Sustainable travelling may seem like a big challenge at first glance. But even small adjustments can help to make your next holiday in Berlin more environmentally conscious. At the same time, you'll discover your holiday destination from a whole new perspective. Our tips will make the first steps fun.
Tip 1: Stay overnight with a clear conscience
Your sustainable stay in Berlin starts with your choice of hotel. You don't have to sacrifice the feel-good factor. Many of the measures that contribute to the sustainability of these hotels are invisible to guests. These include the use of eco-electricity, consistent recycling and the use of regional products. Berlin's sustainable hotels also have creative ideas such as beehives on the roof, their own greenhouses and much more.
Tip 2: Have a zero-waste kit ready
Prepare a zero-waste kit in preparation for your next trip and all subsequent ones. It reduces waste in situations where you previously used disposable products.
A reusable cloth bag for shopping and a drinking bottle are part of the standard equipment. You can get free drinking water in many places in Berlin. The centrepiece of every zero-waste kit is the spork, a hybrid of a fork and a spoon. It is used when you enjoy delicious street food or snacks from the supermarket. For coffee fans, a sealable coffee cup is recommended.
In Berlin, the Better World Cup initiative promotes the use of reusable systems in the catering industry.
Tip 3: Minimise and compensate CO2
From Germany and large parts of Europe, you can travel to Berlin comfortably and environmentally friendly by train. The Bahnhit offers the complete package for a four-day city trip including overnight stay and breakfast.
Long distance flights are sometimes unavoidable, but should be undertaken with caution. Air travel generates a large amount of greenhouse gases. Avoid short distance flights in particular to avoid increasing your personal carbon footprint. The night trains, which operate throughout Europe, can help you with this.
Charitable organisations such as atmosfair enable you to offset CO2. They invest your donations in climate protection projects such as the expansion of renewable energies or forest protection.
Tip 4: Expand your culinary horizons and enjoy them sustainably
A trip offers you the best opportunity to try something new. To ensure that your culinary discovery tour is a success, visitBerlin has reliable recommendations.
According to the Federal Environment Agency, giving up meat or animal products reduces your annual carbon footprint by around 25%. Berlin is a goldmine of vegetarian and vegan restaurants. Whether you are looking for vegetarian currywurst or award-winning Michelin-starred cuisine, there is a wide selection of meat-free alternatives. In Berlin, six restaurants have a green Michelin star.
Sustainable doesn't just mean meat-free or vegan, however. Look out for restaurants that use seasonal, regional and fresh products. This not only saves resources, it also strengthens the local production chain.
Tip 5: Less waste with new old souvenirs
Recent travel souvenirs rarely come from local and sustainable production. Their sentimental value is also questionable. They don't tell a personal story. Countless flea markets and second-hand shops in Berlin prove that many people love bric-a-brac. So you don't have to suppress your passion for odds and ends.
Places like the second-hand NochMall give furniture as well as books, decorations and curiosities a second chance. A second-hand souvenir is original and the hunt for a unique memento adds an interesting activity to your holiday.
Tip 6: Keep moving while protecting the environment
You can easily explore Berlin and the surrounding area on foot and by bike. Various starting points for walks and hikes The best way to reach Berlin is by public transport.
If you can't bring your own bike to the capital, there are numerous options for hiring bikes from private bike shops, via an app or as part of a guided tour. Incidentally, many hotels now also have the option of providing their guests with bikes. If you want to switch flexibly between public transport and hire bikes, we recommend looking out for Jelbi mobility stations.
Tip 7: Plan smart - digital travel guides are paperless and up-to-date
The ABOUT BERLIN app will help you find your way around. It provides you with themed tours and interesting background information. Pre-planned routes on Berlin's history, street art, sights and much more make it easy to immerse yourself in Berlin's history on foot or by bike with zero emissions. The navigation function helps you find the quickest route to interesting places in your neighbourhood. Compact, paperless and flexible.
When you're in Berlin, one of the city's greatest attractions is right on your doorstep: the Kiezkultur. The lifestyle of its residents characterises the Berlin's districts, which are called Kieze. The App Going Local Berlin gives you an insight into the insider tips of the locals.
Tip 8: Swapping instead of buying is good for the environment and your nerves
It's the same drama every time. On the outward journey, the suitcase closed perfectly, before the return journey only by force. A creative approach to solving this problem is offered by swap shops and swap meets. The latter are often organised as individual events by non-profit organisations such as Berlin Clothing Swap (BCS), on whose website you can find current dates.
Many retailers in Berlin also specialise in a sustainable fashion selection. They offer you carefully selected brands and holistic concepts.
Tip 9: Leave the beaten track - avoid overtourism
Overtourism is one of the biggest factors in the destruction of tourist destinations worldwide. Spatially concentrated mass tourism displaces small shops, cafés and locals. Ultimately, this contributes to the loss of your destination's unique flair.
There is plenty to explore in Berlin's less touristy outskirts without stepping on each other's toes. With the 15-minute city you can discover the area around your accommodation.
In the neighbourhoods, you can walk or cycle sustainably. Small local businesses and cultural institutions look forward to your visit.
Tip 10: Post consciously and protect places of interest
Photo or it didn't happen, this motto applies more than ever in the age of social media. The massive linking of geodata of popular photo hotspots has led to trampled flowers, overcrowded dream beaches and queues in front of rock formations in recent years.
You can actively contribute to a rethink in social media by posting consciously. Small cafés in the neighbourhood benefit from a recommendation on social media. You can also find the perfect photo backdrop at places like the Illuseum Berlin, where selfie spots are part of the concept.
Tickets for the Illuseum Berlin
Tip 11: Immerse yourself even deeper in Berlin with a workation
On a workation, a mixture of work and holiday, you immerse yourself even deeper in your destination and feel like locals for a time. You can still separate work and holiday by doing one first and then the other.
Longer stays are more sustainable because they better justify the CO2 emissions of the journey. You get to know your holiday destination even better during your stay, making it really worthwhile. As temporary locals, you behave differently, take advantage of other leisure activities and give something back to the local economy. In Berlin coworking spaces, you'll find the right workplace for your workation and meet like-minded people.
