Being such a complex and cosmopolitan city, it’s no surprise that Berlin has inspired a dense network of bloggers and websites in recent years. There are dedicated online hubs for pretty much everything in the city, from design, fashion and architecture to books, food, nightlife and more.
One of the things we love about the city is its propensity for collaboration over competition. And it’s in this spirit that we have listed below some of our favourite Berlin websites and blogs. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do; as ever, feel free to let us know if we missed something in the comments section below…
This personal blog about Berlin is run by David Yates, who came to the city in 2009 and has been lovestruck ever since. David writes about his explorations and experiences, from restaurants and tourist sights to historical asides and street arts. Every Sunday he also posts a a Berlin-themed documentary – a pleasant weekly surprise.
Amazing architecture abounds in Berlin, but with so much else going on it’s sometimes easy to overlook the edificial wonders that envelop us. Architecture in Berlin’s Jim Hudson is impressively knowledgeable on the subject, and his blog is a heartwarmingly passionate source of information, inspiration and appreciation. On top of all that, Jim is also the co-owner of the wonderful Hudson’s Cakes.
In few cities is the entrepreneurial influence quite as apparent as Berlin, with its fresh exciting new creative ventures popping up everyday.
One of the best local platforms for young artists, writers, designers, digital natives and other creatives to congregate is Artconnect Berlin, an art-blog and networking community that allows young professionals to share their ideas and collaborate on new projects.
When it comes to contemporary art, in particular, how the Berlin contemporary art scene fits in with the international art world, you are hard pressed to find a better source than Berlin Art Link. From artist interviews to event listings, BAL helps you stay “art-savvy” connecting you to the inner-workings of the Berlin art world.
Brash, flash and shamelessly cool, Bang Bang Berlin provides regular insights into Berlin’s fashion, clubbing and art scenes. The air of exclusivity is noticeable and deliberate – a representation of the milieu it covers, and a case of art imitating life with tongue wedged firmly in cheek.
Berlin Design Blog (German only)
With an eye for the coolest events and exhibitions, including previews, interviews and commentary, Berlin Design Blog covers the spectrum of design-based media, from fashion and graphic design to sound production and seminars. All presented in neat, digestible morsels, it’s near impossible not to have designs on this little beauty.
Run by a self confessed “amateur foodie” (and start-up founder), this blog attempts to sort the wheat from the chaff in terms of Berlin’s restaurant scene. The criteria – visiting every place multiple times before reviewing, only covering good places – is decent and the results are balanced and honest. The photos aren’t bad either…
Run by Berlin residents Patrick Bolk and Mark Füssel, this blog is dedicated to covering the organic food ‘scene’ in Berlin – restaurants, ingredients, shops – as well as expanding now and again into books, events and more.
To reify is to make real, to turn from abstract to concrete. A beautiful word for a beautiful blog, and one of our original inspirations here at Slow Travel Berlin. There is something inherently cosy about the website; it’s run by just one person (long-term expat Sylee Gore) so has a personal touch with lots of insider info and yet completely accessible, the lovely photos and upbeat words coming together in a heartening homage to the city.
This sleek city guide is a one-stop resource for shops, hotels, bars, culture, art, wellness, thrills and events, each of them unique and unlike anything else – hence the name. The snappy editorial and intelligent curation combine to provide a succinct and trustworthy tool for locals and visitors alike.
“In here, life is beautiful. The girls are beautiful. Even the orchestra is beautiful!” exclaims the eccentric compere in Cabaret. Most people will be most familiar with Bob Fosse’s 1972 musical film version of the story featuring an iconic Liza Minelli, but the original material comes from Christopher’s Ischerwood’s book, The Berlin Stories. Brendan Nash’s site is dedicated to the hedonistic Weimar era Berlin, and he also runs walking tours around Ischerwood’s old stomping grounds.
This weekly newsletter is minimal in design, focusing on the stuff that the owners believe really matters. Clearly those owners are in-the-know, as the bilingual bulletin that hits your inbox every Thursday features cool cafes, exciting exhibitions, special shops and unmissable miscellany.
First and foremost a musically focused project, DiB also dabbles in film, art and anything else that falls outside of convention. With a passion – one that we relate to – for Berlin as Europe’s most fertile breeding ground for adventure and subculture, this is a guide covering events, locations and releases with integrity and acumen. Digital in Berlin also supports the excellent avant-garde music festival Madeira Dig.
A voyage of discovery through photography, this site consistently produces some gorgeous photo essays, throwing a generally positive spin on the city.
The group of friends behind Finding Berlin say: “We want to try and stop the negativity. This is a great time to be here, a great time for young people to take part in the making of a major city in Europe. Let’s not sit at home and cry about failing politics and a harsh economy. Let’s do something.” And how well they do it.
An exploration of Berlin through its eateries, passionate foodie Suzy’s blog is both an inspiration and useful resource whether you’re seeking good fast food or high end Michelin stars. Stuck for somewhere to eat? Nervous about taking your visiting guests to a dodgy diner? Chances are Foodie in Berlin has been there and blogged about it, so you’ll get an honest, informed review. If it’s not looking promising, there’ll be a list of good alternatives as long as your arm.
Gidsy are mostly a great resource for “experiences” in Berlin – they list all kinds of interesting tours and workshops happening in the city, as well as run occasional interviews with interesting folk. Some serious investment from Ashton Kutcher means they’ll doubtless be taking their project in even more interesting directions soon.
This charming project features a range of interesting stuff, from food events and restaurants to local interviews, personal life excerpts as well as lifestyle, art, shopping and fashion. The photography is particularly nice.
They really do ‘heart’ Berlin – and it shows. Available in both English and German the site is a guide to the city’s parties, fashion, art and people. Written by locals for both locals and visitors, I♥B is loud, proud and full of insider tips and gossip.
Despite the insinuation of travel, Richard Carter has well and truly arrived. A Berlin stalwart, his blog is an in-depth exploration of buildings and relics from the city’s tumultuous history, from Third Reich and Cold War Berlin to the altogether more cheery Christmas Markets and fascinating old photos. The map of articles is particularly inspired, and useful for planning efficient tours and day trips.
Kekstester (German only)
Literally translated, Kekstester means ‘cookie tester’, but the focus of this blog is actually much wider, incorporating practically anything as long as it’s edible and sweet. There are recipes, reviews, recommendations and, of course, mouthwatering photos that give you a taste of the city without all the calories.
There are a lot of preconceived notions about Kreuzberg- dirty, loud, foreign, hipster, to name a few. So when encountering a blog written by an expatriate X-berg resident you might expect a rebuke of these accusations; but in fact the author (NotMsParker) embraces Kreuzberg’s faults and describes her love/hate relationship searing honesty.
This unique podcasting series is hosted by local journalists Tam Eastley (also a STB contributor) and Jennifer Collins. Together, they strive to create informative and quirky long and short podcasts about the hidden side of Berlin. Podcast topics include love, ghosts, protests, Weimar Berlin, Club Mate (which proved to be very popular), and most recently, Spreepark. You can check out their work on SoundCloud.
Mit Vergnuegen (German only)
This German-only site is run by Matze Hielscher and Pierre Türkowsky, who like to offer their readers a slice of fun every single day. This can be a concert, a club night, a new record releases or an exhibition. Anything goes really – sign up for their newsletter for monthly highlights.
Multikulinarisch (German only)
Run by the wonderful Peggy Schatz, this Berlin-based food and people website carries information on events, books and individual recipes, as well as organising the International Gourmet Calender and a brand new bilingual, blogger-driven food map.
Cultural historian Joseph Pearson provides thoughtful, personal and often quirky takes on Berlin through his creative words and images. The “Moving to Berlin?” article, on the other hand, is thorough, realistic and informative – and has proved justifiably popular.
From countless graffiti scrawls to the ostentatious protest signs carted around by the anarchists and public love letters, Berlin seems to be a city defined by the written word. Notes of Berlin is a photo blog devoted to documenting the profound, heartfelt, and sometimes hysterically ironic notes pasted up around our fair city.
NPR is an English-speaking Berlin radio station (104.1FM) with news and features about all aspects of Berlin life. Its companion blog includes reviews and previews of events, as well as interviews and photos that, with NPR’s name and influence, can often provide unique access and insight.
Ever wonder about the life of the person sitting next to you on the Ubahn? Pieces of Berlin is a photo journal of encounters with random Berliners in public places who let readers catch a glimpse into their private lives. It gives you an intimate look into a sometimes overlooked aspect of what makes Berlin so unique and beautiful, it’s residents.
The Berlin arm of this internationally popular electronic music site is no less ubiquitous than its foreign counterparts. Most, if not all, of Berlin’s main music events get posted on RA, and it’s also a good tool for those hosting events because you can set up a ticket sale directly from the site, as well as see the number of people planning to attend.
We don’t cover much fashion here at STB (only the sustainable stuff). We leave that to the cool kids – folk like Stil in Berlin, which started a few years ago as an online photography project and now runs reviews and previews of events, and interviews with the city’s stylish cognoscenti.
This blog has a theme close to our own hearts. It’s about strolling through Berlin, collecting impressions of the city while moving around from A to B, as well as ‘strolling’ the internet in search of historical curiosities and images.
The authors, Anna Sprang and Lars Roth, are particularly good at digging up the stories behind places and re-discovering Berlin’s many overlooked corners.
This bilingual newsletter and website can be relied upon for a glib heads-up on Berlin’s hippest and quirkiest goings-on. Sign up to get a daily tip delivered to your inbox as well as a weekend round-up every Friday. The same team also run similarly stylish art and fashion journals.
English expats Zoe and James share their experience of a new life in Berlin, charting the ups and downs with friendly stories and beautiful photos. A great place to find a down-to-earth review, discover something new, or just generally feel the love that these two clearly have for life and their adopted hometown.
Run by STB contributor Paul Scraton, UAGS aims to encourage people to get out of the house and explore their vicinity – whatever the weather. Paul covers Berlin’s lesser-trodden spots regularly but its scope is international with previous posts including everything from urban rambles through Belfast to poetry, book reviews and photo essays.
A Berliner born and internationally bred, Luisa Weiss draws on her Italian-American heritage, passion for food and wealth of experience to create The Wednesday Chef. A canny culinary chronicle of attempts at newspaper recipes with honest write-ups and mouthwatering photos. Luisa also blogs about local restaurants at Berlin on a Platter and has a book forthcoming.
About The Authors
Natalie Holmes lives and works in Berlin. She loves learning German, birdwatching and travelling by train, in between working as a freelance travel consultant and aspiring writer. A keen environmentalist, Natalie writes about sustainability and responsible travel on her blog, The Horseshoe Nail.
Paul Sullivan is a Berlin-based writer & travel photographer and the founder of Slow Travel Berlin. You can check out his personal website here and some of his photography galleries here.
Fear not! My blog multikulinarisches has google translate on board
(www.multikulinarisch.es)
Wow, we feel honoured to be counted alongside such great company. Isn’t Berlin awesome?
Just one question to satisfy my curiosity: how did you decide on the 25? Did you have blogs in mind or did you go through a process of discovery?
Aaaaanyway, you’re still the godfather of Berlin blogs as far as we’re concerned. Keep shining a spotlight on our fair Stadt!
Hi James,
We simply selected the ones we use/look at regularly and that bring something unique or useful to the city. In that sense, we knew/know most of them already, though of course being a bit of a team effort everyone also discovered some new finds along the way…
Thanks for the kind words and keep up the great work yourselves!
Paul
Fab list. You guys are doing some great work these days. Also like your “What’s On” mailout – can you turn it into an App?
Thanks Suzy. Re: app, well, you never know!
Wow, great list, thanks!
There’s more:
http://www.berlinstreet.de (G)
Great blog by a taxi driver, also includes random walks and thoughts about a changing Berlin. Tricky German, good for learning.
http://thetempestmayhowl.blogspot.de (E)
Berlin architecture, design, East Germany etc.
http://www.piecesofberlin.com (G/E)
Wonderful non-instagrammed photos of seemingly random stuff, and beautiful Berliners (with mini-interviews… “die silvia ist nicht sehr glücklich in berlin”).
http://www.neukoellner.net (G)
‘Alltag und anarchie’ from Neukoelln.
http://berlinhauptbahnhof.wordpress.com (G/E)
All things Hauptbahnhof. Nice rants about the slow elevators and the shoppingmallification of the place.
wow, i didn’t realise there were SO MANY Berlin blgs out there. I just started one as well, juliesschoenewelt.blogspot.de … it will be a while till i’m as good as those!
Missing two good food blogs here: http://bitchinberlin.wordpress.com/ and especially http://www.berlinfoodstories.com. Otherwise a very comprehensive list, thanks!
We are new, so please check us out. We aspire to make future lists….
Hey,
You have a great list here, I follow a few of them and I just discovered more.
I would also suggest a recent blog from a friend of mine: http://www.wait-where.com – it’s all about food,places and experiences in the city
Love your blog btw xx