Berlin

It was the only border crossing between East and West Berlin that permitted foreigners passage. Residents of East and West Berlin were not allowed to use it.

S-Bahn and U-Bahn Alexanderplatz· Moderate

At 368 metres, the Fernsehturm is Berlin's tallest and indeed EU's second-tallest building, complected between 1965 and 1969. The main function of the building is television broadcasting, but the shiny sphere atop the tower houses a…

from S+U Rathaus Spandau, take Bus 135

At a former Luftwaffe and Royal Air Force (RAF) airfield, RAF Gatow. The museum's focus is on military history, particularly the history of the Luftwaffe of the Bundeswehr, with a collection of more than 200,000 items, including 155…

Gendarmenmarkt 5· Cheap

The French cathedral houses the Hugenottenmuseum. It represents the ongoing influence on Berlin by the Huguenots who emigrated from France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes.

take U6 to "Platz der Luftbrücke", "Paradestraße" or "Tempelhof" to enter the park· Cheap

The "mother of all airports", according to Sir Norman Foster, is a huge relic of the interwar era. The terminal building, built between 1936 and 1941 immediately south of the city centre, was the hot spot of the Berlin airlift (Berliner…

U7 to Richard-Wagner-Platz or Bus 109/M45 to Luisenplatz/Schloss Charlottenburg· Cheap

One of the oldest buildings in Charlottenburg and actually the reason for the whole city to be built.

Ebertstraße 20· Free

A vast Holocaust memorial designed by the American architect Peter Eisenman. Opened in the spring of 2005, this gigantic abstract artwork covering an entire block near the Brandenburg Gate, including an underground information centre with…

Bus 200, M41: Philharmonie, or Bus M48, M85, N2: Varian-Fry-Str.

The Berliner Philharmonie is a concert hall with 2,440 seats in Berlin-Tiergarten (constructed from 1960 to 1963 and designed by Hans Scharoun) and the home of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Tram „Am Kupfergraben“, Bus 100, 200, TXL „Staatsoper“

The smallest municipal theatre in Berlin. It was an important venue for contemporary theatre in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Nowadays its program continues with its political critique.

U2 Eberswalder Straße

A complex that was once a brewery. There you can find the Jazz Cafe, the SODA restaurant where you can enjoy a fine meal of insects, and some clubs: Club 23, nbi and frannz.

Unter den Linden 7

The impressive building and royal history make the building alone worth a visit. The building reopened in December 2017 after extensive refurbishments and acoustic improvements.

S-Bahn: S3,S5,S7,S75 Warschauer Straße, U-Bahn: U1, Tram: M10, M13 S Warschauer Straße· Cheap

At this outdoor climbing area which is on the RAW Gelände you can do rope climbing at a cone-shaped high-rise bunker from World War II, called the Kegel (cone). The venue also offers an indoor and outdoor bouldering area.

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The 100 and 200 bus lines are just ordinary bus lines, but they pass by many of Berlin's famous landmarks. Both run every 5–10 minutes between S+U-station Zoologischer Garten and S+U-station Alexanderplatz. All BVG tickets are accepted.

Bus M45, 309: „Luisenplatz“ or „Klausenerplatz“, the nearest train station is Sophie-Charlotte Platz on the U2

The green areas of the park are free, so you can go there to have a walk even if you are not interested in the palace. It covers a large area and you can get in from the entrance just near the "New Pavillon" (Neuer Pavillon a.k.a.

Berlin's largest park. In the summer and on weekends you will see loads of families with their barbecues.

At the end of the Eberswalder Straße, it was once a piece of the Berlin wall. Today in the summer it is a nice place to be, especially for young people. There's an interesting flea market going on every weekend.

Eichenstraße 4· Free

An old cargo ship hull converted to a fresh-water swimming pool, anchored permanently on the river Spree. Provides a nice opportunity to swim on the Spree, without swimming in the river, which is far too polluted.

S-Bahn: S8,S9,S41,S42,S46,S47,S85 Treptower Park, U-Bahn: U1 Schlesisches Tor, Bus: 165,265,N65 Heckmannufer

This techno club in a raw and run-down old boiler room of 500 m² provides the perfect atmosphere for hard industrial techno. It has one dance floor and two bars and an impressive light installation at the ceiling.

S Ostbahhof'

Techno club in an old cogeneration plant near the Ostbahnhof. It has a huge dancefloor and room for more than 1500 people. Panorama Bar upstairs is open late until Sunday afternoon. Gay friendly, with hidden darkrooms and leatherboys.

Auguststraße 24· Cheap

Traditional dance hall and restaurant established 1913. One of the few surviving Berlin ballrooms from the pre-WW1 era, featuring a hall of mirrors.

S Hackescher Markt or U Weinmeisterstraße

A deli with superb American cakes and cookies run by the American Cynthia Barcomi. Apple walnut caramel cake, Devil's Food cake, Lemon Meringue Pie, Triple Chocolate Cookies, they have it all.

Friedrichstraße 127

As authentic as you can get in Berlin Chinese food wise. They also have "all you can eat hot pot" deal/person (minimum 2 people, 2015), which even though it lacks some ingredients you would normally get in a hot pot in Beijing (more…

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A must-do during the day if the weather is nice. This cafe is more like an outdoor beergarden. Even though it's right in the middle of West Berlin, the "Café am Neuen See" is located in the middle of the Tiergarten next to a small lake.

Budapester Straße 25· Expensive

The former Sofitel found a new lease of life as an ultra-modern Pullman. It is located in Budapester Straße, a relatively quiet upscale street running along the Zoologischer Garten. some distance away from U-Bahn or S-Bahn stations.

U-Bahn: U8 Rosentaler Platz, Tram: M1

Rosenthalerstr. 1 - This stylish hotel is close to the Rosenthaler Platz U-Bahn, and is the more luxurious version of the Circus Hostel. Each room has an individual and colorful design.

U-Bahn Kurfurstendamm, 500 metres by foot from Zoologischer Garten· Expensive

The distinctive, multi-tiered wedding cake of a hotel peeks out from behind the Swissotel at the corner of Augsburger and Joachimstaler Straßen, making one of the few remarkable architectural statements along the Kurfurstendamm.

The ageing Hotel Excelsior became a Wyndham and was afforded a renovation of its common areas and the deluxe rooms. Others remain tired, however, and not always meet guest's expectations.

U-Bahn: Weberwiese

2-bed rooms start per person, dorm starts One of this independent hostel's main attractions is its large, green courtyard which hosts a beer garden, BBQ, table tennis and comfortable seating areas.

This hotel makes the most of its small spaces by wrapping them in striking design based on white, black and dark red, as well as geometric curves and concaves. Some rooms have unusual features, such as bathtubs right next to the beds.