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Germany : Berlin - April 2008

Country Code: Dial for Germany

The Germans call it Berliner Luft (Berlin air) – that special sense of freedom and possibility found only in Berlin, especially come spring. And it’s a feeling not lost on the artists and musicians who’ve made it their home, transforming the city into Europe’s most vibrant creative hub. René Blixer gets excited

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 (0025, visitberlin.de).

MITTE

Formerly the seat of communist East Germany’s government, Mitte has it all – the sights, the shopping, the nightlife. You could spend your entire stay here and not get bored.

Sleep soundly – Try the centrally located Honigmond, one of the cosiest boltholes in Berlin. Rooms here are rustic, and undeniably charming.

Culture vultures – The Berlin branch of the New York museum, Deutsche Guggenheim (13-15 Unter den Linden) stages some of the city’s most cutting-edge contemporary exhibitions.

Must eat – Dolores (7 Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse, tel. ) serves the best burritos this side of the Atlantic. Susuru (17 Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse, tel. , ) is a stylish Japanese noodle bar, ideal for a light dinner.

Must drink – Perfect after a busy afternoon of gallery hopping, low-key café-bar Strandbad Mitte (16 Kleine Hamburger Strasse) does Berlin’s best frozen margaritas.

Dance the night away – You’ll hear hip-hop, soul and reggae at Bohannon (40 Dircksenstrasse), an intimate basement club near Hackescher Markt.

Shop til you drop – The streets around Weinmeisterstrasse underground station are packed with fashionable boutiques, such as Berlin sunglasses designer ic! berlin (17 Max-Beer-Strasse). Pick up Spanish shoes at Camper (11 Neue Schönhauser Strasse).

POTSDAMER PLATZ

This bustling downtown district is built where the Berlin Wall once stood.

Sleep soundly – There’s only one place if money’s no object: The Ritz-Carlton.

Culture vultures – Uncover German cinema’s fascinating history at the Film Museum (2 Potsdamer Strasse).

Must eat – Moreno Carusi (15 Leipziger Platz, tel. ) does impeccable Italian cuisine.

Must drink – Perfect for a post-movie tipple, Billy Wilder’s (2 Potsdamer Strasse) is classy but unpretentious, and attracts a slightly more mature crowd.

Dance the night away – For upfront house and a bird’s-eye view of central Berlin, head straight to 40 seconds (58 Potsdamer Strasse).

Shop til you drop – The excellent bookshop at Martin-Gropius-Bau (7 Niederkirchnerstrasse) stocks a huge collection of art books and is also good for buying souvenirs.

KREUZBERG

Formerly on the fringes of West Berlin, multicultural Kreuzberg has always been slightly left field. And now that the hype surrounding former East Berlin has subsided, it’s enjoying a bit of a revival.

Sleep soundly – If you’ve come to Berlin for the nightlife, Die Fabrik is ideally situated near Schlesisches Tor – an area full of bars and clubs. What’s more, the hot water in the hotel is solar-powered.

Culture vultures – Berlinische Galerie (124-128 Alte Jakobstrasse) houses an extensive collection of work by Berlin artists, which spans the past century.

Must eat – Kirk Royal (45 Paul-Lincke-Ufer, tel. ) is a new, high-end restaurant that comes with a cosy smokers’ lounge attached. Make sure you try its fabulous French steaks and gorgeous seafood.

Dance the night away – Set right on the riverside, Watergate’s (49 Falckensteinstrasse) dancefloor overlooks the Spree river, where floor-to-ceiling windows create an infinity pool-like effect. DJs here spin techno, electro and drum and bass, every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Shop til you drop – Kreuzberg’s main strip Oranienstrasse is lined with loads of independent shops selling everything from natural cosmetics at Rote Lippen (12 Oranienstrasse) to cowboy boots at Saloon Boots (4 Oranienstrasse). You can pick up rare punk and hardcore records at Core-Tex (3 Oranienstrasse).

Compiled by René Blixer