Top Ten Attractions
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Checkpoint Charlie
Between 1961 and 1990, the only crossing point for foreigners between East and West Berlin. A fascinating museum charts the struggles of those who tried to flee to freedom. http://www.mauermuseum.de/english
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The Berlin Wall
For the best view of the wall’s remnants, head down Charlottenstrasse and then west along Leipzigerstrasse. http://userpage.chemie.fu-berlin.de/BIW/wall
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The Reichstag
The German parliament building, an important and potent symbol for the German people. Reconstructed several times, the last occasion in the late ‘90s by the British architect, Norman Foster. The elliptical dome and viewing gallery can be visited: http://www.reichstag.de
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Brandenburg Gate
The only surviving city gate and a symbol of reunification, crowned by the Quadriga, the two-wheeled chariot drawn by four horses. The famous Unter den Linden boulevard leads up to it. www.berlin-tourist-information.de/cgi-bin/sehen...
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Berliner Dom
Like many buildings in Berlin, the cathedral needed extensive restoration after the ravages of the Second World War. It has a copper dome and richly-decorated interior. http://www.berliner-dom.de
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Charlottenburg Palace
The largest and most beautiful palace in Berlin. http://www.schlosscharlottenburg.de
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Berlin Zoo
The biggest in the world with more than 74 acres and 13,000 species of animal. http://www.berlin-tourist-information.de/cgi-bi...
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Kurfürstendamm
The locals call it Ku’damm. It’s the modern heart of the former West Berlin, a wide boulevard with cafes and shops, including the magnificent department store KaDeWe – Berlin’s answer to London’s Harrods.
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Kaiser-Wilhelm Church
One of the most famous landmarks in Berlin, rebuilt after extensive damage in the war. Surrounded by a lively collection of street traders, buskers and beggars. http://www.der-berliner.com/berlin/church
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Potsdamer Platz
A city within a city. A famous part of old Berlin completely transformed in the 1990s with several landmark towers, a shopping arcade, an entertainment centre and residential buildings. http://www.potsdamerplatz.de
Eating and Drinking
Berlin is a cosmopolitan city and thanks to its large immigrant population, you’ll find quite a United Nations of cuisines represented. Berlin has not traditionally had a reputation for great food or sophisticated restaurants, but a new generation of chefs – many of them trained overseas – ensure that the overall quality has improved. Berlin’s specialties are hearty meals such as Bouletten (meatballs), Eisbein mit Sauerkraut und Erbsenpuree (pork knuckle with sauerkraut and mushy peas) and Currywurst (curried sausage). Germany is, of course, famous for its beer and the choices here include Berliner Kindl, Schultheiss and Berliner Weisse. Many Berlin cafes change identity, chameleon-like, over the course of the day, starting as a breakfast place, then offering a small lunch menu, afternoon tea with cakes and then a restaurant/bar at night. Berlin is a paradise for snackers on the go, with German, Turkish, Greek, Middle Eastern, Italian and Chinese specialties at stalls throughout the city. Look for the sign Imbiss. Chances are you’ll find a Mc Donalds, too, if you look hard enough. At the other end of the scale, one of the top classic gourmet restaurants in Berlin is the Bamberger Reiter, but check before reserving that it accepts credit cards. A dining oddity is the Keller-Restaurant Im Brecht-Haus-Berlin, a restaurant in the house where the famed writer, Bertolt Brecht, lived from 1953-1956. There’s traditional south German and Austrian food to eat and memorabilia from Brecht’s life to peruse.
Shopping
Berlin’s decentralised character is also reflected in its lack of a single, clearly defined shopping artery like London’s Oxford Street or New York’s Fifth Avenue. Rather, each district comes with its own individual flavour that reflects the neighbourhood. For mainstream clothing, for instance, head for Charlottenburg. Mitte has lots of art galleries and high fashion in the Friedrichsstadtpassagen. The Potsdamer Platz Arkaden (also known as the Europacenter) is an excellent American-style shopping mall with a great selection. One shopping experience not to be missed is a visit to the amazing seven-floor department store that is KaDeWe. It sells just about everything and the food hall on the 6th floor is legendary, offering serious competition to the one at Harrods in London. A trendy area also worth a visit is the Hackesche Hof, a series of nine inter-connecting courtyards with art galleries, shops, restaurants and bars. Berlin’s many flea markets are treasure-troves of memorabilia, typical Berlin curiosities, bric-a-brac, antiques and eccentric clothing . Here are a few: Strasse des 17 Juni (Charlottenburg); Boxhagener Platz (Friedrichhain); Moritzplatz (Kreuzberg) and Flohmarkt am Arkonaplatz (Mitte). Happy bargaining! For a comprehensive guide to shopping in Berlin, see www.berlin-tourist-information.de/english/...
Night Life
Berlin has a reputation for unbridled and very late nightlife and it takes on different characteristics depending on the district. Clubs don’t start filling up until midnight and there are no licensing hours so parties often go on until sunrise. The Techno movement was born in Berlin and this musical style continues to be the mainstay at many clubs. Techno is now so mainstream that you can even hear it coming from speakers in German supermarkets. If you put a pin for every club on a map of Berlin, the biggest cluster would be in the eastern districts of Mitte, Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg. But there are many alternatives to the Techno beat – swing and tango have become popular, for instance; there’s jazz, funk and soul. To help you find your way around Berlin’s huge selection of clubs and bars, find a good Listings magazine: Zitty and Tip, both bi-weekly, are full of insider tips and colourful articles that capture the constantly-evolving Berlin Zeitgeist. There’s also a very good nightlife guide at www.berlin-tourist-information.de/english/.... And by the way, Berlin has the biggest and most happening gay and lesbian scene in Germany.
