It’s hard to believe that way back in December 2013, I spent a chilly Friday night in December at home writing this post, How To Make Friends In Berlin. It’s even more hard to believe that I’m still living in Berlin in 2024! ❤️

Little did I know, the post would become popular or lead me to start a meetup group with my buddy Adam. While that meetup has long been closed, our Make Friends in Berlin meetup group grew to more than 7,500 members. We started the group to help people connect with other Berliners, be they newbies or locals, in a casual, friendly, and most of all, fun setting. It was great watching people from the meetup form new friendships and get settled more into their new Berlin life.

Even though our group no longer exists, we know the Meetup community in Berlin is strong and that Meetups are an indispensable way to meet new people in Berlin. That said, we want to spread some big old love to the other groups in Berlin who have a similar mission to ours once was, which is to help people find ways to connect with fellow Berliners and form meaningful friendships.

Berlin tends to be filled with a largely transient population, as many come here to work or study and leave after a short time. Many people said we talk to admit to they feel extremely lonely here and have a hard time making friends. That said, we really hope that you find this list of Berlin Meetup groups for meeting new people helps you forge quality new friendships that will be long-lasting.

That said, most of the meetups listed here are social in nature, with a mix of sporty-themed ones thrown in, as well as some language exchange, art, and music-loving groups.

Some of our favourite Berlin meetup groups for meeting new people include:

1) Around Berlin in 80 Restaurants

The perfect meetup for foodies, this group of about 3,000 people come together for dinner together at various restaurants around the city, take picnics in the park, attend food festivals, go on market excursions, and more.

2) Arts and Socializing Berlin / Kunst und Unterhaltung 

Don’t want to go to cultural events alone? Go with other like-minded strangers in this meetup group.

3) B-Movie Nights

Watch B-Movies with other Berlin locals and talk about the flicks over drinks afterward.

4) Berlin Art Club

This meetup offers people the chance to meet other art lovers, especially those who appreciate watercolors and want to attend workshops on the topic.

5) Berlin Badminton Group 

Play badminton with other fans of the sport. With more than 2,600 people in the group, the group plays 1-2 times per week and welcomes people of varying skill levels. 

6) Berlin Board Gamers

Meet fellow board game lovers at different venues throughout Berlin like The Muted Horn and The Castle. 

7) Berlin Book Swap

Book lovers can meet to exchange books and talk about those books to their heart’s content with other like-minded individuals. 

8) Berlin Cycling

With two cycling events taking place each weekend, locals come together as a group to cycle around Berlin and its suburbs often stopping at restaurants for meals and great conversation. 

9) Berlin Expats

With more than 16,000 people in the group, Berlin Expats welcomes newbies and despite their name, friendly locals. They’re unique in the sense they offer curated events that don’t always take place in the same bar or restaurant. Looking through their event history, comedy clubs, beers by the canal, and BBQs seem to be the norm. They also have a Facebook group with more than 80,000 members. 

10) Berlin Film Community

Into filmmaking? Attend these meetups to mix with amateur and professional filmmakers alike. Work with others to create films of your own.

11) Berlin Hikers

We might not be close to the Alps, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some fantastic places to hike around Berlin. This meetup organizes local hikes, as well as more long-distance ones, and welcomes newbies (not just experienced hikers). I’ve heard talk that romance blooms in this group from time to time. 

12) Berlin Horizon

For a mix of events, join Berlin Horizon to do things like yoga, badminton, hiking, and playing board games.

13) Berlin: LGBT Guter Sex ist Gesund/ Good Sex is Healthy 

Join this meetup group for “An open dialogue about health, sex, sexuality, relationships, love, and the like.”

14) Berlin LGBT Social Club

This LGBT-friendly meetup with more than 6,000 members group helps connect you to locals for the express purpose of socializing and having fun. Pro tip – read these reviews about gay dating apps that you can use to meet even more people in Berlin. 

15) Berlin Music Lovers

Connect with Berlin music lovers to have company attending various live events around the city.

16) Berlin Runners

If you don’t want to run alone, join this group which regularly practices running along the Spree, through parks, and more. Their events include meeting for meals, taking on marathons together, and running various short and long-distance routes throughout Berlin. 

17) Berlin Wild Swimmers

If you’re into swimming in one or more of Berlin’s beautiful lakes, this group is for you. They even organize trips to the Baltic Sea! Swimmers of all skill levels are welcome. 

18) Cook-Tandem

Connect with other Berliners over your shared love of cooking. The events sometimes take place at someone’s home and other times in a local park. Note – most events involve paying a small fee. 

19) Culti Meetup Berlin: New in Town, Language & Social

This group promises casual and friendly events, including German language exchanges, rock climbing, and more. Join 12,600+ others to start expanding your social circle and having fun in Berlin.

20) Fine Dining In Berlin

If you’re fancy and seek to indulge your inner foodie at some of Berlin’s most elite dining establishments, join this group. They host many private supper clubs and regularly hit up Michelin-star restaurants.

21) Friday Evening Drinks

This social group meets every Friday at different bars around Berlin for drinks and conversation. 

22) German with Theater Games

Want to gain confidence and practice your German? Do it in a fun way with this theater games group.

23) International Activities Berlin

This group focuses on the bar scene and hosts frequent events in different bars around Berlin. They’re massive, with almost 30,000 people, but most events attract crowds of 30-40 people, making it easy to meet new people in Berlin in a more intimate and quiet setting. 

24) International Choir Berlin

Get together with other internationals in the city and belt out all of your favorite hits from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.

25) International Cocktail Party

If you like drinking cocktails, join about 16,000 other Berliners who converge together at the same bar each week to get hang out and drink cocktails.  

26) International and Social Events Berlin

These guys host a recurring meetup called “That Famous Boat party” each Wednesday at a hostel in a boat anchored in the Spree. 

27) International Salsa Meetup 

Looking for a hot night out dancing the night away to salsa, bachata, or merengue? Then join this very active and tight-knit community that meets for even more than dancing – they go out for dinner together, take swimming lessons, and more. 

28) Internationals in Berlin

A big hitter among the Berlin meetup groups for meeting new people is Internationals in Berlin, with close to 23,000 people in the group. Like many others, they do all sorts of things like go to comedy shows, BBQs in the park, drinks on a boat, and more.  

29) Modern Jive in Berlin

Jive combines several dancing styles like swing, jive, salsa, ballroom, and more. Come out and get your dance on at this meetup. Those with or without partners are both equally welcome.

30) New Berliners Meetup

With 20,000+ members, this group keeps it simple and hosts a recurring event at a bar in Prenzlauer Berg. They too attract smaller crowds of 20-50 people.

31) Opera On Tap

Attend a themed monthly event to enjoy a live performance and meet other opera lovers.

32) Over 30s Social

This group regularly meets for wine, trips, walks, and more. Events are on the intimate side, usually attracting 10-20 people.

33) Sketcherei – lifedrawings

This meetup group is for those who like life drawings and attending related events. Supporting sex workers, they also collaborate with the Berlin Strippers Collective – I’ve attended their events, and they’re really fun. Join one of their events to improve your skills and enjoy drawing the human body.

34) Smell Lab

Interested in learning how to make perfume? Then this is the meetup for you. Note, the meetups aren’t free, but not only offer the chance to create your scent but also meet like-minded scent creators.

35) Spre-chill: Speak German While Chilling In Berlin

People from this meetup come together on Sundays to play games, chat, and practice German. 

36) Terrible Beach Volleyball Berlin

If you like to play beach volleyball, but really suck it, join the people from this meetup for a good time hitting around a ball. All skill levels are welcome.

37) viaNumo: International Language Fun Social & More

With more than 12,000 members, join this group to meet new people and practice your German. They organize several events per week. 

38) Wild & Wunderbar – Dance & Fitness

Hit up one of their meetups to learn how to dance. Their classes are specifically aimed at those who are single and need a dance partner.

Did we miss any other good Berlin-based meetup groups? Let us know in the comments.