BERLIN, GERMANY
The Berlin Wall
The Reichstag
Berlin Nightlife
Historical Highlights
Sights
Tours
Shopping
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Entertainment
Information
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
Berlin, Germany
Berlin’s combo of glamour and grit is bound to mesmerise anyone keen to explore its vibrant culture, cutting-edge architecture, fabulous food, intense parties and tangible history.
It’s a city that staged a revolution, was headquartered by Nazis, bombed to bits, divided in two and finally reunited – and that was just in the 20th century! Berlin is a big multicultural metropolis, but deep down it maintains the unpretentious charm of an international village.
Two Days in Berlin
Start your first day at the Reichstag, then stroll over to the iconic Brandenburger Tor. Next, head west along Strasse des 17 Juli, passing the Soviet War memorial before you reach the Siegessäule. Take the steps to the top to view the beautiful Tiergarten, before getting lost in the park itself. Dedicate your second day to exploring the museums and galleries at Museumsinsel.
Four Days in Berlin
Start your third day at the vast Holocaust Memorial. Stroll through nearby Potsdamer Platz and then on to Checkpoint Charlie. Use day four to visit the Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer before heading to the East Side Gallery, the longest surviving piece of the Wall. Do a day trip to Schloss Neuschwanstein before you move on.
Next stop: beautiful Prague.
Arriving in Berlin
Tegel & Schönefeld Airports Handle domestic and international flights. Tegel is served directly only by bus and taxi. From Schönefeld, take the S-Bahn or a regional train to the city centre.
Hauptbahnhof Main train station in the city centre; served by S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram, bus and taxi.
Zentraler Omnibus Bahnhof (ZOB) Point of arrival for most long-haul buses.
Where to Stay
Berlin has over 137,000 hotel rooms, but the most desirable properties book up quickly, especially in summer and around major holidays; prices soar and reservations are essential. Otherwise, rates are low by Western capital standards. Options range from chain hotels and Old Berlin–style B&Bs to happening hostels, handy self-catering apartments and trendy boutique hotels.
For information on what each Berlin neighbourhood has to offer, see the table.
TOP EXPERIENCE
The Berlin Wall
For 28 years the Berlin Wall was the most potent symbol of the Cold War. Surprisingly very few of its reinforced concrete slabs remain in today’s reunited Berlin.
Great For…
yDon’t Miss
The open-air mural collection of the East Side Gallery.
8Need to Know
A double row of cobblestones guides you along 5.7km of the Wall’s course. Track down remaining fragments of the Wall using Memorial Landscape Berlin Wall (www.berlin-wall-map.com).
5Take a Break
Not far from the Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer is the famous sausage kitchen Konnopke’s Imbiss (
%030-442 7765; www.konnopke-imbiss.de; Schönhauser Allee 44a; sausages €1.60-2.90; 
h10am-8pm Mon-Fri, 11.30am-8pm Sat; 
jM1, M10, M13, 
XEberswalder Strasse).
oTop Tip
There’s a great view from the Documentation Centre’s viewing platform.
Construction
Shortly after midnight on 13 August 1961 East German soldiers and police began rolling out miles of barbed wire that would soon be replaced with prefab concrete slabs. The wall was a desperate measure taken by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) government to stop the sustained brain and brawn drain it had experienced since its 1949 founding. Around 3.6 million people had already left for the West, putting the GDR on the verge of economic and political collapse.
Demise
The Wall’s demise in 1989 came as unexpectedly as its construction. Once again the GDR was losing its people in droves, this time via Hungary, which had opened its borders with Austria. Something had to give. It did on 9 November 1989 when a GDR spokesperson (mistakenly, it later turned out) announced during a press conference that all travel restrictions to the West would be lifted. When asked when, he said simply ‘Immediately’. Amid scenes of wild partying, the two Berlins came together again.
During 1990 the Wall almost disappeared from Berlin, some bits smashed up and flogged to tourists, others carted off to museums, parks, embassies, exhibitions and even private gardens across the globe. The longest section still intact is the East Side Gallery.
Gedenkstätte Berliner Mauer
The outdoor Berlin Wall Memorial (Berlin Wall Memorial; %030-467 986 666; www.berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de; Bernauer Strasse btwn Schwedter Strasse & Gartenstrasse; hvisitor & documentation centre 10am-6pm Tue-Sun, open-air exhibit 8am-10pm daily; 
bNordbahnhof, Bernauer Strasse, Eberswalder Strasse) 
F extends for 1.4km along Bernauer Strasse and integrates an original section of Wall, vestiges of the border installations and escape tunnels, a chapel and a monument. Multimedia stations, panels, excavations and a Documentation Centre provide context and explain what the border fortifications looked like and how they shaped the everyday lives of people on both sides of it.
East Side Gallery
When the Wall finally met its maker, most of it was quickly dismantled, but a 1.3km stretch became the East Side Gallery (www.eastsidegallery-berlin.de; Mühlenstrasse btwn Oberbaumbrücke & Ostbahnhof; h24hr; XWarschauer Strasse, bOstbahnhof, Warschauer Strasse) F, the world’s largest open-air mural collection. More than 100 paintings portray the era’s global euphoria and optimism.
TOP EXPERIENCE
The Reichstag
Reinstated as the home of the German parliament in 1999, the late 19th-century Reichstag is one of Berlin’s most iconic buildings.
Great For…
yDon’t Miss
Free auto-activated audioguides provide info on the building, landmarks and the workings of parliament.
8Need to Know
map Google map; www.bundestag.de; Platz der Republik 1, Visitors Centre, Scheidemannstrasse; hlift 8am-midnight, last entry 9.45pm, Visitors Centre 8am-8pm Apr-Oct, to 6pm Nov-Mar; 
c; 
g100, bBrandenburger Tor, Hauptbahnhof, XBrandenburger Tor, Bundestag F
5Take a Break
For quick feeds, try tourist-geared, self-service Berlin Pavillon (map Google map; %030-2065 4737; www.berlin-pavillon.de; Scheidemannstrasse 1; dishes €4.50-9; h8am-9pm; g100, bBrandenburger Tor, XBrandenburger Tor, Bundestag).
oTop Tip
For guaranteed access, make free reservations online before leaving home. All visitors must show ID to enter the building.
The Reichstag’s Beginnings
It’s been burned, bombed, rebuilt, buttressed by the Wall, wrapped in plastic and finally brought back from the dead by Norman Foster: the expression ‘turbulent history’ just doesn’t do justice to the life Berlin’s most famous landmark has endured. This neobaroque edifice was finished in 1894 to house the German Imperial Diet and served its purpose until 1933 when it was badly damaged by fire in an arson attack carried out by Marinus van der Lubbe, a young Dutch communist. This shocking event conveniently gave Hitler a pretext to tighten his grip on the German state. In 1945 the building was a major target for the Red Army who raised the red flag from the Reichstag, an act that became a symbol of the Soviet victory over the Nazis.
The Cold War Years
Although in West Berlin, the Reichstag found itself very near the dividing line between East and West Berlin and, from the early 1960s, the Berlin Wall. With the German government sitting safely in faraway Bonn, this grand facade lost its purpose and in the 1950s some in West Berlin thought it should be demolished. However, the wrecking balls never had their day and the Reichstag was restored, albeit without a lot of the decoration that had adorned the old building.
Reunification & Norman Foster
Almost a year after the Wall came down, the official reunification ceremony was symbolically held at the Reichstag, which, it was later decided, would become the seat of the German Bundestag (parliament) once again. Before Norman Foster began his reconstruction work, the entire Reichstag was spectacularly wrapped in plastic sheeting by the Bulgarian-American artist Christo in the summer of 1995. The following four years saw the erection of Norman Foster’s now famous glittering glass cupola, the centrepiece of the visitor experience today. It is the Reichstag’s most distinctive feature, serviced by lift and providing fabulous 360-degree city views and the opportunity to peer down into the parliament chamber. To reach the top, follow the ramp spiralling up around the dome’s mirror-clad central cone. The cupola was a spanking new feature, but Foster’s brief also stipulated that some parts of the building were to be preserved. One example is the Cyrillic graffiti left by Soviet soldiers in 1945.
TOP EXPERIENCE
Berlin Nightlife
With its well-deserved reputation as one of Europe’s primo party capitals, Berlin offers a thousand-and-one scenarios for getting your cocktails and kicks (or wine or beer, for that matter).
Great For…
yDon’t Miss
Café am Neuen See (map Google map; %030-254 4930; www.cafeamneuensee.de; Lichtensteinallee 2; hrestaurant 9am-11pm, beer garden noon-late Mon-Fri, 11am-late Sat & Sun; c; g200, XZoologischer Garten, bZoologischer Garten, Tiergarten), generally regarded as Berlin’s best beer garden.
8Need to Know
Regular bars open around 6pm and close at 1am or 2am the next day. Trendy places and cocktail bars open at 8pm or 9pm and stay open until the last tippler leaves. Clubs open at 11pm or midnight, but don’t fill up until 1am or 2am, peaking between 4am and 6am.
5Take a Break
Check out the food offerings while you’re chilling out in one of Berlin’s beer gardens or enjoying the views from a rooftop bar.
oTop Tip
There’s generally no need to dress up at Berlin’s clubs, and getting past bouncers is fairly easy.
Bars & Cafes
Berlin is a notoriously late-night city: bars stay packed from dusk to dawn and beyond, and some clubs don’t hit their stride until 4am. The lack of a curfew never created a tradition of binge drinking.
Edgier, more underground venues cluster in Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, Neukölln and up-and-coming outer boroughs like Wedding (north of Mitte) and Lichtenberg (past Friedrichshain). Places in Charlottenburg, Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg tend to be quieter and close earlier. Some proprietors have gone to extraordinary lengths to come up with special design concepts.
The line between cafe and bar is often blurred, with many changing stripes as the hands move around the clock. Alcohol, however, is served pretty much all day. Cocktail bars are booming in Berlin and several new arrivals have measurably elevated the ‘liquid art’ scene. Dedicated drinking dens tend to be elegant cocoons with mellow lighting and low sound levels. A good cocktail will set you back between €10 and €15.
Beaches & Outdoor Drinking
Berliners are sun cravers and as soon as the first rays spray their way into spring, outdoor tables show up faster than you can pour a pint of beer. The most traditional places for outdoor chilling are of course the beer gardens with long wooden benches set up beneath leafy old chestnuts and with cold beer and bratwurst on the menu. In 2002, Berlin also jumped on the ‘sandwagon’ with the opening of its first beach bar, Strandbar Mitte (map Google map; %030-2838 5588; www.strandbar-mitte.de; Monbijoustrasse 3; dancing €4; h10am-late May-Sep; jM1, bOranienburger Strasse), in a prime location on the Spree River. Many that followed have since been displaced by development, which has partly fuelled the latest trend: rooftop bars.
Clubbing
Over the past 25 years, Berlin’s club culture has put the city firmly on the map of hedonists. With more than 200 venues, finding one to match your mood isn’t difficult. Electronic music in its infinite varieties continues to define Berlin’s after-dark action but other sounds like hip-hop, dancehall, rock, swing and funk have also made inroads. The edgiest clubs have taken up residence in power plants, transformer stations, abandoned apartment buildings and other repurposed locations. The scene is in constant flux as experienced club owners look for new challenges and a younger generation of promoters enters the scene with new ideas and impetus.
1Sights
1Mitte
With the mother lode of sights clustered within a walkable area, the most historic part of Berlin is a prime port of call for visitors.
Deutsches Historisches MuseumMuseum
(German Historical Museum; map Google map; %030-203 040; www.dhm.de; Unter den Linden 2; adult/concession/child under 18yr incl IM Pei Bau €8/4/free; h10am-6pm; g100, 200, XHausvogteiplatz, bHackescher Markt)
If you’re wondering what the Germans have been up to for the past 1500 years, take a spin around the baroque Zeughaus, formerly the Prussian arsenal and now home of the German Historical Museum. Upstairs, displays concentrate on the period from the 6th century AD to the end of WWI in 1918, while the ground floor tracks the 20th century all the way through to the early years after German reunification.
Brandenburger TorLandmark
(Brandenburg Gate; map Google map; Pariser Platz; bBrandenburger Tor, XBrandenburger Tor)
A symbol of division during the Cold War, the landmark Brandenburg Gate now epitomises German reunification. Carl Gotthard Langhans found inspiration in Athens’ Acropolis for the elegant triumphal arch, completed in 1791 as the royal city gate.
Holocaust MemorialMemorial
(Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe; map Google map; %030-2639 4336; www.stiftung-denkmal.de; Cora-Berliner-Strasse 1; audioguide €3; h24hr; bBrandenburger Tor, XBrandenburger Tor) F
Inaugurated in 2005, this football-field-sized memorial by American architect Peter Eisenman consists of 2711 sarcophagi-like concrete columns rising in sombre silence from the undulating ground. You’re free to access this maze at any point and make your individual journey through it. For context visit the subterranean Ort der Information (Information Centre; map Google map; %030-7407 2929; www.holocaust-mahnmal.de; h10am-8pm Tue-Sun Apr-Sep, to 7pm Oct-Mar, last admission 45min before closing) F, whose exhibits will leave no one untouched. Audioguides and audio translations of exhibit panels are available.
GendarmenmarktSquare
(map Google map; XFranzösische Strasse, Stadtmitte)
This graceful square is bookended by the domed German and French cathedrals and punctuated by a grandly porticoed concert hall, the Konzerthaus (map Google map; %030-203 092 333; www.konzerthaus.de; Gendarmenmarkt 2; XFranzösische Strasse, Stadtmitte). It was named for the Gens d’Armes, an 18th-century Prussian regiment consisting of French Huguenot refugees.
Checkpoint CharlieHistoric Site
(map Google map; cnr Zimmerstrasse & Friedrichstrasse; h24hr; XKochstrasse) F
Checkpoint Charlie was the principal gateway for foreigners and diplomats between the two Berlins from 1961 to 1990. Unfortunately, this potent symbol of the Cold War has degenerated into a tacky tourist trap, though a free open-air exhibit that illustrates milestones in Cold War history is one redeeming aspect.
1Scheunenviertel
Hackesche HöfeHistoric Site
(Hackesche Courtyards; map Google map; %030-2809 8010; www.hackesche-hoefe.com; enter from Rosenthaler Strasse 40/41 or Sophienstrasse 6; jM1, bHackescher Markt, XWeinmeisterstrasse)
The Hackesche Höfe is the largest and most famous of the courtyard ensembles peppered throughout the Scheunenviertel. Built in 1907, the eight interlinked Höfe reopened in 1996 with a congenial mix of cafes, galleries, shops and entertainment venues. The main entrance on Rosenthaler Strasse leads to Court I, prettily festooned with art nouveau tiles, while Court VII segues to the romantic Rosenhöfe with a sunken rose garden and tendril-like balustrades.
Museum für NaturkundeMuseum
(Museum of Natural History; map Google map; %030-2093 8591; www.naturkundemuseum.berlin; Invalidenstrasse 43; adult/concession incl audioguide €8/5; h9.30am-6pm Tue-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun; c; jM5, M8, M10, 12, XNaturkundemuseum)
Fossils and minerals don’t quicken your pulse? Well, how about Tristan the T-Rex? His skeleton is among the best-preserved in the world and, along with the 12m-high Brachiosaurus branchai, is part of the Jurassic superstar line-up at this highly engaging museum. Elsewhere you can see the taxidermied Knut (once the world’s most famous polar bear), marvel at the fragile bones of an ultrarare Archaeopteryx protobird, and find out why zebras are striped.
Neue SynagogeSynagogue
(map Google map; %030-8802 8300; www.centrumjudaicum.de; Oranienburger Strasse 28-30; adult/concession €5/4, audioguide €3; h10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 7pm Sun, closes 3pm Fri & 6pm Sun Oct-Mar; jM1, XOranienburger Tor, bOranienburger Strasse)
The gleaming gold dome of the Neue Synagoge is the most visible symbol of Berlin’s revitalised Jewish community. The 1866 original was Germany’s largest synagogue but its modern incarnation is not so much a house of worship (although prayer services do take place) as a museum and place of remembrance called Centrum Judaicum. The dome can be climbed from April to September (adult/concession €3/2.50).
Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für GegenwartMuseum
(Contemporary Art Museum; map Google map; %030-266 424 242; www.smb.museum; Invalidenstrasse 50-51; adult/concession €10/5, free 4-8pm 1st Thu of the month; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri, to 8pm Thu, 11am-6pm Sat & Sun; jM5, M8, M10, bHauptbahnhof, XHauptbahnhof)
Berlin’s contemporary art showcase opened in 1996 in an old railway station, whose grandeur is a great backdrop for this Aladdin’s cave of paintings, installations, sculptures and video art. Changing exhibits span the arc of post-1950 artistic movements – from conceptual art and pop art to minimal art and Fluxus – and include seminal works by such major players as Andy Warhol, Cy Twombly, Joseph Beuys and Robert Rauschenberg.
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
About 35km north of Berlin, Sachsenhausen (Memorial & Museum Sachsenhausen; %03301-200 200; www.stiftung-bg.de; Strasse der Nationen 22, Oranienburg; h8.30am-6pm mid-Mar–mid-Oct, to 4.30pm mid-Oct–mid-Mar, museums closed Mon mid-Oct–mid-Mar; 
p; bOranienburg) F was built by prisoners and opened in 1936 as a prototype for other concentration camps. By 1945, some 200,000 people had passed through its sinister gates, most of them political opponents, Jews, Roma people and, after 1939, POWs. Tens of thousands died here from hunger, exhaustion, illness, exposure, medical experiments and executions. Thousands more succumbed during the death march of April 1945, when the Nazis evacuated the camp in advance of the Red Army.
A tour of the memorial site with its remaining buildings and exhibits will leave no one untouched.
The S1 makes the trip thrice hourly from central Berlin (eg Friedrichstrasse station) to Oranienburg (€3.40, 45 minutes). Hourly regional RE5 and RB12 trains leaving from Hauptbahnhof are faster (€3.40, 25 minutes). The camp is about 2km from the Oranienburg train station.
1Alexanderplatz
MuseumsinselMuseum
(map Google map; %030-266 424 242; www.smb.museum; day tickets for all 5 museums adult/concession/under 18 €18/9/free; hvaries by museum; g100, 200, TXL, bHackescher Markt, Friedrichstrasse, XFriedrichstrasse)
Walk through ancient Babylon, meet an Egyptian queen, clamber up a Greek altar or be mesmerised by Monet’s ethereal landscapes. Welcome to Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin’s most important treasure trove, spanning 6000 years’ worth of art, artefacts, sculpture and architecture from Europe and beyond. Spread across five grand museums built between 1830 and 1930, the complex takes up the entire northern half of the little Spree Island where Berlin’s settlement began in the 13th century.
The first repository to open was the Altes Museum (Old Museum; map Google map; Am Lustgarten; adult/concession/under 18 €10/5/free; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 8pm Thu), which presents Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities. Behind it, the Neues Museum (New Museum; map Google map; Bodestrasse 1-3; adult/concession/under 18yr €12/6/free; h10am-6pm Fri-Wed, to 8pm Thu) showcases the Egyptian collection, most famously the bust of Queen Nefertiti, and also houses the Museum of Pre- and Early History. The temple-like Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery; map Google map; Bodestrasse 1-3; adult/concession €10/5; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 8pm Thu) trains the focus on 19th-century European art. The island’s top draw is the Pergamonmuseum (map Google map; Bodestrasse 1-3; adult/concession/under 18yr €12/6/free; h10am-6pm Fri-Wed, to 8pm Thu), with its monumental architecture from ancient worlds, including the stunning Ishar Gate from Babylon. The Bode-Museum (map Google map; cnr Am Kupfergraben & Monbijoubrücke; adult/concession/under 18 €12/6/free; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 8pm Thu), at the island’s northern tip, is famous for its medieval sculptures.
DDR MuseumMuseum
(GDR (East Germany) Museum; map Google map; %030-847 123 731; www.ddr-museum.de; Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 1; adult/concession €9.80/6; h10am-8pm Sun-Fri, to 10pm Sat; g100, 200, TXL, bHackescher Markt)
This touchy-feely museum does an insightful and entertaining job of pulling back the iron curtain on daily life in socialist East Germany. You’ll learn how kids were put through collective potty training, engineers earned little more than farmers, and everyone, it seems, went on nudist holidays. A perennial crowd-pleaser among the historic objects on display is a Trabi, the tinny East German standard car – sit in it to take a virtual spin around an East Berlin neighbourhood.
FernsehturmLandmark
(TV Tower; map Google map; %030-247 575 875; www.tv-turm.de; Panoramastrasse 1a; adult/child €15.50/9.50, fast track online ticket €19.50/12; h9am-midnight Mar-Oct, 10am-midnight Nov-Feb, last ascent 11.30pm; g100, 200, TXL, XAlexanderplatz, bAlexanderplatz)
Germany’s tallest structure, the TV Tower has been soaring 368m high since 1969 and is as iconic to Berlin as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. On clear days, views are stunning from the observation deck (with bar) at 203m or from 207m at the upstairs Sphere restaurant (map; %030-247 575 875; www.tv-turm.de/en/bar-restaurant; mains lunch €10.50-18, dinner €12.50-28; h10am-11pm; 
W; g100, 200, TXL, XAlexanderplatz, bAlexanderplatz), which makes one revolution per hour.
Berliner DomChurch
(Berlin Cathedral; map Google map; %ticket office 030-2026 9136; www.berlinerdom.de; Am Lustgarten; adult/concession €7/5; h9am-8pm Apr-Sep, to 7pm Oct-Mar; g100, 200, TXL, bHackescher Markt)
Pompous yet majestic, the Italian Renaissance–style former royal court church (1905) does triple duty as house of worship, museum and concert hall. Inside it’s gilt to the hilt and outfitted with a lavish marble-and-onyx altar, a 7269-pipe Sauer organ and elaborate royal sarcophagi. Climb up the 267 steps to the gallery for glorious city views.
1Potsdamer Platz & Tiergarten
Potsdamer PlatzArea
(map Google map; Alte Potsdamer Strasse; g200, bPotsdamer Platz, XPotsdamer Platz)
The rebirth of the historic Potsdamer Platz was Europe’s biggest building project of the 1990s, a showcase of urban renewal masterminded by such top international architects as Renzo Piano and Helmut Jahn. An entire city quarter sprouted on terrain once bifurcated by the Berlin Wall and today houses offices, theatres and cinemas, hotels, apartments and museums. Highlights include the glass-tented Sony Center (map Google map; www.potsdamer-platz.net; Potsdamer Strasse) and the Panoramapunkt (map Google map; %030-2593 7080; www.panoramapunkt.de; Potsdamer Platz 1; adult/concession €7.50/6, without wait €11.50/9; h10am-8pm Apr-Oct, to 6pm Nov-Mar) observation deck.
TiergartenPark
(map Google map; Strasse des 17 Juni; g100, 200, bPotsdamer Platz, Brandenburger Tor, XBrandenburger Tor)
Berlin’s rulers used to hunt boar and pheasants in the rambling Tiergarten until garden architect Peter Lenné landscaped the grounds in the 19th century. Today it’s one of the world’s largest urban parks, popular for strolling, jogging, picnicking, frisbee tossing and, yes, nude sunbathing and gay cruising (especially around the Löwenbrücke).
GemäldegalerieGallery
(Gallery of Old Masters; map Google map; %030-266 424 242; www.smb.museum/gg; Matthäikirchplatz; adult/concession/under 18 €10/5/free; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri, to 8pm Thu, 11am-6pm Sat & Sun; c; gM29, M48, M85, 200, bPotsdamer Platz, XPotsdamer Platz)
This museum ranks among the world’s finest and most comprehensive collections of European art with about 1500 paintings spanning the arc of artistic vision from the 13th to the 18th century. Wear comfy shoes when exploring the 72 galleries: a walk past masterpieces by Titian, Dürer, Hals, Vermeer, Gainsborough and many more Old Masters covers almost 2km. Don’t miss the Rembrandt Room (Room X).
SiegessäuleMonument
(Victory Column; Grosser Stern, Strasse des 17 Juni; adult/concession €3/2.50; h9.30am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, to 7pm Sat & Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 5.30pm Sat & Sun Nov-Mar; g100, XHansaplatz, bBellevue)
Like arms of a starfish, five roads merge into the Grosser Stern roundabout at the heart of the huge Tiergarten park. The Victory Column at its centre celebrates 19th-century Prussian military triumphs and is crowned by a gilded statue of the goddess Victoria. Today it is also a symbol of Berlin’s gay community. Climb 285 steps for sweeping views of the park.
1Kreuzberg
Jüdisches MuseumMuseum
(Jewish Museum; map Google map; %030-2599 3300; www.jmberlin.de; Lindenstrasse 9-14; adult/concession €8/3, audioguide €3; h10am-8pm; XHallesches Tor, Kochstrasse)
In a landmark building by American-Polish architect Daniel Libeskind, Berlin’s Jewish Museum offers a chronicle of the trials and triumphs in 2000 years of Jewish life in Germany. The exhibit smoothly navigates all major periods, from the Middle Ages via the Enlightenment to the community’s post-1990 renaissance. Find out about Jewish cultural contributions, holiday traditions, the difficult road to emancipation, outstanding individuals (eg Moses Mendelssohn and Levi Strauss) and the fates of ordinary people.
Deutsches TechnikmuseumMuseum
(German Museum of Technology; map Google map; %030-902 540; http://sdtb.de/technikmuseum; Trebbiner Strasse 9; adult/concession/child under 18 €8/4/after 3pm free; h9am-5.30pm Tue-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun; pc; XGleisdreieck, Möckernbrücke)
A roof-mounted ‘candy bomber’ (the plane used in the 1948 Berlin Airlift) is merely the overture to this enormous and hugely engaging shrine to technology. Fantastic for kids, the giant museum includes the world’s first computer, an entire hall of vintage locomotives and exhibits on aerospace and navigation in a modern annexe. At the adjacent Science Center Spectrum (map Google map; %030-9025 4284; www.sdtb.de; Möckernstrasse 26; adult/concession/child under 18 €8/4/free after 3pm; h9am-5.30pm Tue-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun; p), entered on the same ticket, kids can participate in hands-on experiments.
1Charlottenburg
Schloss CharlottenburgPalace
(Charlottenburg Palace; map Google map; %030-320 910; www.spsg.de; Spandauer Damm 10-22; day pass to all 4 bldgs adult/concession €17/13; hhours vary by bldg; gM45, 109, 309, XRichard-Wagner-Platz, Sophie-Charlotte-Platz)
Charlottenburg Palace is one of Berlin’s few sites that still reflect the one-time grandeur of the Hohenzollern clan, which ruled the region from 1415 to 1918. Originally a petite summer retreat, it grew into an exquisite baroque pile with opulent private apartments, richly decorated festival halls, collections of precious porcelain and paintings by French 18th-century masters. It’s lovely in fine weather, when you can fold a stroll in the palace park into a day of peeking at royal treasures.
TTours
Berliner UnterweltenTours
(%030-4991 0517; www.berliner-unterwelten.de; Brunnenstrasse 105; adult/concession €12/10; hDark Worlds tours in English 11am Wed-Sun, 11am & 1pm Mon year-round, 3pm Mon, Wed-Sun, 1pm & 3pm Wed-Sun Apr-Oct; bGesundbrunnen, XGesundbrunnen)
After you’ve checked off the Brandenburg Gate and the TV Tower, why not explore Berlin’s dark and dank underbelly? Join Berliner Unterwelten on its 1½-hour ‘Dark Worlds’ tour of a WWII underground bunker and pick your way through a warren of claustrophobic rooms, past heavy steel doors, hospital beds, helmets, guns, boots and lots of other wartime artefacts.
Berlin on BikeCycling
(%030-4373 9999; www.berlinonbike.de; Knaackstrasse 97, Kulturbrauerei, Court 4; tours incl bike adult/concession €24/20, bike rental per 24hr €10; h8am-8pm mid-Mar–mid-Nov, 10am-4pm Mon-Sat mid-Nov–mid-Mar; jM1, XEberswalder Strasse)
This well-established company has a busy schedule of insightful and fun bike tours led by locals. There are daily English-language city tours (Berlin’s Best) and Berlin Wall tours, as well as an Alternative Berlin tour thrice weekly and a Street-Art tour on Fridays. Other tours (eg night tours) are available on request. Reservations recommended for all tours.
Original Berlin WalksWalking
(%030-301 9194; www.berlinwalks.de; adult/concession from €14/12)
Berlin’s longest-running English-language walking tour company has a general city tour plus a roster of themed tours (eg Hitler’s Germany, East Berlin, Queer Berlin), as well as a food crawl, a craft beer tour and trips out to Sachsenhausen concentration camp and Potsdam. The website has details on timings and meeting points.
7Shopping
KaDeWeDepartment Store
(map Google map; %030-212 10; www.kadewe.de; Tauentzienstrasse 21-24; h10am-8pm Mon-Thu, to 9pm Fri, 9.30am-8pm Sat; XWittenbergplatz)
Continental Europe’s largest department store has been going strong since 1907 and boasts an assortment so vast that a pirate-style campaign is the best way to plunder its bounty. If pushed for time, at least hurry up to the legendary 6th-floor gourmet food hall. The name, by the way, stands for Kaufhaus des Westens (department store of the West).
Bikini BerlinMall
(map Google map; %030-5549 6455; www.bikiniberlin.de; Budapester Strasse 38-50; hshops 10am-8pm Mon-Sat, Bldg 9am-8.30pm Mon-Sat, noon-6pm Sun; W; g100, 200, XZoologischer Garten, bZoologischer Garten)
Germany’s first concept mall opened in 2014 in a smoothly rehabilitated 1950s architectural icon nicknamed ‘Bikini’ because of its design: 200m-long upper and lower sections separated by an open floor, now chastely covered by a glass facade. Inside are three floors of urban indie boutiques, short-lease pop-up ‘boxes’ for up-and-comers, and an international street-food court.
5Eating
5Mitte
Augustiner am GendarmenmarktGerman€€
(map Google map; %030-2045 4020; www.augustiner-braeu-berlin.de; Charlottenstrasse 55; mains €7.50-30, lunch special €5.90; h10am-2am; XFranzösische Strasse)
Tourists, concertgoers and hearty-food lovers rub shoulders at rustic tables in this authentic Bavarian beer hall. Soak up the down-to-earth vibe right along with a mug of full-bodied Augustiner brew straight from Munich. Sausages, roast pork and pretzels provide rib-sticking sustenance with only a token salad offered for noncarnivores. Good-value weekday lunch specials.
Restaurant Tim RaueAsian€€€
(map Google map; %030-2593 7930; www.tim-raue.com; Rudi-Dutschke-Strasse 26; 3-/4-course lunch €58/68, 8-course dinner €198, mains €48-66; hnoon-3pm & 7pm-midnight Wed-Sat; XKochstrasse)
Now here’s a double-Michelin-starred restaurant we can get our mind around. Unstuffy ambience and a stylishly reduced design with walnut and Vitra chairs perfectly juxtapose with Berlin-born Tim Raue’s brilliant Asian-inspired plates, which each shine the spotlight on a few choice ingredients. His interpretation of Peking duck is a perennial bestseller.
5Prenzlauer Berg
KanaanMiddle Eastern€
(%0176 2258 6673; www.kanaan-berlin.de; Kopenhagener Strasse 17; dishes €4-10; h5-10pm Wed, noon-10pm Thu & Fri, 10am-10pm Sat & Sun; W
v; jM1, XSchönhauser Allee, bSchönhauser Allee)
In this feel-good venture, an Israeli biz whiz and a Palestinian chef have teamed up to bring a progressive blend of vegan/vegetarian Middle Eastern fare to Berlin. Top menu picks include the Iraqi-style hummus, the hummshuka (hummus/shakshouka mash-up) and the chocolate-tahini mousse. Salads are also delish, especially the oven-roasted cauliflower. It’s all served in a simple but stylish hut with a lovely garden.
Restaurant OderbergerGerman€€€
(%030-7800 8976 811; www.restaurant-oderberger.de; Oderberger Strasse 57; mains €18-28, 3-course menu €39; h6pm-midnight Tue-Sat; W; jM1, 12, XEberswalder Strasse) 
S
This exciting newcomer spreads across three open levels in an industrial-chic ex–boiler room of a public swimming pool. The chef’s orchestrations are just as upbeat and tantalising as the decor. The ‘Dit is Berlin’ menu stars riffs on local classics like bacon-wrapped perch and veal dumplings in caper sauce while the seasonal menu comes alive with freshly gathered ingredients from regional farmers.
East Berlin’s Stasi Museum
East Berlin’s Stasi Museum (%030-553 6854; www.stasimuseum.de; Haus 1, Ruschestrasse 103; adult/concession €6/4.50; h10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 11am-6pm Sat & Sun, English tour 3pm Sat-Mon; XMagdalenenstrasse) provides an overview of the structure, methods and impact of the Ministry of State Security (Stasi), the secret police of former East Germany, inside the feared institution’s fortress-like headquarters. At its peak, more than 8000 people worked in this compound alone; the scale model in the entrance foyer will help you grasp its vast dimensions. Other rooms introduce the ideology, rituals and institutions of East German society. You can marvel at cunningly low-tech surveillance devices (hidden in watering cans, rocks, even neckties), a prisoner transport van with tiny, lightless cells, and the stuffy offices of Stasi chief Erich Mielke. There’s also background on the SED party and on the role of the youth organisation Junge Pioneere (Young Pioneers). Panelling is partly in English, and there are free English tours at 3pm Saturday and Sunday.
The museum is in the eastern district of Lichtenberg, just north of U-Bahn station Magdalenenstrasse.
5Kreuzberg
SironiBakery€
(www.facebook.com/sironi.de; Eisenbahnstrasse 42, Markthalle Neun; snacks from €2.50; h8am-8pm Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat, to 10pm Thu; XGörlitzer Bahnhof)
The focaccia and ciabatta are as good as they get without taking a flight to Italy, thanks to Alfredo Sironi, who hails from the Boot and now treats Berlin bread lovers to his habit-forming carb creations. Watch the flour magicians whip up the next batch in his glass bakery right in the iconic Markthalle Neun (%030-6107 3473; www.markthalleneun.de; Eisenbahnstrasse 42-43; hnoon-6pm Mon-Wed & Fri, noon-10pm Thu, 10am-6pm Sat), then order a piece to go.
Cafe JacquesMediterranean€€
(%030-694 1048; http://cafejacques.de; Maybachufer 14; mains €12.50-19; h6pm-late; XSchönleinstrasse)
Like a fine wine, this darling French-Mediterranean lair keeps improving with age. Candlelit wooden tables and art-festooned brick walls feel as warm and welcoming as an old friend’s embrace. And indeed, a welcoming embrace from charismatic owner-host Ahmad may well await you. The blackboard menu is a rotating festival of flavours, including mouth-watering meze, homemade pasta and fresh fish.
Restaurant RichardFrench€€€
(%030-4920 7242; www.restaurant-richard.de; Köpenicker Strasse 174; 4-/5-/6-/7-course dinner €68/82/92/100; h7pm-midnight Tue-Sat; v; XSchlesisches Tor)
This venue where Nazis partied in the 1930s and leftists debated in the ’70s has been reborn as a fine-dining shrine, solidly rooted in the French tradition and endowed with a Michelin star. With its coffered ceiling, bubble chandeliers and risqué canvases, the decor is as luscious as the fancy food while the vibe remains charmingly relaxed.
5Charlottenburg
KuchenladenCafe€
(map Google map; %030-3101 8424; www.derkuchenladen.de; Kantstrasse 138; cakes €2.50-4.50; h10am-8pm; bSavignyplatz)
No-one can resist the siren call of this classic cafe whose homemade cakes are like works of art wrought from flour, sugar and cream. From cheesecake to carrot cake to the ridiculously rich Sacher Torte, it’s all delicious down to the last crumb.
Restaurant am SteinplatzGerman€€€
(map Google map; %030-554 444, ext 7053; www.hotelsteinplatz.com; Steinplatz 4; 2-/3-course lunch €19/23, dinner mains €23-30; hnoon-2.30pm & 6-10pm Mon-Fri, 6-10pm Sat & Sun; p; gM45, XErnst-Reuter-Platz, Zoologischer Garten, bZoologischer Garten)
The 1920s get a 21st-century makeover at this stylish outpost with an open kitchen, where chef Nicholas Hahn and team create dishes with technique and passion. The menu takes diners on a culinary romp around Germany with occasional touchdowns in other countries, resulting in intellectually ambitious but super-satisfying dishes that often star unusual or rare ingredients.
Mine RestaurantItalian€€€
(map Google map; %030-8892 6363; www.minerestaurant.de; Meinekestrasse 10; mains €15-29; h5.30pm-midnight; 
ZUhlandstrasse)
Italian restaurants may be a dime a dozen but Mine’s decor, menu and service all blend together as perfectly as a Sicilian stew. The Berlin outpost of Russian TV celebrity chef Aram Mnatsakanov, it presents feistily flavoured next-gen fare from around the Boot by riffing on traditional recipes in innovative ways. The wine list should make even demanding oenophiles swoon.
6Drinking & Nightlife
6Potsdamer Platz & Tiergarten
Curtain ClubBar
(map Google map; %030-337 775 403; www.ritzcarlton.de; Potsdamer Platz 3, Ritz-Carlton Berlin; h10am-late; g200, bPotsdamer Platz, XPotsdamer Platz)
Heavy drapes lead the way to this gentlemen’s club–style bar with thick carpets, marble tables and leather armchairs. It’s presided over by cocktail-meister Arnd Heissen who’s not only an expert on classic drinks but also shakes things up with his own creations, each served in a distinctive vessel, be it a vase, a Viking’s horn or a milk bottle.
FragrancesCocktail Bar
(map Google map; %030-337 775 403; www.ritzcarlton.de; Potsdamer Platz 3, Ritz-Carlton Berlin; hfrom 7pm Wed-Sat; W; g200, bPotsdamer Platz, XPotsdamer Platz)
Another baby by Berlin cocktail maven Arnd Heissen, Fragrances claims to be the world’s first ‘perfume bar’, a libation station where Heissen mixes potable potions mimicking famous scents. The black-mirrored space in the Ritz-Carlton is like a 3D menu where adventurous drinkers sniff out their favourite from among a row of perfume bottles, then settle back into flocked couches for stylish imbibing.
6Prenzlauer Berg
Prater GartenBeer Garden
(%030-448 5688; www.pratergarten.de; Kastanienallee 7-9; snacks €2.50-7.50; hnoon-late Apr-Sep, weather permitting; c; jM1, 12, XEberswalder Strasse)
Berlin’s oldest beer garden has seen beer-soaked days and nights since 1837 and is still a charismatic spot for guzzling a custom-brewed Prater pilsner (self-service) beneath the ancient chestnut trees. Kids can romp around the small play area.
Weinerei ForumWine Bar
(%030-440 6983; www.weinerei.com; Fehrbelliner Strasse 57; h10am-midnight; W; jM1, XRosenthaler Platz)
After 8pm, this living-room-style cafe turns into a wine bar that works on the honour principle: you ‘rent’ a wine glass for €2, then help yourself to as much vino as you like and in the end decide what you want to pay. Please be fair to keep this fantastic concept going.
6Kreuzberg
Schwarze TraubeCocktail Bar
(%030-2313 5569; www.schwarzetraube.de; Wrangelstrasse 24; h7pm-2am Sun-Thu, to 5am Fri & Sat; XGörlitzer Bahnhof)
Mixologist Atalay Aktas was Germany’s Best Bartender of 2013 and hasn’t missed a step since. He and his staff still create their magic potions in this pint-sized drinking parlour with living-room looks. There’s no menu, meaning each drink is calibrated to the taste and mood of each patron using premium spirits, expertise and a dash of psychology.
6Friedrichshain
Berghain/Panorama BarClub
(www.berghain.de; Am Wriezener Bahnhof; hFri-Mon; bOstbahnhof)
Only world-class spin-masters heat up this hedonistic bass-junkie hellhole inside a labyrinthine ex-powerplant. Hard-edged minimal techno dominates the ex-turbine hall (Berghain), while house dominates at Panorama Bar, one floor up. Long lines, strict door, no cameras. Check the website for midweek concerts and record-release parties at the main venue and the adjacent Kantine am Berghain (admission varies; hhours vary).
Briefmarken WeineWine Bar
(%030-4202 5292; www.briefmarkenweine.de; Karl-Marx-Allee 99; h7pm-midnight Mon-Sat; XWeberwiese)
For dolce vita right on socialist-era Karl-Marx-Allee, head to this charmingly nostalgic Italian wine bar ensconced in a former stamp shop. The original wooden cabinets cradle a hand-picked selection of Italian bottles that complement a snack menu of yummy cheeses, prosciutto and salami, plus a pasta dish of the day. Best to book ahead.
Hops & BarleyMicrobrewery
(%030-2936 7534; www.hopsandbarley-berlin.de; Wühlischstrasse 22/23; h5pm-late Mon-Fri, from 3pm Sat & Sun; jM13, XWarschauer Strasse, bWarschauer Strasse)
Conversation flows as freely as the unfiltered pilsner, malty Dunkel (dark) and fruity Weizen (wheat) produced right here at one of Berlin’s oldest craft breweries (since 2008). The pub is inside a former butcher’s shop and still has the tiled walls to prove it. Two beamers project football (soccer) games.
6Charlottenburg
Bar am SteinplatzCocktail Bar
(map Google map; %030-554 4440; www.hotelsteinplatz.com; Steinplatz 4; h4pm-late; XErnst-Reuter-Platz)
Christian Gentemann’s liquid playground at the art deco Hotel am Steinplatz was crowned ‘Hotel Bar of the Year’ in 2016 and 2017, and for good reason. The drinks are simply sensational and the ambience a perfect blend of hip and grown-up. The illustrated cocktail menu teases the imagination by listing ingredients and tastes for each drink instead of just an abstract name.
Monkey BarBar
(map Google map; %030-120 221 210; www.monkeybarberlin.de; Budapester Strasse 40; hnoon-2am; W; g100, 200, bZoologischer Garten, XZoologischer Garten)
On the 10th floor of the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin, this mainstream-hip ‘urban jungle’ delivers fabulous views of the city and Zoo Berlin while the menu gives prominent nods to tiki concoctions (great Mai Tai!) and gin-based cocktail sorcery. Come early for chilled sundowners on the sweeping terrace. Different DJs spin nightly Friday to Sunday, from 4pm.
3Entertainment
Berliner PhilharmonieArchitecture, Concert Hall
(map Google map; %030-2548 8156; www.berliner-philharmoniker.de; Herbert-von-Karajan-Strasse 1; tours adult/concession €5/3; htours 1.30pm Sep-Jun; gM29, M48, M85, 200, bPotsdamer Platz, XPotsdamer Platz)
A masterpiece of organic architecture, Hans Scharoun’s 1963 iconic, honey-coloured concert venue is the home base of the prestigious Berliner Philharmoniker (%tickets 030-2548 8999; www.berliner-philharmoniker.de; tickets €21-290). The auditorium feels like the inside of a finely crafted instrument and boasts supreme acoustics and excellent sight lines from every seat.
Chamäleon TheatreCabaret
(map Google map; %030-400 0590; www.chamaeleonberlin.com; Rosenthaler Strasse 40/41; tickets €37-59; jM1, bHackescher Markt)
A marriage of art nouveau charms and high-tech theatre trappings, this intimate venue in a 1920s-style old ballroom hosts ‘contemporary circus’ shows that blend comedy, acrobatics, music, juggling and dance – often in sassy, sexy and unconventional fashion. Sit at the bar, at bistro tables or in comfy armchairs.
8INFORMATION
Visit Berlin (www.visitberlin.de), the Berlin tourist board, operates five walk-in offices, info desks at the airports, and a call centre (%030-2500 2333; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri) whose multilingual staff field general questions and make hotel and ticket bookings.
Alexanderplatz (map; lobby Park Inn, Alexanderplatz 7; h7am-9pm Mon-Sat, 8am-6pm Sun; g100, 200, TXL, XAlexanderplatz, bAlexanderplatz)
Brandenburger Tor (map; Pariser Platz, Brandenburger Tor, south wing; h9.30am-7pm Apr-Oct, to 6pm Nov-Mar; bBrandenburger Tor, XBrandenburger Tor)
Central Bus Station (ZOB; Masurenallee 4-6; h8am-8pm Mon, Fri & Sat, to 4pm Tue-Thu & Sun; bMesse Nord/ICC)
Europa-Center (map; Tauentzienstrasse 9, Europa-Center, ground fl; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat; g100, 200, XKurfürstendamm, Zoologischer Garten, bZoologischer Garten)
Hauptbahnhof (Hauptbahnhof, Europaplatz entrance, ground fl; h8am-10pm; bHauptbahnhof, 
dHauptbahnhof)
Berlin’s Flea Markets
Berlin’s numerous flea markets set up on weekends (usually Sunday) year-round – rain or shine – and are also the purview of fledgling local fashion designers and jewellery makers.
Flohmarkt im Mauerpark (www.flohmarktimmauerpark.de; Bernauer Strasse 63-64; h9am-6pm Sun; jM1, M10, 12, XEberswalder Strasse) Join the throngs of thrifty trinket hunters, bleary-eyed clubbers and excited tourists sifting for treasure at this always busy flea market with cult status, in a spot right where the Berlin Wall once ran. Source new favourites among retro threads, local-designer T-shirts, vintage vinyl and offbeat stuff. Street-food stands and beer gardens provide sustenance.
Nowkoelln Flowmarkt (www.nowkoelln.de; Maybachufer; h10am-6pm 2nd & 4th Sun of month Mar-Oct or later; XKottbusser Tor, Schönleinstrasse) This flea market sets up twice-monthly along the scenic Landwehrkanal and delivers secondhand bargains galore along with handmade threads and jewellery.
RAW Flohmarkt (www.raw-flohmarkt-berlin.de; Revaler Strasse 99; h9am-5pm Sun; jM10, M13, bWarschauer Strasse, XWarschauer Strasse) Bargains abound at this smallish flea market right on the grounds of RAW Gelände, a former train repair station-turned-party village. It’s wonderfully free of professional sellers, meaning you’ll find everything from the proverbial kitchen sink to 1970s go-go boots. Bargains are plentiful, and street food and a beer garden provide handy post-shopping pit stops.
LGBT+ Berlin
Berlin’s legendary liberalism has spawned one of the world’s biggest, most divine and diverse LGBT+ playgrounds. Anything goes in ‘Homopolis’ (and we do mean anything!), from the highbrow to the hands-on, the bourgeois to the bizarre, the mainstream to the flamboyant. Except for the most hardcore places, gay spots get their share of opposite-sex and straight patrons.
Generally speaking, Berlin’s gayscape runs the entire spectrum from mellow cafes, campy bars and cinemas to saunas, cruising areas, clubs with darkrooms and all-out sex venues. In fact, sex and sexuality are entirely everyday matters to the unshockable city folks and there are very few, if any, itches that can’t be quite openly and legally scratched. As elsewhere, gay men have more options for having fun, but girls of all stripes won’t feel left out either.
8GETTING THERE & AWAY
AIR
Most visitors arrive in Berlin by air. Berlin’s new central airport, about 24km southeast of the city centre, is due for completion in 2020. Check www.berlin-airport.de for the latest. In the meantime, flights continue to land at the city’s Tegel (TXL; %030-6091 1150; www.berlin-airport.de; gFlughafen Tegel) and Schönefeld (SXF; %030-6091 1150; www.berlin-airport.de; dAirport-Express, RE7 & RB14, bS9, S45) airports.
BUS
Most long-haul buses arrive at the Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (ZOB, Central Bus Station; %030-3010 0175; www.zob-berlin.de; Messedamm 8; bMesse/ICC Nord, XKaiserdamm) near the trade fairgrounds on the western city edge. Some stop at Alexanderplatz or other points in town. The closest U-Bahn station to ZOB is Kaiserdamm, about 400m north and served by the U2 line, which travels to Zoologischer Garten in about eight minutes and to Alexanderplatz in 28 minutes.
TRAIN
Berlin’s Hauptbahnhof (Main Train Station; Europaplatz, Washingtonplatz; bHauptbahnhof, XHauptbahnhof) is in the heart of the city, just north of the Government Quarter and within walking distance of major sights and hotels. From here, the U-Bahn, the S-Bahn, trams and buses provide links to all parts of town. Taxi ranks are located outside the north exit (Europaplatz) and the south exit (Washingtonplatz).
8GETTING AROUND
Berlin’s extensive and efficient public transport system is operated by BVG (www.bvg.de) and consists of the U-Bahn (underground, or subway), the S-Bahn (light rail), buses and trams. For trip planning and general information, call the 24-hour hotline (%030-194 49) or check the website.
U-Bahn Most efficient way to travel; operates 4am to 12.30am and all night Friday, Saturday and public holidays. From Sunday to Thursday, half-hourly night buses take over in the interim.
S-Bahn Less frequent than U-Bahn trains but with fewer stops, and thus useful for longer distances. Same operating hours as the U-Bahn.
Bus Slow but useful for sightseeing on the cheap. Run frequently 4.30am to 12.30am; half-hourly night buses in the interim. MetroBuses (designated eg M1, M19) operate 24/7.
Tram Only in the eastern districts; MetroTrams (designated eg M1, M2) run 24/7.
Bicycle Bike lanes and rental stations abound; bikes allowed in specially marked U-Bahn and S-Bahn carriages.
Taxi Can be hailed, ordered by phone or picked up at ranks.
iWhere to Stay
Berlin offers the full gamut of places to unpack your suitcase – you can even sleep in a former bank, boat or factory, in the home of a silent-movie diva or in a ‘flying bed’.
| Neighbourhood | Atmosphere |
|---|---|
| Mitte | Close to major sights like Reichstag and Brandenburger Tor; great transport links; mostly high-end hotels; top restaurants; touristy, expensive, pretty dead at night. |
| Museumsinsel & Alexanderplatz | Supercentral sightseeing quarter; easy transport access; close to blockbuster sights and mainstream shopping; large and new hotels; noisy, busy and dusty thanks to major construction; hardly any nightlife. |
| Potsdamer Platz & Tiergarten | Urban flair in Berlin’s only high-rise quarter; cutting-edge architecture; high-end hotels; top museums; limited eating options; pricey. |
| Scheunenviertel | Hipster quarter; trendy, historic, central; brims with boutique and designer hotels; strong cafe scene; top galleries and plenty of street art; pricey, busy in daytime, noisy, no parking, touristy. |
| City West & Charlottenburg | Great shopping; ‘Old Berlin’ bars and top restaurants; best range of good-value lodging; historic B&Bs; far from key sights and nightlife. |
| Kreuzberg & Neukölln | Best for bar-hopping and clubbing; high vibe; great foodie scene; excellent street art; gritty, noisy and busy. |
| Friedrichshain | Student and young family quarter; bubbling nightlife; limited sleeping options; not so central; transport difficult in some areas. |
| Prenzlauer Berg | Charming residential area; lively cafe and restaurant scene; indie boutiques and Mauerpark flea market; limited late-night action. |