I visited a European city 2 hours away — I’d move there in a heartbeat | Europe | Travel

Everyone has one city away from home they have fallen in love with. Whenever I’m asked the classic question, “If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you move to?”, my answer has always been the same: “I don’t know.” I have been to four different countries, but countless cities and despite how beautiful these places are, they never felt like they could be home.

That was until I stepped foot in Berlin, Germany. I’m surprised by saying this, but if I had the opportunity, I would ditch the UK and move there in a heartbeat. This European city is vibrant, rich in history and art, (somewhat) affordable, and incredibly diverse, but most importantly, it allows you to be your authentic self.

Berlin is unapologetically unique

A ‘world-renowned spiritual and self-love teacher’ and bestselling author, Shannon Kaiser, perfectly summed up Berlin on her blog Play With The World and said: “This city has no shame.

“Anything goes, and here there is more attention on creative expression and individual exploration than possessions or even success. A delicate balance of glamour meets grit; the city has a pulse of its own.”

She went on to say, “In the last twenty years, the city has become a giant hub of cultural and creative experimentation, thanks to an abundance of space, cheap rent, and a free-wheeling spirit that nurtures and encourages new ideas.”

I hail from Croydon, the ‘London borough of culture’. Croydon is also known for its gritty lifestyle and famous musicians, but it is dying due to its economic failures and looming gentrification.

London itself feels like it’s becoming a shell of its former self, with its high cost of living, growing crime rates, dying markets, nightlife, and pubs. In each borough, there used to be individuality and uniqueness, and now the local kebab shop has been replaced by a GAIL’s.

Berlin felt like stepping into a utopia of what reminded me of home, but even more beautiful, bustling and expressive. Each building had character, either with a different colour or quirky shape, compared to London’s prestigious ‘squeaky clean’ high rises.

It sounds silly, but as soon as I saw the bright yellow trams in the middle of the street, I was gleeful, but the most striking aspect was the massive amounts of graffiti everywhere.

A city of self-expression and history 

Berlin has been dubbed ‘the city whose walls tell stories’. According to IMAGO, “The modern Berlin graffiti culture traces its origins to the Cold War era, particularly with the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.

“The Wall, dividing East and West Berlin, became an iconic canvas for political dissent and artistic expression. As early as the 1970s, graffiti began to appear, with artists using the Wall to voice their opinions and to express their personal and political beliefs.”

The 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall united artists from both sides, turning once desolate areas like Friedrichshain and Mitte into vibrant canvases of murals and diverse graffiti styles. If you’re a lover of art and history, Berlin offers an abundance of museums, with one area even being called Museum Island.

The city, rightfully so, pays homage to the Jewish lives lost during World War 2 with the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which felt surreal to witness but was striking in its unique architecture.

English-speaking city

The best part about Berlin was how nonjudgmental and comfortable the residents are about speaking English. In fact, most were infatuated with my accent — a rare compliment from our European neighbours.

Despite both Paris and Barcelona being beautiful in their own regard, some of the locals were quite rude if you weren’t fluent in their language. However, when I encountered locals who only spoke German, I was luckily travelling with AI glasses, Rokid, which translated anything in German to English in real time in the lenses.

These smart glasses worked much faster than using a translation app and had built-in assistance whenever I got stuck. Whenever my phone died, these glasses also offered assistance with its message and call option or could play music when I was bored. They retail for roughly £406 on Kickstarter but are worth every penny if you don’t speak any foreign languages like me and want to travel solo.

It’s affordable

Berlin is also wonderful for its public transport system; it is super easy to navigate as a tourist and very convenient, almost matching up to TFL (Transport for London).

Berlin is much cheaper to travel around than London. The Deutschlandticket, a €58 (or £50) ticket, grants access to unlimited public transport in Germany — not just Berlin — for a month.

Compared to London (which is three times bigger than Berlin), a monthly ticket from zone one to six will cost you £313.40.

Nomad And In Love noted that renting in Berlin is much cheaper than in London; according to the travel writer, a one-bedroom flat in the German capital city can cost up to £600–£800, whereas in London, this comes up to £1,000–£2,000.

The nightlife was even more affordable than in London, but most importantly, it was more bustling and entertaining. The German people have such an individual and cool sense of style, and when they party, they party hard.

Even the restaurants and bars dotted around were full of characters and charm. But just to note: in Berlin, KitKat refers to an infamous nightclub, not the chocolate bar.

Any shortcomings?

Just like any city, the area is very busy and can be quite loud. Whenever I feel overstimulated or overwhelmed when travelling, I always put in my noise-cancelling earbuds to block out unnecessary noise or whenever I am on public transport. I recommend Status Audio Pro X for £224, which offers a transformative experience where the world becomes silent and your music is elevated.

Homelessness was heartbreakingly present on the streets, which happens almost everywhere, but it was still upsetting to see. The city is quite small and compact, but it is larger than Paris in size.

Speaking to some locals, they stated that they preferred London as it is more of a melting pot of cultures and diversity, but when I was exploring the city, I saw people from all walks of life. As a person of mixed heritage, I felt more comfortable walking around Berlin than I did in Barcelona.

Despite only spending a week in Berlin, it felt like a home away from home, a connection I have never experienced elsewhere. I love the UK and I love my city, but the world is much bigger and better than I could have ever imagined.