Living in Berlin, Germany:
Tips for Moving and Visiting

It may surprise new Berliners to discover the sheer surface area of the city. Few buildings are more than ten stories high, so to accommodate its large population, Berlin sprawls out in every direction. Fortunately, the city’s network of public transport is well-equipped to shuttle Berliners from borough to borough. Still, when you move to a big city, you may not anticipate hours of travel in your everyday routine. Be prepared to commute!

Berlin is an extremely international, diverse and colorful city. One can enjoy cultural encounters from all corners of the globe, and a wide variety of food, festivals and music events. Berlin has a rich and interesting history and lots of fascinating museums. The main problem in Berlin is the weather.

Berlin is a beautiful city filled with a plethora of restaurants, bars and clubs. Mauerpark flea market offers a variety of local artists and vintage clothing. The adjoining green fields invite you to dance, sunbathe, play sports or relax with friends. For anyone moving to Berlin, be warned; many of the apartments and houses come completely unfurnished. There isn’t even a kitchen in rented homes!

People moving to Berlin, especially from cities in North America, should know attitudes to service are much different here than elsewhere. Service workers in shops and restaurants tend to be of the mindset that the customer is an inconvenience rather than a valued patron. Often, workers in these establishments are dismissive and curt in interacting with customers.

The Turkish markets offer the freshest produce and deliciously prepared food. Berlin offers affordable, tasty food at Que Pasa, a Mexican place run by an Indian family, and museums and concerts for only a few euros. Berlin has not always been diverse and accepting. In the dark days of Berlin, Germany was deeply divided and freedom was only a dream for those in East Germany.

If someone moves to Berlin, they should be forewarned that it can be particularly tricky finding a flat! Searching for a place might warrant becoming a full-time job, if the person searching is relatively picky. However, the effort is entirely worth it. Berlin is a historic, quirky, meaningful, and exciting place. Its cosmopolitan, multicultural atmosphere is one of the most exciting in the world. And learning to speak German is quite fun. Los geht’s!

Berlin is the capital of Germany. When we think of Berlin we may think of gray concrete, but it only takes a stroll by the Spree, a river in the middle of Berlin, to realize that there are countless green spaces around the city. Everyone is welcome in Berlin. Talking with strangers on the streets is almost a normal thing to do.

1. Learn the language. Learning German will absolutely benefit your work and life while living in Germany.
2. Be prepared to spend a great amount of time searching for a good apartment in Berlin.
3. Grocery shopping can be difficult for newcomers, especially those who would like to stick to the cooking style in their home countries. Make sure that you spend some time getting to know the markets in your area and what food options you have.

Moving to Berlin is hard if you’re working in a lesser industry, such as gastronomy. Lower rent prices mean the market is all the more competitive, so make sure you have all of your paperwork in order before moving. You should also know that everything bureaucratic is done via letter.

When moving here know we have a lot of nice parks and tall, but very old buildings. There are a lot of cafes and the people are usually very friendly to foreigners. Overall my city is famous for its youth culture and offers many opportunities for young artists to live their dream. We have a lot of great graffiti art, which you can see for example at the Berlin wall.