It may have been more than 100 years since Mark Twain said, “Berlin is the newest city I have come across,” but the statement applies just as much today. Though the past is always there, quietly mourned and remembered, Berlin’s present is all about the future, what’s coming, what’s next. And as the city celebrates its 775th jubilee this year, now is the perfect time to go, to catch a snapshot of modern Berlin as it changes before your eyes.
Here’s our insider’s guide to Berlin.
May 3, 2012
In the 1920s, Berlin was one of the best places in the world to be gay or lesbian, especially in the milieu which flourished in the district of Schöneberg, as celebrated by British writer Christopher Isherwood. After the devastation of the Nazi era, Berlin recovered its status as a haven of tolerance and experimentation and now even boasts a gay mayor.
April 19, 2012
Those reliable Germans – even their riots are scheduled!
Every May 1st, largely left-leaning protestors face off against police in the district of Kreuzberg, throwing Molotov cocktails then sweeping up the pieces and putting them in the recycling bin (OK, that last bit is made up).
April 5, 2012
One of the things that makes Berlin so exciting is the high proportion of creative people who have decided to call this lively city home, and with the artists comes the inevitable process of gentrification. However, considering the city has been broke since reunification, the economic surge currently hitting Berlin can’t be all bad, providing the old school grit still has a place amidst the new-world glamor and the artists can still afford the rent. Things you can enjoy for free therefore offer some of that authentic ‘Berlin’ feeling, and you’ll be sure to rub shoulders with the locals.
March 22, 2012
If you’re looking for a day-trip from Berlin, Potsdam is a no-brainer: by train the journey takes less than half an hour from Berlin’s main station and costs just three euros. An almost absurd profusion of grandiose buildings and stunning landscaped gardens drenched in history await you. But after you’ve done the obvious highlights of Frederick the Great’s Sanssouci palace and the enormous Neues Palais, why not hire a bicycle and take a two-wheeled tour of some far-flung hidden gems in and around Potsdam?
March 19, 2012
Jump on a Segway for the most fun you can have on the streets in Berlin!
Start the Berlin Segway Tour with a short training session at the Fat Tire Bike Shop underneath Alexanderplatz TV Tower (look for the small sign pointing to the right of the main entrance and walk around the building) where you will learn to keep your balance and steer the Segway using the under-foot sensors and handlebars. Admittedly I was terrified by this point, but believe me, it gets easier as you go, safety helmets are mandatory, and the guide is always looking out for you! Navigate over some practice bumps, then it’s out into the square to learn about the history of Neptune’s Fountain, and the surrounding buildings – including possibly the only 13th Century church wall left in the city.
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May 4, 2012
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