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The Beauty of Berlin
Germany has been in the world spotlight for many years, but today we've listed some of our favourite things to do in Berlin - but don't forget that this is a uniquely rewarding city for those willing to let go of agendas and simply stroll the streets. You never know what you might find - a toy store with amazingly detailed miniature cities crafted from wood and straw, a coffee shop with the best almond cake you've ever eaten, or even a giant concrete strawberry sitting primly in an otherwise abandoned lot.
Culture, Culture and more Culture
Berlin has more than 170 museums and collections. They offer everything from the ancient to the ultra-modern - the Egyptian Nefertiti, the greek Pergamon Altar, the painters of the "Brücke" and the "Bauhaus" and works by Baselitz and Beuys. The works found in the city's museums and collections and private galleries are as exciting as they are diverse. Some of the smaller museums that don't get much mention are fascinating in their own right: The stunning collection amassed by Heinz Berggruen, the Berlin-born Paris art dealer, is displayed in a mansion facing Charlottenburg Palace and adjacent to the Egyptian Museum. The Berggruen pictures include 80-odd Picassos (also look for the tiny "Blackbird," a sculpture cunningly fashioned from found materials) and 50 Klees, ranging from the ironic "Breakfast-time Reflections" to the vivid "Blue Mountain."
The Other Big Event
If all of that museum-hopping has you in need of some fresh air, from 27 May to 9 September, those who prefer their culture al fresco can take advantage of "The World's Longest Open Air." Enjoy concerts, movies in open air cinemas and lots of other great performances on Berlin's famous Museum Island and other historic locations.
Where to Eat
In Berlin you'll need to eat at some point during your wanderings, and the omnipresent Imbiss stands will serve you Berlin's favorite snack, the currywurst, a spicy sausage.
Looking for a place to sit down and absorb some local color? Café Einstein, on the Kurfürstenstrasse in western Berlin, Austrian in décor and spirit, serves coffee to make Starbucks blush and, after 11 a.m., superb apfelstrudel. Damien Hirst, the shock artist, hangs out at Maxwell, housed in an old brewery now bedecked with his works. The duck and the boar sausages are delicious. Chancellor Gerhard Schröder took Bill Clinton to Gugelhof, an Alsatian spot in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin's supercool neighborhood at the time. It serves terrific choucroute and other dishes for big boys with big appetites.
For serious eaters, Vau is the indispensable stop. The other Michelin star-winning independent, Margaux, serves what it calls "cuisine avant-garde classique." Its menu is hard to follow and its prices hard to take, but amends are made by dishes like the improbable-sounding crisply sautéed bass with black pudding, duck foie gras and honey-lavender vinaigrette.
The Night Life
Berlin is renowned for the variety and edginess of its club scene. To warm up, start at the Sage Club in Kreuzberg (Köpenicker Street), or for techno go to Tresor (Leipziger Street 126 a). The Roten Salon (Rosa - Luxemburg Square) offers style and ambience, German party beats feature at the Hafenbar (Chaussee Street 20), and El Barrio (Potsdamer Street 82) pulses with salsa rhythms.
Berlin's Best Money-Saving Tip
Buy passes on the Berlin transit system for inexpensive unlimited access to all buses and trains. You can get passes for one day or one week or even one month, or you can get a Berlin WelcomeCard, which includes either a 48- or 72-hour transit pass for Berlin and nearby suburbs like Potsdam as well as coupons for discounts at museums, restaurants and even fitness centers. The regular passes and WelcomeCards are available at most train platforms. A 48-hour WelcomeCard, good for travel by one adult and three children younger than 14, is 16 euros.
About the Author
BCD Travel is your all inclusive business travel agency offering competitive ongoing business travel management solutions to companies across Australia.
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