A capital in constant transformation. Neighborhoods are renovated, new buildings replace crumbling Soviet architecture, shops and clubs are opened. Berlin it never stops, it's a brilliant and exciting carousel, where the past with its heavy legacy is behind us and the future is only a hypothesis. What matters is living here and now: “There is only the present,” confirms Wolf Boese, 28, who manages the play space Foreign chess.
Berlin, discover the city for those under 30
Over the years, the city has attracted creatives and artists from all over the world, allowing an exchange of ideas that maintains a lively climate, in a country which has also legalized the (regulated) recreational use of cannabis since 1 april. 2024.
Young people reward this innovative fervor: according to data from the end of 2023 for the Berlin/Brandenburg metropolitan region, 32% of residents belong to the age group between 25 and 45 and 30% of them are foreigners.
Here, stimuli, especially cultural, abound: an important aspect in the life of those under 30, which pushes them to participate in large numbers and with great interest in exhibitions and events throughout the city. Berlin-Friedrichshain for example, a former working-class neighborhood with Soviet architecture which experienced strong gentrification after 1989, it is today a very popular meeting point for its clubs.
The premises on the Spree
Anyone who passes through here cannot miss a visit to the East side galleryone of the few parts of the Wall still standing and transformed into a huge mural. Among the spaces most frequented by Millennials and Generation Z is the radial system, former water pumping station on the Spree River, an environment with unusual architecture, where industrial style dialogues with the contemporary and where traditional culture confronts new and interdisciplinary artistic expressions: avant-garde dance performances guard, plays, concerts. Then we stop to chat at the local bar over a foamy beer or a glass of mate, enjoying the beautiful view of the river.
The Spree also offers a splendid setting for Holz Market 25an area of more than 12 thousand square meters resting on a sandy strip by the river with shops, bars, restaurants and spaces for concerts and cultural activities.
In spring it is good to go with friends for a coffee outdoors or have lunch in the sun at a restaurant Mother of Katerschwith an international menu, which also offers vegetarian dishes such as the delicious corn and beetroot soup. From there you can take bus 300 and go to Alexanderplatzthe most famous square in Berlin, where the famous television tower stands, the undisputed symbol of the capital.
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Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse, between cinema and techno club
Every Saturday evening many young people meet at midnight at the municipal cinema Babylon, in the neighborhood Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasseto attend the screening of silent masterpieces and relive the atmospheres of yesteryear, guaranteed by the background music played by the hall's organist Anna Vavilkina.
Director Timothy Grossman explains that “in the crowded audience, you can hear the audience breathing almost in unison with the screen: only in this way is cinema truly cinema.” Some evenings, films with a live orchestra are also shown, including Charlie Chaplin classics. “One of our dreams is to transform ourselves into a kind of Chaplin cinema, a reference for fans of the great actor-director,” says Roberta Bianchini, social media manager. Anyone who wishes can come before the film Foreign chessa play area adjoining the room reserved for chess enthusiasts, who, in good weather, can also take part in outdoor games and tournaments.
The free admission of certain screenings acts as a magnet for those under 30, who prefer to meet here rather than queue to enter the famous Berghainamong the most famous clubs in the world techno music. That the German government wanted to include last March in the National Register of Intangible cultural heritage because this type of music, offered in the clubs, raves and street parades of the Berlin scene, helped to form the cultural identity of the city, especially after the fall of the Wall.
Then, if you are hungry, always in Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse, from Beyond ramen you can enjoy an excellent curry ramen or try the fried cutlets with lotus root. For fans of the seventh art it is also an important point of reference Sputnikan arthouse cinema located on the fifth floor of a building in Kreuzberg, a multicultural and lively district: note that in one of the two rooms, the seats are installed in small brick structures very underground. Some are double, designed to be seen as a couple.
Auguststrasse, contemporary art and café in Mitte
Now we continue towards Mittecentral district with the iconic Brandenburg Gate, theHackesche Höferare Art Nouveau architecture with a series of hidden courtyards filled with murals and the elegant Auguststraßewhich hosts another young exhibition space: the K.W., among the most important contemporary art institutes in Germany.
He does not have his own collection, but he is always ready to capture the latest developments in national and international culture and present them in exhibitions, events and artists' workshops. The inaugurations are very lively: in these cases, the interior courtyard of the structure welcomes visitors, curators and artists, mostly under the age of 30, and creativity is fueled by the continuous exchange of ideas (kw-berlin.de).
There Auguststrasse it is also famous for its cafés frequented by a diverse audience: students, workers, collectors. In Sophienstrasse, one of its secondary streets, you can make a delicious stop at Sofi Bakerya bakery where you can enjoy excellent vegan desserts. Sitting around the large wooden table, many children work on the computer, spontaneously creating a coworking space.
From there you can take bus 200 Potsdamerplatz squareredesigned by world-renowned architects, from Renzo Piano to Hans Kollhoff and Helmut Jahn. In the neighboring Kulturforum designed by Hans Scharoun you can admire the magnificent New National Gallerythe last work of Mies van der Rohe, icon of modernity. It is also frequented by many young people, who visit very attractive exhibitions or meet to practice skateboarding, taking advantage of the museum's gates, steps and large sidewalks to perform their tricks.
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Exhibitions and workshops at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien
Nearby, the M29 bus takes you to Kottbusser Gatein the eastern part of Berlin-Kreuzberg. For some it is the Turkish Quarter, because among the shops and restaurants it feels like you are walking through the streets of Istanbul, many others simply call it by the nickname Kotti. One fact is certain: we never sleep around.
Here is one of the favorite art places for those under 30: the Bethanien artist housea former hospital that has become a space for self-managed initiatives. Groups of creative people collaborate on projects often linked to social issues and several group exhibitions are organized each year.
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Above all, the openings appeal to many young people: very popular, they are experienced as if they were major celebrations. On the other hand, young Berlin offers continuous opportunities to share passions and fuel creativity, enthusiasm, pleasure and the desire for discovery. It is the vital fuel of a somewhat magical city, which cannot remain still and, always evolving, always manages to amaze.
