Why did we choose to stay in Mitte in Berlin? Deciding where to base yourself in any large city can be overwhelming. Our three criteria for city stays are: somewhere close to transport links; within walking distance of key landmarks and historic centre (if there is one); convenient for bars and restaurants. Mitte seemed to fit the bill. After a serious whittling down of potential hotels, we opted for Hotel 38 on Oranienburger Strasse because it looked like it was in an ideal location and had a boutique vibe.
Did the reality of Mitte satisfy our city break preferences?
A brief description of Mitte
The Tourist Board’s website describes Mitte as being the heart of the city and the place where a small settlement on the banks of the River Spree flourished to become Berlin. The river dissects Mitte’s Jekyll and Hyde character. To the south lies the grand, ostentatious face of the district, while north of the Spree the scene is more grungy, raw, and arty. It feels no less historic, just appropriately different for a city that was carved up between nations following the end of World War II.
Mitte, south of the River Spree
First impressions stepping off the tram almost directly outside our hotel was astonishment. Dramatically puncturing the sky at the end of Oranienburger Strasse was the Berlin TV Tower with its 360-degree observation deck. It made for a suitably impressive opener. The tower itself seemed a good starting point for crossing the River Spree to notch up the famous landmarks to the south.
Approaching Alexanderplatz via the waterfront promenade revealed the stark contrasts between both sides of the river. On the south side was Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of five museums, the most prominent being the neo-baroque Bode-Museum with its Dalek-head dome. Opposite, on our side of the river, we strolled passed Monbijoupark, a green oasis of beer and barbecues at weekends when the aromas of myriad cuisines could drive a person insane with hunger.
After a wander around Alexanderplatz, crossing the river felt like leaving behind an area where people lived to step into a world of privilege and power. Wide Unter den Linden connects the Spree with the Brandenburg Gate. Lined by neoclassical landmarks, and despite it being a sweltering day, the boulevard felt cold, impersonal to me. Even though it is home to the Memorial to Nazi Book Burning, the State Opera House, and the Neue Wache, we passed along it briskly. I’m ashamed to admit it, but the sight that had me pausing was the Bud Spencer (Terence Hill) Museum. It just seemed so innocuous amid the grandiose architecture that it stood out, plus it brought back happy memories of watching the two Italian actors in several cheesy films in the late 1970s.
The Brandenburg Gate
Another reason we hurried along Unter den Linden was Berlin is obviously a huge city, and we only had four days. There were a limited number of things on our ‘must see’ list, number one being the Brandenburg Gate. Sure, it is Berlin’s biggest tourist magnet, but it is iconic, a monumental symbol of reunification. Its magnificence was diluted a little by the shipping container-like remnants of the media circus built for Euro 24, but only a little.
A short walk from the Brandenburg Gate are the 2,710 block columns of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. I don’t know if it was a comment on current international affairs, I’d like to think not, but where Brandenburg Gate was packed with tourists, this striking and poignant memorial was devoid of them.
Further south is Potsdamerplatz which was an urban wasteland between East and West for almost half a century. Knowing this made the impact of standing in the swish Potsdamerplatz that exists today all the more powerful. The sections of the Berlin Wall on display here evoked more emotion than those at the East Side Gallery.
Tiergarten
Tiergarten’s forested 210 hectares offered a break from the oppressive weight of Berlin’s history; although, simple monuments scattered throughout the park, like one in honour of Homosexuals Persecuted under Nazism, meant the dark past was never far from the surface. With a whole city to explore, Tiergarten drew us in and persuaded us to take some time out and chill with nature for a couple of hours. On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Neuersee was the place to relax with a bier. It buzzed with Berliners, but still had plenty of benches around the lake to accommodate everyone.
North of the River Spree
I preferred the Mitte on the north side of the river. It has a completely different energy. Whereas south of the river felt like somewhere interesting to visit, the north was more an area to eat, drink, and be merry in. A Dairylea-shaped triangle consisting of Oranienburger Strasse, Auguststrasse, and Rosenthaler Strasse revealed a treasure trove of delicious delights and quirky surprises.
Once an area which was popular with Jewish families, it became a slum during and also immediately after the Cold War, attracting squatters. A considerable number of these were artists, writers, and musicians, making it a rundown but energetically creative neighbourhood. It’s no longer dilapidated, but the streets within this former anarchic cultural triangle still dance to the rhythm of that bohemian spirit. It’s this personality, rather than any standout attractions, which makes it such a fascinating place to spend time in.
As one of a trio of destinations on a train journey which included Vienna and Prague, Berlin came up trumps in the gastronomy stakes. We enjoyed three of the best meals of our trip in and around Oranienburger Strasse, including the best Indian I’ve eaten in a long time at Antrim; probably the tastiest Italian food I’ve had outside Italy at Vino & Basilico; and a cracking Vietnamese meal at Nampan. The only culinary disappointment was an over-priced, mediocre burger at Dieselhaus; although, the terrace at Dieselhaus was a nice spot for a bier break.
There were plenty of atmospheric bars around Tucholskystrasse to keep us lubricated and entertained after dark – arty and cosy Café Buchhandlung, Zosch with its below-ground comedy club, and a bar I had to have a drink in purely because of its name, Keyser Soze. Curiously, prime outdoor seating areas emptied nightly at 10pm on the dot, a legacy from Covid when residents became used to enjoying quiet streets. Now, no outside drinking after 10pm has become a locally enforeced law. Curious observation number 2. This didn’t apply round the corner on Oranienburger Strasse. Curious observation number 3. Neither, apparently, did it apply if you were a resident of Tucholskystrasse. We watched as bar owners move tables away from the front of their bars and relocated them further along the street, where they continued to ‘unofficially’ serve local occupants.
The thing that wowed us most about this part of Mitte was the network of hidden courtyards with their independent shops, bars, cafes, and restaurants. Their existence eluded us for the first day, until we accidentally stumbled across Heckmann-Höfe while trying to find a restaurant. Heckmann-Höfe is described as ‘a creative oasis for urban art, individual handicrafts, and culinary delights,’ which is pretty much what it is. The cloistered courtyard was so close to our hotel we walked past the nondescript entrance leading to it a few times without registering it. Similarly, a flamboyant poster of Cabaret’s Sally Bowles further along Oranienburger Strasse drew us through a similarly unmemorable arch to the art galleries of Kunsthof. Sally and her bohemian friends now hang on the wall of my office. Best of all was the Hackesche Höfe, not far from the market of the same name, a veritable warren of interconnected courtyards. Some of these were rather swanky, others punky and still looking like they could be home to creative squatters. All were intriguing to explore.
Summary
Choosing to stay in Mitte involved a mix of good advice from insightful travel sites combined with judgement based on years of experience of researching and writing city guides. It was perfect for us, ticking all our city break boxes. If staying in Berlin again, we’d probably stick with Mitte. As well as having a great choice of bars, restaurants, cafes, and shops, there are numerous transport options for easily getting to other parts of the city. In short, we loved it.
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