Find Berlin’s Unofficial Gems On Your iPhone

Sometimes the most interesting things to see aren’t the officially licensed attractions. This is quite true in Berlin, which has been home to a vibrant art community for many years. The street art is there is really remarkable but not usually mentioned in any official guides.

The street art works appear in parks, on the sides of buildings and near train stations. Many are full-color masterpieces. Some are even done by legends with museum exhibits. But you’ve always had to be a local to know how to find them.

Now there is a new iPhone application designed to take you straight to the best street art and graffiti in Berlin. It’s completely free thanks to a sponsorship from Adidas. You simply download it onto your iPhone and put on a pair of comfortable walking shoes.

The link for the site to get the application is http://www.urbanartguide.de/. Click on the “English” link in the top right corner if reading German is not your cup of tea.

The download bar is obvious, but there is also a lot of other good content to be found. For example, the artist profiles are also worth reading. Click around there and learn about the personalities behind the paintings.

On the ground, you’ll find that the application is completely interactive. You can rate the art and upload new images if you discover them. You can also browse the Gallery to see a museum of your favorites.

Other useful features are the “Tour Guides,” which are pre-planned tours, and “Find artworks nearby” which gives you the closest sights. For every image on your iPhone, you can click to get background and reference data.

It’s quite a fun tool to play with in the hotel, on the ground, or back home with your friends. :-)

—Marcus