"I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library." ... wrote Jorge Luis Borges and if you feel the same way, then Berlin is the perfect place for you.
There are not only bookstores for every genre and every taste, but also many museums dedicated to great writers and literature houses with exciting programs. We've put together eleven tips on Berlin as a city of literature that you shouldn't miss.
Tip 1: Visit the literature festival
In September, the ilb- International Literature Festival Berlin is the big annual highlight. In addition to the readings and discussions, you'll have plenty of opportunity to exchange ideas with like-minded people and certainly get one or two recommendations for new reading material.
ilb- International Literature Festival Berlin
Tip 2: Meet Gutenberg and Schwitters at Stabi Kulturwerk
The Stabi Kulturwerk houses treasures from 600 years of library history. In the museum of the Berlin State Library, you can marvel at valuable objects such as the Gutenberg Bible, sheet music by Johann Sebastian Bach and the manuscript of the enchanting Anna Blume poem by Kurt Schwitters. Since the objects are very fragile, they are regularly replaced. So there is always something new to discover.
When: Tue - Wed 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Thu 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Fri - Sun 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Where: Unter den Linden 8, Mitte
Tip 3: Learn about Bertolt and Helene at Brecht-Haus
The apartment of Bertolt Brecht and Helene Weigel in Mitte looks as if Bertolt Brecht had just left for a walk. You can visit it on guided tours and learn more about the artist couple. The building is also home to the Literature Forum, which - in keeping with Brecht's spirit - is dedicated to the social function of art and tries to initiate current debates at readings and discussions.
Where: Chausseestraße 125, Mitte
Literaturforum in the Brecht-Haus
Tip 4: Stroll through the cemetery in Mitte
Just a few steps away from the Brechthaus is probably Berlin's most famous cemetery. The Dorotheenstädtische Friedhof is the final resting place of numerous Berlin celebrities, including Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Johann Gottlieb Fichte, Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Heinrich Mann, Anna Seghers, Heiner Müller, Otto Sander, Wolfgang Herrndorf, as well as Bertolt Brecht and Helene Weigel.
Where: Chausseestraße 126, Mitte
Tip 5: Visit the apartment of Anna Seghers
Anna Seghers' apartment in Adlershof gives you a very personal insight into her life and writing.The apartment where the famous German writer Anna Seghers lived until her death in 1983 is still in its original condition. She especially loved the balcony, where she liked to write. A small exhibition with photos, letters and first editions give a vivid impression of her work.
Where: Anna-Seghers-Str. 81, Treptow
When: Tue + Thu 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Tip 6: Discover new trends at Literarisches Colloquium
Swimming and reading - a visit to Wannsee is perfect for this. After a round of water fun, the Wilhelminian Villa invites you to many exciting events, whether it's a book launch, an open-air festival, a reading course, vernissages, or a Deutschlandfunk talk for the "Studio LCB". The Literary Colloquium Berlin is an experimental place where you can discover new trends and new voices.
Where: Am Sandwerder 5, Zehlendorf
When: Mon - Fri 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Literarisches Colloquium Berlin
Tip 7: Browse in bookstores
You can get new books for your TBR pile at home in Berlin's bookstores. In the many nice little bookstores you can browse and browse and not only find new reading material, but also get competent advice and tips. Many of Berlin's bookstores have specialized: From the crime bookstore to the art bookstore, the antiquarian bookstore and the fantasy bookstore. In the large cultural department store Dussmann, you will also find a corner with Booktok recommendations.
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Tip 18: Commemorate the burning of books at Bebelplatz
The memorial on Bebelplatz commemorates one of the darkest hours in German intellectual history. In May 1933, the National Socialists threw books into the fire and burned them - in an attempt to silence their ideas and voices. The empty shelves in the library set into the ground show the loss that the destruction of books entailed. A memorial also for today ...
Where: Bebelplatz, Mittememorial to remember the burning of books
Tip 9: Read novels set in Berlin
What are the most important Berlin novels? We took a look in our bookcases and present eleven novels that bring you closer to Berlin. They range from Fontane's Prussia to the wild 1920s to the equally wild 1990s to contemporary books. Have fun reading!
Tip 10: Go to a poetry slam
In October, the European Championship Poetry Slam 2025 will take place in Berlin. The eight best from all over Europe will compete against each other in the grand final at the Admiralspalast. You can then choose the best works and performances. But cool poetry slams and exciting readings also take place on Berlin's stages throughout the year. You can find an overview of the most important events in the event calendar.
Tip 11: Buy books and drink tea
The Minoa bookshop opened in August 2024 and has since gone viral. Not only is it particularly cosy and has a great selection to offer, it is also a café, bar and restaurant. As it's an offshoot of the bookstore Minoa in Istanbul, you'll also find Turkish literature on the shelves and Turkish food on the menu.
Where: Rykestraße 52, Prenzlauer Berg
When: Mon - Sun 10am - 10pm
