THINGS TO DO
One day: start at Brandenburg Gate, then walk up to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe – be prepard for a rather heavy exhibit. Then walk up Friedrichstraße to Checkpoint Charlie, then onto The Jewish Museum which has pretty good exhibitions. Once you’ve looked around the museum, either go for a coffee at Companion Coffee or lunch at the delicious Café Ora, which is an old apothecary.
Another day: For a really healthy breakfast start your date at Daluma then walk the long walk to the East Side Gallery which is the Berlin wall rather than an actual building! Once you’ve walked along the East Side Gallery, pop into the Michelberger Hotel for lunch or a coffee or something stronger. Then walk across the Oberbaum Bridge and head to Markthalle Neun food market. Once you’ve sampled the tipples and tastes of the market, walk across to Bonanza Coffee, the hidden gems of coffee shops in Berlin.
Sun(ny) day: If you’re in Berlin for a weekend and it’s sunny on a Sunday, the best place to go is Mauerpark. There’s a flea market and well as number of food stalls. Some times there are capoeira dancers and a performance going in on the naturally made amphitheatre.
Sights: Brandenburg Gate; Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe; The Jewish Museum; Potsdamer Platz; East Side Gallery; Hamburger Bahnhof An art museum in old railway station; Berlin Wall Memorial; Bauhaus Museum Design museum; Checkpoint Charlie; Reichstag German parliament; Pergamon Museum and all the other museums on Museum Island; Kurfürstendamm Quite far out of the centre of town; Schloss Charlottenburg Stunning palace, the largest in Berlin. Again, quite far out
Parks: Mauerpark. There’s a flea market and well as number of food stalls. Some times there are capoeira dancers and a performance going in on the naturally made amphitheatre. Volkspark Friedrichshain. A beautiful, peaceful park. Very different to Mauerpark above!
EAT
Das Lokal Typically Berlin, aka, cool. Small, dark, all-white setting. Only open for dinner.
Katz Orange Really beautiful building down a mews. Nice to sit outside if it’s warm.
Oh Panama Great living-room style restaurant for dinner with quirky menu.
Café Ora An old apothecary, great for lunch
Daluma Seriously healthy breakfasts and lunches
Neither tried nor tested, but researched & recommended…
Mogg and Melzer An old Jewish girls’ school. Order the pastrami sandwich and Matza Ball soup. Go for lunch.
Yumcha Heroes for dumplings
Dudu Asian fusion
Cantina The restaurant of Tausend Bar
Roamers for brunch or lunch
Burgermeister Cheap, delicious, dirty burgers and chilli fries
DRINK
Michelberger Hotel Go for a drink here after you visit the East Side Gallery
The Barn Cwaffee
Bonanza Coffee The hidden gems of coffee shops in Berlin
Bonanza Coffee Heroes The new bonanza which opened in Penzlauer Berg
Neither tried nor tested, but researched & recommended…
Tausend Bar The same as Cantina restaurant
Solar Lounge bar and restaurant – good views.
John Muir Old school cocktails
Distrikt Coffee Also good for breakfast
CLUBS
Club de Visionnaire Great during the summer to sit and drink outside on the water.
Berghain The world famous club in Berlin. Open Friday night until midday on Monday. Be prepared to queue for hours and there are no guarantees getting in. They don’t like tourists, so make sure you look like a local and keep quiet!
Watergate Super cool techno club with big windows looking out onto the water.
Tresor Underground techno club in the vaults of the former department store.
Neither tried nor tested, but researched & recommended…
House of Weekend Low ceilings and roof tops with great views.
SLEEP
The one and only, Soho House, or should I say, haus.
