The Neukölln district of Berlin

Hi, I'm currently apartment hunting (from the UK so unfortunately I can't go see any of them) and I've found what seems to be perfect (regarding rent, U-Bahn line and time period) but I was wondering what Neukoelln was like as an area? 2 people so far have expressed doubts, although haven't told me why...??

Thanks!!

Well, if you read German, this link might give you an idea.

Article on School Violence

Found an English one as well

ABC News article.

Thanks! Kinda thought so, and at the moment the alternative is Schmargendorf so it's not really much of a competition!!!

My (German) mates live in Neukölln. When I was living in Berlin for a short time, I went to visit them and...lets just say there was a bit of an atmosphere when I was walking down the street. Didn't feel too safe but there you go.

I lived in Kreuzberg for two years and Neukölln for three. In fact, I lived at Reuterplatz, which is about 150m from the infamous Berliner "Rütlischule" where everything is out of control. Whatever. I enjoyed living there, because the rent was very cheap for a very nice apartment and because it had colour.

Having said that, I was living on the edge of Kreuzberg, so in 5 minutes I was back on the cool bohemian Landwehrkanal and it's important not to forget that Neukölln is huge - the southern parts are pretty dreary. If you want to tell me which part of Neukölln the flat is in I'd be happy to give you more detailed feedback.

Well I'd always recommend the Prenzlauer Berg area (that is if you have no children), it's such a buzzing place loads of quaint pub and bars, a great nightlife and an absolutely unbeatable flair.

If I had no kids, I'd live there myself

A good (English) friend of mine lives in the heart of Neuköln (Hermannstr.). It's fine. I joke around and tell him he lives in the ghetto, but really it's fine, and with good transit connections. Nowhere to go out in the immediate area, but not far from Kreuzberg.

I live in Treptow and could walk to the Rütlischule in ten minutes. I never knew this until I looked on a map about two weeks ago. It could not be more irrelevant.

If the price is right, and the flat is nice, I wouldn't think twice about living there.

That's funny, when I lived in Berlin for a few months also in Prenzl-g in 2004, my friend and I read this paper article on how Prenz-g has the most young couples with children out if all the Berlin districts...it's kind of true, West Berlin has more retired folk and poshy types... just hang out in the park on any day in Prenz-g and it's all stroller action! but it still has its funky charm...Friedrichshein is actually becoming the kind of "hip" neighborhood, cool bars and restaurants...looking for an apartment in those two myself at the moment actually

PBerg is the most 'fertile' neighbourhood in all of Germany, at least according the newspaper article I read a while back. A walk around Köllwitz Platz seems to confirm this, too.

It's Kreuzberg all the way, if you ask me.

hi,i lived in neukoln for 4 years. the berliners call it `small turkey` because of all the turkish people living there. schooling was a problem,a german girlfreind of mine had 2 children and sent them to school there and they were the only german children in their class of 30 !. the general language in the school was turkish.

however i found the shopping excelent,lots of bargain shops. the night life was excellent too,plenty of pubs. and the transportation system was top notch.

if you want to broaden your german speaking dont bother as the common language all around you will be turkish.

but hey,come,its berlin`the city that never sleeps`. fantastic night life.wish i still had the money i spent on berlin night life.

so - single and free,fantastic. married, ok.married with kids,forget it !

thanks for all the recommendations! i'll be moving to charlottenburg in june!

After all that, Charlottenburg? ... 'kin Spießer

Charlottenburg is a much better place for a family, safer & posher, Neukolln is way too gheto-ish and rough around the edges.

hehe thanks jayhay...

i guess though for me neukoelln would have been fine, i'm still a student!

Ah, thanks Diana for keeping the rent down

Charlottenburg = €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€. Sorry, way overpriced and stale.