The Story Behind NO TOURiST INFO
The Berlin Contrast
Alright, friends,
Ick bin Berliner. I grew up in Friedrichshain — grateful and proud to have been raised in the loud, honest and energetic streets of this city. Berlin was my real school of life.
More than twelve years ago, I almost accidentally started an apprenticeship at one of Berlin’s most renowned grand hotels. The contrast could hardly have been bigger: prefabricated housing blocks on one side, luxury hospitality on the other.
Suddenly my daily routine included strict uniforms, clear hierarchies and perfectly polished phrases. But one thing never changed for me: I was always more interested in real conversations with people than in perfectly scripted standards.
That’s where I discovered my passion for tourism.
Not for standard itineraries or pre-written recommendations — but for real experiences.
From the very beginning my goal was clear: I didn’t just want guests to have a pleasant stay. I wanted to show them my Berlin.
The real Berlin. The raw, chaotic and honest Berlin beyond the postcard clichés.
The Map That Changed Everything
During my time working at the hotel reception, I quickly noticed something: many guests experienced Berlin like a checklist. The same landmarks, the same routes, the same photos.
But hardly anyone experienced the city the way I knew it.
So one day I put a large city map behind the reception desk and asked my colleagues:
“Mark your real favorite places. Your hidden neighborhood gems.”
Spätis, bars, clubs, parks, galleries, flea markets — everything that makes Berlin what it is.
What started as a simple idea quickly turned into a map full of pins, notes and stories. Guests stopped in front of it, asked questions, and conversations started.
And suddenly something special happened: our recommendations became real experiences.
Many guests began to see Berlin differently — more personal, more honest and much closer to the city as we knew it.
That was the moment I realized:
I want to do tourism differently. (Blog "Why NO TOURiST INFO)
From Hotel Idea to a Passion Project
After a few years in Berlin, my career took me to other cities — first to Hamburg and later to Amsterdam, where I helped open several luxury hotels and worked on improving operational processes. But the idea of the city map traveled with me.
Soon, similar maps full of personal recommendations appeared there as well. And everywhere we saw the same thing happen: when people discover real places, their entire perception of a city changes.
It stops being just about sightseeing.
It becomes about moments, encounters, conversations and new perspectives.
When I eventually returned to Berlin, one thing was clear to me: this idea belongs here.
That’s how NO TOURiST INFO was born.
Not as an anti-tourism project, but as an honest alternative to classic mass tourism — an invitation to experience Berlin through personal recommendations and real places. Find out why we don't have any customers here.
More Than Just a Project
Today we work with dozens of hotels that share the same vision: showing their guests not only Berlin’s famous sights, but also the honest side of the city.
Because for us, good service means more than simply passing on information.
It means breaking down barriers, sharing stories and helping people truly experience a city.
What once started as a small city map behind a hotel reception desk has grown into a project that connects visitors and locals — and offers a different perspective on Berlin.
And believe me:
I’m just getting started.
Berlin is not a tourist attraction. Berlin is a city.
See you in the real Berlin – or here in the next blog.
Take care 🖤