Prater Beergarten

There is a lot going on in Berlin this weekend, not only this weekend, every weekend! Sometimes it is hard to decide what to do and where to go. Therefore we have put some things together.  Some small ideas to get you on your way!  Hope you have a fantastic weekend!!

1. It is GALLERY WEEKEND!!

if you love exploring the city by exploring its artists, then this is your weekend!
51 galleries, 51 openings, 3 days, 3 nights. feel invited!! From April 27th till April 29.
klick here for a list of galleries that our in: Gallery Weekend

2. Go clubbing on Saturday night!!
For instance you can go to the club night at Berghain/ Panorama bar.
If you are not into techno you can go to the Bassy Club for rock´n roll music!
More info on where to go clubbing you can find in the ZITTY

3. Go to an exhibition!
There are so many interesting exhibitions to choose from, really. One thing you should definitely see is this:
´´ Arrested in Hohenschönhausen“
The exhibition displays items from the everyday prison life at the GDR, but also rare testimonies of the resistance of political prisoners. Among the objects is a holed shaver, with which secret messages were transported, as well as a Monopoly game made by the prisoners. Also prison books with hidden finger nail markings and a knife made out of a toothbrush are shown. © Museumsportal Berlin
In addition to this exhibition, you should  take the guided tour through the stasi prison!
Location: Gensler str. 66

4. Go to the ZOO
..something tells me it´s all happening at the zoo….

It is going to be lovely weather this weekend, perfect for a visit to the Berlin ZOO.

The Zoo in Berlin is actually the oldest zoo in entire Germany! It´s the home of around 15000 animals from 1500 different species.

5. Lazy Sunday
On Sunday you should first go for a lazy breakfast at café Entweder Oder at the Oderbergstraße 15.  They have the most delicious breakfast in Berlin, yummy yummy!
After that you can stroll down to street and go to the famous Mauerpark Flea market!
Here you have a full program for the afternoon. You can shop, eat a snack, and also enjoy a broad variety of artists performing in the park.

Afterwards you go to the famous  Prater Beer garten, located in the Kastanienallee, not far away from the hostel! drink a beer, eat a sausage and enjoy!

Second Hand Shops Berlin

We have made a selection of some outstanding and cool vintage second hand shops, all
located not far from your friendly hostel in Berlin.
We live in a capitalistic world, where we all want to buy buy and buy. We throw away quite
a lot too. Luckily there are a lot of people interested in second hand stuff and therefore
there are a lot of shops in Berlin selling vintage second hand and giving older products a
brand new life with a new owner.
Berlin is famous for its Sunday flea markets. These flea markets are heaven for people on
the look for particular stuff from the past. You name it , you can find it at the flea markets
of Berlin. there is the famous Mauerpark Market, the market at Boxhagener Platz and the
flea market at Ostbahnhof, some of the coolest markets to hang out any Sunday you
choose.
But if you are not staying in Berlin on a Sunday, there is an alternative! You can go to one
of the many second hand shops this metropolis has to offer.
To give you a little help in picking a shop of your interest, we have made a top 5 of vintage
shops close by our hostel.
1. Made in Berlin
this is probably the most famous second hand shop Berlin knows. It has a broad variety of
cool vintage clothes, both for females and males!
You find this shop at the neue schönhauser strasse 19.
2. Hillyʼs
located at the Kollwitzstrasse this family-friendly little boutique offers a broad variety of
female clothing. Also there is a big section reserved for second hand clothes and toys for
kids.
3. Kauf Dich Glueklich
this shop is a bit different from the rest, cause it is not actually a shop.. It is a cafe selling
the best waffles in town!! Hmmm then why is it on the list of best Second Hand shops, you
might wonder…. Thatʼs because almost everything inside the cafe is for sale. So if you like
the seat you are sitting on, or the artwork on the wall, you can buy it and take it home with
you. The name of the shop translated in to English means as much as buy yourself happy.
4. Garments Vintage
a really classic small vintage boutique, located at the Stargarder strasse 12.
Friendly service, good quality vintage clothing and even a small section for men!
Beside clothes you can find some cool accessories as well, for instance vintage sun
glasses!
5. Stiefelkombinat
Are you looking for shoes? Stop looking, go to the Stiefelkombinat at Eberswalderstrasse
and you will be able to find the best pair of second hand shoes!
Enjoy shopping for second hand clothes and accessories! And if you want to find out where more second hand shops are,  just come ask us at the reception!!

@ MauerPark Flea Market

Yes, winter is definitely over, spring is in the air. The outdoor season we have all been waiting for is ready to fulfill our needs. What do we want? We want to shop, but of course not in a shopping mall but outdoors! We have made you a top 5 of the best flea markets in Berlin! Enjoy!

1. Mauerpark flea market

Located within walking distance from the EastSeven Berlin Hostel, this weekly fleamarket is one of the most popular ones in town. Every Sunday locals and tourist come here to look for great old stuff from furniture to clothing. But also you can find brand new things here.  From hand made jewelry out of old silver spoons to hip clothes. You can find anything here, it is so big!!!

Besides that it is the best place to go for a snack! There are stands selling sweets, Turkish dishes, rice, sandwiches, and bratwurst. You name it, they got it!

But that ́s not all! There is live music as well! A lot of musicians meet in the park next to the market to perform to an unique audience! Also the famous bearpit karaoke takes places at the Mauerpark fleamarket!

2. Nowkoelln flea market

This market takes place every first & third Sunday, at the Maybachufer! Located in vibrant Kreuzkölln, alongside the canal, this fleamarket has something romantic in it.

What can you find here? Next to first class second hand and original handmade products you will find art and live music here. Strawl alongside the canal, buy some souvenirs and gifts and enjoy the beautiful city scenery. What more can you ask for?!

3. Bergmannstrasse flea market

Another great fleamarket located in Kreuzberg, is the one at the Bergmannstraße.

The market is surrounded by a lot of nice cafés and restaurants. So it ́s perfect to combine your visit to this market with having lunch or dinner!

4. Boxhagener Platz flea market

This nice fleamarket has a really alternative flair!  What to expect? A lot of hand-made T-shirts, jewelery, art, books, a little furniture, a lot of cool people….Check it out!

This small market, with around 100-150 stands, is on every Sunday. The fun starts at 10am and goes till approxiametely 6pm.

The area around Boxhagener platz is also really good for finding nice small restaurants and bars.

5. Tiergarten antique market

As the name already explains,  it is not really a flea market but here you can find antique stuff too!

If you have a little bit more to spend, and if you are looking for something really special, go here! Afterwards you can stroll through the big city park Tiergarten, definitely worth while visiting! Another idea is to combine the visit to the flea market with a visit to the zoo.

Have fun exploring Berlin and its wonderful flea markets!

Party in Berlin

I think everybody loves to sing!! Maybe not everybody is as talented, but that doesn´t
matter at all.

It is all about  music, singing, and of course and maybe above all it is about  having FUN! It is just great sharing your favorite songs by performing them yourself, for a (small) crowd.
What are the options in Berlin, if you want to take your chance and sing your favorite
tunes? You don´t know where to go to? We have made a selection of cool places to go to
to do karaoke in Berlin!
1.Monster Ronson´s Itchiban Karaoke bar
is probably one of the most popular and famous bars for karaoke! It is located really
central, at warschauer straße, and is therefore easy to reach!
This bar is perfectly suited also for people who are a bit shy, then there are cabins you can
rent so instead of singing to a big crowd you can intimately sing to and with your friends. Of course there is also a big stage!
They have over 85000 songs to choose from!
2. Hafen Bar: Kaptains Karaoke Party
at the Hafen Bar in Berlin-Mitte there is a karaoke party every Saturday. The Karaoke
begins at 9pm and goes for about 3 hours.
You can choose from about 5000 international and German songs. Their rule is a song can
only be sung once an evening! Afterwards you can hang around here for a great dance party!
3. Green mango karaoke
though it is an insider tip, if you want to go here during weekends, it is better to reserve a table
in advance. They have a really big song-archive you can choose from, and also they serve delicious cocktails!
The bar is located in the Bülowstraße and very easy to reach from our friendly hostel in Berlin. Just take the u2, it will bring you straight to bülowstraße.
4. Bear pit Karaoke at Mauerpark
open air karaoke on Sundays in the vibrant Mauerpark, you can´t miss out on this!
It is a really fun thing to do!! Maybe you want to sing, but it is also great to just be in the
crowd and enjoy the different performances. I have never witnessed such a warm and grateful crowed as at the bear-pit karaoke!!
5.Kim´s karaoke bar
This is a Korean karaoke bar with an unique mix of Asian and non-Asian pop songs!
At the beginning the people who came to Kim´s bar where mainly Korean people. But over the years karaoke started to become a lot more popular in Europe. Now you will find people from all over the globe coming to Kim´s bar to sing a song!

We wish you a lot of fun in Berlin and a lot of fun singing karaoke!!!

opendoorsberlin

In this blog-post we would like to introduce to you a brand new way of exploring the city of Berlin.
When you come to Berlin there are hundreds of tours you can choose from. Walking tours, boat tours, bike tours, bus tours etc. All of these tours focus on sightseeing and Berlin history.
But as we know, a lot of people are interested in experiencing Berlin beyond the touristic sights. They want to do what the insiders, the inhabitants of Berlin, do. They want to go where the insiders go.
Opendoorsberlin gives you the opportunity to have this insight in the way the people of Berlin live. It is an unique way to get in contact with the local culture and to get to know Berlin!
Visit real life in Berlin!
So this is your opportunity to experience real life in Berlin. With opendoorsberlin you get access to private Berlin-apartments. On every Saturday afternoon Berlin-citizens open their doors for you! They will show you around in their apartments and welcome you warmly to their private living-rooms. Have a seat and learn more about German hospitality and the Berlin way of life.
In one afternoon you can visit several private Berlin apartments and meet some of the people who call this vibrant city their home.
How does it work? Opendoorsberlin provide you with three addresses for you to visit. You will be warmly welcomed to the people’s homes! It is also a good way to discover various city districts and meet real people! Are you interested in how people in Berlin decorate their homes, then this is certainly a thing for you!
It is a wonderful possibility to get in contact with the city from a different point of view. The inhabitants not only show you around in their private place but tell you about some hidden places off the mainstream tourist trails. So you get to know what their favorite bars, museums or clubs are.
Take the chance and get inspired by real people in an authentic atmosphere.
You will be warmly welcomed!

For more information and to register online click here: Opendoorsberlin

Stasi Prison (c) Sulamith Sallmann

Pay a visit to the former Stasi Prison in Berlin Hohenschönhausen, and learn more about the GDR times.

The Stasi Prison Memorial is always worthwhile a visit. You need to keep in mind that you can only visit on a tour. You will be guided through the prison building and outside areas. You will hear stories, sometimes from firsthand, because some of the guides have stayed at the prison themselves.

It is an unique opportunity for you to learn more about the Berlin History while being at a uniquely remained historical sight. A lot of the old furniture is still there, so it offers a really good view of how it was, and what it looked like.

When you get in a sort of creepy feeling comes over you, history gets more lively when you not only read about it but when you really visit the places where it all happened. I got  a really shivery feeling at some of the stories that had been told during the tour.

Thousands of political prisoners passed through this jail, almost all prominent figures who where opponents of the GDR – regime where held prison at Hohenschönhausen.

The location of the Stasi Prison, was in a strictly hermeneutic sealed area, in a military district. Before the prisoners where transported to the prison they where blindfolded an put into a van. Driving and driving for hours and hours in circles, just in means to disorientate the prisoner. As they finally arrived at Hohenschönhausen they had absolutely no clue that they where still in Berlin. To disorientate the prisoners was one of the many methods  the stasi used to get information from the inhabitants of the stasi prison!

This area never appeared on any map and was kept very secretly.

Follow this link for a map of the historical location.

For opening hours: you can check their website for further details and to get information on the various exhibitions that are being held.

Besides the tours through the building they also have an exhibition space, for permanent and temporary exhibitions. All exhibitions encourage and stimulate critical reflection on the forms and consequences of political persecution and suppression under the communist dictatorship.
Opening hours for the exhibitions, daily from 9am till 6pm. There is no entrance fee so you can visit the exhibitions for free!
To check which exhibitions are currently on, follow this LINK

English speaking tours are on every Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30 pm. Tours in German are on more frequent, from Monday till Friday at 11am, 1 pm and 3pm, and on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays every hour between 10am and 4pm.
The cost of the tour is 5€, if you are a student you pay 2,50€.
Most of the tours are being guided by a contemporary witness or a historicist.

Here some information on how to get to Hohenschönhausen, from the EastSeven Berlin Hostel.
Also a map: klick here
To get there you first take the U2 from Senefelderplatz, in direction Ruhleben, get off at Alexanderplatz. From Alexanderplatz you take the M5 in direction Zingster Strasse. You get out at the stop Freienwalderstrasse. From here you can walk there.
If you need help with how to get there, just come ask us at the hostel in central Berlin, EastSeven!

cooking!!

Traveling on a budget? Book a cheap bed in Berlin  at EastSeven and join in on one of the dinnerparties!
Although Berlin is not too expensive when it comes to eating out, still it is always nice to
safe money when you are traveling on a budget.
For over a year already, we started with the concept of free dinner parties. At first, only on
Mondays. A short description on how it works.  Everyone who is staying at the hostel can sign up for the dinner.  Also, if you love cooking too, you
can join in, which is always a lot of fun! Our cooks usually start preparing the dinner around 6pm, so just come to the kitchen and have a look what is going on.

During the dinner party we have special prices for drinks at the reception, meaning happy
hour for all our fantastic beers, not for one hour but at least for four hours.

fun

The idea of cooking and eating togehter was to help travelers, not only to safe some
money, but also to get in touch with fellow travelers. Not seldom do people get together
after the dinner for a night of clubbing.
After the great succes of our Monday dinner parties we started cooking for our guests on Wednesdays as well!

What´s next? Maybe wel will be organizing more of these events in future we will keep you posted here!! Enjoy your stay in Berlin.

Nacht & Nebel Neukölln

Nacht und Nebel Neukölln- A night full of exciting art & culture
This year´s Nacht und Nebel Neukölln takes place on Saturday the 5th of November, it´s the tenth edition of the Neukölln Cultural Festival.

Nacht und Nebel is an ART and Cultural Festival and gives us an insight in the vivid and upcoming artscene in Neukölln. There will be shows and performances in over a 110 different locations in the northern part of Neukölln.

You are curious what is on the menu? Count on dance, workshops, performances, theater, music, film etc. etc. There are all kinds of different exhibitions in the many ateliers, galleries bars and cafe´s in Neukölln.  Expect the unexpected!

Start you night with watching a movie or a theater show and end it on one of the many parties.

An amazing feature of the festival, besides that most of the shows and performances are free of any charge; there is taken care of free transportation by taxis for all the festivals visitors! Feel like a star and let yourself be driven from one location to the next by one of the many special festival cabs, and this service is for free!

Nacht und Nebel starts at 6pm at the Schillerpalais,
Klick here to see the FULL PROGRAMM.
To guide the visitors through the Nacht und Nebel night the organizers created two different routes.To view KLICK HERE. Alongside these 2 routes you will find the special CABS, they will drive you around for free and you can hop on and hop off and move from gallery to bar, to atelier…

The difference to most of the Art-festivals is that during the Nacht & Nebel Night you as a visitor have the opportunity to talk with the different artists. Most of the anticipating artist live in Neukölln, and through their art they reflect on the social-problems in this Berlin neighbourhood.
In this way they pay an important contribution to the local community.
For most of the performances and exhibitions there is no entrance – fee to be payed.

If you are looking for a nice and affordable hostel for the weekend you´re welcome to staxy at the EastSeven Bedrlin Hostel!!

This was a difficult list to compile on account of the vast, vast, vast number of quality and iconic music venues in a city brimming with artistic flair and vibrancy. Nevertheless after scouring the streets, leaving no stone unturned, here is a round-up of Berlin’s top five music venues. Feel that we’ve missed something? Let us know, we appreciate your feedback.

(c)achimbodewig

Berghain & Panorama Bar
An obvious choice, but without doubt one of the most awe-inspiring clubs in the world, let alone in Berlin, and for good reason. Built just along the former East/West border in Friedrichshain, Berghain is the techno-lover’s Mecca. Every Friday the upstairs Panorama bar opens, housing some of the most prominent electronic artists from across the globe. The door policy can be notoriously picky, but if your vibe is open and your demeanour calm you shouldn’t have any problems. Oh, and no cameras – ever. The memory of your visit will have to suffice, and it just adds to the intrigue, doesn’t it?
Rüdersdorfer Straße 70 10243 Berlin | Tel. 030 29360210 | U-Bahn: Weberweise

(c)andreas hagerman

Weekend Club (Sky Club)
For those who like their party with a side-order of panoramic views of Berlin, the Weekend Club may well be the perfect location for you. Set on the 12^th – 15^th floor of a high-rise building in Alexanderplatz, and housing some of the most prominent DJs in the world, the Weekend Club is now three floors of prime party runway with LED displays, a gigantic open air terrace and breathtaking views of the city and beyond.
Alexanderplatz 5 10178 Berlin| Tel.030 24631676 | U-Bahn: Alexanderplatz

(c)Olivier-Bruchez

Quasimodo
One of West Berlin’s oldest and most renowned Jazz clubs, Quasimodo has all the dark and smoky charm of a Mississippi Delta Jazz bar and grill, attracting iconic artists like Roy Hargrove and homegrown talent like Jocelyn B Smith alike. Quasimodo really shine during Black History Month in February when act after act of renowned jazz talent play every evening. Also on the menu is soul, blues, latin and funk on various occasions throughout the year. Jazz fanatics and music fans in general will find a place in their hearts for Quasimodo.
Kantstr. 12a, 10623 Berlin – Charlottenburg | Tel: 312 8086, Fax: 312 24 39 | S+U Zoologischer Garten |

Philippe-AMIOT_flickr

White Trash Fast Food
Do you like a healthy portion of rock and roll with your steak or burger? Then White Trash is the place for you. Regular frequented by rock’n’roll royalty (no less than Lemmy from Motorhead) and Berlin rock hipsters, White Trash is part restaurant and bar and part live music venue, for established acts and newcomers alike. The food is delicious, the atmosphere friendly, and if you’re feeling really brave you can head to the on-site tattoo parlour to mark the occasion! For a more detailed review and an interview with a of a member of staff check out the article on the Oh-Berlin blog. Schönhauser Allee 6/7 10119 Berlin | Tel. 030 50348668 | U-Bahn: Rosa-Luxemburg Platz

Chris1002x_flickr

Waldbühne
For the big acts, and I mean big acts (MJ and the Rolling Stones), Waldbühne is the perfectly whimsical woodland setting. The Waldbühne is a great open air stage, with an amphitheatre feel to it, in a gorgeous green belt near Olympiastadion. A much cosier venue in comparison to other Arena style settings, the acoustics and sound quality is legendary of Waldbühne. Also used as a classical venue and open air cinema in the summer months, the versatility of Waldbüne only adds to its charm.
Am Glockenturm , 14053 Berlin – Charlottenburg | S-Bahn Pichelsberg, U2 Olympia-Stadion |

For regular updates on events, info, guides, tours and all other things Berlin visit the Oh-Berlin blog or visit their facebook page.

Fiesta in Berlin

EastSeven Berlin Hostel listed up some of the coolest parties for this weekend, 23rd of September till the 25th of September!

If you are coming to Berlin for the weekend, check this TOP 10 and enjoy Berlin at night!

1) GYPSY & THE CAT playing live at LIDO on Friday the 23rd!!

if you are into some fantastic live music go to the famous club LIDO in Kreuzberg.

this Australian band plays great electropop!!

2) LIVE! rock´n´Roll music @ Bassy´s on Friday the 23rd!

The Bassy Club is Berlin’s best kept secret and offers a wide range of good music – STRICTLY BEFORE 1969!
> From Hot Jazz, Dirty Blues, Western Swing, Country, 50′s black R&B, Rock’n'Roll, to 60′s Beat, early Soul, Sixties Garage Punk, Blues, Trash, Surf, Exotica and more…
The Branded – Live! (Garage R’n'R/Swe)
DJ (Club): Mystic N. (Shakin’ R&B, 60′s Garage, Frantic Soul & Rock’n'Roll)

DJ (Bar): Lobotomy (Rock & Roll, Rockabilly, 60s Garage)

Maximum garage-R’nR with a shot ‘o blues from Sweden. “Well, it sounds like the middleground between 13th Floor Elevators and The Who when they were still playin’ in function rooms above pubs. Man, this is Maximum R&Beer!” (Mof Gimmers, Electric Roulette)

3)   Live music at the legendary White Trash Fast Food Club on Friday the 23rd!

DEATH BY POP live: PSYCHO DELIA V THE WARD (ROBOTS IN DISGUISE) at the Diamond Lounge

live: AQUASERGE (Krautrock/Progressive/Psychic Pop – FR) + support: THE BRIMSTONE DAYS (Blues/Rock/Soul – SWE) at the Restaurant
+ DJ DennisConcorde (Indyfreshrock vs. Wildstyledancecore)

Starts at 10pm BUT you can go there before that and have some really good BURGERS & FRIES!!!

4) Go to Berlin´s most Famous Club: BERGHAIN!
Berlin’s premier techno club, housed in a former power generation plant near the Berlin Ostbahnhof train station. The building is enormous — the dancefloor 18 metres high and there’s room for around 1500. The main design elements are steel and concrete. The first room at the entrance near the cloakroom displays a 20-30 square meter black & white painting of the artist Piotr Nathan. On the upper floor, the Panorama Bar contains a large-format painting by Wolfgang Tillmans.
Fridays is usually upstairs Panorama Bar only.
Saturday night through Sunday both rooms are open.

5) For some great Drum´n´Bass Music on Saturday night go to ICON!!

RECYCLE – Berlin’s finest Drum’n'Bass: COMMIX

6) Fish N Slips at Golden Gate

Line-up /
Ryan Dupree *live* (Stil Vor Talent)
The Chosen Two (Powder & Louder/Supdub)
Who:be
100Tons
Promoter /
FISH n SLIPS
The monthly Fish n Slips assessement center to calibrate your party skills and tune your karma !

No peace for the wicked since 2006 !

7) A great party for a Sunday @ HoRST KRZBRG

It starts at 8pm
Location is at: Tempelhofer Ufer 1; Kreuzberg; 10961 Berlin
DAmage: 7 Euro
Line-up
Rabih Beaini (aka Ra.H) LIVE, Mark Pritchard, Mark Cremins, DJ Pete
…on the KILLASAN sound system.
East caribbean food available from Cris’s Roadside Cuisine. Yummie yummie !

8 ) Go to the legendary Klub der Republik!   
Cosy first floor lounge club with with a distinctive eastish charme & interior, DJs every night, from funk to house and dubstep.
Just 100m from Eberswalder Strasse Station, entrance is in the yard.

9) Sports & Nightlife?!! Yeah; go to Dr.Pong

here you can play table tennis all night!! great dj´s and great fun!!

10) Disco party at the NBi (Kulturbrauerei) this saturday night!

Dance dance dance!

Allright, that´s all for now, enjoy partying in Berlin!!

We hope to see you all in Berlin, book a bed at EastSeven Berlin Hostel!!