Berlin

The German capital embodies reinvention. Let us guide you through the city’s best offerings.

Berlin is a city that has it all: a cosmopolitan populace, restaurants with global cuisine and plenty of museum shows. And, not to forget, some of the best nightlife in the world.

Yet unlike rival metropolises such as London or New York, Berlin keeps things relaxed. There is plenty of green space and the U-Bahn is rarely packed – even the most touristy spots are not overcrowded. Its airiness is a result of the city’s turbulent 20th century: at just under four million people, Berlin’s population is only now approaching what it was in 1920 – along with its present-day inhabitants who are famously ganz cool.

Berliners are neatly sorted into seven neighbourhoods around central Mitte. Kreuzberg and Neukölln are long-standing magnets for Turkish immigrants and hard-partying youngsters. Friedrichshain is known for the Karl-Marx-Allee, a Soviet-style grand boulevard, and retains its steely GDR residents. Families decamp to Prenzlauer Berg or Schöneberg, where leafy streets are dotted with artisanal bakeries. Charlottenburg has high-end shops and an older, well-heeled crowd, while Wedding hides some of the city’s best restaurants. Nothing is ever more than half an hour away by bike, so hop onto a saddle and start pedalling.

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