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Germany : Berlin - January 2009 Country Code: Dial ++49 for Germany
The German capital always has
plenty to offer, even in the dead of
winter. Berlin may be shrouded in
grim weather with limited
daylight, but inside its pubs and
clubs, the city lives on. There are
loads of concerts taking place all
over the city, including Tina Turner
at the O2 World arena on 26 and 27
January. René Blixer reports
Getting around
Tempelhof Airport is located in the southcentral borough of Tempelhof- Schöneberg.
Train: The airport
is connected to
the city centre by
U-Bahn line 6, which
can be picked up
from Platz der
Luftbrücke station.
The journey takes
10 to 15 minutes and
tickets cost €2,10. Taxi: The trip into
the city centre takes
around 15 minutes
and costs about €12. Tourist information: There are offices at
the Brandenburg
Gate and the main
railway station
(tel. (0)30 250025,
visitberlin.de).
KREUZBERG
Those searching for a less polished
Berlin feel right at home in Kreuzberg.
From gritty Schlesisches Tor to quaint
Bergmannstraße, this district has it all.
Shop til you drop – Enter secondhand
heaven with the huge selection of
used and vintage clothing at Colours
(Bergmannstraße). It’s sold by the kilo,
so knock yourself out on brightly
coloured shirts and dresses.
Dance the night away – One of
Berlin’s top places to catch a good
show, Lido (7 Cuvrystraße) is also host
to its fair share of dance parties.
Must drink – On one of the hippest
streets in Kreuzberg, Wendel (42
Schlesische Straße) has live music, art
and an excellent choice of organic beer.
Culture vultures – The exhibition at the
Schwules Museum (61 Mehringdamm,
schwules museum.de) traces 200 years
of gay and lesbian experiences.
Sleep soundly – Hostel X Berger is a good place
for bargain hunters to crash.
Must eat – You may not be able to
travel to Rio and drink Caipirinha with
the locals, but you can come pretty close
at Café do Brasil (72 Mehringdamm,
tel. (0)30 7800 6887). The café serves
up a mean version of Berlin’s favourite
drink as well as the city’s favourite
Sunday tradition: brunch.
PRENZLAUER BERG
Berlin’s trendiest district is ageing a
bit, as stroller-wielding young families
navigate around hip tourists. But the
stores are still quirky and the café-toperson
ratio still mind-bogglingly high.
Shop til you drop – Among the first to
start the ‘purchase
what you see in the café’ trend, Kauf Dich Glücklich
(44 Oderberger Straße) has a split
personality. Is it a cosy café or a cute
second-hand store?
Dance the night away – Magnet
(212/213 Greifswalder Straße) hosts
both live acts and DJs. The crowd is as
varied as the music and somehow every
night here turns into a crazy party.
Maybe it’s the drink specials.
Must drink – Tucked away from the
madness at Eberswalder Straße, grungy
Intersoup (31 Schliemannstraße)
specialises in tasty cocktails
and homemade soup.
Must eat – East Berlin’s most famous
currywurst (sausage in curry sauce)
stand, Konnopke’s Imbiss (44a
Schönhauser Allee) can be found under
the elevated tracks at the Eberswalder
Straße station.
Sleep soundly – Offering nice rooms
at budget prices, Meininger City
Hostel & Hotel is located on a quiet corner
just minutes away from the action.
FRIEDRICHSHAIN
Alternative Berliners have been
moving out of the central districts to
escape the gentrification, but easterly
Friedrichshain remains relatively punk
and yuppie-free. However, with the
opening of new crowd-drawing venues,
that atmosphere probably won’t last.
Dance the night away – If you
want to avoid the queue
outside megaclub
Berghain, head
straight for
Rosi’s (29 Revaler
Straße) instead.
Must drink – Goldfisch (67
Grünberger Staße) is cosier than most
of Berlin’s fashionable lounge bars,
substituting as it does try-hard glamour
for a warmly decorated interior and
plenty of cocktails.
Must eat – Treat yourself to a meal fit
for Prussian aristocracy at Die Turnhalle
(6-9 Holteistraße, tel. (0) 30 2936 4816).
Try the Schnitzel or the weekend brunch.
Culture vultures – Amid a lot of
protests and controversy, O2 World (12-
30 Mühlenstraße, o2world.de) opened
its giant doors last year and has been
trying to win Berliners’ hearts by putting
on superstar-studded shows and
various sporting events.
Sleep soundly – Gaze at the longest
remaining stretch of the Berlin wall from
the East-Side Hotel.
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