Berlin: The Perfect Brew for a Bachelor Party

Seasonal highlights

• Weihnachtsmarkts - If the party happens to be in the winter, you will have to go to these Christmas markets. In fact, you won’t miss them as there are over 80 markets across Berlin taking place between mid-November and early January. These markets embrace all of the holiday season with performances, artisanal shops, carnival rides, glühwein (warm mulled wine) and a vast variety of savory food and sweet pastries. You can find the best markets at places like Bebelplatz and Charlottenburg Palace.

• Museumsonntag - Museum Sunday. For the history buff, there are plenty of free memorials and exhibits throughout Berlin like Topography of Terror, however, for the history fanatic, consider this day. The first Sunday of every month grants everyone free admission into over 70 museums across Berlin. Museums such as Humboldt Forum, Deutsches Technikmuseum and Pergamonmuseum are all part of this group. Most do not require pre-booked, free tickets, but for the few that do, check it out at their website.

• Oktoberfest - There are some festivities in Berlin for Oktoberfest (which is mostly in September actually, as it celebrates the coming of October), but it is traditionally more of a Bavarian celebration in the southern parts of Germany like Munich. So if you want to have some beer throughout the bachelor party celebration, make sure to keep an eye out for these celebrations, or take a four-hour train down to Munich for the bigger celebrations and beer halls.

Attractions

• See the sites - Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag Building, TV Tower and East Side Gallery (Berlin Wall). These are some of the most iconic sites of Berlin that you will see just walking around the city, so make sure to take some pictures while you are there.

• Topography of Terrors and Checkpoint Charlie - These are for the WWII guys — visit where the Gestapo were headquartered and one of the most famous border crossings from the war.

• Olympiastadion - Home to the 1936 summer olympics, Olympic Stadium is home to Berlin’s Hertha BSC football club, and part of the UEFA 2024 tournament stadiums. Catch a game if it coincides with your visit. The atmosphere is electric.

• Deutsches Spionagemuseum - If you want to feel like a spy and learn all about espionage from ancient biblical times to spyware happening today, visit this museum. Great for all ages with small activities scattered throughout the exhibit, this is a fun and exciting museum.

• Berlin Underground and Lasergame - There are tours that will take you underneath the streets of Berlin and into the tunnels and bunkers of WWII. Even cooler is that you can play laser tag in one of these bunkers where you run around the neon-lit arena with just a helmet and laser pistol!

• LVL Global - If you or someone you are traveling with is a gamer, you NEED to bring them to LVL. This venue has two floors with Playstations, Switches, Xboxes, racing seats, virtual reality and plenty of PCs equipped with the top gamer games. There is also a unique esports arena that hosts League of Legends and Valorant matches, and a movie theater for MarioKart tournaments and more. This venue also offers burgers, fries, beers and cocktails!

• Museums - There are a plethora of museums in Berlin, but I will highlight a few for the history buff bachelors. Deutsches Technikmuseum (Museum of Technology), Pergamon Museum (closed until 2027) and its associated museum Panorama, Futurium and Museum für Naturkunde (Natural History).

• Nightclubs - If you want to do something wild, make sure to check out the world-renowned Berlin nightclubs. One example is Sisyphos, a techno club in Berlin that's known for its industrial setting — it's actually located in a former dog biscuit factory! If you're with a group of techno fans, this is a must-visit spot, consistently ranked among the best in Berlin. Other well-known clubs include KitKatClub and Berghain, but those have stricter restrictions on getting in, so make sure you really know what you are getting yourself into (especially at the former).

• Spree River Cruise - Take a nice cruise along the river that flows straight through the heart of Berlin. These river cruises are happening frequently, but for a bachelor party, you could look into specialized cruises. One example is a brunch river cruise so you get to see the sites and enjoy some great European breakfast.

• Uber Arena - Formerly known as the Mercedes-Benz Arena, this arena hosts the biggest concerts and events in Berlin. This is also the home of the 2024 German champion Eisbären ice hockey team, so you can check out a game for only about 20 Euros and cheer along with the fans. On a different note, this arena is located right next to the East Side Gallery, so you could see the historical Berlin Wall art monument before heading in for a concert.

• Spielbank and WettArena - Who doesn’t like to gamble at a bachelor party? Berlin won’t let you down if you need to test your luck on a hand of blackjack or poker, as there are four Spielbank casino locations in Berlin. If you are into sports betting, then check out a WettArena location to bet on your favorite teams and watch some games. (Note that gambling can be addictive, so be responsible, even if you are supposed to be wild on a bachelor party.)

• Hotrod Tour - This mini-car tour is a unique way to see the city's main sights. You'll get behind the wheel of a street-legal mini hot rod and cruise past iconic landmarks like the Berlin Wall (East Side Gallery), Alexanderplatz, the Reichstag Building, Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz and Gendarmenmarkt.

Day trips

• Potsdam - I would encourage the party to take a day out of your itinerary, or add a day to the trip, to go on a quick hour-long ride to visit Potsdam. This city just south of Berlin has the beautiful Sanssouci Palace that used to belong to a king in the 18th century as a summer residence, Cecilienhof Palace that hosted the famous Potsdam Conference in 1945 and a Dutch Quarter where you can enjoy cuisine from the Netherlands. They even have their own smaller Brandenburg gate!

• Munich - Munich is possible to do as a day trip, but I greatly suggest making it an overnight instead, especially for a bachelor party. The train ride is affordable and is four hours from Berlin. You can take in all the great Oktoberfest activities during the season, as well as see the Altstadt (Old Town) and Marienplatz square, which contains landmarks such as Neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (town hall) and a popular glockenspiel show that chimes and reenacts stories from the 16th century.

• Beer - One of the best reasons to come to Germany! The beer here is unmatched by any other country, and there are plenty of places to enjoy it! You could visit the Hofbräuhaus near the TV tower, but I would recommend one of the biergartens scattered throughout Berlin, such as the Cafe am Neuen See in the Tiergarten Park near the zoo. Otherwise, you can always stop into a supermarket like Rewe or Edeka to grab a beer for only a Euro or two and stroll through a park. Just be responsible, as it is not respectable to be drunk in public in German culture.

• Döner kebab - Döners are well-known in Berlin and are a Turkish street food (think of a gyro sandwich). Berlin does this savory treat incredibly well and it is my go-to recommendation for food in Berlin. The best ones are Rüyan Gemüse Kebab and Mervan Bistro, although Mustafa’s is also supposedly very good, but the lines are always incredibly long.

• Currywurst - Created in Berlin, currywurst can be found all throughout the city and is a hotdog-like sausage with a spiced curry ketchup over it. You will typically find it at a food stand, and the best one is Curry 36. Definitely give currywurst a chance even if you don’t think you will like it (I don’t typically like curry or ketchup, but I love currywurst).

• Schnitzel - A classic for everyone of all ages. The breaded cutlet is usually of pork, but can be veal or chicken too and goes best with a mushroom cream sauce. Some of the best I have had is from Schnitzelei or Cafe Sidney.

• Flammkuchen - This German snack/meal is similar to a flatbread but on a crispier, lighter dough. The standard flammkuchen comes with a crème fraîche base, cheese and bacon pieces. A great place for this is Grimm’s Tischlein deck Dich, a Grimms Brothers-themed restaurant in a hotel. Fun fact, the Grimms Brothers are actually buried nearby in Schöneberg.

• German fare - There are plenty of German restaurants scattered throughout Berlin, and plenty are meant for tourists (although that does not mean they are tourist traps). One in particular is Ständige Vertretung, which features great dishes like the stuffed cabbage roll or pork knuckle and has political pictures around the restaurant from the Cold War era.

• Brammibal’s Donuts - The best donuts in Berlin can be found in a few locations throughout Berlin, and the one at Potsdamer Platz is my go-to. This vegan donut shop makes their donuts fresh every morning and has a large selection of classic donuts and rotating seasonal specials. They have great coffees with oat milk, and you can even get custom donuts in the shape of letters for birthdays and other special occasions.

• Burgermeister - One of the biggest fast-food chains in Berlin, Burgermeister is like a more affordable Five Guys. They have awesome burgers, a great chili sauce for your fries and are located in essentially every major section of Berlin. Definitely a great recovery meal after a long night out!

• Jolly - You may not think to get Chinese food in Germany, but this place is very good and conveniently located next to Museum Insel (Museum Island) for a great meal after touring the museums. Their highlight is their duck, which is greatly featured on their menu.

• Vapiano - If you are with any picky eaters, Vapiano is an awesome place to check out. This place lets you customize your pasta dishes with sauces and types of pasta to make sure you are going to enjoy what you eat.

• Japanese - If you are into Japanese cuisine, there are two locations located near each other in the Wilmersdorf area of Berlin. Jade Palast has delicious hand-pulled noodles that will satisfy your noodle or ramen cravings. For sushi, Sticks'n'Sushi has a great selection of sushi dishes and other Asian cuisine, including a wide variety of “sticks” from teriyaki to bacon-wrapped scallops.

• Monkey Bar - If you are looking for a unique bar experience, go to the Monkey Bar near the zoo. This bar, located on top of a hotel, is a small venue with great drinks and a view of the monkey enclosures at the Berlin Zoo. Just make sure to get there early to snag a seat.

• BrewDog DogTap Berlin - This is BrewDog's largest location in Europe, and it's more than just a bar. It has a brewery, a taproom with a huge selection of beers, a beer garden and even a co-working space. They also have shuffleboard, duckpin bowling and a dog park!

• BRLO Brwhouse - This is the original BRLO location and their most unique. Built from repurposed shipping containers, it boasts a modern atmosphere and a fantastic view of Park am Gleisdreieck. They offer a wide selection of BRLO beers on tap, alongside a menu focused on vegetables with dishes changing seasonally to complement the beers. Open Wednesday through Sunday with extended hours on weekends.