NEIGHBOURHOOD

Our holiday apartments are situated right in the middle of Friedrichshain-South – an upcoming and quite hip in-district or “Kiez” how Berliners call their neihbourhoods. Not even 100 meters from the LODGE Boxhagener Platz is to be found – the heart of the quarter with it´s food and organic market every Saturday and Wednesday and it´s Sunday flea market: Meeting point for locals and visitors with street musicians, theatre and a nice playground under shady trees.

The streets around the “Boxi” reflect Freidrichshain´s special flair. Next to long-established retailers, you find various little shops, restaurants, bars, galleries, fashion stores and agencies.

Just around the corner of the LODGE you will find Simon-Dach-Straße where all kinds of bars and restaurants are lined up. It is one of the Hot-Spots of the city, especially on the weekends.

In eastern direction “Boxhagener” neighbourhood is growing together via lively Sonntagstraße with “Ostkreuz” neighbourhood. On your way there, it´s easy to do a little detour for an urban sunset experience: From Wühlischstraße you turn right into Modersohnstraße, keep walking about 200 meters southwards and make yourself comfortable on the bridge…

Those who still would like to leave the area, can reach the “rest” of town easily by convenient public transport connection or even by bicycle.

Sights closeby

A peace of original Berlin wall streches a couple of kilometers along the Spree. The start of the so-called East-Side-Gallery can be reached within a 20-minutes walk. The wall paintings have been restored in 2009 when the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall was celebrated. The gallery starts at the right food of Oberbaumbrücke.

Experts call the 1,8 kilometres of the Karl-Marx-Allee the longest architectural monument of Germany and it is supposed to be a landmark in European urban development. Take a walk and see for yourself. It´s a 10-minutes walk from the LODGE to KMA starting at Frankfurter Tor. From here it is a half an hour walk in western direction to Alexanderplatz or you enjoy the real wide bike track by bicycle.

Also recommendable in Friedrichshain is it´s park: Volkspark Friedrichshain with attractive restaurant-cafés (café Schönbrunn…), public areas for tennis, beachvolleyball, basketball, a halfpipe and a track for roller bladers as well as some (water) playgrounds. It also has a first-class open-air cinema in summer time.

Clubs nearby the LODGE

There is several smaller local clubs in walking distance from the LODGE. Also two of the big and hot venues famous for their electro (techno and minimal) acts are to be found nearby: Berghain (former Ostgut) and Watergate. Other Friedrichshain clubs are Sisyphos, Wilde Renate, Chalet as well as Rosi´s or Lovelight. Club der Visionäre is just accross the bridge and Kater Holzig is also rather close.
Bordering districts

Neighbouring districts

Kreuzberg borders south – just behind Oberbaumbrücke (the bridge over the river Spree, Warschauer Straße southwards). First you will find “Little Istanbul” (around Wrangelstraße), following Skalitzerstraße on the left hand side. So called “Wrangelkiez” extends to Görlitzer Park. Opposite the park you will find Oranienstraße, the heart of Kreuzberg´s infamous SO36 district.
On hot summer days, check out Badeschiff, the closest open-air pool and out-door lounge. The pool is one of the great attractions: It sits in the river Spree and offers a panoramic view as well as the opportunity for a swim till long after midnight. In winter the boat converts into a sauna. Just cross Oberbaumbrücke and then turn left into Schlesische Straße, after about 500 meters follow the Badeschiff-Banner on your left hand side.
And generally, the locations in the area around Badeschiff are worthwhile a visit: Club der Visionäre, Freischiwimmer, Hoppetosse, Glashaus. Newly established: A kayak-rental.

To get to trendy Mitte district takes about 20 minutes by public transport. It is not necessairy to talk much about the usual sights such as Unter den Linden, Brandeburg Gate or Hackescher Markt area and the Jewish quarter- there is more to do than shopping and visiting galleries.

To Prenzlauer Berg it takes about 25 minutes – for instance to Kulturbrauerei, Kollwitzplatz neighbourhood or Helmholtzplatz.

In Treptow – south east of Friedrichshain – streches one of the most beautiful and interesting parks of Berlin: Treptow park. Walking along the banks of the Spree, you pass by Treptow harbour and can rent a pedal or a rowing boat (to go to Insel der Jugend) or take off with a plane from the the water for a flight over town. A bit Spree-downwards, you get to an abondanned open-air entertainment park that nature is slowly taking back.
It is difficult to miss the giant Soviet memorial that honours the soldiers in Treptow park.

Lichtenberg borders to the east and the spacious Tierpark is the counterpart of West Berlin´s Zoological Garden and Europe´s the largest lanscape zoo. Lichtenberg is an interesting mix of idyllic residential quarters (Kaskelkiez near S-Bahn-station Rummelsburg) with refurbished turn-of-the-century houses and massive former GDR style concrete housing areas. Recommendable for children older than 5 years, is the “Kinder und Jugendtheater an der Parkaue” in correspondent Parkaue park.
By the way: The English Theatre Berlin is to be found in Kreuzberg.