Kurfürstendamm
The glittering heart of West Berlin during the Cold War, Kurfürstendamm (aka Ku’damm) is nirvana for shopaholics, with fashionable boutiques mixing it up with high-street chains and department stores, including the famous KaDeWe. Venture off the boulevard to sample the area’s bourgeois charms, reflected in its palatial townhouses, distinctive shops, neighbourhood-adored restaurants and snazzy bars and Old Berlin-style pubs.
The Sights in a Day
MThere will be a lot of walking today, so gather some strength with a bountiful breakfast at Café-Restaurant Wintergarten im Literaturhaus, a darling neighbourhood cafe. Thus fortified, get the scoop on Berlin’s tumultuous past at the Story of Berlin, then launch an extended shopping spree down the boulevard, perhaps pausing to ponder the futility of war at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche. Check out the snazzy concept mall Bikini Berlin, then swing down to the grand department store KaDeWe for a late lunch in the glorious food hall.
RDo a bit more shopping if you must, or make your way to the Museum für Fotografie to look at Helmut Newton’s nudes and whatever else is on view. Now it’s practically beer-o’clock and the tables at Dicke Wirtin are singing their siren song.
NA fine place for dinner is Restaurant am Steinplatz or, if you’re in the mood for authentic Chinese, Good Friends. Alternatively, catch a show and a bite in the stunning mirrored tent of Bar Jeder Vernunft.
x Best of Berlin
Shopping
Music & Performance
Eating
Bars
Museums
Clubs
Getting There
g Bus The M19, M29 and X10 travel along Kurfürstendamm.
S-Bahn Zoologischer Garten is the most central station.
U-Bahn The U1 stations Uhlandstrasse, Kurfürstendamm and Wittenbergplatz put you right into shopping central.
Sights
1Kaiser-Wilhelm-GedächtniskircheCHURCH
The bombed-out tower of this landmark church, consecrated in 1895, serves as an antiwar memorial, standing quiet and dignified amid the roaring traffic. The adjacent octagonal hall of worship, added in 1961, has amazing midnight-blue glass walls and a giant 'floating' Jesus.
(Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church; 
%030-218 5023; www.gedaechtniskirche.com; Breitscheidplatz; 
hchurch 9am-7pm, memorial hall 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5.30pm Sat, noon-5.30pm Sun; g100, 
bZoologischer Garten, Kurfürstendamm, 
dZoologischer Garten)
1Zoo BerlinZOO
Berlin's zoo holds a triple record as Germany's oldest, most species-rich and most popular animal park. It was established in 1844 under King Friedrich Wilhelm IV, who not only donated the land but also pheasants and other animals from the royal family's private reserve on the Pfaueninsel. The menagerie includes 20,000 critters representing 1500 species, including orangutans, koalas, rhinos, giraffes and penguins.
(%030-254 010; www.zoo-berlin.de; Hardenbergplatz 8; adult/child €13/6.50, with aquarium €20/10; h9am-6.30pm mid-Mar–Oct, 9am-5pm Nov–mid-Mar; g100, 200, bZoologischer Garten, dZoologischer Garten)
1Museum für FotografieMUSEUM
The artistic legacy of Helmut Newton (1920–2004), the Berlin-born enfant terrible of fashion and lifestyle photography, is given centre stage at Berlin's Photography Museum in a converted Prussian officers’ casino behind Bahnhof Zoo. On the top floor, the gloriously restored barrel-vaulted Kaisersaal (Emperor’s Hall) forms a grand backdrop for changing high-calibre photography exhibits drawn from the archive of the State Art Library.
(%030-266 424 242; www.smb.museum/mf; Jebensstrasse 2; adult/concession €10/5; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri, 10am-8pm Thu, 11am-6pm Sat & Sun; bZoologischer Garten, dZoologischer Garten)
1Käthe-Kollwitz-MuseumMUSEUM
This exquisite museum is devoted to the artist Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945), whose social and political awareness lent a tortured power to her lithographs, graphics, woodcuts, sculptures and drawings. Highlights include the antihunger lithography Brot! (Bread!; 1924) and the woodcut series Krieg (War; 1922–23).
(%030-882 5210; www.kaethe-kollwitz.de; Fasanenstrasse 24; adult/concession €6/3, audioguide €3; h11am-6pm; bUhlandstrasse)
1Story of BerlinMUSEUM
This multimedia museum breaks down 800 years of Berlin history into bite-size chunks that are easy to swallow but substantial enough to be satisfying. Each of the 23 rooms uses sound, light, technology and original objects to zero in on a specific theme or epoch in the city's history, from its founding in 1237 to the fall of the Berlin Wall. A creepily fascinating highlight is a tour (also in English) of a still functional atomic bunker beneath the building.
(%030-8872 0100; www.story-of-berlin.de; Kurfürstendamm 207-208, enter via Ku’damm Karree mall; adult/concession €12/9; h10am-8pm, last admission 6pm; bUhlandstrasse)
1Aquarium BerlinAQUARIUM
Three floors of exotic fish, amphibians and reptiles await at this endearingly old-fashioned aquarium with its darkened halls and glowing tanks. Some of the specimens in the famous Crocodile Hall could be the stuff of nightmares, but dancing jellyfish, iridescent poison frogs and a real-life ‘Nemo’ should bring smiles to even the most PlayStation-jaded youngster.
(%030-254 010; www.aquarium-berlin.de; Budapester Strasse 32; adult/child €13/6.50, with zoo €20/10; h9am-6pm; bZoologischer Garten, dZoologischer Garten)
UnderstandC/O Reloaded
Displaced from its last location in a grand old postal centre on Oranienburger Strasse in Mitte, the nonprofit C/O Berlin (
GOOGLE MAP
; %030-284 441 662; www.co-berlin.org; Hardenbergstrasse 22-24; adult/concession/under 18 €10/5/free; h11am-8pm; bZoologischer Garten, dZoologischer Garten), the city’s most popular exhibition space for international photography, joined the westward migration and set up shop in the historic Amerika Haus near Zoo Station. The Amerika Haus was built in 1956–57 as part of the Interbau building exposition and served as a US culture and information centre, with a library, cinema and exhibition spaces. After the 1960s and ‘70s, when the building was pelted with eggs and rotten fruit during the anti–Vietnam War student protests, it became less and less accessible, turning into a virtual fortress after 9/11 and eventually closing down in September 2006. Plans to open a West Berlin museum here were ditched in favour of giving C/O a shiny new space.
Eating
5Restaurant am SteinplatzGERMAN€€€
The 1920s gets a 21st-century makeover both in the kitchen and the decor at this stylish outpost. The dining room is anchored by an open kitchen where veteran chef Marcus Zimmer uses mostly regional products to execute classic Berlin recipes. Even rustic beer-hall dishes such as Eisbein (boiled pork knuckle) are imaginatively reinterpreted and beautifully plated.
(%030-554 4440; www.marriott.de; Steinplatz 4; mains €17-26, 3-/4-course dinner €39/49; hnoon-2.30pm & 6.30-10.30pm; gM45, bErnst-Reuter-Platz, Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten, dBahnhof Zoologischer Garten)
5Café-Restaurant Wintergarten im LiteraturhausINTERNATIONAL€€
The hustle and bustle of Ku’damm is only a block away from this genteel art nouveau villa with attached literary salon and bookstore. Tuck into seasonal bistro cuisine amid elegant Old Berlin flair in the gracefully stucco-ornamented rooms or, if weather permits, in the idyllic garden. Breakfast is served until 2pm.
(%030-882 5414; www.literaturhaus-berlin.de/wintergarten-cafe-restaurant.html; Fasanenstrasse 23; mains €8-16; h9am-midnight; bUhlandstrasse)
5NeniINTERNATIONAL€€
Despite the hype, the food is actually quite good at this 10th-floor dining hall at the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin. Enjoy the view while picking from a menu influenced by the cuisines of Israel, Persia, Russia and Arabian and Mediterranean countries. The hummus is reported to be the best in town.
(%030-120 221 200; www.neni.at/berlin; Budapester Strasse 40; mains €6-26; hnoon-11pm Mon-Fri, 12.30-11pm Sat & Sun; g100, 200, bBahnhof Zoologischer Garten, dBahnhof Zoologischer Garten)
5Good FriendsCHINESE€€
Good Friends is widely considered Berlin's best and most authentic Chinese restaurant. The ducks dangling in the window are the overture to a menu long enough to confuse Confucius. If jellyfish with eggs or fried pork belly prove too challenging, you can always fall back on lemon chicken or king prawn curry.
(%030-313 2659; www.goodfriends-berlin.de; Kantstrasse 30; mains €7-32; hnoon-1am; dSavignyplatz)
5Bier's Kudamm 195GERMAN€
This snazzy sausage parlour satisfies the proletarian hunger pangs of deep-pocketed locals, including – if the photographs are anything to go by – the occasional celeb. The truly decadent wash down their Currywurst with a small bottle of Champagne (€23).
(%030-881 8942; Kurfürstendamm 195; Currywurst €2.50; h11am-5am Mon-Thu, 11am-6am Fri & Sat, noon-5pm Sun; 
XUhlandstrasse)
5Dicke WirtinGERMAN€€
Old Berlin charm oozes from every nook and cranny of this been-here-forever pub which pours eight draught beers (including the superb Kloster Andechs) and nearly three dozen homemade schnapps varieties. Hearty local fare like roast pork, fried liver or breaded schnitzel keeps brains balanced. Bargain lunches.
(%030-312 4952; www.dicke-wirtin.de; Carmerstrasse 9; mains €6-16.50; h11am-late; dSavignyplatz)
UnderstandBerlin in the ‘Golden’ Twenties
The 1920s began as anything but golden, marked by a lost war, social and political instability, hyperinflation, hunger and disease. Many Berliners responded by behaving like there was no tomorrow and made their city as much a den of decadence as a cauldron of creativity. Cabaret, Dada and jazz flourished. Pleasure pits popped up everywhere, turning the city into a ‘sextropolis’ of Dionysian dimensions. Bursting with energy, it became a laboratory for anything new and modern, drawing giants of architecture (Hans Scharoun, Walter Gropius), fine arts (George Grosz, Max Beckmann) and literature (Bertolt Brecht, Christopher Isherwood).
Cafes & Cabaret
Cabarets provided a titillating fantasy of play and display where transvestites, singers, magicians, dancers and other entertainers made audiences forget the harsh realities. Kurfürstendamm evolved into a major nightlife hub with glamorous cinemas, theatres and restaurants. The Romanisches Café, on the site of today’s Europa Center, was practically the second living room for artists, actors, writers, photographers, film producers and other creative types, some famous, most not. German writer Erich Kästner even called it the ‘waiting room of the talented’.
Celluloid History
The 1920s and early ‘30s were also a boom time for Berlin cinema, with Marlene Dietrich seducing the world and the mighty UFA studio producing virtually all of Germany’s celluloid output. Fritz Lang, whose seminal works Metropolis (1926) and M (1931) brought him international fame, was among the dominant filmmakers.
The Crash
The fun came to an instant end when the US stock market crashed in 1929, plunging the world into economic depression. Within weeks, half a million Berliners were jobless, and riots and demonstrations again ruled the streets. The volatile, increasingly polarised political climate led to clashes between communists and the emerging NSDAP (Nazi Party), led by Adolf Hitler. Soon jackboots, Brownshirts, oppression and fear would dominate daily life in Germany.
Drinking
6Monkey BarBAR
On the 10th floor of the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin, this ‘urban jungle’ hotspot delivers fabulous views of the city and the Berlin Zoo – in summer from a sweeping terrace. Drinks-wise, the list gives prominent nods to tiki concoctions and gin-based cocktail sorcery. The Tiki Reviver, made with apricot brandy and homemade nutmeg syrup, is a signature drink.
(%030-120 221 210; www.25hours-hotel.com; Budapester Strasse 40; hnoon-1am Sun-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat; 
W; g100, 200, bBahnhof Zoologischer Garten, dBahnhof Zoologischer Garten)
6PearlCLUB
This new bauble in Berlin's necklace of party spots has injected some sass into the once fairly sleepy western city centre. Office jockeys invade on Thursdays for the after-work party, Fridays are big with wrinkle-free hip-hop hipsters, while dolled-up weekend warriors bust a move beneath the feathery LED light installation on Saturdays.
(%030-3151 8890; www.thepearl-berlin.com; Fasanenstrasse 81; hfrom 6pm Thu, from 9pm Fri & Sat; gM49, bBahnhof Zoologischer Garten, dBahnhof Zoologischer Garten)
Local Life‘Little Asia’
It’s not quite Chinatown, but if you’re in the mood for Asian food simply head to Kantstrasse between Savignyplatz and Wilmersdorfer Strasse, which has the city’s greatest concentration of Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and Japanese restaurants, shops and soup kitchens. At lunchtime, most offer value-priced lunch specials.
Entertainment
3Bar Jeder VernunftCABARET
Life’s still a cabaret at this intimate 1912 mirrored tent with playful art nouveau decor, which puts on sophisticated song-and-dance shows, comedy and chanson evenings nightly. Seating is in upholstered booths or at little tables. From the U-Bahn station, follow Meierottostrasse for 200m, turn right on Schaperstrasse and continue for another 100m. The entrance is behind the parking lot.
(%030-883 1582; www.bar-jeder-vernunft.de; Schaperstrasse 24; bSpichernstrasse)
3A-TraneJAZZ
Herbie Hancock and Diana Krall have anointed the stage of this intimate jazz club, but mostly it’s emerging talent bringing their A-game to the A-Trane. Entry is free on Monday when local boy Andreas Schmidt shows off his skills, and after midnight on Saturday for the late-night jam session.
(%030-313 2550; www.a-trane.de; Bleibtreustrasse 1; h8pm-1am Sun-Thu, 8pm-late Fri & Sat; dSavignyplatz)
Shopping
7KaDeWeDEPARTMENT STORE
Just past the centennial mark, this venerable department store has 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). It's right outside U-Bahn station Wittenbergplatz.
(%030-212 10; www.kadewe.de; Tauentzienstrasse 21-24; h10am-8pm Mon-Thu, 10am-9pm Fri, 9.30am-8pm Sat; bWittenbergplatz)
7Käthe WohlfahrtHANDICRAFTS
With its mind-boggling assortment of traditional German Yuletide decorations and ornaments, this shop lets you celebrate Christmas year-round. It's accessed via a ramp that spirals around an 8m-high Christmas tree.
(%09861-4090; http://wohlfahrt.com/en/christmas-stores/berlin; Kurfürstendamm 225-226; h10am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-8pm Sat, 1-6pm Sun; bKurfürstendamm)
Local LifeBerlin's 'Sexy' New Mall
Germany’s first concept mall, Bikini Berlin (
GOOGLE MAP
; www.bikiniberlin.de; Budapester Strasse 38-50; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat; g100, 200, bZoologischer Garten, dZoologischer Garten), opened in 2014 in a spectacularly rehabilitated 1950s architectural icon nicknamed ‘Bikini’ because of its design: 200m-long upper and lower sections separated by an open floor. It's the domain of urban boutiques stocked with edgy fashion, design, tech gadgets and accessories, many made in Berlin. Even if shopping leaves you cold, come for the industrial-flavoured interior and front-row views of the monkey enclosure of the Berlin Zoo.