SidecarCity guide · Berlin · 5 min read
How to make friends in Berlin as a newcomer or visitor
Berliners are famously direct, and friendships here grow slowly but last. The city rewards people who show up repeatedly.
Top 3 things to do — and how to turn them into plans
- 1
Sunday flea market at Mauerpark
Karaoke, street food and crowds — instant shared plan. On Sidecar, you can post exactly this as a plan — or join someone else's.
- 2
Späti hangout by the canal
Grab drinks and sit by the Landwehrkanal like a local. On Sidecar, you can post exactly this as a plan — or join someone else's.
- 3
Free gallery evening
Many galleries open free on Thursdays — culture plus conversation. On Sidecar, you can post exactly this as a plan — or join someone else's.
Sidecar is for locals meeting locals, travellers meeting locals, and fellow travellers meeting each other. Friends only.
Start in the Kiez
Neighbourhoods like Neukölln, Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg each feel like a small town. Pick one café or Späti bench and become a regular — familiar faces are how Berlin friendships start.
Use the long evenings
Summer means parks, canals and open-air raves; winter means long café afternoons and bar nights. A walk along the Landwehrkanal or a Sunday flea market at Mauerpark is a natural small-group plan.
Follow the culture
Gallery openings, underground film nights, record shops and community gardens attract exactly the people who like what you like. An activity-first plan beats an open invitation to hang out.
Find your people on Sidecar
Sidecar shows small, platonic plans in Berlin in time order — each with a host introduction, a public meeting place and open spots. Request to join, or post your own.