Berlin
Renata Boeck enjoying breakfast in bed, 1964, Slim Aarons
Berlin, Germany’s capital, dates to the 13th century. Reminders of the city's turbulent 20th-century history include its Holocaust memorial and the Berlin Wall's graffitied remains. Divided during the Cold War, its 18th-century Brandenburg Gate has become a symbol of reunification. The city's also known for its art scene and modern landmarks like the gold-colored, swoop-roofed Berliner Philharmonie, built in 1963. Here is our travel guide to Berlin, Germany.
STAY
DAS STUE The architect Patricia Urquiola designed this hotel in the former Danish Embassy, near Tiergarten. The interior nods to the Berlin zoo, located outside the hotel. Drakestrasse 1, das-stue.com.
SCHLOSSHOTEL BERLIN Built in 1914 in the style of a French palace, this magnificent villa has served as a private residence, embassy, naval officer’s club, and later, a luxury hotel, hosting such notable guests as Romy Schneider and Paul McCartney. In 2014, Berlin fashion designer Patrick Hellmann acquired the property and began renovations, restoring its glorious historical details while bringing much of the design—previously done by Karl Lagerfeld in the 1990s—firmly into the 21st century. The Kaiser Suite has an antique library with original frescoes, and the first-floor Karl Lagerfeld Suite has lovely Art Deco touches and a stone balcony overlooking the gardens. Brahmsstraße 10; schlosshotelberlin.com
HOTEL ADLON KEMPINSKI
A luxurious hotel with views facing the Brandenburg Gate, featuring classic interiors, a pool, bistro, and spa, which is considered one of the best in Germany. Unter den Linden 77; kempinski.com
HOTEL DE ROME A Rocco Forte Hotel located in a neoclassical 19th-century bank house on Bebelplatz, in the historic heart of East Berlin. Many of the building’s original details—graceful marble columns, skylights, an intricate iron staircase—have been retained, most notably down below in the pool area—formerly the bank’s jewel vault. Behrenstraße 37; roccofortehotels.com
WALDORF ASTORIA Set in an elegant skyscraper in City West and around the corner from Kurfürstendamm shopping boulevard. Hardenbergstraße 28; hilton.com/en/hotels/berwawa-waldorf-astoria-berlin
KPM BERLIN HOTEL KPM is the vision of Berlin banker Jörg Woltmann, who helped save the 18th century Royal Porcelain Manufactory Berlin complex, on which the hotel has stood since 2019. The modern, cube-like building has a rooftop terrace with views over Berlin. Engl. Str. 6; kpmhotel.de
PROVOCATEUR HOTEL Red velvet ropes flank the entrance of this glamorous, 1920s era style hotel. Original 1911 gold-clad elevators ferry you upstairs to the rooms. The hotel also features a restaurant and bar. Brandenburgische Str. 21; provocateur-hotel.com
ORIANA Orania is located in the ultra-cool Kreuzberg neighborhood along Oranieplatz, and has a storied past. From 1913 to 1924, the ground floor was home to iconic café Oranienpalast, concerts, and cabarets. In 1934, the Jewish owners at the time had to sell the property below market value in order to be able to emigrate. In 1995, it was registered as a national monument. In 2014, Sattler Architects and Dietmar Mueller-Elmau turned the space into a hotel with a restaurant, literary salon, bar, and concert stage. The lobby looks more like a living room with two fireplaces, a Steinway piano and small stage for local Berlin musicians, and an excellent wine bar and restaurant called Ora. Oranienstraße 40; orania.berlin
SOHO HOUSE BERLIN Soho House is hard to beat in terms of location and what it has to offer: situated in the hip Mitte district it has chic interiors, a great rooftop pool with a Mexican-themed restaurant as well as Cecconi’s, plus an outstanding Italian restaurant where the crowd gathers in the evenings. Beautiful design that feels modern and sophisticated carries throughout the hotel, and with one of the best rooftop pools, one can relax during hot summer days and enjoy great tunes and delicious Margaritas in the evening courtesy of its vibrant atmosphere. Make sure you pay a visit to the bar and restaurant to enjoy delicious cocktails and food. Torstraße 1; sohohouse.com/en-us/houses/soho-house-berlin
HOTEL ZOO The historic Hotel Zoo Berlin once housed Hollywood’s most glamorous film stars and swinging Great Gatsby-style parties in the golden 1920s. Designed by Dayna Lee, the glamour of the past was restored in a recent reopening. Have a drink in the “living room” lounge or on the rooftop terrace. Kurfürstendamm 25; hotelzoo.de
GORKI APARTMENTS Private apartments set in a 19th-century building at the end of a tree-lined street leading up to Weinbergspark in the heart of central Berlin-Mitte, with luxury interior design featuring Tom Dixon lighting19th-century. The most impressive spaces are the penthouses with a private roof deck. Weinbergsweg 25; gorkiapartments.com
SIR SAVIGNY HOTEL Located in Charlottenburg, this boutique hotel is set in a historic building constructed in 1983. Visit the Library, Lounge, and The Butcher, which serves delicious burger. Kantstraße 144; sirhotels.com
RITZ CARLTON Located in the vibrant neighborhood of Mitte on Potsdamer Platz featuring art deco details. Visit the Fragrances Bar, renowned for its avant-garde cocktails that are chosen through fragrances— each fragrance is linked to a specific cocktail made with fresh and complex ingredients to cater to everyone's mood. There is also a restaurant with German cuisine, a lounge, and a spa with a pool and sauna. Potsdamer Platz 3; ritzcarlton.com
MICHELBERGER A trendy hotel across from the Warschauer Straße U-Bahn station. The cafe and bar serves German dishes and their own special blend of liquor with a unique illustrated label. Warschauer Str. 39-40; michelbergerhotel.com
25HOURS HOTEL BIKINI A renovated 1950s high-rise is home to the Berlin outpost of this hip German hotel chain, which is sandwiched between the Berlin Zoo and the trendy concept mall Bikini Berlin. The hotel is also home the Monkey Bar, one of Berlin's most popular cocktail bars, and guests can cut the line by taking a private elevator straight to the door. Budapester Str. 40; 25hours-hotels.com
LULU GULDSMEDEN A boutique, eco-friendly hotel located along Potsdammer Strasse with high ceilings, enormous windows, exposed brick walls, and only using organic and Fair Trade goods throughout, from the food and drink to the bath amenities. Potsdamer Str. 67; guldsmedenhotels.com/berlin
HOTEL AM STEINPLATZ Vladimir Nabokov, Brigitte Bardot, and Alain Delon have all stayed at this luxury hotel at some point in its history. It opened in 1913 on a quiet, leafy square in Charlottenburg, and the boutique property retains its alluring Art Nouveau flourishes. Steinpl. 4; marriott.com/hotels/travel/berak-hotel-am-steinplatz
HOTEL AMO Part of the German mini-chain Amano Group, this boutique hotel opened in a converted office building in Friedrichstrasse. Friedrichstraße 113; amanogroup.de/de/hotels/amo/
DINE | DRINK
BORCHARDT The best spot for people-watching since 1853. Settle in for a Wiener schnitzel the size of your head and watch the chicest of Berlin’s ladies (and gentlemen) who lunch. Franz. Str. 47; borchardt-restaurant.de
GRILL ROYAL Elegant grill restaurant, overlooking the river, with an international menu but known for steaks. Friedrichstraße 105b; grillroyal.com
KATZ ORANGE A multi-level restaurant with a charming courtyard and romantic library serving a seasonal menu. Bergstraße 22; katzorange.com
PARIS BAR Founded by a French soldier in the 1950s, the living room of the Berlin bohème has become a hub for artists, musicians, and socialites from Madonna and Claudia Schiffer to Robert Rauschenberg and Damien Hirst. The art on the walls includes works by German painters Martin Kippenberger and Daniel Richter. Kantstrasse 152; parisbar.net
CAFE EINSTEIN Located on the landmark-strewn avenue of Unter den Linden, Cafe Einstein is an airy oasis known for its excellent schnitzel and dapper waitstaff. Order the duck with red wine cabbage and the knödel with vanilla cream. Unter den Linden 42, einstein-udl.com.
TADIM Located in the heart of Kreuzberg’s bustling Turkish epicenter, Tadim has been serving doner kebab for over 20 years. Adalbertstraße 98; tadim-lahmacun.de
HOUSE OF SMALL WONDER A petite cafe that seems like it is set inside a greenhouse. There is also a location in Brooklyn, NY. Auguststraße 11-13; houseofsmallwonder.de
893 RYŌTEI BERLIN A modern Japanese meets Peruvian restaurant with sushi and sashimi in Charlottenburg. Look for the neon sign — it’s the only indicator that a restaurant lies behind the mirrored, graffiti-covered walls. Chef/Owner Ngo also runs the popular spots Kuchi, Madame Ngo and Cocolo Ramen. Kantstrasse 135, 893ryotei.de.
ANNELIES Famous for their buttermilk pancakes— stacked with berry compote, granola, cultured cream and butter, and drenched in maple syrup. Based in Kreuzberg, over the road from Görlitzer Park. Görlitzer Straße. 68; anneliesberlin.com
GRACE BERLIN
Located on the famous Kurfürstendamm avenue, designed by Dayna Lee. Order the beef tartar, Chilean sea bass, five-spice lobster and Grace dessert bowl. Kurfürstendamm 25; grace-berlin.com
RESTAURANT PASTERNAK Opened in 1994 and located in Prenzlauer Berg, serving Russian and Ukrainian dishes; named after the Nobel Prize-winning Russian poet and author of “Doctor Zhivago,” Boris Pasternak. Try the bowl of soljanka, a creamy, dill-spiked soup that has Russian origins then move on to sautéed calf’s liver and latkes accented with a spicy apple jam. And don’t forget to have a few shots of the house vodka. Knaackstraße 22-24; restaurant-pasternak.de
CAFÉ OLIV A minimalist cafe in Mitte with excellent carrot cake and quiches. Münzstrasse 8, oliv-cafe.de.
CRACKERS Built on the dance floor of a former nightclub in Mitte, this German-Mediterranean restaurant serves grass-fed grilled lamb with tzatziki and olives, and baked aubergine with hummus, smoked almonds and pickled peppers. Friedrichstrasse 158, crackersberlin.com.
CHUNGKING NOODLES A pop-up restaurant by Chef Ash Lee serving spicy noodles. Reichenberger Str. 35
ORA This bar and restaurant in the Oriana Hotel used to be a pharmacy, and the interiors including apothecary cabinets and old tiled floors are still intact. Seasonal dishes include a spring asparagus salad with spinach, radish and scallions. Oranienplatz 14, ora-berlin.de.
HALLMANN UND KLEE Deep in Neukölln, a charming breakfast cafe with vintage furniture, mismatched chairs, and wood floors. Böhmischestrasse 13, hallmann-klee.de
CAFE KANEL Near Tempelhof Field in Neukölln, a tiny bakery with a wonderful Danish “backmeister” (baking master). Order the laugenecke (a warm, flaky croissant meets a salty pretzel). Schillerpromenade 25
THE BARN A coffee roaster, which also serves teas, juices, cakes and sandwiches. We recommend order a flaky croissant. Auguststrasse 58, thebarn.de
LE PETIT ROYAL A Charlottenburg spot with an excellent fennel salad, lobster bisque, and organic steak. Grolmanstrasse 59, lepetitroyal.de
ERNST Conceived by the 23-year-old Canadian chef Dylan Watson-Brawn who began his career at 17, apprenticing in Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo, as well as Noma in Copenhagen and Eleven Madison Park in New York City. Ernst is an intimate supper club. Gerichtstrasse 54, ernstberlin.de
ENGELBECKEN Many restaurants in Berlin claim to serve the best schnitzel,” Magers says of the fried, thin veal cutlet that’s one of Germany’s most famous dishes. “But Engelbecken is actually the best — and it’s organic. The pork roast (also organic) is a must-try, as well. It’s usually crowded, so best to make a reservation.” Witzlebenstrasse 31, engelbecken.de
LOKAL A corner, cozy, restaurant with white walls, hanging lamps & a bar, serving modern, seasonal European dishes. Linienstraße 160; lokal-berlin
DALUMA Organic cold-pressed juices and Acai bowls are served at this healthy cafe. Weinbergsweg 3; daluma.de
ANNA BLUME A cafe and restaurant, connected to florist, with marble-topped tables, homemade cakes & terrace seating. Kollwitzstraße 83; cafe-anna-blume.de
SILO COFFEE A trendy cafe with outdoor seating, dishing up breakfast & lunch specials, plus specialty coffee. Gabriel-Max-Straße 4; silo-coffee.com
SCHNEEWEISS Located in the heart of Berlin-Friedrichshain, this stylish designer restaurant serves Austrian Alpine cuisine. Simplonstraße 16; schneeweiss-berlin.de
SPEISEHOUSE BERLIN Traditional dishes like schnitzels, ham hock and pork knuckle in an elegant, wood-lined dining room. Wühlischstraße 30; speisehaus-berlin.de
THE BUTCHER
A hamburger restaurant in West Berlin. Kantstraße 144; the-butcher.com/berlin
BURGERMEISTER A popular burger joint in Kreuzberg, and open late. burger-meister.de
CLÄRCHENS BALLHAUS Dancing and live music with a vintage mirrored hall, Italian & German cuisine plus dance classes. Auguststraße 24/25; claerchensball.haus
MRS. ROBINSON’S A cozy produce-focused restaurant by Samina Raza & Ben Zviel. Pappelallee 29; mrsrobinsons.de
CODA A stylish specialist venue for artfully designed & presented desserts, plus wine pairings and cocktails. Friedelstraße 47; coda-berlin.com
NOVEMBER BRASSERIE A raw fish restaurant on an elegant corner in Prenzlauer Berg. A perfect date spot, with memorable taste and presentation. Highly recommend the sashimi platter and the sea bream. Husemannstraße 15; november.berlin
MEZZE BAR BY MONTRAW Wine and seasonal Mediterranean shared plates in a homey atmosphere with friendly service. Straßburger Str. 33; themezzebar.com
MARKTLOCAL A fantastic farm to table restaurant in a cozy, wood paneled and plant-filled room. Features a great selection of natural wines, hearty dishes, and creative starters. A great place for a Saturday night meal before going out for drinks in the neighborhood. Pücklerstraße 34; marktlokal.berlin
CAFÉ MUGRABI A favorite neighborhood spot, especially for brunch. Mugrabi features a modern Levant menu of shakshuka, humous and more. Görlitzer Str. 58; cafemugrabi.com
LODE & STIJN A Michelin (and locals) recommended spot, Lode & Stijn features creative, seasonal dishes with wine pairings in a minimalist space. Lausitzer Str. 25; lode-stijn.de
KITTEN DELI Another Levantine restaurant beloved by the locals, Kitten Deli is known for its french toast and brunch. Friedel Straße 30
GAZZO Excellent pizza, always busy so book ahead or wait at the wine bar across the street. Hobrechtstraße 57; gazzopizza.com
REMI A tasty and social restaurant where the food is formal and cooked to perfection, but the atmosphere is casual and welcoming. Torstraße 48; remi-berlin.de
LIMORI RAMEN When you inevitably crave ramen in the colder months (or even the warm ones), this is the place to go. Great classic ramen, as well as delicious matcha desserts. Mulackstraße 29
FACTORY GIRL Cute and local breakfast spot with gluten-free and vegan options. Busy on the weekends. Auguststraße 29c; factorygirl.net
MOGG A well-known Berlin sit-down deli for anyone missing a good pastrami sandwich and New York style cheesecakes. Auguststraße 11-13; moggmogg.com
RESTAURANT SAN Excellent quality Japanese sushi and sashimi. Weydingerstraße 22; 3berlin.com
BONANZA COFFEE ROASTERS A highly recommended and award-winning coffee shop where you can post up, work, and people watch. Adalbertstraße 70; bonanzacoffee.de
GREEN TEA CAFE MAMECHA Authentic Japanese style cafe with matcha, snacks, and desserts. Hours are a bit random but a very relaxed atmosphere to relax and enjoy a drink. Mulackstraße 33; mamecha.com
HAPPY MATCHA Reliable spot for matcha and matcha treats. Many options for add-ons, and one of the rare places that offers almond milk as a non-dairy option. Torstraße 68; hppymatcha.com
RÖSTÄTTE Buzzy and busy Mitte spot for great coffee, matcha and pastries. Always surprisingly social on weekday mornings. Ackerstraße 173; roeststaette.com
DRINK
BERGHAIN Berghain is perhaps the most popular nightclub in the world, and one of the hardest to get into. It is located in a former East German power station, and named after its location near the border between Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain. Doors open at midnight on Saturday and the party lasts until Monday. Wear black and speak German (or don’t speak at all) for the best shot at gaining entry. Am Wriezener bhf; berghain.berlin
MONKEY BAR One of the best places to watch the sunset in Berlin. Try the signature Moscow Mule Slushy. Located at the op of the 25Hours Hotel Bikini. Budapester Str. 40; monkeybarberlin.de
COCKTAIL D’AMORE A massive underground club with a tough door. Each party runs for about 30 hours, from Saturday night to Monday morning, and in the summer, visitors can dance outside next to the Neukölln Canal. Sonnenallee 221
BAR TAUSEND Hidden under the Friedrichstraße train station with a beautiful interior, live music and tapas, lies one of the best clubs in Berlin. DJs perform from Friday to Saturday. Schiffbauerdamm 11; tausendberlin.com
NEUE ODESSA BAR Inventive cocktails, and classic standards like a Moscow Mule, served in trendy neighborhood bar where DJs play until the early morning.Torstraße 89; neueodessabar.de
BUCK AND BRECK Classic & creative cocktails in a sleek, tucked-away space where mobile phones are banned. Brunnenstraße 177; buckandbreck.com
SALON ZUR WILDEN RENATE A techno club that took over an abandoned apartment building in Friedrichshain with 1970s wallpaper. Alt-Stralau 70, 1; renate.cc
SOLAR BAR A rooftop cocktail bar and restaurant in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg with DJ’s. Im Innenhof, Stresemannstraße 76; solarberlin.com
40 SECONDS A popular hospitality group with bars and restaurants including Golvet, The Dawg, Forty’s, and Vesper Bar. 40seconds.de
BEUSTER BAR Deli platters, steak tartare, mussels, plus creative cocktails, in a hip space with retro stylings. Weserstr. 32; beusterbar.com
MEINE BAR A popular local bar in Mitte. Auguststraße 61
LERCHEN&EULEN Coffee, cake, and cocktails at a cozy bar with mismatched furniture and exposed brick walls. Pücklerstraße 33; lerchenundeulen.de
DAS HOTEL BAR A cocktail bar and live music venue. Oberland Straße 26 -35; dashotel.radio
PRINCE CHARLES A nightclub and bar, known for house & hip hop music, with live music. Prinzenstraße 85F; bechstein-network.com/
KATER BLAU A club with a riverside terrace, hosting DJ-led all-night parties with a techno vibe. Holzmarktstraße 25; katerblau.de
AVENUE A hip-hop and house club. Karl-Marx-Allee 34; avenue-club-berlin.com
ART | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES
EAST SIDE GALLERY The East Side Gallery in Friedrichshain is a long stretch of the Berlin Wall that is clad in colorful iconic images; and includes the Wall Museum. The memorial gallery features over 100 murals painted by artists from all over the world detailing their interpretations of the events surrounding November 9, 1989, when the wall came down. Mühlenstraße 3-100; eastsidegallery-berlin.com
BERLIN WALL MEMORIAL Located in Prenzlauer Berg, this portion of the wall is a harrowing section known as the “death strip” and the museum allow visitors to see the most preserved swath of the remaining wall complex. As you walk along this one-mile stretch of Bernauer Strasse, an open-air exhibit features photographs and signs detailing the stories on either side of the barrier. There’s also a preserved piece of the original border wall and a watchtower, as well as an indoor visitor center with exhibits chronicling the political and historical events surrounding the city’s division. Bernauer Str. 111; stiftung-berliner-mauer.de
REICHSTAG Reduced to rubble after one of history's most infamous fires in the 1930s, and then rebuilt decades later, the stately Reichstag is arguably Germany's most iconic landmark. The building has been home of Germany’s parliament (the Bundestag) since 1999 and now serves as a symbol of the country’s reunification. Today, a glistening glass dome designed by Norman Foster sits atop the grand old structure, and guests can ascend its 755-foot-long ramp for sweeping views over the city. Platz der Republik 1; bundestag.de/besuche/architektur/reichstag/
HELMUT NEWTON FOUNDATION Helmut Newton was born in Berlin, and his namesake museum features the photographer’s works as well as exhibitions with the most influential photographers of our time, such as David LaChapelle and Guy Bourdin. The permanent display Private Property gives in-depth insight via footage of Newton on set, letters to and from publications about his commissions and a replica of his own apartment, which certainly confirms his interest in the female form. The latest mammoth exhibition, running until November, displays every page of his Sumo book in its running order, juxtaposing iconic nudes with portraits and fashion. Jebensstraße 2; helmut-newton-foundation.org
BRANDENBURG GATE This triumphant neoclassical arch is Berlin’s most famous monument and the only remaining gate of the 14 that originally surrounded the city when it was a proud Prussian metropolis. Since then, Napoleon and Hitler have stormed through it and the world watched as thousands of Berliners swarmed the site with sledgehammers to topple the nearby Wall in 1989. Ever since, this Acropolis-inspired 1791 monument has come to symbolize German reunification. Pariser Platz; berlin.de/sehenswuerdigkeiten
GALERIE BASTIAN Galerie Bastian is devoted to the work of important modern as well as major Contemporary artists. Recent exhibitions have included Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and Anselm Kiefer. This year the gallery’s program includes Robert Rauschenberg and Cy Twombly, amongst others. Taylorstraße 1; bastian-gallery.com
MEMORIAL TO THE MURDERED JEWS OF EUROPE A short walk from Brandenburg Gate, this sprawling, maze-like set of 2,711 concrete columns is a haunting reminder of the atrocities and toll of World War II and Germany’s main memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Officially called the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, the site occupies an entire 205,000-square-foot city block and was designed by American architect Peter Eisenman after an exhaustive 17-year planning process. The memorial’s abstract design offers no explanation or prescribed walking path, but simply invites visitors to enter and become swallowed in its tomb-like slabs. Cora-Berliner-Straße 1; stiftung-denkmal.de
CHECKPOINT CHARLIE A visit to Checkpoint Charlie, the Allied sentry post, is perhaps the best place to grasp the division of East and West Berlin. Don’t come for the checkpoint itself (the current structure is a replica of the actual checkpoint) but for the museum, Mauermuseum Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie. Though tiny, it’s an excellent historical refresher covering everything from the pre-wall era up to present day. Friedrichstraße 43-45; berlin.de/sehenswuerdigkeiten
KUNSTHAUS DAHLEM This new space in Berlin for post-war German modernism sparks interest mainly for the building’s checkered past—before WWII it was constructed as a studio for one of the Nazi party’s predilect artists, Arno Breker. Under the watchful eye of architects Petra and Paul Kahlfeldt, who are charged with its restoration, the studio has been re-cast as a cultural institution. The opening show and subsequent exhibitions will feature both East and West German art in tandem, as an attempt to reconcile these two streams of German modernism which were segregated for many years after the war.
MUSEUM ISLAND Museumsinsel (“Museum Island”) is a UNESCO-inscribed collection of five museums, including The Altes Museum, Neues Museum, Alte Nationalgalerie, Pergamonmuseum, and the Bode Museum. isitberlin.de/en/museum-island-in-berlin
NEUES MUSEUM The Neues Museum is located on Museum Island and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built from 1843 to 1855 by order of King Frederick William IV of Prussia in Neoclassical and Renaissance Revival styles, it is considered as the major work of Friedrich August Stüler. Famous for its Queen Nefertiti. bust. Bodestraße 1-3; smb.museum/museen-einrichtungen/neues-museum
SAMMLUNG BOROS A renovated Nazi-era bunker in the Mitte district houses this private collection of contemporary art, owned by Christian and Karen Boros. The selection of sculpture, paintings, photographs, and installations by international artists, including Ai Weiwei, Thomas Ruff, Tomás Saraceno, and Olafur Eliasson, rotates every four years. Reinhardtstraße 20; sammlung-boros.de
KARL MARX-ALLEE A must-see for history and architecture aficionados, this wide boulevard was conceived by the architect Hermann Henselmann, and is where the East German government used to conduct their annual parades. It’s also a well-kept example of Stalinist architecture, with building facades completely covered in porcelain tiles manufactured in Meissen.
SOVIET WAR MEMORIAL This staggering monument in Treptower Park commemorates the death of Soviet soldiers at the end of World War II. A pair of massive sculptures of Soviet flags made of red granite sit near the star monument.
YORCK KINO It’s not often that a cinema itself looks like a piece of cinematic production design, but the Delphi Lux in the City West district feels like you’ve stepped onto the set of a futuristic film. Each of the seven screens is enveloped by a different monochrome shade, from piercing cyan to vibrant red, thanks to the work of German architecture practice Batek Architekten, which took inspiration from art gallery installations to give each screen its own LED-infused identity. Kantstraße 10; yorck.de
HAMBURGER BAHNOF Part of the Berlin National Gallery, this contemporary-art outpost is located in a former railway terminus. Invalidenstrasse 50-51; smb.museum
LANDWEHR CANAL Arguably the city's best people-watching spot, the canal unites two of its hippest neighborhoods (Kreuzberg and Neukölln). Grab a €1 beer from a spätkauf (Berlin’s version of a bodega) and sit along the canal’s grassy banks under a weeping willow tree.
JULIA STOSCHEK COLLECTION The Julia Stoschek Collection is a private collection created by the art patron Julia Stoschek, focusing on conceptual video, film projection, and computer-based works. Leipzigerstrasse 60, jsc.art
SPACE 31 A Charlottenburg performance-and-retail space where you’ll find fashion-centric exhibitions and collaborations between artists, designers and its founder, the fashion designer Nhu Duong. Kluckstrasse 31, space-31.com
BADESCHIFF A swimming pool set directly in a river, Berlin’s Badeschiff remains one of the coolest places to take a refreshing dip. Looking out at views of the TV Tower, the Molecule Man sculpture and Oberbaumbrücke with wooden decking and sand leading up to the bar, it doesn’t take long to forget you’re in the midst of the German capital. Eichenstraße 4; arena.berlin/veranstaltungsort/badeschiff
THE FEUERLE COLLECTION Housed in a former telecommunication bunker in the Kreuzberg district, this art gallery experience begins with John Cage’s minimalistic music followed by Asian artifacts and furniture juxtaposed with modern art. Hallesches Ufer 70; thefeuerlecollection.org
ZOO PALAST This Berlin Cinema was built in 1957 and relaunched in 2013, and reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film. Hardenbergstraße 29A; zoopalast.premiumkino.de
CHARLOTTENBURG PALACE Built in 1699 as a summer residence for Sophie Charlotte, wife of King Friedrich I, this massive, multi-winged baroque structure is Berlin’s largest palace. Home to collections including royal porcelain and silver, crown jewels, and important 18th-century French paintings by artists such as Antoine Watteau. The highlight is the garden, created in the French and English style, with orderly hedges, fountains, ponds, and tree-lined gravel paths. Spandauer Damm 10-22; spsg.de/schloesser-gaerten/objekt/schlossgarten-charlottenburg/
TREPTOWER PARK Summer in Berlin is synonymous with sunny afternoons in Treptower Park, located along the banks of the Spree River to picnic and drink Spati beers.
BERLIN STATE OPERA The Staatsoper Unter den Linden, also referred to as "Berlin State Opera" was erected by order of Frederick the Great from 1741 to 1743 according to plans by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff in Palladian style. Unter den Linden 7; staatsoper-berlin.de/en
DEUTSCH OPERA BERLIN Modern theater hosting a program of opera & ballet, plus a chic restaurant. Bismarckstraße 35; deutscheoperberlin.de
TEMPELHOFER FIELD Built by Hitler’s henchmen and used as a lifeline by some two million people during the Allied Airlift, Tempelhof Airport is now a sweeping urban playground. On sunny days, thousands of Berliners come to jog down the abandoned runways, bike under the old radar station, and grill next to grounded Cold War-era planes.
MÜGGELSEE An inland lake with smooth, golden sand and the perfect place to picnic and spend a summer afternoon.
KRAUPA-TUSKANY ZEIDLER The Kreuzberg contemporary art gallery, founded by Amadeo Kraupa-Tuskany and his partner, Nadine Zeidler, represents artists from around the world, including the Beijing-based sculptor Yu Honglei and the New York-based multimedia artist Andrea Crespo. Kohlfurterstrasse 41/43, k-t-z.com.
KOENIG GALERIE A gallery within the Brutalist concrete St. Agnes church, originally designed by the German architect Werner Düttmann. Also home to the 032c magazine offices and store. Alexandrinenstrasse 118-121, koeniggalerie.com.
MARTIN GROPIUS BAU Martin-Gropius-Bau, commonly known as Gropius Bau, is an important exhibition building in Berlin, Germany. Originally a museum of applied arts, the building has been a listed historical monument since 1966. Niederkirchnerstraße 7; berlinerfestspiele.de
GEMÄLDEGALERIE It holds one of the world's leading collections of European paintings from the 13th to the 18th centuries. Matthäikirchplatz; smb.museum/museen-einrichtungen/gemaeldegalerie
BERLINISCHE The Berlinische Galerie is a museum of modern art, photography and architecture in Kreuzberg. Alte Jakobstraße 124-128; berlinischegalerie.de
BAUHAUS ARCHIVE Berlin’s Bauhaus Archive holds the world's largest collection related to the history of the Bauhaus (1919–1933), the 20th century’s most important school of architecture, design and art. The building was designed by the Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius, and presents key works. Klingelhöferstraße 14, bauhaus.de/en/bauhaus-archiv
HAMBURGER BANHHOF Hamburger Bahnhof is the former terminus of the Berlin–Hamburg Railway in Berlin, Germany, on Invalidenstrasse in the Moabit district opposite the Charité hospital. Today it serves as a contemporary art museum, the Museum für Gegenwart, part of the Berlin National Gallery. Invalidenstraße 50-51; smb.museum/museen-einrichtungen/hamburger-bahnhof
FÜHRERBUNKER Hitler’s Bunker was an air raid shelter located near the Reich Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. It was part of a subterranean bunker complex constructed in two phases in 1936 and 1944. It was the last of the Führer Headquarters used by Adolf Hitler during World War II. You may visit is as part of a tour. berliner-unterwelten.de
MUSEUM BARBERINI Located 40 minutes outside of Berlin in Potsdam, the Museum Barberini presents exhibitions from Old Masters to contemporary art, with an emphasis on impressionist painting. Humboldtstraße 5-6; museum-barberini.de
SPRÜTH MAGERS Sprüth Magers is a commercial art gallery owned by Monika Sprüth and Philomene Magers, with spaces in London, Berlin, Los Angeles and offices in Cologne, Hong Kong, and Seoul. Oranienburger Str. 18; spruethmagers.com
KUNSTGEWERBEMUSEUM (MUSEUM OF DECORATIVE ARTS) Visit the lower level floor for an excellent collection of chairs and well-written didactics explaining the different eras in design. Matthäikirchplatz; smb.museum/museen-einrichtungen/kunstgewerbemuseum
NEUE NATIONALGALERIE The iconic Mies van der Rohe-designed museum housing European & American 20th-century masterpieces. Potsdamer Str. 50; smb.museum/museen-einrichtungen/neue-nationalgalerie
BERGGRUEN MUSEUM A charming museum collection of modern art dealer Heinz Berggruen, featuring his early-acquired collection of Art Nouveau and Art Deco pieces. Schloßstraße 1; smb.museum/museen-einrichtungen/museum-berggruen
BRAUN-SAMMLUNG ETTEL MUSEUM The ultimate design-nerd destination for an extensive collection of Braun electronics, curated by art educator Werner Ettel. Elberfelder Str. 37; braundesignsammlung.de
ALTE NATIONALGALERIE A stunning collection of romantic and impressionist art in Berlin’s beautiful Museum Island, where five of the city’s renowned museums are located. Bodestraße 1-3; smb.museum/museen-einrichtungen/alte-nationalgalerie
SHOP
P98A An experimental letterpress workshop with more than 500 cases of poster type and 450 cases of foundry type. Visit nearby store Analog for design books, magazines and one-off typographic prints. Potsdamer Straße. 98a; p98a.com
ANDREAS MURKUDIS A boutique in Berlin’s Schöneberg neighborhood where Céline, Maison Margiela, and Dries Van Noten are displayed like an expertly curated art exhibition. Potsdamer Str. 81; andreasmurkudis.com
VOO STORE A concept store with established and emerging brands, contemporary art installations and a brutalist concrete-based interior with a café. Oranienstraße 24; vooberlin.com
MAUERPARK FLEA MARKET Mauerpark (“Wall Park") is the city’s largest outdoor market, held every Sunday, and filled with a fleamarket, jugglers, picnickers and the world's largest karaoke party, known as Bearpit Karaoke. Bernauer Str. 63-64; flohmarktimmauerpark.de
THE STORES Setting up shop on the ground floor of Soho House, The Store Berlin (the brainchild of British fashion name Alex Eagle) is a curated shopping spot for fashion, furniture, music, skincare and books from the likes of Balenciaga, Burberry and Vetements. A collection of vinyl is provided by London-based Phonica Records. Torstraße 1, 10119. thestores.com
HUMANA SECOND HAND & VINTAGE The outlet at Frankfurter Tor is the largest secondhand shop in Berlin. The top floor focuses on clothes from the 1950s to the 1990s. humana-second-hand.de/mode/first-class
JOCHUM RODGERS This Charlottenburg furniture shop specializes in midcentury design. When you’re done shopping, head next door to Espressobar, an excellent bakery and cafe for post-browsing refreshment. Mommsenstrasse 3, jochumrodgers.de.
BUCHHANDLUNG WALTHER KÖNIG Stacks of massive art, design, photography and fashion books line the walls of Walther König, which also stocks hard-to-find style magazines and journals. There’s also a collection of rare, out-of-print and first-edition books and catalogs, locked within a glass cabinet. Burgstrasse 27, buchhandlung-walther-koenig.de.
APTM Located in a 1905 carriage house in the up-and-coming Wedding neighborhood, this gallery is furnished like a private home, and it serves as a gathering place for creatives. Lindower Strasse 18, aptm.berlin
MARSANO On the ground floor of an apartment building in Mitte, this flower shop sells seasonal flowers and vintage furniture, jewelry and vases. Charlottenstrasse 75, marsano-berlin.de
MARKTHALLE NEUN A Kreuzberg market with organic vegetables, fruits, herbs and even flowers from German farms. Eisenbahnstrasse 42/43, markthalleneun.de.
RITTER SPORT Workshop demonstrations, games, and design-your-own bars at this famed chocolate brand's flagship store in Berlin. Franz. Str. 24; ritter-sport.com/de/berlin
NEUZWEI A very curated shop featuring vintage and contemporary designer clothing. You'll find Jil Sander suits, updated Levis, and Chanel. Weserstr. 53; neuzwei.com
KRYZA For the very fashionable and inspired vintage shopper, Kryza features vintage Cavalli, and other super stylish early-aughts style dresses and separates. Hermannplatz 8
REPEATER VINTAGE SHOP A true vintage shop with racks of clothing, including retro items, jean jackets, Converse Chuck Taylors, and Levis. Pannierstraße 45
SING BLACKBIRD VINTAGE A little shop of handpicked vintage clothing. A good spot for Prada if you’re lucky. Sanderstraße 11
SOBA 32 Designer consignment as well as vintage. Great source for Escada, Valentino, and special vintage pieces carefully restored by the owner Ivana. Flughafenstraße 32
SOEUR For the romantic-leaning woman, Soeur resells a lot of Isabel Marant and other casual yet romantic items. Marienburger Str. 24
MADONNA A hidden gem I potentially just ruined, Madonna is a designer consignment shop with a great collection of dresses, shoes, blazers, and more. There are plenty of other consignment shops on the same street, walking back towards central Charlottenburg, which as mentioned, is one of Berlin's more upscale neighborhoods so it's a great place to find high-end second-hand at great prices. Mommsenstraße 57; madonna-adon.de
SPA
STADTBAD NEUKÖLLN Opened in 1914, designed by the architect Reinhold Kiehl, this public pool is a decorative, opulent version of a German sauna. Ganghoferstrasse 3, 49-30-68-24-980
WHEADON Wheadon has the most unique selection of niche beauty treatments, and offers workshops to learn from the best and become an expert yourself. Steinstraße 17; wheadon.de
Text: Veronica H. Speck Photo: Slim Aarons, © Getty Images