Berlin’s dramatic history still attracts many visitors but there’s also plenty of top-notch food and shopping to do in a city that’s changing fast.
The classic things to do in Berlin include visiting compelling icons of 20th century history like the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie. But these days a common description of the German capital is “little Brooklyn”, with edgy fashion boutiques, gourmet cafés and restaurants springing up throughout Berlin.
Berlin is spacious and lacks an obvious centre – fitting for a city with an anarchic edge. Mitte is the closest to it: here you’ll find tourist favourites like the Reichstag and Brandenburg Gate, as well as chi-chi cafes and ritzy shopping. The upscale neighbourhood of Charlottenburg offers museums and theatres; while Neukölln has a little more creative grit. Families will appreciate the abundant green spaces, such as the vast Tiergarten: a former hunting ground that’s now Berlin’s giant lungs.