"Big picture: What’s the vibe of the place, what’s it like? New York has swag, Rome has history, and Berlin has legendary nightlife. And perhaps no club in Berlin (or the world, for that matter) is more hallowed than Berghain. Set in a former East German power station, this cavernous, nondescript warehouse is the Holy Grail for techno fans, hosting three-day-long debauchery-induced raves. Every weekend, the club attracts some of the best DJs from all over the planet to spin and pump beats so intense that they ring in your bones instead of your ears. These days, the club’s notoriously hard door policy is as famous as the club itself. But if you don’t make it past the 1,000-foot line, don’t fret: Berghain is just one of more than 200 clubs in Berlin. And from techno temples to mellow canal-side haunts, there's something here for everyone. What kinds of events can we see here? Berghain is known as Europe’s most famous techno club for a reason, and the seizure-inducing strobe lights and ear-crunching beats don’t stop from Friday night until Monday morning. However, the club’s upstairs Panorama Bar actually spins groovier, dancier tracks and is a great place to mellow out once your brain has been completely melted by Berghain’s world-class sound system. While this place is a special kind of beast, a lot of the rules that apply here hold true at Berlin’s other famous clubs (our favorites being Sisyphos , ://about blank, Kater Blau , Salon Zur Wilden Renate , and Else). Things generally kick off well after midnight and hit their stride toward 3 a.m. or 4 a.m.; and this is a black jeans and Converse kind of city, so if you dress in expensive heels and cute tops, you won’t get in anywhere. What else can we do in the neighborhood if we're looking for something calmer? Two-day parties aren’t your thing? Kein problem. The Mitte and Prenzaleur Berg neighborhoods have seen a spike in innovative cocktail bars in the past five years (especially near Torstrasse and Oranienstrasse); outdoor biergartens with sparkling lights abound (Prater Garten and Café am Neuen See are our favorites), and there are hundreds of edgy, underground bars catering to everyone and anyone clustered around Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, and Neukölln—perfect for those who want to go out in Berlin without fully losing themselves in Berlin." - Eliot Stein
