Berlin/Tempelhof and Neukölln

Tempelhof was a district of Berlin until the 2001 fusion with Schöneberg, which was mostly done for administrative reasons. As the two areas have little in common, we cover Schöneberg as part of Berlin/City West. Tempelhof is an industrial area and in the south is a living area for families. The northern part is mainly occupied by the airport Tempelhof which was closed in October 2008 and now serves as a public park.
Neukölln is a district of Berlin. It consists of four sub-districts (Britz, Buckow, Rudow and Neukölln). Neukölln has a history as a poor working-class district with a large number of migrants. Neukölln offers big contrasts between the densely populated northern part and the more village looking southern parts. Southern neighborhoods Britz, Buckow and Rudow became part of Berlin with the 1920 Groß Berlin Gesetz and kept its structure. In the past few years, the northern part of Neukölln, nicknamed Kreuzkölln, has seen a transformation as a large influx of students and artists are moving into the neighborhood. Neukölln frequently makes national headlines as a supposed "Problembezirk" (district with problems) but this is in part due to alarmism of the last two district mayors, who got book deals and federal office out of it and in part due to press exaggeration. Yes, the area has higher than average unemployment and certain types of crime are more common, but it's not exactly "Lord of the Flies" and there are likely numerous "good neighborhoods" in US cities that look worse in terms of crime statistics.

By public transport

Tempelhof

U-Bahn line U6 from station onwards south is the backbone of the district. The major S-Bahn station , a DB station with national and international rail service, and also lie within the district. Südkreuz also sees a number of long distance buses though there is no dedicated station like the ZOB near the trade fare areal.

Neukölln

The U-Bahn line and are the backbone of transportation in Neukölln. All stations from to and to are northern Neukölln. Starting from Parchimer Allee until the terminal station Rudow you will see the smaller houses, apartment blocks and gardens of Britz, Buckow and Rudow. But with the Gropiusstadt, there is also a housing estate with many midrise and highrise buildings and a different social situation. Several bus lines connect the residential areas especially in the southern parts.
To get to Neukölln from Schönefeld Airport, take bus X7 towards Rudow, where you can change onto .

By car

The federal motorway 100 (the new city highway) has been constructed on the border line with Berlin/Treptow-Köpenick (the former inner Berlin border). It offers a fast way to the new BER airport which will at some indeterminate point in the future be the only airport for Berlin. During rush hour the entry and exit ways might be congested but the main traffic is to come after the airport opening.

Tempelhof

• Tempelhof AirportThe "mother of all airports", according to Sir Norman Foster, is a huge relic of the interwar era. The terminal building is located immediately south of the city center and was the hot spot of the Berlin airlift (Berliner Luftbrücke) in 1948-49, but closed as an airport on October 30, 2008. In 1951 a monument was added to its entrance square - then renamed "Airlift Square" -to commemorate the airlifts over the Berlin Blockade. The airport was featured in movies like Billy Wilder's One Two Three. Nowadays, the airfield is a spacious park with many visitors in summer and fall. The terminal building is still fascinating - the halls and neighbouring buildings, intended to become the gateway to Europe, are still some of the largest structures in the world. The terminal building is used as a venue of fashion weeks or fairs. Tempelhof has been subject to a lot of local politics in recent years. First a ballot measure to keep it as an airport failed and a few years later a ballot measure to keep new construction on its outskirts from happening was successful, thus preserving the urban open space at the cost of an exacerbated housing shortage.

• Police Historical Collection

  phone: +49 30 4664762450
  address: Platz der Luftbrücke 6
  Official website (in German). A museum of Berlin's different police forces through the ages, displaying historic uniforms, weapons, and specialist equipment such as cameras. Completing the collection are a photo archive and around 50 police vehicles, which are only viewable on certain 'open doors' days.

• Schwerbelastungskörper

  address: General-Pape-Str/Loewenhardtdamm
  From 1941, 12.000 tons of concrete in a 15 metre high and 20 metre-diamater cylinder were built to test the load-bearing capacity of the Berlin soils for Albert Speer's Germania-Buildings. Too massive for later blasting, this is one of the more bizarre remains of the Third Reich.

Neukölln

Neukölln has been known for its high immigrant population, but is now considered to be a highly up-and-coming neighbourhood of Berlin where more and more artists, students, and new homeowners are moving to. Particularly northern Neukölln – also known as Kreuzkölln – has seen a huge influx of money and has become particularly trendy, and this trend is moving steadily further south. Particular areas of note is the part of Neukölln close to the Maybachufer channel that also hosts the famous Turkish market (off of U-Bahn Schönleinstraße ), the Schillerkiez (off of U-Bahn Boddinstraße ), and the Richardplatz (off of U-Bahn Karl-Marx-Straße ).

• SonnenalleeBecame famous from the film named after this street. During the Cold War, the street was split, with one section belonging to East Berlin and one to West Berlin.

Neukölln

• Neuköllner Oper

  phone: +49 30 6889070, +49 30 68890777 (tickets)
  address: Karl-Marx-Straße 131
  Visit a play and be amazed by the creativity, which the opera house has won some awards for.

• Stadtbad Neukölln

  phone: +49 30 6824980
  address: Ganghoferstraße 3
  Built from 1912-14 in Art Nouveau style and carefully renovated in 1984, this swimming pool (actually two in one building), covered in mosaics and domes, is one of Berlin's most beautiful. A must see for architecture fans.

Further afield

• Volkspark MariendorfBoasts an open-air cinema and is the perfect activity to do at night.

• Britzer GartenA 90-hectare garden and former national garden show place (1984); public park with great flora and big playgrounds for kids; popular amongst children and seniors on weekends.

Neukölln

The region boasts many specialty food shops (Asian, Indian, African etc.), which offer an impressive international selection for very competitive prices.
Neukölln is home to many so-called "Spätis" which Berlin has become known for. "Spätis" are kiosks regularly open until 02:00 or 03:00 (some are open 24 hours), offering everything from cigarettes, drinks, and sweets, to necessities (dairy, dry goods, canned food, etc.) Slightly more expensive than grocery chains, but less expensive than gas stations.

• Kindl-Boulevard Passage

  address: Hermannstraße 214-216, 12053 Berlin
  Shopping center on Hermanstraße with many stores, a cinema, and a newly renovated Kaiser's supermarket.

• Neukölln Arkaden

  phone: +49 30 6273973
  address: Karl-Marx-Straße 66, 12043 Berlin
  An abundance of clothing stores and eateries, a post office, gym, a cinema known as "Karli" (movies in both German and Turkish shown regularly), and a very large supermarket (Kaufland) in the basement. Free wi-fi.

• Turkish Market

  address: Maybachufer
  The “Turk's market” at the Landwehr Canal at the Maybachufer in Neukölln near Kreuzberg sells vegetables, Turkish specialities and a lot of materials.

Further afield

• Gropiusstadt Passagen

  phone: +49 30 67066640
  address: Johannisthaler Chaussee 317, 12351 Berlin
  It's the biggest mall in Berlin and offers a wide variety of shops.

Neukölln

• Cafe & Restaurant Louis

  phone: +49 30 6810210
  address: Richardplatz 5
  Austrian food, giant schnitzels and quality beer on tap.

• Café Jacques

  phone: +49 30 6941048
  address: Maybachufer 14
  Great French cuisine (especially the fish and the self-made noodles), nice service, very crowded though.

• Cafe Rix

  phone: +49 30-686 90 20
  address: Karl-Marx-Straße 141
  Next to the Neukölln Opera house with international cuisine.

• Tabibito

  phone: +49 30 6241345
  address: Karl-Marx-Straße 56
  Japanese restaurant, family-run, very friendly (sometimes you get a snack for free), since it's little, can be very crowded in the evenings.

• Tang

  phone: +49 30-684 33 36
  address: Karl-Marx-Straße 215
  Authentic Hunan Chinese food under €7 for a very filling main course. Ignore the menu, ask for the specials. The spicy pork & aubergine dish is a must, sometimes rarities such as chicken feet are on offer.

• TanzCafé Britz

  phone: +49 30 600 32 09
  address: Germaniapromenade 24
  Hidden away in a residential area. Cute café/restaurant with lots of dancing activities and excellent and really cheap food prepared by a french chef.

Schillerkiez

• Café Selig

  phone: +49 30 84110425
  address: Herrfurthplatz 14
  Cute café/restaurant in the Schillerkiez by the church. Good place to people-watch, drink a coffee, and to eat brunch.

• Zio Felix

  phone: +49 176-599 486 95
  address: Okerstraße 35
  Good pizza.

Further afield

• Britzer Mühle

  phone: +49 30 6041819
  address: Buckower Damm 130
  Classical German cuisine in an old wind mill.

• Casa Montella

  phone: +49 30 6620395
  address: Krokusstraße 80
  Good Italian restaurant in Rudow.

Neukölln

Especially in the northern part of Neukölln (east of Kottbusser Damm, next to the Kreuzberg-border), the bar scene is becoming increasingly established. The rest of Neukölln houses a few student-friendly bars. Nearby Kreuzberg offers more variety.

• Arcaoda

  address: Karl-Marx Platz 16
  This club which is located in an old bowling alley offers electro club nights as well as live music performances, independent music, art exhibitions and food.

• Brauhaus Rixdorf

  phone: +49 30 6268880
  address: Glasower Straße 27, 12051
  Traditional brewery with a very nice biergarten, lovely in summer. The food is typical Bavarian fare, and of pretty good quality.

• Griessmühle

  phone: +49 30 95606359
  address: Sonnenallee 221, 12059 Berlin
  Griessmühle is one of the latest but already best-known techo clubs in Berlin. It is located within an decommissioned industrial building right at the Teltow channel and also has a large outdoor area with a lot of artfully positioned junk and trash.

• Klunkerkranich

  phone: +49 151 2450 4255
  address: Karl-Marx-Straße 66
  Popular rooftop club, beach bar, sundeck or garden on top of a parking garage with a fantastic view over Neukölln, live music and DJs playing electro, funk, disco or jazz.

• Kulturverein Kinski

  phone: +49 30 62409139
  address: Friedelstraße 28
  Famous for late nights and cultural activities. Frequented by Neukölln film enthusiasts, and occasionally rare films are screened. A nice feature: if you want to organize an artistic event or plan to DJ, just go there and sign up in the list at the bar.

Schillerkiez

Schillerkiez is close to the former Berlin Tempelhof Airport. Since the airport closed down the area is becoming increasingly popular. There are several nice bars in the area.

• Frollein Langner

  phone: +49 30 966 020 51
  address: Weisestraße 34
  Furnished with several sofas it has a living room atmosphere. They serve Bavarian beer and small snacks. The main room is non-smoking. There is a separate room for smokers.

• Froschkönig Pianobar

  address: Weisestraße 17
  Awesome pianobar with literature nights and occasional jazz concerts. Very relaxed atmosphere, located in the Schillerkiez.

• Syndikat

  phone: +49 30 6216774
  address: Weisestraße 56
  One of the most famous bars in this part of town. It's been around for some 25 years and considered to be one of the best 'Kneipen' in Neukölln.

Neukölln

Because Neukölln is not really in the city center, most hotels are for coach tours or bigger groups. They are busiest on weekends. If you come with a group (at least 10 people) negotiate a discount.

• 2A-Hostel

  phone: +49 30 63226330
  address: Saalestr. 76
  Cheap modern hostel, built in 2011.

• Estrel

  address: Sonnenallee 225
  Self-proclaimed biggest hotel and entertainment complex in Europe. 1,125 rooms, a convention center and Michael Jackson's father stayed here.

• Mercure Hotel Tempelhof Airport

  phone: +49 30 627800
  address: Hermannstrasse 214-216
  Located to the east of the former airport.

As mentioned above the area of Neukölln has a rather sensational bad reputation in the German press and certain political actors would like to make you think it is some sort of apocalyptic hellscape which it in reality is not. Unfortunately what does seem to be a problem is antisemitism, as in 2018 a young Israeli wearing a kippah was beaten up and called "yahudi" in Neukölln. While the reaction of every political actor of relevance up to the federal government was one of solidarity with the victim and condemnation of the attack and antisemitism in general, it is not advisable to be identifiable as visibly Jewish here.