Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
hturm on socialist-style Alexanderplatz, discover Berlin's birthplace in the Nikolaiviertel
and learn about life under socialism at the DDR Museum.
This new quarter, forged from ground once bisected by the Berlin Wall, is a showcase of
fabulous contemporary architecture. Art lovers should not skip the Kulturforum museums,
especially the Gemäldegalerie, which sits right next to the world-class Berliner Philhar-
monie. The leafy Tiergarten, with its rambling paths and hidden beer gardens, makes for a
perfect sightseeing break.
With its boutique-lined lanes and charming courtyards like the Hackesche Höfe, the Scheun-
enviertel is fashionista central and teems with hip bars and restaurants. Come face to face
with the quarter's Jewish roots on a visit of the Neue Synagoge, then check out the galleries
along Auguststrasse and Linienstrasse.
Kreuzberg and northern Neukölln are epicentres of free-wheeling, multicultural and altern-
ative Berlin. Spend the day hunting down vintage threads and street art, chill in a cafe or an
airport-turned-public-park, then plunge headlong into the city's most vibrant nightlife. A
more grown-up vibe rules around Bergmannstrasse in no less charismatic western
Kreuzberg, home to the district's main sight, the Jüdisches Museum.
Student-flavoured Friedrichshain is tailor-made for soaking up Berlin's relaxed vibe and is
great for nightlife explorations and chilling in understated bars along Revaler Strasse and
around Boxhagener Platz. Fun ways to connect with the district's past are walks along the
East Side Gallery, the largest surviving section of the Berlin Wall, and along monumental
Karl-Marx-Allee, a showcase of socialist architecture.
