A Budget guide to Mitte, the heart of Berlin
In the first few years after the wall fell, Mitte was the place to be in Berlin. Artists, musicians, and Lebenskünstler (bon vivant) flocked to the dirt cheap apartments in the neighborhood, many of which had been abandoned by East Berliners who had fled to the West in a flurry of new found freedom.
The streets were filled with experimental theater and art projects. Those in the know frequented hidden, illegal bars and impromptu jazz concerts taking place in the ruins of old factory buildings.
However, such underground hipness is now a thing of the past. Mitte has long since been gentrified and commands some of the highest rents in the city, meaning that, these days, the occupant of a spacious apartment on Rosenthaler Strasse is far more likely to be a media mogul than a starving ceramicist.
A subway stop in Mitte. Photo: Oh-Berlin.com
Located in the center of Berlin (Mitte means “middle” in English), the neighborhood is now also a hotspot for tourists, with many hostels, hotels, and vacation apartments to choose from. If you notice any of the locals grumbling, don’t take it personally. Because of the neighborhood’s popularity, it’s likely they were disturbed yet again at 5 am by the sound of suitcase wheels being dragged across cobblestones on their way to an early morning flight at Schönefeld Airport — a constant complaint of anyone who lives in Mitte.
EuroCheapo’s Mitte budget travel guide
But, all this aside, Mitte is still one of the most fascinating and historic parts of the city and well worth a visit. To help you best explore the neighborhood, we’ve put together a Mitte budget travel guide, comprised of the following tips to save on sleeping, eating and sightseeing.
Stay in the thick of the action in Mitte at Hotel 38.
Sleep for less in Mitte
Staying in Mitte puts you within walking distance of many of the top sightseeing spots, the Museumsinsel (Museum Island), grand buildings (like the Reichstag), and close to public transportation. Because it’s such a popular location, Mitte has lots of great hostels and hotels at a nice price for all you bargain hunters. You can search hotels in Mitte on EuroCheapo for rooms starting as low as $49.
Here are a few of our favorites:
Hotel 38
Nestled right in the heart of Mitte, this 3-star hotel features sleek rooms in a turn-of-the-century building. Layouts vary from tiny to spacious, but all rooms feature flat-screen TVs and come with a free breakfast. Double rooms start at around $90.
art’otel berlin mitte
Blending local art with modern decor, this 4-star hotel doesn’t look like a typical cheapo stay at first glance. However, if you book in advance, you can find “Art Double Rooms” for around $100. Join the diverse crowd of artists, tourists, and musicians for a fun Berlin experience!
Culture on the cheap
No doubt about it, if you’re a museum junkie, Mitte is the place for you. Museum Island alone has five major museums, including the Pergamon Museum. Even if you’re not in the mood for any art or culture, the island is worth a stroll for the views it offers over the Spree River as you cross one of the picturesque bridges.
Other museums here include the Deutsches Historisches Museum (German Historical Museum) and Alte National Galerie, as well as the Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Memorial), which is free of charge. And don’t forget to visit the Naturkundemuseum (Museum of Natural History), home to the wildly popular T-Rex skeleton named Tristan — and a steal at only €8 for adults and €5 for children and students.
Tips on how to save on culture
If you’re planning to visit several of the major museums in Mitte, you may want to look into buying the Berlin Museum Pass to save on admission fees.
The neighborhood is also home to several museums free of charge, including Tränenpalast and the Topography of Terror, and many museums with an admission fee of under €10 euros, such as the art museum Berlinische Galerie, Berlin’s city museum Märkisches Museum, and the Museum für Kommunikation, the interactive communications museum which offers plenty of fun for all ages.
Checkpoint Charlie is worth a quick (and free) look. Photo: Craig Nelson
Tourist attractions for less
In Mitte, you’ll also find many of Berlin’s major non-museum tourist attractions. These include:
- the world famous Brandenburg Gate
- the Night of Shame Monument on Bebelplatz, in remembrance of the infamous Nazi book burning ceremonies that once took place there
- Deutscher Dom, Berlin’s largest church,
- Gendarmenmarkt, a square filled with architectural masterpieces designed by the famous German architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel, among others
- the Reichstag building with its modern glass dome
- the haunting Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, whose columns are easy to get lost in
- and Checkpoint Charlie, the former east-west border checkpoint during the Cold War era
Luckily most of the attractions listed above are free to visit and admire. Although several of the building on Gendarmenmarkt charge admission, as does the Deutscher Dom and the museum at Checkpoint Charlie, in most cases a peek from outside is all you need to get a feel for the place and, of course, won’t cost you a dime.
Shopping in Mitte
Berlin’s major shopping street, Friedrichstrasse, is lined with chain stores like H&M as well as high fashion boutiques by the likes of Gucci, Prada, and so on. You’ll also find several shopping malls and department stores near Potsdamer Platz and Alexanderplatz.
If you’re more in the mood to browse small, fashionable boutiques and design stores, check out Hackescher Markt, Rosenthaler Strasse, and Tor Strasse. Although you’re not likely to find many bargains in any of these areas, they do boast unique shops that are fun to browse. And window shopping is always free!
Tips on how to save on shopping
Avoid the touristy shops on Unter den Linden. You can find all the typical tourist ware and souvenirs at most department stores in Berlin at a slightly lower price.
Germany also still follows two standard yearly sales, Sommerschlussverkauf, the official summer sale, and Winterschlussverkauf, the official winter sale. Although the actual dates can vary year to year, the summer sale is usually for two weeks in July, and the winter sale for two weeks in February. During these sales, you’ll find many deals and discounts at both big box stores as well as little independent shops.
Our tip: Some of the best deals can be found a few weeks after each sale when unsold sale goods are marked down even further.
Cheap food & drink in Mitte
Like many touristy districts around the world, Mitte is not the best place in the city to search for cheap eats. Many of the restaurants and bars are overpriced and mediocre, particularly around the major tourist centers, such as Friedrichstrasse, Potsdamer Platz, and Alexanderplatz. You’ve been warned!
A few cheap eats we recommend are:
- Co Co Banh Mi Deli (Rosenthaler Str. 2), a popular place for Vietnamese sandwiches
- Dada Falafel (Lininenstrasse 132), which makes one of the city’s best falafel sandwiches
- Gaststätte Suppengrün (Inselstrasse 1a), a lunch-only café with many fresh and delicious homemade soups and salads on offer for around €5. Although the café is standing room only, when the weather is good you can take your food to go and enjoy it in the lovely park around the corner near Märkisches Museum, once home to two actual bears housed in a small, outdoor cage.
Tips on how to save on eating out
If you do get hungry in one of the more touristy areas, head for a bakery or German grocery store. Bakeries in Mitte all offer small sandwiches and salads for less than €5 and many grocery stores (located in the basement floor of every mall) also sell pre-packaged snacks and meals, as well as beer.
For less than a euro, you can grab a beer to pop open and sip or gulp down on the go.
Your Mitte tips
Have some tips to add about saving on your trip to Berlin’s Mitte neighborhood? Share with us in the comments section below!
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