Alternative Berlin Tour
Graffiti. Music. Rebellion.
Welcome to Berlin’s original Alternative Tour — born in Berlin, imitated ever since and the experience that made Alternative Berlin famous around the world.
From punk rock to techno, politics to squatting culture, street art to graffiti. From treehouses to beaches, community projects to underground clubs. The stories of Berlin’s remarkable alternative culture are laid bare.
What to expect?
Beginning at Haus Schwarzenberg and travelling through the heart of Kreuzberg, we explore the people, places and movements that helped shape modern Berlin.
Discover how graffiti evolved from a small underground scene into a global phenomenon, hear the stories behind some of the city’s oldest surviving pieces and learn how Berlin became one of the world’s most important centres for street art.
Along the way we examine the forces that transformed the city: migration, political activism, squatting movements, creative communities and the search for alternative ways of living.
Few cities have been shaped by music as profoundly as Berlin
At the legendary SO36 we explore the punk and alternative music scenes that helped define Kreuzberg’s identity. The venue became associated with figures such as David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Nick Cave, while bands including Black Flag, Faith No More and Rage Against the Machine performed there over the years.
From punk and industrial music to hip hop and techno, we trace the cultural movements that emerged from a divided city and helped shape Berlin’s global reputation.
The tour concludes at Holzmarkt 25, where the spirit of Berlin’s alternative culture continues to evolve through art, community and creative experimentation.
The Alternative Berlin Tour is our flagship experience, enjoyed by thousands of travellers, schools, universities, companies and private groups for almost 20 years.
Our tours are led by guides deeply connected to Berlin’s subcultures, creative communities and local scenes. While Berlin has changed dramatically over the years, the city continues to reinvent itself, and our tours reflect that same creative, rebellious spirit.
This isn’t a sightseeing tour.
It’s Berlin’s story, told from the inside.
Tour Highlights:
Berlin Graffiti — Oldest surviving tags, rooftop culture and legendary crews including 1UP,
Berlin Kidz, GFA and CBS.
Street Art & Murals — Discover internationally renowned artists and the stories behind Berlin’s ever-changing walls.
Haus Schwarzenberg & Kottbusser Tor — From Berlin’s famous alternative courtyard to the multicultural heart of Kreuzberg.
Music & Rebellion — Punk at SO36, hip hop culture, industrial music and the rise of techno.
Squats & Activism — Köpi, Bethanien, guerrilla gardening and community-led urban projects.
Multicultural Berlin — Immigration, reggae, graffiti and community culture at YAAM. Treehouse on the Wall — Creativity and resilience in the shadow of the Berlin Wall. Holzmarkt 25 — Alternative culture reinvented on the banks of the River Spree.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
What to bring:
- train ticket (AB single ride ticket)
- appropriate clothing depending on weather (umbrella if necessary)
Review by Toni A. 2026
Great few hours spent with Jake learning the alternative history of Berlin. Time passed very quickly and it was interesting to learn about the city from a different angle. Good recommendations of places to spend more time and revisit, as well as eat and drink.
The Evening Standard November 2016
Want to see Berlin like a true Berliner? This alternative walking tour is your best bet.
15 free things to do in Berlin | London Evening Standard | The Standard