Curso24_berlincolour

The essential young people’s guide to Berlin

Contents Introduction

page 5

Tips and Practicalities

page 6

Itineraries

page 9

History

page 10

Museums

page 16

The Arts

page 25

Food and Drink

page 34

Shopping

page 40

Sport

page 47

Nightlife

page 51

Hostels

page 55

Meet The Team

page 59

„Berlin combines the culture of New York, the traffic system of Tokyo, the nature of Seattle and the history of, well, Berlin“ Hiroshi Motomura UCLA Law Professor, 2004

BERLINCOLOUR... Spend a few days in Berlin and you will have seen all the important sights- the Brandenburger Tor, the Berlin Wall, Museum Island. You will have had a meal of Currywurst, and sampled some of Germany’s excellent beer. You may even have learnt a word or two in the local language. Stay a bit longer and you will discover Berlin in all its colours. The squats filled with graffiti street art at its best. The underground bars that play eclectic mixes of music fuelled by strange concoctions. Meeting people from all over the world and tasting their delicacies in roadside vans. You will become ‘Berliner’ in your actions. Avoiding smelly old men with their sinister-looking dogs trawling the streets for discarded empty bottles. Chilling in parks with 60 cent beer in the Berlin sunshine. Jumping on old-school bicycles and cycling around the city centre in your socks and sandals. There is so much to do in Berlin that however long you stay it will not seem sufficient. This guide endeavours to show you some of the best and most economical ways to get the most out of your stay in Berlin. Some are tourist Meccas, others are a bit left of the centre; all make Berlin what it is now. So throw yourself into the people, the music, the food; the experience that is Berlin. Prost!

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Ich bin in Berlin! Berlin can be a perplexing place for the newly arrived tourist. The train system does very little to orientate one in a city that spreads and sprawls in every direction, and after a few pints of Berliner Pils, the scrambled map does not become any clearer. As with any city, travel guides generally lead you to the heavily touristy areas, where vendors rub their hands in glee as they attempt to take down the next map-wielding, poncho-wearing foreigner. So here are a few tips and hints for a smooth transition into Berlin life. Soon enough you’ll be changing from the S-Bahn to the U-Bahn like a pro and leading other people from your hostel to the coolest, underground German bar around for a round of Berlinerweiße and a late night snack of Currywurst.

The East Side Gallery- one of the many free things to do in Berlin.

Cash strapped backpackers read here!

Let’s face it, things are always better when they are free. Berlin has plenty to offer those on a tight budget or no budget at all.

Five things you must do in Berlin

The Brandenberger Tor, Berlin’s signature statue, is seen on everything from bank notes to trains. It is a symbol of defiance, strength and unity, and a must see on any Berlin tourists itinerary. (Page 11) The East Side Gallery is a portion of the Berlin Wall painted by graffiti artists from all over the world. (Page 30) The Reichstag. See where German Parliament sits and walk up the dome to witness the Berlin cityscape. (Page 15) Sachenhausen, a concentration camp used in World War II, is one of the last physical remnants of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany in Berlin, and a harrowing reminder of its omnipresent past. (Page 13) Tacheles, a squat that young creative Berliners turned into a graffiti art haven. (Page 28) Small art galleries along Auguststraße. They are different, they are certainly individual, and they are very Berlin. (Page 25) Some museums are free on particular days, such as Thursday evenings after 6pm. The Topography of Terror is a worthwhile exhibit created to face and accept the atrocities that this city has witnessed. (Page 13)

1. Take a walking tour. Best to go early in your stay. The guides are generally very knowledgeable and humourous, and it’s a great way to see the city and the important sights, get your bearings and learn a lot. 2. Go on a kebab bender. 3. Buy a 60 cent Sternberg beer and get yourself down to Treptower Park on a lazy sunny afternoon. Take your frisbee for extra fun. 4. Go out at night without a plan and find yourself at some crazy nameless pub, where you end up dancing to Nena ’99 Luftballons,’ followed by a good quality Russian jig, with a whole bunch of new friends. 5. Trace the Berlin Wall. You can hardly come to Berlin without getting in touch with its dramatic and tumultuous history. See the History Section for more information on where to discover the divisive past of this city.

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DOs and DO NOTs DO watch out for oldschool bikes screaming down the streets at 70km an hour. They do not stop for pedestrians and seem to relish in your fear, so it’s up to you to avoid a collision. DO be prepared when purchasing goods at Lidl or other discount supermarkets. The cashiers move at an unearthly speed and do not appreciate those who dawdle, so have your re-useable bags out and your change ready.

Do not miss sights like the Berliner Dom

DO NOT J-walk or cross the road at traffic lights when the little fat Ampelmann is red. Brazenly dashing across roads like you would in Paris or London is socially unacceptable in Berlin, especially in front of children, so to avoid getting yelled at in German in the middle of a road, wait for the green.

DO keep your empty bottles. Most bottles can be returned to the vendor for at least 20 cents, although you may have to protect them from scavengers who will offer to take them off your hands for you.

DO NOT put money in the middle of a table when paying at a bar or cafe. They usually prefer if you pay separately too.

DO try a variety of kebabs, beer, Wurst, absinthe and pastries. Berlin has loads of cheap and good quality food and drink, and every now and then you’ll come across something that will change your life.

DO NOT expect to get into the premier clubs in Berlin like Watergate. The queues are long, the clientele exclusive, so bouncers are looking for any reason to deny you entry. If you do decide to give it a go, dress up, try not to scream ‘tourist,’ and know who the DJ is, and you might just get in.

DO try to speak the language. In Berlin, the majority of people do speak some English but, like most countries, natives will be kinder to you if you at least try a bit of German to start off with.

DO NOT light up cigarettes in public areas unless other people are smoking. There is an official smoking ban in public areas in Berlin although it is rarely adhered to. But to avoid trouble, follow the locals and ask before smoking indoors. DO NOT fare evade on the train. The ticket inspectors do not have the best sense of humour and pulling the ‘I don’t speak German’ is not going to get you out of a fine as the directions are written in English too. Best to just buy a ticket. DO NOT use hostel internet if possible. Internet cafes are ridiculously cheap here, so it is fiscally sounder to go to your local net cafe and pay 50 cents an hour, rather than 2€ for 20 minutes which is the going rate at most hostels.. Currywurst- a ‘do’ when it comes to eating in Berlin!

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Getting Around

Train

The train system in Berlin makes this giant city quite accessible. There’s two systems- the S-Bahn (urban rail) and the U-Bahn (metro). The U-Bahn opens at 4am, and closes at 1.30am. The S-bahn and U-Bahn are open all night on Friday and Saturday night. There are also trams in the east of Berlin and a healthy supply of buses. Trams and buses usually run every ten minutes in the city centre, and some run all night. Zones A and B will get you most places in Berlin unless going to Schonefeld Airport. Fares to use all public transport systems are: Adult 2 Hours: 2.10€ Adult Daily: 12€ Adult Weekly: 44€

Bicycles:

Berliners love their bikes, and biking is a terrific way to see the city. So if you are feeling energetic, don the lycra and rent a bike! There are lots of bike stores that will rent you a bike for 8€ to 12€ a day, and discounts often occur if you rent it for subsequent days. There are also some bicycles that you can just pick up on the side of the road, ride around to your heart’s content and then leave the bike wherever you finish up as it has a tracking device implanted in it. All you do is call the number on the bicycle, pay the fee for the day via credit card over the phone, and then get the code to unlock it.

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Itinerary

on Oranienburgerstraße. Day 3 If it’s a Tuesday or a Friday, start off the day at Kreuzberg’s Turkish Market. From here you can walk to the East Side Gallery and take in the colours of the graffitied wall remnants. From here it’s a five minute walk to the S-Bahn where you can jump on a train to Treptower Park- take a picnic for lunch, some bevvies and a frisbee! Check out the large Soviet Memorial whilst you’re here. Then head around the river, past a large sculpture in the river of three men moving in to an embrace, and end up for some drinks at the very cool barge bar Club Divisionair (Page 54) Day 4 Today, walk along Auguststraße taking in all the small art galleries around this area (Page 26). Walk until you end up at Tacheles to see Berlin at its creative best (Page 28). Spend the afternoon relaxing at a Turkish Shisha bar in Oranienburgerstraße if you will. Then, for dinner, go to Mehringdamm Strasse U-Bahn station because the three men at Mustafa’s Kebab Van make the best kebabs in the world. Get your dancing shoes on and Russian jig the night away at Kaffee Burger (Page 53).

Berliners and tourists relaxing on the grass in front of the Altes Museum

Four days in Berlin Day 1 First, visit the Reichstag, one of Berlin’s most popular sites for visitors but worth the queues (Page 15). Next head to the Brandenburg Gate (Page 11) for a cheesy but necessary tourist photo on your way to the Holocaust Memorial (Page 29). From here you can work your way up to Potsdamer Platz and down Stressmannstraße to the Topography Terror exhibition (Page 13), and if you’ve got any energy left, head to Checkpoint Charlie and check out the museum – this is best to do in the evenings to avoid the crowds and the children on school tours (Page 14) Day 2 Alexanderplatz has a long history in Berlin and is a good place to do some wandering around and take some snapshots of the Fernsehturm (Page 14), one of the city’s most famous landmarks. From here you are only a short walk away from Museuminsel (Page 17.), where you can enjoy the museums or the sprawling lawn in front of Altes Museum. Next head to Beckers Fritten for some famous chips with special sauce (Page 36), before checking out some of the bars and clubs

East Side Gallery

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History

The defining event of Berlin’s modern history- the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989

Berlin is a city defined by its history. The people, sights and personality of this city have all been deeply influenced by those that have come before, and the fun-loving, active slant on life which is the hallmark of Berliners is a reflection of Berlin’s and Germany’s history. This section is based around one question- which place is the best reflection of each period in Berlin’s history? A not-bad place to start is the Deutsches Historisches Museum; www.dhm.de; U-Bahn Hausvogteiplatz; 5€ (U18s free); 10-18:00 daily). Whilst a museum devoted to German, and not specifically Berlin’s, history, this modern museum is a great way to get a historical overview and tell your Fredrick the Great from your Fernsehturm. Apart from the fact that the entrance to the exhibition isn’t signposted (it’s up the stairs to the left as you come in), the history of Germany is told from a modern standpoint, with interactive exhibits and plenty to see. All in all, it makes a refreshing change from the kind of museum which thinks that a board on a wall which hasn’t been changed since 1960 is a good way to tell history.

Nikolaikirche (U-Bahn Klosterstraße; 10-18:00 Tue-Sun, 12-20:00 Wed BUT closed for restoration until Summer 2009). The area should be described as the ‘medieval’ quarter, having been largely obliterated during the Second World War, and only rebuilt in the 1970s. This leads to the somewhat unlikely architectural marriage of traditional German streets and communist concrete blocks, which works better than you might think. The area is now home to a series of expensive but pleasant touristy cafes, those up against the Spree River being particularly popular. But it’s the small size of the Nikolaiviertel which brings home just how unlikely it was that this little collection of streets would become one of Europe’s great metropolises. Another medieval church you could try is: Marienkirche (www.marienkirche-berlin.de; U-Bahn Alexanderplatz; admission free; daily 10-21:00)- a 14th century church, incongruously set amongst the socialist architecture of Alexanderplatz.

Medieval Free Town Berlin was a relative latecomer by the standards of world cities, springing up out of the bewildering mess that was the hundreds of independent states in Germany in the Middle Ages. As a consequence, the medieval area of Berlin, the Nikolaiviertel, is extremely small, just a few streets clustered around the 13th century

Marienkirche in Alexanderplatz

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Royal Capital Berlin’s expansion into a major European city was thanks to the ambitions of the Kings of Prussia. The city was turned into the centre of one of the most aggressive states in Europe, built by monarchs keen to prove that they were as good at building stuff as they were at knocking it down. The most famous and iconic product of this period was the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate; S-Bahn Unter den Linden, U-Bahn Potsdamer Platz), a grand triumphal arch meant for the victorious Prussian armies to parade under the bronze statue of peace. Unfortunately the first victorious army to parade under it was Napoleon’s French army, who nicked the chariot and took it back to Paris for eight years for good measure. Even so, dodging the hoardes of tourists and getting your group photo in front of this classic symbol of Berlin is an absolute (free) must-do. You can even see the hotel Michael Jackson decided to ‘show off’ his son from (it’s the Hotel Adlon, by the US embassy). For more of the 17th and 18th centuries in Berlin, try: Schloß Sansoucci and Neues Palais (www.spsg.de; S-Bahn Potsdam Hauptbahnhof; 12€ -8€ concessions; Tue-Sun 10-18:00)- this

The Classic Berlin site- the Brandenburg Gate (plus tourists)

palace complex at Potsdam, a suburb of Berlin, was the home of the German kings and emperors until 1918. Schloß Charlottenburg (www.spsg.de; U-Bahn Richard-Wagner Platz; main palace 10€ (concessions 7€); Tue-Sun 10-18:00; guided tours compulsory)- the most heavily decorated palace in Berlin, dating from the early years of the 18th century. Schloß Bellevue (U-Bahn Hansaplatz, S-Bahn Bellevue)- another late 18th century palace, currently the residence of the German President and so closed to the public. Deutscher Dom (U-Bahn Stadtmitte; admission free; Tue-Sun 10-19:00)- this 18th century cathedral now houses an exhibition on German parliamentary history.

Imperial Metropolis In the middle of the 19th century the Prussian monarchs took up the idea of German nationalism, and managed, after more wars, to finally unite Germany in 1871. Berlin became the centre of this new, vigorous German empire, and the sites from the period reflect this. Chief amongst these is the long-windedly named Kaiser-WilhelmsGedächtnis-Kirche (www.gedaechtniskircheberlin.de; U-Bahn/S-Bahn Zoologische Garten; admission free; 9-19:00 daily), a church built in 1895 as a memorial to Kaiser Wilhelm I, the first emperor of Germany. Decorated with beautiful mosaics, the purpose of this church was to emphasise the legitimacy of the empire and its links to great German rulers of the past. On the walls, incidents from the childhood of the emperor show his fitness to rule. The church is a propaganda statement in stone, to say: we are a great empire now, and we are here to stay. However, in 1943 a British bomb crashed through the church roof, destroying almost all of this statement. Much of the church was rebuilt in the 1960s in a modern style, which looks like an eyesore from the outside, but inside is an extremely atmospheric, contemplative contrast to the original church.

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Weimar Berlin- Potsdamer Platz in 1930

Bomb-damaged mosaic of the Imperial Family in the Kaiser-Wilhelms Gedachtnis-Kirche

If big Imperial monuments are your thing, you could also try: Berliner Dom (www.berliner-dom.de S-Bahn Hackescher Markt; 5€ (3€ concessions); Mon-Sat 9-20:00, Sun 12-20:00) Siegessäule (Victory Column; Große Stern, Tiergarten; U-Bahn Hansaplatz; 2.20 € (1.50€ concessions); Mon-Fri 9.30-18.30, Sat-Sun 9.00-19.00) Deutsches Technikmuseum (www.dtmb.de; U-Bahn Gleisdreieck; 4.50€ (2.50€ concessions); Tue-Fri 9-17:30, weekends & holidays 9-18:00)Germany’s emergence as a great power was mirrored by its emergence as an industrial powerhouse. Come here to marvel at the big engines that made it possible.

Cosmopolitan Centre

The German Empire swiftly went the same way as most empires, overthrown by its own people at the end of the First World War. Under the new, unstable Weimar Republic, Berlin briefly became one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, with more vegetarian restaurants than it has even now, and Europe’s most open gay scene. This was the time and place when Germany tried to reject the grandiose ambitions of the Empire, and part of this was trying to leave behind the style of building. The movement known as Bauhaus attempted to use all aspects of art and

design, from architecture to kitchen utensils, to help create the socialist utopia of which its founders dreamed. The best place to see the products of extraordinarily influential movement is the Bauhaus-Archiv (www.bauhaus.de; U-Bahn Nollendorfplatz; Wed-Mon 10-17:00; Sat-Mon 7€ (concessions 4€), Wed-Fri 6€ (3€)). This is a relatively small museum built in 1977 to the design of Walter Gropius, the Bauhaus founder, which details the ideas behind the Bauhaus on a good, free audio tour. Even for those not massively interested in art and design and the concepts behind them, it provides an interesting experience, moreover because the exhibits show well just how influential the Bauhaus ideas have been. However, at the same time as these ideas were being developed, lurking in the background were forces which were opposed to everything the Weimar Republic stood for- the Nazi Party. If you’re interested in the Bauhaus or the products of the Weimar Republic, check out: Shell House (U-Bahn Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Park)- a famous Bauhaus office block, just up the road from the Bauhaus-Archiv Filmmuseum (www.filmmuseum-berlin.de; U-Bahn Potsdamer Platz; 6€ (4.50€ concessions); Tue-Sun 10-18:00, Thurs 10-20:00)- the 1920s also saw an explosion in the German arthouse film scene.

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The Third Reich Adolf Hitler believed that Berlin would be the imperial centre of his Reich which would last a thousand years. Fortunately, he was wrong. Because of British and American bombers and the Russian Red Army, which finally took Berlin in 1945 after a vicious battle featuring the largest artillery bombardment in history, only a few Nazi showpieces remain. These include Tempelhof Airport (U-Bahn Tempelhof) and the Olympic Stadium (Page 47), where the black American athlete Jesse Owens made the Nazis look silly by beating the ‘master race’ at just about everything at the 1936 Olympics. What relics there are of this period are a much more fitting reminder than what Hitler intended. Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp (S-Bahn/ DB Regionalbahn Oranienburg; admission free; 8:30-18:00 daily), whilst not as terrible as the specific extermination camps of Treblinka or Auschwitz, is probably the best place in the Berlin area to understand just how horrific the Nazi rule was. The first purpose-built concentration camp, built at the same time as the Berlin Olympics were being held, Sachsenhausen was used from 1936 to 1945 to imprison, enslave and kill socialists, Russian POWs, captured resistance fighters, homosexuals, Roma and Sinti “gypsies”, and Jews. These people were kept in cattle sheds, forced to perform hard labour and often

“Work will make you free”- the sinister motto of the concentration camp at Sachsenhausen

outright murdered. The history of this place under the Nazis, and after 1945 as a Soviet GULAG, is documented by a series of exhibitions scattered in the surviving buildings, of which there are disappointingly few. The camp was allowed to decay until the 1960s, and so the cheaply constructed huts have all disappeared. Despite this (and the sometimes confusing layout of the exhibitions) enough remains to give the place an oppressive air. Whilst not for the faint-hearted, no better place exists to really feel just what Nazism led to. If you’re interested in Nazi Berlin, you could also visit: Jüdisches Museum (www.juedisches-museumberlin.de; U-Bahn Hallesches Tor; 5€ (2.50€ concessions); Tues-Sun 10-20:00, Mon 10-22:00; Page 25)- for a better understanding of what the Nazis tried to destroy, try this excellent modern museum. Topographie des Terrors (The Topography of Terror; www.topographie.de; U-Bahn & S-Bahn Potsdamer Platz; 10-20:00 daily)- a free, outdoor exhibition on the site of the Gestapo headquarters, detailing the dirty work of Nazi rule which took place there. The Luftwaffe Ministry (now the Finanzministerium; opposite Topographie des Terrors- not open to public)- the fact that this strategic building was missed in the bombing raids which flattened most of the rest of Berlin is a potent reminder of the inefficiency of these Allied attacks, and the civilian casualties they caused. Former site of Hitler’s Bunker (U/S-Bahn Potsdamer Platz; Vossstraße)- now, believe it or not, a car park for a 1970s East German housing development, this site was the place from where the Battle of Berlin was co-ordinated, and where Hitler’s body was burned by his minions after his suicide. Bebelplatz Book-Burning Memorial (opposite the Deutsches Historisches Museum; U-Bahn/ S-Bahn Friedrichstraße)opposite the Humboldt university, in April 1933 the Nazis showed what their regime would be like by burning 25,000 books by authors of whom they disapproved, such as Thomas Mann and Albert Einstein. This memorial commemorates this early act of Nazi misrule.

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The Cold War and the DDR Once the dust had settled after WWII, Berlin’s troubles weren’t over by a long shot. Berlin was divided, like the country, into four ‘occupation zones’ (US, British, French and Russian), which swiftly morphed into two countries, the capitalist BRD in the west, and the communist DDR in the east. It was the latter which provided Berlin with another of its most famous landmarks - the Berlin Wall - built in 1961, ostensibly to keep the West out, but in fact to keep its own people from escaping there. Seeing this most famous of Berlin’s sights is a must-do for any trip to Berlin. However, the wall no longer exists in one piece, since after the fall of communism in 1989 much of it was destroyed by Berliners themselves, famous pictures and all. Still, there are several large sections left, such as the East Side Gallery (U-Bahn Schlesisches Tor; free and always accessible; for more information, see page 30). There are other remnants of the wall scattered over towards the western end of the city centre, of which the Berliner-Mauer Gendenkstätte und Dokumentationszentrum (Berlin Wall Monument and Documentation Centre; www.berliner-mauerdokumentationszentrum.de; U-Bahn Bernauer Straße; free; 10-18:00 daily) is one of the largest. Perhaps the most famous point on the wall was the crossing point between East and West known as Checkpoint Charlie (U-Bahn Kochstraße), scene of a standoff between American and Russian troops in 1961 and one of the enduring symbols of the Cold War. Today the checkpoint, which was dismantled in 1990, has been reconstructed by a couple of local ‘entrepreneurs’ who will allow you to take their photo for a mere 1€ a pop. However, once you can fight through the camera-wielding tourists, there is the Mauermuseum (Checkpoint Charlie House; www.mauermuseum.de; 12.50€ (7.50€ concessions); 12-20:00 daily). This documents the desperate attempts to escape from the east to the west either over, under, round or straight through the wall, and is a good experience despite the high entrance price. There was no greater symbol of the division of the world into opposing blocs than the Berlin Wall, and what remains of it provides the best insight into this

Checkpoint Charlie (plus scamsters in uniform...)

troubled time in history for the city and the world. If Communist chic is what floats your boat, there’s more to see in Berlin, like: DDR Museum (www.ddr-museum.de; U-Bahn Alexanderplatz; 5.50€ (3.50€ concessions); Sun-Fri 10-20:00, Sat 10-22:00)- an interactive museum, featuring ‘the Trabant experience’. As you do. Alexanderplatz (U-Bahn Alexanderplatz)- this was the showpiece of the DDR, a great concrete plaza dominated by the 336m high Fernsehturm (www.berlinfernsehturm.de; 9.50€ (4.50€ concessions); 9-24:00 daily), Berlin’s tallest building and a great landmark to navigate by. Forschungs- und Gedenkstätte Normannenstraße (Stasi Museum; www.stasi-museum.de; U-Bahn Magdalenenstraße; 4€ (3€ concessions); Mon-Fri 11-18:00, weekends 14-18:00)- the repressive nature of the DDR didn’t just extend to the wall, and this museum documents the activity of the Stasi, one of the most extensive and feared secret police organisations ever to operate.

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Gedenkstätte Hohenschönhausen (www.stiftung-hsh.de; Tram M5 to Freienwaldestraße; 4€ (2€ concessions), Mondays free; 9-18:00 daily; guided tours compulsory)- near to Normannenstraße, this infamous prison was the main Stasi detention centre for Berlin. Check ahead for English tours (2pm every Saturday plus on request- tel. 0049 3098608230), and watch out when asking for directions- many former Stasi employees still live in the area and don’t take kindly to being asked for its location.

One Country Again Eventually, thanks to the incredible inefficiency of the Communist system in Germany and elsewhere, in 1989 a series of peaceful people’s revolts toppled country after country in Eastern Europe. In November 1989, the protests centred on Berlin, and when it became clear that the government wasn’t going to stop them, thousands of Berliners literally tore down the Wall overnight. The best place to understand just how much has changed since then is the Reichstag (U-Bahn Friedrichstraße, S-Bahn Unter

The Reichstag then... The Russian flag flying over the Reichstag in 1945 after the Battle of Berlin

...and the Reichstag now.

den Linden; entrance to the dome and roof free, to the Bundestag public gallery by appointment only; daily 8-22:00). Originally built under the German emperors between 1884 and 1894 to house the parliament which they had grudgingly granted the German people, the Reichstag today houses the parliament of a united (and democratic) Germany again. The fortunes of the Reichstag have reflected the fortunes of democracy and peace in Berlin- the building which had housed the Weimar Republic’s Parliament burned down in March 1933, a fire blamed on the Communists by the Nazis and used as an excuse to revoke democratic civil life for the duration of Nazi rule. In 1999 the reunified German parliament finally moved back into the building, the dome and interior rebuilt in a modern, open style. An important element of this was public, open access to the roof and dome, with an accompanying exhibition on the history of German democracy and excellent views over the city. The only downside of this is that too many people want to take advantage of this- the queues can be fearsome! It’s probably best to go at night or in the morning- otherwise, take good company or a good book for the wait. Berlin has suffered a lot after the last 100 years, and its people enjoy their freedom more than most. So get out there, and enjoy it like a Berliner!

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MUSEUMS

Altes Museum

A myriad of worlds Berlin boasts a mind-blowing plethora of no less than 176 museums, establishing the city’s incontestable status as historical and cultural hotspot of modern day Germany. Whether you plan to explore ancient archaeological arts, broaden your knowledge on German Expressionism, or intensify your dedication for American punk rock bands, Berlin offers an adequate museum for almost every conceivable subject. Despite being scattered all over the vast cityscape, Berlin’s most famous museum complexes are located on Museumsinsel, at the Kulturforum, around Schloss Charlottenburg and at Dahlem, the centre for non-European arts and cultures. Especially the prestigious Museum Island with its impressive collection of antiquities and ancient art and its Western counterpart, the Kulturforum with its fascinating galleries and captivating collections of paintings profoundly shape Berlin’s cultural landscape. These centralised museum complexes house Berlin’s most celebrated venues and are ideal for culture-heavy days of museum-hopping (make sure to make use of the day pass which presents culture for an affordable 4€ to students). These

significant museums form part of the ‘Staatliche Museen zu Berlin’, a central association responsible for the organisation and administration of 17 major museums in Berlin. Although Berlin’s abounding museum landscape suffered devastating damages during WWII and the infrastructural consequences can still be felt up to this day. After the war and as an immediate consequence of the city’s division, the collections of the national museums were separated, yet since the reunification these precious collections have gradually been reassembled. Over the last 20 years, Berlin has invested an unfathomable amount of money into the arduous process of regeneration of its national museums. Besides the costly renovations, the city’s museum universe experiences a constant expansion of its multifaceted landscape as recent years have seen the emergence of new innovative museums, such as the Jewish Museum or the Museum of Photography. For many of the museums in Berlin, the buildings, their architectural design as well as their rich historical past, constitute an inherent part of the museums’ cultural space. Berlin is bursting with a multitude of different worlds inviting you to explore 3000 years of human history. Enjoy the adventure!

Bode-Museum

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Museumsinsel

www.smb.museum.de U-Bahn: U2, U5, U8 Alexanderplatz Opening times (for all museums): 10.00-18.00 Tues-Wed, Fri-Sun. 10.00-22.00 Thurs, free entry after 18.00. Tickets to one museum also grant you access to all the other permanent exhibitions on the Island. An unavoidable destination on the itinerary of every self-acclaimed culture vulture travelling through Berlin’s exalted cultural landscape, Museumsinsel accommodates Berlin’s most celebrated museums. Wedged inbetween the

MUSEUMSINSEL

Photograph of Museumsinsel Spree and Kupferinsel at the northern tip of the Spreeinsel, Museumsinsel hosts an incomparable ensemble of the outstanding history of Germany’s historical and cultural heritage. The origins of the Museumsinsel date back to 1810 and King Friedrich Wilhelm III’s desire to erect an ostentatious museum exhibiting the, back then, rather scant royal treasures. Ordered to come up with a suitable building, Friedrich Schinkel, in reminiscence of ancient temple architecture, designed the Altes Museum, labelled back then as the new museum, at least until the Neues Museum was unveiled in 1855 (you might have noticed that the Germans were not the most inventive when it came to naming their buildings). Over the course of the 19th century the Alte Nationalgalerie (1876), the Bode-Museum (1897-1904) and the Pergamonmuseum (1909-1930) were built, turning Museumsinsel into the archaeological and

cultural centre of the Prussian state. The sumptuous baroque and neo-classical buildings represent landmarks of the Imperial era and provide you with a sometimes overpowering sense of classical architecture. If, at the time of its inauguration, the enormous halls and exhibition rooms were mostly empty, the imperial adventures of German explorers and archaeologists excavating (some might even say plundering) the archaeological sites in the Near and Middle East ensured that there would not be a shortage of fascinating artefacts to exhibit. Heavily destroyed during WWII (near 70% of the buildings were utterly devastated), the Museumsinsel has been gradually restructured, restored and rearranged in the post-war years. Stashed away in bunkers or hidden in secret locations, a lot of artefacts and artworks disappeared towards Russia along with Soviet troops or ended up in Western museums and Berlin’s brutal division engendered the further scattering of these collections. Fortunately, the reunification has reunited the majority of the impressive and previously-divided collections. Yet, Museumsinsel is far from being completed as it is currently undergoing a major renovation process, due to finish in 2015, which will see the different museums interconnected with an archaeological promenade taking the visitor on a cultural journey through the centuries. The idea of linking up the various museums and creating a centralised complex follows Wilhelm von Bode’s concept of establishing a centre of arts and culture accessible for the general public. Once completed, the Museumsinsel will represent one of the most significant cultural institutions in the world. Sadly though, as the project is still on its way, some museums are closed or only partly open, and currently the Neues Museum (due to open its doors again in 2009) is completely shut while the Pergamonmuseum is undergoing local restorations (a complete closure is being avoided). Although Museumsinsel can be cramped with noisy and bustling tourists belligerently fighting their way through the crowds to get a glimpse at the elegant bust of Nefretiti in the Altes Museum or the picturesque French impressionist paintings in the Alte Nationalgalerie, do not ignore the astonishing treasures the Museumsinsel has to offer.

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Altes Museum

Altes Museum Am Lustagarten S-/U-Bahn: U6, S5, S7, S9 Freidrichstraβe Admission: 8€ /4€ concessions The Altes Museum located at the top of the Lustgarten and right next to the baroque Berliner Dom, was designed by Berlin’s most famous architect Friedrich Schinkel (seemingly responsible for most of Berlin’s 19th century buildings) and probably represents one of the most exquisite work of neo-classicist architecture. The Altes Museum was one of the first purpose-built museums in Europe, constructed to accommodate the royal collection of art. The building’s impressive exterior, its ionic columns reminiscent of antique temple architecture, and its regulated inner structure, a grant staircase and the rotunda, emphasise its Greek influence. In fact, the Altes Museum evokes antique grandeur to the point that Hitler staged his speeches in front of the pillars, constructing an imperial image for Nazi Germany. Nowadays, the building houses the ‘Antikensammlung’, an astonishing collection of Greek and Roman antiquities. A neon sign at the entrance of the museum states that ‘all art has been contemporary’ and the permanent exhibition illustrates the historical context of the antique pieces of art. The exhibition is organised chronologically moving from the Greeks to the Romans, split into different thematic sections with insightful information tableaux, providing you with a well-structured and comprehensive expedition through antiquity. Watch out for the museums cultural treasures such as the ‘Head of Pericles’ or the ‘Praying Boy’, who originally

arrived in Berlin without any arms. The Altes Museum currently holds the Egyptian Museum until the restoration of the Neues Museum is completed. At the moment, the upper floor hosts a revealing exhibition entitled ‘kulturGUTerhalten’ focusing on the multifarious aspects of archaeological work. Taking artifacts from various museums in Berlin, the exhibition shows in different stages the minute archaeological processes of excavation, recognition, reconstruction and conservation illustrating how archaeology constitutes a complex jigsaw process disclosing a picture of human history. This exhibition also currently holds Berlin’s own ‘Mona Lisa’, namely the remarkable ‘Bust of Nefretiti’, which has incited fervent cultural-diplomatic rows between Germany and Egypt.

Alte Nationalgalerie

Bodestraβe .1-4 S-Bahn: S1, S2, S5, S7, S9, S75 Hackescher Markt Admission: 8€/4€ concessions Based on a sketch by Emperor Wilhelm II, the Alte Nationalgalerie with its ionic columns and monumental exterior staircase represents an architectural interpretation of an ancient temple. In front of the ostentatious building, an equestrian statue modestly commemorates the museum’s royal patron Friedrich Wilhelm IV. Originally, the museum hosted a collection of modern art (all art has been contemporary, remember!) until it was split up after WWII. Nowadays, the Alte Nationalgalerie exhibits a considerable collection of 19th century paintings and sculptures.

Alte Nationalgalerie

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The exhibition comprises a vast collection of realist paintings by Adolph Menzel, as well as some impressive works by dedicated romanticists John Constable and Gustave Coubert. Walk up the pompous marble staircase and indulge in some first class French impressionism featuring such prominent names as Renoir, Degas, Monet or Cézanne. The forefathers of modern art manifest a striking and colourful contrast to the gloomy, slightly outdated, ‘German Romans’ paintings. However, the stars of the show can be found on the top floor which presents two rooms dedicated to the romanticists Casper David Friedrich and Friedrich Schinkel, exploring the mysterious relationship between man, nature and god. The Alte Nationalgalerie is saturated with astonishing pieces of art and will certainly fulfill your expectations if you are ready for some exciting and captivating 19th century paintings. The museum offers an eloquent introduction and striking transition to the modernist paintings displayed in the Neue Nationalgalerie.

Pergamonmuseum

Am Kupfergraben .5 S-/U-Bahn: U6, S5, S7, S9 Freidrichstraβe Admission: 10€/5€ concessions The most famous museum in Berlin, as indicated by the wave of trigger-happy tourist streaming towards its entrance, the Pergamonmuseum certainly represents the cultural-historical highlight for many visitors. Currently veiled in white plastic sheets, as it is undergoing some considerable restoration work, the museum’s original appearance was structured on a Babylonian temple. The museum is divided into three separate exhibitions: the first being the collection of Classical Antiquities housing the eye-popping Pergamon Altar with the lavishly decorated Telephos Frieze, at top of the Altar’s colossal staircase, as well as the, slightly dilapidated but still impressive, Market Gate of Miletus. To the right, the Museum of Ancient Near East holds the blue-glazed and richly ornamented Ishtar Gate of Babylon from the time of Nebuchadnezzar which leads down the hall of the reconstructed Processional Way, a long heavily-decorated corridor. Finally, up the stairs you get to the Museum of Islamic Art which

comprehensively portrays the historic development of Islamic art. Highlights include the Aleppo Room, a colourfully painted wooden wall paneling from 17th century Syria, and the Mshatta Gate, a long, ornamented façade of an Islamic Palace testifying the artistic creativity of Islamic cultures. The museum documents the rapid development of Islamic civilisation, arts and culture manifesting its widespread influence in both the Eastern and Western world.

Gate of Miletus

Bode-Museum

Monbijoubrücke S-/U-Bahn: U6, S5, S7, S9 Friedrichstraβe Admission: 8€/4€ concessions The Bode-Museum, named after its interior designer Wilhelm von Bode, seems to be the odd one out on Museumsinsel. Following the buildings acute destruction during WWII, the building was set for demolition, but given that Berliners love their cultural heritage they took to the streets and safe this beautiful baroque building. The museum reopened in 2006 and from looking at the list of collections residing within its walls, you could be led to the conclusion that this is the place where they stuck everything they couldn’t fit into the other museums. This shouldn’t put you off visiting, though, since the exhibits, especially all-encompassing European sculpture collection, the medieval wood carvings and a reconstructed half-dome of a Byzantine church from Ravenna, are of astounding quality. Furthermore, the 17th-century building appears as of it arises out of the Spree and is magnificently decorated as befits a member of the Museumsinsel family of museums.

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Kulturforum

the Kupferstichkabinett, the Kulturbibliothek and the Gemäldegalerie. The Kupfestichkabinett displays a rich collection of prints, engraved plates, drawings and watercolours in various temporary exhibitions, while the Kunstgewerbemuseum holds an astounding collection of craft and decorative art with, spanning over the centuries from the Middle Ages to the modern day. The Gemäldegalerie, displaying an impressive collection of paintings by the Old Masters, offers an insightful, albeit sometimes overwhelming, chronological overview of European schools of painting. Despite its collection being divided during the post-war period, Berlin’s reunification has finally reunited and restored this astonishing and unique collection. An absolute must for every ravenous and aspiring high-brow culture vulture. Just a stone’s throw away from the Gemäldegalerie is the Neue Nationalgalerie which contains a collection of international modern art. The Neue Nationalgalerie has a somewhat troubled history, illustrating the impact the Nazis had on culture and arts, as in 1933 the Nazis confiscated a majority of the works, including such renowned artists as Monet, Manet or Renoir. The building in which collection is exhibited today was designed by Mies van der Rohe and contains a who’s-who of 20th century modernist painting. An art exhibition that is not to be missed under any circumstances!

www.smb.spk-berlin.de U-Bahn: U2, S1, S25 Potsdamer Platz A ticket to one of the museums at the Kulturforum, except the Musikinstrumentenmuseum, serves as a ‘Beriechskarte’ (8€/4€ concessions) and grants you access to the other

museums.

Kupferstichkabinett

Compared to the long and tumultuous history of the Museumsinsel, the Kulturforum’s historical past might appear less spectacular, however in terms of art and culture it offers a modern equivalent to the classical and slightly pompous buildings of the Museumsinsel. Situated in the area around the Tiergarten, just down the road from the post-modern palaces of the Potsdamer Platz, the Kulturforum stemmed from the idea of constructing a new cultural centre in West Berlin, combining a sprawling mixture of different museums and cultural spaces. The majority of buildings was realised in the period between 1961 and 1987, many of which were designed by Hans Sahroun, and nowadays the area constitutes an invaluable cultural and artistic centre in Berlin. Surrounding the central building of the Kulturforum you can find the renowned Philhamonie, home of the world-famous Berliner Philharmonie orchestra, the Staatsbibliothek and the Neue Nationalgalerie. The futuristic building of the Kulturforum houses various cultural institutions such as the Kunstgewerbemuseum,

Kunstgewerbemuseum

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Gemäldegalerie

Matthäikirche .8 U-Bahn: U2, S1, S25 Potsdamer Platz Opening times: Tues-Sun: 10.00-18.00, Thurs 10.00-22.00.

Gemäldegalerie on Kulturforum Undoubtedly the most impressive and significant destination in Berlin’s art historical landscape, the Gemäldegalerie, located within the Kulturforum complex, possesses one of the most important collections of European art, spanning from medieval panel painting in the 13th to the neo-classicist works of the 19th century. The museum’s spatial design and the atmospheric exhibition rooms provide a suitable surrounding for the diverse paintings covering a good 600 years of multifaceted European art history. The walls are covered in special light-absorbing fabric and rather than using artificial light, the glass ceilings allow for natural light to penetrate and illuminate the paintings. The enormous main hall, from which the different rooms spread out like a daddy-long legs, is adorned by a futuristic water sculpture and permeated by a calm and serene atmosphere, the ideal place to have a little break from constantly staring reverentially at old authoritative paintings. The main exhibition moves chronologically through the centuries and can be divided roughly into four main categories: German (13th-16th century); Netherlands (17th century); Dutch and Flemish (18th century); Italian, Spanish, French (13th-18th century). The permanent collection displays around 1500 paintings so be prepared to be bombarded by an abundance of different artworks. A good way of getting comprehensively through the impressive collection is to get one of

the free audio guides when buying your ticket. This will keep you from strolling aimlessly around wondering what all the fuss might be about when looking at elderly, solemn-looking men with thick beards and funny hats. One of the main selling points of the Gemäldegalerie is that the specific paintings were chosen by erudite specialists who over the years have acquired the paintings systematically to represent all major European Schools of painting. If you think that your knowledge of the Bible has recently suffered from considerable negligence, many of the displayed paintings with their religious subjects will certainly help you refresh your memory. The towering rooms and the, sometimes, colossal paintings and altarpieces emanate an occasionally pious and austere atmosphere which seems to urge you to obsequiously admire the exhibited paintings by the so-called Old Masters. However, the impeccable condition of the paintings and the comprehensive organisation of the exhibition make it a true delight to embark on a fascinating, if challenging, journey through the historical maze of European art. Among the collections main attractions feature such celebrated artists such as Dürer, Bosch, van Eyck, Caravaggio or Velazquez. Make sure not to skip room seven displaying some important works by Pieter Brueghel (among which the marvellous ‘Dutch Proverbs’, spend some time trying to spot them all), room VIII with paintings by Peter Paul Rubens or room 16 showing works by Rembrandt some of which were however merely painted by his studio (be sure to get a glimpse of ‘Der Menoitenprediger’ to get a sense of Rembrandt’s idiosyncratic painting style). One section of the museum is also reserved for temporary exhibitons, focusing on different artistic trends or personas from the rich history of European painting.

Giotto di Bondone

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Neue Nationalgalerie

Potsdamer Straβe .50 U-Bahn: U2 Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Park Opening times: Tues-Fri: 10.00-18.00, Thurs: 10.00-22.00, weekends: 11.00-18.00

Neue Nationalgalerie The Neue Nationalgalerie with its magnificent collection of 20th century modernist paintings was the first building erected as part of the Kulturforum and designed by Bauhaus legend Mies van der Rohe. The building is striking in its architectural simplicity; a flat steel roof over a glass quadrangle, supported by merely six slender struts gives the building a floating, ethereal quality. While the ground floor is mainly used as a gallery for temporary exhibitions by contemporary artists, its permanent exhibition can be found in the building’s basement. Walking down the stairs feels like a subterranean journey deep into the heart of the European modernist and expressionist painting. The exhibition rooms are structured around a big, sober reception hall in the middle of which stands Henri Moore’s iconic bronze statue ‘Woman on Bench’ (1957). The temporary exhibition illustrates the history of modernist painting, starting with late 19th century artists such as Edvard Munch (the guy who painted ‘The Scream’), and then travelling through the different European trends at the beginning of the last century. The German expressionists of Die Brücke movement, artists such as Ernst Ludwig Kirchner or Emil Nolde, are featured prominently in an exhibition which succeeds brilliantly at conveying a comprehensive sense of the history of expressionism. World famous artists such as Picasso, Klee, Magritte, Ernst or Dali also form an integral part of the museum’s outstanding exhibition, emphasising

the artists’ reciprocal influences, their recurrent themes and the inherent differences in their unique approaches to painting and the world. The walls are illuminated by subtle atmospheric lighting, presenting the paintings in a bright and natural light. Yet, the permanent exhibition sometimes makes way for diverse temporary expositions which, however, fit within the artistic and historical context of the museum, exploring and elucidating the artistic influence of expressionism. At the time of writing an exhibition called Die Macht der Expressiven (The Power of the Expressive) was staged in the basement halls. This unique exhibition displayed about 60 artworks (mainly paintings) donated by the Munich art dealer Leo van der Loo to the Neue Nationalgalerie. The exhibition presents the work of particular expressionist desperados, Henri Michaux, Jean Dubuffet or Antonio Saura, while also highlighting the work of the Cobra group (founded in 1948) and their influence on the Munich collective Spur (1958). Not completely relegated to the dusty storage, paintings from the temporary exhibition are still included in this trip through modernist art, as works by Picasso, Nolde, Kirchner, Beckmann or Munch reveal their artistic and ideological influence on the work of the following generation. The works from the temporary collection offer a suitable introduction into this exhibition as they provide the artistic context and evoke the underlying themes of expressivity, spontaneity, mythology and abstract form represented in the ‘van der Loo’ collection. The modernist paintings constitute the indisputable highlight of this exhibition, uniting in the main hall the work of Picasso, Nolde, Beckmann, Munch, Nay, and Kirchner and offering an insightful overview of the expressionist creativity in 20th century art.

Max Beckmann

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Museum für Fotographie

Jebenstraβe .2 S-/U-Bahn: U2, S5, S7, S75, S9 Zoologischer Garten Opening times: Tues-Sun: 10.00-18.00, Thurs: 10.00-22.00 Admission: 8€/4€ concessions Hidden behind the formerly notorious Bahnhof Zoo, the Museum für Fotographie is located in a fo r m e r military casino. Seriously damaged d u r i n g WWII, the n e o classicist building underwent s o m e restoration w o r k , eventually becoming Newton Photograph the home of the Kunstbibliothek. After being used mainly as a storage and workshop over the last decades, the building was reopened in 2004 as the Museum für Fotographie. Still undergoing considerable restoration, the finished building will constitute a significant centre for research, documentation and exhibition for the history of photography. The museum also contains the Helmut Newton Foundation, displaying the life and work of the renowned fashion photographer and donated by Newton himself to his home city shortly before his death. It contains a vast amount of memorabilia from his personal life (Newton’s vast collection of cameras offers a comprehensive overview of the development of the technology) as well as published and previously unpublished material. The exhibition allows you to dive deeply into Newton’s state of mind exploring the various influences and recurrent themes of his photography. Beware, if you have never seen a naked woman before, you will certainly do here. Rummaging through Newton’s intriguing collection of private portraits

(featuring him and his wife Alice Springs), you cannot help but ascertain his playful, if sometimes juvenile, obsession with the nude human body. Among the curiosities of Newton’s life you can find his glasses, various clothes, bush of hair, his tacky beach buggy and a reproduction of his office filled with bizarre objects (his Dalì disguise, Barbie dolls or a nude female statue doing a headstand). When going through Newton’s notebooks, letters and faxes, try and spot his hilarious apology to the former German Bundeskanzler Schröder for being late for an official dinner (Newton humbly confesses to ‘having blown it’). The exhibition is easily digestible while offering an interesting insight into Newton’s artistic consciousness. The exhibition offers a colourful journey through 30 years of fashion and strikingly emphasises Newton’s status as one of the most talented, provocative and groundbreaking photographer of the 20th century.

Käthe-Kollwitz-Museum

www.kaethe-kollwitz.de Fasanenstraβe .24 U-Bahn: U1 Uhlandstraβe Admission: 5€/2.5€ concessions Opening times: daily 11.00-18.00 Located in an opulent neo-baroque villa on the idyllic Fasanenstraβe, the Käthe-Kollwitz-Museum pays tribute to one of the most significant female artists and critical voices of the last century. A dedicated socialist and humanist, Kollwitz’s lithographies and woodcuts, such as ‘Hunger’ (1920), ‘Beggars (1920) or ‘Kindersterben’ (1924), express an eloquent and compelling account of the human condition at the turn of the century. Her first cycles of etchings on the ‘Weavers’ Revolt’ (1897) and the ‘Peasants’ War’ (1907) manifest her profound sense of social criticism as well as her sincere feelings of empathy for the oppressed working class. The pictorial etchings’ dramatic contrast between light and shadow as well as their bleak portrayal of human suffering articulate Kollwitz’s gloomy interpretation of human society. Throughout her career, Kollwitz asserted the artist’ social responsibilities and the fundamental need to hold a mirror up to society. Affected by personal tragedy, Kollwitz’s lithographs and prints became increasingly more

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recurrent theme of mother and child, portraying the motherly affection for her son but also a mother’s distressing moment of holding her dead son. Kollwitz’s most famous work, Pietà (1937/38), later used as a model by Harald Haacke in 1993 for the anti-war memorial at the Neue Wache, epitomises this theme of mother and child. Committed pacifist during her lifetime, her lithographs adopted a progressively more pacifist tone after her son’s death, best illustrated by a furiously protesting mother in ‘Nie Wieder Krieg’ (1924). The museum offers a comprehensive overview of her work, displaying lithographies, sketches, wood cuts, paintings and sculptures. It also displays Kollwitz’s self-portraits which allow an honest look of the artist and her aging face. The upper levels are used for changing temporary exhibitions by contemporary artists.

architectural space and its thematic context. On the way up the long flight of stairs to the permanent exhibition, stop halfway up and check out the ‘memory void’ which contains the abstract monument ‘Fallen Leaves’ (Shalekhet) dedicated to the victims of war and violence. The towering hall is filled with 10,000 grimacing iron faces scattered over the ground. At the end of the staircase, the permanent exhibition takes the visitors on a complex, challenging and enlightening journey through 2000 years of Jews in Germany. The exhibition spans from the beginnings in the Middle Ages until today, illustrating the flourishing history of Jews in Germany, their struggle for integration as well as their remarkable achievements. Relying on objects of quotidian life, a r t w o r k , photographs, documents, letters, and rituals and drawing on a very interactive and m u l ti m e d i a approach. Focusing on ordinary Jewish people and prominent historical Fallen Leaves figures the exhibition

Jüdisches Museum

Lindenstraβe .9-14 U-Bahn: U1, U6 Hallesches Tor Opening times: Mon 10.00-22.00; Tues-Sun 10.00-20.00 Admission: 5€/2.5€ concessions Even before its inauguration in 2001, the Jüdisches Museum (Jewish Museum) attracted thousands of spectators, eager to admire the spectacular building designed by American star-architect Daniel Libeskind (the guy who has designed the new World Trade Centre). The museum’s exterior, with its metallic facing and its angular external structure resembles a thundering lightning bolt, possibly representing a deconstructed Star of David. Descending the stairs from the baroque Kollegienhaus to the underground tunnel, you find yourself in a labyrinth of three intersecting axis: the Axis of Exile documenting the intricacies of the Jewish Diaspora in the 1930s; the Axis of the Holocaust, exhibiting personal documents of Holocaust victims , takes you to the commemorative Tower of the Holocaust; and the Axis of Continuity, culminating in the enormous permanent exhibition on the second floor. However, rather than forcing an interpretation on you, Libeskind encourages you to come up with your personal interpretation of the building’s maze-like structure, engaging with the museum’s

demonstrates how far Western society, culture and sciences are shaped by and intertwined with Jewish culture. The museum’s comprehensive exhibition illustrates the rich Jewish culture the Nazis set out to annihilate completely, but instead of portraying them as silent and anonymous victims, they are shown in all their colourful and exuberant liveliness. Strewn across the whole exhibition, the ‘voids’ contrast this abundant portrayal of Jewish people by reminding us of the visitors of the harrowing gap left by the ravages of the Holocaust (manifesting the presence of absence). Exhibition, commemorative hall, research centre, forum of discussion, interactive playground and cultural space for human interaction, the Jüdisches Museum increasingly stretches the boundaries of what a contemporary museum should represent and stimulates a dialogue between the museum and its visitors.

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The Arts Berlin offers an art scene enriched with diversions from local rising musicians to photographers, painters and graffiti artists. You cannot stay here without involving yourself in the music scene, the street culture and the alternative and unique bohemian vibes. Walking through the streets you cannot fail to notice the proliferation of art forms and graffiti. This has become part of Berlin’s character; ranging from political, comical and artistic creations to the downright random. You only need to look upwards to be amazed by the determination of some people to express themselves several storeys up, in places that could only possibly be accessed with lengthy ladders or a complicated method of hoisting and scaling. It is worth it though, as the results give the city charm and individuality through allowing freedom of expression. Given Berlin’s free spirit, contemporary expression has flourished. The city boasts more than 5000 artists in residence, who are regularly opening their studios or exhibiting their work in many of the galleries that the city has to offer. Wherever or however you want to experience this important aspect of Berlin’s charm and

Just wandering the city reveals some amazing creations

Street art down Auguststraße contrasts with the chic galleries

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character, there is something here for everyone. Walking between any of Berlin’s main attractions reveals expressionist graffiti on many walls of the city. Take to the back streets rather than following the typical tourist trails to see some of the more interesting pieces of work. There is often much to see around train stations and on shop shutters at night-time. Also, more artistic and bohemian areas of the city, such as Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg, offer a vast range of interesting creations. There is also the more conventional means of exploring the city’s artistic works, through visiting some of the multitudinous galleries that are located throughout the city. From photography to abstract art, from contemporary to eclectic, the galleries provide an interesting scope for all tastes. In this section, some of the more off-the-wall and unique ways to discover the true artistic spirit of Berlin are highlighted. This covers not only interesting galleries, but also ways to see a different cultural side of the city To find a list of temporary exhibitions and what’s on where and when, refer to the city’s monthly magazine, artery berlin, which is also available in English. This guide can be acquired in most galleries, but also has an online version at www.artery-berlin.de. Usually further information can be found in the galleries that you visit.

Auguststraße

If you are in the mood for checking out some of the more contemporary art that the city has to offer, make your way to Auguststraße. The street is a hive of galleries, from visual to photographic arts. Start at one end and work your way down, with your eyes watching both sides of the street, for this stretch of the city offers a dense supply of individual and exciting galleries. Auguststraße was the centre of the Berlin arts scene in the 1990s, renovated after the fall of the Wall in 1989 from a poor inner city district to the quaint and buzzing sight you can see today. The galleries attract artists from all over the world and feature some of the most bohemian, controversial and eclectic pieces that you are likely to see in Berlin.

Deschler

www.deschler-berlin.de Auguststraße 61, U6 Oranienburger Tor, Tuesday – Saturday 12.00 – 18.00 This gallery, on two floors, features works from several artists at one time. Its exhibits are of an eclectic style, often portraying the more adventurous types of art. Exhibits tend to veer away from canvas works, and there are often life size models, statues and decorative items to be seen. Deschler often houses visual artwork, a rising trend in artistic circles.

Galerie Gerken

www.galerie-gerken.de Augustraße 49, U6 Oraninenburger Tor, Tuesday – Friday 11.00 – 18.00, Saturday 13.00 – 18.00 In a large, open and airy space you can see a vast range of works from individual artists. The art displayed here is generally very off the wall, and a long while can be spent wondering at the symbolism, the content or even just at the time spent to create the art itself.

Galerie Gerken

Berlin Art Projects

www.berlinartprojects.de Augustraße 50b, U6 Oranienburger Tor, Monday – Friday 11.00 – 19.00, Saturday 12.00 – 18.00 The space here, unlike other galleries on this artist’s stretch, encourages relaxation and contemplation of the work. Sofas, tables and chairs are placed in the centre, and from that vantage point you can contemplate the pieces from a comfortable distance.

Eigen + ART

www.eigen-art.com Auguststraße 26, U6 Oranienburger Tor Tuesday – Saturday 11.00 – 18.00 This is one of the most important of the Auguststraße galleries, as it is run by Gerd Harry Lybke, the first person to open a private gallery in the GDR. The staff are very friendly in this small gallery and information is supplied in English. Artists exhibited tend to be from the east of Germany, although it is now veering more to other young international artists. The exhibits mix simple techniques with the new, ranging from photography to installations.

“Swept Away” Painting by Jay Mark Johnson on display in the Galerie Deschler

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KW Institute for Contemporary Art www.kw-berlin.de Auguststraße 69, U6 Oranienburger Tor Tues - Sun 12.00 - 19.00, Thurs 12.00 - 21.00. Concessions 4€

Interview with Denhart von Harling, KW Institute for Contemporary Art

What makes the Kunst Werke stand out from the crowd, in a city where galleries are numerous and the choice is slightly daunting? The KW Institute for Contemporary Art always displays young, “cutting edge” artwork. In terms of contemporary artwork, it is certainly the most interesting institution that Berlin has to offer. We exhibit new pieces, which are not yet quite established and certain in the art world. There are often additional events such as talks, screenings or concerts. Many artists come regularly to the exhibitions and events. For these reasons a visit is always worth it.

Enjoy the relaxing courtyard of the Kunst Werke Gallery KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Uwe Walter 2009.

Does the history of Berlin play an important role in the history of the KW? The KW is a living example of Berlin’s history after the fall of the wall. It was founded in 1991 in the buildings of a former margarine factory. At that time many buildings which had stood empty were renovated to make space for creative projects.Its opening was an important factor in the development of Auguststraße as an artistic hub, and the Mitte area as the artistic quarter that it is today.

Has the KW helped develop the art scene in Berlin, or is it merely a representation of the artists of the city? The KW is a very formative institution. In 1996 Klaus Biesenbach, the founding director of the KW, was asked, along with others, to put together a biennial celebration of contemporary Berlin artwork. This festival has become one of the most important biennial festivals of contemporary artwork. This project is a child of the post Wende years and is therefore significant in the cultural community and calendar in Berlin. What sort of people can be found in the KW? There is a very popular café in the courtyard, Café Bravo, which attracts people from all walks of life, who just want to chill out in the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Actors and artists, tourists and students, businessmen and women all mingle together during the daytime. It has become a place to see, and also to be seen. Which other galleries would you recommend a visit to, when in the area? There are many interesting galleries dotted up Auguststraße, and ones to be checked out are certainly Eigen + ART, Galerie Neu, Neugerriemenschneider, Esther Schipper and Sprüth Magers. Also check out Clärchens Ballhaus in Auguststrße. There are often dance evenings held there.

Chill out in the sophisticated Café Bravo KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Uwe Walter 2009.

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Other galleries worth a look Jannowitzbrücke

www.holtzmarktstrasse.com Tues- Sat 11.00 - 18.00, although check website for individual opening times To move away from the smart and up-market art genre, head to the less touristy galleries tucked away beneath the arches of the S-Bahn at Jannowitzbrücke. In a perfect location running along side the river, these bright and airy galleries exhibit works from Berlin’s most dynamic and avant-garde artists. Tucked behind a petrol station a short walk from the S-Bahn, the area does not attract most tourists, and yet provides an interesting insight into the way that art is evolving in the city. The exhibitions are constantly changing, but along the stretch of four galleries under the station, and the two more a short walk away at Schillingstraße, and then two more again on Strausberger Platz, there is always something of interest going on that is certainly worth checking out.

The inside of Tacheles is just as eclectic as the outside

Hamburger Bahnhof

museum is worth a visit on a Thursday afternoon when entrance is free, if not for the artwork, then just for the impressive structure of the former station. It provides an impressive backdrop for works of art ranging from Warhol to Beuys, Lichtenstein to Keith Haring and Donald Judd. The permanent collection is mainly work of an abstract nature, so do prepare yourself for works of a bizarre and perplexing nature.

Tacheles

The old roof of the former Hamburger Bahnhof

www.hamburgerbahnhof.de Museum für Gegenwart, Museum for Contemporary Art, 50 – 51 Invalidenstraße. S5/9/75 Hauptbahnhof. Tues- Fri 10.00 – 18.00, Sat & Sun11.00 – 18.00. Free Thurs 14.00 – 18.00 and first Sunday of each month. The Hamburger Bahnhof, a former train station which ceased to function as such from as early as 1906, is the home of contemporary works of art from a wide variety of artists. Offering both permanent and temporary exhibitions, this

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www.tacheles.de Oranienburgerstrasse 53-56, U6 Oranienburger Tor Doomed to destruction in 1990, the former shopping centre, exhibition hall and offices to the SS and the Nazi labour organisation, Tacheles was saved by a group of young international artists in early 1990. The group settled and it became a squat house, in which a band of painters, sculptors and other randomers nutured their artistic talents. Since then art has flourished in the building, which now houses several exhibitions, a cinema room, an outside gallery and several bars. Prepare yourself to be amazed by the eclectic mix of graffiti, and also the rather unconventional conditions of living that these young people are embracing. The dilapidated building, its walls suffused with gritty murals and tattooed with funky graffiti, must be ascertained as an urban artwork in itself, housing about 50 contemporary artists. The building serves as a creative source of constant inspiration to many of the artists. Their multicultural backgrounds as well as their diverse styles of expression turns Tacheles into an artistic environment bursting with creative energy.

The Holocaust Memorial www.stiftung-denkmal.de Monument open 24/7. Museum Tues-Sun 10.00 - 20.00, last admission 19.15. Free. U2 Potsdamer Platz or Mohrenstraße, S1/25 Potsdamer Platz or Unter den Linden.

In a city where memories of the past seem to be ever present, controversy raged when it was announced that another set of reminders were to be constructed in the form of Holocaust memorials in the centre of the city. The largest, officially entitled The National Memorial to the Murdered Jews, stands centrally in the area between the Reichstag, Potsdamer Platz and the Tiergarten. Its location on a prime piece of real estate, the enormously high construction and planning costs and the fact that Germany as a whole already seems to have enough reminders of its troubled past, are the least of the objections raised in protest to this dedication. The biggest controversy was based around the company chosen to provide the anti-graffiti paint, namely Degussa, daughter company of IG Farben, producer of Cyclon B gas used in the Nazi gas chambers. The other memorials, to the homosexuals and the gypsies who also fell victim to Hitler’s regime, are under construction. 2711 black pillars of varying height cover a space equivalent to three football pitches. They are arranged in rows, and become taller towards the centre whilst the land drops lower. At night they make an impressive yet sombre sight, illuminated with 180 lights. Approach the monument alone and with an open mind to gain the full impact of the art. New York architect Peter Eisenman described his creation, inspired by Prague’s Jewish graveyard, as a “place of hope”, although this description can fail to capture the essence of the place for some. The straight rows are designed so that there is always a visible means of escape, a privilege that Jews would not have been granted. As you tread through the ominous pillars, and sink lower and lower, sound seems to become muffled and eventually disappear. Some feel that they are walking with tunnel vision, with nowhere to look but where they are headed, which for the Jews

was an uncertain destiny. Just as you reach the centre and you think that it is becoming too much, and that history is hitting you too hard in the face, you start to rise out of the gloom again and find sunlight, laughter and the bustle of the city once more. You look back over the looming grey expanse, at the children running gleefully through this exciting maze, at the sun lovers basking like lizards on top of the blocks, which at lower levels are creepily reminiscent of graves, and think to yourself how lucky you are to be able to escape what had awaited so many Jews. Yet does it lose its significance being treated in this way? Does its presence in the centre of the city act as a constant reminder to a shameful past? Or is it merely a way for the government to yet again express their shame and their remorse for the actions of their predecessors? The beauty of this monument is that it is art, and it is for you to reach your own conclusions. The monument stands above a museum dedicated to the Jews. It is certainly worth a look, as it provides a shocking representation of the intricacies of a culture that was threatened to be exterminated. It looks at the history of the persecution of the Jews, at individual families and traditions. Possibly most hard-hitting of all is the presentation of letters to loved ones from those taken away to the concentration camps, possibly never to see their friends and family again.

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The East Side Gallery The East Side Gallery is the home of a 1316m long section of the Berlin Wall that runs along Mühlenstraße, opposite the Ostbahnhof. In 1989, the year of the fall of the Berlin Wall, 117 artists from 21 different countries joined forces to transform the East Side, painting the eastern face of the Wall, which for almost three decades had been untouchable. Their paintings document a time of change and desire for a different and better future. Just two days after it was opened on November 28 1989, the German Democratic Republic ceased to exist. 2009 sees the restoration of this documentation of the fall of communism. Pollution, weathering, vandalism and even theft have led to general disrepair, including fading paintings and mindless graffiti. Much controversy was raised at the beginning of 2009 when, potentially the most famous image, that of Honecker and Brezhnev kissing passionately, accompanied with the words “God, help me survive this deadly love,” was removed for restoration without the artist’s permission. The artwork is being removed in stages, and the first few have already been repainted. The original artists from 1989 have been contacted and asked to repaint their section, although some are thinking of changing their design. This project should be completed by November 9 2009, the day marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Interview with Hervé Morlay, East Side Gallery artist, France How did you get involved in the East Side Gallery? I fell in to it by chance. When there were talks about making artwork out of a stretch of the Wall, I wanted to be part of this historical project. Any artist who wanted to partake could put themselves forward with an idea, and so I did. Did you have any restrictions or guidelines to follow for the design of your section of the wall? No, not at all. We were offered to have complete artistic freedom. How did you choose what you wanted to have on your section? There were several factors involved. Part of what inspired me was the artistic styles of the era, although a great deal of it came from inside me, from my personality. However, a project like this clearly also had to be influenced by the reality of the situation, which obviously given its history is incredibly symbolic, and also of the reality of the country and its climate. The wall is incredibly famous and offered a very prestigious environment in which to express myself. This project had to be dealt with delicately. Can we read symbolism in your piece? In the painting, there is whatever people can find or read or feel inside, personally.

Herve Morlay’s section of the East Side Gallery encourages you to think for yourself

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Interview with Thomas Klingenstein, artist and poet How did you decide what to paint on your section of the East Side Gallery? I grew up in East Berlin, in the shadow of the Wall. As a child I had always wanted to go to Japan but living in the GDR meant that I could not. The GDR system was very restrictive. When the wall came down and they were searching for artists to paint the East Side Gallery, I knew immediately what I wanted to paint. The fall of the Wall meant that Japan would have been possible for me, so I painted the opening to a Japanese section of the city. Is there any other message in your section? My painting also aims to show how ridiculous, how crazy, this separation was. To divide a whole country, a whole people, is madness. Just imagine how it would be if suddenly your own country or city was divided, and you could not have freedom of speech or movement. The consequences of this separation are enormous, and that is something that is often overlooked. What sort of consequences for you are the most noticeable? This “wall in the head” concept is not as strong in Germany as it is portrayed in other countries.

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Thomas Klingenstein, “Jale” To see his current works, see www.thomas-klingenstein.com

Thomas section of the East Side Gallery

However there are indeed differences in the mentality of people from the East and from the West. This is not so important for the younger generation, who have grown up without the presence of the Wall, but for the older people, who experienced this situation first hand, it is not something that you can just repress. The East Side Gallery plays a role to re-emphasise that not only was a land cut into two, but also the people. The East Side Gallery represents a piece of history that is intrinsic to the current day. It was crazy, troublesome, for the people of Berlin to have this wall dividing them. When the borders were reopened, the people of Berlin wanted nothing more than for this ugly reminder to be gone. How was growing up in the GDR for you? I was very young when I started to come into conflict with the oppressive regime in the GDR. I started to write poetry, and I wanted to publish my work. I was unable to do it in the East, so I worked hard to get them over to the West. I was the youngest person to ever publish Eastern literature in the West. The Stasi knew of what I had done and I was taken to Hohenschönhausen, the Stasi prison. I was there for four months. When you don’t know when you will be free again, that is an eternity. It was an awful time. Very intense. There was outcry in the West when my imprisonment became known, and the BRD paid the sum demanded for my freedom. I was released to the West in February 1981. Did you ever make it to Japan? I did eventually get to go to Japan. In total I spent about three years there, but in a period stretching over eight or nine years. I learned Japanese. I fulfilled my youthful dream.

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Alternative Berlin Bear Pit Karaoke

U2 Eberswalderstraße. Head to Mauerpark flea market and wander over the grass towards the amphitheatre. Generally 14.00 – 18.30 In theory, an afternoon of karaoke could sound to some like an awful idea. Yet in practice, Berlin seems to get away with it; a perfect Sunday can be spent chilling in the sun with a beer and watching random strangers from all walks of life strutting their stuff on a stage. A large outdoor arena in Prenzlauer Berg hosts a computer, a set of speakers, a microphone and a large audience. Joe Hatchiban, a wandering Irish man with a bike, presents the show and provides the tunes. There is nothing official about this karaoke session. It takes place every Sunday afternoon from spring to autumn, weather providing. The idea is simple, yet genius. You approach the maestro with a song, he provides it, and you sing. He even has a camera man so that you can relive your moment of glory through YouTube. And the best bit is that it is completely free, although during the acts a tin is passed around. Crowds are attracted to the large amphitheatre when they hear cheering, clapping and singing. Driven by inquisitiveness they take a seat and soon find themselves wrapped up in the performance, watching people take to the stage and sing their hearts out - soon egging them on, to the point where all they want to do is get involved. Even if you hate the sound of this idea, it is definitely worth heading down to see. Crowds

Come join the crowds in the bear pit

The streets are littered with graffiti wherever the eye falls

exceed 200 people and the atmosphere is electric. Children play together beside the stage, people sit sipping beers in the sunshine, providing a real mix of cultures, ages, talents and musical tastes. Abilities vary from the very talented to the drunk, the desperate and the downright dismal. The beauty of it is though is that nobody cares, and the vibe of community spirit buzzes throughout.

Street Art

Prior to 1989, Berlin’s major form of street art was the graffiti on the western side of the divide. Post reunification, East-siders decided to get in on the fun and since then, Berlin street art has flourished. The work varies between huge abstract murals that appear overnight, gang tags, redecorated chewing gum vending machines, and stickers plastered over street signs. Street art in Berlin thrives due to the city’s unique history. The separation and reunification gave Berliners something to rebel against – it was a reaction to two forces: freedom from the oppression of Soviet dictatorship and the influx of capitalism. Street art has a history of being politically motivated and the twin forces of capitalisation and globalisation provide plenty of material to rebel against. Lots of prominent street artists have claimed that their work is just a response to the advertisements of large corporations which are plastered all over cities – street art is a way of giving a voice to individuals and alternative ideas. It was a mode of expression that was entirely accessible, and the drab Soviet buildings provided the perfect platform for it. Prior to reunification, East German artists were free of competition and influences from the West. After 1989, artists from the East found they could

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Some really impressive works can be seen on the streets

not compete with the art forms flooding from British, American,French and other artists, and street art developed as a new means of expression. After the restrictions of Soviet rule, post-1989 Berlin had a great emphasis on freedom. The squat-houses, underground clubs and bars, and street art emerged and flourished in rebellion to the repression of three decades of division. The masses of graffiti that exist over the city show that personal freedom and expression is important to Berliners, and that environment has encouraged the artistically inclined to flood to this essentially bankrupt city - which is another reason Berlin has become a haven for street artists. Despite the illegality and the displeasure of many Berliners, city authorities have more important things to spend their money on than painting over works which cover whole sides of buildings- like paying off their debt of over 60 billion euros. Nevertheless, the authorities have traditionally had a high tolerance for street art and fines are fairly small and do little to discourage artists.

Alternative Tours

www.alternativeberlin.com Meeting point: 11 pm Strabucks Coffee Alexander Platz TV Tower Fed up with squeezing yourself through the bustling tourist crowds blocking traffic to get a snapshot of the fake Checkpoint Charlie, tired of fighting your way through the masses flooding Berlin’s various museums, irritated by the hoardes sweeping up and down the money paved Kurfürstendamm? Join Ady and his team on the alternative tour around Berlin. With his

encyclopaedic knowledge of Berlin’s urban subcultures and hidden alternative gems, Ady takes you on an approximately five hour freestyle tour through Berlin’s alternative districts. Alternative Tours takes you deep inside the clandestine territory of ‘real’ Berliners. With a clear emphasis on street art, graffiti and urban culture, the tour offers a penetrating insight into modern day Berlin off the tourist trail. Major stops for alternative snapshot time include a visit to Mauerpark, where remains of the Berlin Wall are used as an everyday canvas for aspiring graffiti artists; Prenzlauer Berg with its buzzing bohemian trendy shops and cafés; the world-famous Tacheles, (see page 28) a former squat house turned into contemporary culture venue and an artwork in itself; an anarchistic squat house (named after the RAF terrorist Tommy Weisbecker); the ‘50 Faces Gallery’ in Kreuzberg, a project aimed at the cultural regeneration of the formerly notorious district and the alternative culture venue ‘Cassiopeia’. Perambulating across Berlin’s alternative cityscape you can explore peculiar little shops, rummage through GDR memorabilia shops, admire a man-made waterfall in the heart of Berlin, explore city markets and develop your individual image of Berlin’s colourful and multicultural neighbourhoods. An undeniable culinary highlight of the tour is the lunchtime stop at Berlin’s most reputable Kebab shop (Mustafa’s) or its most beloved Currywurst counter (Curry 36). In order to get effortlessly around the city, the tour relies on public transport so make sure you buy yourself an AB Metro Day Ticket. Although the tour is advertised as free, they work on a tips basis, which means you can give as much at the end as you think the tour was worth. Be generous, as these people have to make a living too.

See the artists at work on the alternative tour

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Food and drink Though Berlin’s gastronomic faire pales in comparison to that of some other European capitals like Paris and Rome, it would be wrong to assume that the seemingly limited Germanic diet isn’t in its own way full of flavour and variety. Not dissimilar to their Nordic neighbours, Germans enjoy nothing more than a big slab of meat on the table. It’s not uncommon to find curried hot dog (Currywurst) sellers on street corners; fast food outlets open well into the early morning in every district, and a constant selection of processed meats in the fridge. Meat is often accompanied by boiled potatoes in a stew or on their own in classic meat-andtwo-veg style. Foreign cuisine isn’t hugely popular here but you will find an array of Turkish outlets selling falafel and kebabs through the city. The huge advantage of dining in Berlin is the constant stream of activity through cafes to bars, whatever the time of day or night. Cafes often stay open well after dusk and bars will keep you going through to dawn. Beer is delightfully cheap and good and, for afterwards, the availability of fresh coffee in the early morning serves as a fantastic pick-you-up. Plus, of course, Jägermeister was invented here, and you can be sure that where there’s a bottle of Jäger, there’s a night of fun.

Brunch

Like the Americans and Brits, Berliners love their brunch, but you won’t find Eggs Benedict on the menu. If you‘re on a budget, check out the cheap all-you-can-eat buffets for a choice of yummy hangover cures. Que Pasa Skalitzerstraße. 122, U1 Görlitzer Bahnof At Que Pasa in Kreuzberg, a bargainers’ all-you-can-eat Spanish-German fusion is served up for a mere €5.90. Dishes include standard trays of cheese, meat and fruit, set beside huge trays of curry, tortilla ingredients and salads. There's something here for everyone and the best thing about it is that it just keeps coming, and coming, and coming…

The international buffet at Que Pasa

Zitrone Graefestrasse. 20, U8 Schönleinstraße

CHEERS!

For a more expensive but far more German brunch, jump over the river to Zitrone on an early Sunday afternoon. For €9 you can enjoy an unlimited quantity of fresh soups, cold meats, continental cheeses and breads, vine leaves, falafel, aubergine and vegetable mixes, rice salads and a variety of desserts. The food is great quality, hearty and not caked in oil (unlike Que Pasa). You can also sit outside to eat and enjoy the view of the park opposite. So if the price tag doesn't put you off, head to Zitrone. Of course you're still grabbing a bargain for the unlimited food you're able to eat.

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Fairtrade

Eating fairtrade is a popular dining experience in Berlin. Patrons are asked to pay whatever they feel is a deserved amount, with no set minimum charge. The owners might ban you if you leave just a couple of euros on the table, however, you’re guaranteed to spend less for what you get than you would in standard restaurants. Fra Rosa Zionkirchstraße. 40, U8 Rosenthaler Platz. From the outside Fra Rosa, a tiny restaurant tucked away on a side street, with its kitsch floral design and pink paint surprisingly doesn't stand out from the crowd. Its simplistic décor may not attract the eye of the average tourist, as it seems to be a friendly local rather than an international hotspot. With only two selections of a four-course meal to choose from, the menu is pretty basic, but the ingredients make up for that; samphire, steak with sweet potato mash and mango shrimp are just some of the tastes to expect. Only one chef prepares the food, so you could well be in for a wait, and the portions are small so eat lots. The nouvelle cuisine is, however, impressive and delicious, and the constant flow of wine is definitely worth sticking around for. Just be prepared that even if you think you’re paying a fair price, they might think otherwise. CR

Tea

Tadschikische Teestube Am Festungsgraben .1, U6, S1, S2, S5, S7, S9, S75 Friedrichstraße Berlin might be known for its coffeehouses, but if a cup of tea is more your cup of tea, head to Mitte. It takes some finding, but hidden in the corridors of the Palais am Festungsgraben is a gorgeous jewel of a tea room, all soft lighting and silk cushions at low tables, where visitors can while away hours lounging, chatting and of course, drinking tea. Covering just one room, Tadschikische Teestube offers an overwhelming selection of teas from China, to Russia, to Assam and Rooibos, all served on beautiful crockery. Food leans more towards snacks than main meals, but is just as interesting and well-executed, and although the place isn’t bargain basement, you certainly get your money’s worth.

A fishy maincourse at Fra Rosa

A sunny afternoon at Cafe am Neuen See

Beergardens

Cafe am Neuen See Tiergarten, U2 Zoologischer Garten Berlin’s biggest and most-famous biergarten (beer garden), nestled cosily in the idyllic landscape of Tiergarten, is a perfect spring or summer getaway. Huge benches fill a large outdoor arena in which people from all walks of life come together to drink beer and wine, eat great-quality (but expensive) pizza, and generally just hang out. It’s probably the only place you’ll find wine cheaper than beer too.

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Fast Food Currywurst

One of the German specialities is curried sausage, otherwise known as the Currywurst. Though each place has its own way of making the popular takeout dish, it's generally served in a bun or with fries and doused with ketchup and curry sauce / powder. Konnopke's U2 Eberswalder Straße, under the bridge 6am-8pm Mon-Fri, 12-7pm Sat Konnopke’s has been going since 1930 and there's always a huge queue of hungry tourists eager to try out their famous sausage. There’s a range of spiciness levels so tough guys can enjoy it too, but the sausages lack flavour and the curried taste often gets lost in the heat.

Also try: Curry 195, Kufurstendam .195, their Currywurst mit zweibel (onions) will set your mouth watering.

Kebabs

Mustafa’s Gemuse Kebab Mehringdamm U6, outside station exit. Don't be put off by the British equivalent of Turkish kebabs, the ones in Berlin are far more authentic, fresher and contain meat of a much higher quality. Try Mustafas for a bargain €3 taste explosion. Their kebabs contain chicken or doner meat, potatoes, grilled vegetables and a variety of sauces all wrapped in a sizeable tortilla. There's a veggie option too.

Witty’s U1 Wittenbergplatz, opposite KaDaWe Open daily 11am-midnight If you prefer something with a bit more of a kick try Witty's, an upmarket sausage stand in the west. All the ingredients used at Witty's are organic, so it is a bit more expensive, but the difference is in the taste as well as the pocket. A well-doused Currywurst and crispy, fresh chips will set you back about €5.

Mustafa’s kebab makers take an order

Chips

Beckers Fritten S1 S2 Oranienburger Straße Cooked by hand when ordered, you'll be in for a short wait by this little chip mobile, but it's well worth the €2 price tag. They have a ridiculously long menu of delicious sauce toppings, including 'English Curry', 'Special Mix' and hot mayo.

Falafel

dada Falafel Lindenstraße, S1 S2 Oranienbuger Straße

The queue at Konnopke’s normally runs out onto the street

dada Falafel’s freshly-made chickpea snack tastes much crispier on the outside and hotter in the middle compared to that of similar outlets. Get either a €3 big sandwich and hummous, or €4 falafel or halloumi plate with a variety of salads.

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Markets Hot food markets are popular here and fleamarkets are all the rage, but a good fresh food market may be hard to come by. Many Berliners use the supermarkets Lidl and Kaiser’s to stock up on food for the house;. Lidl in Germany offers fresh fruit and vegetables and much more good-quality supermarket-type foods for great low prices (a six pack of cheap beer for €1.30, anyone?). But if you’d rather head to market to find cheap fresh food, here are some of the best we found.

Alexanderplatz Holiday Market Alexanderplatz Held two weeks before Christmas and Easter Day If you’re in Berlin over the holidays, head to Alexanderplatz to sample some of the festive food and drink at their large outdoor market. Stalls selling everything from fresh fish, meat, and vegetables to chocolate and beer and oriental cuisine are around, in addition to crockery, clothing and bric-a-brac. As it's a holiday market it isn't hugely cheap, but there are lots of stalls selling the same thing so if you're prepared to do some haggling it's relatively easy to find a bargain.

Kreuzberg Turkish Market Maybachufer, U1 Kottbusser Tor Tues and Fri 12-6.30pm Berlin’s largest Turkish market stretches for over half a mile down the Spree and is constantly heaving no matter what time you go. It’s easy to see why: the fresh produce is available in abundance alongside clothing, materials and cheap bric-a-brac. Many Turkish and ethnic spices and products can also be found and it’s all great value for money. Enjoy a kebab from one of the delicious-smelling hot food stalls in the middle of your shopping trip, but be warned that the local ladies do get feisty if you stop to look at or buy something and have the misfortune of getting in their way in the process.

Hearts for sale at Alexanderplatz Market

Breitscheidplatz Square Breitscheidplatz Square, S5 S7 Zoologisher Garten Open 10am-8pm daily March-November If you find yourself shopping in the west, head to the food market stretching around --- church for a quick bite of Eastern European or pan Asian cuisine. French, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, German, English and Italian stalls pump out hot, fresh and very cheap pancakes, noodles and pizzas by the millisecond. Sitting on the steps in the sun also provides a welcome break for those with tired feet and heavy bags and the outlets are much less expensive than the more upmarket restaurants nearby. Watch out though for crepe stands offering €3 pancakes with cheese.. the 'cheese' some of them use is heavily processed and tastes like plastic.

Busy fruit and vegetable sellers in Kreuzberg

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Sweet Treats

While there are bakeries on every main street in central Berlin pumping out delicious fresh bread rolls and doughnuts, those with a sweet tooth may be hard pressed to find a good place for a suitably fulfilling dessert. At restaurants the pudding selection is normally quite basic, with ice-cream and hot and cold fresh and stewed fruit as main features. Good ice-cream sellers can be found on many street corners, especially in warmer months, often offering a homemade selection of usual flavours. But if it’s chocolate or cake that you want, head to the places below for a truly indulgent sweet experience.

The enormous chocolate replica of the Brandenburger Tor

Cupcakes

Cupcake Krossenerstrasse .12, U1 Warschauer Straße Wed-Sun 12pm-7pm Known in London as the Berliner's competition to famed cupcake house Hummingbirds, anyone that's been to the latter will be eager to try out Cupcake. The tiny store-cum-cafe, which also offers fresh coffee and tea alongside cupcakes, bakes their cakes daily in the back kitchen and will customise the flavours and even letters on top to your choosing. Or you could just try one from the menu: peppermint, peanut butter and Oreo cookie are just some of the mouth-watering flavours. http://www.cupcakeberlin.de/

Sweet treats at the KaDaWe department store foodhall

Chocolate

Fassbender and Rausch Charlottenstraße. 60, U6 U2 Stadtmitte Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-8pm

cupcake_01

Raging chocoholics should head to Fassbender & Rausch to salivate over the vast array of delectable delicacies on display. From reasonably priced soft-centred truffles in every flavour imaginable (try chocolate butter for a taste of heaven), to everyday bars, this place will test those on the staunchest fat-free diet. Plus, enthusiasts who admire large chocolate statues will positively melt at the sight of the all-chocolate mock Titanic, towering Easter Bunny and obligatory homage to Brandenburger Tor.

Some of the cakey delights available at Cupcake

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Bader and Dawn

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Needing a change of scenery and fuelled by a hunger for the German capital after backpacking in Berlin several years ago, Dawn Nelson upped and left America and her former life to go it alone in one of Europe’s biggest and most exciting cities. She met Bader within a month, formed a business plan to open Berlin’s very first cupcake shop and the rest, she says, is history. What made you decide to set up Cupcake and how did you get the ball rolling? The concept of Cupcake started out when my best friend and I were vacationing in Prague. We were having lunch at a cafe and I was pondering what I wanted to do for work in Berlin, since good paying jobs were hard to come by. She said “You love to bake and cook for other people, so why don’t you open a cupcake shop!” and the light bulb went off. When we got back to Berlin I started researching the idea and realized that there wasn’t a cupcake shop in Berlin (or even Germany at the time!) Finally, in April 2007, we officially opened Berlin’s first cupcake shop! How did you decide on location of Cupcake and how did you obtain a lease, get funding and advertise? It took us about 5 months to find a good location. We searched all over Berlin. The store was a record shop before and Bader used to trade cds with the previous owner. He mentioned that we were looking for a shop and the guy actually

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Cupcake

happened to be leaving... it was pure luck! We used our own private money, it was totally DIY. We have never really spent much money on advertising; we rely mainly on word-of- mouth from happy customers. What clientele do you usually serve at Cupcake? We get all kinds of people - French, Italian, British, Canadian, Brazilian... we have also had many celebrity clients including Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Celine Dion, Jared Leto, loads of bands and some German actors. What are the best and worst parts of your work? The best part is meeting new and interesting people from all over the world. Our shop is a magnet for tourists and travellers. It’s really cool that we get people from Spain or Brazil who have heard about our cupcakes and searched us out specifically! The worst part is having to be so responsible and being so anal retentive about the cupcakes and the shop. Also, waking up really early to bake everything in time for opening! Do you have any future business plans to expand Cupcake or set up other shops? We always have ideas about taking things to the next level and opening more stores, but then reality sets in and we realize that we already work so much. Maybe in the near future once we set up plans and get financial help. Bader and Dawn pictured behind the counter at

Shopping Berlin’s shopping areas seems to be are randomly spread all over the city, so when you head for the a big shopping spree, please, bring a map! It will reveal you status as a tourist, but then again – your permanent look of confusion and your thick accent has probably done the job already. Berlin has a few of the compulsory high street shops, even though its main forces are vintage and vinyl. H&M, Mango and Zara for example, are located in Kurfürstendam. If you however want to avoid the loud tourist crowds that surround this place persistently, you could find the same shops in the newly opened Alexia or generally Alexanderplatz or Arkaden at Potzdamer Platz and Friederichstraβe in der Stadtmitte. When you are in Berlin you should take advantage of some the city’s quirkiness illustrated by the mass of German designers who have small shops in Prenzlauer Berg, Hackeschermarkt and Charlottenburg, one of the many vintage shops – which you almost cannot avoid bumping into and finally a Sunday flea markets. As for the more luxurious shopping – most flagship stores (for instance Louis Vuitton, Maxmara) are located around Friederichstraβe and Franchösicherstraβe (U-bahn: Stadtmitte). This is also where the French chain galleries.

Even when closed KaDeWe seems to attract people

Department KaDeWe

Tauentzienstraβe 21, Schöneberg U-bahn: Wittenbergplatz Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 9.30am-8pm KaDeWe is the symbol of western privileges as, through the separation of Germany, it provided foreign luxury goods to wealthy western natives. Now, long after the fall of the Berlin Wall, its elegance and class still seem to make it stand out from the crowd. As for the shopping, however, be aware that it mainly sells expensive foreign labels and as a result of this – what you will find on their racks is often a little conservative. AW

Galeries Lafayette Französische Straβe 23, Mitte U-bahn: Französische Straβe Mon-Sat 10 am-8pm

Focuses mainly on foreign designer labels, but does have a small but well-equipped section selling young labels such as Nümph, Session and Levis. Join the locals and visit the store just for their impressive food hall, which specialises in French delicatessens. AW Some of the temptations you will experience

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Berlin Stripped

Nina tried to find a promising and unique ‘niche’ in the textile industry, constantly asking herself what was missing from Berlin’s heavily congested world of style and fashion. Having perused the little shops and boutiques around Berlin’s trendy shopping districts, Nina’s decisive choice fell on women’s underwear and the endeavour to offer women a bigger variety of underwear which is sexy and at the same time comfortable to wear.

Nina Tönnies in her shop, Superschlüpfer

As the old saying goes, it is easier to come up with an exhilarating idea than implement it, and Nina encountered various exasperating problems (money, location, building, etc.) during her personal project of opening her shop.

Superschlüpfer Wühlichstraβe 25, Friedericshain MO-FR 11-20, SA 11-18 Interview with Nina Tönnies, owner of the underwear clothing shop ‘Superschlüpfer’ in Friedrichshain. Exploration of Nina’s quotidian life as a shopowner in the trendy city of Berlin, the realisation of her childhood dream of being her own boss and her ferocious endeavour to save the old German ‘Schlüpfer’ from extinction. Abandoning your regular office job as a graphic designer to open your own boutique seems like a bold and drastic career change, however for Nina Tönnies it proved to be the crucial decision that would forever change her life. After years of strenuous work within the tedious and ascetic environment of an agency, Nina decided it was time for a fresh start in her professional life, seizing the opportunity to engage more directly with the people around her. Inspite of the bureaucratic challenges invloved, being her own boss has always been Nina’s dream and she says that is in her blood to have her own store. The idea to delve into the stylish world of underwear clothing did not immediately come to Nina’s mind, as, sitting over a cup of coffee with one of her friends, a myriad of different ideas wrought their way into her shoppingconsciousness.

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Although she knew she wanted to open the shop in Friedrichshain, one of Berlin’s most fashionable and desired areas, finding a suitable building proved to be an arduous fight, as competition for the location was quite fierce. An important aspect of the shop was its location as it should attract random strollers to come in, have a look around and maybe buy some nice underwear at afforable prices. It took Nina a total of 7 months to find the perfect place, a former appartment, which she redesigned, refurnished until she was finally able to open her own little dessous shop last summer in the sparkling heart of Friedrichshain. The name ‘Superschlüpfer’ is a hommage to the old German word for knickers (‘Schlüpfer’) which is rarely used anymore in everyday German language and Nina felt compelled to do her part in the campaign of saving the word from its immanent extinction. Despite its size, ‘Superschlüpfer’ boasts a manifold variety of different choices of fresh and trendy brands in both women’s and men’s underwear, sold at very affordable prices ranging from 10-30€. .

The initial idea of exclusively selling women’s underwear was quickly discarded as Nina realised that men also seem to care about what they are wearing on a daily basis. Although Nina currently only sells established brands, she hopes that she will be able to design and sell her own creations, exploiting her background as a creative desginer far away from the monotonous office world. Relying on her professional background, Nina says that having work in the creative industry has given her a certain feeling for what people want to buy and her success proves her right. After a year in business, Nina’s first annual review was more than optimistic and she is eager to embark on another successful year with ‘Superschlüpfer’. Occupied with taking her shop on the internet, Nina is currently setting up her online-shop with shich she hopes to further promote her store and reach out to an even bigger audience. If you happen to stroll through the streets of Friedrichshain and feel like you could do with some new undies, do check out ‘Superschlüpfer’ and you will be served by a friendly and welcoming owner who is more than happy to help you with your selection. PM Arkaden on a quiet day

Shopping Centres Alexia

Grunerstraβe 20, Alexanderplatz U-bahn: Alexanderplatz MO-SA 10.00-21.00 The centre was built in 2008 and is the best place to shop high street in Berlin. You will find all the major chain stores here plus some less international brands which are definitely worth a visit, like the shoe stores Vagabond and Bianco and the German Street One. In one end of the mall you will find a massive Mediamarkt which provides almost everything when it comes to music and DVDs. On the top floor there are various exhibitions – like Berlin in Miniature and exhibitions displaying artifacts from the Titanic. AW

Arkaden

Alte Potzdamer Straβe 7 U-bahn: Potzdamer Platz MO-SA 10.00-22.00 When arriving at Potzdamer Platz you will be overwhelmed by the modern Imperia coming out of nowhere, but instead of gasping in awe for hours (yes that will reveal your tourist status as well) go find the hidden-away main entrance to Arkaden, through a small gate next to Pricewaterhouse Coopers. When walking through you might be tempted to believe you have found a small courtyard oasis, but the huge Cinemaxx building and the neon Arkaden sign will soon make you realize it is not so. Inside you will find more high street shops, a rather impressive choice of places to eat and a two storey bookshop called Hugendubel, with a small English fiction department. AW

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Books

Whether you are looking for German books, English books, new bestsellers or maybe classic hardbacks you will find it in Berlin. One of the following should meet your needs.

Duusmann

Friederichstraβe 90, Mitte U: Friederichstraβe MO-SA 10.00-24.00 For an extremely broad choice of German books, CD’s and DVD’s visit Das Kulturkaufhaus Duusmann. In four storeys it provides whatever you could need – from Opera music to historic overviews. On the top floor you will find a rather impressive collection of English books – fiction and non-fiction, and even a small choice of books in Spanish, Italian and French.

Marga Schöeller Bücherstube

Kneesebeckstraβe 33 S-bahn: Savignyplatz MO-WE 9.30-19.00, TH-FR 9.30-20.00, SA 9.30-18.00 In four small rooms you will find English and German literature – approximately half and half. If you having issues deciding what to select from the shelves either ask one of the many helpful staff members or test-drive the material in the stores small reading corner.

Bücherbogen

Stadtbahnbogen 593, Savignyplatz S-bahn: Savignyplatz MO-FR 10.00-20.00, SA 10.00-18.00 Directly under the Savigny S-bahn you will find the bookstore Bücherbogen. If you find the more artistic genres interesting, you can spend hours looking through some of the amazing books here (be aware, they are all in german), only being interrupted by the occassional S-train passing by.

Music

Most international music as well as German is reachable in ordinary music stores located all over Berlin – for CD’s try either Megamarkt (see introduction) or Duusmann. If you are looking for old style retro vinyl, shopping Berlin has a lot to offer. When walking down Kastanienalle or through Prenzlauer Berg in general you will stumble onto a massive amount of record shops – for example De Capo. If you are looking for a real bargain check out one of the flea markets (see page..)

De Capo

Kastanienalle 96 U-bahn: Eberswalder Straβe TU-FR 11.00-19.00 De Capo has an impressive selection of old records such as Beatles, the Doors and Jimi Hendrix plus a small antique department. Prices vary from 5 to 20 Euros.

Mr. Dead and Mrs. Free

Bülowstr. 5 U-bahn: Nollendorfplatz MO-FR 12.00-19.00, SA 11.00-16.00 This place has existed for ages and is established by the eccentric couple Volker Quante and Ina Rüberg aka. Mr. Dead and Mrs. Free. Back in the days it sold the newest upcoming music, now it provides a nostalgic flashback - for those old enough to remember. Most records are priced between 15 and 20€, which is on the more expensive side. The selection is however excellent and you will find all the big ones from the sixties, all the wild ones from the eighties and even some of the modern ones, who still rely on vinyl. The store has a small assortment of cd’s priced around 7 €, as well. AW Small Selection of Marga Schöllers assortment

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Vintage Shopping Vintage Shopping Vintage shopping in Berlin can be quite overwhelming, but as a main rule most vintage shops can be fitted into one of three categories: 1) The fancy uptown category contains stores with a handpicked assortment of international brands such as Prada, Chanel and Dior. These are obviously the more expensive vintage shops around, and despite all logic some of the items sold here become more expensive with time. If interested visit The Corner or Cash. 2) Shops which sell predominantly handpicked items but since labeled items are non –existant or less exclusive, the prices are affordable even for students. For shops fitting into this category visit Made In Berlin, Garage , Stiefel Kombinat or Dressfactor . 3) The charity-shop-category. Second hand shops where the prices are really really low, but where it can take hours to find a real gem. If you want to avoid the unpleasant guilt trip when having spend too much money, remember to remind you self that your money goes to charity. Try for example Humana.

Practical Information California Select (Alte Schönhauser Straβe 41) MO-SA 12.00-20.00 Calypso (Rosenthaler Straβe 23) MO-SA 12.00-20.00 Cash (Rosa Luxembourg Straβe 11) MO-SA 11.00-19.00 The Corner (Französchische Straβe 40) MO-SA 10.30-19.30 Danzschuh (Danziger Straβe 2) MO-SA 10.00-20.00 Made In Berlin (Neueschönhauser Straβe 19) MO-SA 10.00-20.00 Oder Barfuss (Oderberger Straβe 14) MO-SA 10.00-20.00 Stiefelkombinat (Eberswalder Straβe 21-22) MO-WE 10.00-21.00, FR-SA 10.00-23.00

- roaming Berlin in a day

Start out at U-bahn Nollendorfplatz, walk up Einemstraβe and take the second road on your left. Here, on Ahornstraβe you will find Garage. After having your bits and pieces weighed you are ready to head back to Nollendorfplatz. From here jump on the U-bahn to Friederichstra βe and get either a tram or the S-bahn to Hackescher Markt. Enjoy the small quirky courtyards while looking for Neue Schönhauser Alle and Made In Berlin. Next walk up Rosenthaler Straβe. Find Calypso and live out your shoe fantasies. From Rosenthaler Straβe walk to Alte Schönhauser Alle where you will find California Select and possibly add some American vintage to your expanding collection. For more shoeshopping go to Rosa Luxembourg Platz and grab the U-bahn to Eberswalder Straβe. Walk down Kastanienalle and be tempted by all the funky streetwearshops. When you reach Oderberger Straβe look for the Stiefel Kombinat which will most likely provide you with your new boots. If not, the neighbour store Oder Barfuss will help you out. For heels and sandals head to Oder Barfuss’ sister shop: Dansschuh at Danziger Straβe. From Danziger Straβe find Schliemanstraβe and Dressfaktor - consider stealing a shopping trolley for your heavy bags or rest your sore feet while getting a cup of coffee on a street corner. If hungry, stop at U-bahn Eberswalder Straβe for a legendary currywürst (see page..) When (or if) you feel your feet coming back to life, walk back to Eberswalder Straβe and grab the U-bahn to Alexanderplatz, from here grab the U-bahn to Frankfurter Tor and check out Humanas trend collection and finally find the basics you need to compliment your other vintage buys.

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TOP3 Vintage Garage

Ahornstraβe 2, Schöneberg. U: Nollendorfplatz MO-FR 11.00-19.00, SA 11.00-18.00 If you did not know that this place existed you would think you were lost. Amongst the family houses and apartments you will find a small cellar entrance to garage. Seen from the inside the place is less modest – with color coordinated clothes taking up almost every inch of this massive room. Dress Faktors colourful façade

When researching the selection for your favorite objects you might find yourself a bit puzzled – most of the clothes have no price marks whatsoever! Instead of paying an unique price for each piece, you are paying per kilogram – 13,50 euros. A small section of the store is dedicated to handpicked clothes which are all price marked – this is where you are most likely to find the biggest treasures – dresses marked around 25€ and shoes approximately 15€. If time is not an issue you will find that the rest of the shop has a lot of possibilities especially in the jeans and jackets department. So join the German and international students and get digging! Humana might not be impressive from the outside, but from the inside...

Dressfaktor

Schliemannstrasse 9, Prenzlauer Berg. U: Eberswalder Straβe MO-SA 10.00-20.00 If you love dresses this is the place to go. As the name indicates, the shop specialises in dresses, and the shelves are stuffed with big shouldered power-woman-dresses, sixties miniskirts and flowery fifties full shirts, all priced between 25 and 60 Euros. The shop has a small men’s department as well (dress free!!) and even a children’s apartment

Humana

Frankfurter Tor 3 U: Frankfurter Tor MO-FR 10.00-19.00, SA 10.00-18.00 30.000 items on four storeys seems on one hand slightly bewildering, but since all clothes are categorised in relation to colour and purpose it is relatively easy to find what you are looking for. The store has a men’s, a women’s, a furniture and the most exiting – a trends floor. On the lower floors the clothes are primarily basic and a little conservative. The top floor is home to the fun and time characteristic items, but you will still get them to a really great price. Belts are around 3 euro, dresses between 15 and 25 € and shirts 5 to 10€. Be however prepared to fight old German ladies, and on smaller scale German students, in order to get your hands on the perfect bargain.

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Sunday Flea Markets

Mauerpark

Bernauer Straβe 63-64, U-bahn: Eberswalder Platz Sunday 9-18 The place is normally packed with people so make sure you have plenty of time – clear at least a couple of hours or maybe even the whole day. Enjoy the eclectic mix of vintage shoes, vintage clothing, vinyl, small designer collections, funiture, antique books and even a colourfull massage wagon at the farest end of the market. Be aware that some stalls have fixed prices, but most stalls are haggle-zones. You might be able to get 5-10€ off depending on the original price.

One of Berlins many flea markets is the perfect destination for a Sunday excursion – that is of course, if you are able to put the pumping music, the unfortunate dance moves and the one-to-many-beer-situation behind you. Because these places are loud, they are crowded and they will make your hangover feel at least twice as bad, but if you have time and enthusiasm you will be able to find unique bits and pieces and if you are good, you will get it at a reasonable price as well. As for always when it comes to fleamarkets, come early if you want the really good stuff, come late if want the lowest possible price. If you are doubting whether it is acceptable to bargain, an easy way to find out is to point out an item, ask for the price and shake your head slightly disbelieving (no matter what the price is!). Start walking - and if the seller is ready to haggle he will let you know. If not - you might have to ask you friend/mother/classmate or whoever you might be travelling with to go back and pick up the piece - just to avoid akward confrontations.

Arkonaplatz

Arkonaplatz, Mitte U-bahn: Bernauer Straβe Sunday 10-17 Get away from the crowds at Mauerpark by walking 5 minutes up Winemünderstrasse and you will end up at Arkonaplatz. The tourists are replaced by fashion-interested German students chilling on the sunny sundays - some of them even with a beer in one hand. This is a vintage Mecca, mainly selling shoes (15-20€), belts (5€) and bags (20-25€) - your price depends on your bargaining skills. Unlike flea markets in southern European countries, it is your job to approach the sellers when interested. That means you have plenty of time to check out items without being interrupted b anything but other overenthusiastic buyers.

Vinyl enthusiast should head for Boxenhagener Platz

At Mauerpark anything is possible

Boxenhagener Platz

Grünberger Straβe, Friedericschain U-bahn: Samariterstraβe Sunday 10-18 Has especially a great selection of vinyl records – priced 5€ for less legendary records and 10-15€ for the popular ones. Normally you will not get the vinyls any cheaper than the price tag says - but if you insist on trying, make sure to do it with a smile!

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Sports

Not only is Berlin the capital of the country, it is also an exciting centre for sports. It boasts several sporting teams and locales, which can both be enjoyed throughout your stay. If you prefer to see your sports live, check out the following venues for live matches.

Olympic Stadium

in 2004. New features include a distinct ring roof, which looks as if it is hovering over the stadium. Two years later, the 2006 World Cup final was held here and witnessed the unforgettable Zidane head butt, which will assuredly be engraved in the minds of football lovers around the city and the world. From the top of the stadium you have a fantastic view of the grounds. Entrance costs 4€, or the discounted rate of 3€ for students. There is also the option of taking a guided tour, which costs 8€ or 7€ at a discounted rate.

Max-Schmeling-Halle

Olympic Stadium with hovering roof www.olympiastadion-berlin.de U2 Olympia-stadion, S75/S7 Olympiastadion Sport is embedded in the history of Berlin. During the Nazi, regime the Olympic stadium was constructed. When the Olympic Games were held there in 1936, the African-American athlete, Jesse Owens went on to achieve a staggering four gold medals. This was a significant achievement, as at the time Nazi persecution against numerous ethnic groups was rife. The stadium, like much of the city, came under rigorous bombing during World War II. However after reconstruction work, it continued to be utilised for different ventures. More recently the stadium has been used for other means of entertainment such as concerts, where such bands as The Rolling Stones and U2 have performed. In 2000, Berlin failed at their second bid to host the Olympic Games. Around this time, decisions were being made as to whether the Olympic stadium, an archetype of Nazi architecture, should remain standing. Ultimately, the decision was reached and developments for reconstruction were completed

www.max-scmeling-halle.de Falkplatz 1. U2, S8/S41/S42 Schönhauser Allee The Max-Schmeling-Halle is a multi-function arena in the Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin. Named after the famous German boxer, Max-Schmeling, the stadium was opened on December 14, 1996 by Schmeling himself. The stadium holds between 9,000 and 10,000 people. Initially the Max-Schmeling-Halle was set to be used for hosting the 2000 Olympic Games. However, when the city lost the bid, it went on to be used for boxing and team handball. It is also home to the Fuchse Berlin and the Berlin Mini Basketball Tournament. In addition, the FIBA EuroStar games were held here in 1998 and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has been twice held at the stadium in April 2005 and 2006.

The O2 World Arena

www.o2world.com Mühlenstraße 12-30 U1 and S3/S5/S7/S9 Warschauer Straße. The O2 World Arena is an indoor arena that is home to the ALBA Berlin basketball team, the Ice Hockey team, the Berlin Eisbärens and the Fuchse Berlin Team Handball team. Construction work cost around €165 million and was completed in 2008. The enormous stadium can host up to 17,000 people. Apart from housing major sport events, the O2 Arena also functions as a concert venue for international stars such as Lionel Richie and Beyonce.

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Berlin’s teams Generally Berlin sports teams perform highly in their relative games and are rarely out of the top positions in their respective league tables. Between them, Berlin’s sporting teams have won numerous domestic championships and have also been successful on an international scale.

Football

Staging their games at the magnificent Olympia Stadium, Hertha BSC Berlin is the city’s most renowned football club. Since their promotion in the mid-nineties, the team has been playing

more or less successfully in the German Bundesliga. Although the team have been modestly succesful on the European level, they have failed to make a major impact in the domestic league. Nevertheless, the current season looks rather promising for the long suffering, success starved supporters as the team ranks amongst the clubs contesting for the title. Kicking in the shadows of their prominent local rivals, Union Berlin is the city’s second football team. Attracting a more working class crowd and hosting their games in the ‘Stadion an der alten Förterei’, the club has caused some uproars in the past by eliminating high rank teams in the domestic cup. Besides Hertha’s success in the Bundesliga this year, Union has also achieved considerable success by being promoted to the country’s second Bundesliga. Watch out, they might soon confront Hertha on the big stage. If you fancy some fancy footwork or some gruelling tackles, keep your eyes open for the team’s home matches. (www.herthabsc.de;www.fc-union-berlin.de) Prices for FC-Union-Berlin concession, start from 8€ and seating concession start from 18€ .

For Hertha BSC, starting prices are from 10.50 €.

Basketball

Berlin’s basketball team, ALBA Berlin – aka The Albatross – is one of the city’s newest sporting clubs and was founded in 1991. The team‘s home matches are played at the O2 Arena throughout the season, which runs from Autumn to Spring. The team also plays in the European league, so try and catch one of their home games and mingle with their dedicated fans in an electrifying atmosphere. Tickets start from 10€.

Ice Hockey

The Berlin Eisbären (Berlin Polar Bears) is the city’s ice hockey team and was established in 1954. The team, a founding member of the Deutsche-Eishockey-Liga, has had some ripping success over the last few years. The Eisbären’s home games were formerly held in the Wellblechplast Stadium until Autumn 2008 when the O2 World arena was completed. Their seasons run from September through to April. Ticket prices start from 20€.

Handball

Less known outside continental Europe, Handball is a fast paced and spectactular sport attracting an ever-increasing crowd. The Füchse Berlin Team Handball Club competes in the German First League of Handball. The men’s handball team has been quite successful on a national as well as international in recent times. In 2007, the team won the IHF World Men’s Handball Championships. They were also European Champions in 2004, and runners up in 2002. If you want to admire some hectic ball play, give handball a go. Tickets start from 10€ or 8€ for concessions.

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Watching Sport

Sport in Stadiums

Football, or Fußball as the Germans say, receives a fair and wide spread amount of admiration in Berlin. The atmosphere in a football stadium remains electric, whether there are several hundred, thousands or just a mere dozen of fans. There is always mass support being drummed up for their specific team. At any level of the sport, there is always encouragement for the team. Don’t leave your seat during half time, as the unique and entertaining half time hits are an integral part of the spectacle. Also the chanting, cheering and occasional swearing comes from the players as much as it comes from the audience. However, nothing can replace the deafening roar that comes from the crowd when the team scores a goal.

Sports Bars

www.belushis.com Rosa Luxemburg Straße 39 – 41, U2 Rosa-Luxemburger-Platz. Open Monday - Friday: 12.00pm – Midnight and Saturday - Sunday: 12.00pm - 2.00am. So, if you can’t get yourself to one of the teams’ home matches, or maybe there’s a vitally important international match between Germany and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia that you just have to watch, then get your supporter-scarf on and head to one of the many Sports Bars. Berlin’s Sports Bars provide the right mix of a chilled out laid back environment with adrenaline pumping action from the crowds and the screen. Watching sports in Berlin can be easily done; several Sports Bars are located around the city and are easy to access. If you want a slightly chilled sporting experience then watching games in a Sports Bar is just the thing for you. Berlin offers a great variety of different Sports Bars- be sure to check out Belushi's in Berlin. It has franchises based throughout England, but this establishment based in the German capital boasts a large bar, continuous specials on drinks and five plasma

screens for you to watch all your sporting delights. Another big screen is also available for more sports viewing as well as wireless internet access in case you are desperate to check the latest results of your favourite team. Picker’s Sports Bar Uhlandstraße 185-186, U1 Uhlandstraße Described as the sporting version of the Hard Rock cafe, the Picker's Sports Bar is filled with an abundance of sporting memorabilia and large screens TVs. Serving American-style dishes – and portions (although half portions are also available) there will be plenty for you to eat as you watch. Make sure that you reserve a table as this place is really popular. Sports Bar Tor Torstraße 133, U6 Oranienburger Tor Open Monday-Sunday 11.00am to 2.00am. Sports Bar Tor offers a wide range of action for people to watch including Football, Ice Hockey, Formula One and Basketball. All the broadcasts are live and in addition, the bar provides, sporting facilities for Mountain Bike or BMX, Free Climbing, Skating and In-line skating.

Practising Sport

There are many forms of sport that people can take part in when in Berlin. Cycling is a fantastic way to get a great view of the cityscape. Streets and sidewalks have wide walkways, making it easier for people to cycle. Beware however, as Berliners tend to ignore the general traffic rules and recklessly ride the streets at their free will. Central points such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Holocaust Memorial and the Reichstag are easy to travel to from Berlin’s central point Alexanderplatz. Bicycles are available for rent from various places around the city for a small fee. In addition jogging provides an alternative view around the city. The sidewalks offer generous leeway for jogging and are rarely crowded out with people at any time of the day. Lush garden grounds and parks also feed the eyes and mind, while the quaint and peaceful spots spur you on for miles more jogging. For a day or afteroon of sporting fun, a particularly good spot is Treptower Park. To get there take the U1 to Warschauer Straße, then change to the S9 on the S-bahn and hop off at Treptower Park.

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In addition, Tiergarten, as well as many of Berlin’s other spacious parks, also provides plentiful space for cycling, jogging or the rather funny-looking activity called power walking. Over the last decade, skateboarding has gradually taken over the city. If you’re a fan of manoeuvres such as the Ollie, Kick-flip or 360° spin, Cassiopeia is a hot spot for you. Take the U1 or the S-Bahn, S3, S5, S7 or S9 and stop off at Revaler Straße). Although Berlin provides a large skatepark in the alternative Cassiopeia club, the whole city is exploited as a skating ground by skaters of all ages. Check ahead for futher details on www.cassiopeia-berlin.de, but do be aware that the content on the website is written in German (so get your translation dictionaries ready!). Swimming pools are dotted all around the capital and cater to a wide variety of preferences. With specifications ranging from indoor, outdoor, heated pools and gender only swimming areas, there is something for everyone. The prices for entry into swimming pools do vary, with some starting from 4€ for adults to a discounted rate of 2.50€ for children. Opening and closing hours do differ from pool to pool, so check out the BBB (Berlin Bath Holdings) website or call 01803 10 20 20, to find out which pools are most convenient to you and your likings. For the tee-time lovers, Golf Central Mitte located at, Chaussee Straße 94-98, there is a driving range. Opening times are from 8 .00am until late into the night, all year round. Facilities include 60

pitch and putt greens. Prices start from 1€ for forty balls between 7am to midday, and thereafter cost 2€. To get there take the U6 to Schwartzkopf Straße. After a sport-heavy day, you can unwind by submerging yourself in a unique floating swimming pool, the Badeschiff. Located on floating pods on the Spree River bank in East Berlin, you can go in for a relaxing experience in the sauna or go for a floating swim in one of their outdoor pools. The view of the city landscape is spectacular at either day or night, so take an exceptional dive in the pool. The Badeschiff was opened in June 2004, initially as an art project by local artists Susanne Lorenz. The pool provides a great view of the city by both day and night. The pools open in early May for the summer season and run from 8.00am til. However the pools have proven to be very popular, so get there early to make sure you get some space in the pool. Entry costs 3€. The Badeschiff is part of the Arena Berlin. Take a dive in, at Eichenstraße 4, U1 Schlesisches Tor. For the sports enthusiasts among you, there is always something going on to keep you on your feet. Then on completion of your adrenaline fuelled sports fest, this is the perfect place to chill out and relax or pamper yourself.

The Floating pool

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Nightlife Unnamed Bar

Oranienstraβe 33-34 U1, U8 Kotbusser Tor This bar is evidently ‘too cool’ to constrain itself or adhere to the norm by giving itself a name, but oddly it completely succeeds in pulling this off. Swarms of young people travel from all over Berlin to meet in the latest cool bar. This bar is a great place to socialise, its hazy, smoky interior adding to the grounded and unpretentious atmosphere. The abundant collection of non matching furniture as well as the clearly nonhealth and safety approved ‘balconies’ enhance its nonchalant attitude and brand this as the perfect place to start off your weekend.

Brash lighting at A Trane

In terms of its nightlife Berlin is best to be described as perplexing. It hosts a huge selection of clubs and bars. In the shabbier district of Kreuzberg you can find laid back and relaxed bars, which are often heaving with people and in many places include the option of dancing. Then onto the renowned nightclubs where many choose to dance their way into daylight. Berlin’s nightlife is incessant, and as long as you have the stamina and know where the party‘s at, you can easily enjoy the delights of socialising, drinking and dancing seven nights a week. The city also has a population that is dedicated to its nightlife. This can be seen through the quality of the broad selection of music that the city has to offer, with RnB, hip-hop and techno nights, right through to the Balkan dubstep and Russian Gypsy-orientated nights. The majority of clubs in Berlin are blasé about confining themselves to one style of music or one clientele base, and this is what gives them a more casual and informal ambience. Yet the pretentious and ‘superior’ clubs are plenty, and still worth going to in order to gain a full experience of Berlin. So get in the ‘schlange’, (which means queue but translates as snake) and enjoy the diverse nightlife experience that is Berlin.

A-Trane

www.a-trane.de Bleibtreustraβe 1 S75 Savignyplatz For those well-versed in jazz clubs or even those who have never been, this place fits the criteria; crowded with jazz enthusiasts, check, small, check, smokey, check….. Definitely a worthy experience, with new and upcoming artists performing for free on Mondays and Saturdays, it’s a great way to have your first encounter with jazz without having to pay the hefty prices for the more established musicians. It’s certainly beneficial to reserve places online beforehand and arrive on time, otherwise you will find yourself standing up, sweaty, at the back of a crammed room.

nachtleben

If you’re interested in knowing what particular nights are taking place at various clubs or what live acts are performing, pick up a free nachtleben Berlin guide. They are usually found lurking among the postcards and flyers found by the toilet facilities in bars /cafes/clubs. Or you can pick up Zitty or Tip at most kiosks for a couple of euros.

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DachKammer

www.DachKammer.com Simon-Dach-Straβe 39 Friedrichshain U1, S75, S7, S5, S9, S3 Warschauer Straβe From the outside, you’re drawn towards this bar due to its disorganised, cluttered appearance. After entering, you will find yourself transported back into the 70s, the purposely dated blasé furniture strewn around both floors adding to the ambience. This bar is perfect for a casual, relaxed drink, and the maze of rooms offers a variety of chaotic furniture whilst adding an element of eccentricity to this spacious bar. With most beers at 2,80€ and special Monday to Friday cocktails only 4,10€, this bar is definitely worth a visit and is often found to be swarming with students. The welcoming atmosphere and dusky lighting separates this bar from those more select and pretentious. Try to aim for the happy hour, daily from 7pm to 8pm, in order to make a saving. Summer drinks on the canal side at Club der Visionaire (pg. 54)

GDR chic furniture in Dachkammer

Shisha

Krossener Straβe 19 Friedrichshain U1, S75, S7, S5, S9, S3 Warschauer Straβe Going to a Shisha bar is a relaxing and social experience in a fast paced capital city like Berlin. Smoking Shisha has become a popular reserve of the twentysomethings of Berlin, and this particular bar in Friedrichshain has a vibrant collection of ten different flavours ranging from melon to vanilla at an appealing price of approx. €5 each. Shisha is quite a large establishment with private, dimmed lighting in the evenings where you can quite easily smoke away the hours with the accompaniment of good conversation. There’s also outdoor seating where you can read a book and enjoy the haziness of shisha in the sun.

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Cake

31-32 Oranienstraβe Kreuzberg U1, U8 Kotbusser Tor

Kitsch/retro lamps at DachKammer

Am einem Sonntag in August Kastanielle 103 Prenzlauer Berg U2 Eberswalder Straβe

This bar is located in the popular and vibrant area of Prenzlauer Berg. Its relaxed and laid back atmosphere secures its firm popularity with those who enjoy sitting and chatting late into the evening. Best for a lazy Sunday, or any other afternoon, lounging about in the hazy sun, as the name suggests. The outdoor seating area has a tranquil vibe and is contrasted with the inside, which has crazy, shiny, sequinned gold curtains and blood red walls. This bar is a really interesting space but the prices for cocktails and other long drinks are quite steep so it may be best to stick to a beer for this one. Drinks at the hazy smokey Unnamed bar

Cake is a remarkable place to, by chance, suddenly stumble upon well into the twilight hours. Your immediate instincts tell you this is a bar, yet when you enter you discover the place to be bursting at the seams with the most bizarre assortment of people, all dancing to the eclectic variety of music. With an entrance fee that is insignificant and cheap drinks, you can easily dance your way into the next day to Manu Chao, Justice and German rap as well as Turkish folk, all blaring out of the sound system. Saturdays seem to be most popular. This is definitely one to visit, especially if it`s on the way back home at 4am.

Kaffee Burger

Torstraβe. 60 Mitte U2 Rosa Luxembourg Platz If you are partial to some Gogol Bordello, Balkan Beat Box or you just want to liberate your talent for Cossack dancing along with everyone else, then the twice monthly Russendisko is where you need to be at. This is a night that cannot be defined as you have no idea what you might find yourself ‘dancing’ to- a Katy Perry Russian remix anybody? By the time a song is replayed later on in the night, you’ll find yourself ecstatic and singing along to the ‘Moskva, Moskva’ lyrics. Kaffee Burger hosts a wealth of different musically themed nights, ranging from soul and funk to dance punk and Balkan ska. Kaffee Burger is definitely well worth the visit just for the random music selection alone, and with cheap entrance and a busy throng of people, it has certainly secured its popularity for the future. The décor has not been altered from its GDR days and the majority of the alcohol is averagely priced. One thing to watch out for is the vodka shots which come in the standard Russian size of a teacup, and will certainly leave you on the floor after busting your Cossack moves.

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Café Zapata

Oranienburger Straβe 53-56 U6 Oranienburger Tor Café Zapata is the adjoined bar that complements the Tacheles project. When entering don’t be discouraged by the general disorganisation which rules the site, as it is a vibrant and interesting place which desires to be explored. It often has a variety of new and interesting acts going on simultaneously, and the generally relaxed and casual mood in the frenzied centre of the city gives Café Zapata an interesting contrast in comparison to the other bars in the area. It’s the perfect place to relax and socialise with cheap beers.

Club der Visionaire Flugraben 2 U1 Schlesisches Tor

Suggestive murals at Zu mir oder zu Dir?

This bar/club has an incredibly relaxing setting on an arrangement of barges on the canal side in Friedrichshain. It hosts a variety of DJs and other experimental musicians, and in the evenings there are usually interesting acts taking place so you can dance your way into daylight on the canal side. It is often crowded with those who want to sit in the sun and enjoy a cool beer and some techno beats by the water’s edge. Definitely worth visiting even if just to watch others drunkenly navigate their way around on the swaying barges. Drinks are well priced and the atmosphere is always relaxed.

Zu Mir oder zu Dir? [Your place or mine?] Lychener Straβe 15 U2 Eberswalder Straβe

Compared to many of the Berlin bars, this one is quite lavish, and interestingly decorated with a kitsch 70s theme. After entering you will notice the double bed for lounging on, which continues the insinuation of the title. Although the bar is not that large, there is an huge choice of very comfortable seating and the DJ starts quite early on in the night. Drinks are well priced and the bar attracts a variety of stylish people. Also don’t forget to observe the disco ball in the toilet.

Waterside lighting by Club der Visionaire

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Hostels

These days, all major cities provide plenty of accommodation options, but for anyone travelling on a budget hostelling is usually the way to go, and in Berlin it’s easy to see why. Not only do hostels provide a cheap alternative, and provide a great range of services, they are a great way to meet people – the common room of a hostel will always provide a more social atmosphere than any hotel bar. In Paris or Amsterdam it can be next to impossible to find somewhere for less than 25€ a night. Berlin however is a lot more affordable. In terms of price, quality and quantity, the hostelling scene in Berlin is one of the best in Europe. What’s more, the public transport system here is comprehensive enough that location doesn’t have to be the deciding factor for your stay. What makes hostels preferable to any of the budget hotels around (although there are plenty around if dorm beds and shared bathrooms aren’t your thing) is the social atmosphere they provide. For a friendly environment which provides the best opportunity to meet people, plus added access to the internet and cooking facilities, a good hostel is definitely the best way to go. Hostel staff tend to be young people who know the city and can answer your questions about interesting museums and cool bars – good hostel staff can be the best source of information available to you and can make a huge difference to how much your stay. The independent, smaller hostels of Berlin tend to outdo the bigger chaines, with a more personal touch, as staff (often the owners) do their best to make sure you enjoy your stay.

Themed floor of the Sunflower Hostel

Circus Hostel

www.circus-berlin.de (0)30 20 00 39 39 Weinbergsweg 1a U8 Rosenthaler Platz Dorms from €19 Located only a few stops from the metro exit (take Weinbergersweg or Rosenthaler Straße exit) this hostel is in a neighbourhood full of cool bars and restaurants. Much lauded by the major travel guides, Circus Hostel provides guests with so many services its hard to know where to start: bicycle hire, car hire, segway hire, laptop hire and free wireless internets, a bar downstairs and a cafe next door (that allows guests access to some basic kitchen facilities) with some very affordable breakfast options. The hostel also has some apartments for hire so attracts a crowd of all ages. Staff are friendly and have good knowledge of the city to help you find your way around Berlin. The entrance to the Circus Hostel

Regardless, your impression of any hostel will usually eventually come down to one thing – the people you meet there. But having a good location, friendly staff, clean bathrooms and not having to pay a fortune for them can go a long way to helping you enjoy your visit to a city. So the hostels listed here are some of the best Berlin has to offer – enough to fill a variety of preferences.

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Lette‘m Sleep

www.backpackers.de (0)30 44 73 36 23 Lettestraße 7 U2 Eberwalderstraße S8 Schönhauser Allee Dorms from 19€ Lette’m Sleep is the kind of hostel that’s excellent for solo travellers. Small enough to have a guest kitchen and big enough that there will always be a few people there to meet. Coffee, tea and internet (including wireless) are free and the large windows of the common room look out onto a relaxed Prenzlauer Berg street, within easy walking distance of some of Berlin’s best bars and cafes (see Food & Drink and Nightlife sections).

Common room and kitchen at Let ‘em Sleep

Helter Skelter Hostel

www.helterskelterhostel.com (0)30 28 04 49 97 Kalkscheunenstraße 4-5 S25 S1 Oranienburger Straße U6 Oranienburger Tor Dorms from 14€ Hidden down an alleyway and up a flight of stairs, this is the perfect old-school hostel – kitchen, common room, internet and bunk beds in a retrofitted old Berlin building. Linen and towels are included in the price, and they always keep some beds free in the busy season for people who haven’t booked. The atmosphere here is cosy and the usual crowd is made up of students and backpackers. They also provide breakfast for 3€. Laundry facilities are available in their partner hostel, Heart of Gold (see below), just down the road.

ComeBackPackers

www.comebackpackers.com (0)30 60 05 75 27 Adalbertstraße 97 U1 U8 Kottbusser Tor Dorms from 14€ Once you have entered via the scummy entrance and up several flights of dubious looking stairs, you will find this brand new and rather excellent hostel. Huge common room with all the amenities you need (kitchen, bar and fussball table), giant dorms that accommodate 14 beds very easily, plus lockers, and plenty of outside gravel decks for chilling with a few bevvies, this is terrific value for only 14€ a night (3€ extra for breakfast). It is also literally metres away from the U bahn station and in the middle of grunge chic Kreuzberg. Pun aside, you’ll be comebacking. EJ.

Heart of Gold Hostel

www.heartofgold-hostel.de (0)30 29 00 33 00 Johanisstraße 11 S25 S1 Oranienburger Straße U6 Oranienburger Tor Dorms from 15€ The larger, newer partner of Helter Skelter, Heart of Gold has themed itself on ‘The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy’, but still remains cool rather than kitsch. Reception is open 24 hours and the bar/common room area is huge. Due to its size this place is also more suited to large groups.

ComeBackPackers common room

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An unfortunate trend has emerged among many newer hostels, of substituting good kitchen facilities for breakfast. In a lot of cities, this is included in the price, Berlin however is not one of them, and extra charges for breakfast can range between 2€ and 5€. When this is in addition to linen hire, towel hire, luggage storage facilities etc, the hidden fees of a hostel mean you can end up paying a lot more than the 15€ a night that you thought you were. All “extra” fees for hostels reviewed here are included.

Entrance of Sunflower Hostel

Sunflower Hostel

Pfefferbett Hostel

www.sunflower-hostel.de (0)30 44 04 42 50 Helsingforser Straße 17 U1, S5, S7, S9, S75, Warschauerstraße Dorms from 13€ Regularly updated with ‘themed’ rooms and bunk beds that you won’t hit your head on, cool, welcoming staff and a very chilled out bar make this place an excellent choice for your stay in Berlin. Located in the very fashionable area of Friedrichshain, there is lots of info available on Berlin, and also internet (including free wireless) and laundry facilities on hand. Also note that kitchen facilities are only available on request – make sure you mention this when booking!

www.pfefferbett.de (0)30 93 93 58 58 Schönhauser Allee 176 U2 Senefelder Platz Dorms from 16€ plus tax Another Friedrichshain establishment, this very new hostel can be a little hard to find, but follow the signs up the stairs to the Pfefferburg restaurant and you will get there eventually. It attracts a mixed crowd of all ages and is often used by large groups, but it has nice new rooms and the rarity of free internet. Staff are helpful and friendly and it’s only a few minutes away from the nearest U-bahn station. Also, those under 26 don’t have to pay tax and there are plenty of services available including bike rental, laundry facilities, book exchange, pool table, lockers, a postal service and an outdoor area with a view.

Generator Hostel

www.generatorhostels.com/en/berlin (0)30 41 72 400 Storkower Straße 160 S8, S45, S46, S47 Landsberger Allee Dorms from 10€ This place is big. Really big. At 902 beds it’s Germany’s (and possibly Europe’s) biggest hostel. So while it doesn’t exactly have a cosy atmosphere, it makes up for it with a huge range of (often free) services and by being just about the cheapest bed you can find for a night in Berlin. For your 10€, you get a bed in a 12-person dorm, free linen, breakfast, a drink at the bar and a free walking tour. It’s not an ideal area, but it is literally right next to the S-Bahn station, so be prepared to spend some money on transport.

Beer garden at the Generator Hostel

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JetPak Hostel

East Seven Hostel

www.eastseven.de (0)30 93 62 22 40 Schwester Straße 7 U2 Senefelderplatz Dorms from 17€ A fairly recent addition to the Berlin hostelling scene, at the ripe old age of three, East Seven still manages to retain some traits of an old school backpackers joint – kitchen, common room, and beer garden. And if you’re in Berlin on a Monday night, this is the place to stay for a free vegetarian dinner. Note though, that there is a compulsory 3€ fee for linen and while there are internet facilities (wireless is free), it’s a little pricey compared to most internet cafes in Berlin (see Dos and Do Nots section). Same goes for the ‘low cost’ drinks available at reception.

www.jetpak.de (0)30 78 44 360 Pariser Straße 58 U9 Spicherstraße Dorms from 18€ A relatively small, but very popular hostel in a quieter neighbourhood. There is no kitchen but breakfast is on offer for 3€ in the cafe at reception. Also note that there are no other food stores in the area so be prepared to bring supplies with you.

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Eastern Comfort Hostel ‘boat’

Reading corner at East Seven

Eastern Comfort Hostelboat

www.eastern-comfort.com(0)30 66 76 38 06 Mühlen Straße 73-77 U1, S5, S7, S9, S75 Warschauerstraße Dorms from 16€ Lacks the charm that you might think automatic in a hostel ‘boat’, but if you like the novelty of sleeping on the water in an amazing location (right next to the start of the East Side Gallery and the U-Bahn station) this is the place for you. The bar upstairs is the perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon in the sun, and is also open to the public. But beware, there is no kitchen and breakfast – at 4€ – is at the pricier end of the scale.

There are now several hostel booking sites available online which allow people who have stayed in a hostel to give it a rating. They differ in size and extra charges, so if you have some time, look around to minimise your costs. Also, hostels don’t always allocate all their beds to online booking sites, so if the place you want looks booked out, try emailing the individual hostel, or giving them a call. - www.hostelworld.com - the most comprehensive of these sites. Includes a service charge, and prices quoted can sometimes be higher than on other sites, however this is also the most user friendly. - www.hostelbookers.com -fewer hostels listed and includes hotels and private rooms, but there is no service charge. - www.gomio.com - no charge to use and many hostels listed - www.hostels.com - fairly similar to hostelworld but less users so less ratings - www.hostelz.com - also has a large selection, but not the best interface as it does not display prices on its main page and clicking through to individual hostels can be time consuming.

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Meet the team Eloise Johnstone, Australia

Practical Inforation Eloise is currently travelling Europe after finishing her Journalis degree. She is into sipping fine cheap beer, jiving the night away to pretentious indie rock and roll and making up nicknames for people. Has a poorly concealed nerdy passion for European history which is often exposed at her clear excitement when approaching a good quality museum.

Adija Adamu, Cameroon

Itineraries Adija studies tourism and hospitality management at the Eastern Mediterranean University in northern Cyprus. She loves dancing, listening to music, travelling, meeting new people, and having quiet moments alone.

John Latham, England

HIstory John is a 22-year old history graduate from Loughborough, who is currently working towards a writing career after travelling the Silk Road. His interests include cooking, world music, and a masochistic support for West Bromwich Albion FC.

Pitt Max, Luxembourg

Museums Pitt is a recent MA graduate in contemporary English literature from the mighty Grand Duché of Luxembourg. Eager to finally get a job and exploit his writing skills, he is currently looking for an opportunity to break into the brutally competitive world of public relations. Besides his affinity for cheap German beer, he loves the smell of grilled Turkish meat in the late hours of the evening.

Anne Smellie, England

Arts and Culture Anne loves the great outdoors, sport and sarcasm. Running has been the best way to see the city, as without trainers she would not have discovered that the East Side Gallery was a mere 5 minutes from her apartment. She would also have failed to discover that the drunk red-faced man who sits outside the newsagent on Adalbertstraße is not only there between 9am and 9pm, but also can be seen at 6am with a Sternberger in hand. She is considering joining him one day.

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Cathy Reay, England

Food and Drink Cathy is a journalist from London,. She writes for a charity magazine by day and dances stupidly at music concerts on behalf of entertainment publications by night. She hated beer before she came to Berlin, now she can’t get enough of it. She loves food almost as much as music (and beer), especially cupcakes.

Anne Wittorff, Denmark

Shopping Anne is addicted to travelling with her backpack, however needs to invent something that will allow her to do more shopping whilst backpacking. Loves pizza fungi when drunk and is more than capable of finishing an entire one on her own.

Ruth Jacob, England

Sport Ruth Jacob is a Nigerian born final year Journalism and Economics student. She loves, music, singing, eating, fashion, sport, keeping up with current affairs and is keen to get travelling around this planet and beyond. She can be a little shy and quiet sometimes. You know what they say about the quiet ones...

Natasa Vunduk, England

Nightlife Natasa has developed an unhealthy addiction to gherkins during her time in Berlin. She also likes taking photographs. Also when someone concocts an injection of enthusiasm, she would quite like to know about it.

Hannah Bourke, Australia

Hostels Hannah is a temporarily homeless and jobless individual from Newcastle, Australia. She enjoys travelling, shopping and music in all its forms, and is currently putting off getting a job and becoming a grown-up for as long as possible. She has also been seriously considering getting a goldfish.

David Aguirre Hoffmann, Honduras

Graphic Designer David’s enthusiasm for digital arts has taken him to very inspiring locations since his childhood. At the moment he’s lucky enough to be living in Berlin, and continues to draw his days away into the next horizon.

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