Sex clubs in Berlin

Berlin rewards the visitor who does a little homework before a night out, and that is especially true when the search is for sex clubs. The term gets typed into search bars by men planning a weekend, a trade fair evening or a stag party, and it comes back with a confusing mix: a fetish party club in Mitte, room-rental houses and brothel night clubs scattered across the outer districts, an FKK sauna club out west in Halensee, and strip clubs from Prenzlauer Berg to Mariendorf. These are not variations on one theme. They are different kinds of business with different doors, different rhythms and different expectations, and treating them as interchangeable is the fastest way to waste an evening. This guide sets out what each kind actually is, how a night at each tends to run, and what you should know before you turn up. It is written for the man staying in Mitte, Charlottenburg or Friedrichshain who wants straight answers rather than hype.

Berlin is a big city with a long memory, and its nightlife has grown in layers rather than in a single plan. That is why a fetish club can sit in the middle of the city with a fixed address and a strict door, while a Laufhaus operates quietly in a residential district miles away and a sauna club spreads itself across pools, saunas and a restaurant. The districts matter here, and they tell you a lot before you even leave your hotel. Schöneberg, Neukölln and Britz host one kind of venue; Halensee hosts another; Prenzlauer Berg, Tiergarten and Charlottenburg host a third. If you understand the geography, you understand half of what you are walking into. The rest comes down to house rules, dress codes and the simple discipline of reading the door.

What follows is a practical overview rather than a list. Individual venues change their hours, their party nights and their door policies, so the useful skill is knowing how each type of club works in general and then checking the specifics for the night you have in mind. Every kind of club described here admits adults only, and every one of them runs on its own house rules, which you are expected to respect from the moment you arrive. None of this is complicated, but it does reward a calm, informed approach over a rushed one. Read the sections that match your plans, keep your expectations realistic, and you will get far more out of a Berlin night than the man who simply follows a search result.

What A Berlin Sex Club Search Finds

Type "sex clubs in Berlin" into a search engine and the results will mix four distinct kinds of venue without much explanation. The first is a fetish party club with a fixed address in Mitte: a techno and fetish party venue with a strict dress code, no phones, and a door that makes its own decisions even if you hold a ticket. The second is the gentlemen's club, a broad category that covers Laufhaus and room-rental houses, brothels and brothel night clubs, where independent, self-employed women rent rooms and agree everything with guests themselves. The third is the FKK club, a sauna club in Halensee in the west of the city, open from late morning until early morning, with saunas, a hammam, pools, a gym and restaurant buffets. The fourth is the strip club, also called a table dance club, which sells stage shows, private dances and drinks. Four kinds, four completely different evenings.

The fetish party club is the one most visitors have heard of and the one most likely to turn them away. It is a party venue first: techno, fetish dress, a crowd that has made an effort, and a door that curates the room rather than filling it. If you arrive in ordinary street clothes, jeans or sneakers, you will not get past the entrance no matter what you paid for a ticket. It holds parties on most nights, so the calendar is rarely the problem; the dress code and the door are.

The gentlemen's clubs are almost the opposite in character: quieter, more dispersed, and built around private arrangements rather than a crowd. A Laufhaus or room-rental house is a building where independent women rent rooms and receive guests on their own terms. A brothel night club adds a bar and a lounge to that model, so the evening has a social surface before anything else happens. They admit adults aged eighteen and over only, and their hours vary widely: a few are open around the clock, others only in the daytime, others only at night. You will find them in Schöneberg, Neukölln, Britz, Pankow, Wedding, Charlottenburg, Friedrichshain, Lichterfelde and Lichtenberg, which is to say well outside the tourist core.

The FKK club is a different proposition again, closer to a spa than to a nightclub. It sits in Halensee, in the west, and runs from late morning until early morning, which makes it the most flexible option for a man whose day is not his own. Male guests pay a day entry at reception and receive a bathrobe and a towel there; the facilities include saunas, a hammam, pools, a gym and restaurant buffets. The women present are independent, and the atmosphere is lounging rather than performing. If your idea of a club is dark rooms and loud music, this will surprise you.

The strip clubs, or table dance clubs, are the most straightforward of the four to understand. They sell a show: stage performances, private dances and drinks, with group packages aimed at stag parties and company events. They open in the evening, mostly from nine or ten at night until early morning, and they sit in Prenzlauer Berg near Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, in Tiergarten near Potsdamer Platz, in Charlottenburg by the Europa-Center, in Wilmersdorf, Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Mariendorf. Nothing about a strip club is hidden: you buy a ticket or a package, you take a seat, you watch, you drink. Knowing which of these four you actually want is the whole game.

Inside The Fetish Party Club Door

The fetish party club in Mitte is the most rule-bound venue in this guide, and the rules start before you leave your hotel. The dress code is strict and it is not a suggestion: no ordinary street clothes, no jeans, no sneakers. Fetish dress is the expectation, and the door will judge whether you have made a genuine effort rather than a token one. This is a party where the room is part of the experience, and the crowd dresses for it. If you are unsure what counts, look at the club's own published guidance for the night you plan to attend, because themes vary and what works on one night may not work on another.

The door is its own institution. Even with a ticket in hand, entry is not guaranteed: the club decides who gets in, and it does so on the night, in person, based on how you present yourself and how the room is shaping up. This is normal for Berlin party venues and it is not personal. Arrive early rather than late, arrive dressed, arrive sober enough to be pleasant, and do not argue with a decision. A ticket gets you to the front of the queue, not through the door. If you are turned away, accept it and move on; the city has other options and the club will still be there next time.

Phones are not welcome inside. The club operates a no-phone policy, which means your device stays away for the duration, and you should plan for that before you arrive. Sort out your meet-up arrangements, your taxi and your messages beforehand. If you are with a group, agree a time and a place to regroup outside. This policy is part of what makes the room work: everyone inside is present, and nobody is worried about being photographed. Respect it fully. A phone that appears at the wrong moment is the quickest way to be asked to leave, and it spoils the night for people who came precisely because the room is phone-free.

The house rules are the third pillar, alongside dress and door. They cover behaviour, consent and respect for other guests, and they are explained by the club itself, so read them before you go rather than assuming you know them. It holds parties on most nights, so if one night does not work out, another will. The atmosphere is social and consent-based, and the rules exist to protect that. Follow them, keep your manners about you, and you will find the door and the crowd far more welcoming than their reputation suggests.

How Room Rental Houses And Brothel Clubs Work

The gentlemen's clubs of Berlin, meaning the Laufhaus and room-rental houses, the brothels and the brothel night clubs, run on a model that is worth understanding before you walk in. Independent, self-employed women rent rooms in the building, and each one agrees everything with her guests herself. You are a guest in a building where several independent people work, and the etiquette follows from that: you behave as you would in any shared house, with patience and good manners. The women set their own terms, their own hours and their own boundaries, and those terms are the whole of the arrangement.

The door is usually the first thing you meet, and the routine is simple. These venues admit adults aged eighteen and over only, and you should expect to show identification if asked. Hours vary considerably: a few are open around the clock, some only in the daytime, others only at night, so check before you travel across the city. They are spread across Schöneberg, Neukölln, Britz, Pankow, Wedding, Charlottenburg, Friedrichshain, Lichterfelde and Lichtenberg, which means a taxi ride from Mitte or Charlottenburg in most cases. Arrive calm, ring or buzz as directed, and follow whatever instruction you are given at the entrance. There is no need to rush and no advantage in doing so.

The brothel night clubs add a bar and a lounge to the room-rental model, and that changes the feel of the evening. You can sit, order a drink and let the night find its own pace rather than treating the visit as a transaction to be completed. The bar is a social space, and conversation is part of the experience. Discretion is built into how these places operate: they are quiet, they do not advertise themselves loudly, and the other guests are there for the same reason you are. Keep your voice down, keep your business to yourself, and do not treat the room as a spectator sport. If you are visiting with friends, agree beforehand how you will handle the evening so nobody is left standing awkwardly at the bar.

The house rules in this kind of venue are usually short and sensible. Respect the women's terms without negotiation or pressure; a no is a no, and it is final. Do not touch anyone or anything without clear agreement. Keep your phone away, and do not photograph the building, the rooms or the people in them. Pay attention to the hours, because a daytime venue will close in the afternoon and a night venue will not open until evening. If you are unsure how something works, ask politely at the bar or at the door. The men who get the most out of these houses are the ones who treat them as someone's workplace rather than an attraction, and that is really the whole of the code.

The FKK Sauna Club Day In Halensee

The FKK club in Halensee operates on a completely different rhythm from every other venue in this guide. It opens from late morning and runs until early morning, which makes it the most forgiving option for a man whose schedule is dictated by a trade fair, a flight or a long lunch. Halensee sits in the west of the city, an easy reach from Charlottenburg and a straightforward taxi or train ride from Mitte. The building is a sauna club, and the day is built around its facilities rather than around a stage or a bar. Think of it as a spa with a social scene attached, and you will arrive in the right frame of mind.

At reception, male guests pay a day entry and receive a bathrobe and a towel there. That is the practical core of the visit: you arrive, you settle up at the desk, you change, and the day is yours. The entry covers the run of the house, which includes saunas, a hammam, pools, a gym and restaurant buffets, so a visit can last hours without you needing to leave the building. Bring nothing you cannot leave in a locker, and keep your valuables to a minimum. Because the club runs from late morning until early morning, you can shape the visit around a quiet afternoon, an early evening or a long stretch that runs into the night, and the atmosphere shifts accordingly.

The sauna and lounge areas are the heart of the place. There are several saunas and a hammam, pools to cool off in, a gym if you want to keep to a routine, and restaurant buffets for when you get hungry. The dress code is the bathrobe you are given, and the mood is relaxed and unhurried. The women present are independent, which means they make their own arrangements with guests and set their own terms, and you should treat them as you would any independent person going about her work. The lounge areas are for sitting, talking and letting the day pass. Do not treat the facilities as a tour to be rushed; the point of a sauna club is that time slows down.

The house rules are the usual sensible ones, applied to a spa setting. Respect the independence of the women present and their terms, without pressure or negotiation. Keep the saunas and pools clean and quiet, shower as you would in any sauna, and follow the signage in the wet areas. Phones and tablets are not allowed inside; nobody wants to appear in someone else's photographs. Keep your voice at a level that suits a room where people are resting. The day entry is paid at reception, so there is no need to carry a wallet around the building. Follow the house's own guidance for anything specific, and the day will run smoothly.

A Strip Club Night, Door To Last Dance

A strip club night in Berlin is the easiest of the four to plan, because the format is clear from the moment you arrive. These venues, also called table dance clubs, sell a show: stage performances, private dances and drinks. They open in the evening, mostly from nine or ten at night until early morning, so they suit a late dinner or a night that starts after the trade fair closes. You will find them in Prenzlauer Berg near Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, in Tiergarten near Potsdamer Platz, in Charlottenburg by the Europa-Center, in Wilmersdorf, Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Mariendorf. That spread means there is usually one within a short taxi ride of wherever you are staying, whether that is Mitte, Charlottenburg or Friedrichshain.

The door is straightforward. Strip clubs are for adults, so carry your passport or your national identity card rather than leaving it in the hotel safe. Groups are common, especially stag parties and company events, and many clubs offer group packages that bundle a table, drinks and the show. If you are organising for a group, book ahead and confirm what the package includes, how many people it covers and what time you are expected. Dress is smart casual in most places: no need for a suit, but trainers and a football shirt will not help you. Arrive with the group together rather than in dribs and drabs, and the door will move faster.

Inside, the evening runs on a simple rhythm. The stage is the centre of the room, with performances through the night, and the bar and seating are arranged around it so that everyone has a view. Private dances are available and are arranged with the dancers themselves or through the house, depending on the venue, and they take place in a separate area. Drinks are part of the business, and the bar is where a lot of the evening happens between performances. A strip club sells a show and a good time, and that is the whole of the transaction.

The house rules are short and worth knowing before you sit down. Keep your hands to yourself and never touch a performer. Do not take photos or video; the show is for the room, not for your phone. Stay seated during performances unless you are moving to the bar, and keep your group's noise at a level that lets other tables enjoy the night. If you have booked a package, check what is included so you are not surprised at the end of the evening. And keep an eye on the clock: these clubs run until early morning, but your weekend does not, and a trade fair the next day is unforgiving. Treat the night as a show you have come to watch, and it will be exactly that.

Your First Visit Step by Step

Arriving at a Berlin club for the first time is easier when you know the shape of the evening before you get there. The four kinds of venue in this guide run on very different rhythms, so the first step is simply to know which one you are walking into. A fetish club in Mitte is a party venue with a fixed address and a door that decides who gets in. A gentlemen's club is a room-rental house where independent women work from their own rooms. An FKK club in Halensee is a sauna and spa complex open from late morning. A strip club sells stage shows and dances from nine or ten at night. Read the listing, check the opening hours and the nearest U-Bahn or S-Bahn station, and leave more time than you think you need. Berlin's transport is excellent but the last stretch to a venue is often a short walk through a quiet side street, and arriving calm beats arriving rushed.

Plan your arrival around the door rather than the bar. At the fetish club, the door staff look at what you are wearing and how you carry yourself, and a ticket does not guarantee entry; if the dress code is not met you will be turned away, so dress before you leave your hotel rather than planning to change on site. At a gentlemen's club, the entrance is usually discreet and the pace is slower, with a house contact or a reception point where you can ask how the house works. At the FKK club you go to reception first, pay your day entry, and receive a bathrobe and towel that become your outfit for the visit. At a strip club the host at the entrance explains seating and the show schedule. In every case, the first two minutes set the tone for the night.

Once inside, the bar is your anchor. Order something, take a moment and watch how the room moves before you do anything else. In a gentlemen's club the women are self-employed and work from their own rooms, so the bar or lounge is where conversations begin naturally and where you can ask how the house is organised. In an FKK club the bar sits alongside the saunas, hammam, pools, gym and restaurant buffets, and the pace is closer to a spa than a nightclub, so eat, swim and settle in before anything else. At a strip club the bar is where you order drinks and arrange a private dance with the host or the dancer herself. At the fetish club the bar is somewhere to regroup between rooms. Wherever you are, the bar staff are the people who know the house best.

House rules are short, specific and enforced, and you will hear them at the door or see them on a sign. The fetish club is strict: no ordinary street clothes, no jeans or sneakers, no phones, and the door decides who gets in even with a ticket in hand. Strip clubs expect you to stay seated during shows, keep your hands to yourself and put your phone away. Gentlemen's clubs leave the terms of any conversation to the woman you are speaking with, and she sets them herself. At an FKK club, shower before using the saunas and pools and respect the calm of the spa. Follow the rules without argument and your evening runs smoothly.

Leaving well is part of the visit. Settle your bar tab as you go or at the end, whichever the house prefers, and keep track of your belongings in a locker or cloakroom where one is offered. In sauna clubs, return your robe and towel where you received them. If you have had a good evening, say so briefly on the way out; door staff and bar teams remember faces, and a polite exit is worth more than a large tip. If something was not for you, simply leave without commentary. Berlin clubs are relaxed about many things but not about people who make scenes at the door. Plan your route home before you leave, especially on a Sunday night when some lines run less frequently, and keep enough charge on your phone for a map.

Consent, Discretion and House Etiquette

Consent is the organising principle of every club in this guide, and it works in both directions. At a gentlemen's club, the women are independent and self-employed, they rent their own rooms and they agree everything with guests themselves, which means the terms of any conversation are theirs to set. At a strip club, a private dance is a transaction you arrange and the dancer leads it; your hands stay where they belong. At the fetish club, the rules of the party and the decisions of the door govern the room. Understanding this before you arrive is the difference between a good night and a short one.

Discretion is the second unwritten rule, and Berlin takes it seriously. Do not photograph or film anyone, anywhere, and do not assume a phone is acceptable just because it is in your pocket. The fetish club bans phones outright, and the other venues expect the same courtesy even where no sign says so. Do not ask guests or staff for their full names, do not repeat what you see or hear inside, and do not approach people you recognise from the club elsewhere. Many guests at these venues have ordinary jobs and public lives, and the discretion you extend is the discretion you receive. If you want a record of the night, keep it in your memory.

Personal space and approach are where first-time visitors most often get it wrong. Do not touch anyone without clear agreement, do not stand too close while waiting at the bar, and do not follow anyone who moves away. In a gentlemen's club, wait to be invited into a conversation rather than knocking on a door or hovering in a corridor. At a strip club, stay at your seat during shows. At the fetish club, respect the layout of the rooms and the boundaries of other guests. If you are unsure, ask a member of staff quietly rather than guessing. Confidence is welcome; presumption is not.

Money etiquette matters as much as physical etiquette. Tip bar staff for drinks, keep cash accessible for a cloakroom or locker, and never negotiate in a way that turns a conversation into a scene. In a gentlemen's club, the woman you are speaking with sets her own terms, and asking politely is fine while pressing is not. At a strip club, ask the host or dancer how private dances are arranged rather than assuming. At an FKK club, day entry is handled at reception and the women present are independent. Never wave money around, never discuss what you paid with other guests, and never ask staff what other people spent. Quiet handling of money is part of the discretion the whole room depends on.

The final unwritten rule is that you leave the room as you found it. Put your glass back on a tray, keep your voice at conversational level, do not block corridors or doorways, and do not monopolise bar staff when the venue is busy. If a conversation does not go the way you hoped, thank the person and move on without sulking or bargaining. If you are asked to leave, do so immediately and without argument; door staff in Berlin are used to it and will not be drawn into a debate. Treat the venue as a shared space rather than a service counter, and you will find that the atmosphere works in your favour. Good manners are the only entry requirement nobody prints on a sign.

Dress Code and What to Bring

What you wear depends entirely on which of the four kinds of club you are visiting, and getting this right before you leave your hotel solves most first-visit problems. The fetish club in Mitte has the strictest code in the city: no ordinary street clothes, no jeans and no sneakers, and the door decides who gets in even with a ticket. That means dressing deliberately at home, not in a taxi, and accepting that a smart pair of trainers will not pass. Think dark, fitted and intentional rather than casual. If you are unsure whether an outfit works, assume it does not and choose something more considered. A change of clothes left in a hotel room is useless once you are at the door.

For a gentlemen's club, the register is smart casual and understated. These venues sit in Schöneberg, Neukölln, Britz, Pankow, Wedding, Charlottenburg, Friedrichshain, Lichterfelde and Lichtenberg, some open around the clock, others only in the daytime or only at night, and they are discreet by design. Wear something you would be comfortable in at a good bar, keep jewellery modest, and leave the obvious night-out costume at home. Bring cash for the cloakroom and the bar, your ID because these houses admit adults aged 18 and over only, and a phone you are willing to keep in your pocket. A small bag is easier than a large one. Comfortable shoes matter more than you think if you are walking from the U-Bahn.

The FKK club in Halensee is a sauna club first, so pack for a spa rather than a night out. You pay your day entry at reception and receive a bathrobe and a towel there, which become your clothing in the public areas, so you need very little beyond yourself. Bring flip-flops or sandals for the wet areas, a small towel of your own if you prefer, and a bag for your clothes. Open from late morning until early morning, it has saunas, a hammam, pools, a gym and restaurant buffets, so a swimmer's discipline about showering before entering the water is expected. Leave valuables at the hotel. The atmosphere is calm, and quiet clothing choices fit the room.

Strip clubs, also called table dance clubs, sit in Prenzlauer Berg near Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, in Tiergarten near Potsdamer Platz, in Charlottenburg by the Europa-Center, in Wilmersdorf, Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain and Mariendorf, and they open in the evening, mostly from nine or ten at night until early morning. Dress as you would for a good cocktail bar: collared shirt or a clean knit, proper trousers, real shoes. Smart trainers can work in some houses and not others, so ask when you book. Bring cash for drinks and for the dances you arrange, your ID, and a jacket for the walk home. Stag and company groups should agree a dress line in advance so nobody turns up in fancy dress and gets turned away at the door.

Across all four kinds of venue, the same short list covers you: ID, cash, a charged phone you are prepared to put away, a light jacket, and shoes you can stand in. Do not bring large bags, do not bring anything you would be upset to lose, and do not bring a camera. If you are visiting more than one venue in a night, plan a change of clothes or choose an outfit that works for both. Check the listing for the specific house before you go, since a few publish their own dress expectations, and treat those as final. Being well dressed is not about spending money; it is about showing the room that you took it seriously.

Questions to Ask Before You Go

A short list of questions before you leave the hotel saves a wasted journey and an awkward doorstep. Start with the basics: what kind of venue is it, what are the opening hours tonight, and is the door likely to be busy at the time you plan to arrive. Berlin's clubs vary widely, and a gentlemen's club that is open around the clock has a very different rhythm from one that only opens in the daytime or only at night. A fetish club holding parties on most nights still has a door that decides who gets in, so ask whether arriving early helps. A strip club opening at nine or ten has a first-show timing worth knowing. A sauna club open from late morning rewards an earlier arrival.

Ask about the dress code in plain terms and listen carefully to the answer. At the fetish club, ask what counts as acceptable and what does not, and accept that jeans and sneakers are out. At a strip club, ask whether smart trainers are acceptable or whether the house expects proper shoes. At a gentlemen's club, ask if there is anything you should know before arriving. At the FKK club, ask what you need to bring beyond yourself, given that a bathrobe and towel are provided at reception. A good venue answers these questions directly and without irritation. If the answer is vague, treat that as information too.

Ask how the house is organised, because the four kinds work differently and the difference matters. At a gentlemen's club, ask how the rooms are arranged and how conversations with the independent women who rent them usually begin. At a strip club, ask how private dances are arranged and what the show schedule looks like. At an FKK club, ask which facilities are open on the day you plan to visit, since saunas, hammam, pools, gym and buffets may not all run at every hour. At the fetish club, ask about the theme of the night and the phone policy.

Ask about practical matters that nobody puts on a poster. Is there a cloakroom or lockers, and do you need cash for them. Is the bar cash only or card friendly. How do you settle a tab. What is the best way to get there by U-Bahn or S-Bahn, and what is the walk like at night. For groups, ask whether you should book ahead, whether a host will meet you, and whether the house can seat a stag or company party together. For a first visit, ask whether there is a quieter hour. None of these questions require a figure in an answer; you are asking about shape and logistics, not price.

Finally, ask what the house expects of you and what you should expect of it. A good answer mentions house rules, phone policy, behaviour in the rooms and how staff prefer to be approached. Ask whether the venue is suitable for a first visit and whether there is anything you should read before arriving. If you are visiting with friends, ask whether the group should arrive together or separately. Keep the questions short and specific, and do not push for details the house does not volunteer. The point of asking is to arrive prepared, not to extract a promise. A venue that answers clearly is a venue that will treat you clearly.

Timing, Trade Fairs and Group Nights

Timing shapes a Berlin club night more than most visitors expect. The city runs late, and the strip clubs open in the evening, mostly from nine or ten at night until early morning, which means an eight o'clock dinner leaves you plenty of room. Fetish club parties run on most nights but the door is strict and the room fills at its own pace, so arriving early is often calmer than arriving at the peak. The FKK club in Halensee opens from late morning until early morning, so a weekday afternoon or a slow Sunday gives you the saunas, hammam, pools and buffets at their most relaxed. Gentlemen's clubs vary: a few are open around the clock, others only in the daytime or only at night, so check before you set out.

Trade fairs and conventions reshape the city's evenings, and it pays to plan around them rather than against them. When a large fair is running, hotels in Mitte and Charlottenburg fill and taxis become scarce after the halls close, so use the U-Bahn and S-Bahn and allow extra time. If you are in Berlin for business, a midweek evening is usually easier than a Friday, and a sauna club afternoon is a good way to decompress before a flight. Book nothing tightly on the night of a big industry party; the city's transport and bars are stretched.

Groups need a plan that individuals do not. Stag and bachelor parties, company events and birthday groups are common in Berlin and the strip clubs in particular cater for them with group packages and stage shows, so nominate one person to make contact, ask the questions and hold the booking. Agree a dress line in advance so nobody arrives in fancy dress and gets turned away. Agree a meeting point and a rough end time, and agree that anyone who wants to leave early can do so without a debate. At a fetish club, remember that a group booking does not guarantee entry for every member, since the door decides who gets in.

Build the night around districts rather than across the whole city. If you are staying in Mitte, the fetish club is on your doorstep and Prenzlauer Berg near Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz is a short ride north. From Charlottenburg you are close to the strip club by the Europa-Center and a straightforward journey west to the FKK club in Halensee. Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg sit together and are easy to combine. Tiergarten near Potsdamer Platz is central enough to reach from almost anywhere. Wilmersdorf, Mariendorf, Schöneberg, Neukölln, Britz, Pankow, Wedding, Lichterfelde and Lichtenberg each have their own venues, so pick one area and stay in it rather than crisscrossing the city at two in the morning.

Finally, pace yourself and know how you are getting home. Berlin's night transport runs through the small hours on weekends but thins out on weeknights, and the walk from a venue to a station is often the least pleasant part of the evening, so check the route in advance. Eat properly before a long night, especially if you are heading to a sauna club where the buffets are part of the visit. Keep cash for the cloakroom and the bar, keep your phone charged and put away inside the venue, and keep the group together at the door. A weekend in Berlin rewards a loose plan rather than a rigid one, and the best nights here tend to be the ones where you arrived early, dressed properly and left when you were ready.