Post: #1

i am an american living in spain. i was just in paris for a week, and was going to take my next vacation in moscow, but changed my mind for several reasons:

1. well, i almost decided to go back to paris cause paris is so amazing and beautiful, but i do want to see some more of europe.

2. i am an artist so i want to meet and be inspired by other artists. i don't want to just chase pussy. paris just oozes beauty and style. i wanted to go to moscow mostly because i imagine moscow has some of the hottest girls in the world, but i think i might get depressed by the bleak surroundings.

3. berlin is really happening right now artistically, and german people are interesting to me, they are probably the exact opposite of spanish people, so i have decided to go to berlin.

anyway, i am starting to plan my trip now, and i just have one immediate question if anyone can help me out:

what part of town should i stay in?

i have a pretty good budget, gonna look on airbnb, and i am willing to pay for something nice, for logistics and stuff. based on the wikitravel site i am thinking of staying smack in the middle, in mitte.

"Mitte: The historical center of Berlin, the nucleus of the former East Berlin, and the emerging city center. Cafes, restaurants, museums, galleries and clubs are abundant throughout the district, along with many sites of historic interest."

the other area i am considering is east central:

"East Central (Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg): Associated with the left wing youth culture, artists and Turkish immigrants, this district is somewhat noisier than most, packed with lots of cafes, bars, clubs and trendy shops, but also with some museums in Kreuzberg near the border to Mitte. These districts are undergoing gentrification as they are popular with students, artists and media professionals alike."

if anyone has any good insight where i should stay, please let me know. i am an art photographer and i work for a fashion company. when i was in paris, i stayed in the marais district and i loved it. so i am not looking for hippie artists or grunge or street artists, more like stylish commercial artist type people.

thanks,
R

Post: #2

bear in mind that in Berlin you will find a lot of people from a different places. Probably you will meet more non-germans than germans.

However, since you're an artist it will be good for you. Very artistic city. And berlin can also be very bleak. If you're going in December prepare for cold, my friend said it could go down to -20.
I don't live there, I ended up in Düsseldorf instead, however from what I was told, Friedrishain, Neukoln, Prenzlauer, Kreuzberg and Mitte are the "in" places of town to live.

good luck!

Post: #3

The new trendy area for artist types is Neukolln. Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain are good as well. Prenzlauer Berg sort of as well, but it's a little outdated.

If you're familiar with New York at all:
Neukolln = Bushwick
Kreuzberg/Friedrichshain = Williamsburg
Prenzlaur Berg = Lower East Side

Post: #4

I have stayed in Berlin several times. I recommend staying at the Circus hostel in the Mitte district. It is centrally located, walking distance to Alexanderplatz and Museam island. There is a good bar in the basement where everyone goes to start the night. Mon-Wed stay at the bar for the night as there is not all that much going on other places. Iam 3/3 for Wednesday pulls at that bar. Th-Sat meet people at the bar and go with them to wherever they are going. Avoid Watergate club it is full of tourists. Spend $25/night at the hostel and take girls to the shower to bang them, they are very very clean. You can get away with bringing outside girls in as well. For a little more you can get a private room.

Post: #5

thank you guys this is great info. i was checking out airbnb yesterday and the prices are pretty reasonable for either a private room in an apt, or an entire apt in mitte. i am going to research these areas now and see how they compare.

Post: #6

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Post: #7

(11-07-2012 06:59 PM)tomhagen Wrote:  Best area in my opininon is either central in Mitte if you like it posh (think Adlon or anything near the Friedrichsstraße) or Prenzlauer Berg (if your more into hipster culture). Either way check out the other area if you´re there!

Mitte sounds like the best fit, you're obviously close to everything, it's more upscale, but less walkable and residential, and there are more tourists. The galleries on Auguststr are still very good, in general galleries are very commercial there.

Kreuzberg and now Neukölln is where young artists & parties happen nowadays. It's more bohemian, might not be your vibe. A lot of commercial successful artists live here because they want to stay involved in the scene even though their galleries are all in Mitte Schlesisches Tor area is nice in xberg, by the canals. Close to Peres Projects and probably the most interesting/mixed place to live in Berlin.

Prenzlauer Berg is for yuppies and young families. I lived there in 2003-2004 and went back in 2009 it was already dead, it's not going to be your scene.

Most people I know live in xberg, neukölln, treptow (further out)


Let me know if you have specific questions.

Post: #8

The number of turks in Kreuzberg and Neukolin is high. It really feels like it's higher than 50%. I could see how it could bother some people. It's not uncommon to walk for an hour and not see one single german hottie.

Post: #9

(11-08-2012 04:20 AM)thejew Wrote:  The number of turks in Kreuzberg and Neukolin is high. It really feels like it's higher than 50%. I could see how it could bother some people. It's not uncommon to walk for an hour and not see one single german hottie.

turkish hotties are fine too!

Post: #10

"If you're familiar with New York at all:
Neukolln = Bushwick
Kreuzberg/Friedrichshain = Williamsburg
Prenzlaur Berg = Lower East Side "

the more i think about it, i think i need to find the soho of berlin -- the fashionable, stylish part of town. this is because i am working on a "street style" photo series of girls on the street. i started doing this in paris and it worked out really well. i didn't bang any of the girls, but i did meet a bunch of girls, and it's just a matter of meeting more girls.

the problem with the "artsy" crowd -- for me -- is that in many ways it is the exact opposite of the fashionable crowd. artsy people are often not as classically sexy, if you know what i mean, they are more punk or hippie or whatever. i guess what i am trying to say is that i like "lady" type girls, the upscale girls, classically feminine, with their nails done, high heels, etc etc. artsy girls are all tattooed up and wear converse.

this is what i liked about the marais district in paris. it was very fashionable and stylish.

in berlin, i am thinking that maybe i should stay in ku'damm. from wikitravel:

"Ku'Damm (short for Kurfürstendamm) is, along with Tauentzienstraße, one of the main shopping streets in former West Berlin, especially for luxury goods. Many great restaurants and hotels are here and also on the side roads"

http://wikitravel.org/en/Berlin

the wikipedia entry:

"The Kurfürstendamm, known locally as the Ku'damm, is one of the most famous avenues in Berlin. The street takes its name from the former Kurfürsten (prince-electors) of Brandenburg. This very broad, long boulevard can be considered the Champs-Élysées of Berlin — full of shops, houses, hotels and restaurants. In particular, many fashion designers have their shops there, as well as several car manufacturers' show rooms."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurf%C3%BCrstendamm

anyway, that is what i am thinking now. that is why i was thinking of finding the soho of berlin. any additional thoughts are appreciated. gonna buy the ticket and book the airbnb this weekend.

thanks,
R

Post: #11

@tomhagan
"central in Mitte if you like it posh (think Adlon or anything near the Friedrichsstraße)"

@portofmanteau
"Mitte sounds like the best fit, you're obviously close to everything, it's more upscale,"

rereading this stuff, yeah posh and upscale sound like exactly what i am looking for, i think mitte it is.

Post: #12

I stayed in Mitte last month and recommend it (although I don't really care for Berlin).

Post: #13

How long will you stay in Berlin?

I move there to study abroad in early January next year.

Post: #14

@smitty, what didn't you like about berlin?

@walderschmidt, i will be in berlin from dec 23-30.

Post: #15

I stayed for a week near the Warschauer Strasse station, in Friederichshain.

As pointed out, it is a very, very hipster neighbourhood. So much so, that I'd actually ask myself whether I was looking at a homeless man or just a german hipster.

Also, Friederichshain had many anarquists/punks when I was there in the summertime. Harmless, I'd say, but just a reminder.

All in all, I'd say it's a very decent place to stay, but since location is extremely important and Berlin doesn't have major disparities price-wise in lodging, somewhere along Leipziger Strasse should be alright.

Post: #16

airbnb kicks ass

their new city guides look really good

https://www.airbnb.com/locations/berlin/mitte