LOUNGES AND CLUBS
1. Tresor Club
Köpenicker Str. 70 • (030) 62 90 87 50 • Open from midnight Wed, Fri & Sat
Berlin’s first techno club, this opened in 1991 in the vaults of the former Wertheim department store. Today, Tresor is sited in the basement and industrial halls of a giant former power station and continues to deliver the latest in electronic music with a full programme of visiting musicians and DJ sets.
2. Kater Blau
Holzmarktstraße 25 • Check website for programme • www.katerblau.de
A techno club with two dance floors, Kater Blau is famous for its dance parties which start at midnight and last until the following afternoon on Fridays and weekends. The outdoor area overlooks the river which features ‘Agnes’, an anchored ship.
3. House of Weekend
(0152) 24 29 31 40 • Alexanderstr. 7 • Open from 11pm Thu–Sat
This rooftop club in an old Soviet block with great views of the glittering high-rises on Alexanderplatz is a young, trendy and surprisingly down-to-earth house, techno and electro pop club, frequented by a young, fashionable and music-oriented crowd.
The fabulous rooftop location of House of Weekend
4. Prince Charles
Prinzenstrasse 85f • Open from 11pm • www.princecharlesberlin.com
Housed in the former employee swimming pool of a disused Bechstein Piano factory, this stylish venue boasts an eclectic programme of DJs and live acts playing house, electro and hip-hop music. The sunken bar and old swimming pool tiles add to the interior’s quirky charm, and in summer the fun spills out into the exterior courtyard.
5. Spindler & Klatt
Köpenicker Str. 16 • (030) 319 881 860 • Kitchen: open from 8pm daily • Club: open from 11pm Fri & Sat
This event space doubles as a regular lounge with a pan-Asian restaurant, but it is famous for special events, mainly dance nights and funky parties.
6. Sage Club
Brückenstr. 1 • (030) 27 89 83 20 • Open from 7pm Thu • Kit Kat Club: open from 11pm Sat & Sun
Dating from 1997, this is one of the city’s oldest and most successful clubs. With its stylish interior and impressive state-of-the-art sound system, the Sage Club is a sure bet for a thrilling night out. On weekends it hosts the notorious, all-nude Kit Kat Club events. There are two live concerts every Thursday. The club is also known for the eccentric bands it books and the various DJs who spin a range of tracks on its three different dance floors.
7. Berghain
Set inside a Communist-era power station, this (see Berghain) is Berlin’s hottest bastion of electronic music. Some of the world’s top DJs spin to spectacular light shows, and the bouncers are notoriously picky, so be prepared to wait. Party animals have been known to spend entire weekends here with no sleep. The Panorama Bar on the top floor affords a fantastic view over the Spree River, while anything goes in the men-only cellar sex club Lab.Oratory.
8. Tausend
A great alternative to techno and house-dominated clubs, this chic bar (see Tausend) is hidden under the S-Bahn tracks and has live music. It also plays soul, jazz and pop music from the 1970s and 80s. Tausend has an affiliated cantina and also offers professionally mixed cocktails.
9. Clärchen’s Ballhaus
Auguststr. 24 • (030) 282 92 95 • Open from noon daily
The Ballhaus is the last survivor of the 1920s “Tanzcafés” where classic society dances are still fashionable. Apart from its many long-time, mostly working-class clientele, the Ballhaus also attracts a younger hip crowd who enjoy the quirky atmosphere and old-fashioned hits.
Dancing at Clärchen’s Ballhaus
10. Watergate
Falckensteinstr. 49 • (030) 61 28 03 94 • Open from midnight Wed, Fri & Sat
Located on the Spree River with beautiful views of the illuminated Warschauer Brücke, the Watergate, with its stunning LED dance floor, is one of Berlin’s cutting-edge clubs, featuring the latest in house, techno and drum ‘n’ bass styles.
