Shopping in Berlin

Berlin is a great place to go shopping for all kinds of things.

Whether you need new clothes, furniture, electronics or entertainment, Berlin has everything on offer, and with the added benefit of being very budget friendly, too.

For those who love fashion, the good news is that Berlin is one of the fashion capitals of Europe, with roads upon roads of endless boutiques, filled with a wide variety of fantastic finds, both directly from the catwalk, and vintage.

Malls and Shopping Centers in Berlin

If you want to spend your day inside a big mall and spend hundreds of Euros on new stuff then Berlin is definitely a great place to do so.

In the past there really hasn’t been much of a choice for you.

Either you went to KaDeWe if you lived in the Western parts of town or you went to Alexa if you lived in the Eastern parts.

But recently more and more great malls have opened around Berlin and we here let you know which ones are the best and worth visiting.

KaDeWe – Kaufhaus des Westens

The most famous Mall/Department store in Berlin by far is KaDeWe, which is short for Kaufhaus des Westens.

KaDeWe used to be a symbol of Capitalism in West Germany and probably most East Berliners dreamed of visiting KaDeWe once.

Still most items on sale at KaDeWe are more expensive than anywhere else and the usual shopper at KaDeWe is somewhere between 55 and 80 years old and very rich.

But this doesn’t mean that you should not go there – on the contrary.

KaDeWe is a great place to see and their food court is nothing short of spectacular.

The whole KaDeWe is being redesigned right now and they started this process with the world famous food court.

They installed an extra elevator that will bring you directly to the 6th floor without having to walk through half of the department store.

This way they were able to prolong their opening hours for the food court from 8pm in the past to 12 midnight nowadays.

Galeries Lafayette Berlin

Most people will know Galeries Lafayette from trips to Paris.

Not many people know that there is another Galeries Lafayette.

Located at Friedrichstrasse Galeries Lafayette is a great choice to grab an exquisite lunch around Berlin Mitte.

Make sure to take your time and browse through their food area located in the basement floor.

And get some freshly baked baguette which tastes almost as fresh and good as in Paris.

LP12 – Mall of Berlin

The biggest Mall in Berlin by far and located just a few metres away from Potsdamer Platz makes LP12 – Mall of Berlin a favorite stop for both tourists and locals.

Other than the usual big retail chains such as Media Markt and H&M you will find some really cool shops like Idee that sells everything for DIY lovers.

Also the food court at LP12 is gigantic and has a lot to offer from the usual suspects such as the big M or Pizza Hut to local restaurants such as Hasir Burger.

Bikini Shopping Center

A very unusual Shopping Center with a fantastic view of the Berlin Zoo.

If you ever wanted to enjoy shopping and having a coffee while watching the monkeys at the Zoo this is definitely the place to go!

And best of all at Bikini you will find many great shops that you won’t find anywhere else.

This Shopping Center has more of a feeling of a pop up store than a Mall.

Especially if you are into arty stuff and vintage clothes we can highly recommend spending some time at Bikini.

Alexa Shopping Center

Located in the heart of Berlin at Alexanderplatz Alexa is one of those typical Malls that you can find anywhere in Germany or the US.

Lot’s of different shops from famous retailers such as Media Markt or H&M offer the usual things to buy.

Also the food court is what you would expect from a proper mall including McDonalds, Subway and a good Döner place.

Most famous shopping streets in Berlin

Kudamm – Kurfürstendamm

The most upscale shopping street in Berlin is by far Kudamm, which is short for Kurfürstendamm.

All mayor luxurious labels such as Apple, Burberry, Chanel, Porsche Design, Gucci, Prada do have a flagship store here.

Walking along Kudamm and doing window shopping is something every Berliner should do once in a while.

We are not sure what is more fun to watch – Either all the things we will never be able to buy or all the rich older ladies walking round in their fancy clothes.

Friedrichsstraße

Another very famous shopping street in Berlin is called Friedrichstrasse, which is located in Berlin Mitte.

Crossing even the very famous Unter den Linden, Friedrichstraße is another upscale shopping street with many smaller shops mixed with famous brands such as Nespresso or Sandro.

Also located on Friedrichstrasse is the world famous shopping center Galeries Lafayette.

Wilmersdorfer Strasse

Located right next to the S-Bahn station Charlottenburg is Wilmersdorfer Strasse.

Shop after shop, shopping centers and big departments stores such as C&A or Woolworth make this a great street to find cheap deals.

Also a lot of food places and cafes are lined up once you need a break from all the shopping.

Alexanderplatz

Ok, if you want to be a smartass, technically Alexanderplatz is not a street, but it would be a shame not to mention the central square in Berlin, which is home to countless shopping centers, such as Alexa and Galeria Kaufhow, and big department stores, such as Saturn, Primark or Snipes.

Best of all, due to the central location of Alexanderplatz it is easily reached by public transport and a lot of cafes and restaurants are there once you spent almost all your money on shopping.

Shop Vintage Clothes in Berlin

Berlin is known for its love of everything vintage, and you will find one-off pieces at bargain prices in many shops in the city.

The biggest concentration of vintage shops is in the Mitte neighbourhood, around the Weinmeisterstraße train station.

For labels, you want to hit Kurfürstendamm and Friedrichstraße, though both streets also have all the high street names you know and might want to visit.

Find Great Bargains at Flea Markets

As we already mentioned, Berliners love everything old and vintage.

This might be a reason why there are so many flea markets around Berlin, which are always full of treasure hunters and tourists.

Of course probably most of you have already heard of Mauerpark.

Every Sunday thousands of tourists and locals are walking towards Prenzlauer Berg in order to be seen at the most famous German flea market.

But don’t forget that there are many other options like Boxhagener Platz or RAW in Friedrichshain.

Furniture Shops in Berlin

For those who love to shop for home decorations, most of the home decor shops are on the outskirts but still easily reachable by public transport, and many furniture shops can actually be found in the city, where you’re sure to find articles such as furniture, curtains, etc.

Most of these shops offer fantastic value for money, so whatever your budget, you are sure to find that last special touch you’ve been looking to add to your home.

The biggest concentration of shops can be found on Friedrichstraße, Kürfurstendamm, and Alexanderplatz, all of which are easily accessible by public transport, making it easier for you to get those shopping bags home after your shopping experience.

If you prefer shopping for furniture online then have a look at the most famous German online furniture shops like Home24 or read more about buying furniture online.

Shopping Online

There’s no denying that shopping online is a great alternative to the stress that is usually involved with navigating the high streets in Berlin.

Another advantage of shopping online is finding exactly what you are looking for with a few clicks of a button, instead of having to go in and out of several different shops, most often ending up frustrated and tired.

In recent years, the amount of online platforms in Germany offering everything you need at lower prices has greatly increased.

From clothes, to furniture, to food you can really find anything very quickly and easily.

Shopping online is incredibly convenient, especially for those who work full-time.

It can be done at any time of day, from any place, and you don’t even need a computer to shop online anymore, as most shopping websites now offer mobile apps, too.

With all these points in mind, it really couldn’t be any more convenient, easy and safe to shop online.

So go ahead and enjoy your shopping experience from the comfort of your own home.

Many people still worry about the safety of online shopping in Germany, but nowadays it really couldn’t be safer to do your shopping online.

Most known websites have safety procedures in place and there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

And if you worry about ordering something that won’t fit you or your taste, there’s no need to – most online shopping platforms offer free returns!

So if that dress doesn’t look like you’d hoped it would, or if your new bed sheets are too small, just send them back and get either a replacement or a refund.

Zalando

When looking for shoes or clothes Zalando will be your website of choice. Just started in 2008 Zalando quickly became the most famous fashion website in Germany.

The number of products they offer on their website is unbelievably high and they can sell them for good prices, as they do not have to pay rent and staff in brick and mortar stores as a pure online player.

Amazon

Germany is catching up rapidly when it comes to online shopping. In the past all major online shopping companies have been located in the US like Amazon, but now many German companies realized that the internet is a great channel to sell their goods.

Nevertheless Amazon is still by far the biggest online E-commerce company operating in Germany.

No matter what you are looking for online you will most certainly find it on Amazon.

Groupon

Groupon has been one of the hottest thing in the internet a couple of years ago.

Almost everybody has once been on their newsletter list and got some of the best local deals in their post-box.

The European Groupon Headquarter is located in the heart of Berlin – close to Stadtmitte and Gendarmenmarkt.

No wonder that Groupon has especially good deals for Berlin – food, leisure or wellness, you name it.

Make sure to get some inspiration on Groupon in order to find some new places to eat or things to do.

Berlin based online shopping companies

Berlin is home to many online shopping companies, many of which also have an outlet in the city, where customers can find the same brand names and quality for even lower prices.

Just to name a few: E.g. Zalando, Fashion for Home or Home24 Online are all located in Berlin and have their outlets or showrooms in the city centre.

Some other famous websites to go shopping online are QVC and HSE24. Both of them have the advantage to be present on German television with their own respective shopping channels.

This way they can make sure to make use of the cross selling effects of TV and Internet.

Once you sorted out where to go shopping in Berlin or online, why not have a look at other fun things to do?

Check out our Top 10 things to do in Berlin or Top 10 things to eat in Berlin.