What to Wear in Berlin

Berlin dresses down. Jeans, trainers and a decent jacket pass in almost every restaurant, theatre and bar, and locals wear black more than anything. The real planning questions are weather and walking, because you will cover many kilometres a day, and parts of the city are less smooth than the map suggests.

Spring and autumn

• Waterproof or water-resistant jacket, because showers arrive without warning
• Two or three thin layers, like a shirt, a jumper and a light fleece
• Comfortable closed shoes that you can walk in all day
• Scarf and light gloves for April and late October mornings
• Compact umbrella, useful on Tempelhofer Feld, where the wind sweeps in
• Small day bag, as the Reichstag and many museums run security checks

Summer and winter

• Summer: light cotton or linen, sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
• Summer: a swimming costume for the lakes and river pools, and a thin layer for cool evenings
• Summer: a refillable bottle, as tap water is safe to drink
• Winter: a warm, windproof coat, hat, gloves and a scarf
• Winter: shoes with grip and a solid sole for wet or icy pavements
• Winter: thermal layers, as the cold is damp, and museum cloakrooms handle bulky coats

Shoes matter most. Berlin has wide pavements, but many streets are still laid with cobbles and uneven setts, especially in the old east and around Museum Island. Heels and thin soles suffer, and sandals struggle once the rain starts.

For clubs, there is no fixed dress code, and trying too hard can work against you. Wear what you can dance in for hours, often dark and simple, and keep a layer for the queue. Read our nightlife guide for how a night out works. At memorials, ordinary clothes are fine, but leave the slogans and costumes at home.