Where To Go Clubbing in Berlin if You Don't Get Into Berghain

Berlin’s nightclub door policies are notoriously strict, but Berghain takes this to another level. Thankfully, Berlin boasts plenty of other clubbing options.
There are a few surefire ways to get rejected at the door of a Berlin nightclub. If you’re in a group of more than four people, you’re under 21 or you’re overdressed, you could be in trouble at any club. But then there’s Berghain. People puzzle over the formula to get into what is often called the best nightclub in the world, but one fact remains clear: the chances of being allowed entry are extremely slim. Rejection hurts. But it’s important not to take it personally and to party on at one of these alternatives.
Tresor
Music Venue

Glanz und Tanz
Yoga Studio
Here’s a real alternative to Berghain: a sober morning rave. Glanz und Tanz is ‘taking inspiration from the night to kickstart your day’ by hosting 6.30am meditation and yoga classes followed by a pounding morning disco. Joanna Miles launched the concept in 2018 after she realised that nowhere in Berlin provided a space for sober ravers to let loose. “The alcohol-free, natural morning party is for those who love wellness, music and dance, healthy food and great people,” she says of her initiative, and you can be sure you’ll feel a lot better after this party than you would after Berghain.
MS Hoppetosse
Nightclub, Beer, Wine

MS Hoppetosse is a permanently docked boat that sits on the River Spree. The fairy-lit floating party has one dance floor, powered by roaring Morf speakers. Here, you can dance to the club’s signature bookings of minimal house and techno maestros, or you can sit and chill on the upper and lower decks. As with most clubs in Berlin, it’s usually open at the weekends and rocks all night long.
Sisyphos
Nightclub, Contemporary
Else OpenAir-Club und Biergarten
Nightclub, Beer
Berliners know that summer has truly started when Else throws its first party. The club is located right on the water of the River Spree and is only open during the summer months, as the space is entirely in the open air. The club itself screams summer – it’s made of brightly painted shipping containers and multicoloured flags, with bunting draped from end to end. There’s a grass area where you can chill and munch on Salami Social Club pizza or party under the trees at the open-air dance floor to their upbeat house and disco selection. These parties are afternoon affairs, meaning you can have a decent Sunday dance session and be in bed by midnight.
Gretchen
Nightclub, Fusion

Gretchen is slightly off the beaten track, tucked away in a corner of Kreuzberg away from other nightclubs. This club doesn’t follow the house and techno trends of the city it inhabits, instead championing alternative genres like dubstep, drum and bass, garage, electro and trap. As a result the atmosphere and crowd are refreshingly different: clubbers here get dressed up (as opposed to the cool, nonchalant style that is king in many Berlin clubs), dance on platforms and really let loose. Gretchen is dimly lit, bar the red neon light that illuminates the ceiling and the club’s characteristic interior arches, while the staff are friendly and the drinks reasonably priced.
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Nightclub, German
Watergate
Music Venue

This club is a short walk from Berghain and is a great option if and when you don’t get in. Watergate spans two levels and is more compact than many clubs, but its booking team regularly invite prestigious DJs who play upbeat, fun and accessible music. Watergate’s real selling point, however, is its floor-to-ceiling windows paired with its location right on the River Spree – so you can watch the sunrise over the river as you dance the night away.
This article is an updated version of a story created by Alice Dundon.
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