Berlin is renowned for its creative and bohemian atmosphere, and you are certain to find yourself feeling like Alice in Wonderland as you explore all the wonders and delights on offer in the city. From sobering sites dedicated to Berlin’s cultural and historical heritage, such as the events of the Second World War, and the Berlin Wall, to the city’s outstanding nightlife, there is enough in Berlin to keep you exploring for months. As the chances are you’ll be coming for a city break over a few days, we’ve narrowed down five places you really must check out on your trip to Berlin.
Nowkölln Flowmarkt
As other flea markets in the city have reached the apex of their popularity, become overcrowded and then begun to decline in fashionability, so has risen the flea market at Neukölln. Taking place every third Sunday of the month, the Nowkölln Flowmarkt is the ultimate place to browse for everything from 1950’s ornaments to vintage books and records. Neukölln district is inhabited by cool international artists and trendsetters, making it not only a great place to pick up a bargain, but also to people-watch and to engage in debate and discussion with free-thinkers and creatives. A real cultural hub to stay in, the Neukölln district is just a twenty minute drive by private taxi transfer from Berlin Schoenefeld airport.
Aufsurtz
With over a hundred different varieties and flavours of beer, as well as a cracking choice of food, Aufsurtz is not only a bar/restaurant. The venue also hosts exhibitions of sculpture, photography, painting, installations and collages, with an additional club area presenting concerts in a range of musical genres. Their beers include such wonders as banana beer, smoked beer and a delicious Ghanian beer named ‘Dju Dju’ which comes in mango and passionfruit flavours.
Hanf Museum
From beer, to something a little more, um, ‘unconventional’. In Mitte, you will find the hemp museum, which exhibits exclusively on the agricultural, industrial, and manufacturing uses of the much-maligned herb. There is also information on hemp’s troubled legal history, paying particular attention to the complexities surrounding the use of the THC-rich varieties. The ‘Lesecafé’ (reading cafe) at the end of the exhibition includes a small artists’ gallery, and sells some delicious cakes, some of which are spiced up with the obvious extra ingredient.
Zeiss-Grossplanetarium
After visiting the café at the Hanf Museum, you may wish to consider heading directly to the planetarium to enjoy a spectacular astronomical show in the auditorium. Whilst many of the planetarium’s changing exhibitions are only available in German, the auditiorium shows are for everyone. As one of the largest stellar theatres in Europe, the Zeiss-Grossplanetarium is set within a futuristic metallic dome-shaped building, which, at the least, makes it an easy landmark to spot.
Holocaust Memorial
Peter Eisenmann’s breathtaking installation “Denkmal für die emordeten Juden Europas”, is a sobering memorial to those who lost their lives in the Holocaust. Opened in 2005, and situated over nearly 20,000 square metres of city block, the installation comprises 2,711 ‘stelae’ or concrete slabs. These are arranged in undulating rows of varying heights, tilting and differing angles, making them reminiscent of the tightly packed headstones in Prague’s Old Jewish cemetery. Walking amongst the slabs, one feels a real sense of abandonment and isolation. The sheer scale of the installation itself, set out in insistent row upon row of cold concrete, implies a loss of humanity in the face of relentless adherence to order. For a more thought-provoking engagement with Berlin’s history, a visit to this awe-inspiring work is a real must.
Whichever way you plan to enjoy Berlin, it is inevitable that you will find yourself engaging with the city’s rich cultural fabric. From its museums and historical sites, to its bars, restaurants and clubs, one thing is for certain. A trip to Berlin will leave you feeling inspired, invigorated, and, depending on how heavily you enjoy the city’s pleasures, both exhausted and simultaneously ready to do it all again!
