9 reasons to move to Berlin right now
When people ask me why I moved to Berlin – which happens often – I ask them “Why haven’t you?” This city excites me so much, so here are my 9 Reasons To Move To Berlin Right Now. Even after they’ve read this, people will probably continue to ask me why I live here, but I don’t mind: every day, living in Berlin inspires more reasons to add to my list!
Metropolis with a village vibe
Geographically, Berlin is nine times bigger than Paris, but living here you don’t feel the big city stress prevalent in other European capitals. The primary reason for this is the city’s history: Berlin, the capital of Germany, is a collection of several villages which, over the centuries, united, creating a city with multiple central areas, spread across its neighbourhoods. One of the chief benefits of this decentring is that peak hour here is not a twice-daily mass migration from the periphery to the centre.
Diverse
I absolutely love living in Berlin for its diversity!
Every neighbourhood is different, celebrating its own flair and lifestyle. Anybody can move to Berlin and make a life here that suits them. Here you have the freedom to be yourself, or whoever you would like to be. Everything and everyone is accepted. You can wear whatever you want, or nothing at all (there’s even a vibrant naturist scene here!). For the most part, nobody cares about your status, your life choices, or how you look.
Dynamic
From Old Berlin’s 13-fold expansion in 1920, incorporating all of its surrounding neighbourhoods, to the explosion of jazz, cabaret, and intellectual foment during its time as the capital of the Weimar Republic, Berlin is a chameleon, changing all the time.
The post-WW2 occupation of the city by the Allied nations – with the Soviets, British, French, and Americans controlling different city sectors – culminated in the construction of the Berlin Wall. Having bifurcated the city for 27 years, it, along with the East German State collapsed in 1989. The following decade saw the two sides of the city exchanging its residents; and new movements of art, music, and socially-engaged lifestyles sprung up in abandoned buildings across the former East.
Throughout the 2000s Berlin has attracted increasingly more migration, bringing with it an explosion of new business and industry, including the city’s burgeoning FinTech and Hospitality sectors. This city just keeps getting better and better, and I can’t wait to see what changes are coming in the future.
Affordable
The quality of life in Berlin is quite high: anyone can have an easy-going lifestyle here, even on a budget. In every neighbourhood you can find good food and markets, and inexpensive restaurants and bars packed with character. Berlin has a fantastic public transport system, along with various taxi services and car-sharing opportunities, meaning that you can access every part of the city without having to own a car.
Entertaining
Whatever you’re interested in, Berlin has it in spades! From street food markets to birdwatching, from public lectures to a wide range of sports teams and local clubs, there are a wealth of activities going on here to keep you engaged and entertained.
There are also many annual festivals to look forward to, including the prestigious Berlinale International Film Festival, Berlin Art Week, Carnival of Cultures, and Lollapalooza. When you live in Berlin, you will never be bored.
The green city
Berlin is blessed with an abundance of parks, lakes, and beaches all within the city limits. It’s so easy to escape cement-and-glass facades by wandering down a path under old gnarled trees, and to find yourself surrounded by birdsong, woods, and wildlife.
Devoid of the traffic chaos usually found in large cities, biking anywhere in Berlin is a breeze. This doesn’t just create a healthier lifestyle for the city’s inhabitants, but also contributes to the protection of our environment through the reduction of CO2 emissions.
The creative city
Its 400 art galleries and 35.000 resident artists are a source of pride for Berlin. Every day offers a multitude of cultural events to explore: art gallery openings, concerts (from world-famous Techno clubs to the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra to Cabaret), Summer open air cinemas and parties, theatres, dance performances, and more.
Berlin is fast becoming one of the most exciting start-up hubs in Europe, attracting creative talent from across the world.
International
1 in 7 Berliners were born in a foreign country, with 20% of the Berlin-Mitte neighbourhood being foreign-born. The multicultural city boasts cultural associations, places of worship, restaurants, and shops catering to the needs of all of its different communities.
The place to be
So many young people have moved to Berlin in recent years, that you can smell the creativity in the air. I just love the positivity combined with a casual approach to life which runs through the veins of my adopted home.
Every city has its moment of glory: Paris had its Belle Époque, Rome its Caput Mundi, London had its Swinging 60s, and Berlin has right now. So why haven’t you moved to Berlin already?
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