The Best Ways To Spend New Year's Eve In Berlin

Berlin is one of the best cities to celebrate and welcome the New Year. If you’re looking for the party of the year, it’s here. Every street, square, bar, and club is filled with locals and travelers alike. There is complete madness and chaos on the streets, fireworks every half of a second, and a highly contagious energy of fun and party on the hips, lips, and eyes of most of the city’s inhabitants. Before you pack your bags and head to the city that certainly won’t be asleep, check out our list that will show you how to maximize your trip in terms of top-notch excitement and feel-good times.

Drinks on a rooftop

What better perspective to watch the city light up than from above? If you are a person who doesn’t like to necessary be inside the throws of the mosh pit, but likes to watch the chaos from a safe distance, then find a rooftop and enjoy the show. Even if you want to be inside the main attraction, beginning your night with a few drinks on a rooftop is always pleasant, especially if the sky is constantly lighting up in the background. Makes for a romantic and intimate setting, don’t ya think?

Dinner with friends

1. Go to Hermannplatz

Bar

If you want to see the igniting of fireworks in its most chaotic and fun location, try finding a safe spot around Hermannplatz. This square is where plenty of the Neukölln locals settle themselves to set off their fireworks purchased months in advance. It’s an easy location to get to, since it’s right above the U-Bahn station, and there are plenty of shops around to pick up drinks and snacks to keep the party going. On Hermannplatz, you’ll suddenly forget what silence ever sounded like. Additionally, you have a lot of great bar options just a few blocks away.

New Year’s Eve in Berlin | © Solmaz Zohdi / Flickr

2. Go to Warschauer Strasse

Bar

Another great view inside the action is just outside the Warschauer Strasse train station. The bridge next to the station holds the crowd while you can watch fireworks explode right in front of your face (literally), and all along the river. It’s a place and time to get social and celebrate with strangers. If you don’t have a bar or club in mind, this might be a good first destination. You can also walk to either Friedrichshain or Kreuzberg by foot, which opens up several options and potential alternatives.

Silvester 2012/2013 Warschauer Brücke, Berlin | © Sascha Kohlmann / Flickr

Track a DJ down in one of the clubs

If you’re traveling on a budget, this may not be the best option for you, but if you feel like this New Year’s you want to go all out, and keep yourself free and open to every possibility, dancing all night and day in some of the best clubs in Berlin is definitely a good option. There are also loads of parties going on all around the city, so you are not limited to waiting on a long club line, unless you are determined to get inside a specific club, or dance to a specific DJ set. You can also look out for New Year’s parties in welcoming flats and bars in every Berlin neighborhood.

Buy fireworks and set them on fire

Get your fireworks weeks in advance, it will be your most useful tool this New Year’s in Berlin. Even if you think you don’t like to light fireworks, you might find yourself in the scene wishing you could test out your own exciting rocket. Don’t miss out on what might be your only chance to light up your city with awesome fireworks. Just a friendly warning, try to keep it safe, there are far too many mistakes and accidents on this special night.

Go into a local Kneipe and practice your German

In the local Berlin bars, or Kneipe, which are home to many of the true Berlin natives, there is often a cute little food table of cheese and sausages in the back room, stellar music that only an oldie from Berlin would be clever enough to play, and a potentially great dance party. Get dancing with the locals, drink some cheap large beers, and celebrate the New Year with true Berliners.

Try to stick to one neighborhood

Map out your desired destinations and try to stick to one neighborhood, since transportation can be a real challenge, even if waiting on a platform holding half the city might be a great opportunity to meet people on the way to where you thought you were going. You may end up finding the best party in Berlin this way, if you ever make it into a train, that is.

Stay indoors

Just because 90% of the city is out having a party doesn’t necessarily mean you should be out there with them. Sometimes you’re just not in the mood to keep it crazy. Instead, you may want to keep it calm. Having a small celebration, kicking back and taking it easy inside your cozy apartment, or room, can be the best alternative. Go with how you feel that night and stick to your intuition – it’s always the best option.

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