Quiet, middle-class and lots of green - would this description make you think of Berlin? The bustling and hip metropolis? No? But you can! You are in Wilmersdorf, south of the chic Charlottenburg. But the people of Wilmersdorf don't mind that their district is described as rather conservative. They don't want to keep up with the hip districts. They enjoy the peace and quiet, the many green oases, the neighborhood atmosphere.

Some even say that the "village" in Wilmersdorf is no accident. But we think that's a bit exaggerated. The district is far from being a village, as you will learn in the following chapters. And if you're in the mood for a scene and hustle and bustle, you can quickly get to Mitte or Kreuzberg and party until dawn. But for now, we'll stay here and take a look at why Wilmersdorf is a totally livable and lovable district.

Wilmersdorf is located in southwestern Berlin and is divided into the districts of Grunewald, Halensee, Wilmersdorf and Schmargendorf, bordering Spandau to the west, Charlottenburg to the north, Tempelhof and Schöneberg to the east and Steglitz and Zehlendorf to the south.

Grunewald makes up more than half of the city area, which is why Wilmersdorf is also the greenest district of Berlin. Grunewald is also a recreational area with about 3,000 hectares of forest and the Grunewaldsee - enough space to take a break from the hectic everyday life. But Grunewald is also the name of a very elegant residential area with extremely upscale single-family homes and luxurious villas.

In the district of Halensee, there is actually a lake that invites you to sunbathe and take a walk all around. Halensee is also the smallest district of Wilmersdorf, and the cityscape is characterized by beautiful old and new buildings.

Schmargendorf has a tranquil, small-town feel and even has a village church and an old town hall. Around it are single-family and multi-family homes in low-rise construction.

Wilmersdorf is elegant, with very well-kept old buildings in Wilhelminian style, upscale bars and restaurants. Wilmersdorf is one of the most prestigious residential areas in Berlin.

What would Berlin be without its neighborhoods? Wilmersdorfers also have certain corners and neighborhoods that have very special characteristics. We present some of them to you here:

In the Güntzelkiez it is possible to store and feast in peace, but just away from the big city hustle and bustle. There are nice, small stores and nice restaurants. The Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf public library is also located here. And at the weekly market on Hohenzollernplatz you can find regional products, fish or international specialties, among other things.

The Fasanenplatz and the Ludwigkirchplatz belong to the Fasanenkiez. Fasanenplatz is the most distinguished corner of Wilmersdorf and Ludwigkirchplatz is where the new and old-established Wilmersdorfers meet. The Fasanenkiez is just the place to spend a good time in the many posh restaurants, cafes and bars.

The Pariser-Straße-Kiez is a center of attraction for all Wilmersdorfers who have no desire for designer stores, luxury and expensive cars. Even the average wage earner feels comfortable here: there are kebab shops, discount stores and other things for everyday needs.

Grunewald is a great place to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It is not only the people of Wilmersdorf who come here to take a little time out from the hustle and bustle of the big city. A lot of forest and noble residential buildings characterize the picture.

Alt-Wilmersdorf is the historic core of Wilmersdorf with many beautiful old buildings, cobblestone streets, birds chirping and lots of greenery. It is hard to believe that the park "Wilhelmsaue" was a highly popular place to go out among Berliners around 1900, with beer gardens and dancing. Today there is no sign of that, because in Alt-Wilmersdorf you can enjoy the peace and quiet.

The people of Wilmersdorf love their green oases, some of which we will now introduce to you. We'll start with the Volkspark Wilmersdorf, because it has such an interesting history. Until 1915, there was a lake there and the large bright residential complex next to it was a huge restaurant with a beer garden and dance hall. There is nothing of that today. Now you can romp around there on several sports fields or use the beautiful walking paths.

Due to its use, the Preussenpark could also fit wonderfully into the following category "gastronomy and going out", but since it is a green space worth seeing, we will talk about it right here. Like many other parks, you can take a walk here and there are playgrounds. What makes this park so unique: Germany's largest Thai street food market. That's why the park is also called "Thai Park" for short. It all started 20 years ago when a few Thai families came to the park for a picnic. And then everything took on a life of its own, so that from April to October, people sell, buy and eat for all they're worth.

If you've now had enough of walking and sunbathing, you could visit the oldest mosque in Germany. Built in 1928 on the model of the Taj Mahal, the building looks back on a Christian-Islamic-Jewish history. All three faiths have been involved since its construction, and things are very liberal here. Friday prayers, for example, are held in three languages: German, English and Arabic.

In Wilmersdorf there is a large number of restaurants, bars and cafés with all kinds of culinary directions, whereby Italian restaurants are very strongly represented. In keeping with the clientele in Wilmersdorf, there are a lot of classy gastronomic offerings, but of course delicious food can be had here for less money. When it comes to partying, it has to be said in all honesty, the way to the other trendy districts is not far. Teenagers and young adults would not use Wilmersdorf for going out, but due to its central location and excellent public transport, this is not a problem at all for the young Wilmersdorfers.

You can't party wildly, but enjoy chansons and cabaret at the Bar jeder Vernunft. You wouldn't expect it from the outside, but inside you'll be whisked away to the magical and glamorous world of the 1920s. Guests can look forward to a varied program and delicious food.

Even in the "Golden Phoenix" Restaurant by star chef The Dug Ngo, located in the Provocateur hotel, it sometimes feels like the wild 20s. The team and the place itself have dedicated themselves to this era. In addition to the cuisine, which presents a mix of French and Chinese cuisine (China meets Paris in Berlin), the program is particularly exciting: Burlesque dancers have already strolled past the eating guests here.

The cinema fans among you should pay a visit to the Eva-Lichtspiele. The cinema was opened over 100 years ago and is now one of the oldest cinemas in Berlin. By the way, they don't stand for unnecessary anglicisms here. There are no sneak previews, but "previews of international film in German version without naming the title".

In principle, there are also shopping opportunities in Wilmersdorf, but because of the proximity to the Kurfürstendamm, Wilmersdorfers also like to go shopping there. You can get to the well-known shopping hotspots in Charlottenburg in no time - either on foot or by public transportation. In Wilmersdorf, however, there are a number of small owner-operated stores that are definitely worth a look.

An example of this and our suggestion to you: Why not go shopping for chocolate? You can do that in Wilmersdorf at Schokoladen Haarmann. The store on Brandenburgische Straße enchants you as soon as you enter, because the store interior has remained almost unchanged since it opened in 1928. The specialty of the traditional store is bitter chocolate. It is not to everyone's taste, but if you are a fan of dark chocolate, you should pay a visit to the charming store.

Local transportation is excellently developed with S-Bahn, bus lines and subway. By S-Bahn or U-Bahn, you can reach the main train station in 20 minutes or KaDeWe in just a few minutes. By car, you can quickly get to the city freeway. In addition, several important traffic arteries are located in Wilmersdorf, which means that connections to other districts and further afield are extremely good.