Neighborhoods to avoid in Berlin and best areas to stay

Whether you are a tourist, student or simply looking for a rental in the German capital, you want to identify the neighborhoods to avoid in Berlin and the best areas to stay.

Indeed, even if Berlin does not have the reputation of being dangerous, it is better to find out to avoid choosing accommodation in a sensitive area or a red light district of Berlin.

Here is a guide and a map that will help you locate the neighborhoods to avoid and the best places to stay in Berlin.

The sources for this article come from internet media, business press articles, forums and world rankings. This document is therefore only a summary of current data on the reputation and sense of security of Berlin neighborhoods.

Is Berlin a dangerous city?

NOT : Berlin is not one of the most dangerous cities inEurope. She ranks far behind Naples, Marseille, Paris, Athens and even behind London.

Indeed, according to the last ranking on the crime of European cities, Berlin is in 50th position out of 131 with a crime index of 44.12 (medium high).

Note that this type of classification is quite subjective. Indeed, it is established mainly with the opinions of Internet users. It does not take into account official comparative data between different cities.

Also, according to the comparison site crimegrade.org, Berlin has a level of safety equivalent to the average for American cities.


Is Berlin safe for tourists?

YES : Tourists can safely visit Berlin.

Indeed, crime in Berlin is the work of clans, organized gangs, mafia networks that organize drug trafficking, money laundering and other trafficking. See the articles below:

Wikipedia article on Clan Crime in Germany ou Germany: vast operation against organized crime in Berlin ou Human trafficking

This type of crime does not affect tourists. But, as in all large capitals, foreigners are often the target of petty criminals. They only risk petty crimes (pick-pocketing, vehicle break-ins, scams, etc.).

As everywhere, tourists must remain cautious around tourist sites, on public transport, airports and train stations.

When choosing their accommodation, tourists should avoid certain areas of Berlin in favor of a safe area of ​​the city.

Here is some useful information to identify the neighborhoods to avoid in Berlin.


Berlin neighborhoods

Berlin is divided into 12 districts (Bezirke): Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Lichtenberg, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Mitte, Neukölln, Pankow, Reinickendorf, Spandau, Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Tempelhof-Schöneberg and Treptow-Köpenick.

Each of them is made up of quarters which are themselves made up of sub-quarters.


Berlin neighborhood map

To help you locate the main areas of the city, those to avoid and those to stay in, here is a map of Berlin's neighborhoods.


Dangerous neighborhoods in Berlin

The Berlin police communicated on the areas identified as the most dangerous in Berlin on their official website: Polizei Berlin. You will also be able to download and consult the report on the organized crime situation or the Berlin police crime statistics.

Neighborhoods to avoid in Berlin

Not to mention the suburbs on the outskirts of Berlin, here are the areas in central Berlin that have the reputation of being the least safe (click to see their googlemap location):

  • Alexanderplatz (very touristy place in the Mite district but not safe especially at night because of alcohol and drugs),
  • Neighborhood Leopoldplatz,
  • The northern part of the district Schöneberg (in the area of ​​Nollendorfplatz and parts of the Regenbogenkiez),
  • Görlitzer Park (because of drug addicts and drug dealers),
  • Station area Warschauer brücke,
  • Kottbusser Tor in the center of Kreuzberg (party district, numerous offenses related to drugs, theft and bodily assault),
  • areas around the station Hermannstraße,
  • Around the square Hermannplatz,
  • A small area of ​​the Riga street.

Best neighborhoods in Berlin

Apart from the few dangerous places listed above, Berlin has many neighborhoods, each equally interesting.

It's hard to say which are the most beautiful neighborhoods in Berlin, but here are the ones that have the reputation of being the best in the German capital:

  • Mitte : The historic center
  • Friedrichshain : The artists and youth district
  • Kreuzberg : The bohemian district
  • Charlottenburg : The chic and quiet district
  • Reinickendorf : The residential area for families
  • Prenzlauer Berg : The trendy bourgeois district

Best area to stay when visiting Berlin

Berlin is a very large city so for tourists it is recommended to stay as close as possible to tourist sites. Thus, you will avoid wasting time in transport and you can do everything on foot: sightseeing, evenings at restaurants, going out to bars ...

And the best area to stay for visiting Berlin it is the district of Mitte.

Far from neighborhoods to avoid, best area in Berlin to stay

Mitte best district in Berlin for tourists

Mitte is the heart of Berlin. It is the most lively and popular place for tourists. Indeed, this historic district is central and allows to be near:

  • Berlin's most beautiful monuments and sights such as Brandenburg Gate, Alexanderplatz Tower, Hackescher Markt, Bundestag Palace, Gendarmenmarkt Square, Potsdamer Platz Square,
  • Museum Island with the Pergamon Museum, the Old Museum, the Bode Museum and the New Museum,
  • Checkpoint Charlie and the Wall Museum,
  • trendy bars, good restaurants and clubs,
  • boutiques, art galleries and the finest luxury hotels.

Here is one of the most beautiful hotels located in the beautiful district of Berlin-Mitte:

neighborhood for hotel booking recommended

Where to stay in Mitte?

The area around Alexanderplatz is very busy as it is the crossroads of public transport and 3 metro lines. Suddenly, it is the only place in the Mitte district that you should avoid because of pickpokets and other petty crimes targeting tourists.

Here is an ideal hotel for a weekend or a tourist trip to Berlin in a safe and convenient area to visit the capital on foot. In addition this hotel has excellent value for money !

Unusual accommodation in Berlin

Are you on a budget but want to stay in the historic district of Mitte? Well here is an unusual and inexpensive accommodation in the heart of Berlin:

Quirky hotel best neighborhood in Berlin

3 thoughts on “Neighborhoods to avoid in Berlin and best areas to stay”

    1. Because it is online, Hermannstraße is an area on the Hermannstraße S-Bahn station. The district of Reuterkiez is not lejos, because some parts of Hermannstraße are considered high criminality areas. As if it was very tight in this area.

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