A unique city reborn after years of conflict and division, Berlin is now celebrated as much for its clubs, bars, cafes and street art as for its museums and sites of historic interest.
What to see
Museum Island is a magnet for history and culture lovers. Stunningly beautiful - its entrance is modelled after the Louvre - it plays host to five diverse and culturally rich museums: the Pergamonmuseum, the Bode-Museum, Neues Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie, and the Altes Museum. The Altes Museum was the first public museum in Prussia and houses Berlin’s main collection of ancient art and sculptures, while the others cover everything from Islamic Art to busts of Egyptian Queens.
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For a potted - and highly engaging - history of the city, head for The Wyld at Friedrichstadt-Palast. The colourful, quirky performan, often compared to a Las Vegas show, depicts “human nature in all its facets and the wilderness of the metropolis”, according to its promoter. “It is populated with flamboyant mavericks, city slickers and intergalactic metamorphoses –very modern and archaic, bizarre and futuristic.”
What to do
Enjoy a panoramic view of the beautiful city at sunset while sipping on a cocktail at the revolving bar on the top of the TV Tower, 207m above the city. The restaurant serves Berlin and Brandenburg cuisine as well as international and seasonal specialities.
Where to shop
Each morning the century-old iron gates of the Kaufhaus des Westens open to eager shoppers seeking Gucci, Prada and the luxury food court. Nearby Peek & Cloppenburg sells slightly edgier designer labels.
Where to stay
Adlon Kempinski provides a five-star stay in the centre of the city. “One of our top picks in Berlin – and a guest favourite,” says Booking.com. Guests can enjoy the outdoors on the terrace or have a drink at the bar. It also has its very own wellness centre, Adlon Spa by Resense.
If you’re looking to relax and unwind, then the Riverside City Hotel & Spa has you covered. Equipped with plush interiors, a whirlpool and riverside views, the sights inside the hotel are just as beautiful as the sights outside. It also offers a Turkish steam bath and a coffee bar.
Where to eat
Built to look like a dark stage, the dining room in the Reinstoff has low-level lighting focusing on the tables. “Dinner at Reinstoff is a quintessentially Berlin experience,” says Elizabethonfood. “Reinstoff is very much in sync with its location.” Split into “nearby” and “faraway” food, the menu showcases avant-garde cooking techniques and elaborate presentation.
The art deco Die Quadriga is named after the impressive four-horse-chariot Quadriga of Victory statue at the top of the Brandenburg Gate. The menu is Scandinavian-oriented and changes with the seasons. TripAdvisor calls it a “taste of heaven”.
And for a glass of wine, German or otherwise, head to the Weinbar Rutz, where the a whole wall of the extensive downstairs bar is lined with bottles.
