Is Berlin Safe?

Berlin wears its history out in the open. Bullet-marked walls, surviving bits of the Wall and quiet memorials sit right next to techno clubs, huge parks and some of Europe's most experimental food. It is big and low-rise, more a patchwork of neighbourhoods like Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Prenzlauer Berg and Mitte than one tidy centre, so it helps to plan around districts instead of trying to see it all. It is one of the safer big cities in Europe. Violent crime is rare, and the realistic risks are pickpockets around Alexanderplatz and busy U-Bahn lines, plus some drug dealing in corners of Görlitzer Park that are easy to skip. The U-Bahn runs on trust with no ticket gates, but plain-clothes inspectors do check, and the fine for riding without a validated ticket is painful. Come in late spring or early autumn for mild weather and long evenings in the beer gardens, because winters are grey and very cold. Berlin still likes cash, so carry some euros for kiosks, clubs and the late-night corner shops called Spätis, even though more places now take cards. English is widely spoken and the city's relaxed attitude makes it an easy one for a first visit.