Lichtenberg

Lichtenberg, in the east of Berlin, is considered an up-and-coming and still affordable district in transition. Its best-known destination is the Tierpark Friedrichsfelde, one of the largest landscape zoos in Europe, which draws families above all with its wide enclosures and mature trees. With the memorial in the former Stasi headquarters on Normannenstraße, a central site of remembrance for GDR history is also here.

For food, Lichtenberg is unpretentious and inexpensive, shaped by Vietnamese cuisine around the Dong Xuan Center and solid eateries in the neighborhoods. The district offers plenty of greenery and quiet residential streets off the tourist trail. For an overnight stay, it suits budget-conscious travelers and families who trade low prices and short trips to the zoo for slightly longer rides into the historic center.