Germany.

FROM AIRPORT TO THE LARGEST INNER-CITY LEISURE ATTRACTION

Berlin had two international airports, right in the city centre. The 300,000 square metre arched airport building of the former Tempelhof Airport is the largest architectural monument in Europe and can be visited on guided tours, which include its underground floors and kilometres of tunnels (well worth it!). Today, the area is called Tempelhofer Feld and, since 2008, has been one of the largest urban open spaces in the world and an extremely popular local recreation area. Today, people walk, skate, cycle, play mini golf and even watch birds on and around the former runways. People picnic on the lawns. In summer, there is a wooden open-air stage. Because Tempelhofer Feld is fairly treeless, many people fly kites there, and the annual international kite festival in September is a spectacular sky show.

Tempelhofer Feld is a reimagination of a former airport. 

MUSEUM-WORTHY DESIGN CONCEPT STORE

Potsdamer Straße once led to the palaces in neighbouring Potsdam, before developing into the busiest street in the country, and had a somewhat seedy image in West Berlin. Now it has transformed into a popular destination for exciting art galleries, restaurants and shops. It is also home to Andreas Murkudis, who was the long-time director of Berlin's Museum of Things. Over two decades ago, he opened the first German concept store, attracting design lovers from all over the world. Andreas has a passion for beautiful things, curated in the fields of design and fashion. His Store 81, a white, light-flooded, 1,000-square-metre shop with an industrial chic look, resembles a museum-worthy concept store with its unique, individual and aesthetic products (around 200 brands in total). 

BRUNCH AND DAYTIME DRINKING IN A CEMETERY

Because crazy ideas work well in Berlin, it's no surprise that a café in a cemetery is incredibly appealing, both culinarily and architecturally. We're talking about 21gramm, which is located in a former storage hall that has been restored with great attention to detail. You can linger, eat and drink under a high-domed ceiling resting on stone pillars. Outside, you find yourself surrounded by historic clinker walls covered in wild vines. In the morning, you can have brunch, in the evening lunch, and in between, good coffee and cake.

Day bars (places where you can enjoy a glass of something stronger at any time of day) are currently all the rage in Berlin. 21gramm also offers breakfast drinks ranging from vanilla espresso martini to mimosas and glasses of crémant.

A SMALL ISLAND IN THE HAVEL

As mentioned, Berlin is a very green city. And with its lakes, rivers, streams and canals, it is also very rich in water. And where there is water, there are always islands. These can be reached, as is natural, by boat. There are a few public transport ferry lines in Berlin which can be accessed with a normal ticket. The island of Lindwerder is a real gem. Located just 200 metres from the banks of the Havel in Grunewald, a small, private passenger ferry crosses over whenever needed. What's fun is that you ring a bell when you want to cross. 

The name comes from lime trees – with just over 50 trees, they are the most common tree on Lindwerder. You can stroll across the small island, enjoy views of the water from everywhere and go swimming here and there in summer. If you're lucky, the restaurant with its large terrace will be open.

For me, Berlin is a metropolitan treasure chest that you can open day after day, discovering something new, rediscovering something old, or uncovering something hidden. When you stay at Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, you have a wonderful home away from home in a prime location, allowing you to conquer your own personal Berlin. My final tip? If you want to take a selfie just before you leave, the best place is at the Brandenburg Gate at sunset, almost right outside the hotel door. 

In the heart of the city, Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is just steps away from the Brandenburg Gate. 

FAQ

What can I do in Berlin on a rainy day (off the beaten path)?
Go indoors: book the Boros Bunker guided tour, see exhibitions at KINDL, catch chamber music at Pierre Boulez Saal, linger over brunch at 21gramm, and browse design at Andreas Murkudis Store 81. Pro tip: rely on U/S-Bahn; most venues have cloakrooms.

What unusual, non-touristy things can I do in Berlin near the city centre?
Try a guided tour of the Boros Collection inside a WWII bunker, relax in Körnerpark’s neo-baroque gardens, or catch chamber music at Pierre Boulez Saal – all central and distinctly off-the-beaten-path.

If you enjoyed this, why not learn more about the history of Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin in this piece by Tim Johnson?