Friedrichshain - Berlin - page 353

Shuddering at the brutality and arbitrariness of East Germany's judicial system on a
tour of the Stasi Prison .
Marvelling at the bombastic socialist architecture of Karl-Marx-Allee , then learning the
story behind it at Café Sybille .
Shopping at the Sunday flea market on Boxhagener Platz, followed by brunch in a
nearby cafe.
Explore: Friedrichshain
Rents may be rising, gentrification unstoppable and families multiplying but, for now,
Friedrichshain, once in the former East Berlin, is still largely the domain of the young and
free-spirited, students, artists and eccentrics. There are few standout sights, but the web of
boutique- and cafe-lined streets, especially around Boxhagener Platz, will repay those happy
to simply wander and soak up the district's multilayered character. Daytime diversions in-
clude soaking up the socialist vibe on Karl-Marx-Allee, revelling in postreunification eu-
phoria at the East Side Gallery or blowing your budget in sassy urban boutiques. Relax in
sprawling Volkspark Friedrichshain while slurping a caipirinha in a riverside beach bar, or
enjoy a lazy lunch at a comfy cafe.
At night Friedrichshain truly comes into its own. The district still celebrates its
underground-punk-squatter roots in the derelict industrial bars and clubs along Revaler
Strasse and around the Ostkreuz S-Bahn station. Steps away, Simon-Dach-Strasse is a bar-
stumbling zone where the young and the restless drink, dance and flirt with all the mad ex-
uberance of a stag party. In the small hours, many will move on and hit a dance floor or, by
the grace of the door staff, drift off into the utopia of Berghain/Panorama Bar.
Local Life
Marketeering Forage for vintage finds at flea markets on Boxhagener Platz , at the RAW
Flohmarkt and at Ostbahnhof - urban archaeology at its finest.
Picnic in the park Berlin's long summer evenings are perfect for chilling in rambling
Volkspark Friedrichshain , whether it involves a barbecue or sunset with a six-pack.