You name it, German capital Berlin has got it: three opera houses, two concert halls, 35 theatres, and 170 museums; 300 clubs and 7,000 bars; and great architecture, including the majestic Brandenburg Gate and Norman Foster’s Reichstag.
With such a rich cultural heritage, Berlin should be on everybody’s holiday hit list. The German National Tourist Office is actively marketing the capital, so there is no better time to book a trip.
Use our guide to help your clients get the most out of their visit.
History and architecture
For 28 years Berlin was split in two by the Berlin Wall – and that is only part of its turbulent but fascinating past. Clients can visit the remnants of the Wall at the poignant East Side Gallery near Checkpoint Charlie.
The all-new Potsdamer Platz is worth a look, as is the moving Holocaust Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.
In the east, the Television Tower at Alexanderplatz dominates, with its revolving restaurant offering marvellous views. Clients might also like to climb up to the cafe in the glass dome of Norman Foster’s Reichstag. Be warned, both are popular attractions, so an early start is recommended.
History and architecture tip: A walking tour is a must. Make sure your clients include a stroll down Unter den Linden, the tree-lined avenue running from the Brandenburg Gate to the Stadtschloss.
Art and culture
Berlin offers a never-ending stream of entertainment, including international events, such as this month’s Berlinale film festival, which will be in sharp focus because of the Hollywood writers’ strike.
Unlike other major world film festivals, every screening is open to the public. Check listings magazines for what’s on.
A Mecca for contemporary artists, Berlin attracts creative young people from all over the world. Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg are bristling with internationally renowned artists, whilst the Hamburger Bahnhof has become a temple of modern art.
Traditionalists might prefer the five-building complex known as Museum Island. It is Europe’s largest cultural investment project, and if your clients like museums, it’s well worth setting aside a day to see it.
Arts and culture tip: Renowned photographer Helmut Newton loved his Berlin home town, so recommend your clients track down to see his extensive photo collection at the Museum of Photography, near Berlin Zoo railway station.
Nightlife
Berlin is famous for its wild nightlife. The best parties currently take place high above the streets, so encourage your clients to go up in the world.
At Week12end on Alexanderplatz, guests can look over the city through floor-to-ceiling windows and the club attracts international star DJs. The view from 40 Seconds is equally breathtaking. The club is named after the time it takes for the lift to reach the eighth floor.
If your clients are feeling brave they could try getting in at Rodeo Club in Oranienburger Strasse, where Karl Lagerfeld has been spotted. The entrance is behind the Post Office building and admission is only allowed with a reservation or as a club member.
Nightlife tip: Club restaurants are a big trend in Berlin. Felix, at the back of the Hotel Adlon, offers food and dancing and is a hangout for Robbie Williams and Boris Becker. At 11pm the tables are cleared for serious partying.
Gay and lesbian
The history of gay liberation began in Berlin and there is a thriving scene today, predominantly in three locations: Schöneberg, with its gay-friendly pharmacies and fetish shops, Kreuzberg, which throws some of the most unusual parties in Berlin, and trendy Prenzlauer Berg (Berlin’s version of Soho).
In Motzstrasse, older bars such as Tom’s jostle alongside modern outfits like Hafen. For steamier sessions, point people to Kurfürstenstrasse, home to Gay Sauna Club Brasil and Steam Sauna. Women should head for Pour Elle at Kalckreuthstre or Begine.
It’s also worth planning a visit to coincide with the Lesbian-Gay Street Festival, held June 21-22. Direct your clients to the Lesbenberatung on Kulmerstrasse and Mann-O-Meter on Bülowstrasse.
Gay and lesbian travel tip: Berlin’s Queer-Gebäude houses the world’s only gay museum, the Schwules Museum in Mehringdamm. Urge your clients to visit then savour coffee and cakes at Cafe Sundstrom just outside.
Shopping
Berlin’s swankier stores are found on the Kurfürstendamm, or Ku’damm. The top end is packed with department stores and fashion boutiques, which gradually become more exclusive.
Nearby Friedrichstrasse provides plenty of coffee shops, while the mall in Potsdamer Platz offers high-street fashion along with designer accessories and an enticing chocolate shop on the basement floor.
Encourage your clients to go window-shopping in the quirky Kreuzberg. Or for a shopaholic paradise, get lost for hours in KaDeWe, on Wittenberg Platz, which claims to be Europe’s largest department store and has a legendary food hall on the sixth floor.
Fashionistas should trot out to Berlinomat in Frankfurter Allee, which houses over 100 fashion labels by local designers in a large showroom.
Shopping tip: Don’t leave without an East Berlin green man traffic light t-shirt from one of the many tourist shops scattered throughout the city. Unlike western versions, the electronic character wears a hat.
Berlin WelcomeCard
If you’re sending clients to Berlin, recommend they book the Berlin WelcomeCard, which comes with a small guidebook to the city.
The card costs €16.50 for 48 hours or €21.50 for 72 hours, and allows holders free travel on buses and trains, plus discounts of up to 50% with more than 130 city ‘partners’ which include tours, museums and attractions, theatres and restaurants.
Berlin WelcomeCards are pre-bookable on berlinwelcomecard.de, and offer 8% commission for agents. Accommodation at more than 350 Berlin hotels can also be found on the website.
Sample product
Kirker Holidays offers three-nights’ bed and breakfast at Rocco Forte’s five-star Hotel de Rome in Berlin from £774 per person this month, including flights and private car transfers.
Dertour offers two-nights’ bed and breaksfast in Berlin in the four-star NH Berlin Mitte from £319 per person this March, including flights.
Inghams Short Breaks offers three-nights bed and breakfast at the four-star Hotel Kronprinz from £264 per person, this March, and include flights.
