Berlin - michael

Schöneberg Schöneberg 

General Information General Information

Contents 

Contents 

1 General Schöneberg Information General Schöneberg Information 2

Berlin 

Tube Map 


History History 

Berlin from 1237-1900 

Berlin is a name which conjures many 

images: a city at the centre of war, a 

confl icted and divided city. A city, if 

you will, on the extremes. 

Having been the axis of so much of 

the world’s recent history, it might 

be easy to assume that this was all 

that Berlin had to offer in terms of 

historical interest. But this is not so. 

It has been said of Berlin that it is the 

centre of Germany just as Germany 

is the centre of Europe. 

In tracing back a few hundred years, 

it is possible to see how this came 

to be. Geographically speaking, 

Berlin came into existence as an 

insignifi cant trade town situated 

in between the two older towns of 

Spandau and Cölln. This central 

position worked to Berlin’s favour as 

it continued to grow and enveloped 

both other towns within its own 

boundaries. 

Though Berlin can only date its own 

foundation from the fi rst extant 

mention of Cölln in 1237, it was Berlin 

that, by the mid-fourteenth century, 

had become the most important 

trading town in Brandenburg, with 

its own City Council and Stadtbuch. 

By the time of the Reformation, 

Berlin had become an important 

German town in its own right, 

particularly special to many being 

one of the fi rst cities in Europe to 

embrace Lutheranism. Because of 

this, many French Huguenots fl ed 

to Berlin bringing with them their 

intellectual and industrial talents. 

Even today, though the name 

“Huguenot” has become largely 

insignifi cant in modern-day 

Europe, this relationship between 

French Protestants and Berlin 

is still celebrated in Mitte’s 

Gendarmenmarkt. 

Here the Französicher Dom and 

the Deutscher Dom, mirroring each 

other in design, are monuments to 

the great respect these two groups 

had for each other. Despite the years 

between Napoleon’s invasion of 

Brandenburg and the Cold War, when 

Franco-German relations were at a 

very low ebb, it is nice to see these 

two rivals still facing each other in 

friendship in the Gendarmenmarkt. 

Not only a trend-setter in religion, 

Berlin became a leader in the 

Enlightenment. Prussia’s third king, 

Friedrich the Great, transformed 

Prussia - with Berlin as its capital - 

into an enlightened, politically and 

economically strong and religiously 

tolerant state. 

Even defeats in the Thirty Years War 

failed to completely destroy Prussia’s 

supremacy. This in time transformed 

the Hohenzollern dynasty into one of 

the greatest in Europe, related by 

marriage to most of the great houses 

on the continent. 

This strength, nobility and stature 

were, along with the talents of 



Otto von Bismarck, one of the main 

reasons why Berlin and its monarchy 

became the head of the newly unifi ed 

Germany. 

Despite the later failures of this 

system in the early years of the 

20th century, this age of a strong 

and enlightened German Empire, 

led from Berlin, remained in the 

European psyche for many years. 

Jewish History of Berlin 

The history of the Jewish community 

is plagued by episodic persecution, 

Jews often being used as a scapegoat 

for economic and social woes. 

By 1295 Jewish people in Berlin were 

barred from many professions and 

effectively forbidden to become 

members of the artisan guilds. 

Throughout the 14th to 16th centuries 

Jews were expelled from Berlin and 

let back in time and again, accused 

of acts such as the rampant plague 

in Berlin and Brandenburg, which 

had been sweeping across Europe; 

and host desecration; which meant 

that Berlin had virtually no Jewish 

community for a century. 

Between expulsions and being 

banned from most other trades, the 

Jewish people of Berlin successfully 

engaged in money lending and 

petty trade. They were confi ned 

to living in a ghetto in the Grosser 

Judenhof (Jew’s Court) area, and on 

Judenstrasse (Jew Street). 

Following the devastation of the 

Thirty Years’ War and in an attempt 

to achieve an economic upswing by 

increasing population, the Great 

Elector Friedrich Wilhelm allowed 50 

prosperous Jewish families that were 

expelled from Vienna to settle in the 

Brandenburg region in 1671. They 

were permitted to stay under the 

condition that they pay an annual 

protection fee, engage in only 

certain businesses and worship only 

in their own homes. Finally, a Jewish 

community of Berlin was offi cially 

founded. 

Despite suffering restrictions on 

religion, residence and family size 

as well as extra taxes, the Jewish 

population of Berlin grew and by 

1700 the city’s Jewish slums had 

approximately 1,000 residents. In 

1714 the fi rst synagogue of Berlin was 

dedicated. As excellent merchants 

and bankers, by halfway through the 

18th century the Jewish community 

totaled close to 2,000 and they had 

become among the richest people in 

Berlin. 

Philosopher and scholar Moses 

Mendelssohn arrived in Berlin in 

1743, and urged Jews to integrate 

into secular society and by 1778 these 

enlightened ideas found expression 

in the Jüdische Freischule (Jewish 

Free School) that combined religious 

learning with general education. 

Though the 1812 Emancipation 

Edict that declared Jewish people 

equal citizens was in the most 

part quickly retracted, there was 

a general loosening on Prussia’s 

restrictions and growing equality for 

its Jewish population. By 1869 the 

new North German Confederation 

passed a law on the equal rights of 

religious confession 

and declared the 

emancipation of 

Jewish people 

within its territory 

and by 1871 German 

Jews had equal 

rights. Within a 

few years members 

of the Jewish 

community rose to 

prominence in government, many 

as close advisors to the Kaiser. By 

the turn of the century, there were 

more than 110,000 Jews in Berlin, 

comprising more than 5% of the total 

population. 

In the Weimer years (1919-1933) 

Jewish citizens of Germany and Berlin 

enjoyed unprecedented levels of 

freedom, with plays by Max Reinhardt 

taking the stage, Jewish composers 

including Arnold Schoenberg’s works 

being performed, Max Liebermann 

and Lesser Ury creating beautiful 

paintings and musicians such as the 

Comedian Harmonists at the height 

of popularity. The Jewish population 

continued to grow and by 1933 

160,000 Jews called Berlin home. 

At the same time anti-Semitism was 

on the rise and the years leading up 

to the ascendance of Nazi power saw 

increasing attacks on members of the 

Jewish community. Statebacked 

persecution 

ensued after the 

Nazis took power in 

1933, and with the 

1935 

Nüremberger 

Gesetze 

(Nuremberg 

Laws) the Jewish 

citizens of Germany 

were effectively 

deprived of social and 

economic rights via the introduction 

of apartheid-like classifi cations of 

“racial purity”. 

Between 1933 and 1939 Jewish 

community life increased as Jewish 

citizens were forced to send their 



children to segregated schools and 

forbidden from interacting with 

non-Jews. Those who could see the 

writing on the wall and had money 

escaped while they could, though 

even such escape was a limited 

opportunity, as other European 

countries, the US and Palestine all 

restricted Jewish immigration. 

In retaliation for the assassination 

of German diplomat Ernst vom Rath, 

who was killed by a 17-year-old 

Polish-Jew, Herschel Grynsypan, the 

Reich Minister of Propaganda Joseph 

Goebbels called for a nationwide 

pogrom on November 9th 1938. 

This night is known as 

Reichskristallnacht – Night of Broken 

Glass, a nationwide attack on the 

Jewish people that resulted in the 

death of 36 of Berlin’s Jews, many 

were beaten on the streets while 

passers-by looked on; the destruction 

of 23 synagogues and the wrecking of 

hundreds of shops and businesses. 

German Jewish citizens were then 

required to pay one million marks to 

repair the damages. 

By 1941 it was compulsory for Jewish 

citizens to wear a yellow star at all 

times, and the fi rst mass deportations 

from Berlin marked the beginning of 

the systematic large-scale genocide 

of German Jews. Before the end of 

the war over 55,000 Jewish residents 

of Berlin were deported. 

In January 1941 the Wannsee 

Conference resolved and planned the 

so-called Endlösung der Judenfrage 

(Final Solution to the Jewish 

Question) – the removal of all Jews 

to the East and, implicitly, their 

extermination. The Final Solution 

began to be put into effect, and 

life for the Jewish citizens in Berlin 

became increasingly unbearable. 

All Jewish schools and institutions 

were closed down, the Jewish 

community was disbanded, Jewish 

citizens were banned from public 

transport, their food rations 

were reduced and thousands 

were deported, mostly to the 

Theresienstadt and Auschwitz 

concentration camps. 

By the end of the war, 

Hitler’s mass genocide 

had reduced Berlin’s 

Jewish population by 

around 96 per cent to 

about 6,500. Survivors 

managed to escape 

death often through 

being hidden by gentile 

families at great 

personal risk or by 

evading fi nal round-ups 

through legal conditions 

such as irreplaceable 

skills vital to the war 

effort or being married to a non-Jew. 

Only about 2,000 returned from the 

concentration camps. 

In 1946 the Jewish community was 

offi cially recognized again as a 

public body, and a large number of 

Eastern European Jews immigrated 

to Berlin. As a result of intense 

anti-Semitic persecution in East 

Germany, many members of the 

Jewish community fl ed to the west. 

As a result, the Jewish community of 

East Berlin was almost non-existent, 

and even by 1988 the East German 

Jewish community had less than 200 

members. 

In West Berlin, the German Jewish 

community had about 6,000 

members, constituting 

the largest Jewish 

community in Germany. 

After the two Berlin 

Jewish communities 

were reunited with the 

fall of the Berlin Wall, 

the federal government 

approved refugee status 

for Jews from the former 

Soviet Union and since 

then over 50,000 Jewish 

people have immigrated 

to Germany, with Berlin 

more than doubling its 

congregation members 

to over 12,000. 

Since reunifi cation several steps 

have been taken to preserve Jewish 

history including the opening of the 

Jewish Museum and the decision by 

the German Bundestag to erect the 

Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden 

Europas (Memorial for the Murdered 

Jews of Europe) according to the 

design by Peter Eisenman. 



The puzzle of the Berlin Wall 

An anti-capitalistic protective barrier 

with concrete pads, barbwire and 

watchtowers held the East German 

population from running away. 

“A wall is a hell of a lot better than 

war,” declared John F. Kennedy upon 

hearing about the construction of 

the Berlin Wall. 

Nevertheless, 

for about 

28 years the 

160km long 

wall encased a 

whole nation. 

Between 1949 

and 1961, 

2 . 5 m i l l i o n 

p e o p l e 

escaped from 

the German 

Democratic Republic (DDR) by trying 

to get over the wall, or hiding in 

traffi c that was allowed to go through 

the barriers. The accurate number of 

people who were shot down when 

they tried to escape varies according 

to different sources. Many memorials 

give an account of the GDR fugitives’ 

tragic destiny: bleeding to death 

after being shot by border patrol 

soldiers. Escape from the German 

republic was classifi ed as treason, 

punishable by death. There was 

nothing the Western Berlin police 

could do to stop this. 

A sad chapter in German history was 

put to an end when the Wall was 

torn down in 1989, and as a result 

the unifi cation of Germany ensued. 

Of over 100 watchtowers three 

are kept. Even some of the former 

border crossings 

are still clearly 

recognizable, with 

the most wellknown 

transition 

at Checkpoint 

Charlie. 

The wall was 

broken up and 

the remaining 

sections becoming 

memorials and 

museums for the 

fallen. The Todesstreifen (death 

zone) can still be seen in many 

places. Some have been left as 

large areas of brown, uncultivated 

land, while other parts have been 

turned into parks. The pieces of 

wall that were torn down and 

demolished were sent to museums 

and universities across the world, 

and made into souvenirs for tourists. 

Wall sections decorate, for example, 

the historic port in Cape Town, South 

Africa; the entrance of the Basilica 

Fatima Sanctuary in Portugal; 

the Vatican garden; the 6km long 

green stream Cheonggyecheon in 

South Korean city of Seoul; the EU 

Parliament in Belgium; as well as 

places in Strasbourg, Riga, London, 

Canberra and Montréal. The biggest 

Wall piece outside of Germany is 

located in “Freedom Park” near 

Arlington, Virginia. 

The well-known East Side Gallery was 

painted in 1990 by 118 artists from 

21 different countries; previously it 

was only allowed for West Germans. 

The Gallery is not just for the artistic 

exploration of the Wall’s demise, but 

for the memory of the dead refugees. 

During the Wall’s 20th anniversary 

former artists were brought to the 

capital city to remove the traces 

of the last 18 years. The graffi ti 

has suffered extensive damage 

due to visitors and attacks from 

Mauerspechten (wall woodpeckers). 

A €2.5 million renovation is underway 

and should be ready by Autumn 

General Schöneberg Information General Schöneberg 

11 Information 12


2009. The maintenance of the wall 

plays a major role, since it is both 

an important monument to the 

reunifi cation, as well as a Certifi cate 

of European and world culture. 

Anyone can acquire a valuable 

memory in the form of a piece of the 

Wall. Pieces come in different sizes, 

which are also available online, up 

to $150. However, if you want to see 

more than just a 2x2cm piece, the 

opportunity as a tourist in Berlin is 

huge: at Potsdamer Platz, Pariser 

Platz next to the Brandenburger 

Gate, in Mauerpark along Bernauer 

Strasse (National Monument, U 

Bernauerstr.) and in Mühlenstraße 

with the longest preserved part of 

the wall about 1.3km. 

Those interested in the history of 

the GDR and the fall of the Wall 

should defi nitely go to the following 

places. They will clear all important 

questions and satisfy your thirst for 

knowledge. 

City Museum of Berlin 

www.stadtmuseum.de 

Am Köllnischen Park 5 

U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Jannowitzbrücke 

Tel: +49 3 024 002 159 

Tue, Thu-Sun 10am-6pm 

Wed 12-8pm 

Price: €4 

Haus am Checkpoint Charlie 

www.mauermuseum.de 

U-Bahn: Stadtmitte or Kochstraße 

Tel: +49 302 537 250 

Mo- Su 9am- 8pm 

Price: €7.50-12.50 

Chapel of Reconciliation 

www.kapelle-versoehnung.de 

Bernauerstr. 4 

Tel: +49 304 636 034 

Service to remember the victims 

(Sunday 10am) 

Tue-Sun 10am-5pm 

Topographie of Terror 

www.topographie.de 

Niederkirchnerstr. 8 

Tel: +49 3 025 450 950 

Oct-Apr 10am-6pm, May-Sep 10am- 

BEARLIN Capital of the furry teddies 

Looking back on Berlin’s 

history begs the question 

of how the bear became 

its symbol. Unfortunately 

it is not clear what was 

here fi rst; Berlin or the 

bear. It wasn’t until 1280 

when the bear became the 

heraldic animal of Berlin. 

Today its image is still 

used for advertisements 

on different logos, 

c e r t i f i c a t i o n s , 

newspapers, publications, 

agencies, stamps and 

even more in and around 

Berlin. The bear even 

became a permanent part 

of the city’s fl ag in 1908. 

Berlin bear art is scattered 

all over the city in the 

form of sculptures, plastic 

models and architecture, 

most of which are hidden 

amongst the less touristprone 

areas. Some have 

also just been rebuilt 

after they got eliminated 

or damaged during the 

Nazi regime. Today, 

especially in Prenzlauer 

Berg, there are many furry 



inhabitants decorating the 

streets. In the middle of 

the public Volkspark lives 

the most colorful bear 

in Berlin. He was born in 

1970 and fell pray to some 

graffi ti artists in the last 

couple of years. However 

they decided to keep him 

blue and call him Käpt’n 

Blaubär (Captain Blue 

bear) which is now a great 

attraction for children 

who know this bear from 

TV. 

At the Moabiter Bridge 

(Bartningallee) there 

are four different bears 

designed by four sculptors 

each at a different 

location. The bridge was 

built between 1893 and 

1894 and was rebuilt due 

to war damage between 

1980 and 1981. The stone 

bears are positioned on 

all fours and appear to 

be giant when standing 

in front of them, their 

huge paws and enormous 

claws making them 

appear even larger. Their 

bodies look big and round, 

nevertheless they do not 

appear as feared creatures but rather 

as cute clumsy bears, which delight 

the pedestrians who pass over the 

bridge. Around this area small cafes 

and a cozy restaurant at the Spree 

River invite everybody to sit down 

and relax. 

One of the most important bear art 

pieces is W. Sutkowski’s refurbished 

fountain, which was rebuilt after 

being destroyed during World War 

II. Sutowski made his artwork out 

of red Lava Tuff stone which gives 

it an interesting pattern. This 

fountain is decorated with one bear 

in the center and eight smaller bears 

around, almost as if the mother bear 

is watching her children frolic. 

Some of the bear art pieces are also 

used for charity. In 2001 Eva Herlitz 

had the idea to paint bear sculptures, 

sell them at auctions and give the 

money to UNICEF and other children 

aid organizations. In this way they 

could donate more than two million 

dollars in the last eight years. Jackie 

Chan even brought the idea of the 

United Buddy Bears to Hong Kong. 

Everybody can support this project, 

take part in the competition and 

maybe get the chance to give a 

buddy bear a new fur colour. 

If you want to get a shot of this 

famous Berlin symbol- just keep your 

eyes open and wherever you may go 

you will always fi nd a bear. 


Survival Guide 

Berlin is a lovely place to see and explore, but just 

to make your visit that much more enjoyable, 

we’ve gathered some useful information to help 

you get by in the city. 

Culture and etiquette 

Berlin generally has a laid back and accepting 

attitude to most things, although there is an 

underlying sense of respect for rules and authority. 

• Jaywalking is both illegal and frowned upon - 

offenders will more frequently be reprimanded 

by onlookers than the police. 

• Although a smoking ban was recently 

introduced to the city, most people don’t adhere to it, especially in bars. 

It is best to ask before you light up. 

• Service charges in bars/restaurants are normally included in the bill, 

although it is quite common to round up to the nearest euro in most cases. 

Useful tips 

• For a quick view of the main Berlin area, bus routes 100 and 200 are 

double-decker buses that take you Museum Island, Unter den Linden, the 

Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the Tiergarten, and Kaiser-Wilhelm- 

Gedächtniskirche. Get a map from the BVG Pavillon on Hardenbergplatz. 

• Some museums stay open late on Thursdays and offer free entry from 6pm. 

You can also get a three day museum pass for a reduced rate. 

• Tip and Zitty are fortnightly entertainments guides, 

with concert, venue and exhibition information. These are 

available from all newsagents. They are in German, but the 

nightlife lists are easy to decipher. 

• Recycling is taken quite seriously – look out for 

separate bins for plastic and glass. 


• Take carrier bags with you to the supermarket to avoid being charged. 

• There is often a deposit or pfand on bottles from both supermarkets and 

bars. If your bottle says Pfand zuruck or Pfand Flasche you can take it 

to the supermarket recycling machine, which gives you a slip to take to 

the counter and get your money back. Most bars will tell you if your glass 

needs to be returned to get your deposit back. 

• It’s best to carry cash – few places accept travellers’ cheques and credit 

cards. 

Transport 

The city has a well integrated and 

effi cient public transport network. 

At fi rst glance it may appear quite 

complex, but the interconnecting 

suburban (S-Bahn) and underground 

(U-Bahn) trains aided by the tram and 

bus services ensure you won’t be left 

stranded. 

The U-Bahn service closes between 

midnight and 5am, although the U1 and U9 run an overnight service during 

the weekends. The S-Bahn runs every ten to 20 minutes. Buses wind down at 

midnight, but offer an alternative night service. Most trams stop overnight 

where other transport is good, otherwise they run a limited night service. 

Although it might be tempting to not buy a ticket, 

undercover inspectors often make spot checks and hand 

out fi nes of €40 – better to be safe than sorry! 

If you buy single tickets, make sure you validate them 

before your journey. 

Cycling in Berlin 

If you abhor public transport, can’t stand rush hour traffi c 

and just want to feel the wind in your hair, then why 



don’t you cycle in Berlin? It’s fl atter 

than London and less chaotic than 

Amsterdam. With over 800kms of fl at 

land, parks, gardens and bike routes, 

look no further than Berlin’s cycling 

network. 

Many hostels will recommend or rent 

out bikes from a few hours to a few 

days, but if you are spending a few 

weeks or longer in Berlin it is wellworth 

investing your money in a bike. 

The average price to rent is €15 per 

day, and most places will hold onto 

a cash deposit or your passport until 

you bring the bike back. 

The best place to look for secondhand 

bikes are fl ea-markets, 

particularly Mauer Park, 

where you can pick up a 

bike for as little as €40. 

Important Information 

If you are hardcore and 

bring or buy your own bike, 

it’s best to remember the 

following, whether biking or 

walking: 

• Remember that traffi c is 

on the right-hand side of 

the road. Bike paths, even 

on the footpath, also follow 

this rule. 

• Buy a pump and tyre repair 

kit, or at least know a few 

locations of Bike Doctors, 

just in case. There is a lot of 

broken glass on the streets 

in Berlin. 

• Get a good lock. The fl ea 

markets are quite cheap. 

• Look before walking across a bike 

path. Sometimes cyclists look for 

someone to get angry with and will 

verbally lash out. 

• Buy a bike ticket if you need to take 

your bike on an S-or U-Bahn (outside 

of rush hour). Bikes are free when 

you have a monthly ticket. 

• Get off your bike and walk in busy 

areas, or ride on the road. 

Fat Tire Bike Tours 


• Keep a good lookout when riding 

alongside pedestrians or cars. Both 

can be dangerous and you’re in the 

worst position to go fl ying. 

• Enjoy riding around Berlin. It is 

good fun, keeps you fi t and gets you 

around with a lot less stress. 

www.FatTireBikeToursBerlin.com Panorama Str 1a. U-Bahn: 

Alexanderplatz. Tel: + 49 30 24 04 79 91. Sun-Sat 9.30am-6pm (-8pm Apr 

16 – Sep 30). 

The perfect combination of getting to know Berlin and getting active is 

to combine a city tour with a bike. You get to cover more space in less 

time than a walking tour, and it’s more fun than being stuck on a bus. 

You will ride along Unter den Linden, through the Brandenburg Tor and 

past the Reichstag. Stops are made at all the main sights for your happy 

snaps, and the guides will give you all the history and stories about each 

place. 

There are also topic tours on Nazi Germany and the Third Reich, the 

Berlin Wall and Cold War, and a day trip to Potsdam. Fat Tire also rent 

out bikes (another rental-only shop is located at Zoo Station), provide 

Segway tours and offer computer and laundry services. 



Airports 

Tegel Airport 

Tel: +49 1 805 000 186 

Tegel is 8km from the city centre, 

which is easy and cheap to reach 

by bus. The number 109 stops at 

Zoologischer Station, or you can 

catch the U-Bahn. 

Schönefeld 

Tel: +49 1 805 000 186 

South of the city centre, Bus 171 

can take you from the airport to 

Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld railway 

station. From there you can catch 

the S-Bahn or the fast regional trains 

into the city, 20kms away. 

Accommodation Information 

Berlin has a number of hostels that 

provide all the necessary facilities: 

bed linen; lockers; internet/WIFI; 

laundry facilities; plus added bonuses 

like leisure and entertainment 

facilities – bar; games room; TV room; 

and cheap breakfasts. Sometimes 

these are free or you may have to 

pay a small fee. It’s a good idea to 

go through these offers and decide 

what is important to you and what 

you can do without. 

Booking a bed is easy and can be 

done in a number of ways: online; 

telephone; or the olde traditional 

way…visit the hostel and book a 

bed there and then. Booking online 

however is quick, simple and often 

cheaper. You could book via the 

hostel’s website, but we recommend 

using hostel search engines such 

as HostelWorld.com. It is one of 

the easiest search engines to use, 

even for technophobes. Search by 

area, price or browse the customer 

ratings to fi nd the best hostel for 

you. Keep an eye out for discounts 

when booking online. 

How to pay: Most hostels prefer cash 

on arrival but each is different so 

keep that in mind when browsing. 

A small deposit is required when 

booking over the internet to ensure 

your bed is held, and is especially 

worth doing during busy holiday 

periods (May to September). 

Useful words/phrases 

English German 

Yes, No Ja, Nein 

Please Bitte 

You’re welcome Bitte 

Thank you Danke 

Good Morning Guten Morgen 

Good Day Guten Tag 

Good Evening Guten Abend 

Goodbye 

(informal) 

Tschüss 

Goodbye Auf 

(formal) Wiedersehen 

How are you? Wie geht es 

(formal) Ihnen? 

How are you? 

(informal) 

Wie geht’s? 

Today Heute 

Tomorrow Morgen 

Yesterday Gestern 

Excuse me Entschuldigung 

Where is...? Wo ist...? 

How, When, Wie, Wann, 

Why? 

Warum? 

Women’s toilets Damen/Frauen 

Men’s toilets Herren/Männer 


Entrance Eingang 

Exit Ausgang 

I would like... Ich möchte... 

Do you speak Sprechen Sie 

English? Englisch? 

1 eins 

2 zwei 

3 drei 

4 vier 

5 fünf 

6 sechs 

7 sieben 

8 acht 

9 neun 

10 zehn 

20 zwanzig 

50 fünfzig 

100 ein hundert 


Day Trips 

Day trips out of Berlin 

When you just need some time out 

from the hustle and bustle of crazy 

city life, hop on a train and see 

what the end of the line holds. From 

castles to beaches and even fi lm 

studioes, Berlin’s surroundings are 

just as fun as the inner city. 

Potsdam 

S-Bahn: 7. Potsdam Hauptbahnhof 

for regional trains. 

Only twenty minutes by train, 

Potsdam has just as much history as 

Berlin. With the royal Park Sanssouci 

and the fi lm park Babelsberg, there 

are many activities to fi ll your 

time. Historically Potsdam has been 

around since AD 993, although it was 

bombed heavily during World War II. 

Potsdam is a small town and the 

main street is your average cafe 

and shopping strip. A lot of buildings 

are also being rebuilt. Wander a 

little further and you will fi nd the 

original Brandenburger Tor, smaller 

but still impressive. The royal palace 

- Schloss Sanssouci - was home to 

the Kings of Prussia until 1918. The 

important Potsdam Conference was 

held at Cecilienhof, where the Allies 

all met to discuss how to deal with 

Germany after World War II. 

When you walk from town, take the 

back entrance into Park Sanssouci. 

Walk through Friedenskirche, Church 

of Peace, where the view between 

the concrete pillars will make you 

feel like Alice in Wonderland, looking 

out into a splash of colour with the 

lake, trees and fl owers in full bloom. 

Day Trips 

Schloss Sanssouci, built between Spend some time wandering the 

1745 and 1747, is fl anked on either palaces and grounds. There are 700 

side by smaller palaces one for acres of park to explore, picnic, and 

paintings and one for guests. King be surprised in. 

Friedrich’s summer palace stands 

above four layers of steps, gardens 

and greenhouses – these were 

built into the walls to protect the 

hundreds of fi g trees during winter. 

Maybe they were a personal favourite 

of Friedrich the Great? 

Head back to town and take in 

the fi lm park Babelsberg. This was 

where many fi lms, including those of 

the silent era and Nazi propaganda 

were produced. It is still an active 

and important part of European fi lm 

production. Some of the more recent 

Hike over to the Orangerie, a palace fi lms produced there include The 

built to house foreign royalty and Pianist, 2001; The Bourne Trilogy; 

guests, and climb to the top for a view Valkyrie, 2008; and The Reader, 

overlooking the whole of Potsdam. 2008. 


Day Trips 

Freibad Müggelsee 

Fürstenwalder Damm 838, 

Rahnsdorf. Tel: +49 0 306 487 777. 

S-Bahn: Friedrichshagen, Tram 61: 

Strandbad Müggelsee. May-Sept 

9am-6pm. Cost: €4; €2 reductions. 

Though not Berlin’s most central 

swimming area, this is a perfectly 

pleasant sunny day outing. With 

volleyball and basketball courts, 

snacks and drinks for sale, and a 

restaurant close by, this inland beach 

on the north shore of East Berlin’s 

biggest lake boasts a large sunbathing 

and swimming area. 

Although a sandy forefront, the 

water is natural and fl at. It’s great 

for throwing a ball around and 

playing horse with your friends. As 

the beach does get quite crowded, 

especially on sunny weekends, 

getting there early to claim a prime 

sun-bathing spot is recommended. 

From Alexanderplatz, the trip takes 

about 45 minutes. 

The Freikörperkultur (nudist) 

section of the beach is separated 

from the Freibad (open-air bathing 

area) by 200m of forest. If you’re 

interested in experiencing some of 

Germany’s nudist culture get off 

the tram at Fürstenwalder Damm/ 

Müggelseedamm for the FKK section 

of the beach. Tourists who are just 

there to gawk will be treated with 

some hostility, so make sure you’re 

ready to fully participate in this 

aspect of German culture if you 

choose to visit the nudist area. 

Krumme Lanke 

S-Bahn: Schlachtensee. Lake: Open 

all day, every day; free. 

Allied Museum: www. 

alliiertenmuseum.de. U-Bahn: Oskar- 

Helena-Helm. Mon-Tue, Thu-Sun 

10am-6pm. 

Wannsee Villa at Am Grossex 

Wannsee 56-58. Haus der Wannsee 

Konferenze: www.ghwk.de. Mon-Sun 

10am-6pm; free. To get there, catch 

Bus114 from Wannsee, get off at stop 

“Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz”. 

If you’re looking for a change from 

the busy and hectic city centre, a 

short trip to Schlachtensee Station is 

a great way to spend a relaxing (and 

free!) day out. Only a 100 metre walk 

from the station, Krumme Lanke 

is surrounded by the trees of the 

Grunewald Forest and can provide 

the tranquillity and rest your feet so 

much desire. It’s possible to swim, 

row and walk around in the area, and 

you can grab lunch from a cheap but 

cheerful café next to the station. 

Currywurst, bratwurst and more go 

Day Trips 

for €2-5. On a sunny day it can get 

quite busy, so head there early to 

claim a spot. 

If you can’t beat your sightseeing 

addiction, nearby is the Allied 

museum, good for a visual 

understanding of the Berlin Airlift 

and American presence in the city 

during much of the 20th century. 

Also close by is the Wannsee Villa, 

where the Nazis mapped out the 

fate of Europe’s Jews in the 1930s. 

All in all an enjoyable day out worth 

having if just to see another side to 

the multifaced city. 


Day Trips 

S a c h s e n h a u s e n 

Concentration Camp and 

Memorial 

www.gedehstaette-sachsenhausen. 

de. Memorial and Museum 

Sachsenhausen. Straße der 

Nationen 22, Oranienberg. S-Bahn: 

Orianenberg. Tel: +49 33 012 000. 

Daily 8.30am-6pm. Admission free. 

Reminders of Berlin’s turbulent past 

are all over the city, however a visit to 

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp 

near Oranienberg is particularly 

thought-provoking and encompasses 

the many horrors of recent German 

history. 

The camp was built in 1936 under 

Reichsfuhrer SS Heinrich Himmler 

as a model for future concentration 

camps. Between 1936 and 1945 

more than 200,000 people were 

interned at Sachsenhausen. Initially, 

the majority of these prisoners 

were political opponents of Hitler’s 

government: communists, social 

democrats and trade unionists. This 

soon widened to include anyone 

that the Nazis deemed as racially 

or biologically inferior such as 

homosexuals and Jews. 

During this period, tens of thousands 

died at the camp from starvation, 

forced labour, mistreatment and 

extermination. Soviet 

and Polish forces 

liberated the camp on 

April 22, 1945 - sadly 

however, 300 of the 

remaining inmates died 

from malnutrition and 

illnesses before they had 

the chance to leave. The 

mass grave in which these 

prisoners are interred is 

a particularly distressing 

part of the camp. 

The horrors of 

Sachsenhausen did not 

cease after the fall of the 

Nazis. From August 1945 

the Soviet secret police 

reopened the camp for 

the detention of their 

own political prisoners 

and war criminals; 

this included anyone 

suspected of opposition. 

By 1950 more than 60,000 prisoners 

of war, suspected former Nazis and 

Soviet political dissenters, were 

incarcerated there. After the fall of 

Day Trips 

the GDR the remains of some 10,000 

prisoners were found in mass graves. 

The extensive horrors which took 

place at Sachsenhausen during the 

Nazi and GDR years are memorialised 

by the national monument that 

towers over the grounds. 

The barren landscape 

and the original barracks, 

prison and security fencing 

are eerily suggestive of 

the extensive suffering 

which occurred. In 

particular the grim 

sights of the mortuary, 

living quarters and 

infi rmary invite visitors to 

contemplate experiences 

of the prisoners. Invest 

in the audio guide for €3 

in order to fully grasp 

the harrowing historical 

importance of the site. 

First-hand accounts 

displayed in the museums 

and played on the audio 

guide serve to emphasise 

the traumatic effect 

Hitler’s fascist rule had on 

millions of lives. 

A visit to Sachsenhausen is an eyeopening 

experience which reiterates 

the cold reality of World War II and 

the subsequent Soviet regime. 


Mitte Information 

Unter den Linden is one of Berlin’s 

most famous Boulevards, a 1.5kmlong 

stretch panning east from the 

Brandenburg Gate up to Museum 

Island. Developed as a showpiece 

since the 18th 

century, where 

it was then 

used as a horseriding 

route 

to Tiergarten, 

the road has 

become a 

gallery for 

some of Berlin’s 

greatest sights. 

Museum Island 

is a must see, 

with some of 

the worlds 

fi nest art and sculpture. Whilst 

in the area, a quick diversion 

to the governmental quarter of 

Berlin is defi antly worthwhile. The 

Spreebogen, a horseshoe shaped 

bend of the Spree River, houses 

several buildings running in an eastwest 

direction to symbolically tie the 

two halves of the city together. The 

Reichstag, situated in the middle of 

this unison, is a favourite amongst 

visitors, as the glass dome gives 

spectacular views across the city. 

Nicknamed ‘Alex’ by locals, Alexander 

Platz is perhaps one of the busiest 

places found in Berlin. Cluttered with 

shops, a central station and various 

fountains, it is something to be seen 

if only for the novelty. And of course, 

it is home to 

the communist 

commissioned TV 

Tower - a great 

landmark to 

locate yourself 

with when lost. 

Pretty much 

deserted during 

the GDR era, 

the Spandauer 

Vorstadt has been 

overtaken by 

squatters, artists 

and anyone 

with a fl air for renovation. Its focal 

point lies in Hackeschen Markt and 

the bustling streets surrounding it, 

crammed with busy (and expensive) 

restaurants and shops. The area to 

the west – Grosse Hamburger Strasse 

and the touristy Oranienburger 

Strasse – formed the heart of Berlin’s 

pre-war Jewish district. At the end 

of Oranienburger Strasse lies the 

graffi ti-covered Tachles, an anarchic 

1990s artists’ squat still preserved as 

such today, providing a good starting 

point for Berlin’s nightlife. 

29 Mitte Mitte 30

Arts & Culture Arts & Culture 

Brandenburg Gate 

Pariser Platz, S-Bahn: Unter den 

Linden, Bus 100/200. 

Designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans 

and built in 1791, the Brandenburg 

Gate has become a focal point in 

Berlin’s turbulent history. Originally, 

it was recognised as a symbol of 

German solidarity, as it looks out onto 

the impressive Siegessäule, marking 

Prussian military victories. With 

many of Berlin’s main roads leading 

towards it, the Gate is something 

almost impossible to miss. 

The site has witnessed many 

important events in Berlin’s history, 

including being a meeting place for 

revolutionaries in 1848 ad 1918; a 

favoured rallying point for the Nazis’ 

torch-lit marches; and with the wall 

enclosing the Gate in the Eastern 

sector in 1961, it soon became a 

symbol of the city’s division. Nearby 

observation posts became a hot spot 

for visiting politicians, including 

Kennedy and Thatcher, giving them 

a rare glimpse at life on the other 

side. 

Sitting on top of the Gate is the 

equally historic Quadriga, the horsedrawn 

chariot that was once snatched 

up by Napoleon and relocated to 

France (only to be returned to its 

original home a few years later). The 

GDR also did its own fi ddling with the 

statue, including the removal of the 

cross and it being turned around to 

face the West during the cold-war 

era. 

Today, the Gate serves as a tourist 

must-see, with families and 

travellers posing for photos in front 

of the impressive structure. 

Berlin Hauptbanhof 

www.hbf-berlin.de. Europaplatz 1. 

Nicknamed the “glass cathedral” 

by locals, this central station offers 

not only an easy route to almost 

anywhere in Berlin and Europe, 

but also a master class in glass and 

steel architecture. The Gothic-style 

construction was built primarily 

for the 2006 football World Cup, 

and hosts many shops, eateries and 

meeting points one would expect in 

such a large station. 

Designed by two Hamburg-based 

architects, Meinhard von Gerkan and 

Volkin Marg, it has become Europe’s 

biggest train hub, boasting a capacity 

of 300,000 travellers, running on 

1,100 trains per day. Unlike other 

stations in Berlin and across Europe, 

its cleanliness and peacefulness are 

dominant, with little to no graffi ti or 

rubbish in sight. 

Since its initial drawing-board stages, 

the station was always planned 

to observe a north-south, eastwest 

axis, cutting through the long 

circle line. This axis now serves as 

a symbolic central point of Europe, 

with trains coming from Rome and 

Copenhagen, Moscow and Paris. 

Hop on any one of the S-Bahn lines 

going through this station and you 

will get a great tour of the main sights 

of Mitte, including the Reichstag, 

the Spree and the Siegessäule. If you 

don’t have a need to travel, simply 

a quick trip here to look around is 

worthwhile as the architecture is 

remarkable. 

31 Mitte Mitte 32


Neue Wache 

(New Guard House) 

Unter den Linden 4. S-Bahn: Unter 

den Linden. Daily 10am – 6pm. 

Entrance Free. 

Teeming with important historical 

sites, Unter den Linden is indisputably 

fascinating yet sometimes 

exhausting. The Neue Wache (or New 

Guard House) is perfect for quiet 

contemplation: a momentary repose 

amidst a hectic day of sightseeing. 

The mourning sculpture by Käthe 

Kollwitz stands alone in the centre 

of the room, as a powerful symbol of 

the emotional torment that ensued 

after the Second World War. 

It was the fi rst building designed by 

the important German architect Karl 

Friedrich Schinkel in Berlin (1816- 

1818). It notably emphasizes the 

popular German Neo-Classical style 

of architecture, which swept through 

Germany in the 19th century. Until 

the end of the monarchy in 1918, 

the Neue Wache functioned as the 

royal guard house. Since then, this 

compact, yet simultaneously stately 

building has served as a memorial for 

victims of war. 

The German architect Heinrich 

Tessenow fi rst made changes to 

the building in 1930-31, creating a 

“Memorial for Those Who Fell in the 

Great War”. He inserted the oculus 

in the centre of the ceiling, through 

which light fi lters into the dark 

chamber, creating an atmospheric 

Neue and almost eerie sensation – when 

the building isn’t packed with 

tourists. 

Bombing from the Second World War 

left the building scarred, and as a 

result, in need of serious repair. From 

1960, the GDR restored the building, 

renaming it “Memorial to the Victims 

of Fascism and Militarism”. Inside the 

chamber, an eternal fl ame burned. 

In 1969 the Neue Wache housed the 

remains of an Unknown Soldier and 

concentration camp prisoner. In 

1993, after German reunifi cation, 

the hall was declared as the “Central 

Memorial of the Federal Republic of 

Germany”. Having been described as 

a “monumentally void interior hall”, 

the Neue Wache is nonetheless 

worth a visit for its atmospheric and 

emotional resonance. 

Fernsehturm 

www.berlinerfernsehturm.de. 

Panoramastrasse 1a. U-Bahn: 

Alexanderplatz. Tel: +49 2 423 333. 

Mar-Oct 9am-12am, Nov-Feb 10am- 

12am. Price: €4.50-9.50. 

Towering above Berlin, the 

Fernsehturm or T.V. tower serves as 

a beacon for visitors and locals alike 

to orientate themselves, since it can 

be seen from all corners of the city. 

The structure offers 360˚ views of 

Berlin with a rotating café on the 

Nikolaiviertel 

(St Nicholas Quarter) 

U-Bahn: Alexanderplatz. Combined 

ticket for Nikolaikirche, Knoblaus- 

Haus and Ephraim-Palais: €3-5. Free 

Wednesdays. 

A short walk from bustling 

Alexanderplatz one fi nds a quiet 

square centred around the 

Nikolaikirche and Nikolaikirchplatz. 

Although the so-called Nikolaiviertel 

appears to be one of the last 

remainders of medieval Berlin, aside 

from the Nikolaikirche, founded in 

1240, most of the original buildings 

in this area were either destroyed by 

bombing or pulled down during the 

1930s and Soviet era. In a small twist 

of irony, many buildings were rebuilt 

in 1987 by the GDR government 

to look like the originals, using 

photographs from the 1920s as 

reference. 

For historic interest, there is a series 

of placards on various buildings 

in the area giving information on 

personalities who lived there or 

events which took place. In terms of 

museums, there is the Nikolaikirche, 

the Knoblaus-Haus and the Ephraim- 

Palais, together offering a fairly 

comprehensive portrait of Berlin’s 

history from its foundation to the 

33 Mitte Mitte 34


nineteenth century. 

This is a neighbourhood that plays 

on its medieval heritage as much as 

possible, from cafés proclaiming to 

have been established in the 13th 

century, to antiquarian booksellers 

taking advantage of the archaic 

atmosphere. However, there is 

an obvious attempt to cash in on 

this – you will fi nd a lot of souvenir 

shops around Nikolaikirchplatz and 

the restaurants tend to be a little 

overpriced. The square also backs 

onto the river which offers more 

restaurants and a nice spot to eat or 

rest. 

upper fl oor, completing one rotation 

every 30 minutes. 

The Fernsehturm is 368m high and 

was completed in 1969. The tower 

was built with the intention of 

demonstrating how technologically 

advanced the East was. This symbol 

of progress became a source of 

embarrassment for the German 

government. When hit with direct 

sunlight, the tower creates the 

refl ection of a cross, the same 

symbol the government had tried so 

hard to banish. The West Germans 

called this “the Pope’s Revenge” 

since all crosses had been removed 

from East German churches. No 

matter what the East Germans did, 

the cross remained. 

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe 

www.stiftung-denkmal.de. Stresemannstraße 90. Tel: +49 3 026 394 311. 

Memorial: Accessible at any time. Information Centre: Apr-Sep 10am-8pm, 

Oct-Mar 10am-7pm. Admission free. 

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is one of the largest in the city 

and consists of 2,711 concrete blocks covering 19,000 square metres. Each 

block varies slightly in height and is built on unevenly sloping ground. The 

memorial is accessible from all sides, allowing visitors to fi nd their own path 

through the grid pattern, although there are specially marked routes through 

the memorial for wheelchair users. 

The Information Centre, located under the south-east corner of the memorial, 

gives an explicit and emotional account of Jewish persecution between 

1933 and 1945. Photographs, 

personal accounts and biographies 

emphasise the harsh reality of 

the harassment, expulsion, and 

extermination of entire families. 

Here you can fi nd information 

that documents the geographic 

spread of genocide as well as being 

presented with the number of 

victims from each occupied country 

further highlighting the extent of 

these horrifi c events. There is also 

a room where visitors can search 

for victims’ names in a database 

that contains more than three 

million entries. 

Although admission is free, audio 

guides available for €3. If you visit 

on a Sunday at 4pm you can take 

the guided tour, in English, also at 

a cost of €3. 

35 Mitte Mitte 36


Hamburger Bahnhof 

www.smb.museum/smb/hbf/. 

U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Hauptbahnhof. 

Tel: +49 3 039 783 411. Open: 

Tues-Sun:10am-6pm. Price: €6/€3 

concession. 

An abstract collection of works, 

from German artist and theorist 

Joseph Beuys to Andy Warhol, 

are displayed beneath the roof of 

this former railway station turned 

contemporary art museum. Open 

since 1996, the surreal collection 

has been in the making since the 

mid 1970’s, and highlights both the 

limitless boundaries of abstract art 

and the strong association Beuys 

had with some of the art world’s 

most unconventional and reputable 

artists. 

A modest glimpse into the bizarre 

and borderline ridiculous nature 

of contemporary modern art itself, 

the gallery undeniably reeks of 

inspiration and creativity that either 

inspires or repels the passing masses. 

Although guaranteed to split the 

opinions of visitors, the collection is 

well worth a look if not for ‘what is’ 

displayed then ‘why’ it is displayed. 

Most visitors pop in for a quick 

glimpse of the numerous original 

works on display from pop arts front 

man Andy Warhol, including ‘Mao’ 

(1973). The real gems are found in 

the quotes scattered around from the 

charismatic and controversial Joseph 

Beuys, the clashing placement of 

life-like pieces opposing walls of 

absurdity, and the general conceited 

nature of many of the passing 

visitors. 

Neue Synagoge 

(New Synagogue) 

www.cjudaicum.de, Oranienburger 

Str 28-30. U-Bahn/S-Bahn: 

Oranienburger Tor or Friedrichstr. 

Tel. 030 880 28 316. Sun-Thurs 

10am-6pm, Fri: 10am-5pm. Closed 

on Saturdays and Jewish Holidays. 

Cupola open to visitors April- 

September. Price: €1-5. 

The New Synagogue of Berlin with 

its golden cupola rises high above 

the center of the city. Though it has 

faced desecration and destruction, 

it still remains a city landmark. Built 

in 1866, the synagogue was once the 

center of Jewish worship housing 

over 3000 congregants. 

The rise of the Nazis, though, 

hindered this community. During the 

November 1938 pogroms, known as 

Reichs-Kristallnacht, a night where 

most Jewish sites were vandalized 

and damaged, this synagogue was 

salvaged by Wilhelm Krutzfeld, the 

district police chief of the time, 

who forced the arsonists to leave 

claiming it was under protection as 

a city landmark. 

Although services continued 

afterwards until 1940, it was then 

taken over and used as a storage 

place for uniforms. Consequently in 

1943, the synagogue was bombed by 

the Allied Forces, severely damaging 

it. In 1958, the destroyed main hall 

was torn down, only the front of the 

building remaining. 

However in 1988, the main dome 

and the two corner towers were 

restored to look exactly as they 

37 Mitte Mitte 38


did before the destruction. It now 

functions as a community center 

and contains a permanent exhibit, 

titled “Open ye the Gates”, which 

features pictures and documents on 

Jewish history, and more specifi cally 

the synagogue’s history, as well as 

showcasing artifacts found during 

the restoration. The upper fl oor is 

used for temporary exhibits as well 

as ceremonies and lectures. The 

synagogue is still used for services, 

though only seating eighty members 

as it is no longer the main synagogue 

of the Jewish community. 

Reichstag 

Platz der Republik 1. S-Bahn: Unter 

den Linden. Tel: +49 3 022 730 027. 

Mon-Sun 8am-12am. 

One of Berlin’s most striking 

landmarks, the Reichstag, which 

today houses the German parliament, 

has undoubtedly played a pivotal role 

in Berlin’s history and is defi nitely 

worth a visit. The original imposing 

neoclassical facade is contrasted 

with a striking glass cupola supported 

by a soaring mirrored column, which 

offers stunning 360-degree views 

across the city. 

The Reichstag was built in the late 

19th century as a parliamentary 

offi ce, but in reality had little purpose 

under the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm I. 

In 1918 the Weimar Republic was 

declared here from a window by 

Philip Scheidemann and for the 

next 15 years it controlled the fi rst 

democratic body in Germany. The 

Reichstag fi re in 1933 however gave 

Hitler the perfect opportunity to 

exercise an emergency degree, thus 

effectively allowing him dictatorial 

power over the country. 

At the end of World War II the 

Reichstag was symbolic of the 

Allied victory, when Russian soldiers 

positioned the Soviet fl ag on the 

roof. The building was then left 

mainly unoccupied until the fall 

of the wall in 1990, when the 

government of a reunifi ed Germany 

fi nally decided to resurrect it as its 

new parliament. Following extensive 

remodeling under plans from British 

architect Sir Norman Foster, it once 

again provides a cornerstone of 

the Regierungsviertel (government 

quarter) in Berlin. 

Queues are expected, arrive very 

early or late in the day to avoid 

disappointment. Tours in English 

offered on Tuesdays (outside of 

parliamentary sessions), book in 

advance. 

B u c h s t a b e n m u s e u m 

(Museum of Letters) 

w w w. b u c h s t a b e n m u s e u m . d e . 

Leipzigerstrasse 49. U-Bahn: 

Spittelmarkt. Tel: +49 1 774 201 587. 

View by appointment only. 

If you are interested in letterforms, 

Buchstabenmuseum is worth a visit. 

The museum is made up of two rooms 

of large-scale type examples, mostly 

interesting signage from buildings. 

The space is small, but there is still 

plenty to look at. They have a good 

variety of different type styles, from 

modern san serifs to black letter. 

It is great to see attention brought 

to an area of design which is often 

39 Mitte Mitte 40


Tacheles 

www.tacheles.de. Oranienburgerstr. 

54-56a. U-Bahn: Oranienburgerstr. 

Tel: +49 302 826 185. 

Originally created as a non-profi t 

organisation, a vision that it still 

retains to this day, Tacheles is 

currently a key centre 

for art creation and 

exhibition near the 

centre of Berlin. 

Not to be confused 

with the separate 

collection of bars, 

commonly referred to 

as Studio 54, that are 

scattered behind and 

in the lower section 

of the building, it 

aims to focus on the 

creative processes 

behind art and tries 

to do away with the 

organisational ties 

that offi cial museums 

hold. Housed in an old 

department department store, the the building has a 

strong appeal with graffi ti adorning 

every visible space, and all sorts of 

characters roaming freely within. 

As a result of its volatile history and 

unique atmosphere it holds a strong 

attraction for tourists, especially 

backpackers, as well as the artists 

from all over the world that head 

there to work and live. 

The Kunsthaus (art-house) Tacheles 

was built at the beginning of the 20th 

century as a large enclosed space for 

small businesses, before becoming 

a department store, and has since 

served many purposes including 

housing an SS offi ce. 

The building was 

damaged during the 

Second World War 

and only occasionally 

used throughout the 

Cold War. The section 

that stands today is 

just a small part of 

the original building. 

In 1990, shortly 

after the collapse 

of the wall and two 

months before the 

building was due to 

be demolished, an 

artists’ initiative 

group called Tacheles, 

which translates as 

plain or honest in Yiddish, occupied 

the building. From then on the future 

of the building, and the non-profi t 

organisation housed within, has been 

far from certain. A lease was agreed 

with the current owners, with a token 

rent of €0.50 paid each month. This 

lease has recently expired however, 

and with the property owner’s bank 

seeking administration rights, it is 

more uncertain than ever before as 

to the future of this unique cultural 

site. Problems are also had with the 

various bars, also on site, which all 

originally had leases agreed with 

the Tacheles organisation. Currently 

only one bar continues to pay rent 

and this causes a large amount of 

tension. 

Despite the ongoing legal wrangling 

and the internal problems it has, 

Tacheles still has plans and high 

hopes for the future. These include 

the creation of a foundation to 

support non-profi t cultural projects; 

the formation of a limited company 

to outsource economic activities; 

the creation of a sculpture park 

on the roof and the expansion of 

brand marketing to gain revenue for 

cultural projects. 

Tacheles is key to retaining the 

spirit of cooperation and the ‘art for 

art’s sake’ attitude brought about 

in its formation almost 20 years 

ago. Yet whilst this is an admirable 

position to take, and arguably the 

cornerstone that makes Tacheles 

such an attraction today, it is also 

an aspect that causes it to struggle 

in a modern world dominated 

by profi table organisations and 

establishments with a heavilyrefi 

ned corporate image. Despite 

this though, and the uncertain future 

ahead, Tacheles is keen to take the 

original aims of the organisation into 

the future and create an artistic 

legacy for generations to come. 

Mitte 41 Mitte 42

Arts & Culture Food & Drink 

Hackesche Höfe 

Rosenthaler Strasse 40-41. S-Bahn: 

Hackesche Markt. 

The ivy grows up the walls, framing 

the windows and even trying to 

creep into them. One courtyard has 

a children’s play area, another has a 

small fountain. 

A newly refurbished complex 

of buildings that run from 

Oranienburgerstrasse and 

Rosenthaler as far as Sophienstrasse 

is what makes up the 20th century 

Hackesche Höfe (Höfe means yard) 

complex. 

Originally designed by Kurt Berendt 

and August Endell in 1906, the Höfe 

was damaged during the war, but 

has since been restored to a place of 

many means. 

Although the buildings above are 

offi ces and apartments, the nine 

interconnecting courtyards are fi lled 

with bars, restaurants, boutiques and 

even its own theatre. The courtyards 

are beautiful and green, transporting 

you away from the hustle and bustle 

of the city. 

Designer shops sport trendy clothes, 

quirky ornaments and arty books. 

The Ampelman store is hidden in one 

of the courtyards where you can buy 

merchandise with the little green 

‘walk’ and red ‘don’t walk’ men. 

In a city developing so fast, and new 

concrete structures appearing daily, 

it’s nice to have a hidden piece of 

natural beauty in the city. 

Berlin’s Street Food 

Berlin is no way lacking in the fast-food culture. In fact, it may be the best 

part of Berlin for the wallet-weary backpacker. On any street, travellers 

can fi nd stands selling Döner kebab, China-Box or Currywurst. 

In a country known for its hearty meat and potato dishes, Chinese takeout 

may seem an odd choice but the heaping dish of noodles, veggies and 

fried egg is now equally as typical as a rotwurst stand. 

Berlin loves its simple currywurst dish; a sausage sprinkled with curry 

powder and smothered in plenty of ketchup. You can ask to forego the 

sauce if it’s not to your taste. 

Chips are found on many a street corner as well. Besides the usual dipping 

sauces of mustard, ketchup or mayo, many stands try to shake it up a 

little with some unique creations. These could range from mango curry 

to peanut sauce, jalapeno-cheese or even apple sauce. The best location 

to try out these condiments is Becker’s Fritten, located on Oranienburger 

Strasse across from Studio 54. 

Another form of quick and cheap eating happens in the numerous Berlin 

bakeries. This is most often a healthier and incredibly satisfying way to 

eat through the day. For only a few dozen cents, most bakeries offer up 

great fresh bread. Not to be missed are the pumpkin seed rolls. There are 

also donuts, danishes and cakes, but the highlight in these establishments 

are the fresh sandwiches. Diners can shell out no more than €2 for either 

a slice of baked bread with cold mince, pickles and onions or large 

sandwiches layered with sliced eggs, lettuce and herbed mayo. 

While Berlin can be a little pricy in the way of admission fees and 

shopping, be assured that you will have no problem eating cheap, though 

it may not always be very healthy. Thankfully, the city provides a great 

setting for exploring on foot, allowing you to lap up these goodies and 

then burn them away. 

43 Mitte Mitte 44

Food & Drink Food & Drink 

Zur Letzten Instanz 

www.zurletzteninstanz.de. Waisenstrasse 14-16. U-Bahn: Klosestrasse, 

Alexanderplatz. Tel: +49 302 425 528. Mon-Sat: 12pm-1am. 

From the moment you walk through the tiny, unassuming doorway you are 

immediately greeted by a lavish ceramic throne. Sit at this throne and you’ll 

fi nd yourself occupying the same spot as Napoleon did when he frequented 

the Zur Letzten Instanz. His bust ever peering over patrons’ shoulders as they 

squirm to fi nd a comfortable position in a chair that could have only been 

designed to fi t the Lilliputian emperor. 

Immaculately fusing history and typical German cuisine, this quaint eatery 

stands as Berlin’s oldest inn serving the Eastern side of the city since 1621. 

The decor is simple and unpretentious, all the while keeping its untouched 

charm immaculately preserved. The atmosphere is pleasant and calm, yet 

reminiscent of days when the inn housed raucous booze ups. 

The food is typical Berlin style: Pickled pigs knuckles, bloodwurst, red cabbage 

and dumplings. But the fl agship dish of the inn must certainly be their beautiful 

roast leg of pork. Nestled in a bed of rotweil and au jus, it is almost impossible 

to keep the meat from falling off the bone, and even harder still to ignore 

the beautifully crunchy and decadent crackling that guards the large bone 

bisecting the impossibly tender fl esh. A must have for meat lovers. 

A superbly priced restaurant, the most expensive dish runs at around €16. 

Theodor Tucher 

www.thementeam.de/neu/tucher/. 

Pariser Platz 6A. S-Bahn: Unter Den 

Linden. Tel: +49 22 489 464. Mon- 

Sun: 9am-1am. Price: €10-25 

This gem could easily be shrugged 

off, taken for another overpriced, 

posh, tourist trap. However Theodor 

Tucher, tucked away in the right 

hand corner of Pariser 

Platz under the 

looming shadow of the 

Brandenburger Tor, 

offers so much more 

than good, if a little 

pricey, fare. 

The dining area is 

quite large, both 

inside and outside 

and it is possible to 

choose a seat with an 

armrest, looking out 

over the square for an 

afternoon of drinking 

and people watching. 

The highlight of Theodor Tucher is 

their Lunch-special trio, changing 

daily to fi t the mood of the chef. 

The small plates range from chicken 

and potatoes with mustard sauce to 

a goat risotto. Included in the special 

price of €13.90, a dessert also comes 

at the end of the meal. 

Those looking for something else 

will fi nd it hard to choose between 

a stylized currywurst plate, gigantic, 

fresh salads topped with spiced nuts 

and fried pita bread, hearty meatand-potato 

stews or freshly dressed 

baguettes, just to name a few. The 

desserts will also surely tantalize 

the diner with plates such as mousse 

of rose petals with chocolate 

medallions and 

mango salad. There is 

even something new 

to discover with their 

fresh selection of 

unique drinks such as 

strawberry punch and 

red-currant spritzer, 

crisp juices that come 

in a jug, rather than a 

single glass. 

After a delicious 

meal in this small 

café, the diner can 

head upstairs to the 

literary house, a 

loft with hardwood 

fl oors, walls lined with old books and 

old Victorian style furniture. This 

upstairs haven is nearly soundproof, 

blocking out the clamor of the other 

diners below, leaving the guest in a 

relaxed stupor for however long they 

would like to visit after their meal. 

Mitte 45 Mitte 46

Nightlife Nightlife 

Strand Bar Mitte 

www.strandbar.de. Monbijoustraße 

1-3. U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Alexanderplatz. 

Mon-Sun 10am-late. 

Strand Bar Mitte is well known for 

having started the urban beach bar 

trend, for which Berlin is now famous. 

This unique bar sits alongside the 

River Spree, overlooking Museum 

Island. Connected to the theatre 

next door, it is a fantastic place to sit 

and enjoy a cold beer at reasonable 

prices. Lounge in the comfy deck 

chairs by the river and watch the 

world go by, or try your hand at salsa 

on the dance fl oor. 

Be it day or night, the Strand Bar is 

a delightfully relaxed environment 

which is frequented by all ages. 

Watch out for the setting sun tinting 

the façade of the Bodemuseum 

across the river; it is particularly 

beautiful. The fairy lights, urban 

beach and deck-chairs all add to 

the holiday atmosphere, while the 

pizzeria by the bar makes for great 

mid-evening snacks. If you want a 

low-key alfresco evening, then look 

no further. 

Bang Bang 

www.bangbang-club.de. Neue 

Promenade 10. S-Bahn: Hackescher 

Markt. Tel: +49 3 060 405 310. Price: 

€5-10. 

Her fangs tore into 

the body of a raw 

whole pineapple, 

the juice causing 

red lipstick to drip 

down her chin 

and pool onto the 

stage. Dressed in 

burlesque, she 

reared her head 

back and spit the 

tropical pulp into 

faces of a screaming 

crowd pumping 

fi sts of devil horns. 

Bleeding eardrums pressed against 

speakers as the tongue of this rock 

goddess slipped pieces of the luscious 

fruit between audience members’ 

drooling lips. 

If you’ve been searching for an 

intense nightlife scene of live music, 

tight DJ mixes, and kisses for sale, 

then the hunt ends at the Bang Bang 

Club in Mitte. Under the thunderous 

tracks of the Hackescher Markt 

S-Bahn, this dimly lit hole in the wall 

is a hotspot for colourful characters 

that will guarantee an interesting 

and usually entertaining night. 

The dress code varies from drag and 

burlesque to teenagers sporting a 

casual attire of shorts and T-shirts. 

The music as well is diverse with 

DJs spinning 60s 

pop hits, indie 

tracks, and even 

the heavy riffs of 

Black Sabbath and 

Rage Against the 

Machine. The bar 

unfortunately is 

not cheap, beer 

runs €3 for .33L 

and cocktails are 

€6-7. 

Berlin’s nightlife 

typically begins 

quite late, in fact 

most clubs are not in full swing until 

well after midnight. So if you decide 

to show up at the Bang Bang around 

11pm, make sure that you have 

the energy to exercise your dance 

skills and head-banging fury to the 

early hours of the morning. Visit the 

website to see the event lineup and 

choose the night that best suits your 

interests. 

47 Mitte Mitte 48

Prenzlauer Berg Information 

Today Prenzlauer Berg is one of the 

most picturesque areas in Berlin. 

The area is dominated by wide open 

boulevards and many of its buildings 

are now occupied by übercool cafes, 

shops and restaurants. As a result 

the area has undergone a process 

of gentrifi cation since reunifi cation 

with many of the buildings renovated 

after a period of neglect under the 

East German government. 

Prenzlauer Berg is known for having 

a high proportion of young families; 

attracting British and American 

immigrants, who are drawn by the 

area’s continuing reputation for 

art; and for students. Only a few 

old buildings give a reminder of the 

area’s past. Created in the latter 

half of the 19th century under the 

plans of James Hobrecht, it was 

initially intended to be a workingclass 

district. After a while the area 

became known for punks and then, 

having survived much of the post-war 

rebuilding, it subsequently became 

a hotspot for students, intellectuals 

and artists under the GDR. A place 

for alternative forms of culture was 

established and as a consequence it 

was a place where resistance could 

be found. 

49 Prenzlauer Berg Prenzlauer Berg 50


Kulturbrauerei 

w w w. k u l t u r b r a u e r e i - b e r l i n . 

de Schonhauser Allee 36. 

U-Bahn: Eberswalder Straβe. 

Tel: +49 3044 35 260. 

Once a Schultheiss brewery, Berlin’s 

Kulturbrauerei is now the ultimate 

venue for exhibitions, plays, concerts 

and markets. The artistic nerve 

centre of the creative city includes 

an eight-screen cinema, a Pool and 

Cigar bar and even a cooking school 

for experimental culinary lovers. Why 

not head to SODA Club for €4 Salsa 

classes every Thursday and Sunday 

before practicing your moves at the 

evening Salsa party? Or for a unique 

fortnightly shopping experience, 

visit The White Market for locally 

made clothing and accessories from 

the likes of Barbara Viktor and 

Friederike Porscha. 

Jüdischer Friedhof 

Schönhauser Alle 22-25. U-Bahn: 

Senefelder Platz. Tel: 925 08 33. 

Mon-Thu 8am- 4pm, Fri 8am-1pm. 

Along a nondescript road lies a 

poignant place of remembrance. 

The Jüdischer Friedhof is Berlin’s 

oldest Jewish cemetery and, like 

any cemetery, there is something 

of a sombre air upon entering. This 

is perhaps even more signifi cant in 

Berlin when considering the context 

of history. Unlike other Jewish 

cemeteries in Berlin it survived the 

wrath of the Nazi state. Nevertheless 

damage was still done in 1988 when 

it was attacked by East German neo- 

Nazis with fallen tombstones providing 

the evidence. Much remains though 

and the canopy of trees provides a 

fi tting resting place. Indeed nature is 

a key theme when visiting, as moss 

and ivy are now beginning to wrap 

themselves around the weathered 

tomb stones. The rows of tomb 

stones provide a sense of order but 

this is broken by the many small 

paths that criss-cross the cemetery 

and provide a more natural feel. As a 

consequence small corners can easily 

be found, especially at the end of 

the cemetery, allowing that poignant 

moment. Famous burials Mayerbeer 

and artist Max Liebermann. 

Kollwitzplatz 

U-Bahn: Senefelder Platz 

Infl uenced by the designs of Reinhold 

Linger, Kollwitzplatz is great for any 

number of activities. Some may be 

inclined to sunbathe, while others 

may want to practice their tabletennis 

skills, or simply relax with 

friends. Alternatively, once past the 

trees that encircle the plaz, the 

clearing provides a perfect spot for 

that refl ective moment or a chance 

to simply admire the ornate buildings 

that are a feature of the area. 

The platz also includes a great 

playground, and despite its closed 

surroundings, it is still possible to hear 

the bustle of various eateries which 

surround the platz and provide the 

chance for pleasant refreshment. The 

platz itself is named after the famous 

artist who lived in the area, Katty 

Kollwitz, and whose statue watches 

over you. Designed by Gustav Seitz it 

is very much in keeping with Kollwitz’ 

own work. Indeed the presence of a 

work that conveys such sombreness 

and refl ection is a theme that could 

describe the whole platz. 


Arts & Culture 

Volkspark Weinberg 

Weinbergsweg, between Rosenthaler 

Platz and Fehbelliner Str. U-Bahn: 

Rosenthaler Platz. 

Don’t let fi nances get in the way of 

fun! There are many activities in 

Berlin that are free of charge. Not 

least of these are the parks and 

playgrounds scattered about the city. 

For those who are mature enough to 

admit they still enjoy a good tire 

swing or jungle gym, then Volkspark 

Weinberg will provide an enjoyable 

cost-free evening. During the day 

this park is dominated by parents 

and their children, as nightfalls this 

place is left empty for the bigger 

cobalt hills amid a dune sea, blue 

pyramids spurting water, and a 

behemoth of a jungle gym, even the 

most grown-up of people will feel the 

urge to summon their inner child. The 

shallow wading pool provides a nice 

place to cool your feet, or your bum 

for that matter after receiving slideburns 

over on the play structures. 

Even if you stop by in the daytime 

and a younger crowd occupies the 

games equipment, there are still 

two cafes, the lily pond, and the 

rose garden to enjoy. Merely sitting 

on a bench listening to the church 

bells of the nearby Zionskirche is a 

relaxing experience. So if your wallet 

is feeling the burn, don’t be afraid to 

let the kid within you out! 

Who Killed Bambi? 

w w w. w h o k i l l e d b a m b i . o r g 

Eberswalder Straße 26, 10437. Tel: 

+49 4849 4574. Opening hours: Monsat 

12pm – 8pm 

Note: this clothes store has nothing 

to do with Disney. Offering a 

generous selection of alternative 

attire for both men and women, Who 

Killed Bambi is the place to go for 

fun, rock/punk fashion. Housing a 

range of street-wear labels from the 

locally produced Made in Paradise 

to European favourite Desigual, 

Prenzlauer Berg’s kooky shop is the 

largest of three in Berlin. Browse the 

racks of kitsch, beaded hangers for 

that attention-grabbing purchase, 

or lust after the unique Who Killed 

Bambi bowling bags. 

A little something extra ... 

Photobooths 

Shopping 

Kastanienalle, Eberswalder Straße U2. 

Ever wondered where the old fashioned photo booths which gave you 

four different passport photos went? Well it seems they have been all 

scattered around Berlin. Walking along Kanstanienalle or outside Warshaw 

Strasse s-bhan station, you could easily pass them by. But keep your eye 

keen - for only 2€ fun memories can be captured (and can also be used 

to make your friends at home jealous!) 


Shopping Shopping 

Interview with Karin Nieto, 

Organiser of The White 

Market. 

T h e W h i t e M a r k e t . c o m . 

KulturBrauerei, Schönhauser Allee 

36. U-Bahn: Eberswalder Platz. 12pm 

– 7pm. Log on to the website for 

the next The White 

Market event. 

The White Market is 

a new fashion event 

based in the diverse 

shopping area of 

Prenzlauer Berg. 

Locals and tourists 

alike visit the chic, 

outdoor market for 

a taste of original 

Berlin craftsmanship 

at KulturBrauerei, the city’s cultural 

hub. 

Having hosted only four events 

of its kind so far, organiser Karen 

Nieto speaks to us about this unique 

project and the exciting prospects 

for The White Market. 

When did you fi rst come up with 

the idea for The White Market and 

what made you decide to pursue 

this venture? 

The idea for the White Market was 

conceived in 2008, during one of 

those shopping ruts everyone gets 

into sometimes. 

Berlin is a creative city, bustling with 

talented designers, but shopping 

can be inconvenient and uninspiring 

sometimes. Since moving here two 

years ago, we’ve been fl ying every 

season to New York 

or Paris to get our 

fashion fi x. In these 

cities, shopping 

more than just a 

means to an end, 

it’s an experience. 

We recognized 

Berlin already had 

all the elements: 

talented designers, 

good quality 

c r a f t s m a n s h i p , 

endless sources of inspiration, etc. 

All we had to do was connect the 

elements. Our concept was simple: 

bring the best designers under one 

roof (or umbrella in our case) and 

present their collections in a pretty 

white package – and voila, the White 

Market shopping experience was 

born. 

How did you come up with the name 

‘The White Market’? 

We chose the name ‘The WhiteMarket’ 

because that’s how we visualized the 

beginning: outdoor summer shopping 

under rows of white canopies. Plus, 

the name suits the philosophy of 

the market: all products are unique 

and hand-made; the exact opposite 

of what you might fi nd in a black 

market. 

How do you select the designers that 

exhibit at The White Market, and 

how many do you choose to show at 

any one event? 

Each designer must submit images 

of their collections, and we review 

them based on the following criteria: 

original design, craftsmanship, and 

small production runs. We show 

approximately 40 designers per 

market, and we make sure there is 

an equal number between clothing 

and accessory designers. 

What items can we fi nd on sale at 

The White Market and is there an 

average price range? 

The White Market only exhibits 

handmade items from independent 

designers with non mass-produced 

collections. In order to remain 

true to the initial concept of the 

White Market, it is exclusively a 

fashion market selling clothing and 

accessories. The price range is very 

broad starting at ten euros goingup 

to 200 euros. 

Describe your typical ‘The White 

Market’ customer. 

The White Market attracts people 

from all walks of life who have 

one thing in common: an eye for 

fashion. Tourists come in droves 

and Berlin locals are equally excited 

by the prospect of a new shopping 

experience to discover. You are 

located at KulturBrauerei in the 

popular shopping area of Prenzlauer 

Berg. How did you decide on the area 

in which The White Market is held, 

and how important do you think this 

is to the project’s success? 

Prenzlauer Berg has a very chilled 

out atmosphere; it’s trendy and not 

overly-touristy like other districts 

in Berlin. The neighbourhood has 

a perfect blend of a young creative 

set that keeps the area exciting and 

inspiring and young families with 

a more disposable income keep it 

prosperous. The KulturBrauerei is 

incredibly charming, and it’s a Berlin 

landmark. The fact that everyone 

knows it, means we don’t have to 

give directions and the location gave 

the market a sense of establishment 

from the get go. 

Are you a designer yourself, and if so 

do you exhibit any of your items at 

The White Market? 



Yes, I’m an architect and clothing 

designer. I’m launching a line 

of jewellery to sell at the White 

Market – I just need to fi nd time to 

make it! 

What do you think sets Berlin apart 

from the rest of the world in terms 

of fashion and style? 

Berlin’s unique history plays an 

integral role in local fashion. 

Berliners take the term ‘eighties or 

nineties throwback’ to a new extrem 

e that stretches into each fi bre of its 

aesthetic culture from furniture to 

architecture and clothing. Berlin’s 

endless array of second hand shops 

and various fl ea markets caters to 

ones every nostalgic whim. The White 

Market has been embraced because 

though it exclusively presents is new 

things, it encourages home-grown 

individuality and creativity: integral 

facets of Berlin fashion. 

Where do you see The White Market 

fi ve years from now? 

As a destination for trend forecasters 

and shopaholics alike –a Berlin fashion 

establishment. We have already 

received international interest in 

the White Market which would be 

the natural next step for us to take 

for the market 

to grow organically. In addition, the 

possibility of a White Market label is 

also on the cards. The label would 

present collections of selected 

market designers. The designers 

would change along with the seasons 

and the White Market label would 

serve, like the market, as a springboard 

into the global world of 

fashion. 

Flohmarkt am Mauerpark 

(Flea Market) 

Bernauer Straße 63 – 64. U-Bahn U8 

Bernauer Straße Sunday 9am – 5pm 

Prenzlauer Berg may not have 

the alternative edge of areas like 

Friedrichshain or Kreuzberg, but 

the now affl uent area retains some 

of its bohemian cool. This makes it 

the perfect place for secondhand 

shoppers who want to snap up 

some of the residents’ castoffs. The 

massive market on Bernauer Straße 

is on every Sunday, and with plenty 

of great food stalls and bars, it’s 

easy to spend the whole day here. 

Everything from household goods 

to clothing, records, books and 

bicycles can be found here. There’s 

undoubtedly a lot of junk, but a good 

rummage through the cardboard 

boxes should yield a worthwhile 

reward. Prices start off pretty low, 

but if not don’t be afraid to barter, 

as there are plenty of bargains to be 

had. Vintage dresses can be as cheap 

as three euro, books from about 50 

cents, and bicycles for about 30 to 

50 euro. It gets very busy so be sure 

to leave plenty of time to make your 

way through the crowds. 



Tausche 

www.tausche.de Raumersraße 8. 

U-Bahn: Eberswalder Straße. Tel: +49 

30 40301770. Opening Hours: Mon- 

Fri 11am – 8pm, Sat 11am – 6pm. 

Tausche is no ordinary bag shop. 

This contemporary store sells Berlinmade, 

multi-functional, multifaceted 

messenger bags which are 

unique in their ability to alter both 

purpose and appearance. Tausche 

bags are available in eight different 

sizes (ranging from €45 - €139) and 

come with two exchangeable cover 

fl aps upon purchase. Just unzip 

the front and transform the bag’s 

aesthetic in one swift movement 

with another cover. Visit the 

exhibition-style store in Prenzlauer 

Berg and browse through the 

collection of covers decorating the 

shop’s interior in order to customise 

your chosen style. From pretty fl orals, 

to iconic local images like the Berlin 

TV tower, the range of designs is 

seemingly endless. Team these with 

an additional inset in black or orange 

to accommodate for individual, 

practical needs. The cushioned 

Bürokrat can be inserted to hold a 

15” laptop, while the Rabenvater 

offers space for baby food, nappies 

and anything else the little one might 

need. Insets start at €25 for a simple 

separator, with the more expensive 

laptop compartment costing €55. 

Flohmarkt am Arkonaplatz 

U-Bahn U8 Bernauer Straße Sunday 

9am – 5pm 

Arkonaplatz is a smaller market, 

with higher quality goods and prices 

to match. The focus is on vintage 

and retro clothes and household 

goods, with a particularly impressive 

selection of sunglasses. The market is 

also good for vinyl enthusiasts, with 

plenty of boxes fi lled with records. 

There is also a great collection 

of interesting old record players. 

Afterwards, you can relax in the 

pretty little park next door, which is 

and is a perfect spot for a picnic or 

sunbathing in the summer. 

Pigasus Poster Gallery 

www.pigasus-gallery.de, Torstrasse 

62. U-Bahn: Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz. 

Tel: +49 3 028 493 697. Mon-Sat 

2pm-7pm 

A gallery that is a little bit different, 

Pigasus offers a broad range of 

posters for sale. Among them 

are designs that were originally 

printed for fi lm, theatre, opera and 

exhibitions. There are both vintage 

and more contemporary posters, 

and those on show are continually 

changing. Prices range from €15, to 

over €200 for rarer pieces. There 

is also a good selection of CDs by 

Polish, Russian and Ukrainian artists 

to buy. 

Go downstairs and there is a small 

but substantial enough changing 

exhibition, focusing on the work 

of one particular artist or theme. 

A movement known as the Polish 

Poster School emerged in the 50s, 

the main protagonist being Henryk 

Tomaszewski. Polish poster designs 

tend to have a handmade feel, even 

the more modern ones, and often 

contain a political statement. Browse 

and enjoy at your own leisure. 

Supaife Kiosk 

Raumerstr. 40, 10437 Berlin, Phone: 

44 67 88 26, Email: kiosk@supalife. 

de, Mon.-Sat. 12am-7pm, Sun. closed, 

U-Bahn: Senefelderplatz 

Supalife Kiosk is a must for anyone 

interested in street art or graphic 

design. This store sells both books on 

the subjects as well as small-edition 

prints and artists books. Silk-screened 

t-shirts, postcards and stickers round 

out the selection. Supalife Kiosk also 

serves as a gallery for art exhibitions, 

with the openings often featuring 

live music. With a diverse collection 

of various kinds of graphic arts, this 

store is the perfect place to pick up 

an affordable work of art. 



Sentimental Journey 

Husemannstr. 5, 10435 Berlin, Phone: 

030/44328664, Email: journey@ 

arcor.de, Mon.-Sat. 12am-7pm, Sun. 

closed, U-Bahn: Eberswalder Str. 

With the funky sequined dresses 

hanging outside and a stencil of Elvis 

above the door, you know you are 

in for a real vintage treat when you 

enter Sentimental Journey. Inside, 

clothing, shoes and hats from the early 

20th century until the present await. 

Sentimental Journeys is everything a 

vintage shop should be, with crowded 

racks of dresses, scary mannequin 

heads with ostentatious hats, and 

even a white and black checked 

fl oor. To top it all off, in one room 

there is a shrine to Elvis, complete 

with a piano and velvet stool, a 

large cut out of The King himself, 

and a ceramic band arranged on top 

of the piano. Many treasures await 

discovery in this store: collapsible top 

hats, cocktail dresses, and even a hat 

featuring a knitted grand piano made 

by the owner herself. Although the 

prices may be on the higher end (said 

hat costing upwards of 100 euro), 

it is still worth a look if just for the 

feeling of nostalgia for a time when 

you weren’t even around. 

Stiefelkombinat 

Eberswalder Str. 21/22, Tel: 51 05 

12 34, Mon.-Thurs. 10am-10pm, Fri. 

and Sat. 10am-12pm, Sun. closed. 

Stiefelkombinat is overwhelming to 

say the least. The experience begins 

before even entering the premises, 

as its contents spill out onto the 

street, making it hard to miss. 

Inside, shag rugs and furry stools 

are used in abundance, providing 

a suitably retro decor on which to 

display the clothes. Shoes dominate 

the secondhand merchandise. There 

is a wide selection of both boots 

and heels, which are all helpfully 

organized by size with clearly marked 

sections. Various choices abound, 

ranging from fetish ware to 60s go-go 

boots. There is also a large collection 

of vintage clothing, mostly from the 

1960s through to the 1980s. Variety 

abounds, with everything from 

chunky knit sweaters to bathing suits 

and 80s prom dresses. Crammed up 

to the rafters, the shop can be a little 

hard to take in fully and discover 

that perfect fi nd. But when you 

do, it is the result of an enjoyable 

treasure hunt through the fashions of 

yesteryear. Next door there is also 

men’s clothing and shoes, as well as 

furniture more likely to be spotted in 

a 70s sci-fi fl ick. Prices here are not 

cheap, but they are justifi ed on the 

whole by the quality. 



Babel 

K a s t a n i e n a l l e 3 3 , 

U-bahn: Eberswalder 

Straße noon - 

midnight 

For a a kebab you won’t 

regret the morning 

after, Babel is the 

place to go. Serving Serving 

deliciously authentic 

meals at the walletfriendly 

price of of 

just just three three Euro, this 

makes the perfect perfect 

spot to stop off off for 

a quick bite between between 

bars. Particularly 

recommended are 

the chicken schwarma 

or grilled haloumi. 

Sitting on the the terrace 

outside is a good spot spot 

to watch the the well-towell-todo hipster inhabitants 

inhabitants 

of the surrounding 

area go preening and prancing about 

their business. The restaurant itself 

is run by a couple of genial Lebanese 

guys and attracts a healthy mix of 

homesick Arabs, clued-up locals and 

boozed-up bar hoppers. So revered 

is this place in fact that it has even 

made local guide Tipp’s list of Top 20 

places to eat in Berlin. 

Focacceria Naturale 

Kastanienalle 4, U-bahn: Eberswalder 

Straße. Mon-Sun, open from 12-12. 

For a quick pit stop during shopping 

ventures on Kastanienalle, this 

ciabatta-cum-pizza café is a great 

alternative from the often meatheavy 

Kebab and Currywurst stalls 

so readily found in Berlin. With 

toppings varying from spinach, ham, 

tuna, mozzarella, tomato and goats 

cheese, and a sizeable slice costing 

only 2€, the relaxed café is a perfect 

place for refuelling. What’s more, 

the juice bar along the counter offers 

similar variety. Freshly stocked from 

the vibrant fruit and veg shop next 

door, prices range from a pocketfriendly 

two to four euro depending 

on how much fruit you want thrown 

in. All in all, the perfect place to take 

a pause and plan your next shopping 

venture. 

Tabeyo 

Danzinger Straße 14, U-bahn: 

Eberswalder Straße Tel:304 435 7402 

At Tabeyo, you can eat like a prince 

on a pauper’s pocket. Offering 

freshly made sushi with good quality 

ingredients at the overtly generous 

price of two euro for six rolls, it is 

easy to see why this place has become 

a lunch hotspot for Prenzlauer Berg’s 

discerning residents. 

W-Imbiss 

www.w-derimbiss.de Kastanienallee 

49, M8 M1 M12, Rosenthalerplatz.4302 

0678 noon-midnight. 

Best described as an Indian-Italian- 

Californian fusion restaurant, 

W-Imbiss lies on the stylish edge of 

Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg. It takes 

its name from the German ‘Imbiss’ 

meaning ‘fast-food’. Its logo is 

the notorious golden arches turned 

upside down hinting that W-Imbiss 

is no ordinary fast food joint. Chef, 

Gordon W, dishes out everything from 

naan pizzas to black bean quesadillas, 

producing scrumptious, eccentric, 

gastronomy in minutes. A tannoy 

system declares your food is ready to 

be collected from the postage stamp 

sized kitchen. Choose to take away 

or eat outside among large plastic 

orange tables. 

63 Prenzlauer Berg Prenzlauer Berg 64 

Fellas 

www.fellas-berlin.de Stargarder 

Straße U-bahn: Schonhauser Allee. 

Tel:46796314; 10 am- 1am. 

If a big hearty salad is what you’re 

looking for, then head to Fellas. With 

enough greenery to last you a week 

this dimly lit, wooden furnished 

restaurant-come-bar is a great 

place for private dinners or long lazy 

lunches. Although fairly expensive, 

you’re money will defi antly go a 

long way. Order a Sportsfreund 

salad and a mount of crispy leaves, 

peppers, tomato, cucumber and 

succulent chicken will arrive a short 

while after (perhaps a little longer 

than you may like). If a salad is not 

what you’re after, soups, bagels 

and ciabatta sandwiches are also 

available for a more pocket friendly 

price. There are also generous happy 

hour(s) and limitless wifi .


Hans Wurst Café 

w w w . m y s p a c e . c o m / 

hanswurstvegancafe. Dunckerstr 

2a. Tram: M10 Husemannstrasse. 

U-Bahn: Eberswalder Strasse. Tel. 

030 41 71 78 22. Mon-Sat: 12pm- 

12am. Sun: 11am-12am. Prices: €4- 

9, lunch specials from 12-3. 

This vegan organic café is an 

excellent alternative to those who 

like unconventional menus. Its quaint 

atmosphere and relaxing ambience 

makes you feel welcome right from 

the start. It is fi lled with antique 

sofas and comfy chairs, inviting you 

Lorbeth Feine Kost 

Pappelle allee 84. U-bahn: 

Eberswalder Straße 

Lorberth – Feine Kost specialises in 

traditional German cuisine with a 

contemporary twist. The café come 

restaurant provides traditional foods 

including Bratwurst, Spàztle, and 

Schnitzel, brought into the 21st 

century when mixed with usual 

and exciting fl avours. Greeted by a 

mishmash of tables and umbrellas 

surrounded by leafy plants, you can 

choose to eat indoors or out. Whether 

stopping by for a full-blown dinner or 

just tea and cake, the menu changes 

daily so you will never get bored of 

the delicious food. Fear not if your 

German is not yet fl uent, the friendly 

staff will help you with translation; 

they will happily consult an online 

to stay for as long as you please with 

access to free wifi . Juxtaposed to the 

antique furniture are the modern light 

fi xtures, fresh fl owers on every table, 

as well as the natural food choices. 

All of the dishes contain variations 

of tofu, including salads, burgers, 

sandwiches, and stir fry. There are 

various cakes and cookies for dessert. 

Additionally, the cafe hosts several 

parties a month introducing bands 

from all over the globe. 

German translator to decipher the 

delectable German menu. Doggy 

bags are available as is free WiFi. 

The Bird 

www.thebirdberlin.com. Am 

Falkplatz 5, U-bahn: Schonhauser 

Allee. Tel: 510 532 83; Mon-Sat 6 

pm - midnight, Sun. noon-midnight 

Two words: Meat heaven! Vegetarians 

are advised to stay away from this 

rustic, boozy pub/restaurant where 

even the Ceasar salad has steak in 

it. Serving the best burgers in Berlin, 

devour a freshly ground Iowa steak 

patty, sandwiched between a toasted 

English muffi n served up with a crisp 

salad and a side of homemade fries. 

Its witty menu (which includes an 

obituary to a once popular burger no 

longer in production) will tempt you 

with a wealth of toppings from blue 

cheese to bacon. If burgers don’t 

whet your appetite then try the 

surprisingly cheaper option of steak 

also accompanied with salad and 

fries. Although cutlery is provided 

for the steak, eating burgers with 

your fi ngers is strongly advised! 

No need to worry about the mess 

though as kitchen roll accompanies 

the condiments on every table 

Nocti Vagus 

www.noctivagus.com. Saarbrücker 

Str. 36-38. U-Bahn: Senefelder 

Platz. Tel: +49 3 074 749 123. 

Prices start from €49 including a 

show, and Mondays are cheaper 

with set menus starting from €29. 

Treat yourself to a high quality 

dinner in the dark in the original 

dunkelrestaurant Nocti Vagus. 

Prepare to awaken and revitalise 

the only four senses you have left… 

smells of the succulent food passing 

by will waft up your nose, noises of 

the anonymous patrons and blind 

waiters will fi ll your ears as you 

orientate yourself at your table by 

touch, and fi nally when your food 

arrives your taste buds will explode 

with the culinary delights the chefs 

have prepared especially for you.In 

this restaurant you will experience 

what it is like to be blind. You will 

form judgements, based not on 

appearance but, on how a person 

speaks to you. A trip to the toilet is 

not so easy when you’re blind and 

you will have to call for an escort 

to lead the way. Even pouring 

your drinks in the dark may prove 

diffi cult. Choose to eat with a 

knife and fork, or just get messy 

with your hands. Will you even fi nd 


Food & Drink 

your food and be able to tell what 

it is without sight? The challenges 

you’ll experience being blinded by 

the dark will open your mind and 

may change your preconceptions of 

what you thought it was like to have 

no vision.On 

arrival you will 

be welcomed 

into the 

restaurant bar 

which is located 

upstairs in the 

light. Here 

is where you 

decide what 

you would like 

to eat. Ordering 

c o u l d n ’ t 

be simpler, 

with three 

set menu’s 

incorporating 

three courses 

including a 

v e g e t a r i a n 

option and a 

fourth tailored 

surprise menu 

for those feeling 

a tad more daring. Once your order 

is placed a waiter will lead you down 

to the basement restaurant where 

the excitement begins.If eating in 

the dark does not sound enough of 

an experience, this restaurant also 

offers various shows to accompany 

your meal. These shows include 

various readers, singers, and actors 

who take to the dark stage for your 

entertainment. The timetable for 

these events 

is available on 

the website 

with dates for 

n o n - G e r m a n 

speaking tourists 

pointed out. 

Once you fi nish 

your meal and 

are welcomed 

back into the 

light, prepare 

to be surprised 

by what you 

thought you ate 

and what you 

thought your 

blind waiter 

looked like. 

Also make sure 

you check your 

shirt for debris; 

you never 

know what you 

dropped down there in the dark! 

Make a call and reserve your table 

because this place can get busy, 

then prepare for the unexpected. 

Zur Rose 

Weinbergsweg 26 .U2 Rosa- 

Luxembourg Platz, M8 to Rosenthaler 

platz 030-22-30-8802 Open 9am- 

1am, 

Sandwiched between a little row 

of the many eateries found in 

Rosenthaler 

Platz, is 

this bustling 

hangout. Its 

rustic style, 

with antique 

furnishings 

found in 

the back 

and small 

garden tables 

squeezed in 

the front, 

makes a 

p l e a s a n t 

place to to sit sit back back and contemplate 

a days sight seeing. The food comes 

in generous portions and budget 

friendly prices, where breakfasts 

and lunches range from 3-5€, and 

dinner plates including pastas and 

salads from 5-9€. Make sure to 

check out the “tap your own beer” 

service, where you can help yourself 

to your own pints (Aprox.€3 each). 

Cocktails are also good (and strong), 

and average around €5. 

Erdbeer 

Food & Drink 

Max-Beer Straße 56.U2 Rosa- 

Luxembourg Platz Open Summer 

2pm – Late daily, Winter 6pm – Late 

daily. No credit cards. 

Erdbeer’s proximity to the array 

of bars at Rosa-Luxembourg Platz 

and Rosenthaler Platz makes 

it the perfect place to start an 

evening. Its reputation for mouthwatering 

and varied cocktails is well 

deserved, and the extensive menu 

only presents one problem: which 

drink to choose! Be prepared to 

splash out, as cocktail prices begin 

aaround Seven Euro. However, for 

the delicious drinks and intimate 

atmosphere, it is money well spent. 

During the week, an eclectic mix of 

music is played in the background 

at a fairly low level, offering guests 

the rare chance to have an audible 

conversation in such an environment. 

Over the weekend, DJs play sets to get 

guests revved up for the night ahead. 

The candle-lit tables, pink décor and 

mismatched chairs all add to the 

charm of this quirky bar. Erdbeer is a 

low-key and relaxing venue, which also 

serves a wide selection of beers and 

non-alcoholic refreshments for noncocktail 

drinkers. Well worth a visit. 


Nightlife 

White Trash 

www.whitetrashfastfood.com 

Schönhauser Allee 6-7: U-Bahn: Rosa- 

Luxemburg Platz Tel: 030-50348668 

Mon-Fri from 12pm, Sat & Sun from 

6pm. 

Dining at White Trash is a sure-fi re 

way to induce a sensory overload. 

This converted Chinese 

restaurant, replete 

with gaudy Oriental 

fl ourishes and garnished 

with bizarre bric-abrac, 

serves up decent 

American-style dishes 

with incendiary titles 

such as “The Marquee 

de Fuck Burger”. 

Wolfi ng this down 

whilst being serenaded 

by a thrash metal band 

in what resembles a 

schizophrenic bordello 

provides a uniquely 

entertaining experience. When 

you’ve fi nished, or given up on, your 

outrageously large portion, head 

downstairs to dance off the calories 

in the misnomer that is though if easily 

offended. The Diamond Lounge, the 

dingy basement club. Here the music 

is loud and the acts vary from local 

upcoming indie bands to occasional 

internationally-known acts. As if all 

this wasn’t enough, there’s also an 

in-house tattoo parlour if you feel 

like permanently marking your body 

is the perfect accompaniment to a 

meal. The service has been known to 

be shoddy at times, and explicitly 

rude at others. By all accounts, you’re 

more likely to hear “Fuck off!” from 

your waiter than “Bon appetit!” 

However, go in expecting something 

a little different from your average 

culinary experience and you’ll be 

pleasantly sated. Perhaps best to 

steer clear 

Dr Pong 

Eberswalder Straße 21 Sun 14:00late 

Eberswalder Straße, U2, M1, 

M10, 12Mon-Sat 20:00-late, 

Hidden away on a busy street in 

Prenzlauer Berg, with nothing but 

dim lighting and occasional cheers to 

suggest it being open for business, is 

a cheap and a great way to spend an 

evening. Grab a beer (2.50€), a bat (a 

5€ deposit is needed) and head to the 

sparsely decorated ,high ceilinged 

room whose focal point is a large ping 

pong table. The rules are simple: 

every time a new round starts, join 

the rotating circle of competitors and 

take turns in hitting the ball back to 

each other. If you miss a shot, join 

the many who simply come along to 

watch. Hit every shot and you will 

fi nd yourself in the fi ve-round-fi nale 

where although discreet, the winning 

title will gain you respect from 

Berlin’s tabletennismegafans. 

Rounds 

can start with 

as little as 3 

to as many as 

30 players, so 

be confi dent 

to ensure you 

get a swing in. 

Best to come 

Nightlife 

in smaller groups, as large swathes 

of tourists can irritate the loyal 

punters. It empties out after awhile, 

so hold on if you’re fi nding it a bit 

overwhelming. Chessboards are also 

available if table tennis isn’t your 

thing. 

Rosengarten 

www.rosengarten-berlin.de. Weinbergsweg 

13. U-Bahn: Rosenthaler 

Platz. Mon -Fri 4pm-12pm, Sat-Sun 

1pm – 12pm. 

Rosengarten is an excellent place 

to rest your feet with a cool drink 

after a day’s sightseeing or shopping. 

Beautifully situated by the 

eponymous rose garden in Volkspark 

Weinberg, the atmosphere 

is exceptionally laid back. Striped 

deckchairs are set out next to the 

small outdoor bar where super 

friendly staff serve beer, wine, soft 

drinks and cake. A great program of 

events is on 

offer, such as 

fi lm screenings 

and live 

music. On 

Wednesdays 

at 7pm there 

are even 

hula-hoop 

workshops. 


Accommodation Accommodation 

Alkatraz 

w w w. a l c a t r a z - b a c k p a c k e r. 

de Schonhauser Allee 133a. U2 

Eberswalder Strasse Tel: +49 (0)30 

48496815 

S 40, D 25, T 22 

4 bedroom dorm 18 

8 bedroom dorm 16 

Apartments (4 people) 106, (5 

people) 116, (6 people) 126 

Linen: 2 Towels: free on demand 

This urban, hip hostel located on 

the busy street of Schönhauser Allee 

stands out from the rest. With its 

unique exterior of graffi ti, it’s hard 

to walk past without being intrigued 

by what lies within. You can fi nd 

all kinds of travellers residing here 

from students, backpackers, walkins 

and occasionally families. The 

small intimate courtyard is an ideal 

place to sit back and unwind. The 

common area with TV, table football, 

books and leafl ets galore make sure 

you will be kept busy. There is a 

lobby where computers are located 

with free internet access (you can 

also access the internet with your 

own notebook via wi-fi ). The selfservice 

kitchen/lounge is bright and 

colourful and has a relaxed vibe. 

East Seven Hostel 

www.eastseven.de. Schwedter 

Straße 7. U-bahn: Senefelder Platz. 

Tel: 936 22 240 

Dorm: 17 

S 37, D 50, T 51, Q 78 

Linen: 3 

Towels: 1euro 

Visa and Mastercard accepted (small 

fee of 1euro per 100euro to cover 

costs) 

Situated just north of Berlin’s 

über-hip Mitte district, this small, 

comfortable hostel offers travellers 

a wide range of clean, high quality 

affordable accommodation. With 

spacious bathrooms and hot showers 

on every fl oor, what more could 

a budding traveller ask for. Not to 

mention being surrounded by cafes, 

restaurants, nightlife and of course 

lots of shops. A trip to the famous 

Mauer Park fl eamarket on Sunday is 

a must. Or relax in the cosy garden 

house/barbeque area among other 

guests. The friendly and welcoming 

staff are always on hand 24/7 with 

tips and tricks to help you make the 

most of your time in the city. The 

hostel offers a range of services 

including: laundry service, free 

lockers in rooms, free luggage 

storage, free maps and free wi-fi . 

The East Seven Berlin hostel fosters a 

relaxed atmosphere all year round. 

Lette’m Sleep 

www.backpackers.de. Lettestraße 

7. U-bahn: Eberswalder Straße. 

Tel: +49 (0)30 44733623 Fax: +49 

(0)30 44733625 

7 bed dorms 17€, 6 bed dorms 18€, 

5 bed dorms 19€, 4 bed dorms 20€, 

3 bed dorms 21€ 

Twin room: 49€ 

Apartment: 69€/room a night for 

two people 

Linen: Included no charge 

Towels: 70cent 

“Wash your own dishes, or we’ll make 

you eat your passport!” – is the note 

you will fi nd in the kitchen of this 

laidback hostel. The bright 

orange and blue walls of Lette’m Sleep 

fi t in nicely with Prenzlauerberg’s 

vibrant scene. This relaxed hostel 

hosts a mixture of nationalities 

all year round; backpackers from 

Finland, a family from Spain, an 

American biker… you’ll fi nd them 

here. With its no curfew policy 

travellers may come and go as they 

please. The little common room has 

everything you could need including 

free internet, tea, coffee, and a 

great DVD collection. This hostel has 

the vibe of Berlin built in. It’s downto-earth, 

nonchalant cool. 


Potsdamer Platz 

& Tiergarten 

Potsdamer Platz is Berlin’s newest 

quarter. Showcasing architectural 

gems such as the dramatic Sony 

Centre, the square is dominated by 

mainstream commercial success. 

Providing three multiplex cinemas, 

a shopping mall, The Ritz Carlton, 

Europe’s largest casino and a 

multitude of non-descript bars 

and restaurants, the development 

of Potsdamer Platz has not been 

without its critics. That being said, 

the bustling centre continues to 

attract tourists and locals alike. 

Whether it is for the impressive 

architecture, the selection of 

museums, events such as the Berlin 

Film Festival (held at Cinemaxx), 

or simply as a means to witness the 

enormous renewal of the square, 

there is no doubting that this is one 

of Berlin’s busiest areas. 

It could be said that Potsdamer 

Platz is a version of its former self. 

In the early 20th Century the square 

was one of Europe’s biggest traffi c 

centres that defi ned Berlin and it is 

even said to have housed Europe’s 

fi rst electric traffi c lights. While a 

replica of the lights can now be seen 

as soon as you step off the S-Bahn, 

little else exists that acknowledges 

the history of the area. 

During WW2, much of Potsdamer 

Information 

Platz turned to rubble, and when 

the Berlin Wall was erected straight 

through the heart of the square in 

1961, all transport connections were 

cut. Potsdamer Platz became a ghost 

town. 

Situated close to Potsdamer Platz 

is Berlin’s answer to Hyde Park: 

Tiergarten. Originally laid out as a 

hunting ground in the 17th Century, 

today Tiergarten is a popular spot 

for relaxing in the sun after a day 

of cultural activity. Escape from the 

city in the green open space or visit 

Berlin’s zoo situated on the outskirts. 

73 Potsdamer Platz & Tiergarten Potsdamer Platz & Tiergarten 74


Kulturforum 

Potsdamer Platz U-Bahn or S-Bahn: 

U2, S1, S2, S26 Potsdamer Platz 

The Kulturforum is a complex of 

some of Berlin’s main galleries 

and museums. It was planned out 

post World War Two, after several 

important cultural institutions 

were cut off from West Berlin, 

and build on a site that had been 

cleared for Hilter’s Germania. The 

Neue Nationalgalerie was built 

fi rst in 1968, at a time when the 

Nationalgalerie on Museumsinsel 

was separated by the wall on the 

Eastern side of the city. It now 

contains an unmissable collection 

of 20th century art, even if the 

permanent collection often gives 

way to (also excellent) temporary 

exhibitions. The Gemäldegalerie 

(Painting Gallery) is also world- 

Bargain time... 

class, with its collection of European Old 

Master paintings. Joining this building 

are also the Kunstgewerbemuseum 

(Museum of Decorative Art), the 

Kupferstichkabinett (Museum of Prints 

and Drawings), and the Kunstbibliotek 

(Art Library). The Philharmonie is 

home to the Berlin Philharmonic 

Orchestra, and is an astounding 

golden, Expressionist, ship-shaped 

masterpiece of a building designed by 

Hans Scharoun, and has a reputation 

for superb acoustics. Next door, the 

Musikinstrumentenmuseum is a small 

museum of musical instruments from 

the sixteenth century on, with guides 

giving performances on Saturdays at 

11am. And if all that wasn’t enough, 

the Staatsbibliotek (State Library) is 

also here, another Scharoun building 

(haunted by angels in the classic Berlinbased 

fi lm Wings of Desire) and has a 

great selection of books in English. 

Buy a day ticket for any one of the galleries or museums at the 

kultureforum and get free entry into any of the others! This includes 

the Gemaldegalerie (picture gallery), Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum 

of Applied Arts), Kupferstichkabinett (Museum of Prints and Drawings), 

Neue Nationalgalerie (20th Century Art) & Musikinstrumenten-Museum 

(Musical Instruments Museum). 

Gemäldergalerie 

Matthäikirchplaz 8, Phone: 266 

2951, Tue.-Sun. 10am-6pm, to 10pm 

Thur. U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz 

The Gemäldergalerie, part of the 

Kulturforum, is impressive to say the 

least. This picture gallery houses 

European works spanning the 13th 

through the 18th centuries. Pieces 

by masters such as Jan van Eyck, 

Rogier van der Weyden, Rembrandt, 

Vermeer and Dürer are the crown 

jewels in an already stunning 

collection. Aside from the 1500 

works housed here, the other half of 

the collection remains in the Bode 

Museum in Mitte. The museum itself 

consists of a large central hall fl anked 

by series of galleries on either side. 

Advance through history as you move 

through the museum, with the newest 

works at the back. Due to the sheer 

number of works, it would be advisable 

to spare a couple of hours to see the 

whole collection. If you don’t have 

that much time to spare, then choose 

a couple centuries or artists to see for 

a shorter, less intensive visit. 



Neue-national Gallerie 

www.neue-nationalgalerie.de. 

Potsdamer Strasse 50. U-Bahn/S- 

Bahn: Potsdamer Platz. Tel: +49 30 

266 424 242. Tue-Wed, Sun 10am- 

6pm; Thur 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 

10am-8pm. Price: €5-10. 

Visiting the Neue Nationalgalerie is in 

itself not to be missed. Designed by 

Mies van der Rohe, the building hosts 

special temporary exhibitions that 

can last for a couple of years as well 

as works of classical Modernism and 

1960-70s art work. The permanent 

exhibition is located in the lower 

part of the gallery. 

The temporary collections focus 

on representations of Cubism, 

Expressionism, Surrealism and the 

Bauhaus. Currently the Bilderträume 

(Dreams in Pictures) – Die Sammlung 

Ulla und Heiner Pietzsch exhibition 

is running up until November 2009. 

The Bilderträume is an unmissable 

opportunity to view possibly the 

most private collection in Berlin. 

What makes this exhibition so unique 

is the collection is solely based on 

two distinctive styles; Surrealism 

and Abstract Expressionism. The art 

of Surrealism is a style that was fi rst 

developed from direct Surrealist 

infl uences in New York following 

WWII and is still recognised today. 

This forms the core of the collection 

while the second part of the collection 

focuses on the early works of Abstract 

Expressionism. The Ulla and Heiner 

Pietzsch collection began over 40 

years ago and comprises of over 180 

artistic pieces by some of the world’s 

most infl uential artists, such as Max 

Ernst, Joan Miró and Dorothea Tanning. 

Walking around this remarkable gallery 

are amazing pieces of art that go from 

stunning to bizarre, fantastical to 

grotesque. What’s more the artists’ 

surreal and abstract styles are 

perfectly presented throughout the 

exhibition, giving a sense of curiosity 

and wonder around each corner. 

The exhibition illustrates the 

development of abstract expressionism 

and surrealism and it is truly amazing 

how each artist individually conveys 

this style. Forthcoming exhibitions can 

be found on the website. 

Museum fur Film und 

Fernsehen (Film/TV Museum) 

www.deutsche-kinemathek.de. 

U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Potsdam Platz. Tel: 

+49 3 024 749 888. Tues-Sun:10am- 

6pm, Thu: 10am-8pm. Price: €6/€4.50 

concession 

A treasure to fi lm enthusiasts and 

history nuts alike, this museum Marlene Dietrich. Accompanying the 

focuses on the last 100 years of permanent exhibition is a temporary 

German fi lm history. A particular “Moments in Time 1989/1990” display. 

emphasis is placed on the golden Following the fall of the Berlin wall 

era, when Berlin came close to and aware that their protest could 

matching those of Hollywood. no longer be stopped, Berliners 

Upon entering, be sure to grab the 

free audio guide. Take a wander 

through the permanent exhibition. 

Images invert and skew and refl ect 

as mirrors and irregular walls almost 

convey a walk within the confi nes 

of the lens of a camera. Black 

and white fi lms are beautifully 

juxtaposed against the modern 

interior decor and each exhibit is 

insightful and to the point. Presented 

chronologically, classic fi lm fans will 

relish behind-the-scenes glimpses 

of fi lms including “Das Cabinet Des 

Caligari” (1920) and “Metropolis” 

increasingly felt a desire to capture 

events on fi lm. Taken by private 

individuals in diverse and personal 

ways, the presentation sheds some 

additional light on the most important 

period in post-war German history 

in a colourful and insightful manner. 

Leaving as much to the imagination as 

objectively illustrating the events and 

emotions felt at the time, the display 

is a rare insight into the events of 1989 

Berlin from the perspectives of directly 

affected individuals set comparatively 

against worldwide news reports issued 

at the same time. 



Zoologischer Garten 

Hardenbergplatz 8, U-bahn - 

Zoologischer Garten tel. +49 (0)30 

25401- 0, info@zoo-berlin.deOpened 

in 1844, it is the oldest zoo in 

Germany and one of the largest 

zoos in the world, with the widest 

variety of species which doesn’t fail 

to impress from the moment you 

step through the gates. The park 

itself is visually stunning with lush 

green trees and intermittent water 

features. 

Even if you’re not interested 

in the surrounding the sheer 

range of species won’t leave you 

disappointed. With around 14,000 

animals, there is plenty to see and a 

lot of ground to cover. Give yourself 

plenty of time for the visit as it is 

very easy to spend the best part of the 

day there, and comfortable footwear 

is defi nitely recommended. There are 

plenty of places to get a drink or snack 

within the park and also there is a large 

restaurant, Schuler’s GastZoonomie, 

located at the heart of the zoo. 

One of the best times of day to see 

the animals is at feeding time and 

the times are posted on signs at the 

enclosures. Unfortunately there are 

no free maps and information leafl ets, 

although there is a map in the back of 

the zoo guide book (Zooführer) which 

will set you back €4. 

If you don’t want to shell out for a 

book there are maps located at regular 

intervals around the zoo and it is fairly 

easy to navigate or you can download 

a plan of the zoo from their website. 

Kunst und Trödel Märkte 

www.berliner-troedelmarkt.de. 

Strasse des 17 Juni. Tel: +49 3 026 

550 096. S-Bahn: Tiergarten. Sat- 

Sun 10am-5pm 

The Trödelmarkt and neighbouring 

Kunst und Kunsthandwerkmarkt 

are bustling, busy Berlin weekend 

markets that offer an interesting 

and distinctive experience. They 

boast unique artifacts and clothing 

and there are great bargains to be 

had, especially if you’re ready to 

haggle. 

At the Trödelmarkt, amidst the 

muddle of second-hand and vintage 

clothing and jewellery, antique 

furniture and silverware, old 

paintings, collector’s coins and used 

records and books, there is sure 

to be something that catches your 

eye. 

The Kunst und Kunsthandwerkmarkt 

is located just through the 

Charlottenburg Gate and across 

the Landswehrkanal from the 

Trödelmarkt. Here local artists and 

designers display and sell their work 

including jewellery, wooden toys, 

ceramics, paintings and clothing. 

The selection ranges from gaudy to 

tasteful but all items are certainly 

original. 


Arkaden am Potsdamer Platz 

www.potsdamer-platz-arkaden.de 

Alte Potsdamer Straße 7. U-Bahn: 

Potsdamer Platz. Tel: +49 3025 59270. 

Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10am–9pm. 

For the mainstream shopping 

experience, head to Arkaden. Situated 

in the heart of the bustling Potsdamer 

Platz, this three-storey complex 

epitomises what this oncehistoric 

site now has to offer. The commercial 

shopping mall houses European fashion 

favourites such as Mango, H&M and 

Zara as well as Tommy Hilfi ger and 

Swarovski for the high-end shoppers. 

While including internationally 

renowned stores and commonplace 

establishments like McDonalds and 

Starbucks, Arkaden does incorporate a 

moderate selection of German gems. 

Take a look in Bree for a selection 

of Berlin-made leather handbags or 

try Sergio Engel for locally produced 

jewellery. 



Rowing in the Tiergarten 

Lichtenstein 2. U-Bahn: 

Tiergarten/Zoological. 

25 44 930. 

Tel:30 

The lake in the Tiergarten is the 

perfect place to relax. On the 

grassy shores of Neuer See are 

relaxing deck chairs where you 

can take a nap, or enjoy a beer 

from the nearby beer garden 

(see page). For those looking 

for a bit of fun, you can also 

rent rowboats and go exploring. 

On jumping into the boats, it 

doesn’t seem like you have far 

to go. Although the late isn’t 

huge, there are many little 

passageways that adventurers 

can paddle through and explore. 

Watch out for fi sh, ducks, and 

the rare turtle. The odd collision 

with another boat is always a 

possibility. Prices for the boats 

start at €5 for 30minutes and 

€10 for 60minutes. Up to fi ve 

people can fi t in the boat and 

life vests are provided if needed. 

The rental is inexpensive for 

budgeting travellers who have 

a few friends to share the boat 

with. 

Cafe an Neuen See 

Lichtenstein 2. U-Bahn: Tiergarten/ 

Zoological. Tel:30 25 44 930. Price: 

€5-15. 

Charm and atmosphere surround 

this quaint little beer garden 

nestled in the north-west corner of 

the Tiergarten. Seamlessly blending 

in with the surrounding green areas 

the English Garden remains one 

of the hidden gems in the massive 

park. This particular stop can prove 

a bit challenging to fi nd due to its 

size and unpretentious demeanour, 

however a little navigating and 

exploring will yield a highly enjoyable 

experience. 

Sitting in the shade of a thatched-roof 

cottage, it’s not diffi cult to see why 

the beer garden has been granted its 

moniker. Echoing scenes of English 

countryside, this establishment 

provides a well needed break from 

the hustle and bustle of Berlin 

outside the Tiergarten boundaries. 

Look for the English Garden on a 

weekday and you could easily miss it. 

Look for it on a weekend, and all you 

need to do is follow the jazz music. 

Every weekend the English Garden 

is host to a slew of jazz ensembles 

which draw a large crowd to the 

otherwise calm watering hole. 

Food & Drink 

Music played until sunset combined 

with the beautiful urroundings makes 

this place an inevitable stop on a 

weekend Tiergarten stroll. 

Fairly priced drinks ranges from €2 

to €4. Food starts from €4 with their 

menu (although slightly limited in 

hot foods) provides an extensive icecream 

and milkshake list. On the 

weekends, during jazz concerts the 

English Garden also opens additional 

food stands serving up, Thai, Turkish 

and other world cuisines. 

English Garden 

Lichtenstein 2. U-Bahn: Tiergarten/ 

Zoological. Tel:30 25 44 930. Price: 

€5-15. 

Set in the lovely Tiergarten this beer 

garden tops the list. Cold beer, good 

food and a magical atmosphere awaits 

your visit. Close to the Zoo, and hidden 

in the trees, you can rent boats and 

row around the lake or take over some 

deckchairs on the grass. 

Dinner will set you back around 10€. 

Grab eine Maß (a pint of beer) and 

fresh leberkäse (a baked loaf of fi nely 

ground corned beef, pork and onions) 

with potato salad, snuggle onto one of 

the communal tables – don’t be shy, 

and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere 

with some friends. 


Food & Drink 

Let’s be honest... 

Potsdammer Platz is expensive, 

touristy and lacking in quality 

when it comes to food and 

drink. You would be much 

better hopping on the U -Bahn 

and going elsewhere. If you 

absolutely must dine here, 

listed below are a few places 

you could try. If they don’t 

tempt you numerous generic 

restaurants and bars can be 

found in the Sony centre. 

Weilands Wellfood 

www.weilands-wellfood.de 

Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 1 U-Bahn: 

Potsdamer Platz Tel: 30 25899717 

If feeling a bit bloated after too 

much beer and bratwurst, head 

to this wholesome self-service 

buffet. Satisfying the most health 

conscious consumers, benefi t from 

salads, stir-fries and whole-wheat 

pasta dishes. Reasonably priced 

averaging 6€ for a large salad. Be 

warned that fl avours may differ 

from what’s advertised. Free WiFi 

available. 

Billy Wilders 

www.billywilders.de Potsdamer 

Straße 2 U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz 

Tel: 030-26 55 48 60 

Much like its namesake, Billy 

Wilder’s offers something a little 

different from its contemporaries. 

Surrounded on all fronts by 

corporate brands and identikit bars, 

this bar is a pocket of character in 

an otherwise bland area. Presided 

over by a large portrait of the 

acclaimed director, responsible for 

the classic Some Like It Hot, sitting 

around the curved bar drinking tall 

drinks whilst admiring the sleek art 

deco interior is glamorous nostalgia, 

all the more emphatic in its contrast 

to the concrete jungle outside its 

doors. Just a lift ride away from 

the Museum of Cinema, there is no 

more fi tting way to refl ect on the 

golden age of Hollywood. They say 

they don’t make like they used to; 

well, in this case they do. Prices are 

however indicative of the area so 

best to get there during happy hour. 


Freidrichshain Information 

An up and coming neighbourhood 

in East Berlin, Friedrichshain offers 

travellers a look into Berlin’s vibrant 

bar, café, club, and restaurant 

culture. 

The neighbourhood boasts an 

extensive nightlife where travellers 

can bar-hop on Simon-Dach-Strasse, 

enjoy the laid back atmosphere of the 

beach bars on the Spree, experience 

the underground punk scene, or have 

a sleepless weekend gyrating on a 

dance fl oor until Sunday afternoon. 

Friedrichshain is unmistakeably 

a neighbourhood of the East with 

Socialist architecture and its grand 

boulevard aptly named Karl-Marx- 

Allee, formerly Stalinallee. 

The East Side Gallery is the star 

tourist attraction of this district. It is 

the longest intact part of the Berlin 

Wall, with many murals created by 

known and unknown artists alike. 

Gentrifi cation is quickly closing in 

on this eccentric neighbourhood. 

The O2 World Arena recently opened 

and there are plans to continue 

developing and do away with many of 

the quirks like its famed beach bars, 

which make this neighbourhood tick. 

Hopefully, the area will survive this 

demolition and continue to fl ourish 

under Berlin’s counter culture. 

85 Freidrichshain 86


East Side Gallery 

w w w. e a s t s i d e g a l l e r y. c o m . 

Muhlenstrasse. S-Bahn: Ostbahnhof/ 

Warschauer Strasse. Free Admission. 

Located in an area where sightseeing 

is all but void this 1.3km long stretch 

of the former Berlin Wall is now 

home to murals created by 118 

artists around the world. Opening 

as a gallery in 1990 the section is a 

celebration of the fall of the wall and 

a symbol of freedom and expression. 

It is also the longest remaining 

section of this concrete divider left 

in Berlin. 

Upon approaching this outdoor 

gallery the €2.2 million restoration 

process taking place is evident. 

Freshly reconditioned murals shine 

out beside the rawness of original 

sections scarred by weathering and 

often less artistic graffi ti. The gallery 

is now being renovated in stages in 

preparation for the 20th anniversary 

of the reunifi cation of Berlin. 

Controversy surrounds this ‘clean up’ 

process as only 80% of the original 

artists were able to be contacted to 

restore their own pieces. 

Famous murals which have been 

replicated without the artists’ 

permission include “God help 

me to survive this deadly love”, 

by Dmitry Vruhel in 1990, which 

portrays communist leaders Erich 

Honecker and Leonid Breznev locked 

in a passionate embrace. Another 

iconic mural by Bergit Kinder boldly 

illustrates an East German Trabant 

bursting through the Wall in a 

symbolic representation of a failed 

escape attempt. A visit to the sight 

before the fi nal section is repainted 

allows the visitor the form their own 

opinion on which best represents 

freedom and expression. 

87 88


Qrazy:Ling’s 

www.qrazylings.com. Tram: M13 

Wuhlischstrasse. Tel: +49 3 029 493 

157. Mon-Thu 4pm-12am, Fri 4pmlate, 

Sat-Sun 1pm-late. Cost: €5 to 

€9. 

The strikingly colourful graffi ti façade 

of Qrazy:Ling’s may not scream out 

authentic Vietnamese cuisine, but 

on entrance you’ll fi nd an intricate 

hand-made décor and an impressive 

menu of mouth-watering delights. 

Vietnamese food is all about fresh 

ingredients and fragrant aromas and 

Qrazy:Ling’s food certainly embraces 

this tradition. 

Whether you go for the traditional 

simple-yet-tasty noodle soup Pho 

or the rice noodles with deliciously 

marinated beef Bun Bo Hue, you will 

be surprised at how much fl avour 

one mouthful can deliver. The main 

meals are generously portioned with 

affordable prices so you won’t go 

home feeling hungry at the slightest. 

Qrazy:Ling’s is actually connected 

via an arch to art store Quality 

Lovers which explains why this 

traditional Vietnamese restaurant 

has such a quirky modern feel and a 

relaxed atmosphere to match. 

Service can be slow with big groups, 

but for Ling’s utterly delectable 

food, it is defi nitely worth the wait. 

Cayetanom Mediterranean 

Restaurant 

Simon-Dach-Strasse 14. U-Bahn: 

Frankurter Tor. Tel: +49 3 054 730 

042. Price: €5-10. 

Settled in amongst trendy shops, 

ice-cream parlors and cobblestone 

pathways, Cayetano is perfectly 

located for a mid-day sustenance 

break. A number of outdoor tables 

provide a cool, shaded atmosphere 

for eating, drinking and peoplewatching 

and the servers are 

courteous and hospitable. The 

portions are generous and come 

with a fresh side salad as well as 

soft, white bread. 

The diner can choose between a 

number of items, ranging from 

American-style burgers, Italian 

pasta dishes and typical German 

fare. Intimidating in size and lavishly 

doused with tangy feta and balsamic, 

the salads are perfect for lunch and 

not to be missed in the evening is the 

fi lling spätzle dishes: small potato 

dumplings smothered with fresh herbs 

and dotted with mushrooms, carrots 

and chicken. Vegetarian options are 

also available. Whether it’s for a 

fueling breakfast, a quick lunch break 

or a relaxing dinner, Cayetano offers 

it all in the way of a smiling staff, 

fi lling food and a soothing setting. 

If you’re in the area on Sunday, 

Cayetano also offers an all-you-caneat 

brunch on Sundays from 10am- 

3pm. 

89 90


Don Sushi and Cocktail Bar 

www.don-restaurant.de. U-Bahn: 

Frankfurter Tor or Samariterstrasse. 

Niederbarnimstrasse 12. Tel: +49 

3 021 237 935. Mon-Fri 4pm-12am, 

Sat-Sun 5pm-12am. Price: €1-10. 

Situated on a busy street bursting 

with worldwide cuisines at every 

turn, Don is the place to be for 

deliciously fresh sushi and fantastic 

cocktails. 

Don Sushi offers a daily happy hour 

of up to 50% off selected dishes 

from 4pm till midnight. With maki’s 

starting from €1.50 to €4 per dish, 

it’s a great way of trying the large 

range of sushi they have on offer. 

You can even watch the sushi chef at 

work as he makes your sushi, which 

adds a personal touch, and you can 

be guaranteed that the fi sh is fresh! 

Although the portions are slightly on 

the small side the reduced price that 

you pay means you are getting your 

money’s worth, rather than being 

overcharged for normal prices. 

Sushi is usually associated with sake 

and green tea, so it may seem odd 

that Don Sushi offers a variety of 

cocktails alongside its sushi menu. 

Starting from €4 per glass, they are 

refreshing little treats at the end of 

a long day or alternatively the start 

of a long night of exploring the city. 

A handy tip: there is only one sushi 

chef so it is recommended to go in 

smaller groups to avoid a long wait, 

as all orders for the same table arrive 

together. 

Cafe Sibylle 

Karl Marx Strasse 72. U-Bahn: 

Weberwiese or Strausberger Platz. 

Mon-Sat 9am-10pm, Sun 12pm-8pm. 

Price: €0-5. 

With a unique history spanning 

back to the Stalin-era, Cafe Sibylle, 

originally Milchtrinkhalle, doubles 

as both a cafe, and a communist 

museum. 

The cafe offers an assortment of 

freshly baked cakes, ice-cream, 

sandwiches, as well as a great 

selection of cocktails, and nonalcoholic 

drinks. While waiting for 

your order, you are free to walk 

around, and look at their collection 

of Eastern Germany-era artifacts. 

Cafe Sibylle offers both indoor 

and outdoor seating. This unusual, 

half-furnished cafe does a great 

job meshing together modern art 

with its utilitarian past. Behind 

the brightly colored statues and 

paintings, it is still possible to see 

the bland colourless walls from its 

GDR days. 

With rhythmic jazz music in the 

background and their eclectic décor, 

indoors is a great place to sit and 

chat, or to get some work done. 

Outdoor seating might require a 

wait, but it does provide a great view 

of the expansive Karl-Marx Allee. 

This historical street, renamed after 

Stalin was removed from power, was 

where East Berliners used to watch 

the tanks roll by during the annual 

military parades. 

With some coffee, cake, and 

communism, this is an enjoyable way 

to learn about an important piece of 

German history. 

91 92


Lebowski’s 

www.kneipe-lebowski.de. 

Niederbarnimstrasse 23. U-Bahn: 

Samaritastrasse. Tel: +49 1 733 

561 828. Mon-Sun: 6pm-late.Price: 

€2-5. 

An upside down bowling alley peering 

down on patrons as they happily sip 

away at their white Russians sets 

the scene for this Friedrichshain 

institution. Lebowski’s, a bar 

based around the cult movie The 

Big Lebowski, attracts a vast array 

of colourful characters, most of 

which have taken the movie’s main 

character, The Dude, as a style icon, 

donning trench coats, long hair and 

even longer unkempt beards. 

Lebowski’s manages to avoid the 

common corny and trite pitfalls that 

other themed bars tend to suffer 

from. Managing to perfectly strike a 

balance between paying tribute to 

the cult movie while maintaining the 

charm and charisma of the Berlin dive 

bar scene, this watering hole serves 

up heaps of personality. Wooden 

columns and secluded nooks provide 

an intimate and fun atmosphere for 

a relaxed drink or an absinth-soaked 

night of craziness. 

The walls are covered with effi gies 

of actors Jeff Bridges, John Goodman 

and Steve Buscemi, portraying their 

characters in the movie and during 

themed nights the movie is played 

repeatedly on screens throughout the 

bar; walk into the restrooms of this 

weird and wonderful bar and you can 

hear The Big Lebowski through the 

loudspeakers dubbed into German. 

This drinking establishment has 

certainly been built by fans of the 

movie for fans of the movie. 

As such, no fan should leave without 

having a White Russian, The Dude’s 

favourite drink. White Russians will 

run at €4.90 while draught beer runs 

at under €3. 

Cassiopeia 

www.cassiopeia-berlin.de. Revaler 

Straße 99. S-Bahn/U-Bahn: Warshauer 

Straße. Tel: +49 304 738 594. 

Entry: €4-8. 

Along Friedrichshain’s infamous 

Simon-Dach-Straße you can fi nd a 

vast array of bars but for something 

a bit different head towards Revaler 

Straße to stumble across the underworld 

that is Cassiopeia. 

There are two club fl oors that host a 

wide range of musicians and djs from 

a local standard right up to internationally 

renowned acts. Open every 

night of the week except Mondays 

you can enjoy hip-hop, funk, rock, 

hardcore, electro, reggae, drum n 

bass and much more but be sure to 

check on their website to fi nd out 

what’s on. 

Set in over 4,000m² of old factory 

halls there is plenty of space to let 

yourself go and soak up the unique 

experience that this place has to offer. 

Once inside the compound there 

is a great feeling of separation from 

the outside world due to the high 

factory walls and towering trees but 

you are given an enormous sense of 

freedom by the sheer vastness of it 

all. 

93 94

Astro 


Simon-Dach-Strasse 40. S-Bahn/U- 

Bahn Warshauer Straße. Tel: +49 3 

029 661 615. 

This sci-fi themed bar is always an 

excellent place to start or fi nish 

the night. It’s often guaranteed to 

attract a fairly young crowd including 

a number of tourists and with the 

intimacy of the place it’s great for 

meeting new people from all walks 

of life. 

Hanging from the ceiling are robots 

and behind the bar is made to look like 

the control panel of a space shuttle. 

Go through to the back room and 

they even have the game Asteroids 

playing behind glass panels. 

Aside from the space adventure the 

drinks are reasonably priced and 

the bar staff are often very friendly. 

There are a wide range of cocktails 

which are all large and very strong - 

highly recommended is the caipirinha 

for €5. 

There is always good music playing 

from electro to punk to reggae and 

on weekends there are live DJ sets. 

Granted there is no room to dance 

but foot tapping and moderate hip 

movements are encouraged. 

Kptn A. Müller 

www.kptn.de. Simon-Dach-Strasse 

32. S-Bahn/U-Bahn: Warshauer 

Straße. Mon-Sun from 6pm.Drinks 

€0-4. 

There is one reason you have 

to visit this bar – the drinks are 

cheap, cheap, cheap! Although the 

mismatched decor might be as well, 

it just adds to the atmosphere and 

at €1.50 for half a litre of Sternburg 

who’s complaining? 

It’s not just the beer either, cocktails 

are mostly available at around €3.50 

and they are not shy of alcohol either. 

Basically your fi rst €10 will get you a 

long way. 

The only downside is that it can be 

a little cramped and the outside 

seating and tables are packed away 

at about 11.30pm. However this 

should not deter, if all the seats are 

taken you can stand up and play 

table football in the back room. 

Internationales Berliner 

Bierfestival 

www.bierfestival-berlin.de. Karl- 

Marx-Allee. U-Bahn: Franfurter Tor 

or Strausberger Platz. First weekend 

of August. Free admittance. 

On the fi rst weekend of every August 

Karl-Marx-Allee is transformed into 

what has been dubbed as ‘the 

longest beer garden in the world’. 

Running from Frankfurter Tor to 

Strausberger Platz, the Berlin ‘Beer 

Mile’ encapsulates over 700,000 

guests sampling 1800 varieties of 

beer from around the world. 

The International Beer Festival is 

a vibrant blend of entertainment, 

eating, drinking and a great place 

to catch a glimpse of Berliners at 

play. Attracting a mix of young, old, 

tourists and locals alike the crowd 

is as diverse as the choice of beers. 

An assortment of live music keeps 

the slow moving crowd entertained 

as they amble through. Taster mugs, 

available on entry for €3.50, are a 

convenient way of sampling the vast 

range of beer on offer. 

Also be sure to stop at one of the 

reasonably priced food stalls for 

a beer-complimenting snack such 

as currywurst or potato salad. A 

mishmash of unique architecture, 

novelty hats and quirky waitresses 

make this event well worth a visit. 

However be aware of a change in 

atmosphere after dark as the relaxed 

environment is often disrupted by 

those who have had one too many in 

the sun. 

95 96


Eastern Comfort Hostel 

Boat 

www.easterncomfort.com. 

Mühlen Strasse 73-77. S-Bahn/U- 

Bahn/Tram: Warschauer Str. Tel: + 

49 3 066 763 806. Reception 8am- 

12am. 

Prices: 

1st class cabins: 

€64-78 

Second class: 4 bed cabin for €19 

Dorms: cost €16pp 

Camping costs €12pp 

For those looking for a bit of 

adventure on the open seas, or in 

this case the open Spree, the Eastern 

Comfort Hostelboat is ideal. 

Straddling two up-and-coming 

neighbourhoods, Friedrichshain and 

Kreuzberg, the boat is docked in the 

ideal location. The hostel itself has 

kept its original design and offers 

fi rst- and second-class cabins on the 

upper and lower decks of the ship. 

First class is on the upper deck, and 

includes private rooms with their 

own bathrooms and views of the 

East Side Gallery or the Spree River. 

The lower deck is for aspiring sailors 

with a tight budget. The rooms are 

dorm style complete with their own 

bathrooms and portholes overlooking 

the river. There is also an option for 

campers, who can set up tents on the 

back of the boat. The fl oating lounge 

on the top deck is a must see. 

* Internet available 

* Free wi-fi 

* Breakfast €4 

* Bedding €5/byo 

* No curfew 

* Bicycle-hire 

* Laundry service 

Ostel - Das GDR Design 

Hostel 

www.ostel.eu. Wriezener Karree 5. 

S-Bahn: Ostbahnhof. Tel: +49 3 025 

768 660. 

Prices: 

Dorm room: €9 

Single room: €33 

Double room: €54 

Feeling a bit Ostalgic and want to 

re-live the days of the GDR before 

the wall fell? Then the Ostel Hostel 

is an excellent choice. 

The hostel has embraced the idea of 

Ostalgie, the feeling of nostalgia for 

life in the former GDR, which is still 

present in Berliner society today. 

Each room had been decorated to 

emulate the GDR lifestyle, complete 

with typical GDR household items, 

such as patterned wallpaper, mod 

lamps, and shag carpeting. 

The hostel is not the most social 

hostel since rooms are spread out 

between a series of apartment 

buildings, but each room is 

immaculately clean and has its own 

bathroom and a balcony. 

The staff are very friendly and 

helpful and always willing to answer 

questions. The hostel is located a few 

metres from the Ostbahnhof station, 

which is just a few stops away from 

Alexanderplatz and the rest of Mitte. 

* Breakfast €4.50 

* Bike rental 

* Wi-fi 

97 98

Kreuzberg Information 

Kreuzberg is Berlin’s bastion of 

counterculture, famous for its 

punks, squatters, alternative art 

scene and May Day riots. The Eastern 

section, from Kottbusser Tor to the 

Spree River, is the grittiest, and 

the place where the squat scene 

developed during the Cold War. 

The area remains Berlin’s centre of 

alternative politics and nightlife, 

with a profusion of riverside bars 

and clubs. Oranienstraβe is one of 

the main streets, and Wiener Straβe, 

Skalitzer Straβe and Schlesische 

Straβe are also good for nightlife 

and cheap eateries. 

Along with its bohemian residents, 

Kreuzberg is home to Berlin’s 

largest Turkish community, with 

one in three residents of Turkish 

origin. Immigrant ‘guest workers’ 

were invited to Berlin after cheap 

East German labour was made 

unavailable when the wall went up. 

It was in Kreuzberg that Turkish-born 

Mahmut Aygun invented the doner 

kebab. His restaurant, Hasir, still 

stands close to Kottbusser Tor. The 

area teems with kebab shops, and 

every Tuesday and Friday a Turkish 

market spills out along the river at 

the Maybachufer. 

The area to the West of Kottbusser 

Tor is slightly more upmarket. 

Mehringdamm, Bergmannstraβe and 

the streets around Viktoriapark are 

some of the liveliest for shops and 

cafes. The more conventional tourist 

attractions are also in the West, 

and include the Jewish Museum and 

Checkpoint Charlie. 

99 Kreuzberg Kreuzberg 100


Berlinische Galerie 

(Berlin Gallery) 

Alte Jakobstrasse 124-128. U-Bahn: 

Kochstrasse or Bus 129. Tel: 78 90 26 

00. Wed-Mon 10am – 6pm. €0-8. 

A vivid yellow fi eld of seemingly 

jumbled letters initially lures the eye 

at the entrance of the Berlinische 

Galerie: Berlin’s Museum of Modern 

Art, Photography, and Architecture. 

Inside the gallery almost overfl ows 

with themes including the 

secessionists, Fluxus, Dada, New 

Objectivity, Jungen Wilden group, 

Russians in Berlin and the avante 

garde. 

Originally a private institution 

situated in the Martin-Gropius Bau, 

the gallery relocated to its new 

location in 2004, designed by Huhn 

Malvessi, and has fl ourished into 

an excellent national gallery with 

an international reputation. The 

industrial hall holds many temporary 

exhibitions to accompany its 

permanent one, as well as lectures, 

archives, a library, movies and music. 

First Monday of the month has the 

cheapest entry at only €2. There is 

also reduced admission with a ticket 

from the Jewish Museum on the day 

of visit and the next two days. 

Anhalter Bahnhof 

Askanisher Platz 6-7. S-Bahn: 

Anhalter Bahnhof. 

For a fragmentary glimpse of one 

of the greatest structural triumphs 

of Berlin, Anhalter Bahnhof is an 

essential place to pay a visit. Today 

you are faced only with its imposing 

façade on Askanischer Platz. Yet it is 

the station’s strong visual presence 

and its history that should inspire 

you to visit. 

Alongside the architectural and 

technological grandeur of the 

station, lies the horrifi c role that it 

played in holocaust history. In total, 

the Bahnhof sent out 116 deportation 

convoys, usually consisting of 50 or 

100 people at a time. Nearly 10,000 

victims were deported by means 

of this station to await their fate. 

Bombing in the Second World War 

partially ruined the Bahnhof. After 

falling into decay and disrepair, 

it was sadly demolished in 1961, 

leaving only its present remnants. 

First built in 1839, in the relatively 

early days of locomotives, the train 

station was modest in size and 

appearance. The 19th century, the 

age of mass industry, cried for a 

greater demand for passenger and 

freight trains. These demands were 

before long answered and in 1875 

the architect Franz Schwechten 

(who also designed Kaiser William 

Memorial Church) received the task 

of enlarging the station. Considered 

a masterpiece of railroad station 

construction in its day, Anhalter 



Bahnhof was the “Gateway to the 

South” for Berliners. 

Jüdisches Museum 

(Jewish Museum) 

www.jmberlin.de. Lindenstraβe 9 – 

14. U-Bahn: Hallesches Tor. Tel: +49 

3 025 993 300. Mon 10am - 10pm, 

Tues-Sun 10am – 8pm. Admission: 

€2.50-€5. 

Since its inauguration in 2001, the 

Jüdisches Museum has attracted over 

350,000 visitors. Thousands came 

even before the museum was fully 

open to marvel at Libeskind’s bold 

and innovative architecture. The 

museum’s alien appearance demands 

attention, and it is worthwhile to 

take a moment before entering to 

stop and appreciate this. 

The museum’s exterior, an angular 

external structure, resembles a 

thundering lightning bolt, possibly 

representing a deconstructed Star 

of David. Its modern metallic facing 

is at odds with the baroque facade 

of the Kollegienhaus, once an 

administrative building to the Court 

of Justice in the 18th Century. This 

now serves as the entrance to the 

Jewish Museum, and connects to the 

Libeskind building via a black slate 

staircase which leads you to the 

main exhibition space. 

Upon descending the stairs, you are 

presented with a path system of 

connecting axes, symbolising three 

realities in the history of German 

Jews. The Axis of Emigration details 

the Jewish Diaspora of the 1930s, 

eventually leading outside to the 

Garden of Exile. The slanting fl oors 

and narrowing walls channel the 

visitor along the corridor, until you 

open the heavy iron door to step 

outside into the disorientating and 

confusing maze of concrete pillars. 

In comparison, The Axis of the 

Holocaust is a dead end. It exhibits 

personal items of Holocaust victims, 

such as letters and photographs, and 

terminates at the end of the passage 

with the commemorative Holocaust 

Tower. The Axis of Continuity 

connects the Old Building with the 

main staircase, which leads up to 

the vast permanent exhibition on 

the second fl oor. 

Be sure to stop half-way up the main 

staircase and explore Kadishman’s 

abstract sculpture, Salechet (Fallen 

Leaves), dedicated to victims of 

war and violence. The cavernous 

hall is fi lled with 10,000 iron faces, 

a look of open-mouth terror hacked 

into each one. Strewn across the 

fl oor, the faces clank together as 

people walk though the room, 

shattering the silence. 

At the top of the staircase 

the permanent exhibition 

begins, showcasing 2000 

years of Jewish history and 

culture in Germany. Whilst 

their struggle for integration 

is well-documented, it is their 

achievements that are the focus 

of the exhibition. The museum 

uses artwork, photographs, 

letters and biographies of 

both ordinary Jewish people 

and prominent historical 

fi gures, to fully illustrate the 

impact Jewish people had on 

society. The central theme of 

the museum is the enormous 

contribution the Jewish 

population makes to Western 

culture, and they are presented 

as a race alive with intellect, 

creativity, perseverance and 

strength of faith. 

The Jüdisches Museum is 

an example of an architect 

wanting visitors to approach 

the museum with willingness 

to engage with his work and 

create an emotional link 

between people and exhibits. 

The museum is completely out 

of the ordinary, and an utterly 



Alternative Living 

Berlin’s alternative scene is vast 

and runs deep within the city’s 

districts. From the peculiar cabaret 

to the scene of punks that frequently 

doze on the lawn at Warshauer 

Strasse, ‘Alternative’ is a strong and 

growing culture here. For many the 

attraction of the underground scene 

is its secretive and elusive nature. 

The remarkable old squats along the 

river at Köpenickerstrasse prefer 

to remain tourist free – utmost 

respect must be practiced at all 

times if a visit is made, after all it 

is somebody’s home - and those who 

are in the know, often like to keep 

it top secret. This helps to maintain 

the immensely mysterious air to the 

scene. 

The glowing history of Berlin’s squat 

scene and the acquisition of such 

buildings often follow a similar 

story. The fall of the Berlin Wall saw 

a swarm of people move from east 

to west which left many buildings in 

the east uninhabited. These began 

to be snapped up either by artists 

who desired such spaces for their 

work, or by those who disliked the 

capitalist culture of the west. Thus 

the squatting culture in East Berlin 

was born. The artistic and political 

aspects still remain and may be seen 

in the large-scale graffi ti art or the 

anarchical symbol ‘A’ scrawled on 

fl ags and buildings. 

Although Kreuzberg now resembles 

the - graffi ti-covered - cloak of 

eastern districts, it was actually 

located in West Berlin. Being 

surrounded by the wall on three 

sides and a stone’s throw from East 

Berlin, it was deemed an undesirable 

location to live, although very 

cheap. The low costs attracted a 

population of students, immigrants 

and artists, subsequently turning 

Kreuzberg into an important 

hub of multicultural, artistic 

and intellectual development. 

After the fall of the wall the 

migration of artists to eastern 

Berlin allowed Kreuzberg to 

fl ourish into the vivacious 

district that it is now known to 

be. 

Kreuzberg’s pulsating, and 

often rather quirky, nightlife 

means that getting lost is often 

an exciting venture and can 

be rewarded by a great fi nd. 

Despite this, orientating oneself 

in Berlin can also be quite a 

struggle at times and although 

the prospect of traipsing the 

tourist sites of the city with 

a large group isn’t everyone’s 

cup of tea, tours are a great 

way to become familiar with 

certain areas. An Alternative 

Tour is a great introduction to 

Berlin’s underground scene as 

it offers an historical overview 

of the numerous squats and 

street graffi ti art. There are a 

few companies that run them 

on a daily basis (Alternative 

Berlin and New Berlin). 

Many squats are now categorised 

as housing projects as they 

have contractual agreements 



and pay (a very minimal) rent. 

They run local community projects 

offering, among other things: Kino - 

cinema screenings; Voku - low priced 

food; and a range of workshops to 

disadvantaged people in Berlin. 

There are art galleries and poetry 

readings in others. 

The Raw-Tempel in Friedrichain is 

a great place to get a feel for the 

community-minded mentality that 

runs through 

much of the 

u n d e r g r o u n d 

scene in Berlin. 

There are around 

60 different 

projects running 

there ranging 

from night 

clubs to circus 

schools. A huge 

and impressive skate park has been 

built and acts as a centre piece for 

the old squat. Residents allow the 

public an opportunity to wander 

through, grab a coffee, take pictures 

of the graffi ti and truly participate in 

the projects they run or the parties 

they throw. 

So take a stroll or get a bike and 

explore the streets of Kreuzberg and 

Friedrichshain to see what you can 

fi nd. 

The Alternative Tour 

www.alternativeberlin.com. Tel: 

+49 1 628 198 264. Meets every 

day at 11am and 1pm, outside 

Starbucks, under the TV tower at 

Alexanderplatz. 

The Alternative Tour was a great 

way to see a whole different 

side to Berlin. The fi rst thing 

to remember is the difference 

between tagging and art, although 

Berlin has a lot of both. The laws 

here don’t require building owners 

to remove graffi ti, and as it is 

such an expensive process, many 

just don’t bother. Because of 

this, Berlin’s street art is forever 

changing. 

An informative guide takes you 

all around the city, through some 

of Mitte’s back streets, past the 

Raw Temple in Friedrichshain, 

and especially around Kreuzberg. 

Some artists are well-known, such 

as El Bacho; and characters such 

as Little Lucy. After the tour you 

will see a whole new Berlin, and 

constantly be on the lookout for 

particular artists. 



Deutsches Technikmuseum 

www.sdtb.de. Trebbiner Strasse 9. 

U-Bahn: Möckernbrücke. Telephone: 

+49 30 90 254 275. Tue-Fri 9am- 

5.30pm, Sat-Sun 10-18 hours, closed 

Mon. Price: € €2.50-4.50. 

The German Technical Museum 

offers a cultural history of 

Germany’s industrial technology. 

Don’t be fooled by the title because 

this museum offers interest in many 

different areas extending from 

The Deutsches Technikmuseum. 

railways to fi lmography. 

Formally one of Berlin’s industrial 

sites dating back to 1874, which is 

easily noticeable in the buildings 

architecture, it has become one of 

Berlin’s most appealing museums. 

The layout comprises of eight 

different sections, each is astounding 

and unpredictable. From walking 

through the textile and papermaking 

machinery visitors come 

face to face with life-size ships and 

planes, some planes dating as far 

back as 1918. From there you go on 

to the rail sheds, with some of the 

fi rst trains on show. 

The next building leads you through 

to photo technology, the science 

centre and the Vintage Car Depot. 

This is a massive insight into how 

benefi cial the industrial revolution 

was to Germany and there are plenty 

of hands-on activities to take part 

in. Why not climb aboard the ships 

or step under giant locomotives, 

watch an old fashioned picture fi lm 

or discover the art of brewing? And 

to fi nish the tour off visitors can 

walk outside into the Museum Park 

where there are windmills and the 

water tower. 

There’s something for everyone and, 

in Berlin museum style, there are 

many visitor activities and guided 

tours making the visit that much 

more impressive and extraordinary. 

Schwules Museum 

w w w. s c h w u l e s m u s e u m . d e . 

Mehringdamm 61. U-Bahn: 

Mehringdamm. Tel: +49 30 6931172. 

Open 2-6pm Mon, Wed-Thurs. 

Admission €5, concessions €3. 

The only museum in the world 

dedicated to the homosexual 

lifestyle, this little museum plays 

a big part in chronicling nearly 

two centuries of Gay history and 

social change. The museum houses 

a remarkable collection of photos, 

paintings and other assorted art 

work about Gay life in Germany. 

Tracing the gradual acceptance 

of the homosexual existence with 

its many trials and tribulations in 

Europe, there is a big focus on Berlin 

during the World Wars. The ground 

fl oor allows for temporary exhibits, 

presenting the work of famous Gay 

Germans such as Herbert List and 

other local Gay artists. 

Comprehensive and informative 

guides are available in many 

languages to assist in your visit and 

the volunteer staff are both helpful 

and friendly. 



Exploring an Urban 

Sculpture Garden 

U-Bahn: Schlesisches Tor. 

Berlin, famously described as ‘poor 

but sexy,’ is undeniably rich in public 

art. From the iconic ‘Molecule Man’ 

sculpture to the provocative work of 

street artists such as 

Alias and El Bocho, 

art is impossible to 

avoid in this city. 

Visitors are sure to 

encounter plenty of 

impressive work even 

if they never set foot 

in a museum. 

One of Berlin’s most 

compelling examples 

of public art is the 

Menschenlandschaft, 

a diverse collection 

of sculpture that 

sprawls from a 

leafy pocket park 

near Schlesisches 

Tor station toward the River Spree. 

Don’t expect to fi nd much respite 

here from the grit and gristle of 

Kreuzberg – this sculpture garden 

is unabashedly urban. In fact, to 

walk the length of this ‘human 

landscape,’ which features work by 

seven different sculptors, visitors 

must cross two busy streets and pass 

under the U-Bahn tracks. 

The experience of visiting the 

Menschenlandschaft is punctuated 

by urban noise – trains thundering 

above and traffi c roaring nearby. 

But instead of being an unwelcome 

distraction, this setting actually 

enhances the meaning 

of the work. The 

sculpture garden 

was commissioned 

to address the 

immigrant experience 

in Kreuzberg, a 

neighbourhood which 

has absorbed an 

enormous immigrant 

population, while 

more recently 

struggling with the 

growing pains of 

gentrifi cation. The 

placement of these 

art pieces, in the 

‘leftover’ space 

surrounding a major transit hub, 

encourages the viewer to consider 

the extent to which immigrants are 

integrated into – or isolated from – 

the social and economic fabric of the 

city. 

Walking east along Schlesisches 

Strasse, look for two voluptuous 

bronze nudes reclining in 

the traffi c median. Follow 

the concrete footpath 

across the street toward 

the garden’s centrepiece, 

Turkish sculptor Mehmet 

Aksoy’s 1987 work 

A r b e i t s m i g r a t i o n . 

Emerging from the grass 

like alabaster totems, 

Aksoy’s sculpture conveys 

stylized and sometimes 

disturbing human forms: 

dislocated body parts, 

isolated fi gures, and 

huddled masses striving to 

‘escape’ from the marble. 

Continuing across the 

street toward the river, 

look for several more 

works of sculpture 

scattered throughout 

the park. Perhaps the 

most distinctive is Rudolf 

Valenta’s ‘Line Space,’ a 

stainless steel structure 

which resembles an 

enormous bent paper clip. 

At the end of this sculpture 

safari on the south bank of 

the Spree, sightseers are 

rewarded with a perfect 

view of the magnifi cent 

Oberbaumbrücke. 



NGBK 

www.ngbk.de. Oranienstraβe 25. 

U-Bahn: Görlitzer Banhnhof. Tel: 

+49 306 165 130. Mon-Fri 12pm-7pm, 

Sat-Sun 12pm-8pm. 

Wander the streets of Kreuzberg 

and you are likely to stumble across 

many individual art exhibits and 

bookstores; visit NGBK and you will 

experience a unique combination 

of both. The NGBK bookstore is 

well-stocked in a number of genres, 

particularly the Arts, with many 

titles available in English. Berlin 

receives special attention with a 

vast selection of books covering all 

aspects of the city. 

The relaxed and open atmosphere 

encourages those browsing to pick 

a stool and read at leisure. To the 

rear of the store, free entry to the 

adjacent NGBK exhibition space 

awaits. Here, through the medium 

of visual art, questions and issues of 

social importance are depicted and 

explored. Exhibits change throughout 

the year and are often supplemented 

by discussions, lectures and other 

events. 

Upcoming exhibits in 2009-2010 

include: Shared. Divided. United, 

which aims to draw comparison 

between the divisive experiences of 

Germany and Korea; and Amerikana, 

documenting the mythology of US 

society and the response of US artists 

to such myths. 

The NGBK bookstore alone warrants 

a visit, but time things correctly 

and you may be fortunate enough to 

inject some art into your shopping 

trip. 

Box Off Berlin 

w w w. b o x o f f b e r l i n . d e . 

Zimmerstraβe 11. U-Bahn: 

Kochstraβe. Tel: +49 (0) 30 44 

70 15 55. Daily from 10.30am. 

Sidle away from the tacky 

tourist shops surrounding 

Checkpoint Charlie and 

discover a refreshingly 

different approach to souvenir 

shopping. Box Off Berlin offers 

a variety of quality souvenirs 

created by local designers. 

Think more cutting-edge 

design, less souvenir shot glass. 

Treat yourself to a fashionable 

Berlin print, a unique tote or 

a glossy hardback on Berlin 

street art. 

Fair trade and 

environmentalism are key 

concepts, so enjoy a fair trade 

coffee from the coffee bar as 

you browse the store and its 

compact contemporary art 

gallery. 

Prices and products are wide 

ranging and generally refl ect 

the high quality and design of 

each item. For those on a tight 

budget, key rings and pens are 

reasonably priced at under €5. 

Fair trade, unique, souvenirs from BoxOff 



Modern Graphics 

w w w. m o d e r n - g r a p h i c s . d e . 

Oranienstrasse 22. U-Bahn: Görlitzer 

Bahnhof. or Kottbusser Tor. Tel: +49 

6 158 810. Mon-Fri 11am-8pm, Sat 

10am-7pm. 

This shop is a haven for any fan of 

graphic novels, comics or other cult 

merchandise. It contains a huge 

selection of each with a more than 

reasonably-sized section dedicated 

to novels in the English language. 

The staff are helpful, knowledgeable 

and, most importantly, incredibly 

enthusiastic about the material they 

sell. 

Mustafa’s Gemüse Kebap 

Mehringdamm 32. 

U-Bahn: Mehringdamm. 

Having a several-metre long queue 

may be normal for a kebab shop at 

four in the morning on a week night, 

in an area located next to a street 

full of pubs and seedy nightclubs, but 

when there’s a queue that big the 

whole day long...one wonders what 

must be so special about the food 

that’s being served. 

Staying in the constantly long line at 

Mustafa’s is certainly worth the wait 

as it serves very 

possibly the best 

kebabs in Berlin. 

The choice at 

Mustafa’s is very 

simple: a kebab; 

dürüm kebab 

(in a wrap); a 

vegetarian or 

a vegetarian 

dürüm. All of the 

choices include 

deep-fried vegetables, an amazing 

selection of salad and best of all 

crumbled cheese to top it off. The 

meat kebabs include sliced chicken 

döner from the large rotating spit. 

What is perhaps so surprising about 

Mustafa’s is that it’s little more 

than a fi xed hut on the pavement, 

which can hardly fi t the two men 

who serve up the food all day long. 

There is no seating and only a large 

wooden table to the side where you 

can stand and eat. This minimalism 

is all part of Mustafa’s unique charm. 

To top off the effect, Middle Eastern 

music blares from the hut all day, so 

you really feel like you’re getting a 

full Eastern experience. 

Hakata sushi restaurant 

Oranienstrasse. U-Bahn: Görlitzer 

bahnhof or Kottbusser Tor. Closed 

Mondays. Price: €0-5. 

This sushi restaurant truly is a must 

for any fan of Japanese cuisine. 

It may not visually stand out in 

comparison with the various other 

more colourful sushi restaurants in 

the neighbourhood (and there are 

several), but what it lacks in visual 

splendour it more than makes up 

for in superb taste. Herein lies this 

establishment’s crowning glory. 

The orders are taken on notes 

you write yourself and are served 

without dialogue. Indeed, you may 

fi nd that Japanese can prove to 

be more effective than German if 

you are blessed with such language 

skills. The food orders will also take 

a longtime to fi nally emerge at your 

table, which can be almost torturous 

as you watch it being meticulously 

made only a few feet away. Fear 

not, however, for this is small price 

to pay – along with the pleasingly 

small bill - for truly authentic and 

delicious sushi in Kreuzberg. 

There is a wide range of dishes on 

offer along with a satisfying number 

of vegetarian options included in the 

fray. 

Belegschaft 

w w w . d i e b e l e g s c h a f t . d e . 

Zimmerstraβe 23. U-Bahn: 

Kochstaβe. Tel: +49 3 066 403 254 

Mon-Fri 7:30am -6pm, Sat 8:30am- 

7pm, Sun: 9:30 – 6:00pm. Price: €3- 

8. 

Amongst the hustle and bustle 

surrounding Checkpoint Charlie lies 

a calm oasis in Belegschaft. 

This “organic quick food” café 

features a range of soups, 

sandwiches and daily specials at 

reasonable prices. Enjoy your meal 

in the café’s fresh, modern interior 

or while people watching outside. 

Enjoy the outdoor Belegshaft Cafe. 



Curry 36 

www.curry36.de Mehringdamm 36. 

U-Bahn: Mehringdamm. Tel: +49 302 

51 73 68. Mon- 

Sun 9am-5am. 

€0-5. 

A big fat German 

sausage with 

curry sprinkled 

all over, and 

ketchup on 

top. One bite 

and your mouth 

will sizzle with 

the contrasting 

f l a v o u r s . 

Another bite and 

you’re hooked 

on Currywurst. 

The lines move 

fast as sausages, 

fries and drinks 

are dished out 

with German 

effi ciency. 

A delicacy that other places 

have tried to re-invent, Curry 

36 is a family-owned business 

that began as a food cart 

and expanded over 30 years 

into a popular place to go for 

Currywurst. The food is fresh, 

the ketchup is homemade, and 

if you can’t get enough of a fi x you 

can even buy the sausages to take 

home vacuum-packed. 

You don’t have to ask the customers 

twice if they enjoy it, 

standing shoulder to 

shoulder around tables 

some wolf their sausages 

down, while others 

seems to let the taste 

linger before forking 

the next piece. Two 

Currywurst with fries 

will set you back €4.30 

or 2 Currywurst with a 

bread roll costs €3.20. 

A boulette (a German 

specialty of herbed 

mince meat, but nicer 

than a hamburger) with 

curry costs €1.50. 

Rundum Mehrzweckcafe 

www.cafe-rundum.de. Stresemanstr 

37.U-Bahn: Mockernbruke or 

Halleshes Tor. S-Bahn: Anhalter 

Bahnhof. Bus M41, M29. Tel: +49 30 

53085166. Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat- 

Sun 10am-8pm. 

Hidden amongst towering concrete 

desolate buildings on this 

quiet street in Kreuzberg, 

Rundum Mehrzweckercafe 

is a contemporary, 

minimalistic yet charming 

café serving generously 

sized meals that 

burst with fl avour and 

freshness. 

Highly recommended 

are the daily specials, 

which are generously 

portioned for the price, 

with freshly made pasta 

with parmesan, walnuts and basil 

pesto (fantastic for vegetarians), 

succulent pork and mixed greens or 

a bowl of hearty tomato ginger soup 

as just a few tasty examples. 

There is also a good selection of 

baguette fi llings and with prices 

starting from €3.90 you will be 

spoilt for choice. The homemade 

desserts are worth a try, especially 

the blueberry muffi n, which will 

guarantee you 

another trip 

back for more! 

On a nice summer 

day you can bask 

in the sun in the 

outdoor area 

or alternatively 

enjoy your meal 

Mountains of pasta at Rundum. 

indoors whilst observing strange 

abstract canvases of nature and 

subtle nudity. Service is friendly and 

the staff helpful, so whether you 

want to enquire about a dish or to 

get directions to the nearest station 

they are more than happy to help! 

As Rundum say themselves this really 

is the place to “eat, drink, chat, 

relax and enjoy.” 


Food & Drink Nightlife 

Max und Moritz 

www.maxundmoritzberlin.de. 

Oranienstraße 162. Tel: +49 3 069 

515 911. Open daily from 6pm. 

Price: €10-15. 

A welcome break from the 

predominantly Turkish food found in 

this part of the city, Max und Moritz 

provides traditional German cuisine. 

It is famous for cooking up Berliner 

dishes in an authentic and relaxing 

setting. 

There is an impressive range of 

these satisfying and hearty dishes. 

From the traditional, time-honoured 

Berliner Eisbein, a pickled pig foot 

with Sauerkraut and potatoes, to 

Kutscher Gulasch, a richly spiced 

beef stew served 

with salad 

and dumpling 

noodles. The 

menu certainly 

leans more 

towards the 

carnivorous in 

nature however 

there are also a 

few vegetarian 

dishes on offer. 

Whatever your 

taste, you will 

fi nd something 

to your liking here. Its generous 

portions, welcoming atmosphere 

and wonderful food make this Berlin 

institution a must. The prices may 

be a little high for the more budgetconscious 

traveller with the more 

expensive dishes running up to €14. 

However there are less expensive 

meals of offer from around €8.50 

and the setting and atmosphere is 

worth the little extra. 

The restaurant can get quite busy at 

times, a testament to the quality of 

the food, so phone ahead to reserve 

a table or go earlier in the evening 

to avoid disappointment or a lengthy 

wait. 

Badeschiff 

www.arena-berlin.de. Eichenstraße 4. U-Bahn: Schlesisches Tor. S-Bahn: 

Treptower Park. Bus 265/N65. Tel: +49 305 332 030.Open from 8am. Admission 

€3. Drinks: €3-10. 

Badeschiff is Berlin’s riverside beach and pool where you can hang out in the 

sand; swim; tan; and wind down some lazy summer days. 

Located in Eastern Kreuzberg, it is perhaps the most famous of the area’s river 

venues and also one of the most imaginative. Rather than swimming in the 

river itself, an option probably both undesirable and dangerous, you can swim 

and horse-around in a fl oating pool docked on the river. 

Badeschiff has a fully stocked bar serving up whatever summer refreshment 

takes your fancy. Located right next door is a food bar serving up Wursts of 

various description for when the beers have given you some tipsy munchies. 

Badeschiff is a must for any summer Berlin trip. Even if you’re just around for a 

long weekends, this a perfect place to hang out after hitting the museums and 

before hitting the nightlife…that in-between afternoon time when Berliners 

take it easy before the nightlife really gets its pace up. Beware, however, 

spots on this mini piece of Caribbean beach can fi ll up fast so either get there 

early or go on a weekday to avoid disappointment. 



Kiki Blofeld 

www.kikiblofeld.de. Köpenicker 

Straße 48. U- Bahn: Heinrich-Heine. 

S-Bahn: Ostbahnhof. Tel: +49 1 737 

828 286. 

Kiki Blofeld, daughter and heiress of 

Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the Persian catstroking 

evil villain and arch-nemesis 

of James Bond, 

is the patron of 

the garden club 

named in her 

honour. So the 

story goes of this 

bank-side bar and 

nightclub located 

on the Spree 

River. 

Covered in sand 

and with plenty 

of places to hang 

out, this Kikis 

really is big, with 

enough space to 

fi t a lot of minibeach 

parties. Scattered across the 

outside area are pool- and ping-pong 

tables as well as an area for making 

bonfi res. Next to the upstairs bar is 

a raised lounging area complete with 

beach chairs. 

The best part about this place is 

the downstairs dance fl oor, the 

“boathouse” as it is known, which 

consists of a platform raised above 

the river on stilts. The story of this 

underground den is quite fascinating 

- it was where the East German police 

docked their boats when travelling 

across the river to the West. The 

platform is a U-shape and the boats 

would drive into the middle to dock. 

Instead of GDR 

police boats, these 

days a fl oating 

infl atable octopus 

decorates the 

water. 

Downstairs has a 

fully stocked bar 

as well, serving 

beers for around 

€3. The music is 

techno/house, and 

in true Berlin style 

the club stays open 

into the next day 

on weekends. 

The clientele of 

Kiki Blofeld is very local - few tourists 

know of it and it isn’t included 

in many guide books. The vibe is 

certainly that of the well-kept secret 

- a hidden paradise complete with an 

underground lair with sinister past - 

Ernst Blofeld himself would certainly 

approve. 

SchwuZ 

www.schwuz.de. Mehringdamm 61. 

U-Bahn: Mehringdamm. Tel: +49 

30 6299088. Fri, Sat 11pm-late. €7 

entry, €5 before midnight. 

Mix it up, mingle with the crowd and 

dance the night away at SchwuZ. 

This club is a one-stop nightlife 

hotspot which 

welcomes all, 

located within 

the Schwulen 

Zentrum (Gay 

Centre) in 

Kreuzberg. Enter 

via Café Melitta 

Sundstrom, the 

destination to 

chill out with 

pre-drinks and 

chat in-between 

throwing shapes 

on the dance 

fl oor. 

With three DJ rooms this venue 

provides clubbers with choice and 

change without having to venture 

beyond its very own walls. The 

variety extends to an eclectic range 

of themed dance parties hosted 

throughout the month, ranging 

from punk to pop, and embracing 

everything in-between. 

Parties rotate so that they become 

monthly events for the clubbing 

calendar: nights include L-Tunes, a 

night for the ladies; Madonnamania, 

where the name says it all; and listen 

to disco hits mixed with a retro vibe 

at Bump! Check their website for 

more events set to make your body 

rock. 

A good 

night out is 

P o p k i c k e r, 

where a mix 

of pop and 

sport – fussball 

and pingpong 

especially – 

are thrown 

in for good 

measure. The 

crowd spices 

up their 

trendy dress 

code with a 

sports theme 

including football shirts and vest 

tops. The music in the main DJ room 

has a familiar feel with the beats of 

commercial and global pop vibrating 

their rhythms through your body and 

soul. 

Make a calendar date and mix it up at 

SchwuZ, you won’t be disappointed. 

Drinks start from €2.80 for a beer. 



BaxPax Kreuzberg 

w w w. b a x p a x - k r e u z b e r g . d e . 

Skalitzer Strasse 104. U-Bahn: 

Gölitzer Bahnhof. Tel: +49 3 069 518 

322. 

Prices: 

Dorm Rooms: €12. 

Double Room with ensuite: €25 

If you like places with character 

then you’ll love this hostel. BaxPax 

Kreuzberg has a sociable atmosphere 

with a bar/cafe area close to 

reception along with lots of tourist 

information and advice including 

previous guests views, suggestions 

and advice on the ‘word of mouth’ 

board. 

The whole hostel is very colourful 

and all the dorms are large, fullyfurnished 

and are decorated with 

Cosy and colourful in BaxPax Kreuzberg. 

a different culture theme giving 

that added sense of a lively fun 

atmosphere. There are two huge 

common areas, shared/private 

bathrooms and kitchen facilities 

with a sun terrace. 

The hostel is located on the main 

street Skalitzer Strasse, where there 

are plenty of shops, bars, cafes and 

restaurants to suit all tastes. It is 

also close to Warschauer Strasse, 

Oranienburger Strasse and many 

monuments such as the Jüdisches 

Museum and Checkpoint Charlie. 

· Lockers and safe available 

· Internet access 

· Breakfast buffet for €5.20 

· Bike hire 

3 Little Pigs Hostel 

w w w. t h r e e - l i t t l e - p i g s . d e . 

Stresemannstrasse 66. S-Bahn: 

Anhalter Bahnhof. Tel: +49 3032 662 

955. 24-hour reception. 

Dorms: (low/high season prices) 

8 bed: €13/15 

6 bed: €14/16 

Private double room: €31/32 

Everyone knows the story of the 

Three Little Pigs – how the brick 

house protected them from the big 

bad wolf. This hostel, also made 

of brick, acts as a sanctuary for 

travellers everywhere. 

The 3 Little Pigs is a characteristic 

art deco building, built in 1910, with 

lots of old-fashioned features set 

in the heart of Kreuzberg - one of 

Berlin’s most popular social districts. 

The hostel is clean, bright, colourful 

and tidy throughout and is in great 

condition for the age of the building. 

There are many communal areas 

throughout as well as the bar and 

beer garden. There is a relaxing, 

quiet atmosphere and yet it is 

close to Kreuzberg’s popular tourist 

attractions and nightlife. 

This hostel has all the essentials 

for students and backpackers, from 

free guided city tours to the pool 

table, TV/DVD and tabletop soccer. 

The location is walking distance 

to some of Berlin’s major tourist 

sights, such as Brandenburger Tor 

and Checkpoint Charlie, as well 

as cafes, bars, restaurants and the 

local supermarket. 

The friendly staff are enthusiastic 

to help out with any questions or 

queries you have on what to do (and 

not to do) in Berlin plus heaps of 

tourist leafl ets, maps, and popular 

places on hand at reception. 

· Bed linen: €2.50 obligatory 

· Internet access 

· Kitchen 

· Parking 

· Bike rental, €12 per day 

· Breakfast, €5 all you can eat 

Meininger Hostel Berlin 

Hallesches Ufer 

w w w. m e i n i n g e r- h o s t e l s . c o m . 

Hallesches Ufer 30.U-Bahn: 



Hallesches Tor or Möckernbrücke. 

Tel: +49 3 066 636 100. 

Prices: 

Dorm Rooms from 14€ to 25€ 

Multi-bed room (triple, 

twin, single) from 26€ 

to 60€. 

This newly refurbished 

hostel is perfect for 

students who love 

to party! Meininger 

Hostels have two 

hostels in Berlin plus 

more around Germany 

and London. One good 

thing about chain 

hostels is they tend 

to meet a certain 

living standard and 

this particular hostel 

certainly meets that. 

The hostel has recently been 

refurbished complete with clothes 

storage space, TV, bathroom, linen 

and towels. There are more than 300 

beds and all rooms are cleaned daily. 

Female only rooms are available for 

the same charge as a standard room. 

Located on the ground fl oor is the 

newly refurbished bar complete with 

pool table, comfy couches, TV and 

daily discount bar offers. Although 

downstairs is the party area it is 

separated from upstairs, which has 

a more chilled atmosphere. Located 

on the top fl oor is a large breakfast 

room and outside balcony terrace 

area where you can see a fantastic 

view of the Kreuzberg area. 

The hostel is close to cafes and 

restaurants and for those on a budget 

€4 Pizza, located round the corner of 

the hostel, is highly recommended. 

What’s more the hostel offers free 

walking tours and is close to the Sony 

Centre, Deutches Technik Museum 

and Topography of Terrors. 

• Laundry €5 

• Luggage Storage 

• Internet and free WIFI 

• Breakfast Buffet €4 

Riverside Lodge 

w w w . r i v e r s i d e - l o d g e . d e . 

Hobrechtstrasse 43. U-Bahn: 

Sönleinstrasse. Tel: +49 3 069 515 

510. 

Prices: 

Dorm rooms €21. 

Double rooms €26. 

This little charming hostel is perfect 

for those who want a place to chill 

from the busy atmosphere. Travellers 

are close to the action and can get 

a good night’s sleep. The hostel, 

although small, is modern, bright and 

tidy with plenty of space, even with 

the giant economy-sized lockers and 

the funky canoe in the large dorm. 

This hostel consists of one four-bed 

dorm, one six-bed dorm and one 

double room in the hostel plus three 

double rooms next door, which are 

apartment style fl ats. 

The hostel has all the basics with a 

kitchen, two bathrooms and it’s near 

to cafes, restaurants, shops and the 

huge Turkish market on Maybachufer 

Straβe every Tuesday and Friday. 

The markets are defi nitely worth a 

visit and there are so many different 

stalls from traditional Turkish meals 

and sweets to clothes and jewellery. 

Located in one of the Turkish 

communities in Berlin, this hostel is 

in a perfect place for those wanting 

to stay elsewhere from the city 

centre and enjoy the cultural Berlin 

Turkish atmosphere. 

· Internet €2 for the day 

· Breakfast for € 4.00. 

· Complimentary tea and coffee 

are available at all times. 


Charlottenburg Information 

During the glory days of the GDR, 

Charlottenburg was a pocket of West 

Berlin where culture fl ourished. 

Surrounded by the Berlin Wall, the 

area was a protected sanctuary 

with exceptional nightlife, cafés, 

cinemas and a strong community of 

artists, actors, and writers. 

After the fall of the wall, these 

creative communities moved East 

to blossoming Prenzlauerburg and 

Mitte and as a result Charlottenburg 

lost its edge. Now this area 

maintains its former glamour with 

Kufürstendamm, locally known as 

Ku’damm, the Champs-Elysées of 

the East, lined with ritzy department 

stores and boutiques for the wealthy 

to splash out whilst on holiday in 

Berlin. Charlottenburg is ideal for 

those looking for a bit of quiet in the 

constant hustle and bustle of a city 

that never seems to sleep. 

Charlottenburg’s main attraction is 

Schloss Charlottenburg, a baroque 

palace located 3km north of Zoo 

Station. The palace was modelled 

after Versailles and its former 

residents include King Friedrich I, 

and Friedrich the Great. Its gardens 

are perfect for wandering on a sunny 

day. 

Kaiser - Wilhelm - Gedächtniskirche 

is another worthwhile site to check 

out in Charlottenburg. Heavily 

bombed during World War II, the 

church was left as it was and is now 

an antiwar memorial and a constant 

reminder of the destruction of the 

war. The church was constructed in 

1895 for Kaiser Wilhelm I, and now 

tourists can visit the church and view 

a collection of photographs and an 

explanation of the church’s history. 

Many museums are also located in 

Charlottenburg, such as the Museum 

für Fotografi e that chronicles the life 

and work of Berlin’s internationally 

acclaimed photographer, Helmut 

Newton, and the Erotik Museum, 

for those looking for something a 

little different when it comes to 

museums. 

127 Charlottenburg Charlottenburg 

128


Schloss Charlottenburg 

Spandauer Damm 10-22. S-Bahn: 

Westend/Jungfernheide. U-Bahn: 

Mierendorffplatz/Richard-Wagner- 

Platz. Tel: +49 30 320 911. Thur-Sun 

10am-6pm. Day Ticket: €10-14. 

Schloss Charlottenburg certainly has 

something for everyone. There is 

a healthy dose of history for those 

primarily interested in the whys and 

wherefores of this beautiful building, 

for art and architecture buffs there 

is a huge amount to see in this 

Baroque masterpiece, while there is 

lots of human interest if you just like 

a good story. 

Schloss Charlottenburg, originally 

called Lietzenburg, was fi rst 

c o m m i s s i o n e d 

in 1699 by the 

Electress of 

B r a n d e n b u r g 

Sophie Charlotte. 

After her death, 

the building was 

completed and 

extended under 

the orders of her 

husband, then 

King of Prussia, 

Friedrich I, and 

re-named in 

her honour. This 

relatively small 

palace in a minor town outside Berlin 

became the summer residence and 

stately home of choice of many of the 

later Hohenzollerns, and still bears 

the marks of many of their lives and 

personalities. 

This historic site is of great importance 

for those interested in the growth 

of one of Europe’s greatest royal 

houses. There is special emphasis 

here on the women in this dynasty, 

particularly Sophie Charlotte herself 

and Queen Elizabeth, wife of King 

Friedrich Wilhelm IV, both of whom 

spent much time and energy on this 

building. 

For the modern visitor, there is much 

to see. The site itself is in fact three 

separate exhibitions, each priced 

separately (though a Day Ticket can 

be bought which incorporates all 

three). 

The central exhibition here is the 

Old Palace – Sophie Charlotte’s 

original building and Friedrich’s 

extension. Downstairs, the rooms 

are in the style of Sophie Charlotte’s 

day while the upper fl oor is kept 

(as much as possible) to how Queen 

Elizabeth would have known it. 

Many of the upstairs rooms were 

damaged by bombing meaning that 

reconstruction in their original form 

was largely impossible. These rooms 

now contain paintings and furniture 

giving a representation of the 

thoughts and morals of the time. 

The personalities of the two Queens 

are presented through these rooms in 

a very lively way, helped by the use 

of an audioguide, which is included in 

the entrance price. A must-see is the 

New Wing, which houses the State 

Apartments of Kings Friedrich the 

Great and Friedrich Wilhelm II. Don’t 

forget to enjoy the nature - take a 

stroll around the beautiful gardens 

and lakes, or even take a picnic. 

129 Charlottenburg Charlottenburg 130


Museum für Fotografi e 

(Museum of Photography) 

www.helmutnewton.com. U-Bahn: 

Zoologicher Garten. Tel +49 30 266 

3666. Tues-Sun 10am-6pm, Thur 

10am-10pm. Price: €4-8. Free: 

Thursdays after 6pm. 

One of history’s most daring and 

notorious photographers, Berlinborn 

Helmut Newton had a distinct 

risqué style; capturing the dramatic 

and often dangerous side of beauty. 

Over 1,000 works from Newton 

are permanently on display at 

the Museum of Photography. The 

collection of black and white photos, 

often focusing on nude women, 

explores the politically incorrect 

sexual nature of the human species 

which noticeably infl uenced society’s 

perspective on fashion, women and 

portraiture. 

Following Newton’s fatal car crash in 

October 2004, shortly after donating 

more than 1000 of his works to the 

museum, the public exhibition serves 

to be a mesh of both bereavement 

and celebration; for the art and man 

who was Helmut Newton. 

On the ground fl oor of the museum 

is a rare showcase called “Private 

Property” which delves into the 

life of the photographer himself. A 

replication of his Monte Carlo study, 

family photos, and a collection of 

letters between Newton and other 

prominent members of society, 

including Margaret Thatcher, pay 

homage to Newton’s work and life. 

The eerie collection is a perfect 

introduction to the Museum itself as 

the display reveals a prudent quality 

to Newton’s extensive catalogue of 

often misinterpreted pieces. 

Situated on the fi rst fl oor and probably 

the most highly regarded display 

is the temporary exhibit “Sumo”, 

which displays 394 black and white 

photographs. Originally the contents 

of a giant book, once limited to 

the coffee tables of a well-heeled 

few, the exhibit commemorates 

the 10th anniversary of the book’s 

publication. Amongst the collection 

are rare portraits of the likes of David 

Bowie, Grace Jones, Rainer Werner 

Fassbinder and Andy Warhol. 

Complimenting Newton’s works is an 

exhibition entitled “Three Boys from 

Pasadena”. Mark Arbeit, George Holz 

and Just Loomis, three friends of 

Newton’s which he worked alongside 

and mentored, have 25 pieces of 

their collections on display. Selected 

by June Newton, Helmut Newton’s 

wife, the cinematic and raw style 

of the collections share similar 

undertones to a lot of Newton’s 

work. 

Together the collaborated display 

makes for an impressive journey 

into the eyes of one of the world’s 

most controversial and leading 

photographers. Although often 

quite confronting and uncensored, 

the photographs invite the viewer 

to push past the nude subjects and 

explore the world around the girl 

and the vision of Newton himself. 

The extensive collection tastefully 

captures the triumph of desire and 

the failure of reality rarely seen in 

such an audacious and mischievous 

manner, which is well worth a visit 

for those that search beyond a bare 

glance. 

Gedenkstätte Plötzensee 

www.gedenkstaette-ploetzensee. 

de. Hüttigpfad 1. U-Bahn/S-Bahn: 

Beusselstasse, Bus 123. Mon-Sun 

9am-5pm. Price: Free. 

The Gedankstätte Plötzensee is 

a small memorial in the north of 

Charlottenburg, dedicated to the 

memory of those executed under the 

Nazi rule. It stands on the site of a 

prison, fi rst built in 1868 to house 

convicts with short-term sentences. 

It was also where some of the most 

famous opponents of Nazi Germany, 

including Klaus von Stauffenberg, 

were imprisoned and executed. For 

fans of the fi lm Valkyrie this site, 

which was not allowed to be used 

as a location due to the controversy 

surrounding Tom Cruise’s religion, 

may be of special interest. 

The memorial itself is embodied by a 

shrine. In the main room, which still 

contains the hooks in the wall from 

where prisoners were hanged, several 

wreaths and fl ags mark the place 

where many atrocities occurred. In 

addition to this chilling reminder of 

the reality of the prison’s history, 

there is a small but informative 

exhibition on the history of the prison 

and the lives of its more prominent 

victims. However for a site with 



such an important history, there is 

relatively little else to see. 

In a Berlin which is full of memorial 

after memorial to the victims of 

Nazi and Soviet Germany, this small 

exhibition may seem like one too 

many for the average visitor. The 

distance from the centre of Berlin 

may also be troublesome – the 

Gedenkstätte Plötzensee is located 

at least a kilometre from the nearest 

station, though there is a bus that 

stops about a 5 minute walk away, 

and you need to walk through an 

industrial estate to get there. 

In many ways though, this remoteness 

adds to the atmosphere perhaps 

helping one to understand the 

isolation of the condemned prisoners. 

Although this memorial is small, 

it is very well laid out and gives a 

disquieting exposition of the terrible 

events that took place here. 

Story of Berlin 

www.story-of-berlin.de. 

Kurfürstendamm 207-208. U-Bahn: 

Uhlandstrasse. Tel: +49 3 088 720 

100. Price: €8-10. 

As the Story of Berlin goes, “The only 

tradition this city will accept is that 

it does not have a tradition”. This 

statement is no better proven than 

in this eclectic Berlin sensation. 

Situated on classy Kufürstendamm, 

inside a shopping centre, the Story of 

Berlin museum makes no pretence of 

being overly-scholarly or intellectual. 

Instead the museum is very accessible 

to all. 

Without assuming that the visitor has 

any prior knowledge, the exhibition 

leads through a quick-fi re tour of 

Berlin’s history, from 1237-1930, 

establishing the scene for later, much 

more familiar, events. 

A lot of different media are used to 

create the feeling of moving through 

time; sound effects, videos and lifesize 

models in particular help the 

visitor to feel that they are actually 

there. Moving forward into the Nazi 

period (descending down an eerily lit 

narrow staircase), these effects only 

become more prominent. 

The sound of breaking glass is 

used to establish the presence of 

Kristallnacht and, almost before 

realising, the visitor walks over 

real book spines encased within the 

fl oor, symbolising the infamous Book 

Burnings in Bebelplatz. The piles 

of rubble to evoke post-war Berlin 

may seem a little heavy-handed 

and melodramatic to some, but the 

decorated living rooms of both East 

and West offer interesting points of 

comparison. 

Be warned that there is a lot to read 

and take in at once. In addition to 

this no-senses-bared journey through 

time, there is also the chance to tour 

one of West Berlin’s largest nuclear 

bunkers. Built to hold a capacity of 

over 3,200 people this bunker was 

never used for its intended purpose, 

but the site remains almost exactly 

as it was in the 1970s. Informed 

tour guides give a fascinating insight 

into how life in the bunker might 

have been like had the bomb ever 

dropped. 

The sheer variety of topics covered 

by this large museum would almost 

defy belief, if they were not all 

linked by their relationship to the 

city of Berlin. 

This only goes to show how much 

depth and diversity Berlin itself 

has. Seeing all of Berlin’s history 

together in this way indicates how 

much this city has led the world in so 

many areas, yet somehow it remains 

utterly unique. 



Käthe Kollwitz Museum 

www.kaethe-kollwitz.de. 

Fasanenstaβe 24. U-Bahn: 

Kurfürstendamm. Tel: +49 308 825 

210. Mon-Sun 11am-6pm. Price: 

€2.50-5. 

Käthe Kollwitz was a German artist 

working in the fi rst half of the 20th 

century. Unusually for 

a female artist, she 

was highly successful 

and infl uential in her 

own lifetime. She 

was also a dedicated 

socialist and, having 

lost both her son 

and her grandson in 

World War One and 

Two respectively, was 

defi antly anti-war. 

These convictions 

made her a target 

for the Nazis, who 

removed her from a 

prestigious position at 

the Academy of Art and banned all 

exhibitions of her work from 1937 

on. Kollwitz died in 1945, shortly 

before the end of the war. 

Pacifi st, socialist and maternal 

themes are a recurrent feature of 

her work, exemplifi ed by famous 

prints such as the Memorial to Karl 

Liebknecht (1919), Brot! (1924), 

and the Krieg series of woodcuts 

(1922/23). 

Her work is highly politicised and 

emotive. It is often bleak, executed 

almost entirely in monochrome, 

and displaying an empathy with 

the oppressed. The Käthe Kollwitz 

museum houses a 

collection of drawings, 

prints and sculptures 

over four fl oors, and you 

can see more sculptures 

in the garden. The 

museum also contains 

a collection of selfportraits 

from 1888 – 

1938. 

Kollwitz’ signifi cance 

can be seen all over 

Berlin: the central 

square in Prenzlauer 

Berg, where the 

artist lived, is named 

Kollwitzplatz and 

contains a sculpture of her. An 

enlarged copy of one of her most 

famous works, the sculpture Mother 

with Dead Son, is the focal point of 

the war memorial Neue Wache on 

Unter den Linden. Her importance 

to the culture of the city is clear, 

making a trip to this small museum 

a worthwhile addition to any visitor’s 



Olympiastadion 

Olympische Platz 3. 

U-Bahn: Olympiastadion. S-Bahn: 

Olympiastadion. Tel: +49 3 030 688 

100. Closed during sporting events. 

Price: €3-4, Family: €8. 

Going to watch Hertha Berlin play 

at the Olympiastadion is more than 

just seeing a football match. The 

iconic stadium provides a great site 

for football, and entry through the 

Olympic rings gives a sense of how 

history and sport have come to mix. 

Once inside the home support is 

immediately recognisable, mainly 

dominating one area of the ground 

with customary continental fl ag 

waving and group jumping. 

The atmosphere is good especially 

when the home fans decide to get 

the drums and chants going. However 

this can be slightly lost, due to its 

large capacity, as the stadium only 

sells out when the big teams arrive 

in town. 

This though does have the advantage 

of tickets often being readily available 

History... 

The Olympiastadion is probably one of the most historic sites in 

world sport. The original stadium, the Deutsches Stadion designed by 

Otto March, was built in time for the 1916 Summer Olympics. Sunk 

underground it became the largest sport arena in the world at the time 

but was unable to host the games due to World War I. The IOC decided 

to give Berlin the rights again in 1936 and Hitler took the opportunity to 

build a new showpiece stadium to replace the old one. 

The games were most famous for sprinter Jesse Owen’s four gold medals 

which were symbolic in highlighting the ridiculous nature of Nazi race 

policy. In surviving World War II, it remains a prime example of the neoclassical 

architecture that was so popular with the regime. Features 

such as the Marthantor and Glockenturm remain iconic. After the war 

the stadium was used by the British and Americans. From 1963 Hertha 

Berlin played there and in 1974 it played host to some World Cup games. 

After some debate the stadium underwent renovation work with a stateof-the-art 

roof being the principle addition. It has since hosted World 

Cup matches in 2006, including the fi nal; and the 2009 World Athletics 

Championships. 

with a decent price range to choose 

from, although it is probably best to 

aim for a mid-range ticket. 

The team itself is a founding 

member of the German FA and their 

performances have picked up in 

recent seasons but they still have 

not reached the illustrious heights of 

other German teams such as Bayern 

Munich. 



Aroma 

www.cafe-aroma.de. Kantstrasse 35. 

U-Bahn: Wilmersdorf Strasse. Tel: 

+49 3 037 591 628. Mon-Sun 12pm- 

3am. Price: €3-15. 

On the corner of Kantstrasse 

and Wielandstrasse sits Aroma, a 

Cantonese style restaurant, and one 

of the bigger and older establishments 

in Berlin’s modest Chinatown. Aroma 

is one of the few places in Berlin that 

serves authentic dim-sum. 

Though it can get quite busy around 

noon, and on weekends, it is a nice 

and relaxing place to have a late 

lunch. The German/Chinese speaking 

staff are quick to serve and though 

the menus are scarce of any English, 

the colourful pictures make it much 

easier to pick your meal. 

Lon-Men’s Noodle House 

Kantstrasse 33. U-Bahn Wilmersdorf 

Strasse. Tel: +49 3 031 519 678. Mon- 

Sun 10am-9pm. Price: €4-8. 

Lon-Men’s Noodle House is a familyrun 

Taiwanese eatery that serves 

some of Taiwan’s most famous noodle 

dishes. This small, simplistically 

decorated restaurant resembles 

one you would fi nd on the streets of 

Taiwan. Not to be confused by the 

name, you can order dishes aside 

from noodles. 

Although they offer a number of 

rice entrees, spring rolls, and other 

appetizers, the dish to try is the 

beef noodle soup. This comes with 

a bowl of handmade, freshly drawn 

noodles and carefully seasoned 

soup. It is topped with savoury slices 

of masterfully marinated beef, 

and sprinkled with tangy, pickled 

vegetables. 

The meals come in two sizes: €4 

for a small bowl (typical meal 

sized), or €8 for a large one (for the 

hearty traveller). This little piece of 

Taiwan in Berlin is defi nitely worth 

a visit, and though there are some 

differences from the meals served 

over 5000 miles away, they are a 

close second best. 

Der Kuchenladen 

w w w. d e r - k u c h e n l a d e n . d e . 

Kantstrasse 138. U-Bahn: Wilmersdorf 

Strasse. Tel: +49 3 031 018 424. Tue- 

Fri 12pm-7pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-5pm. 

Price: €2-5. 

Nestled along Kantstrasse is a quaint 

cake shop called Der Kuchenladen 

(literally, the cakeshop). The brightly 

coloured wallpaper catches the 

eyes and draws you in, as do the 

chandeliers adorned with crystal 

ornaments. Upon walking in, you are 

immediately greeted by the aroma of 

baking chocolate. 

Der Kuchenladen is the epitome of a 

storybook sweets shop. The room is 

lined with a myriad of freshly baked 

cakes, jars of jams, and tea sets. The 

small, but well-equipped tables look 

fi t for a tea party. 

Their selections of cakes are changed 

daily, and range from a simple piece 

of cheesecake to the more exotic 

Pistazienmilchreistorte. A delectable 

cake made with rice, pistachios, 

cherries, and topped with a light 

layer of jam. Both drinks and pastries 

are fairly priced, with the generous 

portions big enough for two. 



Pension Peters 

www.pension-peters-berlin.de. 

Kantstrasse 146. U-Bahn: 

Savignyplatz. Tel: +49 303 122 278. 

Price: 

Singles: from €58 

Doubles: €79-85 

Triples: €95 

Quads: €105 

Located just aound the corner from 

Savignyplatz, Pension Peters is 

perfect for groups of travellers on a 

budget or couples with a little looser 

budget than the average traveller. 

Singles cost around 58 euros, doubles 

are 79-85 euros, triples are 95 euros, 

quads are 105 euros, and fi ve beds 

are 120 euros per night. Breakfast is 

included in the price. 

The pension was opened in the 1930s 

and has been run by the same family 

for the last fourteen years. It has 

brand new facilities and a simple 

and artistic design that fi ts perfectly 

with the pension’s sleek atmosphere. 

Although the pension is on a busy 

street, most rooms surround a 

courtyard set back from the main 

road, so there is not much of a 

problem with noise. The quad rooms 

are ideal for groups because if four 

people split the price, the cost ends 

up being comparable to a hostel, and 

groups do not have to share their 

bedroom or bathroom. 

The pension is walking distance 

to many cafés, restaurants and 

shops, so travellers will be spoilt 

for choice when trying to decide 

where to get a meal, or where to go 

shopping. The main shopping street, 

Kurfurstendamm, is a fi ve to ten 

minute walk away from the pension. 

* Free wi-fi 

* Breakfast buffet included 

* Includes shower, toilet, TV. 


Schöneburg Information 

Schöneberg is now one of the more 

gentrifi ed areas of Berlin, but it has 

a surprisingly radical past. Around 

Motzstraβe and Fuggerstraβe is 

the city’s oldest gay quarter, and 

Schöneberg is still home to the 

largest gay community in Berlin. 

Nollendorfplatz is the scene of 

much of the nightlife, and inside the 

U-Bahn station there is a memorial 

to homosexuals murdered by the 

Nazi regime. Gay life and the rise of 

fascism in pre-war Berlin are vividly 

described in Christopher Isherwood’s 

Berlin Stories, which are based on 

his experiences living at Nollendorf 

Straβe 17. 

Other famous former residents of the 

borough include David Bowie and Iggy 

Pop, who rented a fl at at Hauptstraβe 

155 in the late seventies. Sixties 

chanteuse Nico grew up here, as did 

Marlene Dietrich who is now buried 

in Friedhof Schöneberg III cemetery. 

Fans of famous gravestones can also 

visit the fi nal resting place of the 

Brothers Grimm at St. Matthäus- 

Kirchhof. 

The area’s best known sight is 

Rathaus Schöneberg where John F 

Kennedy made his famous ‘Ich bin 

ein Berliner’ speech in 1963. The 

well-known story that the president 

actually said ‘I am a jelly doughnut’ 

is false. In fact, Berliners had such 

high regard for him after the speech 

that, the day after his assassination, 

the square outside the Rathaus was 

renamed John F Kennedy Platz. For 

cafes and bars try the area around 

Winterfeldtplatz, where there’s also 

a busy Saturday market. 

143 Schöneberg Schöneberg 144


Trödelmarkt Am Rathaus 

Schöneberg 

John F Kennedy Platz. U-Bahn: 

Rathaus Schöneberg. Sat-Sun 

9am – 4pm. 

This small but perfectly formed 

antiques haven is a cut above 

Berlin’s numerous other fl ea 

markets. The goods on offer 

are of high quality and there is 

much to choose from. 

In front of the impressive 

Rathaus Schöneberg, stalls 

overfl ow with furniture, arts and 

crafts, vintage clothing, vinyl 

records, books and jewellery. 

Whilst others may come away 

from Moritzplatz with a pair 

of tie-dyed Harem pants, at 

Schöneberg visitors barter for 

Art Deco chandeliers, mink 

stoles, antique books and 

silverware. 

Prices start out high, given 

the nature of what’s on offer, 

but haggling is both the norm 

and expected. Books written 

in English are also widely 

available, which sell for around 

€3 each. There are bargains 

to be had if you are ready and 

willing to search. 

Botanical Gardens 

www.bgbm.org, Königin-Luise- 

Straße 6. U-Bahn: Botanischer 

Garten. Tel: +49 3 083 850 100. 9am- 

9pm in summer. Price: €2-5. 

Being the second 

largest botanical 

garden in the 

world this beautiful 

reserve allows for 

endless wanderings 

and musings while 

offering a haven 

from Berlin’s nearby 

urban landscape. 

It boasts 126 acres 

of lawns, forests and 

lakes and is home 

to 22,000 species 

of fl ora nurtured 

in the many 

different gardens 

and habitats of the 

park. 

Amongst the tall trees and idyllic 

lakes there is an elegant Italian 

garden, a medicinal plant garden, 

and a section where you can handle 

unusually shaped and scented 

varieties of plant and fl ower – the 

fragrance and touch garden. 

The striking bio domes house tropical, 

sub-tropical and desert climatic 

zones. After you’ve walked through 

the extensive displays of cacti, visit 

the carnivorous plant section. 

The orchid exhibit and the tropical 

dome are a must. 

You may also be 

lucky to spot an 

u n s u s p e c t i n g 

gecko or one 

of the green 

woodpeckers that 

were introduced 

to create a more 

authentic and 

stable ecosystem. 

The park’s museum 

consolidates many 

aspects of the 

garden itself, and 

enables visitors to 

see the gardens 

as they are in 

different seasons. 

There are exhibits that explore the 

different scientifi c plant structures 

and others that focus more on the 

complex relationship between plants 

and culture. 

So whether a nature buff, a treehugging 

hippy or just in need of an 

escape this is something that should 

not be missed. 


Shopping 

KaDeWe 

www.kadewe.de. Tauentzienstraβe 

21-24. U-Bahn: Wittenbergplatz. 

Tel: +49 3 021 210. Mon-Thurs 10am- 

8pm, Fri 10am-9pm, Sat 9.30am- 

8pm. 

For those in need of some highend 

retail therapy, this seven fl oor 

“department store of the West” holds 

claim to being the second largest in 

Europe. 

As expected from somewhere bearing 

such an accolade, the assortment of 

goods on sale is vast, ranging from 

evening and cocktail fashion to 

accessories for dogs. 

If the enormity of this Berlin 

establishment seems overwhelming, 

then direct your energy towards the 

gastronomic glory of the sixth-fl oor 

food hall. The incredible array of fi ne 

foods and wines on offer cannot fail 

to impress. 

Treat yourself to some quality 

German confectionary or limited 

edition designer mineral water as you 

pass through. Alternatively, linger 

for longer and enjoy an informal 

meal from one of the many eateries 

nestled amongst the food and drink 

counters. 

The grandeur of the designerlined 

“Luxury Boulevard” is equally 

worth perusing. Whether or not you 

have the appropriate-sized wallet 

to tackle this Berlin institution, 

KaDeWe is certainly worth any 

ardent shopper’s time. 

Route 66 

http://route66diner.de. Pariser 

Straße 44. U-Bahn: Weberwiese. Tel: 

+49 308 831 602. Sat-Thurs: 10am- 

2am, Fri & Sat: 10am-4am. 

This 1950’s American diner-themed 

restaurant offers a broad menu of 

typical US and Mexican cuisine. 

The restaurant utterly 

indulges in kitsch, and 

is kitted out with an 

excess of neon lights, 

eating booths and mini 

duke boxes at each 

table. 

The steaks are juicy, 

the burgers wholesome 

and milkshakes are 

thick and creamy. 

There is substantial in and outdoor 

seating space and a selection of 

Food & Drink 

plasma televisions that screen sport 

regularly. 

Sunday brunch is offered from 10am- 

3pm where pancakes, muffi ns and 

eggs cooked to your preference may 

be guzzled. Substantial portions, 

with main courses starting from €5. 

147 Schöneberg Schöneberg 148 

Rani 

Goltzstraße 32. U-Bahn: 

Nollendorfplatz or Kleistpark. Tel: 

+49 30 215 267. Open daily from 

11am. Main dishes from €5, side 

dishes from €2. 

Slightly hidden away in the streets 

of Shöneberg lies this tasty Indian 

restaurant. There is a large selection 

of incredibly fl avoursome traditional 

Indian meals available at very 

reasonable prices. 

The atmosphere is 

suitably casual as diners 

tuck into what inevitably 

becomes a monstrous 

feast as the aromas and 

fl avours lure you into 

trying many of the dishes 

on offer. 

A highlight on the menu 

is defi nitely the Tikka dishes that that 

come served to the table on a frying 

skillet, much to the allure of other 

guests in the restaurant.

Food & Drink 

Joseph Roth Diele 

www.jrd.cumed-arts.de. Potsdamer 

Strasse 75. U-Bahn: Kurfursten 

Strasse. Tel: +49 26 369 884. Mon- 

Fri 10am-12am. Lunchtime specials 

from €3. 

At fi rst glance this small but 

charming German restaurant along 

Potsdamer Strasse appears to almost 

resemble a 1920’s American diner. 

However, the only 

similarity here lies 

in its collection of 

old photographs and 

memorabilia that 

give testament to 

the establishment’s 

rooted history. 

Named after a 

Jewish writer whose 

material can be 

found throughout 

the dining room, it 

provides a limited 

but delicious 

selection of meals 

that vary throughout 

the week. 

During the daytime, the menu is 

limited to a daily special (one meat 

and one vegetarian), and in the 

evening there is a slightly more 

expansive range of meals on offer. 

Value for money is key here with 

average daytime meal prices starting 

from as low as €4. In spite of the 

low price, the food is delicious and 

hearty, if not totally inspiring, and 

is perfect to be enjoyed in such a 

humble establishment. 

The most appealing aspect of the 

restaurant however can be found 

its art-deco style. A wonderful 

contrast of abstract furnishings 

and old photos can be found within 

to suitably accompany your meal. 

There are a wide range of barrel and 

bottled beers on offer, in addition to 

a respectable selection of wines. 

Munch’s Hus Restaurant 

www.munchshus.de. Bülowstraße 

66. U-Bahn: Bülowstraße. Tel: +49 

30 2101 4086. Mon-Sun 10am-1am. 

Prices range from €4-€17. 

As the only Norwegian restaurant in 

Berlin, this place is defi nitely worth 

a visit if you fancy a change from 

Currywurst. 

Situated in the Schöneberg district, 

Munch’s Hus boasts a range of 

traditional Norwegian delicacies 

including fresh fi sh dishes and 

Food & Drink 

delicious meatballs. For those 

seeking a light lunch, sandwiches 

and salads are also available. 

The restaurant’s interior adds a 

sophisticated touch, with large open 

windows, summery yellow walls and 

paintings by Norwegian artist Edvard 

Munch who lived in Berlin in the 

1890’s. 

The light atmosphere and the 

affordable yet high quality food make 

this restaurant a hit with everyone 

from businessmen to students. 



Jungen House Aletto 

www.aletto.de. Grunewaldstrasse 

33. U-Bahn: Eisenacher Strasse. Tel: 

+49 3 021 003 680. 

Prices: 

Dorm rooms: €15. 

Single Rooms: €35. 

Double Rooms: €39. 

This modern style hostel at fi rst 

glance looks like a hotel with 

plenty of places to wind down after 

sightseeing. Jungen House Aletto 

has a relaxing sociable atmosphere 

where you can meet other travellers 

while drinking tea or coffee courtesy 

of the hostel. 

There’s a lot to do in and around 

this area as the hostel is a stone’s 

throw away from the U-Bahn and 

tram stops, which can take you to 

popular streets like Goltzstraβe and 

Akazienstraβe and the tourist spots 

such as KaDeWe, Gedächtniskirche 

and the Zoo. 

Each room has all the essentials and 

are ensuite. The rooms are compact 

as they’ve certainly made use of 

their space but there is heaps of 

storage so you won’t be tripping 

over people’s luggage. All the rooms 

are modern, clean and each bed is 

provided with linen and towels. 

Although the hostel is on the main 

road, Grunewald Straβe, the whole 

hostel is quiet – something they pride 

themselves on. The only drawback 

is there’s no lift to this fi ve storey 

building. 

· 24-Hour Reception 

· All-you-can-eat breakfast 

· Linen provided 

Sunshine Hostel 

www.sunshinehouse-berlin.de. 

Wexstrasse 8.U-Bahn/S-Bahn: 

Insbrucker Platz. Tel: +49 308 262 

079. 

Prices: rooms from €19.50 

This colourful hostel is a place for 

travellers of all ages. The hostel has 

a defi nite community feeling with 

friendly English-speaking staff who 

are very considerate to their guests 

needs. Although the hostel is close to 

the motorway it has a huge courtyard 

area with plenty of places to relax in 

the sun or have a BBQ lunch. 

The hostel has four separate blocks 

with four levels. Each level is similar 

to that of an apartment building with 

four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a 

small fully-equipped kitchen. 

All the rooms are furnished and 

there’s heaps of space for even the 

largest suitcases. There are keys to 

each room and each fl oor as well as 

the gates to the grounds so it is very 

safe. 

There is also a lounge/basement area 

with TV, foosball and comfy sofas. It’s 

very light, spacious and is kept clean 

and tidy, ready for use. Although 

there’s not 24-hour reception there 

is a code lock system to retrieve your 

key if you arrive late at night. 

The staff can also prepare breakfast 

for hungry travellers, which is lovely 

to eat outside in the courtyard or 

in the apartment if it’s cold. If you 

fancy eating out there are plenty 

of cafes and restaurants as well as 

shops round the corner from the 

hostel. 

· BYO towels 

· Breakfast €5 by request 

· Internet and WIF 


Contributors Contributors 

153 154

Contributors Credits 

Zaineb Al Hassani 

Talya Friedman 

Natascha Vogel 

Ben Dillman 

Adam Willsmore 

Sebastian Cure 

Emily Vindler 

Pamela Mair 

Kaye Nicolson 

Daniel Smith 

Karolin Hosenfelder 

Michael McKay 

Sierra Bucher 

Sara Johnstone 

Jason Chen 

David Vanderhoff 

Nadine Truong 

Charlotte Nettleship 

Matt Wilson 

Amy Yu 

Jessica Davidson 

Mara Pattison-Sowden 

Elizabeth Janowski 

Lucy Bates 

Rebecca Dopson 

Kirsten Rumbles 

Helen McFadridge 

Piers Leonard 

Tom Foster 

Rosanne Visser 

Alison Holland 

Kieren Monaghan 

Jay Patani 

Alana Marmion-Warr 

Katie Clark 

Peter Bolton 

Michael Alhadeff 

Dorothy Melander-Dayton 

Zoe Milne 

Nicky Branagh 

Sheena Odwyer 

Editor: Mara Pattison-Sowden 

Layout: Mara Pattison-Sowden 

Zoe Milne 

Matt Wilson 

Graphic Design: Matt Wilson 

Art Direction: Matt Wilson 


Zoe Milne 



Photography and Photo Editing: Rosanne Visser 

Tom Foster 

Matt Wilson 

Nadine Truong 

Project City Travel Review by: 

www.citytravelreview.co.uk 

www.curso24.de 

155 156

Credits Credits 

© All Contributors 2009 

This document or part thereof may 

not be reproduced without express 

permission from the authors. 

©: 

Zaineb Al Hassani 

Talya Friedman 

Natascha Vogel 

Ben Dillman 

Adam Willsmore 


Emily Vindler 

Pamela Mair 

Kaye Nicolson 

Daniel Smith 

Karolin Hosenfelder 

Michael McKay 

Sierra Bucher 

Sara Johnstone 

Jason Chen 

David Vanderhoff 

Nadine Truong 

Charlotte Nettleship 

Matt Wilson 

Amy Yu 

Jessica Davidson 


Elizabeth Janowski 

Lucy Bates 

Rebecca Dopson 

Kirsten Rumbles 

Helen McFadridge 

Piers Leonard 

Tom Foster 


Alison Holland 

Kieren Monaghan 

Jay Patani 

Alana Marmion-Warr 

Katie Clark 

Peter Bolton 

Michael Alhadeff 

Dorothy Melander-Dayton 

Zoe Milne 

Nicky Branagh 

Sheena Odwyer 

157 158

Berlin - michael

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