Handcraft

Schuhatelier Birgit Oder stands for "Made in Berlin" and for special, handmade shoes for very individual demands.

Custom-made shoes, crafted in over 200 steps and more than 100 hours of manual labor, Goodyear-welted or brass-nailed, are created after digital foot measurement in Blücherstraße. The company includes four Berlin locations and a manufactory in Mitte. In addition to Oxfords, Budapesters, and Boots, they offer diabetic and orthotic shoes, as well as custom-made sneakers.

Master shoemaker Hannah Haak runs her own workshop on Oderberger Straße, where custom-made shoes are created through personal measurements, handcrafted lasts, and a trial shoe. In addition, shoe and bag repairs are offered, from detached soles to torn straps. The establishment was supported by the state of Berlin as a master craft business, and advice is provided bilingually.

In the transparent manufactory on Schönfließer Straße, Lieblinge produces barefoot shoes for children and adults entirely in Berlin, from crawlers and first-walkers to sneakers. Nadine Klein is an orthopedic shoe technician specializing in children's feet; custom-made shoes are available in three widths. First-walker shoes cost 69.90 Euros, adult models start from 129 Euros.

Right next to the Oberbaumbrücke in Kreuzberg, this small, charming houseboat adventure on the Spree begins. Wasserkutsche stands for handcrafted wooden boats with electric motors, personal service, and the most authentic way to discover Berlin from the water.

Designer evening wear by appointment in Wilmersdorf: Ilona Matsour designs and sews her dresses in Germany, in limited numbers and, if desired, made to measure, with customizable length, sleeve and neckline shapes. A cocktail dress costs around 1,050 Euros, a long evening dress 2,100 Euros, custom-made items start at about 950 Euros.

Berlin's last slipper maker, located on Torstraße, handcrafts around 15,000 pairs each year using machines from 1936 and 1952. The felt soles are stitched with tarred thread instead of glued, making them quiet and suitable for parquet floors. Four lines from 25 to 33 Euros, sizes 36 to 46 and oversized up to 52, plus custom orders from customer-supplied fabric.

Anyone who believes real Berlin marzipan comes from Lübeck will be proven wrong in Britz. In the Neukölln district, Lemke's Lädchen is hidden away, the factory outlet of one of Germany's oldest confectionery producers, where marzipan, nougat, and nut purees go over the counter directly from the manufacturer at wholesale prices.

Right on Lake Scharmützelsee in Bad Saarow, Villa Contessa offers arguably Brandenburg's most intimate luxury experience: only eight rooms and suites, an exclusive Royal Spa with lake views, and a kitchen serving daily changing Michelin-level menus.

For over 100 years, the chocolate manufactory in Wilmersdorf has stood for artisanal Berlin chocolate culture: dark, intensely flavored recipes, a listed Bauhaus interior, and a family spirit that can still be felt in every bar today.

Berlin's oldest praline manufacturer opens its factory doors in Reinickendorf: Those who shop at the Sawade factory outlet receive handmade truffles and praline treasures directly from production, at prices significantly lower than those in Berlin's retail stores.

In the fourth courtyard of the Hackesche Höfe, Eat Berlin exclusively offers food and drinks from Berlin manufacturers. Owner Adam Mikusch produces the Berlin mustard sauce, curry sauce, and dressings himself, complemented by sea salt, spices, and fruit tea from the city. Here, something finds its way into your suitcase as a Berlin souvenir, to be enjoyed at home.

Those who take foam sugar seriously should head to Reinickendorf: The Aseli factory outlet on Granatenstraße is the direct link to Berlin's oldest foam sugar manufacturer, whose hand-cooked giant mice have enjoyed cult status since 1921.

In Tempelhof, the Petit Cochon label sews sustainable children's fashion that grows with children over four to six sizes. The designs are timeless, unisex, and consistently made from certified organic fabrics. What is created here does not leave the studio by container ship, but literally only crosses the street to the store.

Since 2012, Atheist Shoes has been designed in Berlin and handcrafted in Northern Portugal: three leather parts in the upper instead of ten, Blake stitch, leather from Wegberg, Tuscany, and Chicago, with the inscription ICH BIN ATHEIST in the outsole. Sizes range from 34 to 51 on a unisex scale. The Blue Shoe costs 290 Euros, consultations are held in Sophienstraße.

Where else in Berlin can you sleep in a retro caravan under the roof of a factory hall? The Hüttenpalast in Kreuzkölln, between Kreuzberg and Neukölln, is probably the most original hotel in the city: indoor camping with real charm, operating year-round.