Going Underground: A Guide to Berlin's Artsy, Alternative Neighborhoods

Since the fall of the Wall in 1989, Berlin has more or less become synonymous with the alternative lifestyle. It's one of the original poster destinations for hipster appeal -- there are approximately 464,000,000 Google hits for "the next Berlin." And while uber-trendy travelers might think that the city's beyond its vogue prime, the reality is that its alternative hubs have simply shifted, as they tend to do, over the years.

Henrik Tidefjärd -- founder of private tour company Berlinagenten and guide to stars like Tara Reid -- explains that the cool kids first made the Prenzlauer Berg district their underground playground. From there, they moved on to Kreuzberg and then neighboring Friedrichshain. These neighborhoods have progressively gotten more interest and better infrastructure; it's now Neukölln that the indie locals are wanting to keep under wraps.

Focusing on the last three neighborhoods, here's a guide to where to go underground in East Berlin, from the classically alternative hotspots -- if you can accept that oxymoron -- to the relatively off-radar watering holes.

Kreuzberg
This one's for the foodies. Thursdays are the official street food nights at Markthalle Neun, where hungry wanderers can fill up on international eats like Taiwanese pork belly buns, quench their thirst at a gin bar serving homemade tonic, and munch on typical food hall treats like cheese, charcuterie, and chocolate. The space becomes a more traditional market on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, though you'll find a handful of food stalls on those nights, too. For sit-down service, bring a group to enjoy the tapas-style German dishes at Kantine Kohlmann. And there's no excuse for skipping Curry 36 -- a cult favorite for currywurst since 1981. We suggest getting your brats "pommes schranke," or with fries, sweet ketchup, and mayo.

Friedrichshain may be known as party central come nightfall, but we were most taken by the fantastic daytime shopping. You can spend a few hours browsing the small storefronts along Grunberger Strasse and Wuhlischstrasse, between Boxhagener Platz park and the main road (Warschauer Strasse), and the streets that branch off from the area. A few of our favorites include , a barely 10-month-old boutique offering beautiful, minimalistic clothing at affordable prices -- think: handmade dresses under $95.  has all manners of patterns, bold colors, and sparkle, while  is worth a visit just for the experience of entering the store by climbing through the window.