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Berlin

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Berlin
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Berlin Travel Guide

  • About Berlin
There’s nowhere quite like Berlin. Sensual, gritty, hip and debauched, it’s a colossal city with a tumultuous back-story. It also has a myriad of different faces: the staunch solidity of the Reichstag, the rainbow melee of its multicultural population, the insistent bass-thump of its numberless nightclubs.The city is a cosmopolitan, creative hub with a thriving underground pulse. This is not somewhere to cover in one visit. Its history is labyrinthine, its design and food scenes are worlds unto themselves and its hedonistic nightlife is among the best this side of the Atlantic. It’s also one of the most liberal destinations in Europe – there are few taboos left here.While the locals might have moved on from the past, the scars of war are still visible on some of the most iconic monuments. Sections of the Berlin Wall, which divided the city for nearly three decades, still stand today. There are also plenty of world-class museums documenting life under both the Nazis and the Soviets.For visitors, today’s Berlin is mostly sought after for its vibrant cultural life. In the early 2000s, cheap rents, widespread squatting and alternative economies in the face of the city’s financial woes gave rise to a generation of home-grown creative types; even former mayor Klaus Wowereit described his city as ‘poor but sexy’.Gentrification and rising house prices have begun to challenge that. But Berlin still boasts thrilling street art, resident artists of all disciplines, and a strong music scene befitting the one-time home of names such as Lou Reed, David Bowie, Nick Cave and Iggy Pop.From a tourist perspective, Berlin remains relatively inexpensive – moderate budgets will suffice to eat, drink and sleep well here. The city also offers a kaleidoscope of different culinary cultures, so you can dine on Vietnamese, Japanese and Turkish food as easily as German. The city’s large Turkish community has earned the trendy district of Kreuzberg the nickname ‘Little Istanbul’. Legend has it the doner kebab was born here, and takeaway shops selling it can be found on almost every street corner.With its global gastronomy, stormy history and vivacious subcultures, Berlin is unrivalled in its ability to entertain, asking only one question of its visitors: when are you joining the party?
  • Berlin History
Few cities in the world have endured such radical transformation as Berlin has over the last 100 years. The city’s fate was sealed in 1871 when it became the capital of the German Reich. It was a boost in status that elevated what had been a fairly modest city into the empire’s political, industrial and economic heart. The next few decades witnessed rapid development and by 1877 the city was a thriving metropolis.The German capital soon raised eyebrows abroad – and for all the right reasons. Not only was it becoming one of Europe’s cultural hotspots, but its industrious inhabitants were leaping ahead, with the invention of the world’s first electric railway in 1879 counted among the city’s greater achievements.By 1903 Berlin had become the largest tenement city in the world and also boasted an underground railway, thriving cultural scene and giant department stores. But these halcyon days weren’t to last. WWI abruptly burst the bubble and led to starvation, war weariness and strikes. In 1918 the embattled Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated, the armistice was signed and the German government was handed over to the Social Democrats.The post-war years in Berlin were defined by political instability and economic turmoil, all of which helped Adolf Hitler rise to power. Hitler began remodelling Berlin but his invasion of Poland three years later sparked WWII, during which vast swathes of Berlin were reduced to rubble. The devastated city was divided into four sectors after the war, each administered jointly by the occupying powers of the UK, France, the USA and the Soviet Union.It wasn’t a happy marriage and in 1961 the infamous Berlin Wall was erected to keep the residents of Soviet-controlled East Berlin from fleeing to the west; Germany’s capital had become the epicentre of the Cold War.When the wall fell in 1989, optimism prevailed and Berlin became Europe’s largest building site as the fragmented East Berlin and West Berlin were fused back together. Today, the scars are still visible but Berlin has bounced back.
  • Did you know?
The last person to die trying to cross the Berlin Wall was an East German who attempted to fly over the wall in a hot air balloon in March 1989. Napoleon took The Brandenburg Gate quadriga back to Paris with him following the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt in 1806. The Großer Tiergarten originally started out as a hunting ground for monarchs.
  • Weather in Berlin
Situated in north-eastern Germany with a mainly flat topography, Berlin has a temperate continental (but bordering maritime) climate with nine to 11 rainy days each month.Spring (March to May) is pleasant with a mild weather. Temperatures averaging 4°C (39°F) in March and climbing gradually to 14°C (57°F) in May. The city celebrates multiculturalism with the annual Carnival of Cultures (Karneval der Kulturen or KDK in short) in May, making it an ideal time to visit Berlin.Summer (June to August) is warm with average high temperatures of 23°C (73°F), although the built-up areas can get warmer due to the heat stored in buildings and pavement. The city has a string of festivals during this time including Classic Open Air, Berlin Pride, Beer Fest (Berliner Bierfestival) and Music Fest (Musikfest).Autumn (September to November) starts off warm but the cool autumnal air soon ushering in and lowering the temperatures to an average high of 13°C (55°F) by October. This is a cheaper time to visit Berlin.Winter (December to February) is mild with average high temperatures of 3°C (37°F), but winds from the east may lead to cold spells. The city knows how to party and throws one of the biggest New Year’s Eve celebrations in Europe at the iconic Brandenburg Gate. Wrap up warm and book your hotel in advance if you’re visiting.

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