Living, breathing and interacting with living history is par for the course for any visitor to Germany’s capital city, which has long attracted artists, musicians and counter-culture types enticed by its always-cool underground scene and its openness to experimentation in food, fashion and architecture.
Due in part to its large student population, there’s never a dull moment in Berlin, and there are a huge range of bars, theatres, flea markets and festivals to visit or partake in, as well as sobering memorials, including Checkpoint Charlie, a remaining section of the Berlin Wall, and many areas dedicated to the fallen people of the Second World War.
Perfect for spending days strolling through the streets, the city’s efficient transport system will also allow you to enjoy the sights from the top deck of a yellow bus, or from the comfy leather seats of a tram. You can also fine dine for less, shop for vintage to your heart’s content and chill at one of the city’s bustling cafés.
History awaits
As with London, Paris and Europe’s other great cities, Berlin is home to some incredible architecture, and slices of history are to be found around every street corner. Start at the Brandenburg Gate just west of the Pariser Platz, the last remaining of the old city gates and a triumph of neoclassic design, which, along with the Academy of Fine Arts in the Platz, survived the bombardment of the Second World War.
Along the River Spree in Mühlenstraße near the Oberbaumbrücke, you’ll find a remaining section of the Berlin Wall, preserved as the East Side Gallery; and the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Straße – dedicated to those who died trying to cross over from the East to the West during the Cold War – is where you can truly get a feel for the heightened paranoia of those days.
Stand on the viewing platform, which gives you an idea of the scale of the wall, as well as the ‘no man’s land’ that used to run between the divided city. Equally fascinating, although a lot more touristy, is Checkpoint Charlie, the most famous crossing point between East and West Berlin, the outbuilding which is now housed at the Allied Museum in Berlin-Zehlendorf.
You’ll also find a perfect photo op in the famous ‘You are now leaving the American sector’ at the intersection of Zimmerstraße and Friedrichstraße. Finally, the impressive Reichstag building, which housed the parliament of the German Empire from 1894 to 1933 and was reconstructed by the British architect, Lord Norman Foster, is well worth a visit – take the lift to the top to enjoy the panoramic view from the famous glass dome.
Inside the six districts
Divided into six main areas – Mitte, City West, East Central, North, East and South – each region has its own separate identity. In the centre of the city (Mitte), which was once the hub of East Berlin, you’ll find your own mini city in one place, which is home to a plethora of bars, clubs, museums and sights. Here you’ll find the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Cathedral, the Reichstag and the Nikolaikirche, Berlin’s oldest church, which dates back to 1230.
City West is the spot for some serious shopping, especially of the designer kind, along Ku’Damm, and also where you can enjoy an evening at one of the many restaurants. You’ll also find amazing places to visit, including the Olympiastadion, the Olympic Stadium built by Hitler for the 1936 Games, where African-American athlete Jesse Owens won his incredible four gold medals.
East Central is where you’ll find the hipsters and bohemians, as well as a large student population, as well as plenty of cool cafes, bars and stores selling vintage and one-off finds. Make sure you visit the Boxhagener Platz as well, where the Saturday market is home to a great many stalls filled with artisanal foods and fantastic eats, while Sunday is given over to the flea market, where you can spend a morning diving though other people’s trash and treasure.
In the North region, you’ll find the stunning old towns of Spandau and Reinickendorf, the ideal district to spend a lazy day strolling along Greenwich Promenade, taking a boat trip on Tegeler See Lake, and visiting the sights of the 16th-century fortress, Spandau Citadel, and the 15th-century Gothic church, St Nikolai Kirche. In the mainly residential East, history hunters will find the former Stasi prison and museum, where you can learn about the methods used by the Soviet-era secret police to extract information from inmates, as well as try life behind bars.
The World’s Garden is another great destination, with its Chinese, Korean, Balinese and Japanese gardens, the latter built by Zen priests. Finally, to the South, where the towns of Neukölln and Treptow-Köpenick offer up endless bike rides, kayaking and picnic opportunities, as well as the chance to browse the famous Turkish and flea markets and take the tram to Müeggelsee, Berlin’s biggest lake.
Nuanced nightlife
With new bars and restaurants popping up all the time, there are venues in Berlin to suit all tastes, from the gimmicky to the esoteric. Die Weinerei on Veteranenstr 14, Mitte is a must for grape fans. Rent a glass at the start of the evening for just €2 (Dh9) and drink as much as you like, before leaving the amount of money you thought the evening was worth in the tip jar. For a laid-back vibe, head to Das Hotel on Mariannenstrasse 26a, Kreuzberg, which opens from 4pm each day.
Here you’ll find the city’s arty types meeting up amid battered old pianos-used-as-tables, elbow-to-elbow. For one of the most fun gimmicky bars we’ve ever seen, try Soju on Skalitzer Straße 36, Kreuzberg, which is open from 11pm until late and recreates the fun and funky bars of Seoul, Korea in Europe. Expect neon, Asian-inspired drinks and deep house and soul form the DJs. Plus (and this is our favourite bit), when it’s time to visit the loo, you can take part in toilet karaoke, and belt out a Mariah number whilst, well, you know!
Trip notes
Bowie’s Berlin Ziggy Stardust fans can visit Hansa Studio, where David Bowie recorded the Berlin Trilogy, including Low and Heroes. Take in the iconic sight of Tonstudio 2, where Iggy Pop recorded the Bowieproduced The Idiot, and also visit the back room, where you can chat with staff about their most recent star visitors.musictoursberlin.com
Paris in Berlin
Find boho-chic patrons at Paris Bar on Kantstraße 152, which is where the glam-set head after work and on weekends. You can also enjoy the bar’s extensive art collection, which is showcased on the walls, and selected by famous painter, Martin Kippenberger.parisbar.net
Shop vintage
For one-off finds, head to Prenzlauer Berg, for plenty of esoteric boutiques and
vintage outlets, where you’ll also find pay-as-you-weigh stores, whereby you fill a basket and pay for what it weighs. Garage at Nollendorf Platz, and Colours Kleidermarkt on Bergmannstraße are also where in-the-know locals source vintage clothes at truly bargain prices.
Stay here: Budget - Aletto Kudamm Hotel & Hostel
This 231-room hotel and hostel is functional as well as funky, and offers up single or communal rooms according to your budget. Centrally located at Hardenbergstr 21, Charlottenburg, just five minutes from the fantastic shopping at Ku’damm, |
rooms include heated floors, flatscreens and en suites. Take a buffet breakfast in the courtyard garden or on the roof terrace, and take advantage of free Wi-Fi in the public areas, or challenge a fellow guest to a game of table tennis or billiards. aletto.de/en/kudamm
Stay here: Mid-range - Titanic Comfort Hotel Berlin Mitte
Modern and perfectly placed for Euro inter-railers at just a five-minute walk from the Spittelmarkt Underground Station, the hotel is, as you can see by its name, Titanic-inspired. Rooms feature images of the infamous liner, and you can enjoy drinks at any time at the 24-hour bar. For breakfast, expect a Mediterranean-style buffet, before strolling out to visit River Spree, Museum Island, Gendarmenmarkt Square and Checkpoint Charlie on Friedrichstraße – which are all within a 15-minute walk of the hotel. titanic.com.tr/titanicComfortBerlin
Stay here: Luxury - Berlin Ritz-Carlton
It’s five-star luxury all the way at the Ritz-Carlton’s Berlin establishment, which is within walking distance to the Potsdamer Platz, Chamber Music Hall, National Gallery and The Reichstag. Enjoy afternoon tea in the Tea Lounge, or evening cocktails at The Curtain Club. Upgrades to Club Rooms are highly recommended. ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Berlin
