BERLIN PANKOW

Pankow is a large, residential and populous district situated in the north of Berlin, it is comprised of 13 neighbourhoods which are: Prenzlauer Berg, Weissensee, Blankenbourg Heinersdorf, Karow, Stadtrandsiedlung Malchow, Pankow, Blankenfelde, Buch, Franzozische Buchholz, Rosenthal and Wilhelmsruh. All of Pankow offers quiet residential living mostly for local middle class families and pensioners. The most northern neigbourhoods, Buch and Blankenfelde, are very green and have an almost rural feeling to them. They are well connected to the city centre by the s-Bahn but commuting times to the city center can be higher. The southern districts are more urban and closer to the city.

Pankow is a child friendly neighbourhood which offers several bilingual pre-schools, lots of playgrounds and green spaces for recreational purposes. The Platanus bilingual school is also located in the district.

Real Estate in Pankow is available both in Altbau and Neubau buildings. Smaller multiple families apartment buildings with garden and yard can also be found. In the northern district larger single family homes, with garden, are also sometimes available for rent. Rental prices are lower than in Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg but choice is also more limited as most properties are owned. Properties closer to stops with direct public transportation to the centre are generally more expensive than those situated a little bit further from them.

Shopping for everyday necessities is available throughout the district at the centre of every locality, and there is a good choice of small bakeries, coffee shops and family friendly restaurants. The most lively shopping area of the district is situated around Rathaus Pankow with a shopping centre and a weekly market. Pankow offers several organic and healthy nutrition shops and has been, since 2009, part of the Smiley Projekt which awards points to food shops and restaurants helping the consumer selecting the best quality.

Pankow’s population is mostly comprised of older longtime local residents and young families who enjoy a quiet and almost village like lifestyle. Pankow’s population might lack a bit in diversity. Finding people who speak other languages than German can prove challenging and most older residents still master Russian, rather than English, as a second language, However, with rental prices steadily increasing in the central Berlin districts more and more international families find themselves attracted to Pankow’s relaxed living combined with great and easy tram connectivity to the more lively city center.