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12 tips for a visit to Berlin
A visit to FRUIT LOGISTICA is packed with events for exhibitors and trade visitors. But afterwards, why go straight back to the hotel? You would be missing out! For Berlin beckons with culture, culinary delights and so many attractions. The FRUIT LOGISTICA reveals some personal favourites – plus tips for a stress-free journey home.
A different kind of museum visit
A walk through halls that are far too warm, quiet as a mouse and in awe, while looking at exhibits in dusty display cases under the stern gaze of grim-faced guards. Followed by concentration while working through the corresponding text panels and trying to somehow remember the long rows of dates and historical names. Who hasn't experienced this type of museum visit? But not to worry – we have picked three places where boredom will be the last thing on your mind.
Experience history with all the senses – the Deutschlandmuseum
The Deutschlandmuseum in Berlin-Mitte takes visitors on a journey through 2,000 years of German history. Experience historical turning points from 12 different ages close-up in rooms that offer a real-life experience. Whether in the printer's workshop during the Reformation, in front of a radio in the trenches, or dancing the Charleston in a salon of the Golden Twenties: the unusual exhibits and interactive visitor stops are guaranteed to bring history to life.
- Leipziger Platz 7, 10117 Berlin-Mitte, open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Installations made of air and latex: the Balloon Museum
At the Pop Air exhibition at the Balloon Museum, expect to see art that is anything but boring. The oversized, brightly coloured balloon installations at Arena Berlin are not just there to be admired – touching is expressly encouraged. When touched, the artworks change and move around in space, and the visitors themselves become part of the installation. A fun time is guaranteed!
- Eichenstraße 4, 12435 Berlin-Treptow, open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Love letters to the city: the Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary Art
Immerse yourself in a world of street art, graffiti and other urban culture. And what better place to do so than in the Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary Art. The current exhibition titled ’Love Letters to the City’ invites visitors to look at urban living spaces from a completely new perspective. More than 50 street artists focus on topics such as urbanisation, gentrification and social inequality, and show how art can inspire change in the city.
- Bülowstraße 7, 10783 Berlin-Schöneberg, open Thursday to Saturday from 12 midday to 8 p.m. Admission is free
- Our tip: after the trade fair closes, take the U2 underground line from Theodor-Heuss-Platz directly to Nollendorfplatz, a journey of only 13 minutes.
The Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary Art in Berlin boasts a spectacular installation on its façade. (Copyright: Urban Nation Museum for Urban Contemporary Art)
Delicious food – from traditional to modern cuisine
Our eating tips are as international as FRUIT LOGISTICA itself.
Around the world in five hours: Street Food Thursday
Still hungry after visiting the museum? Then Markthalle 9 in Kreuzberg is just the place to go. Every Thursday, the chefs at Street Food Thursday, who may not have their own restaurant, but are full of creativity and passionate about their profession, conjure up small culinary delights. From Brazilian tapioca pancakes to Nigerian fufu, those in search of a new culinary experience are guaranteed to find it here.
- Eisenbahnstraße 42/43, 10997 Berlin-Kreuzberg, open every Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m.
Back to the roots: Standard Serious Pizza
Standard Serious Pizza is a restaurant on a mission to bringing authentic Neapolitan pizza to Berlin. A soft thin crust and a perfect combination of sauce and toppings make this classic of Italian cuisine a delight. Naturally, the famous margherita with tomato sauce, fior di latte, basil and olive oil is a must. However, variations with ingredients ranging from artichoke and pea cream to hummus and fried chickpeas, rocket ricotta cream and Jerusalem artichoke wedges are sure to tempt even the most stubborn purist.
- Schlüterstraße 63, 10625 Berlin-Charlottenburg, open Monday to Saturday from 12 midday to 11 p.m.
Noodle art: Jade Palast
Visitors to the Jade Palast on Kantstraße, Berlin-Charlottenburg can watch live how biang noodles, which come from Shaanxi province in China, are given their finishing touches. Only when the 80 cm long and 3 cm wide strips of dough have been spun and pulled by hand several times are they allowed to go in the automatic noodle cooker to be turned into dishes such as Szechuan noodles with minced tofu or spicy noodle soup with beef. Senlei Ye, who runs the restaurant, opened it in 2023, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Together with his son, he now makes fresh hand-pulled noodles the way he watched his father do in China when he was a young boy.
-> Kantstr. 117A, 10627 Berlin-Charlottenburg, open daily from 12 midday to 10 p.m.
A Berlin classic with cult status: Schwarzes Café
A bit further up Kantstraße to the west is a classic of the Berlin gastro scene – Schwarzes Café, which opened in 1978. It owes its name to its beginnings when it was a café for the left-wing art scene in what used to be the western half of the city. Even today, Schwarzes Café still has an unconventional feel. Night owls and tourists appreciate the fact that you can eat breakfast there at all hours – with high-proof spirits if desired. A wide range of international dishes are served in the cosy interior and on the secluded courtyard patio.
- Kantstraße 148, 10623 Berlin-Charlottenburg, open from 8 a.m. to 3 a.m., 24 hours on Saturday
Markthalle Neun in Berlin-Kreuzberg is transformed into a culinary hot spot on Street Food Thursday. (Copyright: Markthalle Neun)
A more enjoyable drink – with and without a view
Naturally, the menus in all the above restaurants also have a large selection of drinks – ranging from soft drinks, beer, wine, traditional cocktails to coffee specialities. Those looking for a special atmosphere or an unusual selection should try one of the places below.
Where the name says it all: Monkey Bar
Looking out from the rooftop patio of the Monkey Bar on the tenth floor of the 25hours Bikini Berlin hotel, guests not only have a view of the historical Gedächtniskirche (Memorial Church), but also of the ape enclosure at the Berlin Zoo. Which makes it clear what inspired the bar’s name. It comes as no surprise then that the illustrious cocktail menu includes creations such as Wildberry Monkey and Gorilla's Iced Tea. Small snacks are served until 11 p.m.
- Budapester Straße 40, 10787 Berlin-Charlottenburg, open Thursday to Saturday until 2 a.m., Sunday until 1 p.m.
A little closer to the sky: Solar Sky-Bar
Located on the 17th floor, the Solar Sky Bar in Berlin-Kreuzberg offers a spectacular 270-degree view of the city's nighttime sea of lights. The glass outdoor lift takes guests up 70 metres, where a large selection of creatively composed cocktails, wines, champagnes, spirits and other drinks awaits night owls. Different DJs play background music, and hungry guests can enjoy the same breathtaking view amid the cosy atmosphere of the Sky Restaurant one floor below.
- Stresemannstraße 76, 10963 Berlin-Kreuzberg, open from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday until 3 a.m.
Say yes to wine: Jaja Weinbar
Since opening eight years ago, the small JAJA wine bar in Berlin-Neukölln has specialised in organic wines that require no additives or filtering. Inside, a warm atmosphere awaits where you can choose from some 200 often unconventional natural wines, mainly from French winegrowers, at small tables under pleasant lighting. Small dishes are also served.
- Weichselstraße 7, 12043 Berlin-Neukölln, open Tuesday to Saturday, 6 p.m. to 12 midnight
And finally, the full programme again: Zum Starken August
If you want to really let rip at the end of your stay in Berlin, Starker August will definitely give you your money's worth. ’Menschen, Biere, Sensationen’ (people, beers, sensations) is the slogan of the craft beer experience bar, which offers a wide-ranging evening programme of male and female burlesque shows, comedy, live singing, acrobatics and fire displays. The colourful circus is wild and brash – but always welcoming and cosmopolitan.
- Schönhauser Allee 56, 10437 Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg, open Monday to Saturday from 6 p.m. to 1 p.m.
The craft beer experience bar Zum Starken August is renowned for its creative party culture. (Copyright: Zum Starken August)
Off home? No stress, please
After the hustle and bustle of the fair (and perhaps an exhausting time enjoying the Berlin nightlife), the journey home should be as stress-free as possible. At Berlin Airport, pre-booking a time slot via the BER Runway service saves long waiting times at the security checkpoint. Time slots can be booked between seven days and – depending on your destination and departure terminal – one hour before departure.
- Bookings via the BER website or BER app