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Berlin Gay Travel Guide
Berlin, sweet Berlin! This, the largest city in Germany (8 times the geographic size of Paris!), has been a haven for gays since well before the infamous Wall was built. The musical Cabaret was set amid its legendary nightlife. In 2001, a mayor was elected by popular vote because he boldly came out of the closet during his campaign. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more tolerant city on the planet. Anywhere in this vast city, same-sex couples can be seen holding hands and smooching on sidewalks and in parks. And though you could spend a lifetime in Berlin and not experience everything in the gay scene, there are some mainstream basics you should get out of the way first, like Checkpoint Charlie, one of the few remaining portions of the Berlin Wall, and the one you always see in films. The Brandenburg Gate is a symbol of Berlin, also famous from WWII-era footage. The Berlin Zoo is justifiably one of the most famous in Europe (the only humane thing Hitler ever created). Museum junkies should check out the Pergamon and Altes Museums for fabulous treasures from the ancient world, and the Dahlem Museum Complex with its extensive collection of art and cultural artifacts. Navigating the city is easy on either the subway, U-Bahn, or the tram, S-Bahn. The city imposes no restrictions on serving hours for bars. So when you tell gay boys they can party whenever they want for as long as they like with no restrictions, you get a place like Berlin, which is supremely about nightlife. Gay venues sprawl across the city, but the most famous gay district is Schoneberg, at U-stop Nollendorf-platz. Here you can find the Mann-o-Meter, a gay information desk on the Motzstrabe (that’s a street). Prenzlauer Berg is a district popular with the younger crowd, located between U-stops Senefelderplatz and Schönhauser Allee. Another information center, Sonntags Club, can be found at Greifenhagener Str. 28. Kreuzberg (Cruise-berg!) is another popular district, with gay venues along the whimsical Oranienstrabe (locals call it the O-strabe). Friedrichshain and Mitte are two other districts which draw the homo crowds. You shouldn’t miss one of the world’s only gay museums, the Schwules, which also houses a gay library with many English volumes.
Gay Berlin Bars, Restaurants and Clubs
In Schoneberg sits Tom’s Bar, a Berlin institution, still insanely popular for its cheap beer and famous darkroom. New Action, another cruisy joint, seems to be making buzz. Prinz Knecht is a massive gay and lesbian entertainment complex, with a “kilometer-long-bar” and one of the few gay beer gardens in Berlin. Heile Welt, which is both café and bar, is as popular with lesbians as it is with gay guys. In Prenzlauer Berg, Guppi is all the rage with young students and their chic admirers. The Kreuzberg district houses the popular Roses with its ultra-kitsch décor.
Dance clubs abound. Connection is a popular spot in Schoneberg, in the Prinz Knecht complex. Over in Prinzlauer Berg, GMF hosts one of the hottest scenes in the city. Kreuzberg currently has the largest concentration of dance clubs, with SchwuZ claiming to be the oldest in Berlin. There you’ll also find SO 36, a popular but bizarre combo of dance club and drag bingo hall. Young folk flock to Die Busche, and its neighbor Kleine Busche. Cocker Party is a massive dance event held intermittently at various venues. Girls should check out Micro-Test, a lesbian dance party held each Friday in the basement of Club Kalkscheune.
There are dozens of gay places to get your munch on. Windows Café, in Schoneberg, is the perfect place for watching gorgeous pedestrians. Café Berio is as popular as a small café can possibly be. Prinzlauer Berg is proud of its Café Amsterdam which is famous for its breakfast buffet. Nearby you can find an extensive, multicultural lunch and dinner menu at Oxon Magenta. In Kreuzberg, Melitta Sundstrom offers light meals and doubles as a shop for gay kitsch. Lesbians can take advantage of two popular café/bars: Schoko in Kreuzberg, and Begine Café Bistro Bar in Schoneberg.
Don’t miss the massive gay bookstore, Prinz Eisenherz Buchladen in Schoneberg!
Gay and Gay Friendly Berlin Hotels
You’ll probably find Berlin so intoxicating (literally!) at all hours that you won’t want to sleep. But if you do, there’s no shortage of gay places to rest your head. In Schoneberg, check out ArtHotel Connection, part of the Prinz Knecht complex. The Arco Hotel is also popular. In Prinzlauer Berg, check out Schall und Rauch Guesthouse, or the large and ultra-popular Pension Amsterdam . The Eastside Gayllery and Guesthouse combines a few basic rooms with a quirky shop. If a gay B&B is more your speed, Timmy’s Gaybed promises rock-bottom prices and insider advice on Berlin’s gay scene, though you’ll be more in the downtown area and need to jump on the U-bahn to get there. The Enjoy Bed and Breakfast service helps travelers find gay-friendly B&Bs around the world, and is headquartered here. If you need something unbearably chic, you can try Art’otel Berlin Mitte,where you’ll find fewer gay people but potent style in the heart of Berlin’s central district.
Other gay-friendly mainstream hotel options include Crowne Plaza Hotel Berlin City Centre, Holiday Inn Berlin CC East-Prenzlauer A., Holiday Inn Garden Court Berlin-Kurfuerstendamm, The Westin Grand Berlin, Ramada Berlin Mitte, Savoy Hotel, Hotel Adlon, Top Hotel Alsterhof, Hotel California, Hotel Brandenburger Hof Berlin, Grand Hyatt Berlin, Bleibtreu Hotel, Art-Hotel Charlottenburger Hof Ber, Kempinski Hotel Bristol Berlin, Art'otel Sorat Berlin St, Comfort Hotel Auberge, or the Askanischer Hof. Browse and compare all Gay-friendly Berlin Gay Hotels.
Call an edirp.com gay travel specialist at 1-888-EDIRP-EZ (1-888-334-7739) or (214) 520-0345 (U.S.) to book any of the hotels mentioned above. Any hotels with links may be booked via our secure online booking system.
Berlin Gay Pride and other Gay Events
Pride in Berlin is known as Christopher Street Day, in commemoration of the Stonewall incident in New York that launched the gay rights movement. It usually takes place the last weekend in June. There aren’t any other huge gay events in Berlin, simply because every single NIGHT is an event here!
Travel guide by Benjamin Starr, a travel writer who claims the entire world as his home. When he's not at home, he can sometimes be found at a residence in Dallas, Texas. To contact Ben, email him at benjaminstarr@sbcglobal.net. |
