Hey Berliners!

You're reading this on Mother's Day — if you haven't called yet, close this and do that first.

This week Berlin closes one chapter and opens another. Theatertreffen reaches its final weekend on Saturday. Berlin Design Week opens on Thursday. International Museum Day on Sunday means free entry to dozens of museums across the city. And the Berlin–Hamburg train partially reopens on Friday — the first good news on that front since January.

A creative week with a satisfying ending.

— Dr Yassir A Shuaib

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A sharp change after last week's warmth. Monday arrives with heavy rain and just 11–12°C — more like early March than mid-May. Tuesday stays cool and wet. The second half of the week is still developing. Pack a waterproof for any outdoor events early in the week. 🔗 More info here.

🚆 Berlin–Hamburg: partial service returns — Fri 15 May
The Hamburg–Hagenow section reopens Friday. ICE services between Hamburg and Berlin continue via diversion until full reopening 14 June. Journey times shorten this week. 🔗 More info here.

✈️ BER Airport S-Bahn — disrupted until Sun 18 May
S9 and S85 run only between BER and S-Bahn Schönefeld. Replacement buses S9X and S9A connect onwards to Schöneweide. For direct city centre access use the FEX or RE20. 🔗 More info here.

🎭 Theatertreffen — final weekend, closes Sun 17 May
The 63rd edition closes Sunday. This weekend: Three Times Left is Right at HAU1, Sat 16 May 19:00. Alfred-Kerr-Acting-Award ceremony, Sun 17 May — free admission. Check the webshop for returns on any show. 📍 Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Schaperstraße 24, U Spichernstraße 🔗 Full programme & tickets

🔊 Deal 1: Bose SoundLink Flex 2 — €109 at MediaMarkt (was €179.95)
Confirmed at €109 at MediaMarkt — 39% below RRP. Waterproof outdoor Bluetooth speaker. IP67, floats, 12-hour battery. Black, Sandstone or Blue. No code needed. 🔗 Click here.

📱 Deal 2: Vale V12X LTE Tablet — €259 at Lidl (was €499). From Mon 11 May
Confirmed at €259 at Lidl from Monday 11 May — other retailers charge at least €344. 12.6" AMOLED 2.5K display, LTE, 10,000 mAh battery, 128 GB storage. An active stylus and folio case are included. 🔗 Click here.

🔍 Deal 3: Tronic Smart Tag Finder 3-pack — €9.99 at Lidl. From Mon 11 May
Confirmed at €9.99 for a 3-pack from Monday 11 May — €3.33 per tracker. Supports Apple Find My (iOS 14.5+) and Android via Find Hub. CR2032 battery, approximately 8 months on standby. A silicone band and batteries are included. Available online and in-store. Two versions: one for Apple, one for Android — choose the right one at checkout. 🔗 Click here.

📱 Deal 4: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — Until 18 May
Up to €250 off is applied automatically in the cart. No trade-in required. Valid until 18 May 2026. Three storage options: 256GB · 512GB · 1TB. S Pen included. Free next-day delivery. 🔗 Click here.

🏛️ International Museum Day — Sun 17 May. Free at most venues
This year's theme: Museums Uniting a Divided World. Dozens of Berlin museums open with free admission, guided tours, workshops and extended hours. Walk in; no booking is needed at most venues.

Confirmed free:
1- Deutsches Historisches Museum
2- Jewish Museum Berlin
3- Humboldt Forum
4- Naturkundemuseum
5- Futurium
6- Brancusi at Neue Nationalgalerie

🔗 More info here.

🎨 Berlin Design Week
The main festival runs 28-31 May at the Macherei and over 90 other venues. The Design Pool market is on Sat 16 and Sun 17 May – your last chance to buy limited-edition objects.
📍 Macherei, Hallesches Ufer, U1/U6 Hallesches Tor
🔗 Full festival programme

🎭 Theatertreffen — final weekend, closes Sun 17 May
Germany’s most important theatre festival closes Sunday. The Alfred-Kerr-Acting-Award ceremony on Sunday has free admission. Check the shop for last-minute tickets.
📍 Schaperstraße 24, Charlottenburg, U Spichernstraße
🔗 Final tickets & award details

🎪 Luftschloss at Tempelhofer Feld — opens Thu 14 May
Berlin's open-air amphitheatre returns for its fourth summer season, 14 May to 13 September. Theatre, concerts, comedy, improv, dance and film. Events are ticketed. 📍 Tempelhofer Feld west entrance, U6 Paradestraße
🔗 Full programme & tickets

🎨 artspring Pankow — all month, free
artspring transforms Pankow for its 10th edition in 2026. Hundreds of artists, exhibitions, open studios and performances across the district all month. This week's motto: "There was no oar". Free and walkable.
📍 Various venues (U2 Vinetastraße)
🔗 Full festival programme

🚲 Berliner Fahrradmarkt — Sat 16 + Sun 17 May, 10:00–15:00. Free
Buy or sell second-hand bikes. On-site repairs and a free children's bike swap.

📍 Sat 16 May: Cantianstraße 24, Prenzlauer Berg – U2 Eberswalder Str.
📍 Sun 17 May: Herrfurthplatz, Neukölln – U8 Boddinstraße

🔗 Event official website

🎨 Chanel Commission: Lina Lapelytė — until 10 January 2027
We Make Years Out of Hours. 400,000 wooden cubes fill the Historic Hall of Hamburger Bahnhof. Visitors and performers build structures together while voices sing through the space. Free admission. No registration needed.
📍 Invalidenstraße 50–51, Mitte, U Naturkundemuseum / S Hauptbahnhof
🔗 More info here.

🏛️ Brancusi — Neue Nationalgalerie, until 9 August
150+ sculptures from the Centre Pompidou. Covered by Berlin Museum Pass. Expect queues at the museum entrance. Book online.
Special offer: Free admission on International Museum Day, Sunday 17 May. No booking needed that day.
Tickets €14 (concessions €10). Open Tue–Wed 10:00–18:00, Thu 10:00–20:00, and Fri–Sun 10:00–18:00. Closed Monday.
📍 Potsdamer Str. 50, Tiergarten, S/U Potsdamer Platz
🔗 More info here.

🎥 English cinema in Berlin this week
Filter OV, OmU, and OmeU screenings across 25+ Berlin cinemas for English-friendly movies.
🔗 More info here.

Theatertreffen — closes Sun 17 May
Germany's most important theatre festival ends this Sunday. All shows are sold out, but last‑minute tickets are sometimes available online. The award ceremony on Sunday has free admission.
📍 Schaperstraße 24, Charlottenburg, U Spichernstraße
🔗 Theatertreffen tickets & info

🌙 Berlin Design Nights — Thu 14 May. Free at most venues
Over two evenings, studios, galleries and design spaces across the city stay open late with music, drinks and special exhibitions. Most events are free of charge.
🔗 Programme

🎸 Crave Tapes: The Violent Youth + Psyche — Fri 15 May, Urban Spree, 21:00
Belarusian darkwave act The Violent Youth launch their new album Tsvety alongside Canadian electronic legends Psyche. Cold synth, drum machines, post-punk. Tickets are €25.
📍 Revaler Str. 99, Friedrichshain, S Warschauer Str.
🔗 Tickets.

🎵 Berghain — Fri 15 May · Sat 16 May (Klubnacht from 23:59)
The weekly lineups are published on the club's website.
📍 Am Wriezener Bahnhof, Friedrichshain – S Ostbahnhof
🔗 Berghain Berlin Programme.

🎨 Marina Abramović: Balkan Erotic Epic — Gropius Bau. Ticket info (Berliner Festspiele).

🌿 Türkenmarkt at Maybachufer — Tue 12 + Fri 15 May, 11:00–18:30
Browse up to 180 stalls along the canal for fresh produce, Turkish and Middle Eastern specialities, and street food. Cash is preferred, and prices often drop after 17:30.
📍 Maybachufer 1–13, Neukölln, U‑Bahn Schönleinstraße (U8)
🔗 More info here.

🍜 Street Food Thursday — Markthalle Neun, Thu 14 May, 17:00–22:00
Every Thursday, a historic 1891 market hall in Kreuzberg becomes a hub for over 30 vendors serving hot food, craft drinks, and local produce.
📍 Eisenbahnstraße 42/43, Kreuzberg, U1/U8 Kottbusser Tor
🔗 Street Food Thursday

🚲 Berliner Fahrradmarkt — Sat 16 + Sun 17 May, 10:00–15:00. Free
The Berlin Bicycle Market is one of the largest platforms for buying and selling used bikes. The free children's bike swap takes place from 10:00 to 12:00.
📍 Sat: Cantianstraße 24, Prenzlauer Berg, U2 Eberswalder Straße
📍 Sun: Herrfurthplatz, Neukölln – U8 Boddinstraße
🔗 More info here.

🛍️ Flohmarkt am Mauerpark — Sun 17 May, 09:00–18:00
Berlin's most famous Sunday flea market is a lively mix of vintage clothes, vinyl, handmade goods, and street food. The open-air karaoke starts at 15:00.
📍 Bernauer Str. 63–64, Prenzlauer Berg — U8 Bernauer Straße
🔗 More info here.

Union Berlin — Bundesliga MD34
HOME vs FC Augsburg · Sat 16 May, 15:30. The last match of the season. Union are 13th with 33 points.
📍 An der Alten Försterei, Köpenick, S3 Köpenick
🔗 More info here.

Hertha BSC — 2. Bundesliga MD34 · Final matchday
Away at Arminia Bielefeld · Sun 17 May, 13:30 Last game of the season.
🔗 More info here.

🏃 Parkrun Hasenheide — Sat 16 May, 09:00. Free
Free 5 km every Saturday. No registration needed. Just show up.
📍 Hasenheide, Neukölln, U8 Boddinstraße
🔗 More info here.

Laughing Spree — Sun 11, Tue 12, Thu 14 + Sun 17 May
It's Berlin's only comedy show on a boat, hosted by Chris Doering. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 8pm. Suggested donation is €12–15 and includes a free shot. The venue is The Floating Lounge at Mühlenstraße 73, Friedrichshain.
Full schedule and seat booking
📍 Mühlenstraße 73, Friedrichshain, S/U Warschauer Straße
🔗 Shows, tickets & venue list

The Sandwich Open Mic — Mon 11 May, from 20:00. Free
English open mic every Monday, including Monday, 11 May. It's a free open mic night hosted by Moe Singleton where experienced comedians are “on the bread” and newcomers are “in the middle". The show starts at 8 pm.
📍 Weserstraße 159, Neukölln, U8 Schönleinstraße
🔗 The Sandwich Open Mic

🗣️ German-English Language Exchange — every Tuesday, 19:00. Free
Running 14+ years at Travolta in Kreuzberg. Separate tables for English and German, join whichever you want to practise. Sit outside in summer. No RSVP needed. Look for the flags.
📍 Wiener Str. 14b, Kreuzberg, U1 Görlitzer Bahnhof
🔗 Meetup – Language Exchange (every Tuesday)

🌍 Internations Berlin — events this week
Largest expat community in Berlin. Regular socials, brunches and meetups for English speakers – check the site for events near you.
🔗 InterNations

🏛️ International Museum Day — Sun 17 May. Free at most venues
Dozens of Berlin museums open for free. Workshops and children's activities are offered at many venues. No booking is needed at most locations.
🔗 Full list of museums

🚲 Berliner Fahrradmarkt — Sat 16 + Sun 17 May, 10:00–15:00. Free.
Hundreds of new and used bikes for all ages. There is a free children's bike swap (10:00–12:00) at both locations. On-site bike repairs.
📍 Sat 16 May: Cantianstraße 24, Prenzlauer Berg – U2 Eberswalder Straße
📍 Sun 17 May: Herrfurthplatz, Neukölln – U8 Boddinstraße
🔗 More info here.

🆕 Golvet — Potsdamer Str. 58, 8th floor
One Michelin star since 2017. 32 metres above Berlin with a panoramic view of the Philharmonie, Tiergarten and Potsdamer Platz. Precise modern cuisine. Chef Peter Maria Schnurr. Book well in advance. Wed–Sat from 18:00 · Closed Mon, Tue, Sun · Booking essential
📍 Potsdamer Str. 58, S/U Potsdamer Platz (8 min walk)
🔗 Reservations

🏛️ Prater Garten — Kastanienallee 7–9, Prenzlauer Berg
Berlin's oldest beer garden, open since 1837. Chestnut trees, long benches, cold beer, classic German food. No reservations, just walk in.
📍 Kastanienallee 7–9, Prenzlauer Berg, U2 Eberswalder Str.
🔗 More info here.

Pick n Weight — Bergmannstr. 102, Kreuzberg (backyard)
Vintage clothing sold by the kilo. Fill your basket, weigh it, pay by colour-coded category (€25–€85/kg). Happy Hour every Tue 12:00–15:00: 20% off. Café inside.
📍 Bergmannstr. 102, Kreuzberg, U7 Gneisenaustraße, Mon–Sat 11:00–20:00 · Closed Sunday
🔗 More info here.

🌱 CTO
The search engine that plants trees. Berlin-based, English team. Certified B Corp. Mission-driven. 🔗 Apply here.

🎨 Creative AI Transformation Lead
32M+ users. Lead AI-first creative across performance marketing, CRM and brand. Berlin-Neukölln, English environment. 🔗 Apply here.

🛒 Senior Product Manager
Leading commerce platform for global brands. Berlin-based, English-first team. 🔗 Apply here.

🤖 Senior AI/ML Engineer
Germany's largest online tutoring platform. Berlin HQ, English-friendly team. 🔗 Apply here.

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See you next time. Same time. Same Kiez.

— Yassir