The Monday Tour: A Day In Neukölln

Neukölln is – both geographically and aesthetically speaking – pretty far away from Berlin’s flagship tourist attractions, and yet it is a must on your tour. It is just plain cool – although full of Western expats, the vibe is not swanky – the place truly emphasizes Berlin’s multicultural community spirit. The hip tattoo studious are often located next door to traditional Turkish bakeries and the locals totally dig this diversity.

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Breakfast – No58 Speiserei

We start our day in Neukölln with a breakfast in Weisestraße. No58 Speiserei serves it with plenty of vegan options up till 17:30, but hopefully you’ll be there earlier, cause there’s a long and fun day ahead of you! We encourage you to really read through their menu offering lots of healthy and nutritious snacks – they taste just as awesome as they look and you’ll need all the nourishment you can get because you don’t want to be running low on energy when you find yourself in the middle of Tempelhofer Feld.

No58 Speiserei, Weisestraße 58, Berlin Neukölln

photos: No58 Speiserei

Tempelhofer Feld

Everyone’s favorite urban playground is only a fifteen minute walk away. An old airport discontinued in 2008, this park emerged as one of the most unique ones in Europe. Now it is the one location where the whole population of Berlin gathers for picnics, gardening, and all kinds of outdoor sports.

Tempelhofer Damm, 12101 Berlin Tempelhof

photo: Konaction

Herrfurthplatz

After getting a fair amount of fresh air, walking back into Schillerkiez, will feel like entering a concrete jungle. The area owes its name to Schillerpromenade – a street that goes right through it, but probably the most characteristic spot would be Herrfurthplatz. If walking around Tempelhofer Feld has got you all fatigued, you can have a stop at Cafe Selig, a cozy place right in the middle of the square.

Cafe Selig, Herrfurthpl. 14, 12049 Berlin-Neukölln

photo: Philipp Obkircher

The Kanal

If you’re game for another stroll, I know just the place – the banks of our narrow but picturesque Kanal come alive especially in the summer, but it’s always a good idea to walk there for a bit and collect your thoughts. Or get a donut at Brammibal’s Donuts, which are going to get rid of whatever misconceptions you could have had about vegan sweets. They’re as awesome as it gets! After you indulged your sweet tooth with the vegan treat, it’s time to get going back to deep Neukölln. The other bank of the Kanal is practically Kreuzberg! There’s quite a few places you should consider as you’re walking down Kottbusser Damm to Hermannplatz.

Brammibal’s Donuts, Maybachufer 8, 12047 Berlin Neukölln

photo: Brammibal’s Donuts

Sanderstraße

This street might not necessarily be as famous as Weserstraße, but don’t let this fact faze you. There’s lots of cool spots there, especially when it comes to shopping. Three clothing stores are especially worth your attention. If you’re searching for some classic and subtle menswear creations, check out the designer boutique of Aurelia Paumelle. Another store, Sing Blackbird, is a hip location for second-hand fashion. But there’s more to Sanderstraße than alternative fashion. Once you’re there, you have to check out Vintage Galore, a vintage furniture store with exquisite pieces from the 60s as well as the German-Polish bookstore buch|bund.

Aurelia Paumelle, Sanderstraße 4, Berlin Neukölln

Sing Blackbird, Sanderstraße 11, 12047 Berlin Neukölln

Vintage Galore, Sanderstr. 12, 12047 Berlin Neukölln

buch bund, Sanderstraße 8, 12047 Berlin Neukölln

photo: Sing Blackbird

AKA

You’ll also pass by one of Berlin’s hands down coolest tattoo studios! I might be a bit biased – I got inked there myself. Twice. From there, Hermannplatz is just a stone’s throw away. And once you get to that iconic station, get on the U7 to Rathaus Neukölln.

AKA, Pflügerstraße 6, 12047 Berlin Neukölln

photo: AKA

Sonnenallee

The first impression you get of the sunny avenue is usually defined by its bountiful collection of spätis, the ubiquitousness of signs in Arabic, and the abundance of  hangover expats. None of these disappear after you’ve spent some time there, but you learn the art of getting the best of both worlds: boost your sugar levels with some authentic exotic delight of hand crafted Syrian pastry products at Konditorei Damaskus and then browse through a unique combination between local and ecological items, accessories and fair trade products all made in Berlin by local designers at the Studio Hertzberg.

Konditorei Damaskus, Sonnenallee 93, 12045 Berlin Neukölln

Studio Hertzberg, Sonnenallee 174, 12059 Berlin Neukölln

photo: Studio Hertzberg

Klunkerkranich

When you go out of the station, you’ll immediately see the shopping centre Neukölln Arkaden. Although this would be quite funny after a whole list of alternative hipster places – this isn’t our destination. The rooftop is, though – just take the elevator till the very top and you’ll see what we mean. Klunkerkranich is a great hangout spot with a fantastic view of the city, so it’s nice to get there when it’s not dark yet.

Klunkerkranich, Karl-Marx-Straße 66, 12043 Berlin Neukölln

photo: iHeartBerlin

Drinks – Weserstraße

There’s no other way to conclude the action-packed day you’ve just had than summarizing it all to a perfect stranger in one of the bars on Weserstaße.  As for the bars, you have almost unlimited options: start off at the local favorite Tier, the natural wine bar Wild Things or the cozy Gelegenheiten that also hosts occasional DJ sets and then work yourself on from there in any direction or the side-streets.

Tier, Weserstraße 42, 12045 Berlin Neukölln

Wild Things, Weserstraße 172, 12045 Berlin Neukölln

Gelegenheiten, Weserstraße 50, 12045 Berlin Neukölln

TiER, photo: Matthias Piket

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