BERLIN
Berlin is the European capital of sleazy Leather sex. It’s probably the world capital of sleazy Leather sex. And Schöneberg is at the center of it all.
Hot-spot neighborhoods: Kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg, Schöneberg, Tiergarten
Drink Fuck Shake Buy Crash Eat Pump Ink Hang See Plan
WHERE TO DRINK (AND CRUISE)
Blond (Motzstr 28, Schöneberg) Not a leather bar, but a leather-friendly gay bar in Schöneberg. link
Bull (Kleiststr 35, Schöneberg) Small, super-sleazy bar for when you can’t find any action next door at New Action. link
Ficken 3000 (Urbanstr 70, Kreuzberg) Sleazy bar with a sleazier basement darkroom. link
GEM (Fuggerstr 34, Schöneberg) Not a leather bar, but a leather-friendly gay bar in Schöneberg. link
New Action (Kleiststr 35, Schöneberg) Berlin’s hot men-only leather bar with probably the only room in the world set up for bootlicking. And that’s before you even get to the darkroom. Check the dress code and the calendar to see what’s on. link
Prinzknecht (Fuggerstr 33, Schöneberg) Prinzknecht, the central bar of Fuggerstraße, isn’t technically a Leather bar. But it’s Leather Central during Easter Berlin and Folsom Europe. link
Pussycat (Kalckreuthstr 7, Schöneberg) The home bar of Berlin Cigar Men. link
Segunda Casa (Eisenacher Str 2, Schöneberg) Although this isn’t a leather bar, it’s extremely popular with a number of visiting Leathermen during major events to get a more local feel. link
Scheune (Motzstr 25, Schöneberg) “Scheune” means “barn”, and this barn is full of pigs. link
Woof Berlin (Fuggerstr 37, Schöneberg) Leather-friendly bear bar on Fuggerstraße. 2 for 1 drinks on Tuesdays. link
WHERE TO FUCK
Boiler (Mehringdamm 34, Kreuzberg) Large traditional bathhouse in Kreuzberg. link
Böse Buben (Sachsendamm 76-77, Schöneberg) A clubhouse in the southern part of Schöneberg for bad boys into SM and fisting. link
Club Culture Houze (Görlitzer Str 71, Kreuzberg) A pansexual sex club that has a number of events strictly for horny gay men. link
Club Triebwerk (Urbanstr 64, Kreuzberg) Kreuzberg sleaze. It’s a bar. Sure. Really, it’s a fuckclub…with a bar. link
The Jaxx (Motzstr 19, Schöneberg) Cruisy dirty cinema with private booths on the Motzstraße strip. link
KitKatClub (Köpenicker Str 76, Mitte) Infamous club where anything goes. And anything means all perversions, genders, and orientations, so check the calendar. Berlin’s home for the notorious FickstutenMarkt party. link
FickstutenMarkt You’ve probably heard of it. Mares get hooded and can’t refuse any stallions that want to mount them. Are you a stallion or a mare? link
Lab.Oratory (Am Wriezener Bahnhof, Friedrichshain) Berlin’s notoriously twisted sex club, housed in techno palace Berghain. link
Quälgeist Berlin (Lankwitzer Str 42/43, Mariendorf) Berlin’s storied SM clubhouse is reopening with a limited program after being closed for a while. link
WHERE TO SHAKE YOUR ASS (AND CRUISE)
Berghain (Am Wriezener Bahnhof, Friedrichshain) The most famous nightclub in the world. It’s housed in a former East Berlin power plant. Like a 21st-century Studio 54, the door staff is very picky about who gets inside. Fortunately, gay men are all but assured to get in. That’s right, Berghain is mixed, like a 21st-century Studio 54. But Berghain is all gay one night a year for the annual hardcore fetish party SNAX, held over Easter Berlin. link
WHERE TO BUY GEAR
BLACKSTYLE (Seelover Str 5, Prenzlauer Berg) Lots and lots of latex, plus fun sex stuff. link
BOXER (Eisenacher Str 11, Schöneberg) Berlin outpost of the popular Barcelona leather shop. link
Brunos (Maaßenstr 14, Schöneberg) Underwear, porn, and more gay stuff. link
Butcherei Lindinger (Motzstr 18, Schöneberg) Schöneberg’s high-end leather boutique. link
Connection-Shop (Fuggerstr 33, Schöneberg) Sexy stuff for sale, plus video booths in the back. link
GEAR Berlin (Kalckreuthstr 13, Schöneberg) Schöneberg’s fetish superstore. HQ for one of the most recognizable logos in the Leather world. link
House of Riegillio Berlin (Eisenacher Str 11, Schöneberg) The Amsterdam brand claims its stake on the Eisenacher Straße strip. link
Kokott Berufskleidung (Karl-Marx-Str 12a, Neukölln) German-style blue-collar wear for the manly man. link
Lederhosen-Stadl (Martin-Luther-Str 15, Schöneberg) This Bavarian leather shop is more like a really sexy walk-in closet. A perfect spot to take a break at on the walk between Fuggerstraße and Motzstraße. link
McHurt (Tempelhofer Damm 141, Tempelhof) BDSM shopping in McHurt’s new location in Tempelhof. link
Mister B (Motzstr 22, Schöneberg) The Berlin branch of the Amsterdam-based chain is a mandatory stop for visiting Leathermen. link
R&Co (Fuggerstr 19, Schöneberg) In the former space of RoB Berlin, it’s one of the most popular leather shops in Schöneberg. Conveniently located on Fuggerstraße. link
RoB Berlin (Motzstr 25, Schöneberg) RoB Berlin has returned to Berlin in the former space of frontplay. link
Tysk Berlin (Eisenacher Str 101, Schöneberg) High-quality tailored leather. It’s a few blocks off the main strip, so it’s popular for those in the know. link
Vilain Garçon (Eisenacher Str 101, Schöneberg) Montreal sleaziness comes to Europe in one of the newest shops on the Eisenacher Straße strip. link
vk79 (Pankgrafenstr 15, Karow) Custom leather uniforms, in the far northeast of Berlin. link
WHERE TO CRASH (AND MAYBE FUCK SOME MORE)
ARCO Hotel Berlin (Geisbergstr 30, Schöneberg) Cozy hotel, popular with guys coming in for Folsom Europe. In a quiet corner of Schöneberg, close to Fuggerstraße. link
ArtHotel Connection (Fuggerstr 33, Schöneberg) A favorite hotel of visiting Leathermen. link
Artim Hotel (Fuggerstr 20, Schöneberg) Understated hotel right on Fuggerstraße. Crawling distance from Prinzknecht and Folsom Europe. link
Axel Hotel Berlin (Lietzenburger Str 13/15, Schöneberg) Berlin property of Barcelona-based gay, gay, gay hotel chain (but “heterofriendly”). Located in the heart of gay Schöneberg. link
Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre (Nürnberger Str 65, Schöneberg) International chain hotel, popular with guys coming in for Folsom Europe. Near Wittenbergplatz. link
Gay Hostel (Kalckreuthstr 10, Schöneberg) Inexpensive accommodations for young men, just off super-gay Motzstraße. link
Guesthouse 21 (Martin-Luther-Str 21, Schöneberg) Inexpensive gay B&B conveniently located very close to Mutschmann’s. link
The Hoist Basements (Barbarossastr, Schöneberg) High-end accommodation rentals. In the basement, where dungeons belong. link
Hotel Berlin, Berlin, a member of Radisson Individuals (Lützowpl. 17, Tiergarten) This Radisson property supports Folsom Europe. link
Hotel Dorint Kurfürstendamm Berlin (Augsburger Str 41, Charlottenburg) A centrally located hotel that supports Folsom Europe. link
Hotel Riu Plaza Berlin (Martin-Luther-Str 1, Schöneberg) Hot property near New Action. Very popular with Leathermen. link
Hotel Sachsenhof (Motzstr 7, Schöneberg) Historic hotel on Motzstraße near Nollendorfplatz. Popular with guys coming in for Folsom Europe. link
Hotel Sylter Hof Berlin (Kurfürstenstr 116, Schöneberg) Comfy hotel, popular with guys coming in for Folsom Europe. In northern Schöneberg, heading towards Tiergarten. link
ibis Berlin Kurfürstendamm Hotel (Bayreuther Str 39, Schöneberg) Wittenbergplatz location of the popular economy hotel chain, popular with guys coming in for Folsom Europe. link
ibis budget Berlin Kurfürstendamm (Bayreuther Str 41, Schöneberg) Even more economical Wittenbergplatz location of the popular economy hotel chain, popular with guys coming in for Folsom Europe. link
Mercure Hotel Berlin Wittenbergplatz (Wittenbergpl 3, Schöneberg) Mid-scale chain hotel, popular with guys coming in for Folsom Europe. Right on Wittenbergplatz. link
Mercure Hotel Berlin Zentrum (Fuggerstr 8, Schöneberg) Mid-scale chain hotel, popular with guys coming in for Folsom Europe. In the heart of gay Schöneberg. link
Motel One Berlin-Tiergarten (An der Urania 12-14, Schöneberg) Conveniently located outpost of the trendy European budget chain. link
Pension Hostel Staycomfort Am Kurfürstendamm (Kleiststr 35, Schöneberg) Gay B&B conveniently located next door to New Action. link
Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof (Budapester Str 25, Tiergarten) High-end hotel that supports Folsom Europe. link
R&Co Apartments (Fuggerstr 19, Schöneberg) Fully stocked and furnished fetish apartments. link
Scandic Berlin Kurfürstendamm (Augsberger Str 5, Wilmersdorf) Scandinavian design, bordering Schöneberg. Popular with guys coming in for Folsom Europe. link
SM Apartments Berlin (Fuggerstr 39, Schöneberg) Fully furnished dungeon accommodations. Right on Fuggerstraße. Right where you want to be. link
SORAT Hotel Ambassador Berlin (Bayreuther Str 42-43, Schöneberg) Not too fancy German chain hotel, popular with guys coming in for Folsom Europe. On Wittenbergplatz. link
TWO Hotel Berlin by Axel (Bundesalle 31A, Wilmersdorf) Axel’s second property in Berlin. link
WHERE TO EAT (AND CRUISE)
Café Berio (Maasenstr 7, Schöneberg) Whether it’s for bacon and eggs, schnitzel and noodle, or coffee and dessert, the outdoor seating at Berio is the place to be seen for dining in gay Schöneberg. link
Café Kalvil (Motzstr 30, Schöneberg) Old World atmospherics on Motzstraße. link
Da Lucia (Welserstr 25, Schöneberg) Italian restaurant with covered outdoor seating in the heart of gay Schöneberg. link
Frida & Diego (Fuggerstr 28, Schöneberg) For those times you’re craving Mexican food in Berlin. link
Fugger Imbiss (Fuggerstr 17, Schöneberg) When you just have a short time between tricks. link
Hans Rheinhessische Weinstube & Café (Motzstr 10, Schöneberg) A place on Motzstraße for wine and light meals. link
Impala Coffee (Maßenstr 5, Schöneberg) An alternative to Berio. link
Potemkin Restaurant (Viktoria-Luise-Pl 5, Schöneberg) Russian cuisine and more on beautiful Viktoria-Luise-Platz. link
Raststätte Gnadenbrot (Martin-Luther-Str 20A, Schöneberg) All-day or late-night casual German dining. link
Restaurant April (Eisenacher Str 75, Schöneberg) Check out April’s new spot away from the heart of gayest Schöneberg. link
Restaurant Elefant (Fuggerstr 18, Schöneberg) Popular spot for German cuisine, right on Fuggerstraße. link
Romeo und Romeo (Motzstr 20, Schöneberg) Sorry, Juliet. Romeo’s left for Berlin to meet up with another Romeo for a sweet snack on Motzstraße. Expect big-time cruising. link
Rüdiger’s (Motzstr 63, Schöneberg) Austrian food near Viktoria-Luise-Platz, far from the madding crowd, in a leather-friendly establishment. link
Saigon Food Restaurant (Nollendorfstr 21A, Schöneberg) When you want something other than schnitzel, but you don’t want to go too far. link
Samran Thai (Winterfeldtstr 35, Schöneberg) Authentic Thai food on a quiet block in Schöneberg. link
Schöneberger Weltlaterne (Motzstr 61, Schöneberg) Traditional German fare in a quiet setting. link
Sissi (Motzstr 34, Schöneberg) Hearty Austrian food on the Motzstraße strip. link
Trattoria Belmonte (Schwäbische Str 5, Schöneberg) High-class Italian joint. link
WHERE TO PUMP IRON (AND CRUISE)
Fitness First Berlin – Gendarmenmarkt (Jägerstr 27, Mitte) High-end gym in Mitte. link
FitX Fitnessstudio Berlin – Schöneberg (Hauptstr 141, Schöneberg) Budget gym south of gayest Schöneberg. link
McFit Fitness Studio Berlin Charlottenburg (Tauentzienstr 8, Charlottenburg) No-frills gym near Schöneberg. link
WHERE TO GET INKED
Blut & Eisen (Stargarder Str 7, Prenzlauer Berg) A serious tattoo shop for getting serious tattoos. link
The Temple (Nollendorfstr 24, Schöneberg) Who says you need to leave Schöneberg to get beautiful body art? Nobody! link
UNIV ERSE (Thomasstr 11, Neukölln) High-profile rather gay tattoo shop. link
WHO TO HANG WITH
Berlin Cigar Men Hang out with these macho men at their monthly event on first Fridays. link
Black Weekend Berlin Cigar Men’s and Fetish Social Berlin’s monthly events coincide with Black Weekend, which takes place every first weekend of the month. (Schedule may change for special events.) link
BLF The group that puts on Easter Berlin every year also has events for skins and punks and for gay bikers too. link
BLUF Berlin For men into full dress leather uniform. link
BiohazardMen Join these guys at their parties for HIV+ men. link
Leather Social Berlin Hang out with these geared-up studs at their monthly event on third Sundays. (Schedule may change for special events.) link
WHAT TO SEE WHILE YOU’RE IN TOWN
International Stele “Always Remember” (Martin-Luther-Str & Kleiststr, Schöneberg) An AIDS memorial on a green traffic island. link
Memorial to the First Homosexual Emancipation Movement (Magnus-Hirschfeld-Ufer, Tiergarten) Built on the north bank of the Spree, across from Tiergarten. This memorial, comprised of 6 calla lilies, each in a color of the rainbow, recognizes the German gay rights movement that began in the 19th century. The calla lilies represent sexual diversity. The riverbank is named for Magnus Hirschfeld, the first advocate for gay rights. Unfortunately, the early movement was extinguished by the Nazis. link
Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted under National Socialst Regime (Großer Tiergarten, west of Ebertstr, Tiergarten) Situated in Berlin’s huge central park, across the street from the must-see main Holocaust Memorial. Informally known as the Gay Holocaust Memorial. Look through the window of the large concrete cube, and see a continuous loop of male and female gay couples kissing. link
Nollendorfstraße 17 (Nollendorfstr 17, Schöneberg) Pay your respects at the German residence of Christopher Isherwood, the gay American ex-pat writer who gave the world Sally Bowles, the character Liza Minella played in her Oscar-winning performance in “Cabaret”. link
Rosa Winkel (Nollendorfpl, Schöneberg) This easily missed memorial is a granite pink triangle (“rosa winkel” in German) on the exterior of Nollendorf U-Bahn station. The inscription translates as “Murdered and silenced, the homosexual victims of National Socialism.” A bronze plaque below explains in German the history of Nazi persecution of gay men and the significance of the pink triangle. link
Schwules Museum (Lützowstr 73, Tiergarten) The “Gay Museum” was the world’s first museum for gay history and culture. In 2013, it moved from a rented location to its permanent home in Tiergarten, a short walk from Nollendorfplatz. link
Think PositHIV (Old St. Matthew’s Cemetery, Großgörschenstr 12-14, Schöneberg) Tomb and memorial to AIDS dead. link
WHAT TO PLAN FOR
March/April
Easter Berlin – Leather Fetish Week What better way to celebrate the Resurrection than to gather in Berlin with thousands of Leathermen from around the world? If you need a break in the middle of a week packed with parties, watch the Mister Leather Berlin contest on Easter Sunday. Then get partying again! link
SNAX Berghain and Lab.Oratory join forces to bring you the biggest sex party of the year, coinciding with Easter Berlin. Check the calendar for Berghain’s and Lab.Oratory’s calendars as Easter approaches. Berghain: link ; Lab.Oratory: link
July
Christopher Street Day Berlin Pride’s name pays tribute to the Stonewall riots of 1969. Leathermen turn out in full force to show their pride. link
August/September
Folsom Europe Thousands of Leathermen from around the globe descend upon Fuggerstraße for Europe’s biggest Leather event. Pace yourself so you’re not already worn out by the time the street fair starts on Saturday. That is the main event after all! link
Join LEATHERMEN TRAVEL at Folsom Europe for LEATHER ADVENTURE BERLIN 2024!
October
HustlaBall Party with porn stars at this utterly uninhibited event. link
[Suggestions? Corrections? Contact me!]