About the Authors

Ever since packing his bag and leaving North Carolina, Christopher N. Anderson (chapters 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15) has accumulated over thirteen years of traveling and writing experience. From crossing Siberia and sailing the Caribbean, to teaching English in Russia, Brazil, Switzerland, Austria and France, his diverse experiences have provided excellent fodder for his writing, featured in publications such as the Vienna Review, Frommer’s and Yanks Abroad. In addition to his traveling exploits, he has earned a Master’s in International Relations and speaks fluent French and German along with conversational Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian. More recently, he covered and reported live from the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Half-Swiss, half-American, Caroline Sieg’s (chapters 2, 4, 5, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19) relationship with Germany began with childhood trips to Munich to visit her Polish-German aunt. Later, she visited Berlin for the first time in 1989—two weeks after the Berlin Wall fell—and obtained her own piece of the wall. Later, she lived in Berlin and explored the often-overlooked northern part of the country. These days, she hangs her hat in London, but visits Germany as often as possible to indulge in Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake), sniff out the best currywurst and explore the latest gallery opening.

Frommer’s Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations

Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).

In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for:

special finds—those places only insiders know about

fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun

kids—best bets for kids, and advice for the whole family

special moments—those experiences that memories are made of

overrated—places or experiences not worth your time or money

insider tips—great ways to save time and money

great values—where to get the best deals

The following abbreviations are used for credit cards:

AE American Express

DISC Discover

V Visa

DC Diners Club

MC MasterCard

Berlin

Ask Berliners what they love about the German capital and some will talk about the joys of post-Communist freedom, others about Kreuzberg’s throbbing nightlife, others about Friedrichshain’s exciting young designers. Berlin can fill you with wonder, contemplating the future in the crystalline Reichstag and high-rise Potsdamer Platz, and with horror, revisiting the past at the Jewish Museum and remnants of the Berlin Wall. The nostalgic, the party lover, the trendsetter, today’s Berlin is one city, many characters—different every time you look but never looked at indifferently.

Things to Do Berlin is a monster-size capital, eight times the size of Paris. Plan wisely. First, head up to Norman Foster’s panoramic glass-domed Reichstag (German Parliament), and join photographers for the obligatory twilight snapshot of the glowing Brandenburg Gate. You can spend days roaming Tiergarten park’s lake-dotted woodlands and UNESCO-listed Museum Island’s galleries, where Egypt’s Queen Nefertiti hides. Trace Berlin’s turbulent past at the Libeskind-designed Jewish Museum and walk the artiest stretch of Wall at the East Side Gallery.

Shopping Individuality defines free-spirited Berlin. Go beyond the big-name designers on stately Kurfürstendamm to its quieter specialty stores, like L. & M. Lee with its German-made porcelain and glass. Poke around hip Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg for urban, young designers and quirky boutique shopping. The Hackesche Höfe’s Art Nouveau courtyards make for a leisurely stop, with their upscale shops and people-watching cafes.

Nightlife & Entertainment The fall of the Wall was the party of the 20th century, and even today Berlin still hasn’t run out of steam. Glitzy 1920s cabaret lives on along Friedrichstrasse, while classical music rings out of Mitte’s lavish concert halls like the neoclassical Staatsoper. Canal-side bars with alternative attitudes and industrial-style techno clubs draw revelers to Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain. Summer evenings are best spent chatting and sipping foamy wheat beer under chestnut trees in Prenzlauer Berg’s Prater Garten beer garden.

Restaurants & Dining Down-to-earth and sociable, Berliners love lazy brunches in Prenzlauer Berg’s bohemian cafes and fun street food. Join the queue in muticultural Kreuzberg for mustard-slathered Currywurst (curried sausage), pan-fresh falafel and shawarma. Foodies dine at Mitte’s Michelin-starred restaurants and enjoy French food by candlelight in Charlottenburg’s intimate bistros. For a real taste of Berlin, feast (as Napoleon once did) on fat pork knuckles with lashings of sauerkraut at the wood-paneled 17th-century tavern Zur Letzten Instanz.

Essentials

Getting There

By Plane At press time Berlin still contained two international airports Tegel and Schönefeld.

Tegel Airport, north of the city and formerly Berlin’s busiest, is slated to close sometime in 2012 when Schönefeld southeast of the center is fully expanded and officially turns into the new Berlin Brandenburg International Airport. For information about either, as well as the status of the new airport, go to www.berlin-airport.de. Most international flights will arrive at the new BBI, which will have a rail station under the main terminal. It will take only 20 minutes for the airport shuttle to travel the 20km (12-mile) stretch of track in Berlin’s center.

Lufthansa ( 800/645-3880;www.lufthansa-usa.com) routes transatlantic passengers from North American cities through the airline’s hubs at Frankfurt and Munich.

Delta ( 800/221-1212;www.delta.com) has flights to Berlin in the evening from New York’s JFK airport. However, daily flights, depending on the season or on business, are not always a sure thing, so you’ll need to check with a travel agent or the airline itself.

The best and most convenient service into Berlin is available aboard British Airways ( 800/247-9297;www.ba.com), which efficiently funnels dozens of daily flights from North America to Germany, including five a day into Berlin, through its vast terminals at London-Heathrow. Connections to Berlin are available from at least 40 gateways in the U.S. and Canada, more than those offered by any other airline. Frequent transatlantic price wars keep fares to Berlin aboard BA lower than you may have thought, especially in the off season. Stopovers in London can be arranged at minimal cost, and deeply discounted hotel packages are available in either Berlin or London, at rates that are significantly less than what you’d have paid if you’d arranged them yourself. And if you opt for passage in business class (BA calls it “Club Class”), you’ll ride on the most comfortable, and one of the largest, airline seats in the industry, in a configuration that can be transformed into something approaching a bed.

By Train As Berlin strengthens its role as Germany’s capital, increasing numbers of trains are speeding their way into town. All points of the country, especially Frankfurt, Munich, and Bonn, maintain excellent rail connections, with high-tech, high-speed improvements being made to the country’s railway system virtually all the time. One major improvement is that Berlin and the great port of Hamburg are now 15 minutes closer, thanks to high-speed (250kmph/155 mph) InterCity Express service (the trip is now 2 hr., 8 min.). Since reunification, Berlin has improved the facilities of railway stations in both the western zone (Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten) and eastern zone (Berlin Ostbahnhof), installing improved S-Bahn links to interconnect them. The station you’ll use depends on the destination or origin of your train, or the location of your hotel within the city. Some trains, but not all, make arrivals and departures from both stations. A third station, Berlin Lichtenberg, within the city’s eastern half, is used for trains pulling in from small towns. For information about any railway station, call 01805/996633 or visit www.bahn.de. Lehrter Hauptbahnhof (known better as Berlin Hauptbahnhof), is the main train station, situated about a 10- to 15-minute walk from the Reichstag. It incorporates the lines that lead to the three other railway stations mentioned above, eliminating the need for cross-town commutes among the city’s railway stations.

By Bus (Coach) Regularly scheduled buses operate from 250 German and continental cities, including Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich. Long-distance bus companies servicing Berlin include Berlin Linien Bus ( 030/8619331;www.berlinlinienbus.de).

Arrivals and departures are at the ZOB Omnibusbahnhof am Funkturm, Masurenalle, Charlottenburg. Taxis and bus connections are available at the station and at the U-Bahn, at the nearby Kaiserdamm station.

By Car From Frankfurt, take the E451 north until it connects with the E40 going northeast. Follow this autobahn past Jena and then head north on the E51 into Berlin. From Nürnberg, also take the E51 into Berlin. From Dresden, take the E55 north to Berlin. Expect heavy traffic on the autobahns on weekends and sunny days when everybody is out touring.

Visitor Information

For visitor information, head for Berlin Hauptbahnhof (the central rail station), open daily 8am to 10pm. There’s another tourist office at Neues Krarnzler Eck, along the Kurfürstendamm, the popular shopping boulevard, open Monday to Saturday 10am to 8pm, Sunday 10am to 6pm. Another office is at the south wing of the Brandenburg Gate, open daily 10am to 6pm. The central phone number for all tourist information is 030/250025 (www.visitberlin.de). The staff will make hotel reservations for you and book tickets for major events and sightseeing tours.

berlin Today & Tomorrow

Berlin is living up to its reputation as a dynamic, exciting hub of activity as never before. The city’s nightlife is among Europe’s best and wildest. And since the German government relocated here from Bonn, Berlin is bidding to become the reborn capital not only of Germany, but of all Europe.

As befits a capital, the city has undergone a major face-lift in the past 20 years. More than $150 billion was invested into new streets, buildings, and railways. The former East Berlin is restored and gentrified, particularly in the Mitte (central) district. Here, luxury hotels and shopping arcades compete with the glitter—and litter—of the Ku’Damm (short for Kurfürstendamm, a wide boulevard at the center of activity in the western part of Berlin). The Hotel Adlon, overlooking the Brandenburg Gate, is particularly notable, evoking the restoration of Unter den Linden and the return to some of its prewar glory; Adlon, at one time, was the most important hotel not only in Berlin, but in all of Germany. Prenzlauer Berg, a blue-collar eastern neighborhood that escaped the worst of the wartime bombing, is now a chic district of cafes and boutiques. The downside of all this for Berliners has been the sharp increase in real estate prices.

Many of Berlin’s famous buildings were also restored. The rebuilt Reichstag has a glittering glass dome; upon the building stands not the old glowering imperial hunter, but the national symbol, the eagle (locals refer affectionately to the statue as “the fat hen”). The Oranienburger Strasse Synagogue (commonly known as Neue Synagoge Berlin–Centrum Judaicum/The New Synagogue; ), wrecked on Kristallnacht and finished off by Allied bombers, has been rebuilt to its previous splendor. Likewise, Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral; ) and the five state museums on Museumsinsel (Museum Island; ) have been returned to their original glory.

Visitors unfortunately often overlook Berlin’s natural attractions. Few metropolitan areas are blessed with as many gardens, lakes, woodlands, and parks—all of which cover an amazing one-third of the city. First-time visitors are often surprised to learn that small farms with fields and meadows still exist within the city limits.

City Layout

Berlin is one of the largest and most complex cities in Europe. Because it’s so spread out, you’ll need to depend on public transportation. No visitor should try to explore more than two neighborhoods a day, even superficially.

The center of activity in the western part of Berlin is the 4km-long (2 1/2-mile) Kurfürstendamm, called the Ku’Damm by Berliners, who seem to have a habit of irreverently renaming every street and building in the city. Along this wide boulevard you’ll find the best hotels, restaurants, theaters, cafes, nightclubs, shops, and department stores. It’s the most elegant and fashionable spot in Berlin, but, like much of the city, it combines chic with sleaze in places. Walkers can stop off at one of the popular cafes lining the boulevard.

From the Ku’Damm, you can take Hardenbergstrasse, which crosses Bismarckstrasse and becomes Otto-Suhr-Allee, which will lead to the Schloss Charlottenburg area and its museums, a major sightseeing area. The Dahlem Museums are in the southwest of the city, often reached by going along Hohenzollerndamm.

The huge Tiergarten is the city’s largest park. Running through it is Strasse des 17 Juni, which leads to the famed Brandenburg Gate (just south of the Reichstag). On the southwestern fringe of the Tiergarten is the Berlin Zoo.

Finding an Address

As for the numbering of streets in Berlin, keep in mind that the city sometimes assists you by posting the range of numbers that appears within any particular block, at least within major arteries such as the Kurfürstendamm. These numbers appear on the street signs themselves, which is a great help in finding a particular number on long boulevards. You won’t find these numbers on street signs of smaller streets, however. Although some streets are numbered with the odds on one side and the evens on the other, many (including the Ku’Damm) are numbered consecutively up one side of the street and back down the other.

The Brandenburg Gate is the start of eastern Berlin’s most celebrated street, Unter den Linden, the cultural heart of Berlin before World War II. It runs from west to east, leading to Museumsinsel (Museum Island), where the most outstanding museums of eastern Berlin, including the Pergamonmuseum, are situated.

Unter den Linden crosses another major artery, Friedrichstrasse. If you continue south along Friedrichstrasse, you’ll reach the former location of Checkpoint Charlie, a famous border site of the Cold War days. No longer a checkpoint, it now has a little museum devoted to memories of the Berlin Wall.

Unter den Linden continues east until it reaches Alexanderplatz, the center of eastern Berlin, with its towering television tower, or Fernsehturm. A short walk away is the restored Nikolaiviertel (Nikolai Quarter), a neighborhood of bars, restaurants, and shops that evoke life in the prewar days.

Maps Good maps of Berlin can be purchased at bookstores or news kiosks, such as the Europa Press Center (a magazine and newspaper store in the Europa Center). One of the best maps is the Falk map, which offers full-color detail and comprehensive indexes (consequently, it’s sometimes awkward to unfold and refold). Be sure to obtain an up-to-date map showing the most recent changes.

Neighborhoods in Brief

Visitors who knew Berlin during the Cold War are amazed at the way traffic now zips between sectors that once were rigidly segregated by border guards. Today, your taxi will blithely drive beneath the Brandenburg Gate or along the Friedrichstrasse, without regard to barriers that once used to be virtually impenetrable. Below are some names you’re likely to hear as you navigate your way through the reunited city.

Berlin Neighborhoods

In the former Western Zone

Charlottenburg Despite being renamed by Berlin wits as Klamottenburg (Ragsville) after the bombings of World War II, this is still the wealthiest and most densely commercialized district of western Berlin. Its centerpiece is Charlottenburg Palace. One of the most interesting subdivisions of Charlottenburg is the neighborhood around Savignyplatz, a tree-lined square a short walk north of the western zone’s most visible boulevard, Kurfürstendamm. Lining its edges and the streets nearby are a profusion of bars, shops, and restaurants; an engaging aura of permissiveness; and an awareness that this is the bastion of the city’s prosperous bourgeoisie.

Dahlem Now the university district, Dahlem was originally established as an independent village to the southwest of Berlin’s center.

Ku’Damm In the 1950s and 1960s, during the early stages of the Cold War, the Ku’Damm emerged as a rough-and-tumble boomtown, bristling with boxy-looking new construction and permeated with a maverick sense of parvenu novelty. Since reunification, when vast neighborhoods within Mitte opened for real estate speculation and instant gentrification, the Ku’Damm has reinvented itself as a bastion of capitalistic and corporate conservatism, with a distinct sense of old and established money that’s waiting for public perceptions to grow bored with the novelties that have been associated with the opening of the former East Berlin. The poignancies of the Weimar Republic and the Cold War are not lost, however, even upon the corporate sponsors of the big-money real estate ventures that line the Ku’Damm. If you look at the Hochhaus entrance of the Europa Center, on the Tauentzienstrasse side, whose glossy chrome-trimmed interior decor may remind you of an airport waiting lounge, you’ll find a plaque honoring the long-ago site of the private home of Weimar statesman Gustav Stresemann, which used to stand at 12A Tauentzienstrasse. Immediately adjacent to that plaque is an artfully graffitied chunk of the former Berlin Wall, encased in Plexiglas like an irreplaceable work of ancient archaeology. It is dedicated to the people who lost their lives trying to escape over the Wall during the peak of the Cold War.

Grunewald Many newcomers are surprised by the sheer sprawl of Grunewald’s 49 sq. km (19 sq. miles) of verdant forest. The area serves as a green lung for the urbanites of Berlin. It lies southwest of the city center.

Hansaviertel This neighborhood, northwest of Tiergarten park, contains a series of residential buildings designed by different architects (including Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius, and Alvar Aalto).

Kreuzberg Originally built during the 19th century to house the workers of a rapidly industrializing Prussia, this has traditionally been the poorest and most overcrowded of Berlin’s districts. Today, at least 35% of its population is composed of guest workers from Turkey, Greece, and the former Yugoslavia. Prior to reunification, the district evolved into the headquarters for the city’s artistic counterculture. Since reunification, however, the fast-changing neighborhoods within Mitte, especially Hackesche Höfe (see below), have offered stiff competition.

Schöneberg Like Kreuzberg, it was originally an independent suburb of workers’ housing, but after the war it was rebuilt as a solidly middle-class neighborhood that also happens to include the densest concentration of gay bars and clubs (btw. Nollendorfplatz and Victoria-Luise-Platz).

Spandau Set near the junction of the Spree and Havel rivers, about 10km (6 miles) northwest of the city center, Spandau boasts a history of medieval grandeur. Though it merged with Berlin in 1920, its Altstadt (Old City) is still intact. The legendary Spandau prison was demolished in the early 1990s.

Tiergarten Tiergarten (which means “Animal Garden”) refers to both a massive urban park and, to the park’s north, a residential district. The park was originally intended as a backdrop to the grand avenues laid out by the German kaisers. The neighborhood contains the Brandenburg Gate, the German Reichstag (Parliament), the Berlin Zoo, and some of the city’s grandest museums.

In the former Eastern Zone

Alexanderplatz The former East German regime threw up lots of ugly modern buildings and defined Alexanderplatz as the centerpiece of its government. Today, the large and sterile-looking square is dominated by the tallest structure in Berlin, the Sputnik-inspired TV Tower.

Hackesche Höfe A warren of brick-sided factories during the 19th century, it’s evolving into one of the city’s most visible counterculture strongholds. Part of this derives from the fact that it wasn’t too badly mangled by the former East German regime. Another factor in its renaissance involves a thirst by cutting-edge, youthful Berliners to recolonize what used to be the heart of the GDR. You’ll sense the rising real-estate values and combined aspects of Paris’s Latin Quarter and New York’s Greenwich Village.

Mitte (Center) Closed to capitalist investment for nearly 50 years, this monumental district in the heart of Berlin is the one that’s on every speculator’s mind these days. It was originally conceived as the architectural centerpiece by the Prussian kaisers. Its fortunes declined dramatically as the Communist regime infused it with starkly angular monuments and architecturally banal buildings. Although some of Mitte’s grand structures were destroyed by wartime bombings, unification has exposed its remaining artistic and architectural treasures. The district’s most famous boulevard is Unter den Linden. Famous squares within the district include Pariser Platz (the monumental square adjacent to the Brandenburg Gate), Potsdamer Platz (see below), and Alexanderplatz (see above).

Museumsinsel (Museum Island) This island in the Spree River hosts a complex of museums housed in neoclassical buildings that always seem to be under renovation. Its most famous museum, the Pergamon, contains magnificent reconstructions of ancient temples.

Nikolaiviertel Near the Alexanderplatz, the Nikolaiviertel is the most perfectly restored medieval neighborhood in Berlin, a triumph of the restoration skills of the former East German regime.

Potsdamer Platz Before World War II, this was the thriving heart of Berlin. Blasted into rubble by wartime bombings, it was bulldozed into a no man’s land when the Wall went up on its western edge. After reunification, it was transformed into the biggest building site in Europe, out of which emerged a glittering, hypermodern square dominated by such corporate giants as Daimler-Chrysler. It’s often cited as a symbol of the corporate culture of a reunited Germany.

Prenzlauerberg This former working-class neighborhood northeast of Berlin-Mitte morphed into the center of creativity in the 1990s. While it has mellowed out a bit, it is still one of Berlin’s hottest quarters and boasts a thriving nightlife, particularly along and around Kollwitzplatz and Kastanienallee. Trendy clothing boutiques and art galleries share sidewalks with hip restaurants and bars, and the area has a fairly prominent gay and lesbian scene. In clement weather, people-watching, with a Pilsener, at one of Prenzlauerberg’s many sidewalk cafes and restaurants is an entertaining way to spend an afternoon, and it won’t take long to comprehend why this is one of the most popular (and expensive) places for 20- and 30-somethings to live in Berlin.

Getting Around

By Public Transportation

The Berlin transport system consists of buses, trams, and U-Bahn (underground) and S-Bahn (elevated) trains. The network is run by the BVG, or Public Transport Company Berlin-Brandenburg. Public transportation throughout the city operates from about 4:30am to 1:30am daily (except for 68 night buses and trams, and U-Bahn lines U-9 and U-12). For information about public transport, call 030/19449, or visit www.bvg.de. For a plan of Berlin’s U-Bahn and S-Bahn system, see the inside front cover of this guide.

The BVG Einzelfahrschein (standard ticket) costs 2.10€ to 2.80€ and is valid for 2 hours of transportation in all directions, on all forms of public transport, transfers included. A 24-hour ticket for the entire city costs 6.10€ to 6.50€. Only standard tickets are sold on buses.

Tram tickets must be purchased in advance. All tickets should be kept until the end of the journey; otherwise, you’ll be liable for a fine of 40€. Unless you buy a day pass, don’t forget to time-punch your ticket into one of the small red boxes prominently posted at the entrance to city buses and underground stations. Standard tickets, valid for all public transport within the city of Berlin, are available at all BVG and S-Bahn and U-Bahn ticket counters.

If you’re going to be in Berlin for 3 days, you can purchase a 26€ Berlin-Potsdam Welcome Card, which entitles holders to 72 free hours on public transportation in Berlin and Brandenburg. You’ll also get free admission or a price reduction of up to 50% on sightseeing tours, museums, and other attractions, and a 25% reduction at 10 theaters as well. The card is sold at many hotels, visitor information centers, and public-transportation sales points. It’s valid for one adult and three children 13 and under.

Two excursion bus lines make some beautiful scenic spots accessible. Bus no. 218 operates from the Theodor-Heuss-Platz U-Bahn station (near the radio tower) via Schildhorn, Grunewald Tower, and Wannsee Beach to the Wannsee S-Bahn station, and bus no. 218 runs from the Wannsee S-Bahn station to Pfaueninsel.

By Taxi

Taxis cruise restlessly along the major boulevards, indicating their availability by an illuminated roof light. The meter begins ticking at 3.20€. Within the city center, each kilometer costs around 2€, depending on the time of day. Prolonged taxi rides that you arrange to distant suburbs are factored at a per-kilometer rate of 1.30€. Staff members at hotels and restaurants can easily summon a cab for you, in some cases simply by throwing a switch on their phone. Otherwise, dial 030/202020.

By Car

U.S. companies have outlets in Berlin. If possible, you should make reservations in advance. You’ll find Hertz at Berlin-Tegel Airport ( 030/41704674;www.hertz.com) and at Friedrichstrasse 50–55 ( 030/2424440). Avis is also at Berlin-Tegel ( 030/41013148;www.avis.com) and at Budapesterstrasse 41 ( 030/2309370).

If you can, avoid driving in Berlin, though. Traffic is heavy, and parking is difficult to come by. Use the excellent public transportation instead.

Parking If you’re driving into Berlin, chances are that you’ll want to safely store your car once you arrive. Many hotels offer parking facilities; otherwise, you’ll find parking garages that remain open throughout the day and night. Those located near the Ku’Damm and the Europa Center include the Parkhaus Metropol, Joachimstaler Strasse 14–19; Parkhaus Los-Angeles-Platz, Augsburger Strasse 30; Parkhaus Europa Center, Nürnberger Strasse 5–7; and Parkhaus am Zoo, Budapesterstrasse 38. Charges start at 3€ per hour.

CITY DRIVING One problem that often infuriates drivers in Berlin is that it’s almost impossible to turn left on major avenues (except at major intersections in the east) because of the positioning of metal barriers and tram lines. Oversize signs tell you to drive straight on. Drivers have to make a right-hand turn, swing around the block, and then proceed straight across the tram lines wherever a traffic light will allow.

In 2010, vehicles with high emissions of noxious substances were banned from the inner city of Berlin. Drivers must display an emission control sticker, called a Euro Class 4 green sticker, or else they will be banned. Cars not having this sticker will face a fine of 40€.

By Bicycle

Berlin marks biking trails along major streets, especially in the leafy neighborhoods of the former West Berlin. A bike is also ideal for exploring old East Berlin, a city still in redevelopment. One of the best companies for rentals is Fahrradstation, Auguststrasse 29A ( 030/22508070;www.fahrradstation.com; S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt), open Monday to Friday 10am to 7:30pm, and Saturday 10am to 6pm. A 24-hour rental costs 15€ to 30€.

Organized Tours

Walking Tours

For an excellent introduction to Berlin and its history, try one of the walking tours offered by Berlin Walks ( 030/3019194;www.berlinwalks.de). “Discover Berlin” is a 4-hour introductory tour that takes you past the New Synagogue, the Reichstag, and the Brandenburg Gate, among other major sites. It starts daily at 10am and 1:30pm (in winter at 10am only). “Infamous Third Reich Sites” focuses on the sites of major Nazi buildings in central Berlin, such as Goebbels’ Propaganda Ministry and Hitler’s New Reichschancellery. The Third Reich tour starts Tuesday and Thursday at 10am, Saturday at 10:30am, and Sunday at 10am. Tours are less frequent in the off season; call for times. “Jewish Life in Berlin” takes you through the prewar Jewish community; sights include the Old Cemetery and the former Boys’ School. The tour starts April to October Monday at 10am. One of the most intriguing tours is “Berlin—Nest of Spies,” which takes you to some of the most infamous sites associated with both the Nazis and the Communist takeover of East Germany. Lasting 4 hours, this tour is conducted April to October only on Saturday at 10am. For all tours, reservations are unnecessary—simply meet the guide, who will be wearing a Berlin Walks badge, outside the main entrance to Hackescher Markt station. Tours (in English) last from 2 1/2 to 6 hours, and cost 12€ for those 26 and over, 10€ for those 14 to 25, and free for children 13 and under (with an adult). Berlin Walks also offers a tour to Potsdam, starting every Sunday at 10am from May to September. “Discover Potsdam” lasts 5 to 6 hours, and costs 15€ for those 26 and over, 12€ for those 14 to 25, and free for children 13 and under.

safari Tours in That Sardine Can on Wheels

A trend devoted to Communist kitsch is sweeping this once-divided capital. Germans call it Ostalgie, meaning nostalgia for the East during the Cold War. They celebrate it as Americans do the ’50s. Years after the fall of the so-called German Democratic Republic, East Berlin is making a comeback. One social critic called it “a profound longing for a golden time that never was.” Some Berlin entrepreneurs are even offering self-guided “safari tours” in the Trabi, that “sardine can on wheels,” built in East German factories between 1955 and 1991. The car was constructed mostly of plastic. The “Trabi Safari” starts at BallonGarten, on Wilhelmstrasse, corner Zimmerstrasse (close to Checkpoint Charlie), costing from 30€ to 50€ per passenger for a tour that lasts 1 1/2 hours. You’re taken to the famous Cold War sites of East Berlin, most of which are off the beaten path. For reservations, call 030/27592273 or visit www.trabi-safari.de.

Bus Tours

Berlin is a sprawling metropolis with interesting neighborhoods that are often separated by extended areas of parks, monumental boulevards, and Cold War wastelands. Because of these factors, organized bus tours can be the best way to navigate the city.

Some of the best are operated by Severin+Kühn, Kurfürstendamm 216 ( 030/8804190;www.severin-kuehn-berlin.de; U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm), located on the second floor of a building across from the Kempinski Hotel. This agency offers a half-dozen tours of Berlin and its environs. Their 2-hour “Berlin Classic Live Tour” departs April to October daily at 10am. Tickets cost 20€ per person. The tour passes 14 important stops in Berlin, including the Europa Center, the Brandenburg Gate, and Potsdamer Platz; provides taped audio commentary in eight languages; and offers the option of getting on and off the bus at any point during the hour. Retain your ticket stub to reboard the bus.

One of the more intriguing tours visits Potsdam, site of the famed World War II conference and of Sanssouci Palace, former residence of Friedrich the Great. The price is 39€ per person. Departures are Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 10am; May and October, there are additional departures Friday to Sunday at 2:15pm.

Boat Tours

It may not be the obvious choice for transportation in Berlin, but a boat ride can offer visitors a good change of pace. The networks of canals that bisect the plains of what used to be known as Prussia were an engineering marvel when they were completed in the 19th century. Today, transport through the lakes, locks, and canals around Berlin retains its nostalgic allure and affords unusual vistas that aren’t available from the windows of more conventional modes of transport. Berliners boast that their city has more bridges than Venice. Local waterways include the Spree and Havel rivers—ranging in size from narrow channels to large lakes—as well as many canals. You can take short tours that offer close-up views of the city or daylong adventures along the Spree and Havel; the latter often turn into beer-drinking fests.

The city’s best-known boat operator is Stern und Kreisschiffahrt, Pushkinallee 15 ( 030/5363600;www.sternundkreis.de). Since Germany’s reunification, this company has absorbed the piers and ferryboats of several of its former East German counterparts. The resulting entity is ready and able to take you on waterborne cruises that incorporate sights that were once restricted to Berlin’s eastern zone.

The most popular of the cruises, “Historische Stadtfahrt,” takes you for a 1-hour ride along the banks of the Spree, the river that helped build Berlin. Departing at 30-minute intervals March to October daily between 10:30am and 5pm, they take in river-fronting views of the city’s central core, beginning at a point in the Nikolaiviertel, close to Berlin’s imposing 19th-century cathedral, on the Am Palast Ufer (U-Bahn: Nikolaiviertel).

More comprehensive are the 4-hour tours along the River Spree and some of its canals. Originating at the Treptow quays (S-Bahn: Treptow Park), they depart late March to October daily at 9:45am and again at 2pm. These trips offer good views of the exteriors of the Reichstag, the Pergamonmuseum, the Königliche Bibliothek (Royal Library), and the monumental heart of what used to be known as East Berlin.

Tours depart from the Jannowitz Brücke (U-Bahn: Jannowitz Brücke). Reservations are usually necessary for all boat rides described above. Rides operate only from late March to late October, depending on the tour, although there might be a special river tour offered around Christmas if demand warrants. Tours lasting 1 hour cost 9€ per person; tours lasting 4 hours cost 18€ per person. Students and children between the ages of 6 and 15 receive discounts of 50%, and children 5 and under ride for free. Prices and actual itineraries change seasonally; call for more details.

Berlin

Business Hours Most banks are open Monday to Friday 9am to either 1 or 3pm. Most other businesses and stores are open Monday to Friday 9 or 10am to either 6 or 6:30pm and Saturday 9am to 4pm. Some stores close late on Thursday (usually 8:30pm).

Currency Exchange You can exchange money at all airports, major department stores, and any bank.

Dentists & Doctors The tourist office (see “Visitor Information,” earlier in this chapter) keeps a list of English-speaking dentists and doctors in Berlin. In case of a medical emergency, call 030/310031. For a dental emergency, call 030/89004333.

Drugstores If you need a pharmacy (Apotheke) at night, go to one on any corner. There you’ll find a sign in the window giving the address of the nearest drugstore open at night; such posting is required by law. A central pharmacy is AlexAApotheke, Grunerstrasse 20 ( 030/27581640; U-Bahn: Alexanderplatz). It’s open Monday to Friday 9am to 10pm and Saturday 10am to 10pm.

Embassies & Consulates See "Planning Your Trip to Germany".

Emergencies To call the police, dial 110. To report a fire or to summon an ambulance, dial 112.

Hospitals Hotel employees are usually familiar with the locations of the nearest hospital emergency room. In an emergency, call 112 for an ambulance.

Hot Lines If you’re the victim of rape or sexual assault, call LARA, Tempelhoferufer 14 ( 030/2168888;www.lara-berlin.de). For problems relating to drug use or drug addiction, call the drug help line at 030/19237. Gays seeking legal or health-related advice should call Maneo ( 030/2163336). Gays can also call Mann-o-Meter ( 030/2168008;www.mann-o-meter.de) for information about anything to do with gay life or gay events in Berlin or the rest of Germany. All of the above are staffed with some English speakers.

Internet Access Try Netlounge, Auguststrasse 89 ( 030/24342597;www.netlounge-berlin.de), open daily noon to midnight. It charges 2.50€ per hour. Take the U-Bahn to Oranienburger Strasse. If you have your own device, a large number of cafes and casual restaurants offer free Wi-Fi when you purchase a beverage—look for the universal Wi-Fi symbol or ask if there is access.

Laundry & Dry Cleaning Deluxe and first-class hotels offer laundry service, but prices tend to be high. You’ll find laundromats (Wascherei) and dry cleaning outlets (Reiningung) all over town. Ask at your hotel for options.

Lost Property For items lost on the bus or U-Bahn, go to BVG Fündbüro, Potsdamerstrasse 180–182 ( 030/19449; U-Bahn: Kleistpark); it’s open Monday to Thursday 9am to 6pm and Friday 9am to 2pm. For items lost on the S-Bahn, go to S-Bahn Berlin GmbH, Invalidenstrasse 19 ( 030/29743333;www.s-bahn-berlin.de; U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse), Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday 10am to 4pm, Tuesday 10am to 6pm, or Friday 8am to noon. The general lost-property office, Zentrales Fündbüro, is at Platz der Luftbrücke 6 ( 030/75603101; U-Bahn: Platz der Luftbrücke). Hours are Monday and Tuesday 8am to 3pm, Thursday 1 to 6pm, and Friday 8am to noon.

Post Office You’ll find post offices scattered throughout Berlin, with particularly large branches positioned at Bahnhof Zoo, Hardenbergplatz (U-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten), Tegel and Schönefeld airports, the Hauptbahnhof (main railway station), and in the town center at Joachimstalerstrasse 10. With a limited number of exceptions, most post offices in Germany are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm and Saturday from 8am to 1pm. None of them receives direct telephone calls from the public, but if you’re interested in postal rates and procedures, call 0180/23333, or click on www.deutschepost.de. Unlike the old days, German post offices no longer offer the use of pay telephones for long-distance calls and no longer send international telegrams. (A limited number, however, offer telegram service for destinations within Germany.) When you enter a German post office, know in advance that the yellow-painted windows are for issues about the mail and that the blue-painted windows are for issues associated with money orders and banking rituals. If you just want to buy a stamp for mailing a letter, it’s usually more convenient to buy it at any of thousands of small stores, newsstands, or tobacco shops throughout the country that stock them.

Safety One unfortunate side effect of reunification has been an increase in muggings, bank robberies, hate crimes, and car break-ins. Residents of Berlin sometimes feel unsafe at night, especially in the dimly lit streets of Kreuzberg. Nonetheless, Berlin is still much safer than most large American cities. In case of a robbery or an attack, report the problem immediately to the police. You’ll need a police report for any insurance claims.

Taxis See “Getting Around,” earlier.

Toilets A restroom is called a Toilette and is often labeled WC, with either F (for Frauen, “women”) or H (for Herren, “men”). Public facilities are found throughout Berlin and at all terminals, including the Europa Center on Tauentzienstrasse. It’s customary to tip attendants at least 1€.

Water The tap water in Berlin, as in all German cities, is safe to drink. However, most Berliners prefer to ask for bottled water, either carbonated or noncarbonated.

Exploring Berlin

Charlottenburg Attractions

Berlin-Mitte Attractions

Sightseeing Suggestions for First-Time Visitors

If You Have 1 Day Get up early and visit the Brandenburg Gate, symbol of Berlin, and then walk down Unter den Linden and have coffee and a pastry at one of the cafes along the edges off this boulevard. Visit the Gemäldegalerie to see some of the world’s greatest masterpieces. Afterward, go explore Schloss Charlottenburg, one of the finest examples of baroque architecture in Germany. In the evening, walk along the Kurfürstendamm, visit the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, and dine in a local restaurant.

If You Have 2 Days On Day 2, visit the Pergamonmuseum on Museum Island; be sure to see the Pergamon Altar. You can also visit the Neues Museum to gaze upon the celebrated bust of Queen Nefertiti. Explore the National Gallery and the Jewish Museum, and then head for Alexanderplatz. Take the elevator up for a view from its TV Tower.

If You Have 3 Days On Day 3, go to Potsdam (see “A Side Trip: Potsdam & Its Palaces,” later in this chapter).

If You Have 4 or 5 Days On Day 4, take a walk through the restored Nikolai Quarter. In the afternoon return to Charlottenburg Palace and explore the Historical Apartments, and in the evening visit the Europa Center for drinks and dinner. On Day 5, see some of the sights you might have missed. Take some walks through Berlin and stop at the Cold War’s Checkpoint Charlie, with its museum. If time remains, visit the Berlin Zoo, stroll through the Tiergarten, and attend a cabaret in the evening.

art collections & World War II

The great art collections of old Berlin suffered during and after World War II. Although many paintings were saved by being stored in salt mines, many larger works were destroyed by fire. Part of the surviving art stayed in the east, including a wealth of ancient treasures that remind us of the leading role played by German archaeologists during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The paintings that turned up in the west, and were passed from nation to nation in the late 1940s, have nearly all been returned to Berlin.

The Best sightseeing Deal

The CityTourCard gives you free entry to more than 50 museums in Berlin, a free trip up the Fernsehturm (Television Tower), and reduced fare on BVG tours. The card is sold at all BVG and S-Bahn (urban rail) ticket counters and at some 200 hotels, and it’s also available from automatic vending machines run by the BVG. Ticket holders may take children ages 5 and younger free. The cost is 24€ for 72 hours. For more information, visit www.citytourcard.com.

Charlottenburg

A Day in charlottenburg

Charlottenburg—which lies just west of the Tiergarten—contains enough attractions to easily fill an entire day; the area contains several museums as well as the royal apartments. After seeing the main sights, you can enjoy a ramble through Schlossgarten Charlottenburg. These formal gardens look much as they did in the 18th century. A grove of cypresses leads to a lake with swans and other waterfowl.

North of the palace stands the Mausoleum, which holds the tombs of King Friedrich Wilhelm II and Queen Luise—sculpted by Rauch—as well as several other interesting funerary monuments of the Prussian royal family.

Bröhan Museum MUSEUM This wonderful museum specializes in decorative objects of the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) and Art Deco periods (1889–1939), with exquisite vases, glass, furniture, silver, paintings of artists belonging to the Berlin Secession, and other works of art, arranged in drawing room fashion, including an outstanding porcelain collection.

Schlossstrasse 1a. 030/32690600.www.broehan-museum.de. Admission 6€ adults, 4€ students, free for children 12 and under. Tues–Sun 10am–6pm. U-Bahn: Sophie-Charlotte-Platz. Bus: 109 or 309 to Schloss Charlottenburg.

Die Sammlung Berggruen: Picasso und Seine Zeit (The Berggruen Collection: Picasso and His Era) ★ MUSEUM One of the most unusual private museums in Berlin has accumulated the awesome collection of respected art and antiques dealer Heinz Berggruen. A native of Berlin who fled the Nazis in 1936, he later established antiques dealerships in Paris and California before returning, with his collection, to his native home in 1996. The setting is a renovated former army barracks designed by noted architect August Stüler in 1859. Although most of the collection is devoted to Picasso, there are also works by Cézanne, Braque, Klee, and van Gogh. Some 60 or more works in all, the Picasso collection alone is worth the trip, ranging from his teenage efforts to all of his major periods.

Schlossstrasse 1. 030/3269580.www.smb.museum.de. Admission 8€ adults, 4€ students and children. Tues–Sun 10am–6pm. U-Bahn: Richard-Wagner-Platz, followed by a 10-min. walk. Bus: 129, 145, or 210.

Olympiastadion PARK Built in 1936 by Werner March for the XI Summer Olympic Games, the Olympiastadion, which seats 100,000 people, was the first in Europe to supply all the facilities necessary for modern sports. Hitler expected to see his “master race” run off with all the medals in the 1936 Olympics, but his hopes were dashed when an African American, Jesse Owens, took four golds for the U.S. team.

The stadium area covers a total of 136 hectares (336 acres), but the main attraction is the arena. The playing field in its center lies 14m (46 ft.) below ground level. For a panoramic view of Berlin, take the elevator to the top of the 80m (262-ft.) platform, where the Olympic bell hangs. Sporting or cultural events are still presented here about once a week during spring, summer, and autumn. For ticket sales and information for sporting events within the stadium, call the Herta-Berlin Soccer Club (Herta-BSC) at 030/3009280. For information about the occasional live concerts, call Conzert Concept at 030/810750.

Olympischer Platz 3. 030/30688100.www.olympiastadion-berlin.de. Admission 4€ adults, 3€ children 5 and under. Mar–Oct daily 10am–7pm; Nov–Feb daily 9am–4pm. U-Bahn: Olympia-Stadion.

Schloss Charlottenburg ★★ HISTORIC BUILDING Schloss Charlottenburg, one of the finest examples of baroque architecture in Germany, was built by Sophie Charlotte. This beautiful and intelligent woman, a patron of philosophy and the arts, was the wife of Friedrich III, elector of Brandenburg, who, on January 18, 1701, crowned himself Friedrich I, “King in Prussia.” He dared not call himself “King of Prussia” because some parts of Prussia were still dominated by Poland. He nearly bankrupted the state with his extravagant ways.

The residence was begun as a summer palace but got out of hand, eventually growing into the massive structure you see today. When you pass through the heavy iron gates and enter the courtyard, you’ll immediately encounter a baroque equestrian statue of Friedrich I himself, by Andreas Schlüter. The main entrance to the palace is directly behind, marked by the 48m (157-ft.) cupola capped by a gilded statue of Fortune. Inside, you’ll find a columned rotunda with stucco reliefs depicting the virtues of Prussian princes in mythological terms. From this vestibule, you can take guided tours of the Historical Apartments. English translations of the guide’s lecture are sold at the ticket counter.

The main wing of the palace contains the apartments of Friedrich and his “philosopher queen.” Of special interest in this section is the Reception Chamber. This large room is decorated with frieze panels, vaulted ceilings, and mirror-paneled niches. The tapestries on the walls (1730) are based on Plutarch’s Lives; included are such classical scenes as Pericles in battle and the sacrifice of Theseus on Delos. At the far end of the west wing is the Porcelain Chamber, containing a fine collection of Chinese porcelain.

The Knobelsdorff-Flügel Wing, built from 1740 to 1746, contains the apartments of Friedrich the Great. Today, these rooms serve as a museum of paintings, many of which were collected or commissioned by the king—the finest are on the upper floor. Works by Watteau include The Trade Sign of the Art Dealer Gersaint, purchased by Friedrich in 1745 for the palace’s music hall. Also note the decoration on the walls and ceilings.

At the far eastern end of the Schloss is the Schinkel Pavillon, a summer house in the Italian style. Karl Friedrich Schinkel, the leading architect of the day, constructed this villa in 1825. Today, it holds a small but noteworthy museum, containing paintings, drawings, and sketches from the early 1800s. Some of the sketches are by Schinkel himself, who was both an architect and an artist.

At the far end of Schlossgarten Charlottenburg is the Belvedere, close to the Spree River. This former royal teahouse contains exquisite Berlin porcelain, much of it from the 1700s.

Luisenplatz. 030/32091275.www.spsg.de. Combined ticket for all buildings and historical rooms 12€ adults, 9€ students and children 13 and under. Palace Tues–Fri 9am–4pm, Sat–Sun 10am–4pm; museum Tues–Fri 10am–6pm; gardens (free admission) daily 6:30am–8pm (Nov–Feb until 6pm). U-Bahn: Richard-Wagner-Platz. Bus: 145 or 204.

Around the Tiergarten

Tiergarten Area Attractions

Bauhaus-Archiv Museum für Gestaltung (Bauhaus Design Museum) MUSEUM The Bauhaus Museum houses a permanent exhibition of photos and architectural designs relating to the Bauhaus school. Even if you’re not a student of architecture, this museum is fascinating; it will bring you closer to the ideas and concepts that inspired modern design.

Klingelhöferstrasse 14. 030/2540020.www.bauhaus.de. Admission Sat–Mon 7€ adults, 4€ children 11 and under; Wed–Fri 6€ adults, 3€ children 11 and under. Daily 10am–6pm (Thurs until 10pm). U-Bahn: Nollendorfplatz.

Erotik-Museum MUSEUM This “museum” lies on the corner of the seediest-looking block in Berlin. You start out on the third floor and work your way down. Believe it or not, this is now Berlin’s fifth-most visited museum. The museum shelters some 5,000 sexual artifacts from around the world, including many Indian and Asian miniatures of erotic positions, even large carved phalli from Bali, along with such relics as African fertility masks. Life-size dioramas explore such topics as S&M and fetishism. There are some Chinese wedding tiles from the 18th and 19th centuries that were supposed to provide sexual education to a newly married couple. The museum in its exhibits also honors the “queen of the Rubber Willy” herself, Beate Uhse, a household name in Germany until her death in 2001. Her life is documented from her Luftwaffe days to pictures of her at the helm of a large speedboat. This septuagenarian opened the world’s first shop devoted to “marital hygiene,” ultimately championing the right to sell contraceptives, and headed the world’s largest sex-related merchandising business. Downstairs are video cabins filled with middle-aged men in raincoats and a “sex superstore.”

Joachimstaler Strasse 4. 030/8860666.www.erotikmuseum.de. Admission 10€ before noon, 14€ after noon. No children 17 or under. Mon–Sat 9am–midnight; Sun 11am–midnight. U-Bahn or S-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten.

Holocaust Memorial

Although it’s colloquially referred to as the Holocaust Memorial, you might call it “concrete memory.” A few hundred yards from Checkpoint Charlie, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Stiftung Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas) now occupies a vast site in the center of Berlin, with 2,711 gravestone-like columns. Located in the former East Berlin, just south of the Brandenburg Gate, the memorial was opened on May 10, 2005, 2 days after the 60th anniversary of V-E Day, signaling the ending of World War II in Europe. The official address is Stresemannstrasse 90 ( 030/26394336;www.stiftung-denkmal.de). The memorial lies at the edge of the Grosser Tiergarten between Ebertstrasse and Wilhelmstrasse. Take the S-Bahn to Unter den Linden. Admission is free.

Peter Eisenman was the architect who designed the controversial site, filled with claustrophobic pathways through the slabs, some of which are 4.5m (15 ft.) long. The American architect deliberately placed many of the dark gray slabs, with their knife-sharp edges, off-kilter, evoking tombstones in an unkempt graveyard. Wandering through the memorial is like getting lost in a maze. James Young, a professor at the University of Massachusetts, called it “the Venus flytrap of Holocaust memorials.”

Under heavy guard, the memorial is open 24 hours a day. Underneath the monument are four large rooms containing exhibits that document Nazi crimes against humanity.

Filmmuseum Berlin ★ MUSEUM A thematic and chronological tour through the saga of the much-troubled German cinema is on show here. The link between Berlin and Hollywood is one of the main focuses of the collection, which is supplemented with special exhibitions. Currently, the museum also owns some 9,000 German and foreign films, both silents and talkies. The collection here includes a million stills of scenes, portraits, and productions, along with 30,000 screenplays, 20,000 posters, and 60,000 film programs. Germany’s only world-class star, Marlene Dietrich, comes alive again in one wing. Berlin acquired part of her extensive estate of memorabilia in 1993. On display are such costumes as her famous “naked” pearl dress, which gave the illusion of transparency, and the swan’s-down coat designed by Jean Louis. Photos, costumes, props, letters, and documents recall the remarkable life of this diva, who startled the world with her performance in Josef von Sternberg’s Der Blaue Engel in 1930. Highlights of other films include props from Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari, the most famous German film of the Weimar Republic. One room is devoted to the controversial Leni Riefenstahl, the star director of the fascist era, whose key films Triumph des Willens and Olympia established her as one of the world’s major filmmakers and the leading exponent of Nazi propaganda.

Potsdamer Strasse 2. 030/30090372.www.filmmuseum-berlin.de. Admission 6€ adults; 4.50€ students, seniors, and children 15 and under. Tues–Sun 10am–6pm (Thurs until 8pm). U-Bahn or S-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz.

Gemäldegalerie (Portrait Gallery) ★★★ MUSEUM This is one of Germany’s greatest art museums. Several rooms are devoted to early German masters, with panels from altarpieces dating from the 13th to the 15th century. Note the panel, The Virgin Enthroned with Child (1350), surrounded by angels that resemble the demons in the works of Hieronymus Bosch. Eight paintings make up the Dürer collection, including several portraits.

Most of the great European masters are represented. The Italian collection contains five Raphael Madonnas, along with works by Titian (The Girl with a Bowl of Fruit), Fra Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, and Correggio (Leda with the Swan). There are early Netherlandish paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries (van Eyck, van der Weyden, Bosch, and Bruegel) as well. Several galleries are devoted to 17th-century Flemish and Dutch masters, with no fewer than 15 works by Rembrandt, such as his famous Head of Christ. The Man with the Golden Helmet, long famous as a priceless Rembrandt, was proven in 1986 to be by another hand. This remarkable painting is now accepted as a fine independent original.

Stauffenbergstrasse (entrance is at Mattäiskirchplatz 4). 030/20905555.www.smb.spk-berlin.de/gg. Admission 8€ adults, 4€ students, free for children 16 and under. Tues–Sun 10am–6pm (Thurs until 10pm). U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz. Bus: 200 or 347.

Kaiser-Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church) CHURCH There is no more evocative site in the western sector of Berlin to remind us of the horrors of war. The massive red-sandstone church that originally stood here was dedicated in 1895 as a memorial to Kaiser Wilhelm II. In 1945, during the closing months of World War II, a bomb dropped by an Allied plane blasted it to pieces, leaving only a few gutted walls and the shell of the neo-Romanesque bell tower. After the war, West Berliners decided to leave the artfully evocative ruins as a reminder of the era’s suffering and devastation. In 1961, directly at the base of the ruined building, they erected a small-scale modern church designed by Egon Eierman. Always irreverent, Berliners, noting the avant-garde architecture and geometric design of the new church, nicknamed it “the lipstick and powder box.” Its octagonal hall is lit solely by thousands of colored glass windows set into a honeycomb framework. On its premises, you can visit a small museum with exhibitions and photographs documenting the history of the original church and the destructive ravages of war. The new church can hold up to 1,200 worshipers, and 10-minute religious services—conceived for office workers heading home—are held there every day at 5:30 and 6pm. Between June and August, English-language services are conducted daily at 9am, and free organ concerts are presented here every Saturday year-round at 6pm.

Breitscheidplatz. 030/2185023.www.gedaechtniskirche-berlin.de. Free admission. Ruined church Mon–Sat 10am–4pm; new church daily 9am–6pm. U-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten or Kurfürstendamm.

Käthe-Kollwitz-Museum ★ MUSEUM This museum has been called a personalized revolt against the agonies of war. Many works express the sorrow of wartime separation of mother and child, inspired in part by the artist’s loss of a son in World War I and a grandson during World War II. Berlin-born Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945) was an ardent pacifist and socialist whose works were banned by the Nazis. The first woman ever elected to the Prussian Academy of the Arts, she resigned her position in 1933 to protest Hitler’s rise to power. Her husband, Karl Kollwitz, was a physician who chose to practice among the poor on a working-class street (now called Kollwitzstrasse). In 1943, Allied bombing drove Käthe to the countryside near Dresden, where she died in 1945 while a guest of the former royal family of Saxony in its castle at Moritzburg.

The lower floors of the museum are devoted to woodcuts and lithographs, the upper floors to particularly poignant sculptures. Note: The collection is closed twice a year for special exhibits.

Fasanenstrasse 24. 030/8825210.www.kaethe-kollwitz.de. Admission 6€ adults, 3€ students and children. Daily 11am–6pm. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm or Uhlandstrasse. Bus: 109, 110, 204, or 249.

Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of Applied Arts) MUSEUM This museum displays applied arts and crafts from the Middle Ages through the 20th century. Its outstanding exhibition is the Guelph Treasure, a collection of medieval church articles in gold and silver. The basement rooms show contemporary design from the Bauhaus school to Charles Eames and Memphis. Venetian glass, Italian majolica, German Renaissance goldsmiths’ work, and 18th-century porcelain figurines are also displayed. Notable are such Art Nouveau works as a translucent opal-and-enamel box by Eugène Feuillâtre. A cafeteria inside is open from 10am to 4:30pm.

Mattäiskirchplatz (opposite the Philharmonie), Tiergartenstrasse 6. 030/2662902.www.smb.spk-berlin.de. Admission 8€ adults, 4€ students, free for children 16 and under. Tues–Fri 10am–6pm; Sat–Sun 11am–6pm. U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz. Bus: 129 from Ku‘Damm to Potsdamer Brücke.

Museum für Gegenwart Hamburger Bahnhof MUSEUM This Museum of Contemporary Art opened in 1996 north of the Spree River in the old Hamburger Bahnhof, the oldest train station in Berlin. The structure was the terminus of the 290km (180-mile) train run from Hamburg. Today, the 19th-century station no longer receives trains but is a premier storehouse of postwar art, a sort of Musée d’Orsay of Berlin. Traces of its former function are still evident, including the high roof designed for steam engines. The modern art on display is some of the finest in Germany; the nucleus of the collection was donated by the Berlin collector Erich Marx (no relation to Karl). You can view everything from Andy Warhol’s now-legendary Mao to an audiovisual Joseph Beuys archive. The museum houses one of the best collections of the work of Cy Twombly in the world because the curator, Heiner Bastian, was once his assistant. Other works are by Rauschenberg, Lichtenstein, and Dan Flavin. Beuys is also represented by 450 drawings.

Invalidenstrasse 50–51. 030/39873411.www.hamburgerbahnhof.de. Admission 8€ adults, 4€ students, free for children 16 and under. Tues–Fri and Sun 10am–6pm; Sat 11am–8pm. U-Bahn: Zinnowitzer Strasse; S-Bahn: Lehrter Bahnhof. Bus: 123, 147, 240, or 245.

Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery) ★ MUSEUM In its modern glass-and-steel home designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969), the Neue Nationalgalerie is a sequel of sorts to the art at Dahlem. It contains a continually growing collection of modern European and American art. You’ll find works of 19th-century artists, with a concentration on French Impressionists. German art starts with Adolph von Menzel’s paintings from about 1850. The 20th-century collection includes works by Max Beckmann and Edvard Munch and E. L. Kirchner’s Brandenburger Tor (1929), as well as paintings by Bacon, Picasso, Ernst, Klee, and American artists such as Barnett Newman. There’s food service in the cafe on the ground floor, open 10:30am to 5:45pm when the museum is open.

Potsdamerstrasse 50 (just south of the Tiergarten). 030/2662651.www.neue-nationalgalerie.de. Admission 10€ adults, 5€ students, free for children 16 and under. Tues–Sun 10am–6pm (Thurs until 10pm). S-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz; U-Bahn: Mendelssohn-Bartholdy-Park.

Schöneberg Rathaus HISTORIC BUILDING This former political and administrative center of West Berlin is of special interest to Americans. It was the scene of John F. Kennedy’s memorable (if grammatically shaky) “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech on June 26, 1963. Berliners have renamed the square around the building the John-F.-Kennedy-Platz. From the 72m (236-ft.) tower, a Liberty Bell replica is rung every day at noon. Most visitors come here to climb the tower for a panoramic view of Berlin. This Freedom Bell, a gift from the American people in 1950, symbolized U.S. support for the West Berliners during the Cold War. The document chamber contains a testimonial bearing the signatures of 17 million Americans who gave their moral support to the struggle.

John-F.-Kennedy-Platz. 030/75600. Free admission. Rathaus daily 10am–6pm; tower daily 10am–5pm. Tower closed Nov–Mar. U-Bahn: Rathaus Schöneberg.

The Story of Berlin MUSEUM This multimedia extravaganza portrays 8 centuries of the city’s history through photos, films, sounds, and colorful displays. Beginning with the founding of Berlin in 1237, it chronicles the plague, the Thirty Years’ War, Friedrich the Great’s reign, military life, the Industrial Revolution and the working poor, the Golden 1920s, World War II, divided Berlin during the Cold War, and the fall of the Wall. Lights flash in a media blitz as you enter the display on the fall of the Wall, making you feel like one of the first East Berliners to wonderingly cross to the West. Conclude your tour on the 14th floor with a panoramic view over today’s Berlin. Allow at least 2 hours to see the museum. Though the displays are a bit jarring and the historical information is too jumbled to be truly educational, the museum does leave a lasting impression.

Ku’Damm-Karree, Kurfürstendamm 207–208 (at the corner of Uhlandstrasse). 030/88720100.www.story-of-berlin.de. Admission 10€ adults, 8€ students, 5€ children 6–13, 23€ family ticket. Daily 10am–8pm (you must enter by 6pm). U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse.

Frommer’s favorite Berlin Experiences

Strolling Along Unter den Linden and the Kurfürstendamm. You can’t know Berlin until you’ve strolled the Ku’Damm, that glossy, store-lined showcase of Western capitalism, or Unter den Linden, the Prussian centerpiece of the Berlin-Mitte district.

Kneipen Crawling. This is the Berlin version of pub crawling. Whether you want breakfast or a beer at 4am, there’s always a Kneipe waiting for you, no matter what neighborhood you’re in.

Looking for a Touch of Culture. The baton of the late Herbert von Karajan is no longer raised, but the Berlin Philharmonic is still one of the world’s leading orchestras.

Wandering the Nikolai Quarter. A symbol of Berlin’s desire to bounce back after war damage, this charming 16th-century neighborhood has been completely rebuilt. Period taverns and churches make it ideal for a leisurely stroll down narrow streets illuminated by gas lanterns.

Picnicking in the Tiergarten. What better place for a picnic than the former hunting grounds of the Prussian electors? Wander through this 167-hectare (413-acre) park until you find the ideal spot, but first stop off at Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe; ), a sixth-floor food emporium at Wittenbergplatz, 20 minutes away, for the makings of a memorable meal.

Café-Hopping in Prenzlauer Berg. One of the first neighborhoods in Berlin’s former East to gentrify and become popular, this trendy neighborhood is chock-full of prime spots to people-watch and relax Berlin style.

Berlin-Mitte

Exploring Berlin-Mitte

It’s hard to know where to begin in Berlin-Mitte: this area is chock-full of sights, including the Museumsinsel (Museum Island), home cluster of the capital’s top five museums. The area is also huge—so don’t let that map fool you. Meandering from one end to the next would take you all day. But meander you should—in fact, the best street for strolling in eastern Berlin is the famous Unter den Linden, beginning at Brandenburg Gate.

Alexanderplatz, named for Russian Czar Alexander I, was the center of activity in the old East Berlin. This square has brightened considerably since reunification, though aesthetically speaking it’s got a long way to go. Neon lights and bright murals now coexist alongside the dull and fading GDR-era structures, while street musicians and small markets give the area new life.

The massive 368m (1,207-ft.) Fernsehturm (TV Tower; 030/2423333;www.berlinerfernsehturm.de) on Alexanderplatz is the highest structure in Germany. It’s worthwhile to take the 40-second elevator ride to the observation platform, 204m (669 ft.) above the city. From this isolated vantage, you can clearly distinguish most landmarks, and on the floor above, you can enjoy cake and coffee in the revolving Tele-Café. The elevator to the top costs 10€ for adults and 5.50€ students and children. The tower is open daily March to October 9am to midnight and November to February daily 10am to midnight.

At the foot of the Fernsehturm stands Berlin’s second-oldest church, the brick Gothic Marienkirche (St. Mary’s Church), Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 8 ( 030/2424467), dating from the 15th century. Inside you can see the painting Der Totentanz (The Dance of Death), painted in 1475 and then discovered in 1860 beneath a layer of whitewash in the church’s entrance hall. Also worth seeing is the marble baroque pulpit carved by Andreas Schlüter (1703). The cross on the top of the church annoyed the Communist rulers of the former East Germany—its golden form was always reflected in the windows of the Fernsehturm. The church is open Monday to Thursday 10am to noon and 1 to 6pm, Friday to Sunday noon to 4pm.

At Rosenthaler Strasse 40–41, the trendy rebuilt Hackesche Höfe has risen from the ashes of World War II to become a chic place for dining, drinking, going to the theater, or patronizing fashionable boutiques and art galleries. Originally these Hacke warehouses were constructed beginning in 1905 as shining examples of Berlin’s take on Art Nouveau industrial architecture. Heavily damaged in Allied bombing raids, all nine interconnecting courtyards are new again, with shiny white tiles interspersed with Moorish mosaic designs. Also at this location are a theater and a movie house.

Berliner Dom CHURCH The cathedral of Berlin took some devastating hits in the British bombardments of 1940, but it was restored to some of its former glory in the postwar decades, reopening in 1993. Unlike many European capitals where the cathedral is among the top two or three attractions, here you can safely miss Berlin’s Dom without feeling cultural deprivation. That said, the best way to get an overview of this 19th-century cathedral is from the Dome Gallery ★, reached after climbing 270 steps. From here, you get a good glimpse of the Dom’s ceiling and the rest of its much-restored neo-classist interior. Its most notable features include a wall altar with the Twelve Apostles by Karl Friedrich Schinkel and the magnificent Sauer organ containing 7,000 pipes.

The stained-glass windows are especially stunning, depicting such scenes as the Resurrection, as symbolized by an angel holding a palm branch. The tombstones of Prussian royals are displayed in the crypt, the most impressive tombs being those of Friedrich I and his queen, Sophie Charlotte. Tip: The best time to visit is during one of the organ concerts, conducted year-round, usually on Saturday at 6pm. An announcement is printed within the church listing hours of all ecclesiastical and musical events.

In the Lustgarten, Museumsinsel. 030/20269136.www.berliner-dom.de. Admission 5€ adults, 3€ students and seniors, free for children 13 and under. Mon–Sat 9am–8pm; Sun noon–8pm (until 7pm in winter). S-Bahn: Alexanderplatz or Hackescher Markt.

Berlinische Galerie MUSEUM Modern art, photography, and architectural models from 1870 to the present day are sheltered under one roof here in a museum that displays everything from the satirical portraits of George Grosz to the works of Dadaists. The collection of fine art alone comprises some 5,000 works, mostly paintings, including everything from the Berlin Secession movement to abstract expressionism. Since reunification, a number of works were acquired from artists in eastern Berlin. The Collection of Graphic Art offers some 15,000 works, including the complete printed graphic works of Otto Dix. The Photographic Collection ranges from early daguerreotypes to 21st-century works. Some 300,000 plans and drawings, plus some 2,500 architectural models, form the Architecture Collection.

Alte Jakobstrasse 124–128. 030/78902600. Admission 6€. Wed–Mon 10am–6pm. U-Bahn: Kochstrasse.

Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate) ★★ MONUMENT This triumphal arch—now restored—stands in the very heart of Berlin and once was the symbol of the divided city. In the heyday of East Germany, the structure was integrated into the Berlin Wall, which followed a north-south axis as it made its wicked way to the Potsdamer Platz. Six Doric columns hold up an entablature that was inspired by the Propylaea of the Parthenon at Athens. Surrounded by the famous and much-photographed Quadriga of Gottfried Schadow from 1793, the gate was designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans in 1789. Napoleon liked the original Quadriga so much he ordered them taken down and shipped to Paris, but they were returned to Berlin in 1814. In Berlin’s heyday before World War II, the gate marked the grand western extremity of the “main street,” Unter den Linden. In the Room of Silence, built into one of the guardhouses, visitors still gather to meditate and reflect on Germany’s past.

Unter den Linden. Free admission. Room of Silence daily 10am–6pm. S-Bahn: Unter den Linden. Bus: 100.

Night of shame

Best visited at night, as it is more evocative then, Bebelplatz is a square along Unter den Linden, in Berlin-Mitte, approached just before you reach Staatsoper. Located here is an eloquent memorial to the notorious Nazi book burning that took place on the night of May 10, 1933. Through a window set in the pavement, you can look below to a small library lined with empty bookshelves. Some 25,000 books were burned, all by authors considered enemies of the Third Reich. Nearby is a plaque with the prophetic words of the poet Heinrich Heine. In 1820 he wrote, “Where books are burned, in the end people will burn.”

The Heartbeat of Berlin

The Potsdamer Platz Arcades contain 140 specialty shops, restaurants, and cafes, inviting you to shop and relax in a civilized urban atmosphere. One of the most visited attractions at the center is the Sony Center am Potsdamer Platz ( 030/2575500;www.sonycenter.de), with two cinemas—the CineStar Multiplex and the CineStar IMAX 3-D. The 10-story office building offers a panoramic view that embraces the Philharmonie, the Kulturforum, and the Tiergarten. Around Marlene-Dietrich-Platz, prominent companies offer an entire range of leisure and entertainment facilities. They include the Berlin IMAX-Theater, the Stella Musical-Theater, the Grand Hyatt Hotel, the Madison City Suites, the Berlin Casino, and the Cine-Max cinema center.

Dalí Museum MUSEUM Famous for his images of burning giraffes and running clocks, Salvador Dalí, the surrealist artist, now has a museum in Berlin. The museum offers a representative overview of this eccentric, controversial, and versatile Catalan, including more than 400 portfolios, illustrated books, sculptures, coins, and three-dimensional installations. Dalí’s works are supplemented by an alternating selection from more than 3,000 works concerning the artist. “Dalí scouts on site” are actually guides who stand by to help visitors understand the artworks if they appear confused.

Leipziger Platz 7. 01805/103323 ticket hot line. Admission 11€, free for children 6 and under. Mon–Sat noon–8pm; Sun 10am–8pm. U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz.

DDR Museum MUSEUM This museum admirably sets out to showcase what daily life was like for the citizens of the now-defunct German Democratic Republic. Visitors are encouraged to open drawers and cupboards and touch almost everything. Here’s your chance to drive the famous Trabi and to handle other once utilitarian, but now historic, artifacts of the Communist-held East Germany.

Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 1. 030/847123731.www.ddr-museum.de. Admission 5.50€ adults, 3.50€ students. Sat 10am–10pm; Sun–Fri 10am–8pm. S-Bahn or U-Bahn: Alexander-Platz.

Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin ★ MUSEUM This state-of-the-art museum is devoted to modern and contemporary art. The exhibition space is on the ground floor of the Berlin branch of Deutsche Bank. The Guggenheim Foundation presents several exhibitions at this site annually and also displays newly commissioned works created specifically for this space by world-renowned artists. The bank supports young artists from the German-speaking world by purchasing their works and displaying them throughout the company’s offices and public spaces. Exhibitions have ranged from the most avant-garde of modern artists to Picasso, Cézanne, and Andy Warhol.

Unter den Linden 13–15 (at the intersection with Charlottenstrasse). 030/2020930.www.deutsche-guggenheim.de. Admission 4€ adults, 3€ children, free Mon. Daily 10am–8pm (Thurs until 10pm). S-Bahn: Unter den Linden.

Deutsches Historisches Museum MUSEUM From the Neanderthals to the Nazis and beyond, the entire saga of German history is presented. The collection includes extensive posters and documents of the history of the workers’ movement as well as a few remains from the former Zeughaus (arsenal) collection, which, before World War II, had been the largest collection of militaria from the history of Brandenburg and Prussia. The museum also owns tons of the old GDR Communist art (naturally all the workers are depicted with smiling faces). There is a permanent exhibition on German history in the main building, with temporary exhibitions in an annex. The museum has added a new wing designed by famous architect I. M. Pei. A transparent glass wall bridges the gap between the new wing and the original structure, an 18th-century arsenal for the Prussian army. The stunningly modern new wing offers 2,700 sq. m (29,000 sq. ft.) of space, which will be used for some of the city’s most fascinating traveling exhibits.

Unter den Linden 2. 030/203040.www.dhm.de. Admission 5€. Daily 10am–6pm. U-Bahn: Französische Strasse.

Friedrichswerdersche Kirche–Schinkelmuseum MUSEUM This annex of the Nationalgalerie is located in the deconsecrated Friedrichswerdersche Kirche, which was designed in 1828 by Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1781–1841). It lies close to Unter den Linden, not far from the State Opera House. The twin Gothic portals of the old church shelter a bronze of St. Michael slaying a dragon. Inside, the museum is devoted to the memory of Schinkel, who designed many of Berlin’s great palaces, churches, and monuments. Memorabilia and documents record his great accomplishments. There are also exhibitions of neoclassical sculptures, portraits, and tombs by Johann Gottfried Schadow, Christian Daniel Rauch, Friedrich Tieck, and Berthel Thorvaldsen, the Danish sculptor.

Werderscher Markt. 030/2081323. Free admission. Daily 10am–6pm. U-Bahn: Hausvogteiplatz.

Jüdisches Museum Berlin (Jewish Museum Berlin) ★★ MUSEUM Europe’s largest Jewish Museum presents the panorama of German-Jewish history, its cultural achievements, and its horror. The history of German Jewry is portrayed through objects, works of art, and documentation. The most talked-about museum in Berlin, the Jewish Museum is housed in a building that is one of the most spectacular in the entire city. Called “the silver lightning bolt,” it was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind. To some viewers, the building plan and the scarring in the zinc-plated facade suggest a shattered Star of David. Oddly shaped windows are haphazardly embedded in the building’s exterior.

Inside, the spaces are designed to make the visitor uneasy and disoriented, simulating the feeling of those who were exiled. A vast hollow cuts through the museum to mark what is gone. When the exhibits reach the rise of the Third Reich, the hall’s walls, ceiling, and floor close in as the visitor proceeds. A chillingly hollow Holocaust Void, a dark, windowless chamber, evokes much that was lost.

The exhibits concentrate on three themes: Judaism and Jewish life, the devastating effects of the Holocaust, and the post–World War II rebuilding of Jewish life in Germany.

The roots of this museum were in an older museum opened in 1933 shortly before Hitler’s rise to power. That collection of art and Judaica was shut down by the Gestapo in 1938, and all of its holdings were confiscated.

The on-site Liebermanns Restaurant features a world cuisine, with an emphasis on Jewish recipes—all strictly kosher.

Lindenstrasse 9–14. 030/25993300.www.juedisches-museum-berlin.de. Admission 5€, free for children 6 and under, 10€ family ticket for 2 adults and up to 4 children. Daily 10am–8pm (Mon until 10pm). U-Bahn: Hallesches Tor or Kochstrasse. Bus: M29, M41, or 265.

Kennedy Museum MUSEUM John F. Kennedy’s famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech inspired this museum near the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. The museum documents this beloved president and his iconic family, with such artifacts ranging from the president’s black Hermès attaché case to Jackie Kennedy’s signature pillbox hat. Naturally, there are artifacts from Kennedy’s historic visit to Berlin in June 1963. The museum’s collection includes one of the most comprehensive compilations of Kennedy photographs and both private and official documents.

Pariser Platz 4A. 030/31007788.www.thekennedys.de. Admission 7€ adults, 3.50€ students, free for children 16 and under. Daily 10am–6pm. S-Bahn: Unter den Linden. Bus: 100 or 200.

Modern Art in a World War II Bunker

Collector Christian Boros, who owns a vast collection of contemporary art, operates a unique gallery in a converted World War II 1942 air raid bunker in Berlin’s Mitte district. The former State Railway Bunker was constructed to protect up to 2,000 passengers from the Berlin-Friedrichstrasse Railway station and local citizens during Allied air raids. After the Nazi collapse, Russia’s Red Army took over the bunker and turned it into a prison; from the 1950s, it was used for fruit and vegetable storage.

Boros bought the bunker in 2003 and spent the next five years converting its interior into a dramatic exhibit space to display paintings, including some 500 works in all, with such world-class names as Damian Hirst, Olafur Eliasson, Elilzabeth Peyton, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Anselm Reyle. The rooftop has been converted into a kind of penthouse with a garden. The bunker’s monumental character has been retained, and the markings of war are still visible on both the exterior and the interior. The Boros Collection can be viewed only on Saturday and Sunday, costing 10€ per person. Reservations for tours are available only on the Web at www.sammlung-boros.de.

The bunker lies on the corner of Albrechtstrasse and Reinhardtstrasse in Berlin Mitte (U-Bahn: Oranienburger Tor).

Madame Tussauds Berlin MUSEUM The opening of this museum marked the eighth such museum in the world, the most famous being in London. Lifelike wax figures include Hollywood A-listers (naturally Marlene Dietrich), sports stars, icons of contemporary culture, and historic figures. You can try on Bismarck’s helmet or see John F. Kennedy’s famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech. In the Culture Zone, visitors play with Beethoven on an interactive piano or test their genius with an IQ test with Einstein. You can even relax on Sigmund Freud’s sofa. In the sports section, you can jump on court with Boris Becker.

The most controversial exhibit is of Hitler himself. The museum received large protests about exhibiting a likeness of the Nazi dictator. The museum countered that it could not depict the history of Berlin without including the dictator who led to the city’s destruction in 1945. The likeness of Hitler is displayed behind glass, preventing visitors from having their pictures taken with it, and the showcase is monitored by video cameras.

Unter den Linden 74. 0180/5545800.www.madametussauds.com/berlin. Admission 19€ adults, 14€ children 16 and under. Daily 10am–6m. S-Bahn: Unter den Linden.

Märkisches Museum MUSEUM The full cultural history of Berlin is displayed in one of the most prominent buildings on the banks of the Spree; 42 rooms contain collections of artifacts from excavations, plus such art treasures as Slav silver and Bronze Age finds. You can learn about Berlin’s theaters and literature, the arts in Berlin and Brandenburg, and the life and work of Berlin artisans. Most visitors like the array of mechanical musical instruments that can be played Sunday at 3pm, for an extra 1€.

Am Källnischen Park 5. 030/308660. Admission 5€ adults, 3€ children. Tues–Sun 9am–5pm. U-Bahn: Märkisches Museum. Bus: 147, 240, or 265.

Martin-Gropius-Bau MUSEUM This museum is dedicated to architect Martin Gropius, who was the uncle of the far more famous Walter Gropius of the Bauhaus movement. Martin Gropius designed the building in the Renaissance style, and it was originally an arts-and-crafts museum. Since reunification, the building has become one of the most beautiful exhibition halls in Berlin. Today it is a venue for changing exhibitions of art and culture, ranging from Aztec sculptures from Mexico to set designs for the films of Stanley Kubrick, including A Clockwork Orange.

Niederkirchnerstrasse 7. 030/254860. Admission varies with the event. Wed–Mon 10am–8pm. U-Bahn: Kochstrasse or Potsdamer Platz.

Marker Identifies hitler’s Bunker

For the first time since World War II, the notorious bunker of the Third Reich was marked publicly in 2006. The Führer Bunker, as it is called, was where Hitler staged his last stand, committing suicide on April 30, 1945, as Soviet troops encircled the bunker. Stalin had issued orders to bring Hitler to Moscow alive.

“History can be good or bad, but even if it’s about a devil, people must be informed of history,” said former SS Staff Sgt. Rochus Misch, a Hitler bodyguard who lived in the bunker with him and attended the unveiling of the marker in June 2006.

For decades, Berlin officials refused to mark the site, fearing it would become a place of pilgrimage for neo-Nazis. Misch dispelled the widely circulated myth that the bunker had 12 floors and an underground highway that Hitler used to cruise beneath the city. The bunker was constructed in 1935 and was fortified by walls 4.2m (14 ft.) thick. The bunker is not intact under the parking lot that covers it. Soviet soldiers blew up most of the bunker in the 1980s, and the foundation and walls were filled with rubble. The marker bears graphics, photographs, and a chronology of events in both German and English. The location of the bunker is at the corner of In den Ministergarten and Gertrude Kolmar Strasse near the Potsdamer Platz.

Museum für Naturkunde ★★ MUSEUM Five new halls were designed and constructed in 2007 in this natural history museum, which was inaugurated in 1889 by Emperor Wilhelm II. In a modern exhibit hall, the most stunning attraction is the Brachiosaurus Brancai ★★★, the world’s tallest mounted dinosaur skeleton, a beast that lived some 150 million years ago and was discovered in Tanzania in 1909. The reptile’s bones are presented in accordance with the latest scientific findings.

The exhibition features a total of seven dinosaurs “running” as a group. Adjoining halls feature a scientific Jurassic Park filled with prehistoric reptiles. An original fossil of the ancient bird Archaeopteryx went on display for the first time in 2007. You can also see the biggest collection of meteorites ★ in Germany, including the gigantic iron meteorite found in Namibia. Large dioramas depict the fauna of the Bavarian Alps and an Icelandic bird colony from 1918 (one of the first of its kind ever designed). Part of Berlin’s Humboldt University, the museum owns 25 million objects and exhibits, and is one of the most significant institutions of its type in the world.

Invalidenstrasse 43. 030/20938591.www.naturkundemuseum-berlin.de. Admission 6€ adults, 4€ children 14 and under. Tues–Fri 9:30am–6pm; Sat–Sun 10am–6pm. Tram: 6, 8, or 12.

Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie MUSEUM Exhibits in this small building evoke the tragic events connected with the former Berlin Wall. You can see some of the instruments of escape used by East Germans, including chairlifts, false passports, hot-air balloons, and even a minisub. Photos document the construction of the Wall, the establishment of escape tunnels, and the postwar history of both parts of Berlin from 1945 to today, including the airlift of 1948 to 1949. One of the most moving exhibits is the display on the staircase of drawings by schoolchildren who, in 1961 to 1962, were asked to depict both halves of Germany in one picture. Close to Checkpoint Charlie, and straddling the two sides of Friedrichstrasse, is a memorial of large wooden crosses, some 1,000 in all, which commemorate would-be escapees shot or killed near the Wall from 1961 to 1989.

Friedrichstrasse 43–45. 030/2537250.www.mauermuseum.de. Admission 13€ adults, 9.50€ students, free for children 16 and under. Daily 9am–10pm. U-Bahn: Kochstrasse or Stadtmitte. Bus: 129.

Neue Synagoge Berlin–Centrum Judaicum (The New Synagogue) SYNAGOGUE Originally consecrated on Rosh Hashana in 1866 and capped with what’s remembered as one of the most spectacular domes in Berlin, this synagogue was vandalized in 1938 during Kristallnacht, torched by Berliners in 1944, blasted by Allied bombs in 1945, and finally, after about a decade of further deterioration, demolished by the Communist East Germans in the 1950s. During its heyday, with 3,200 seats and a design inspired by the Moorish architecture of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, it was the largest synagogue in Germany. In recent times, it was partially rebuilt, and capped with a gilded dome that’s visible for many surrounding blocks. Inside, there’s a replica, using some of the original carvings, of some of the original synagogue’s entrance vestibules and anterooms, within which are exhibitions detailing the events that transpired in this building since its original construction. The bulk of the synagogue was never rebuilt. In its place is a gravel-covered plot of land where markers indicate the original layout of the building. If you visit, you’ll gain a disturbing and unnerving insight into the destruction of a way of life that used to be and a sense of the passion with which Berlin’s Jewish and German communities commemorate the memory of their murdered kinfolk.

Oranienburgerstrasse 28–30. 030/88028300.www.cjudaicum.de. Admission 3€ adults, 2€ students and children 13 and under. Apr–Sept Sun–Mon 10am–8pm, Tues–Thurs 10am–6pm, Fri 10am–5pm; Mar and Oct Sun–Mon 10am–8pm, Tues–Thurs 10am–6pm, Fri 10am–2pm; Nov–Feb Sun–Thurs 10am–6pm, Fri 10am–2pm. Guided tours in German Sun 2 and 4pm (year-round), Wed 4pm (Mar–Oct only); call to request tours in English (not always available). Last entrance 30 min. before closing. S-Bahn: Oranienburgerstrasse or Hackescher Markt.

Reichstag (Parliament) ★ GOVERNMENT BUILDING The night of February 17, 1933, was a date that lives in infamy in German history. On that night, a fire broke out in the seat of the German house of parliament, the Reichstag. Historians still debate whether it was set by the Nazis, but in any event, the German Communist Party was blamed. That was all the excuse Hitler’s troops needed to begin mass arrests of “dissidents and enemies of the lawful government.” Because of this mysterious fire, democracy came to an end in Germany. The Reichstag was in for even greater punishment as it faced massive Allied bombardment in World War II.

Today, the Reichstag is back and is once again the home of the country’s parliament in the wake of the collapse of the Berlin Wall and subsequent reunification in 1990. The building still evokes the neo-Renaissance style it had when it opened in 1894. It’s crowned by a new glass dome designed by Sir Norman Foster, the famous English architect. You can go through the west gate for an elevator ride up to the dome, where a sweeping vista of Berlin opens before you. There’s both an observation platform and a rooftop restaurant (but the view is better than the food).

Platz der Republik 1. 030/22732152. Free admission. Daily 8am–midnight (last entrance 10pm). S-Bahn: Unter den Linden. Bus: 100.

Topography of Terror WWII SITE Located on the grounds of Hitler’s SS and the Gestapo Headquarters, this center provides historical information on National Socialism and its heinous crimes. It’s a site of “remembrance and learning,” with a documentation center that opened in 2010, 65 years after the end of World War II. From this site between 1933 and 1945, the Nazi regime orchestrated the genocide of European Jews and the systematic persecution of political opponents. The site is a modern concrete and glass building in the form of a transparent cube. There are four exhibition halls for temporary and permanent exhibitions of the Nazi regime.

Niederkirchnerstrasse 8. 030/2545099-50. Free admission. May–Sept daily 10am–8pm; Oct–Apr daily 10am–6pm. U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz.

Remembering the berlin wall

While Berliners won’t forget the Berlin Wall anytime soon, the majority of it was torn down in the early ’90s. But there are still a few places to see remnants of the Wall.

The East Side Gallery (U-Bahn: Warschauerstrasse Strasse), a 1.2km (3⁄4-mile) section of the wall along the Spree River southeast of Alexanderplatz, is the longest and best preserved section left standing. It was painted by artists in the 1990s and the feel is more like an outdoor art gallery.

The government created a memorial center and reconstructed a partial stretch of the Wall at Bernauer Strasse and Ackerstrasse (Berlin Wall Memorial/Berliner Mauer Dokumentationszentrum;www.berliner-mauer-dokumentationszentrum.de; Bernauer Strasse 111; free admission; open 10am–6pm Tues–Sun Apr–Oct, to 5pm Nov–Mar; U-Bahn: Bernauer Strasse), at a cost of over a million euros. The 70m-long (230-ft.) memorial consists of two walls that include some of the fragments of the original wall (those fragments not bulldozed away or carried off by souvenir hunters). The memorial is mostly made of mirrorlike stainless steel. Slits allow visitors to peer through. Across from the wall is a memorial building with newspaper clippings and stations where you can see photos of the area pre-1989 and listen to eyewitness testimonies of what it was like when the wall stood. Part of the memorial is the Chapel of Reconciliation (Kapelle der Versöhnung), a contemporary wood, round building set on the site of the former church which was blown up in 1985 in order to widen the border strip at this spot. A 20-minute service (in German), held to remember those who perished trying to flee to the west, takes place in the church every Tuesday through Friday at 12pm.

Museumsinsel (Museum Island)

Alte Nationalgalerie ★ MUSEUM This museum is known for its collection of 19th-century German and French Impressionists. The museum also has the world’s largest collection of the works of one of the best known of all Berlin artists, Adolph von Menzel (1815–1905). We especially like his Das Balkonzimmer. Other paintings include a galaxy of art representing the romantic and classical movements as well as the Biedermeier era, the latter especially well represented by Caspar David Friedrich and Schinkel. Allow at least an hour and a half to take in canvases by everybody from Pissarro to Cézanne, from Delacroix to Degas, and from van Gogh to Monet. We are especially fond of the works of Max Liebermann and Max Beckmann. The collection would have been far greater than it is had not the Nazis either sold or destroyed so many early-20th-century works they viewed as “degenerate.”

Bodestrasse 1–3. 030/20905577.www.smb.museum.de. Admission 8€ adults, 4€ students, free for children 16 and under. Tues–Sun 10am–6pm (Thurs until 10pm). S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt. Tram: 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 15, or 53. Bus: 100, 157, or 378.

Altes Museum MUSEUM Karl Friedrich Schinkel, the city’s greatest architect, designed this structure, which resembles a Greek Corinthian temple, in 1822. On its main floor is the Antikensammlung (Museum of Antiquities), a collection of Greek and Roman antique decorative art. Some of the finest Greek vases of the black-and-red-figures style, from the 6th to the 4th century B.C., are here. The best-known vase is a large Athenian amphora (wine jar) found in Vulci, Etruria. It dates from 490 B.C. and shows a satyr with a lyre and the god Hermes. One of several excellent bronze statuettes, the Zeus of Dodone (470 B.C.) shows the god about to cast a bolt of lightning. You can also see a rare portrait of Cleopatra (from Alexandria). In the Brandenburg-Prussian art collection is an exceptional bronze statue of the goddess Luna descending through an “arch of the sky.” The Prussians called it “the pearl of the collection.”

Museumsinsel am Lustgarten. 030/20905555. www.smb.museum.de. Admission 8€ adults, 4€ students, free for children 16 and under. Tues–Sun 10am–6pm (Thurs until 10pm). S-bahn: Hackescher Markt. Bus: 100 to Lustgarten, 147, 157, or 358.

Bode-Museum ★★★ MUSEUM One of the great museums of Germany, long closed for restoration, is now open with enlarged exhibits, better lighting, and more viewer-friendly exhibitions. It contains a vast array of museums, including the Museum of Late Ancient and Byzantine Art, the Sculpture Collection, the Picture Gallery (highly recommended), the Museum of Prehistory, the Children’s Gallery, and the extensive Cabinet of Coins and Medals.

The Museum of Late Ancient and Byzantine Art has displays of early Christian sarcophagi, Coptic and Byzantine sculpture, icons, and even gravestones dating from the 3rd to the 18th century. The rich Sculpture Collection exhibits magnificent pieces from ancient churches and monasteries, including a sandstone pulpit support by Anton Pilgram (1490) carved in the shape of a medieval craftsman.

The Picture Gallery is devoted in part to masterpieces from the Dutch and German schools of the 15th and 16th centuries, as well as great works by Italian, Flemish, Dutch, French, and British painters of the 14th to the 18th century.

Monbijoubrücke, Bodestrasse 1–3. 030/20905577.www.smb.museum.de. Admission 8€ adults, 4€ students and children. Daily 10am–6pm; Thurs 10am–10pm. U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse.

Neues Museum ★★★ MUSEUM When the doors of this museum opened in 2009, it was the first time in 70 years that all five museums on Museum Island could be visited. Severely damaged in World War II, it was left in ruins for decades. The museum now contains the collections of the Egyptian Museum ★★★ and the Papyrus Collection, as well as a part of the collection of the Museum of Prehistory and Early History and the Antiquities Collection.

The famous artifact of Berlin is the bust of Queen Nefertiti ★★★, which rests in the North Cupola. She gazes through the Niobe Room, the Bacchus Room, and the Roman Room into the South Cupola. Here, her gaze is returned by two monumental statues that stood in the Egyptian city of Alexandra during the late Roman Empire.

The Egyptian collection ranges from the huge sphinx of Hatsheput (1490 B.C.) to fragments of reliefs from Egyptian temples. Of special interest is the Burial Cult Room ★★, where coffins, mummies, and grave objects are displayed along with life-size X-ray photographs of the mummies of humans and animals.

The Papyrus Collection ★★ displays about 25,000 documents of papyrus, ostraca, parchment, limestone, wax, and wood in eight different languages.

Museumsinsel. 030/266424242.www.neues-museum.de. Admission 10€ adults, 5€ students and children. Sun–Wed 10am–6pm; Fri–Sat 10am–8pm. U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse.

Pergamonmuseum ★★★ MUSEUM Pergamonmuseum houses several departments, but if you have time for only one exhibit, go to the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, housed in the north and east wings of the museum, and enter the central hall to see the Pergamon Altar ★★★ (180–160 B.C.), which is so large that it has a huge room all to itself. Some 27 steps lead from the museum floor up to the colonnade. Most fascinating is the frieze around the base. It shows the struggle of the Olympian gods against the Titans and is strikingly alive, with figures that project as much as a foot from the background. If you explore further, you’ll find a statue of a goddess holding a pomegranate (575 B.C.), found in southern Attica, where it had been buried for 2,000 years. It was so well preserved that flecks of the original paint are still visible on her garments. Many visitors come here to see the fabled Market Gate of Miletus ★★★, a Roman gate built around A.D. 120 in the Aegean coastal city of Miletus (now part of Turkey). Regrettably, it is in restoration until 2015. Nonetheless, museum officials have put up a transparent wall that contains the dust and noise but still allows visitors to view this world-class attraction.

The Near East Department ★, in the south wing, contains one of the largest collections anywhere of antiquities from ancient Babylonia, Persia, and Assyria. Among the exhibits is the Processional Way of Babylon with the Ishtar Gate ★★★, dating from 575 B.C. You can also visit the throne room of Nebuchadnezzar. Cuneiform clay tablets document a civilization that created ceramics, glass, and metal objects while Europe was still overrun with primitive tribes. The museum’s upper level is devoted to Islamic Art. Of special interest are the miniatures, carpets, and woodcarvings.

Bodestrasse 1–3. 030/20905577.www.smb.museum.de. Admission 10€ adults, 5€ students, free for children 16 and under. Daily 10am–6pm (Thurs until 10pm). U-Bahn or S-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse. Tram: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 15, or 53.

The Historic nikolai quarter

The historic Nikolaiviertel (U-Bahn: Klosterstrasse) was restored in time for the city’s 750th anniversary in 1987. Here, on the banks of the Spree River, is where Berlin was born. Many of the medieval and baroque buildings in the neighborhood were completely and authentically reconstructed after World War II. Subsequently, some of the city’s old flavor has been recaptured here.

The area is named for the Nikolaikirche (Church of St. Nicholas), Nikolaikirchplatz, off Spandauerstrasse ( 030/24724529). The church, the oldest in Berlin, was originally constructed in the 14th century on the remains of a 13th-century Romanesque church. The restored building now displays the finds of postwar archaeological digs; during the reconstruction, 800-year-old skeletons were found. It’s open daily from 10am to 6pm. Admission to the church and tower is free.

In memory of . . .

At the corner of Lewetzov and Jagow streets is a Jewish War Memorial to the many Berliners who were deported—mostly to their deaths—from 1941 until the end of the war in 1945. The memorial is a life-size sculpture of a freight car with victims being dragged into it. Behind it is a 15m (50-ft.) structure listing the dates of the various death trains and the number of prisoners shipped out. The memorial stands on the site of a former synagogue destroyed by the Nazis.

architecture Beyond the Main Sights

Just north of the Tiergarten is the Hansaviertel, or Hansa Quarter (U-Bahn: Hansaplatz). The architecture of this area was an outgrowth of the great INTERBAU 1957 (International Builder’s Exhibition), when architects from 22 nations designed buildings for the totally destroyed quarter. The diversity here is exhilarating: Fifty architects took part, including Gropius, Niemeyer, and Duttman.

Le Corbusier also submitted a design for an apartment house for INTERBAU 1957, but the structure was so gigantic that it had to be built near the Olympic Stadium (U-Bahn: Olympia-Stadion). The Corbusier House, called Strahlende Stadt (radiant city), is one of Europe’s largest housing complexes—its 530 apartments can house up to 1,400 people. Typical of the architect’s style, this tremendous building rests on stilts.

The architects of rebuilt Berlin were also encouraged to design centers for the performing arts. One of the most controversial projects was the Kongresshalle (Congress Hall), on John-Foster-Dulles-Allee, in the Tiergarten, just west of Brandenburg Gate (S-Bahn: Unter den Linden). This building was conceived as the American contribution to INTERBAU 1957. The reinforced concrete structure has an 18m-high (60-ft.) vaulted ceiling that reminds some viewers of an oversize flying saucer. Berliners immediately christened it the “Pregnant Oyster.” The building today is used mainly for conventions. More successful was the Philharmonie, new home of the Berlin Philharmonic, at Matthäikirchstrasse, and its adjacent chamber music hall, next to the Tiergarten. The tentlike roof arches up in a bold curve, and the gold-colored facade glitters.

One of the city’s tallest buildings sits in the midst of the city’s busiest area. The 22-story Europa Center, just across the plaza from the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at Breitscheidplatz (U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm), is the largest self-contained shopping center and entertainment complex in Europe. This town-within-a-town opened in 1965 on the site of the legendary Romanisches Café, once a gathering place for actors, writers, and artists in the flamboyant 1920s. Berliners dubbed it “Pepper’s Manhattan,” after its owner, K. H. Pepper. In addition to three levels of shops, restaurants, nightclubs, bars, and cinemas, it contains dozens of offices, a parking garage, and an observation roof. At the Tauentzienstrasse entrance, you can find two pieces of the former Berlin Wall. The building is open daily 9am to midnight (to 10pm in winter). Admission to the observation roof is 4€.

Sights in the Environs

Brücke Museum ★★ MUSEUM Some of our all-time favorite German artists, especially Ernst Kirchner (1880–1938), have a museum devoted to their work. The art movement, Die Brücke, originated in Dresden in 1905 and rejected the emerging modern trends of the 20th century, turning once again to landscapes, folk art, and other retrograde sources for inspiration. This school was an influential predecessor to 20th-century expressionism. Although exhibits change, this museum presents an extensive collection of these expressionist works, including art by Max Kaus, Walter Gramatte, Otto Herbig, and Anton Kerschbaumer. Today, the Brücke Museum owns around 400 paintings and sculptures of the era, along with thousands of prints, watercolors, and drawings, although not all the treasure-trove can be displayed at the same time.

Bussardsteig 9. 030/8312029.www.bruecke-museum.de. Admission 4€ adults, 3€ children 5–13. Wed–Mon 11am–5pm. U-Bahn to Fehrbelliner Platz, then bus 115.

Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz WWII SITE This was the site of one of the most notorious conferences in history: a meeting of Nazi bureaucrats and SS officials to plan the annihilation of European Jewry. The minutes of the Wannsee Conference were kept by Adolf Eichmann, the sallow-faced SS functionary who later mapped out transport logistics for sending millions of Jews to their deaths.

The villa is now a memorial to the Holocaust. It includes a selection of photographs of men, women, and children who were sent to concentration camps. This exhibit is not for the squeamish. Nearly all the pictures on display are official Nazi photographs, including some of Nazi medical experiments. As noted at the trials at Nürnberg, “No government in history ever did a better job of photographing and documenting its crimes against humanity.”

Am Grossen Wannsee 56–58. 030/8050010.www.ghwk.de. Free admission. Daily 10am–6pm. S-Bahn: Wannsee, then bus 114.

Jüdischer Friedhof (Jewish Cemetery) CEMETERY This famous Jewish cemetery was opened in 1880. It contains 110,000 graves of Jewish residents of Berlin. Many distinguished artists, musicians, scientists, and religious leaders are buried here. Some tombs are of Jewish soldiers who fought for Germany in World War I. A memorial honors Jewish victims murdered during the Nazi era. You may have a hard time finding the cemetery on your own, so we recommend a taxi.

Herbert-Baumstrasse 31, Weissensee (a suburb east of Berlin). 030/9253330.www.berlin-juedisch.de. Free admission. Apr–Oct Sun–Wed 8am–5pm, Fri 8am–3pm; Nov–Mar Sun–Thurs 8am–4pm, Fri 8am–3pm. Tram: 2,12, 23, or 24, or taxi.

Museen Dahlem ★★ After extensive reorganizing, this complex of museums, occupying one mammoth structure in the heart of Dahlem’s Freie Universität, contains institutions devoted to everything from ethnological collections to Far Eastern art.

Occupying most of the main building is the Ethnologisches Museum ★★★, which is the one to visit if you have to skip the rest. This is the greatest ethnological collection on earth, totaling some 500,000 artifacts from all continents, even prehistoric America. Many of the figures are ritualistic masks and are grotesquely beautiful. The Incan, Mayan, and Aztec stone sculptures alone equal the collections of some of the finest museums of Mexico. The best part is the collection of authentic boats from the South Pacific. The museum displays an intriguing assemblage of pre-Columbian relics, including gold objects and antiquities from Peru. The museum’s Department of Music allows visitors to hear folk music recordings from around the globe.

In the same complex is the Museum für Asiatische Kunst (Museum for Asian Art), which now includes both the Far Eastern collection and the Museum of Indian Art. Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst (Museum for Far Eastern Art) ★★ is a gem of a museum devoted primarily to Japan, Korea, and China, with artifacts dating back to as far as 3000 B.C. Launched in 1906 as the first Far Eastern museum of art in Germany, this museum is one of Europe’s finest in presenting an overview of some of the most exquisite ecclesiastical and decorative art from the Far East. It is the equal of or better than similar collections in Paris. In essence, the museum represents the loot acquired during a massive “shopping expedition” the Germans took to Asia, where they even managed to garner the 17th-century imperial throne of China, all lacquered and inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The Japanese woodblock prints, each more exquisite than the next, are reason enough to visit.

Germany’s greatest collection of Indian art is on exhibit in the same building at the Museum für Indische Kunst (Museum for Indian Art), covering a span of 40 centuries. It’s an international parade of some of the finest art and artifacts from the world of Buddhism, representing collections from such lands as Burma, Thailand, Indonesia, Nepal, and Tibet.

Outside the Dahlem museum complex, and only a 5-minute walk away, Museum Europäischer Kulturen (Museum of European Culture) is devoted to the German people themselves—not the aristocrats but the middle class and the peasant stock who built the country. It is a true “museum of the people.” The exhibits go back 4 centuries, tracing how artisans and homemakers lived and worked. Household items are displayed along with primitive industrial equipment such as a utensil for turning flax into linen. Furnishings, clothing, pottery, and even items used in religious observances are shown, along with some fun and whimsical exhibits, including depictions of pop culture from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Lansstrasse 8. 030/8301438.www.smb.museum.de. Admission 6€ adults, free for students and children 16 and under. Tues–Fri 10am–6pm; Sat–Sun 11am–6pm. U-Bahn: Dahlem-Dorf.

Sachsenhausen Gedenkstätte (Sachsenhausen Memorial & Museum) WWII SITE Just north of Berlin, Sachsenhausen was one of the most notorious death camps of the Nazi empire and was liberated by Allied troops in 1945. The freedom was short-lived. The Soviet secret police turned it into a prison camp, and the misery and death continued for another 5 years.

The largest prison camp in East Germany, Sachsenhausen was home to some 12,000 inmates from 1945 to 1950, when the prison was shut down. Mass graves of the former prisoners were discovered here only in 1990. A museum has opened on the site documenting the tragic history of two totalitarian regimes, the Nazi and Soviet enslavements. Exhibits show that, during World War II, Sachsenhausen was the administrative headquarters for all the concentration camps, winning the praise of the dreaded SS chief, Heinrich Himmler.

The SS learned its methods of mass killing at this camp. Most of the 30,000 or so victims of the Nazi regime were prisoners of war and included Stalin’s oldest son. The Soviet prisoners included 6,000 Nazi officers and other functionaries. After the war, Russian soldiers who contracted sexually transmitted diseases from German women were also sent here.

Strasse der Nationen 22, Oranienburg (35km/22 miles north of Berlin). 03301/2000.www.stiftung-bg.de. Free admission. Mar 15–Oct 14 daily 8:30am–6pm; Oct 15–Mar 14 daily 8:30am–4:30pm. Take S-Bahn 1 from Friedrichstrasse to Oranienburg, the last stop; from there, it’s a 25-min. walk (it’s signposted).

Schloss Schönhausen ★ HISTORIC BUILDING One of Germany’s most historic palaces showcases years of Prussian history. In the Berlin-Pankow district, the Schloss dates from the 1660s, when it was the residence of Sophie Dorothea zu Dohna. Queen Elisabeth Christine, wife of Frederick the Great, used the palace as a summer residence from 1740 to 1797. Some of the living rooms have been faithfully reconstructed on the ground floor. From 1949 to 1960, Schönahsen was the seat of the first president of the DDR, and from 1964 to 1990, it was the residence for official guests of East Germany. On the upper floor, visitors can view the office of Welhelm Pieck and an exclusive suite reserved for visiting VIPs, including Fidel Castro and Indira Gandhi. The palace is one of the very few mammoth Berlin buildings that was not bombed in World War II.

Tschaikowskistrasse 1 (Berlin-Pankow). 0331/9694200. www.spsg.de. Admission 6€. Tues–Sun 10am–5pm. U-Bahn: Pankow (a 10-block walk).

Spandau Zitadelle (Spandau Citadel) HISTORIC BUILDING This citadel stands at the confluence of the Spree and Havel rivers in northwestern Berlin. The Hohenzollern electors of Brandenburg used it as a summer residence, and, in time, it became the chief military center of Prussia. The citadel has been besieged by everybody from the French to the Prussians. The Juliusturm (Julius Tower) and the Palas, constructed in the 13th to the 15th century, are the oldest buildings in Berlin still standing. The main building, accessible by footbridge, houses a local-history museum.

Am Juliusturm. 030/3549440.www.zitadelle-spandau.de. Admission 4.50€ adults, 2.50€ students. Tues–Fri 9am–5pm; Sat–Sun 10am–5pm. U-Bahn: Zitadelle.

Berlin’s Parks & Zoo

The huge Botanischer Garten (Botanical Garden), Königin-Luise-Strasse 6–8 ( 030/83850100;www.bgbm.org/bgbm; S-Bahn: Botanischer Garten or Rathaus Steglitz), near the Dahlem Museums, has vast collections of European and exotic plants. The big palm house is one of the largest in the world. A large arboretum is here, as well as several special collections such as a garden for blind visitors and another with water plants. Admission is 6€ for adults, 3€ for children 6 to 14, and free for children 5 and under. The gardens are open daily April and August 9am to 8pm; May, June, and July 9am to 9pm; September 9am to 7pm; March and October 9am to 6pm; February 9am to 5pm; and November to January 9am to 4pm. The museum is open year-round daily from 10am to 6pm.

Tiergarten ★ is the largest green space in central Berlin, covering 2.5 sq. km (just under 1 sq. mile), with more than 23km (14 miles) of meandering walkways. It was originally laid out as a private park for the electors of Prussia by a leading landscape architect of the day, Peter Josef Lenné. The park was devastated during World War II, and the trees that remained were chopped down for fuel, as Berliners shivered through the winter of 1945 and 1946. Beginning in 1955, trees were replanted, and walkways, canals, ponds, and flower beds were restored to their original patterns. The park is popular with joggers and (sometimes nude) sunbathers. Inside the park is the Berlin Zoo (see below).

Fun for kids

Children love the Berlin Zoo-Aquarium (see below). Its most famous residents, the giant pandas, are perennial favorites. The zoo also has playgrounds and a children’s section, where the animals welcome a cuddle. Another place to take the kids is Grips-Theater, Altonaerstrasse 22 ( 030/39747477;www.grips-theater.de; U-Bahn: Hansaplatz), known for its bright, breezy productions. Children are sure to enjoy the music and dancing (if not the simple German-language dialogue). Tickets cost 6€ to 18€. Call for current productions. Most performances begin at 7:30pm, although there are some matinees as well, depending on the production. The theater is closed from late June to mid-August.

Among the park’s monuments is the Siegessäule (Victory Column), a golden goddess of victory perched atop a soaring red-granite pedestal. The monument stands in the center of the wide boulevard (Strasse des 17 Juni) that neatly bisects the park. A 48m-high (157-ft.) observation platform can be reached by a climb up a 285-step spiral staircase (there’s no elevator).

Zoologischer Garten Berlin (Berlin Zoo-Aquarium) ★, Hardenbergplatz 8 ( 030/254010;www.zoo-berlin.de; U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten), founded in 1844, is Germany’s oldest zoo. It occupies almost the entire southwest corner of the Tiergarten. Until World War II, the zoo boasted thousands of animals—many were familiar to Berliners by nickname. By the end of 1945, however, only 91 had survived. Today, more than 13,000 animals live here, many of them in large, open natural habitats. The most valuable residents are the giant pandas. The zoo also has Europe’s most modern birdhouse, with more than 550 species.

The aquarium is as impressive as the adjacent zoo, with more than 9,000 species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and other creatures. Crocodiles, Komodo dragons, and tuataras inhabit the terrarium within. You can walk on a bridge over the reptile pit. There’s also a large collection of snakes, lizards, and turtles. The glass-roofed “hippoquarium” is yet another attraction.

Individual admission to either the zoo or the aquarium is 12€ for adults, 9€ for seniors and students, and 6€ for children 5 to 15. A combined ticket costs 18€ for adults, 14€ for seniors and students, and 9€ for children 5 to 15. The zoo is open daily 9am to 5pm January 1 to March 20 and October 26 to December 31; March 21 to September 14 daily 9am to 7pm; September 15 to October 25 daily 9am to 6pm.

AquaDom & Sea Life Berlin, Spandauer Strasse 3 ( 030/992800;www.sealife.de; U-Bahn: Hackescher Markt), is hardly the greatest aquarium in Europe, but it has some unique features. The tanks begin on the River Spree and then flow into the Wannsee, a Berlin lake, before heading to the ocean. Thus, you go from freshwater to saltwater. Along the way you meet some 4,000 marine creatures from the octopus to the hound shark, even sea horses. After a Sea Life visit, you can go to the AquaDom to view the largest free-standing aquarium in the world. It’s home to a vast collection of rainbow-hued tropical fish. At the end of your visit, you take a dramatic glass elevator through a silo-shaped “fish tank” to the exit. Admission is 17€ for adults, 12€ for children 3 to 14, and free for children 2 and under. It’s open April to September daily 10am to 7pm, October to March daily 10am to 6pm.

Where to Eat

If it’s true that optimism and appetite go hand in hand, Berliners must be among the most optimistic people in Europe. But just because Berliners like to eat doesn’t mean that they like to spend a lot on food. Locals know that you can often have a memorable dinner here in an unheralded wine restaurant or sidewalk cafe.

Examples of typical dishes are the Berliner Schlachteplatte (cold plate), pigs’ feet cooked with Sauerkraut and pea purée, and Eisbein (pickled knuckle of pork with Sauerkraut). Venison, wildfowl, and wild boar also appear frequently, as do carp and trout, along with an infinite variety of sausages.

But Berlin does not limit itself to traditional cuisine. A new wave of restaurants has swept across the city, from east to west. More and more are going ethnic, serving everything from Indonesian or French to Thai or Japanese. Eastern European wines are now almost as popular as those from Germany itself.

Note: If a restaurant bill says Bedienung, then a service charge has already been added, so just round up to the nearest euro.

On or Near the Kurfürstendamm

Berlin-Mitte Restaurants & Hotels

Western Berlin Restaurants & Hotels

Very Expensive

Die Quadriga ★★★ MODERN CONTINENTAL This is the kind of place so hushed, so “correct,” and so seamlessly upscale that even when the president of Germany shows up (as he does in an informal and unofficial capacity), it barely makes a ripple in the smooth and well-rehearsed service rituals. The setting is a cherry-paneled room on the lobby level of a hotel (the Brandenburger Hof) that’s a long urban trek from the restaurant’s namesake, the four-horsed statue atop the Brandenburg Gate, in faraway Berlin-Mitte. Meals are served atop snowy linen to no more than 28 clients at a time, each seated on a chair designed in 1904 by Frank Lloyd Wright. Wines are available by the bottle or by the glass, and menu items vary with the season and the inspiration of the chef. The best examples might include arctic codfish flavored with lemon thyme and served with a potato risotto; foie gras accompanied by Riesling grapes and Périgord truffles; grilled sole with cauliflower; and saddle of venison stuffed with walnuts, black pudding, and pine nuts.

In the Hotel Brandenburger Hof, Eislebener Strasse 14. 030/214050. Reservations required well in advance. Main courses 30€–39€. AE, MC, V. Tues–Sat 7–10:30pm. Closed 2 weeks in Jan and 2 weeks in Aug. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm or Augsburgerstrasse.

Hugos ★★★ MEDITERRANEAN In the Hotel InterContinental Berlin, this is the hot, chic restaurant of a united capital. Der Feinschmecker, Germany’s leading magazine for traveling, eating, and drinking in style, named it Restaurant of the Year for 2005. Today it seems to be even better than it was when it earned that designation. Choice delicacies are created daily by Thomas Kammeier, one of Berlin’s leading masters of the kitchen. You get not only superb food, but a panoramic view from your dining table as well. Backed up by an exquisite, albeit expensive, wine list, this Michelin-starred restaurant is filled with nuanced, market-fresh cuisine.

Appetizers range from simple to complex, but each is delicious, as exemplified by glazed foie gras with mango or a risotto with Périgord truffles and quail-egg croutons. For a main dish, try the codfish with chicory salad, fresh oranges, and virgin olive oil, or else the shoulder of beef with Périgord truffles.

In the Hotel InterContinental Berlin, Budapesterstrasse 2. 030/26021263.www.hugos-restaurant.de. Reservations required. Main courses 28€–55€; fixed-price menus 90€–130€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 6–11:30pm. Closed July 17–Aug 18. U-Bahn or S-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten.

Expensive

Paris Bar ★ FRENCH This French bistro has been a local favorite since it cheered up the postwar years in dismal bombed-out Berlin. It’s crowded with elbow-to-elbow tables like a Montmartre tourist trap but is a genuinely pleasing little place on the see-and-be-seen circuit, close to the Theater des Westens. The food is invariably fresh and well prepared, but not particularly innovative.

Kantstrasse 152. 030/3138052. Reservations recommended. Main courses 13€–32€. AE, MC, V. Daily noon–2am. U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse.

Moderate

Arlecchino ★ ITALIAN One of the best Italian restaurants in Berlin not only serves a good cuisine but also is one of the most affordable restaurants in its neighborhood. It attracts homesick Italian expats as well as serious Berlin foodies. The cooks are definitely from the sunny Mediterranean, as reflected by their succulent pastas, which are homemade and served fresh daily. In fact, you can easily fill up on a platter of one of these pastas, including penne with bacon and fresh tomatoes or tagliatelle with salmon. Another worthy pasta dish is fettuccine with spinach and mushrooms. Excellent wines also appear on the carte—you can, for example, order a fine wine by the glass or a full liter. The staff speaks English and is both friendly and competent.

Meinekestrasse 25. 030/8812563. Reservations recommended. Main courses 12€–26€. MC, V. Daily noon–10pm. U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse.

Kaefer’s Restaurant Dachgarten CONTINENTAL When a team of cutting-edge architects redesigned the most famous building in Berlin, the Reichstag (Parliament House), they added a restaurant on the uppermost floor, just behind the soaring dome that has inspired so many photographs. The setting is metallic looking and edgy. Lines to get in can be overwhelming, mingling sightseers and diners in the same queues, so here’s our advice on how to short-circuit the potential wait: Phone in advance for a dining reservation and note the reservation number an attendant will give you. Head for the Reichstag’s entrance, on the building’s west side, facing the Platz der Republik, give the attendant your number, and then ride an elevator directly to the restaurant, avoiding the lines of sightseers coming just to admire the building’s dome.

Included in the price of your meal will be a close-up view of the dome and the rest of the building’s interior. Frankly, a visit here for breakfast may be your best bet, when there’s a businesslike aura that’s consistent with this building’s august role as a Teutonic icon. Views sweep from the dining room out over what used to be known as East Berlin. The lunch menu is more “Berliner” than the Continental/Asian evening menu. Some of the more tempting main-dish specialties include filet of beef stuffed with foie gras, wrapped in bacon, and served in a shallot sauce; filet of veal under a shrimp crust; sautéed breast of duck with an apricot flavoring; and pan-fried filet of cod seasoned with fresh tarragon and served with German caviar.

In the Reichstag, Platz der Republik. 030/22629900.www.feinkost-kaefer.de. Reservations necessary. Main courses 25€–30€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 9am–4:30pm and 6:30–9:30pm (last food order). S-Bahn: Unter den Linden.

Marjellchen ★ EAST PRUSSIAN This is the only restaurant in Berlin specializing in the cuisine of Germany’s long-lost provinces of East Prussia, Pomerania, and Silesia. Ramona Azzaro, whose East Prussian mother taught her many of the region’s famous recipes, is the creative force. Amid a Bismarckian ambience of vested waiters and oil lamps, you can enjoy a savory version of red-beet soup with strips of beef, East Prussian potato soup with shrimp and bacon, Falscher Gänsebraten (pork spareribs stuffed with prunes and bread crumbs “as if the cook had prepared a goose”), marinated elk, and roast filet of hare with a cherry sauce, served with braised cabbage and potato dumplings. This is the type of food Goethe and Schiller liked. Of course, Marjellchen isn’t the place to go if you want to keep tabs on your cholesterol intake.

Mommsenstrasse 9. 030/8832676.www.marjellchen-berlin.de. Reservations required. Main courses 11€–24€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 5pm–midnight. Closed Dec 23, 24, and 31. U-Bahn: Adenauerplatz or Uhlandstrasse. Bus: 109, 119, or 129.

Inexpensive

Lubitsch CONTINENTAL/GERMAN/MEDITERRANEAN Lubitsch is deeply entrenched in the consciousness of many local residents, and it’s considered, in some quarters, to have a degree of conservative chic. Menu items include lots of cafe drinks, with glasses of wine priced at 4.50€ to 7€ and steaming pots of afternoon tea. If you drop in for a meal, expect platters of chicken curry salad with roasted potatoes, Berlin-style potato soup, braised chicken with salad and fresh vegetables, a roulade of suckling pig, and Nürnberger-style Wursts. Count on a not-so-friendly staff, a black-and-white decor with Thonet-style chairs, and a somewhat arrogant environment that, despite its drawbacks, is very Berliner.

Bleibtreustrasse 47. 030/8823756.www.restaurant-lubitsch.de. Reservations not necessary. Main courses lunch 8€–10€, dinner 14€–22€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 10am–midnight; Sun 6pm–1am. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm.

Near the Memorial Church & Zoo

Very Expensive

First Floor ★★ REGIONAL GERMAN/FRENCH This is the showcase restaurant within one of the most spectacular hotels ever built near the Tiergarten. Set one floor above street level, it features a perfectly orchestrated service and setting that revolve around the cuisine of a master chef. Winning praise is the seasonal menu with such dishes as a filet of sole with mussels and fennel, or a saddle of venison veal in a spicy crust. Starters may include champagne cabbage soup with crab and celery mousse and biscuit with spring vegetables.

In the Palace Berlin, Budapesterstrasse 42. 030/25021020.www.firstfloor.palace.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 38€–42€; 3-course fixed-price menu 45€, 4 courses 92€, 5-course fish menu 112€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Fri noon–3pm; daily 6:30–11pm. Closed July 18–Aug 15. U-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten.

Near the Tiergarten

Expensive

Paris-Moskau INTERNATIONAL The grand days of the 19th century are alive and well at this restaurant in the beautiful Tiergarten area, where good dining spots are scarce. Menu items are both classic and cutting edge. The fresh tomato soup is excellent. Some dishes—such as grilled filet of beef in mushroom sauce—are mundane, but other, lighter dishes with delicate seasonings are delightful. We recommend the grilled North Sea salmon with herbs accompanied by basil-flavored noodles. The chef should market his recipe for saffron sauce, which accompanies several dishes. You’ll receive attentive service from the formally dressed staff.

Alt-Moabit 141. 030/3942081.www.paris-moskau.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 21€–29€; fixed-price menus 56€–72€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 6–11:30pm. S-Bahn: Anhalter Bahnhof.

In Greater Charlottenburg

Very Expensive

Alt-Luxemburg ★★ CONTINENTAL/FRENCH/GERMAN Karl Wannemacher is one of the most outstanding chefs in eastern Germany. Known for his quality market-fresh ingredients, he prepares a seductively sensual plate. Everything shows his flawless technique, from the filet of turbot with baby leeks and a sweet vinegar sauce to the roast scallops in a balsamic sauce with silver beets. Other delectably flavored dishes include an olive-crusted saddle of Irish lamb or a filet of veal with shiitake mushrooms and polenta. Featured desserts include a chocolate bar with a piña colada parfait and pineapple. Alt-Luxemburg offers a finely balanced wine list, and service is both unpretentious and gracious.

Windscheidstrasse 31. 030/3238730.www.alt-luxemburg.de. Reservations required. Main courses 26€–32€; fixed-price 4-course menu 48€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 5–11pm. U-Bahn: Sophie-Charlottenplatz.

Expensive

Ana e Bruno ★ ITALIAN This is one of Berlin’s most charming Italian restaurants, turning out a delectable cuisine that takes full advantage of the freshest ingredients and produce in any season. Nuova cucina is emphasized here more strongly than traditional Italian classics, and the chefs like to experiment. The combinations of food yield delicious and harmonious medleys. Expect such dishes as homemade pasta with Norcia truffles and goose-liver sauce, or venison in a radish sauce with chestnuts and a quince purée. You might also go for the wild halibut with duck liver and a Marsala jus, or else marinated lobster with couscous. Regular customers and gourmets keen on experimenting always seem satisfied with the results. A large wine selection, mostly reasonable in price, complements the menu.

Sophie-Charlotten-Strasse 101. 030/3257110.www.ana-e-bruno.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 17€–35€; fixed-price menus 65€–95€. AE, MC, V. Daily 5–10:30pm. S-Bahn: Westend.

Moderate

Funkturm Restaurant INTERNATIONAL This restaurant at the radio tower’s 52m (170-ft.) midway point provides both good food and sweeping, high-altitude views. Inside the restaurant’s metallic, glossy interior, every table sits near a window, which is entertaining for kids. Some of the best items on the menu include grilled lamb with a fresh herb sauce, or else honey flavored rib-eye of beef, or even leg of lamb cooked with fresh rosemary and served with a maple syrup dressing.

You can take the elevator to the observation platform Monday 10am to 8pm, Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 11pm. The cost is 4.50€, 2.50€ for kids 12 and under. For information about the tower and its upper-tier observation platform, call 030/30382996.

Messedamm 22. 030/30382900. Reservations not necessary. Main courses 15€–25€. AE, DC, MC, V. Wed–Sun 11:30am–11pm; Tues 6:30–11pm. U-Bahn: Kaiserdamm.

In Grunewald

Expensive

Vivaldi ★ FRENCH This restaurant is the culinary showcase of one of the most unusual small hotels in Berlin, a neo-Renaissance palace built in 1912 by an advisor to Kaiser Wilhelm II. Vivaldi serves, with panache, some of the most elegant hotel food in Berlin, within a paneled and antiques-strewn setting that’s as grand as anything you’re likely to find in Europe. Most diners opt for one of two fixed-price menus, each with its own regional theme, which offer the choice of three to six courses (60€–110€). There’s also a limited a la carte list. Your best bet is to look for the day’s suggestion. Two specialties we especially like are the Brandenburg duck with creamy potatoes or the roast halibut with lobster sauce, spinach, and a cauliflower purée. You can also count on the sauté of Bresse rabbit with morels. The chefs take special care with their roast suckling pig with truffled vegetables and a lavender sauce.

In the Schlosshotel im Grunewald, Brahmsstrasse 10. 030/895840. Reservations recommended. Main courses 28€–49€. AE, DC, MC, V. Tues–Sat noon–2pm and 6–10pm. S-Bahn: Grunewald.

In Berlin-Mitte

Very Expensive

Fischers Fritz ★★ FRENCH/SEAFOOD In the Regent hotel, this is the domain of chef de cuisine Christian Lohse. Fischers Fritz is the two-star Michelin restaurant in Berlin. In elegant surroundings, the cuisine is both subtle and sophisticated, and the chef cooks with the ardent lyricism of a culinary troubadour. Need convincing? Try such starters as terrine of foie gras and smoked eel with eggplant jam. The fish and seafood dishes are perhaps the finest in Berlin, featuring wild sea bass in a salt crust with seasonal vegetables or a suprême of Atlantic turbot with white asparagus and morels. Another tantalizing main dish is chargrilled Bresse pigeon with green asparagus and fresh mushrooms.

Charlottenstrasse 49. 030/20336363.www.fischersfritzberlin.com. Reservations required. Main courses 28€–78€; fixed-price menus 110€, 130€, and 150€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon–2pm and 6:30–10:30pm. U-Bahn: Französische Strasse.

Expensive

FACIL ★★★ CONTINENTAL At tremendous expense, in the infrastructure of the Mandala Hotel, a crane lifted a vast tonnage of glass, steel, and garden supplies to the hotel’s fifth-floor terrace. Don’t expect a view of the city skyline, as you’ll probably get something even better: a verdant oasis of Zen-like calm smack in the middle of one of Berlin’s most frenetic neighborhoods. A glass roof, tightly closed for midwinter views of the falling rain and snow, opens dramatically during clement weather for a view of the moon and stars. All this is available to only about 50 diners placed at 14 tables. Service from the well-trained staff is formal, alert, and attentive.

A medley of extremely sophisticated menu items changes with the seasons and the inspiration of the chef, but may include such starters as lukewarm octopus with clams or gnocchi with Cèpes (flap mushrooms). The freshest of fish is shipped in, and the chef grabs the best of the catch, fashioning the bounty into Atlantic turbot with fresh fennel and an anchovy sauce or else sea bass with bouillabaisse salad. Meat and poultry dishes also use quality ingredients, and our favorites are the black feather fowl with kohlrabi and dumplings or the lobster with roasted vegetables.

In the Mandala Hotel, Potsdamer Strasse 3. 030/590051234.www.facil.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 16€–55€; fixed-price menus 70€–140€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Fri noon–3pm and 7–11pm. Closed Jan 1–17 and July 24–Aug 8. U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz.

Guy ★ INTERNATIONAL At this top-notch restaurant, anticipate a strong sense of gastronomy as theater. Proceed to any of three separate balconies, each supporting at least one row of artfully decorated tables. The effect can be compared to the balconies and private boxes of an old-fashioned opera house. The cuisine is very haute, even to the point of seeming experimental. Offerings change monthly but might include wild salmon confit with a beetroot polenta, or fresh trout cooked in buttermilk and served with a sauce of fresh fennel and lemon. Baked crayfish appears with caramelized fennel and an orange sauce or you can order a carpaccio of venison with foie gras and lime vinaigrette.

Jägerstrasse 59–60. 030/20942600.www.guy-restaurant.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 28€–32€; fixed-price lunches 17€–22€. AE, MC, V. Mon–Fri noon–3pm and 6pm–1am; Sat 6pm–1am. U-Bahn: Stadtmitte or Französische Strasse.

Margaux ★★★ CONTINENTAL Chef Michael Hoffmann will dazzle your palate with his seductive, inventive dishes and his brilliant wine cellar. Several food magazines have named this the best gourmet restaurant in Berlin. Only a few steps from the Brandenburg Gate, the restaurant has a stunning, modern interior, designed by the noted architect Johanne Nalbach. The exceptional food, such as the steamed char served with ravioli stuffed with pulverized tête de veau or the pigeon stuffed with olives and served with a wine and thyme jus, is made from only the highest-quality ingredients. One delectable specialty is pink shrimp with steamed vegetables, candied lemon, and green apple jam.

Unter den Linden 78. 030/22652611.www.margaux-berlin.de. Reservations required. Main courses 36€–42€; fixed-price menus 95€–165€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 7–10:30pm. S-Bahn: Unter den Linden.

Remake ★★ INTERNATIONAL Wait till you try Cristiano Reinzner’s licorice-scented scallops mated with a cherry sorbet. A horrible combination, you say, until you taste this talented chef’s experimental dishes prepared with culinary flair learned at the futurist cooking school of El Bulli, in Spain (hailed as that country’s best). Scallops might also appear in a pumpkin and passion fruit sauce. Another divine creation is the chef’s quail breast with bitter chocolate foam and berry reduction. If not that, perhaps you’ll go for the saddle of lamb with braised bananas and vanilla-scented tomatoes, or the homemade tortellini with a stuffing of goat cheese and olives, the dish bound with a caramelized walnut and sage butter. The chic restaurant lies off Oranienburgerstrasse, in the Mitte district, in a series of small rooms with exposed brick and “spider” chandeliers hanging over tiled floors.

Grosse Hamburger Strasse 32. 030/20054102.www.restaurant-remake.de. Reservations required. Main courses 20€–30€; fixed-price menus 62€–72€. AE, MC, V. Mon–Sat 7–11pm. U-Bahn: Weinmeister Strasse.

Restaurant VAU ★★ INTERNATIONAL This restaurant serves fabulous cuisine, celebrating the bounty of Germany. You shouldn’t pass up the chance to sample the crispy pikeperch with savoy cabbage and bacon or the roast bison with black radishes, or even the roast scallops with quail eggs, goat cheese, and Swiss chard. VAU hits a culinary stride with such delights as marinated lobster in yellow turnip and truffles from Périgord, or confit of breast of veal. One of the chef’s most imaginative dishes is fresh lobster served with beetroot, goat cheese, chili peppers, and crushed peanuts.

Jägerstrasse 54–55 (near the Four Seasons Hotel and the Gendarmenmarkt). 030/2029730.www.vau-berlin.de. Reservations recommended. All courses 38€; fixed-price menus 100€–120€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Sat noon–2:30pm and 7–10:30pm. U-Bahn: Hausvogteiplatz.

Rutz ★ GERMAN/CONTINENTAL This restaurant and wine bar is definitely for the sophisticated palate. Marco Müller makes what many foodies have described as the best burger in Berlin. It consists of stuffed pig stomach, cabbage, and goose liver. Of course, if you prefer classic German food, you’ll find it here, including spicy veal goulash soup or roast black pudding. But most diners, especially the young ones, prefer the more experimental dishes, including breast and confit of wild pigeon with black leaf kale and a spring onion cannelloni, with cherries, or else grilled octopus with an artichoke bean ragout, fresh rosemary, and balsamic-marinated figs. Wines are served by the glass for each course. Finish with a spectacular dessert such as a semiliquid chocolate soufflé with aloe vera, fresh orange, papaya, and saffron mascarpone ice cream.

Chausseestrasse 8. 030/24628760.www.rutz-weinbar.de. Reservations required. Main courses 36€–42€. AE, MC, V. Mon–Sat 6:30–10:30pm. U-Bahn: Oranienburger Tor.

Vox ★ INTERNATIONAL/SUSHI This is one of the most exciting and creative restaurants in Berlin, far outshining any competition within the vast architectural complex at Potsdamer Platz. One of Switzerland’s best design teams created the minimalist decor, with lots of visual emphasis on a mostly stainless-steel, open-to-view kitchen. Here a team of uniformed chefs concocts artfully presented platters of braised goose liver with apple-flavored vinaigrette; filet of lamb cooked in a wood-burning oven with goat cheese, pepper oil, and Mediterranean vegetables; rotisserie-cooked breast of Barbary duck with mango chutney; and roasted sturgeon on a frothy sauce of white rosemary. The culinary philosophy here combines Mediterranean with Asian cuisines in ways you may not expect. One corner of the restaurant features the best sushi bar in Berlin. The venue is enhanced by an attentive and very hip staff, some of whom shuttle between the restaurant and a stylish cocktail lounge that features jazz and blues every night, beginning at 10pm. During clement weather, tables spill out onto the terrace, beneath verdant rows of linden trees.

In the Grand Hyatt Berlin, Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 2. 030/25531772.www.vox-restaurant.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses lunch 11€–20€, dinner 21€–35€; platters of sushi 12€–31€. AE, DC, MC, V. Restaurant Mon–Fri noon–2:30pm; daily 6:30pm–midnight. Bar daily 6pm–2am. U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz.

Moderate

Aigner REGIONAL/AUSTRIAN Habsburg Austria lives on here. In the late 1990s, the Dorint chain bought the furnishings from one of Vienna’s oldest cafes, the Aigner, and moved them into the ground floor of one of Berlin’s most modern hotels. The result is a black-and-white Jugendstil setting replete with Thonet chairs. There’s a lot of ambience here, thanks partly to a location that overlooks the Gendarmenmarkt; the staff provides old-fashioned service with a modern flair. The restaurant’s signature dish is Tafelspitz, the boiled-beef-with-horseradish dish. It’s served in a big brass kettle with both haunch and shoulder of beef, with lots of soup, vegetables, savoy cabbage, crème fraîche, and apple-flavored horseradish. Other good choices include saddle of deer roasted with coffee beans; braised shoulder of lamb and pink filet of lamb with roasted artichokes; or veal dumplings with beetroot and mashed chive-studded potatoes.

In the Sofitel Berlin am Gendarmenmarkt, Charlottenstrasse 50–52. 030/203751850.www.aigner-gendarmenmarkt.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 15€–32€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon–11:30pm. U-Bahn: Französichestrasse.

Ganymed FRENCH There’s nothing trendy or immediately fashionable about this restaurant, which occupied these premises beginning in 1929 and stalwartly continued doing business within East Berlin throughout the Cold War. The setting includes two formal dining rooms, one with an ornate plaster ceiling of great beauty, the other a more modern, big-windowed affair that overlooks the Spree. Food arrives in worthy portions, with plenty of flavor. Many Berlin restaurants have abandoned soups altogether, but the chefs here continue to turn out that old Berlin favorite, green-pea soup, although the ginger-flavored carrot soup is more up-to-date. You might be tempted by one of the carefully crafted main courses such as braised veal cheeks with root vegetables or saddle of lamb stuffed with oyster mushrooms and served under a pistachio crust. Sometimes a whole lobster from Nantes is served grilled.

Schiffbauerdamm 5. 030/28599046.www.ganymed-brasserie.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 16€–57€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon–midnight. U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse.

Malatesta ITALIAN Flavorful Italian food, served within an all-black-and-white venue whose rectilinear simplicity might remind you of a spartan version of a sushi bar, is the heartbeat of this likable Italian restaurant. The aura is high style rather than cozy, with an emphasis on the kind of offhanded hip you might have expected in Milan or Rome. The menu reflects whatever is fresh and succulent at the time, with dishes crafted anew almost every day. Some enduring specialties include sea bass cooked under a parsley and olive crust; grilled turbot flavored with orange and fresh thyme; or spaghetti with clams spiced with hot chili peppers. Specialties from throughout Italy are the draw here, with no particular emphasis on northern, southern, or central Italian cuisine over any of the country’s other regions.

Charlottenstrasse 59. 030/20945071.www.ristorante-malatesta.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 17€–25€. AE, MC, V. Mon–Sat 12:30pm–1:30am. U-Bahn: Stadtmitte.

Zur Letzten Instanz GERMAN Reputedly, this is Berlin’s oldest restaurant, dating from 1525. Zur Letzten Instanz has supposedly been frequented by everybody from Napoleon to Beethoven. Prisoners used to stop off here for one last beer before going to jail. The place is located on two floors of a baroque building just outside the crumbling brick wall that once ringed medieval Berlin. Double doors open on a series of small woodsy rooms, one with a bar and ceramic Kachelofen (stove). At the back, a circular staircase leads to another series of rooms, where every evening at 6pm, food and wine (no beer) are served. The menu is old-fashioned, mainly limited to good, hearty fare in the best of the Grandmother Berlin tradition of staples.

Waisenstrasse 14–16 (near the Alexanderplatz). 030/2425528.www.zurletzteninstanz.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 12€–20€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Sat noon–1am. U-Bahn: Klosterstrasse.

Inexpensive

Burgermeister HAMBURGERS Berliners claim their beloved Burgermeister, under the arches of the U-Bahn station at Schlesisches Tor, makes the best burgers in Berlin. Of course, among burger aficionados, that’s debatable. From chili cheeseburgers (a greasy delight) to barbecue burgers like they serve in the American South, this place keeps its fast-order cooks grilling until late at night. When it gets crowded, you have to take a number and wait in line with the hungry masses. Burgermeister wins praises for its “special sauces.”

Oberbaumstrasse 8. 030/22436493. Reservations: take a number. Hamburgers 4.50€–9€. No credit cards. Mon–Thurs 11am–2am; Fri–Sat 11am–4am; Sun 3pm–2am. U-Bahn: Schlesisches Tor.

Curry 36 BRATWURST A former mayor of Berlin told us, “You haven’t been to Berlin until you’ve sampled our most famous street food.” Basically, it’s Currywurst, which is Bratwurst sausage covered in ketchup and seasoned with curry powder. Traditionally, it’s served with mayonnaise-topped fries. The most famous Currywurst Imbiss in Berlin is Curry 36. That same mayor told us that the treat (that’s debatable) was served to President John F. Kennedy during his visit to the city. After downing it, Kennedy said, “Now I am a true Berliner, but I don’t have to eat it ever again, do I?”

36 Mehringdamm. 030/2517368. Reservations not needed. Bratwurst 2€–7.50€. No credit cards. Mon–Fri 9am–4pm; Sat 10am–4pm; Sun 11am–3pm.

Dressler CONTINENTAL No other bistro along Unter den Linden re-creates Berlin’s prewar decor and style as successfully. Designed to resemble an arts-conscious bistro of the sort that might have entertained tuxedo-clad clients in the 1920s, it’s set behind a wine-colored facade and outfitted with leather banquettes, black-and-white tile floors, mirrors, and film memorabilia from the great days of early German cinema. Waiters scurry around in vests and aprons, carrying trays of everything from caviar to strudel, as well as three kinds of oysters and hefty portions of lobster salad. You can always drop in to ogle the racks of elegant pastries, consuming them with steaming pots of tea or coffee. Otherwise, more substantial menu items include turbot with champagne vinaigrette, pheasant breast with Riesling sauce, local salmon trout with white-wine sauce and braised endive, stuffed breast of veal, and calves’ livers with apples.

Unter den Linden 39. 030/2044422.www.restaurant-dressler.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 15€–28€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 8am–midnight. S-Bahn: Unter den Linden.

FraRosa FUSION This popular haunt of Berlin youth has a startling pay-what-you-want policy. Needless to say, its 15 tables fill up quickly every evening. As you enter, the bartender asks you to put 2€ into the piggy bank. That’s for the rental of a wineglass. After that, you can drink what you want. The decor is an electric set of mismatched pieces and flea market accessories set against a backdrop of paint-chipped walls and frescolike murals inspired by Toulouse-Lautrec. The food is reasonably good, not spectacular; the chef calls it “con-fusion.” After you dine and drink what you want, you discuss with the waiter what you think is a fair price to pay and then scurry out (that is, if you left too little).

Zionskirchstrasse 40. 030/65706756. Reservations recommended. Suggested donation 40€ for 2; glass rental 2€. No credit cards. Daily noon–4pm and 8pm–midnight. U-Bahn: Senefelder-Platz.

Hartmanns ★ GERMAN/MEDITERRANEAN Chef Stefan Hartmann is arguably the best chef in Kreuzberg, at least among his many fans. This talented chef turns out dishes that are inspired, and many of his specialties given Mediterranean flavors. His market-fresh menu is wisely limited so that all ingredients are shopped for on any day. Among starters, we recommend, if featured, smoked duck liver terrine with mango and shiitake mushrooms or else codfish with a mussel jus, perhaps seared foie gras and caramelized apples. For a main course, he carefully crafts such delights as roast lamb with artichokes and arugula or pikeperch in a laurel jus. He truly shines on his fixed-price menus that range from 45€ to 74€.

Fichtestrasse 31. 030/61201003. Reservations required. Main courses 28€; fixed-price menus 45€–74€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Fri noon–2:30pm; Mon–Sat 6pm–midnight. U-Bahn: Kottbusser Tor.

Ristorante Sale e Tabacchi ★ ITALIAN This elegant restaurant, cafe, and bar—called “Salt and Tobacco” in English—is popular with an artsy crowd from the nearby Kreuzberg galleries. The restaurant has large windows in its bar and cafe up front facing the street. In the rear is a high-ceilinged dining room opening onto a Mediterranean courtyard. The establishment is in the Rudi-Dutschke Haus, and is owned by the leftist newspaper Tageszeitung.

The restaurant serves Italian specialties that are a delight to the palate, including zuppa di pesca (fish soup). This might be followed by some of Berlin’s best antipasti, including shellfish or perhaps zucchini stuffed with ricotta and served with a tomato cream sauce. Succulent pastas and freshly made salads are also on the menu.

Rudi-Dutschke-Strasse 23. 030/1521155.www.sale-e-tabacchi.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 10€–28€. MC, V. Daily 10am–2am. U-Bahn: Kochstrasse.

StäV ★ RHENISH For years, this upscale tavern entertained the politicians and journalists whose business involved the day-to-day running of the German government from Germany’s former capital of Bonn. Although its owners at first opposed the reinauguration of Berlin as the German capital, when the switch was made, they valiantly pulled out of the Rhineland and followed their clientele to new digs, within a 5-minute walk of the Brandenburg Gate, near the Friedrichstrasse Bahnhof. The most visible beer served is Kölsch, a brew more closely associated with the Rhineland than any other beer. Rhenish food items include a mass of apples, onions, and blood sausage known as Himmel und Ärd (“heaven and hell”); braised beef with pumpernickel and raisin sauce; and Rhineland Sauerbraten with noodles. Other items, many influenced by the culinary traditions of Berlin, include pickled pork in aspic jelly with a rémoulade sauce or boiled pork knuckle on a bed of sauerkraut.

Schiffbauerdamm 8. 030/2823965.www.staev.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 8.50€–16€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 10am–1am. U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse.

In Kreuzberg

Expensive

Horváth ★★ INTERNATIONAL One of the hot dining tickets of Berlin is this restaurant opened on the site of that former celebrity favorite Exil, where David Bowie partied and Andy Warhol painted. In the Kreuzberg district, it is installed in a 19th-century front room, a showcase for the savory viands of Chef Wolfgang Müller. Celebrities, including the mayor of Berlin, continue to frequent these airy, hyper-avant-garde dining rooms, enjoying dishes that are inspired by recipes from Bavaria to Bangkok. Over chilled elderberry soup, you can decide on your next course—perhaps stuffed shoulder of veal with artichoke hearts, olives, pine nuts, and a mushroom-flavored risotto. Finish off with, perhaps, the passion fruit tart with marinated fruit and a coconut-flavored lime sauce.

Paul-Lincke-Ufer 44/A. 030/61289992.www.restaurant-horvath.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 13€–17€; fixed-price menus 45€ for 5 courses, 59€ for 7 courses, 73€ for 10 courses. No credit cards. Tues–Sun 6pm–midnight. U-Bahn: Kottbusser Tor.

In Prenzlauer

Moderate

Pasternak ★ RUSSIAN Its setting, a pink-walled dining room within a distinguished-looking 150-year-old building adjacent to a synagogue in what used to be the eastern zone, evokes nostalgia in many of its patrons. Menu items read like what the characters in a Dostoevsky novel might have ordered: borscht, blinis, chicken Kiev, pork skewers with pomegranate and walnut sauce, Taig Taschen (Russian-style ravioli stuffed with spinach and cheese), beef stroganoff, and Russian-style hot apple tart. Expect generous portions, an evocative setting, and the kind of clients who don’t necessarily remember the former Russian regime in Berlin with any particular distaste. You might get the vague suspicion that some, in fact, might even miss it.

Knaackstrasse 22–24, Prenzlauer Berg. 030/4413399.www.restaurant-pasternak.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 10€–38€. AE, MC, V. Daily 11am–1am. U-Bahn: Senefelderplatz.

Shopping

Berlin in Berlin

Midway along the Tauentzienstrasse, near the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, is the imposing sculpture Berlin, commissioned to celebrate the city’s 750th anniversary. Unveiled in 1987, its broken-chain motif symbolized the broken link between East and West Berlin. Today, it serves as a striking reminder of the city’s painful past.

The Ku’Damm (Kurfürstendamm) is the Fifth Avenue of Berlin. It’s filled with quality stores but also has outlets hustling cheap souvenirs and T-shirts. Although Berliners themselves shop on the Ku’Damm, many prefer the specialty stores on the side streets, especially between Breitscheidplatz and Olivaer Platz. You may also want to check out Am Zoo and Kantstrasse.

Another major shopping street is the Tauentzienstrasse and the streets that intersect it: Marburger, Ranke, and Nürnberger. This area offers a wide array of stores, many specializing in German fashions for women. Stores here are often cheaper than on the Ku’Damm. Also on Tauentzienstrasse (near the Ku’Damm) is Berlin’s major indoor shopping center, the Europa Center ( 030/26497940), with around 75 shops, as well as restaurants and cafes. At the end of this street lies the KaDeWe, the classiest department store in Berlin and the biggest in continental Europe.

A new, upmarket version of the Europa Center is the Uhland-Passage, at Uhlandstrasse 170, which has some of the best boutiques and big-name stores in Berlin. Shoppers interested in quality at any price should head to Kempinski Plaza, Uhlandstrasse 181–183, a pocket of posh, with some of the most exclusive boutiques in the city. Haute-couture women’s clothing is a special feature here. More trendy and avant-garde boutiques are found along Bleibtreustrasse.

If you’re looking for serious bargains, head to Wilmersdorferstrasse, with a vast number of discount stores, although some of the merchandise is second rate. Try to avoid Saturday morning, when it’s often impossibly overcrowded.

In eastern Berlin, not that long ago, you couldn’t find much to buy except a few souvenirs. All that has changed now. The main street, Friedrichstrasse, offers some of Berlin’s most elegant shopping. Upmarket boutiques—selling everything from quality women’s fashions to Meissen porcelain—are found along Unter den Linden. The cheaper stores in eastern Berlin are around the rather bleak-looking Alexanderplatz. Many specialty and clothing shops are found in the Nikolai Quarter. The largest shopping mall in eastern Berlin, with outlets offering a little bit of everything, is at the Berliner Markthalle, at the corner of Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse and Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse.

Most stores in Berlin are open Monday to Friday 9 or 10am to 6 or 6:30pm. Many stay open late on Thursday evenings, often to 8:30pm. Saturday hours are usually 9 or 10am to 2pm.

Antiques

Harmel’s Most of Harmel’s inventory was gathered in England and France, a commentary on the relative scarcity of genuine German antiques because of wartime bombing. The carefully chosen collection stresses furniture, jewelry, and accessories from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Damaschkestrasse 24. 030/3242292. U-Bahn: Adenauerplatz.

L. & M. Lee ★ This is one of several sophisticated antiques stores on the Kurfürstendamm’s eastern end. The inventory includes mostly German-made porcelain, silver, and glass from the early 20th century, and an assortment of 19th-century pieces from other European countries. Kurfürstendamm 32. 030/8817333.www.lampen-lee-berlin.de. U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse.

Art Galleries

Arndt & Partner Berlin Among the first art galleries to establish itself after the collapse of the Berlin Wall, Arndt & Partner has focused on the discovery of new artists and the emergence of new trends since its inception. The gallery houses the works of today’s emerging artists, and of established ones as well. In 2006, the gallery received upgrades, with the addition of a second floor, allowing for larger exhibitions and museum-size installations, and a lounge where film artists can share their work with the viewing public. Zimmerstrasse 90–91. 030/2808123. www.arndt-partner.de. U-Bahn: Kochstrasse.

Galerie Brusberg ★ One of Germany’s most visible and influential art galleries, Galerie Brusberg was established in 1958 by Dieter Brusberg. The gallery has handled the work of Salvador Dalí, Paul Delvaux, Henri Laurens, Pablo Picasso, and René Magritte, plus German artists Altenbourg, Antes, Ernst, and Klapheck. Long before unification, it promoted painters of the old Eastern Bloc, notably Bernhard Heisig, Harald Metzkes, and Werner Töbke. No one will mind if you drop in just for a look. Kurfürstendamm 213. 030/8827682.www.brusberg-berlin.de. U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse.

Galerie Pels-Leusden and Villa Grisebach Auktionen ★ This building, constructed in the 1880s by architect Hans Grisebach as his private home, is a historic monument in its own right. Two floors are devoted to 19th- and 20th-century art, mainly German. Prices begin at around 100€ for the least expensive lithograph and go much higher. The building also functions as headquarters and display area for an auction house. Sales are held every spring and fall. Fasanenstrasse 25. 030/8859150. U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse.

Galerie Thomas Schulte ★ Established in 1991 in the wake of the reunification of Berlin, this quickly became one of Germany’s leading international galleries. Focusing on contemporary conceptual art since 1960, the gallery displays the works of well-known artists such as Robert Mapplethorpe, Richard Deacon, and Rebecca Horn. The gallery, located on the first floor, welcomes visitors Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 6pm. Charlottenstrasse 24. 030/20608990.www.galeriethomasschulte.de. U-Bahn: Stadtmitte.

KW Institute for Contemporary Art ★ Located on the site of what was once a margarine factory, this building has been transformed into one of the city’s major centers of contemporary art. The institute houses no permanent collection of its own, and is instead considered a testing ground for emerging artists, with five floors of exhibition space and six artists’ studios. The courtyard on the grounds, which once lay in ruins, has been refurbished to provide an airy space for visitors to stroll or sit and chat. Check out the Café Bravo Pavilion, which is an art exhibit in itself. Auguststrasse 69. 030/2434590.www.kw-berlin.de. U-Bahn: Weinmeister Strasse.

treasures in the Barn District

The heart of Berlin’s fashion and art revival is the Scheuenviertel, or “Barn District” (S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt). The name comes from a period in the 17th century when hay barns were built far from the city center for fear of fires. In time, the city’s growth overtook the area, and it became Berlin’s Jewish quarter. For some reason, many of its oldest buildings survived World War II bombing assaults.

The remains of a grand 1909 shopping arcade—which occupies most of the block formed by Oranienburger, Rosenthaler, Grosse Hamburger Strasse, and Sophienstrasse—have been turned into a series of galleries, studios, and theaters. Worth a visit is Tacheles, Oranienburger Strasse 54–56 ( 030/2826185;www.tacheles.de; S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt), or “Talking Turkey” in Yiddish. It’s an alternative arts center.

The more prestigious galleries are found along Auguststrasse. Galerie Wohnmaschine, Invalidenstrasse 50–51 ( 030/30872015;www.wohnmaschine.de; S-Bahn: Lehrter Bahnhof), opened in 1988. Some of the best artists in the city are on exhibit here, most of them of a conceptual or minimalist bent.

Johanna Petzoldt, Sophienstrasse 9 ( 030/2826754;www.petzoldt.org; U-Bahn: Weinmeisterstrasse), sells handicrafts from the old Erzebirge region, including wooden toys and assorted curiosities, such as scenes fitted into a matchbox.

Bookshops

This literate and culture-conscious city boasts lots of bookshops catering to a multilingual clientele. An outfit richly stocked with works from German publishing houses is Literaturhaus Berlin, Fasanenstrasse 23 ( 030/8872860;www.literaturhaus-berlin.de; U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse). The leading gay bookstore of Berlin, containing both erotica and upscale literature in several languages, is Prinz Eisenherz, Lietzenburgerstrasse 9A ( 030/3139936;www.prinz-eisenherz.com; S-Bahn: Wartenberg). Since its opening in 1999, Pro qm, Almstadtstrasse 48–50 ( 030/24728520;www.pro-qm.de; U-Bahn: Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz), has been known as one of Berlin’s best bookstores for publications on art, architecture and design, and pop culture. As a testament to its success, the shop has relocated to a new spacious building. This new structure was designed by architects not only to accommodate a larger inventory, but primarily to facilitate discussion and movement among patrons.

China & Porcelain

KPM ★★★ This prestigious emporium was founded in 1763, when Friedrich the Great invested his personal funds in a lackluster porcelain factory, elevated it to royal status, and gave it a new name: Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur (Royal Porcelain Factory). It was Prussia’s answer to Meissen, in Saxony. Since then, the factory has become world famous for its artistry and delicacy. Each exquisite, hand-painted, hand-decorated item is carefully packed for shipment to virtually anywhere in the world. Patterns, for the most part, are based on traditional 18th- and 19th-century designs. All objects carry a distinctive official signature, an imperial orb, and the letters KPM. There’s also an array of high-quality trinkets for visitors.

You can visit the factory itself at Wegelystrasse 1 ( 030/390090; U-Bahn: Tiergarten). Guided tours let you look at the craftsmanship of the employees, and you can buy pieces here. Tours are provided once a day from Monday to Thursday at 10am. The charge is 8€, which is applied to any purchase. Children 15 and under are prohibited, as are video cameras and photography. Kurfürstendamm 27 (in the Kempinski Hotel Bristol). 030/88627961.http://en.kpm-berlin.com. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm.

Commie Relics

Mondos Arts As the memories of Berlin’s division fade, nostalgia for the era of Soviet rule is popping up in this ever-evolving city. This tiny shop is chock-full of relics from the Eastern Bloc period and kitschy items commemorating the old days—good or bad—of communism. There is an eclectic variety of unique items to choose from here, from items emblazoned with the images of Marx, Lenin, and Rosa Luxemburg, to bottles of Soviet-era beer. Ampelmännchen, the ubiquitous red-and-green man on eastern traffic crossings, serves as the store’s unofficial mascot, with the symbol adorning all sorts of items. There’s a wide variety of DVDs to choose from, including the propaganda-tinged films of East Berlin. Schreinerstrasse 6. 030/42010778. U-Bahn: Samariter Strasse.

Department Stores

Corner Berlin ★ This creation of a former movie producer and a former cosmetics executive is not really a department store, not really a boutique. “It’s what it is,” one of the owners enigmatically proclaimed. That means you can expect a little of everything: fashion accessories, jewelry, beauty products, gifts, electronics, art, vintage furniture, food, drink, books, and magazines. Almost every item on display is made exclusively in Germany. Französische Strasse 40. 030/20670940.www.thecornerberlin.de. U-Bahn: Französische Strasse.

Departmentstore Quartier 206 Located in the center of Berlin, this exclusive shopping center is not just about the merchandise. Housed in a building designed by the renowned architect I. M. Pei’s firm, this Art Deco–style glass-and-marble structure contains 8,000 sq. m (86,000 sq. ft.) of retail space. Shopping here is top-notch, and you’ll find such luxury brands as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Yves Saint Laurent. Friedrichstrasse 71. 030/20946800.www.quartier206.com. U-Bahn: Stadtmitte.

Galeries Lafayette ★ Paris in Berlin is found at this modern department store, right off Friedrichstrasse, designed by Jean Nouvel with a spectacular interior. The opening of this store has made Friedrichstrasse, the “street of spies” in the Cold War era, one of the most fashionable shopping areas in eastern Europe. Its French food department evokes what is meant by “died and gone to heaven.” Französische Strasse 23. 030/209480.www.galeries-lafayette.de. U-Bahn: Französische Strasse.

Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) ★★★ This huge luxury department store, known popularly as KaDeWe (pronounced Kah-Day-Vay), was established nearly a century ago. It’s best known for its sixth-floor food department, where more than 1,000 varieties of German sausages are displayed along with delicacies from all over the world. Even the most jaded epicure should find delight here with its wide range of sausages and the tastiest herring sandwiches in Berlin. Sit-down counters are available. After fortifying yourself here, you can explore the six floors of merchandise. KaDeWe is more than a department store—one shopper called it a “collection of first-class specialty shops.” Tauentzienstrasse 21. 030/21210.www.kadewe.de. U-Bahn: Wittenbergplatz.

Wertheim This centrally located store is good for travel aids and general basics. It sells perfumes, clothing for the entire family, jewelry, electrical devices, household goods, photography supplies, and souvenirs. It also has a shoe-repair section. Shoppers can fuel up at a large restaurant with a grand view over half the city. Kurfürstendamm 231. 030/880030.www.karstadt.de. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm.

Design

Bauhaus Archive The shop at the landmark Bauhaus Archive Museum of Design offers a stunning variety of items in contemporary styles, some designed by artists of the Bauhaus movement. More than 250 items, which incorporate not only design, but also utility, are available for the home and office. Profits from the shop support the Bauhaus Archive in its quest to both sustain its current collections and obtain new acquisitions. Klingelhöferstrasse 14. 030/2540020.www.bauhaus.de. U-Bahn: Nollendorfplatz.

Fashion

Bleibgrün It’s small, it’s fashionable, and it’s sought after by well-dressed and well-heeled women from Berlin and its suburbs. And best of all, the staff is charming and helpful. Come here for access to things that are terribly chic and contemporary, including dresses by Jean-Paul Gaultier, Paul Smith, Marithé François Girbaud, and a handful of other currently fashionable trendsetters. Bleibtreustrasse 29–30. 030/8821689.www.bleibgruen.de. S-Bahn: Savignyplatz.

Sonia Rykiel This stylish showcase is the only shop in Germany devoted exclusively to Ms. Rykiel, the successful French fashion mogul. She designed the store’s interior herself. Beware—even a Sonia Rykiel T-shirt is expensive. There are a children’s shop and a women’s shop. Kurfürstendamm 186. 030/8821774.www.soniarykiel.com. U-Bahn: Adenauerplatz.

Triebel This elegant store offers everything you may need for a weekend retreat at a private hunting lodge, such as clothing, shoes, boots, and sporting equipment. If you dream of looking like the lord of a Bavarian manor in a loden coat and feather-trimmed hat, or if you’ve been invited on a fox hunt, come here first. The inventory also includes a selection of hunting rifles and shooting equipment. Schönwalder Strasse 12, Spandau. 030/3355001.www.triebel.de. U-Bahn: Rathaus Spandau. S-Bahn: Spandau.

Werner Scherer ★ The arrival of this upscale menswear emporium symbolized to some extent the rebirth of the Unter den Linden as a glamorous shopping destination. Set on the street level of the Hotel Adlon, it’s the showplace of Munich-based designer Werner Scherer, who makes the kinds of clothes that millionaires love to buy. Expect access to the best-made shirts we’ve ever seen, silk neckties, and curiosities that include bomber jackets crafted from a mixture of silk and linen, and buttery-soft black leather coats. Despite its high prices, the shop does a roaring business with the glam crowd, many of whom wouldn’t consider buying their shirts anywhere else. Unter den Linden 77. 030/22679893. www.werner-scherer.de. S-Bahn: Unter den Linden.

Jewelry

Treykorn ★ This outlet displays the most avant-garde jewelry in Berlin. Owners Andreas and Sabine Treykorn provide a showcase for more than three dozen of the boldest and often most controversial jewelry artisans in the city. Although some pieces sell in the thousands, there are many selections in a more affordable price range. Savignyplatz 13-Passage. 030/31802354.www.treykorn.de. S-Bahn: Savignyplatz.

Markets

Berliner Trödelmarkt This flea market is near the corner of the Bachstrasse and the Strasse des 17 Juni, at the western edge of the Tiergarten, adjacent to the Tiergarten S-Bahn station. It’s the favorite weekend shopping spot of countless Berliners, who come here to find an appropriate piece of nostalgia, a battered semi-antique, or used clothing. The market is held every Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm. Strasse des 17 Juni. 030/26550096.www.berliner-troedelmarkt.de. S-Bahn: Tiergarten.

Calling All ceramics Lovers

As ceramics lovers learn more about the late Hedwig Bollhagen, a great ceramics artist who died in 2001, they are making their way to her Ceramics Studio in the little village of Marwitz outside Berlin. The location is at Hedwig-Bollhagen Strasse 4 ( 03304/39800), reached on the A111 Autobahn toward Hamburg. The unmistakable and brightly colored geometric patterns of her tableware, with its HB monogram, are appearing in more and more collections around the world. Under the East German Communists, her Bollhagen ceramics were unavailable in the West for decades. The workshop here is open Wednesday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 10am to 2pm. You can purchase seconds at prices beginning at 10€. Free tours in German are offered the last Wednesday of every month at 1pm.

Military Figures

Berliner Zinnfiguren A mecca for collectors since 1934, this shop carries an impressive inventory of German-language books on military history and more than 10,000 different pewter figurines of soldiers from many different imperial armies, including the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Also included are hand-painted models of Roman and ancient Greek foot soldiers. Flat, hand-painted pewter figures are sold only in sets of 12 or more. Knesebeckstrasse 88. 030/3157000.www.zinnfigur.com. S-Bahn: Savignyplatz.

Music

Bauer & Hieber Most of the professional musicians of Berlin have a working familiarity with this well-established store, as it’s been selling musical instruments and sheet music since 1910. Regardless of how esoteric your tastes, you’re likely to find the score to whatever it is that interests you—sometimes in used folios that have some historical interest in their own right. You can also find a good selection of CDs. Uhlandstrasse 38. 030/8827395. U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse.

Perfume

Harry Lehmann This is the kind of shop where German mothers and grandmothers might have bought their perfume between the two world wars. Don’t expect a standardized list of the big names you’d find at a duty-free airport shop. Most scents are family recipes, distilled from flowers, grasses, and leaves. The reasonable prices may surprise you—10 grams (1⁄3 oz.) for as little as 5€. Coming here is a cheap and amusing way to experience the scents of a Prussian spring. Kantstrasse 106. 030/3243582. U-Bahn: Wilmersdorferstrasse.

Punk Memorabilia

Kaufhaus Schrill Few stores mingle junkiness and kitsch with such artful abandon. Stock here would gladden any punk rocker’s heart, especially if he or she were on the lookout for Elvis-era memorabilia, hair barrettes that glow in the dark, and jewelry that may appeal to Courtney Love for her date with a group of bikers. Don’t expect anything tasteful—that isn’t its style. Partly because of that, and partly because the place evokes a vivid sense of the long-ago rebelliousness of the ’60s, the place is something of an icon for counterculture youth. Bleibtreustrasse 46. 030/8824048.www.gallery-schrill.de. S-Bahn: Savignyplatz.

Sculpture

Gipsformerei der Staatlichen Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz (Plasterworks of the State Museums of Prussia) ★ This company has duplicated the world’s great sculptures as plaster casts since 1819. Today, there’s an inventory of more than 6,500 of them, everything from busts of Queen Nefertiti to a faithful reproduction of the Farnese Bull. Objects can be crated and shipped around the world. Sophie-Charlotten-Strasse 17. 030/3267690. S-Bahn: Westend.

Shoes

Trippen Founded on the concept that economic success does not need to come at the cost of social responsibility, Trippen produces shoes that are both environmentally friendly and trendy. The creative team behind the company constantly strives to produce artistic and stylish designs, but not at the expense of the environment. As a means of challenging the disposable nature of the fashion industry, Trippen continues to sell its previous collections, even while putting out new designs each season. Rosenthaler Strasse 40–41. 030/28391337.www.trippen.com. U-Bahn: Weinmeisterstrasse.

Shopping Arcades

One of the many surprising aspects of the rebuilt and redesigned Potsdamer Platz is the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden ( 030/2559270;www.potsdamer-platz-arkaden.de; U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz), one of the most comprehensive shopping malls in Berlin. In a deliberate rejoinder to more outdated Ku’Damm malls, such as the Europa Center, it contains more than 100 shops scattered over three levels.

Entertainment & Nightlife

Nightlife

In Berlin, “nightlife” runs round-the-clock, and there’s plenty to do at any time. Berlin has a monthly English-language newspaper, The Ex-Berliner, providing a witty, informative guide to the city’s culture and entertainment. This magazine is available at newsstands and tourist offices. Tourist offices also distribute a free magazine called New Berlin providing tips and recommendations to visitors. The German-language Berlin Programm is available at newsstands. The most detailed listings are found in zitty, a biweekly publication in German.

The Performing Arts

Opera & Classical Music

Berliner Philharmonisches Orchester (Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra) ★★★ The Berlin Philharmonic is one of the world’s premier orchestras. Its home, the Philharmonie in the Kulturforum, is a significant piece of modern architecture; you may want to visit even if you do not attend a performance. None of the 2,218 seats are more than 30m (100 ft.) from the rostrum. The box office is open Monday to Friday 3 to 6pm and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 2pm. You can place orders by phone at 030/25488999. If you’re staying in a first-class or deluxe hotel, you can usually get the concierge to obtain seats for you. Herbert-von-Karajan-Strasse 1. 030/254880. www.berlin-philharmonic.com. Tickets 14€–85€; special concerts 53€–138€. U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz.

Deutsche Oper Berlin ★ This opera company performs in Charlottenburg in one of the world’s great opera houses, a notable example of modern theater architecture that seats 1,885. The company tackles Puccini favorites, Janácek rarities, or modern works, and has a complete Wagner repertoire. A ballet company performs once a week. Concerts, including Lieder evenings, are also presented on the opera stage. Bismarckstrasse 35. 030/34384343.www.deutscheoperberlin.de. Tickets 12€–120€. U-Bahn: Deutsche Oper. S-Bahn: Charlottenburg.

Komische Oper Berlin The Komische Opera has become one of the most highly regarded theater ensembles in Europe, presenting many avant-garde opera productions as well as ballet and musical theater. The box office is open Monday to Saturday 11am to 7pm and Sunday 1pm until 1 1/2 hours before the performance. Behrenstrasse 55–57. 030/202600.www.komische-oper-berlin.de. Tickets 8€–93€. U-Bahn: Französische Strasse. S-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse or Unter den Linden.

Konzerthaus Berlin This 1821 building was created by Friedrich Schinkel. It offers two venues for classical concerts: the Grosser Konzertsaal for orchestra and the Kammermusiksaal for chamber music. Its organ recitals are considered the finest in Germany. Performances are often daring and innovative. The Deutsches Sinfonie-Orchester is also based here. In the Schauspielhaus, Gendarmenmarkt. 030/203092101.www.konzerthaus.de. Tickets 10€–99€. U-Bahn: Französische Strasse.

Theater

Berlin has long been known for its theater. Even if you don’t understand German, you may enjoy a production of a familiar play or musical.

Perhaps the most famous theater is the Berliner Ensemble, Am Bertolt-Brecht-Platz 1 ( 030/28408155;www.berliner-ensemble.de; U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse), founded by the late playwright Bertolt Brecht. His wife, Helene Weigel, played an important role in the theater’s founding and was the ensemble’s longtime director. Works by Brecht and other playwrights are presented here. Seats are reasonably priced, ranging from 6€ to 40€.

The most important German-language theater in the country is Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz, Kurfürstendamm 153 ( 030/890023;www.schaubuehne.de; U-Bahn: Adenauerplatz), at the east end of the Ku’Damm, near Lehniner Platz. There are three different stages here. Tickets range from 10€ to 38€.

Theater des Westens, located between the Berlin Zoo and the Ku’Damm at Kantstrasse 12 ( 030/319030; U-Bahn/S-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten), specializes in plays, musical comedies, and the German equivalent of Broadway extravaganzas. The theater was built in 1896. Performances are held Tuesday to Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 7pm. Saturday matinees are occasionally available. Ticket prices range from 20€ to 110€.

The Club & Music Scene

Cabaret

Very popular among visitors to Berlin is the kind of nightspot depicted in the musical Cabaret, with floor-show patter and acts that make fun of the political and social scene. Cabaret life in between-the-wars Berlin inspired writers such as Christopher Isherwood, among many others. These emporiums of schmaltz have been reborn in the former East Berlin—though the satire may be a bit less biting than it was during the Weimar Republic. Today’s cabaret shows may remind you of Broadway blockbusters, without much of the intimacy of the smoky and trenchant cellar revues of the 1930s.

Die Stachelschweine Since the beginning of the Cold War, the “Porcupine” has poked prickly fun at the German and American political scenes. The performance is delivered in rapid-fire German and evokes the legendary Berliner sense of satire, which can often be scathing in its humor. Although you need to understand German to really appreciate what goes on here, you’ll still recognize some of the names (George W., Dick Cheney, Al Gore, and Hillary), and there’s likely to be a deliberately corny selection of popular ditties (“Life is a cabaret, old chum”) thrown in. Shows take place Tuesday to Friday at 8pm and Saturday at 8 and 9:30pm. The box office is open Tuesday to Friday 11am to 2pm and 3 to 7:30pm, and Saturday 10am to 2pm and 3 to 8:45pm. It’s closed in July. Tauentzienstrasse and Budapesterstrasse (in the basement of Europa Center). 030/2614795.www.stachelschweine-berlin.de. Cover 13€–28€. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm.

Friedrichstadt Palast For access to talent that includes multilingual comedians and singers, jugglers, acrobats, musicians, plenty of coyly expressed sexuality, and lots of costume changes, consider an evening here. Although showtimes may vary with whatever revue is featured at the time of your visit, they tend to begin Tuesday to Saturday at 8pm, with additional performances every Saturday and Sunday at 4pm. Friedrichstrasse 107. 030/23262326.www.friedrichstadtpalast.de. Cover 17€–100€. U-Bahn or S-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse.

Wintergarten Varieté The largest and most nostalgic Berlin cabaret, the Wintergarten offers a variety show every night, with magicians, clowns, jugglers, acrobats, and live music. The most expensive seats are on stage level, where tiny tables are available for simple suppers costing from 13€ to 24€. Balconies have conventional theater seats, but staff members pass frequently along the aisles selling drinks. Shows usually begin Wednesday to Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 6pm. Rarely, most often in summer, shows might also be presented on Monday and Tuesday. All times are subject to change, so call ahead. Shows last around 2 1/4 hours. Potsdamer Strasse 96. 030/588433.www.wintergarten-variete.de. Cover Fri–Sat 25€–55€, Sun–Thurs 15€–50€. U-Bahn: Kurfürstenstrasse.

Dance Clubs

Clärchens Ballhaus This landmark in old East Berlin has reemerged back to its original glory during the last decade. It became a legend, opening in 1913 right before “The Great War” and miraculously surviving until the end of World War II; Nazi officers once used the top floor (with a decadent mirrored ballroom) as a private club. After the war, part of it remained closed but its downstairs great ballroom remained open throughout the Cold War. Since 2005, the mirrored ballroom was reopened for the first time since WWII, and today a hot DJ and live bands rage through the night, with occasional tango dancers and the like—even Johann Strauss music. Gypsy street musicians are a favorite. Everybody from Turks out for a night on the town to elderly East Berlin couples fill the joint. It’s usually open from 7 to 11pm, but not every night, so call before heading here. Auguststrasse 24. 030/2829295. www.ballhaus.de. S-Bahn: Oranienburger Strasse.

Club der Visionaere Hip 20-somethings flock like birds to this Spree riverside bar in Kreuzberg. Its interior has been compared to a shipwreck. The club has become famous for its Sunday-afternoon parties that seem to last until dawn streaks the sky. House music fills the night in this very Louisiana Bayou–like atmosphere. If you’re here at sunrise, take in the concrete watchtower across the street. It’s one of the last surviving towers constructed by the East German police to shoot down “deserters” from the DDR. Open Monday to Friday 2pm to 4am (or beyond), Saturday and Sunday noon to 4am (or beyond). Am Flutgraben 1. 030/69518944.www.clubdervisionaere.com. Cover 1€–5€ (depending on what’s happening). U-Bahn: Warschauer Strasse.

Delicious Doughnuts This club for acid jazz and other delights still keeps its old name, though it no longer sells doughnuts. A scarlet red decor and black-leather booths have given it a more sophisticated ambience. A pocket-size dance floor is just part of the allure, along with a hot DJ. Rosenthalerstrasse 9. 030/28099274.www.delicious-doughnuts.de. Cover Wed–Sat 8€. U-Bahn: Rosenthaler Platz.

Sage Club ★ This is one of Berlin’s trendiest clubs, with a trio of dance areas and a special VIP section with a pool “reserved for the privileged,” such as Mick Jagger. This club is like a party tour for the Sex and the City crowd. Patrons have done everything and everybody. The music blaring away is rock, funk, “big beat,” soul, indie, and house. In the rear is a much frequented wooden courtyard. It’s open Thursday to Sunday 7pm to 5am. Köpenicker Strasse 76. 030/2789830.www.sage-club.de. Cover 6€–15€. U-Bahn: Heinrich-Heine-Strasse.

SO36 ★ The lines begin to form here about 30 minutes before the place opens, but they move quickly as Berlin’s hipsters get into the spirit of one of the city’s more witty and unconventional clubs. Its name derives from the postal code for this district before World War II. Inside, you’ll find two very large rooms, a stage, an ongoing rush of danceable music, and a scene that combines a senior prom in the high-school gym with some of the more bizarre aspects of Berlin nightlife. Lots of women come here, both gay and straight, and there’s a higher percentage of heterosexual men than you might have expected along this strip of bars in Kreuzberg. The club is open most nights, based on an evolving schedule, 8pm to at least 4am. Oranienstrasse 190, Kreuzberg. 030/61401306.www.so36.de. Cover 4€–22€. U-Bahn: Görlitzer Bahnhof.

Watergate Club ★ During the Cold War, West Berliners avoided going near the Spree River, which was divided with the dreaded DDR. Today, some of the city’s coolest nightlife occurs along the banks of the river. The biggest attraction is the Watergate, a beautifully designed split-level club opening onto the river with its floor-to-ceiling plate-glass windows. It is known for its LED lighting. One habitué called it “a hell of a cool locale.” The dancing after-dark cognoscenti descends on this throbbing hot spot. Management draws some of the world’s leading international DJs. Music is house, break-beat, and drum and bass nights. Open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from midnight to 4am (or beyond). Falckensteinstrasse 49. 030/61280395. Cover 8€–12€. U-Bahn: Schlesisches Tor.

White-Trash Don’t you love that name? You can eat, party, or attend a film all under one roof. The club originated in a former Chinese restaurant where you might encounter Mick Jagger or Marilyn Manson on any given night. Much of the colorful decor, including those kitschy dragon columns, were brought along to this site. The Asian influence is complemented by Elvis memorabilia and numerous “trash” knickknacks on the walls. The waiters look like they escaped from A Clockwork Orange. In the basement’s Diamond Lounge, whose bar is behind bars, you might encounter totally tattooed rockers or rockabilly brides. Electroclash bands dominate the air waves. The most popular food item on the menu is a juicy burger with an X-rated name. Open Monday to Friday noon to midnight, Saturday and Sunday 6pm to midnight. Main courses cost from 4.50€ to 11€, with drink specials priced at 10€. Schönhauser Allee 6–7. 030/50348668. www.whitetrashfastfood.com. U-Bahn: Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz.

Live Music

A Trane This small and smoky jazz house is an excellent choice for beginning or ending an evening of barhopping in the neighborhood. It features musicians from all over the world. It’s open daily at 9pm; music begins around 10pm. Closing hours vary. Pestalozzistrasse 105. 030/3132550.www.a-trane.de. Cover 8€–15€. S-Bahn: Savignyplatz.

Knaack-Klub This four-story club features a live-music venue, two floors of dancing, and a games floor with billiards. There are usually four live rock shows a week, with a fairly even split between German and international touring bands. Show days vary. There’s dancing on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Hours are nightly from 9pm. Greifwalderstrasse 224. 030/4427060.www.knaack-berlin.de. Cover 8€–17€. S-Bahn: Alexanderplatz.

Oxymoron This is a good example of Berlin’s crop of hypertrendy, high-visibility hangouts where the food is served almost as an afterthought to an exhibitionistic/voyeuristic scene that can be fun and intriguing. The setting is a high-ceilinged room with old-fashioned proportions and enough battered kitsch to remind you of a coffeehouse in Franz Josef’s Vienna. Local wits refer to it as a Gesamtkunstwerk—a self-obsessed, self-sustaining work of art that might have been appreciated by Wagner. Most nights after around 11pm, a slightly claustrophobic, much-used annex room—all black with ghostly flares of neon—opens for business as a dance club, usually with a clientele that’s about 75% hetero and 100% iconoclastic. If live bands appear at all, it will usually be on a Friday. It’s open daily 11am to 2am. In the courtyard of the complex at Rosenthaler Strasse 40–41. 030/28391886.www.oxymoron-berlin.de. Cover 8€–15€. S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt.

Quasimodo ★ This is the top Berlin jazz club. Although many styles of music are offered here, including rock and Latin, jazz is the focus. Local acts are featured on Tuesday and Wednesday, when admission is free. Summer visitors should check out the Jazz in July festival. Opening hours depend on the event; call for the schedule. Kantstrasse 12A. 030/3180456.www.quasimodo.de. Cover Thurs–Sat 12€–24€. U-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten.

Wild at Heart This club, with its kitschy knickknacks, colored lights, and wine-red walls, is dedicated to the rowdier side of rock, featuring hardcore punk, rock, and rockabilly bands from Germany and elsewhere. Live performances take place Wednesday to Saturday nights. It’s open Monday to Friday 8pm to 3am, Saturday and Sunday 8pm to 10am (yes, you may miss breakfast). Wienerstrasse 20. 030/6119231.www.wildatheartberlin.de. Cover 8€–12€ for concerts only. U-Bahn: Görlitzer Bahnhof.

The Bar & Cafe Scene

Beer Gardens & Wine Cellars

Historischer Weinkeller This squat and unpretentious inn may be the site of one of your more intriguing evenings in Berlin. The setting is a highly atmospheric vaulted cellar. You can order beer or one of more than 100 German wines, as well as main courses priced at 9€ to 20€. If you plan to dine, make reservations in advance. During summer months, an outdoor rustic beer garden is open. The inn is open Tuesday to Saturday 4 to 11pm, and Sunday noon to 11pm. Alt-Pichelsdorf 32 (about 1.5km/1 mile west of the Olympiastadion). 030/36432619.www.steile-stiege.de. U-Bahn: Olympia-Stadion.

Joe’s Wirthaus zum Löwen This cozy pub in the city center is attractively decorated with traditional Teutonic accessories. Even in winter, when you’re snug and warm inside, you get the feeling you’re sitting out under the chestnut trees. The kitchen offers good plain German food, including Bavarian specialties and some Italian dishes. It’s open daily 11am to 1am; the best time to come here is 7pm to midnight. Hardenbergstrasse 29 (opposite the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church). 030/2621020.www.joes-berlin.de. U-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten.

Prater Garten ★ Lying in the rapidly emerging Prenzlauer Berg district, this is the city’s oldest beer garden, dating from 1837. It attracts artists and families, hipsters and professional people, who occupy one of the 600 seats. A selection of local beers, including a light lager (Prater Pils) or a dark beer (Schwarzbier) are served. You can order such fare as beef goulash or Wiener Schnitzel, with mains costing from 9.10€ to 17€. Open April to September Monday to Saturday 6pm to midnight, Sunday noon to 10pm. Kastanienallee 7–9. 030/4485688. www.pratergarten.de. U-Bahn: Eberswalder Strasse.

Zollpackhof On a sunny summer day there might be no better place in Berlin for an afternoon than spending it here sitting under 130-year-old chestnut trees while enjoying a view of Berlin’s Chancellery and the Spree River. Locals sip Berliner Weisse and watch the small boats chug along the Spree River. This beer garden is a Berlin tradition, dating from its foundation in 1685. After the wall came tumbling down and Germany’s seat of government was revived, this place was restored and reopened. Main courses range from 17€ to 20€. Open Tuesday to Saturday 11am to midnight. Elizabeth-Abegg-Strasse 1. 030/30099720. www.zollpackhof.de. S-Bahn: Hauptbahnhof.

The Best Bars

Green Door No, the name wasn’t taken from one of the 20th century’s most famous porno flicks, Behind the Green Door. There is actually a green door here at this intimate, cozy, and classic cocktail lounge. But like the famous movie itself, there is a ’70s-retro feel to the place. Exotic cocktails perfectly prepared by the waitstaff are one of the best features of this place, and all of them have such names as Hot Kiss or Burning Bush. We’d rank their martinis as among the best in town. It’s open Sunday to Thursday 6pm to 3am, Friday and Saturday 6pm to 4am. Winterfeldstrasse 50. 030/2152515.www.greendoor.de. U-Bahn: Nollendorfplatz.

Harry’s New York Bar Harry’s is an aggressively stylized bar with minimalist decor, pop art, and photographs of all the American presidents. It’s modeled after the famous watering hole Harry’s New York Bar, in Paris. Its drink menu is a monument to the oral traditions of the International Bar Flies (IBF) Society and includes such favorites as Mizner’s Dream (created in 1962 for the Boca Raton Hotel Club in Florida) and the 1964 classic the Petrifier (ingredients unlisted), for two. The menu lists almost 200 drinks, as well as a limited selection of food. It’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In the Grand Hotel Esplanade, Lützowufer 15. 030/25478821.www.esplanadeberlin.com. U-Bahn: Nollendorfplatz, Wittenbergplatz, or Kurfürstenstrasse.

Juleps New York Bar The roaring ’20s and the turbulent ’30s of America are evoked at this speak-easy-type bar with bare brick walls. The only thing they don’t have is Prohibition, as the liquor flows. We counted more than 120 different cocktails on the drink menu alone. On a tree-lined street in Charlottenburg, this is a warm, intimate, and welcoming place, with a long oaken bar. If you’re hungry, check out those big and yummy bacon cheeseburgers, dig into pasta, or order chicken satays. The kitchen even turns out fabulous desserts such as Mississippi mud cake. The mojitos here are as good as those in Cuba. It’s open Sunday to Thursday 5pm to 1am, Friday and Saturday 5pm to 2am. Giesebrechtstrasse 3. 030/8818823. www.joepenas.com. U-Bahn: Adenauerplatz.

Newton Bar There have been more reviews about Berlin’s Newton Bar than virtually any other watering hole in town. You may be rejected at the door by a bouncer who disapproves of your sense of style. Here’s what you’ll get if you’re admitted: a high-ceilinged, well-proportioned room that evokes 1960s modernism at its best and a deeply ingrained sense of the well-heeled and socially conscious bourgeoisie looking for like-minded people. It’s condemned for its sense of chicki-micki (self-conscious chic) by clients of counterculture bars in less expensive neighborhoods. But regardless of how you feel, you can’t help but be intrigued by a huge black-and-white mural (photographed by Helmut Newton) that sweeps an entire runway of naked fashion models across your field of vision, and service rituals inspired by Old Prussia. It’s open daily 10am till at least 3am, with cocktails priced at 10€. Charlottenstrasse 57. 030/2029540.www.newton-bar.de. U-Bahn: Stadtmitte.

Reingold This bar is elegant and chic, stretching along the length of a long and narrow room. The overall effect has been called “Manet meeting Hopper.” An aquarium seems de rigueur for Berlin bars, but the one here is modest. The beautiful people descend nightly to see and be seen. It’s open daily from 7pm to 3am. Novalisstrasse 11. 030/28387676.www.reingold.de. U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse.

Times Bar The cozy and intimate Times Bar has a quiet charm reminiscent of a wood-paneled private library in someone’s home. The bar is dedicated to the Times (of London), whose latest edition is often displayed in the window. Guests sit in leather-upholstered chairs and read English-language newspapers. Menu items range from lobster soup to ice cream. It’s open daily 11am to 2am. In the Savoy hotel, Fasanenstrasse 9–10. 030/311030.www.hotel-savoy.com. U-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten.

Victoria Bar One of our favorite lounge retreats is this stylishly retro bar behind blacked-out windows just a stone’s throw from Potsdamer Platz in the heart of Berlin. In sophisticated surroundings, you can enjoy an excellent list of cocktails or order a sandwich if you’re hungry (with choices running from barbecued beef to cucumber). The walnut tables and long bar are good points for a rendezvous with a friend. “People come here to escape the hustle and bustle,” said the bartender. The tequila drinks are from Mexico, the tropical fruit punches from the Caribbean. Reduced-price drinks are served Monday to Saturday 6:30 to 9:30pm or all day Sunday. Hours are Sunday to Thursday 6:30pm to 3am, Friday and Saturday 6:30pm to 4am. Potsdamer Strasse 102. 030/25759977.www.victoriabar.de. U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz.

Hanging out at a Kneipe

A Kneipe is a cozy rendezvous place, a sort of lowbrow pub. Many Berliners have a favorite Kneipe for relaxing after work and visiting with friends, and there are hundreds in Berlin. The following is a more upscale version of a Kneipe known for its history and food.

Lutter und Wegner 1811 ★ This place was named after a gastronomic and social landmark, Lutter und Wegner, a hangout for actors in the 19th century. You can have a drink in the stand-up bar or make reservations in advance to dine. Try the local specialty, Königsberger Klopse, with potatoes and a fresh salad. The Wiener Schnitzel or pot roast with horseradish and Sekt (German sparkling wine) are also recommended. The wide selection of drinks ranges from single-malt Scotch whiskeys to Italian grappas. Main courses range from 13€ to 20€. Both the restaurant and the bar are open Tuesday to Sunday 6pm to 2am. The kitchen is open until midnight. In summer, you can sit on a terrace and observe the passing parade. Schlüterstrasse 55. 030/8813440.www.restaurantlutterundwegner.de. S-Bahn: Savignyplatz.

Cafe Life

At its mid-19th-century zenith, Berlin was famous for its cafes. Max Krell, an editor, once wrote: “Cafes were our homeland. They were the stock exchange of ideas, site of intellectual transactions, futures’ market of poetic and artistic glory and defeat.” They’ve changed with the times, but cafes are still going strong in Berlin—particularly, these days, in what used to be East Berlin. In the heart of the old East German capital is a complex of about 100 bars, shops, and restaurants, called Die Hackenschen Höfe (S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt). This stylish minimall attracts hip counterculture denizens who wander between galleries, boutiques, and fashionable cafes. It has become one of the most prominent places in the city to go drinking.

Cafe Aedes Tucked away within what were once small 19th-century factories, this is a trendy and convivial cafe with a counterculture clientele that’s very, very hip to the changing face of Berlin and its cultural scene. The decor includes lots of shimmering glass and free-form concrete, and the clientele includes a mixed collection of merchants, artists, performers, writers, and businesspeople. Whiskey with soda costs 8€; platters of simple food range from 8€ to 19€. Beef consommé, salmon steaks with mango sauce, pasta with tuna and fresh tomatoes, and vegetarian salads are what it’s all about—that and ongoing dialogues. Daily hours are 10am to midnight. Rosenthaler Strasse 40–41. 030/2858275.www.cafe-aedes.de. U-Bahn: Weinmeisterstrasse.

Café Einstein ★ This legendary cafe became famous for its mellow house-roasted Kaffee and Kuchen (freshly made cakes). It became so good, in fact, that it spawned a chain of swanky coffee bars across Berlin. But we always like to go to the original, which is decorated like a gilded cafe in Vienna. It’s as grand as a ballroom and is found in an old town-house mansion. We often drop in for an elaborate breakfast, which usually costs us 10€ each. You can also return later in the day for a wide range of dishes, going from prosciutto from Italy (also Italian cheeses) to such New Yorker favorites as smoked salmon, bagels, and cream cheese. Main courses cost from 14€ to 22€. We think the Apfelstrudel with its paper-thin pastry sheets and amber-colored fresh fruit is among the best in Berlin. Ask for it mit Sahne (with cream). It’s open 8am to 1am daily. Kurfürstenstrasse 58. 030/2615096.www.cafeeinstein.com. U-Bahn: Wittenbergplatz.

Cafe Wintergarten in Literaturhaus Berlin ★ Set within a Tuscan-style brick villa that was built in 1885, 1 block south of the Ku’Damm, a few steps from the Käthe-Kollwitz-Museum, this cafe is part of a private foundation that’s devoted to the promotion—through lectures and research—of German literature. In addition to a prestigious and respectable bookshop that fills the building’s basement, it contains lecture halls, offices that have links to Germany’s academic community, and space for temporary exhibitions that cost from 5€ to 7€. The best way to unlock the secrets of this place is to head for the cafe and restaurant, with tables that fill two old-fashioned Berliner-style rooms and spill into a much-sought-after garden during clement weather. If you’re hungry, the cheerful, old-Berliner-style staff will serve platters of noodles with cheese, rigatoni with beef strips, Argentine steaks with herbs and parsleyed potatoes, and cucumber-and-tuna salads. It’s open daily 9:30am to 1am. Fasanenstrasse 23. 030/8825414. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm.

Dachgarten This cafe is installed in the dome of the Reichstag. Sad to say, the food is hardly the city’s finest, although we find the setting and panorama so overpowering we recommend a visit, if only for coffee and pastry. If you are a customer here, you can also avoid the long lines of people waiting to enter the dome; restaurant patrons can head for the separate entrance that opens into the Reichstag directly from the Platz der Republik. (It’s technically known as the “handicapped entrance,” but isn’t restricted to those with disabilities.) An elevator will whisk you up to the Dachgarten restaurant. The cafe was stylishly redesigned by Sir Norman Foster, and it looks like a modern art museum. Even the Reichstag Küchenchef admits most diners come for the view and not the Continental menu. A waiter recently confided to us, “Come back in the morning for breakfast. We get the least complaints about the food then.” Main courses cost from 25€ to 30€. The Dachgarten is open daily 9am to 4:30pm and 6:30pm to midnight. Platz der Republik, Tiergarten. 030/22629900. U-Bahn: Unter den Linden.

Gay & Lesbian Berlin

Traditionally, lesbian and gay life centered on the Nollendorfplatz (U-Bahn: Nollendorfplatz), the so-called “Pink Village.” There is a history of homosexuality here at the Schwules Museum, Mehringdamm 61 ( 030/69599050;www.schwulesmuseum.de), open Wednesday to Monday from 2 to 6pm (to 7pm Sat). Admission is 5€ adults, 3€ students. The state-supported Spinnboden Lesbenarchiv & Bibliothek, Anklamerstrasse 38 ( 030/4485848;www.spinnboden.de), caters to all sorts of lesbian cultural events. Mann-o-Meter, Bülowstrasse 106 ( 030/2168008;www.mann-o-meter.de), is a gay information center.

Today, Motzstrasse is the location of many gay and lesbian bars, including Tom’s and Prinzknecht.

In the latter half of June, the Lesbisch-Schwules Stadtfest (Lesbian and Gay Men’s Street Fair) takes place at Nollendorfplatz. This is topped in size, though not in exuberance, the last week in June by the Christopher Street Day parade, when 200,000 people congregate to have fun and drop inhibitions.

Kumpelnest 3000 Gay or straight, you’re welcome here. All that’s asked is that you enjoy a good time in what used to be a brothel. This crowded and chaotic place is really a bar now, but there’s also dancing to disco classics. Berliners often show up here for early-morning fun after they’ve exhausted the action at the other hot spots. It’s open daily 7pm to 5am, even later on weekends. Lützowstrasse 23. 030/2616918.www.kumpelnest3000.com. U-Bahn: Kurfürstenstrasse.

Prinzknecht It’s large, brick lined, and mobbed with ordinary guys who just happen to be gay and who just happen to be involved in computers, media, the building trades, and show business. The combination can be unpretentious and a lot of fun, especially when frothy pink Hemingways are bought by friends for friends and the stories start getting raunchy. If you want a place that manages to be both high class and earthy, within walking distance of lots of other gay options, this might be appropriate. It’s open daily 3pm to 3am. Fuggerstrasse 33. 030/23627444.www.prinzknecht.de. U-Bahn: Viktoria-Luise-Platz.

SchwuZ If you hadn’t been warned in advance, you might not even know that this is a nightclub, hidden as it is behind the conventional-looking facade of the Café Sundström. You’ll descend into a battered-looking warren of basement rooms, outfitted in a surreal combination of glossy stainless steel that alternates with structural beams and cinder block. The mostly gay, mostly male, and mostly under 35-year-old crowd comes to dance the night away, every night from 11pm to around 4am. There are two separate dance floors, one with cutting-edge music, the other with more traditional dance music. Mehringdamm 61. 030/6290880.www.schwuz.de. Cover 5€–8€. U-Bahn: Mehringdamm.

The Sharon Stonewall Bar Don’t you love the name? The bar honors one of Hollywood’s most gay-friendly actresses as well as the Greenwich Village bar where the gay revolution was launched. The atmosphere is so congenial and laid-back that straights, in addition to gays and lesbians, frequent its easygoing loungey atmosphere in the central Mitte district. The friendly owners are from Australia, and the room is filled with comfortable, cozy couches. On some occasions, the bar sponsors theme nights honoring gay and lesbian icons, with the odd DJ. The bartender makes the best strawberry daiquiris in town, and those martinis are extra dry (stirred, not shaken). It’s open Tuesday to Saturday 5pm to 2am, and Sunday 6pm to 2am. Happy hour is Tuesday to Thursday 8 to 9:30pm. Präsidentenstrasse 3. 030/24085502.www.sharonstonewall.com. U-Bahn: Oranienburger Tor. S-Bahn: Oranienburger Strasse.

Tom’s Bar Tom’s becomes crowded after 11pm with young gay men. Most of the clients show up here in rugged-looking T-shirts, flannel, jeans, and/or black leather, evocative of a Tom of Finland drawing. Upstairs, the porno action is merely on the screen; downstairs it’s real. Tom’s is open daily 10pm to 6am. Monday nights feature two-for-one drinks. There’s a cover charge for special occasions only. Motzstrasse 19. 030/2134570.www.tomsbar.de. U-Bahn: Nollendorfplatz.

Gambling the Night Away

Casino Berlin This is an exclusive club on the 37th floor of the Park Inn Hotel, opening onto a panoramic view of Berlin at night. Games of chance include American roulette, blackjack, and French roulette. Nearly 100 slot machines are found on the ground floor, which is very Las Vegas. The gaming club costs 5€ to enter and is open daily from 3pm to 3am. Alexanderplatz 8. 030/23894144.www.westspiel.de. U-Bahn: Alexanderplatz.

Spielbank Berlin It’s brassy, it sparkles with lots of chrome, and the staff is about as jaded as any you’ll find in a city that’s legendary for its jaded citizens. The setting is a high-ceilinged, scarlet affair that might remind you of an airport. The basement is devoted to slot machines; the upper floors (Casino Royale) host a battery of more sophisticated gambling devices that include roulette and baccarat. Men must wear a necktie for access to the Casino Royale, but not to the basement-level slot machines. The cover charge of 5€ is refunded in the form of a casino chip. There are no maximum bets—the amount you lose, or can bet on any one play, depends on your credit rating with the casino. The slot machines are accessible daily 11:30am to 3am; the rest of the complex is available for bets daily 2pm to 3am. You must be 19 or over to enter and gamble, and a passport is required to enter the casino. Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 1 (Potsdamer Platz). 030/255990.www.spielbank-berlin.de. Cover 5€. U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz.

Sports & Outdoor Pursuits

Biking

The best place to rent bikes in Berlin is at Fahrradstation GmbH, Bergmannstrasse 9 ( 030/2151566; U-Bahn: Platz der Luftbrücke), in Kreuzberg. Rentals cost 15€ per day or 50€ per week. Oddly enough, rentals of 3-speed, 7-speed, and 21-speed (racing) bikes all cost the same; consequently, a cyclist can rent whichever degree of high-tech savvy he or she prefers. The city maintains a labyrinth of bike paths, marked by red bricks on the walkways, through the central core of Berlin and in its parks, especially the Tiergarten. The best places for biking are the Tiergarten in central Berlin and farther afield in the Grunewald Forest (S-Bahn: Grunewald). Note: You can take bikes on the S- and U-Bahn, but you must board the correct carriage (look for the bike sign on the doors) and buy an extra bike ticket (1.50€ within zones AB, 2.10€ within zones ABC).

Jogging

Head for the vast and verdant leafiness of the Grunewald, on the city’s western edge, which is crisscrossed with pedestrian and bike paths. This area is appropriate for very long endurance tests. Closer to the center is the Tiergarten, which allows you to soak up a little history on your morning jog thanks to its many monuments and memorials. The grounds of Schloss Charlottenburg are also good for jogging.

Spectator Sports

Among Berliners, fussball (soccer) is the most popular sport. For information about which teams are playing, ask your hotel receptionist or refer to a daily newspaper or the weekly magazine Berlin Programm.

Swimming

Berlin is hardly a beach resort, but each summer the banks of many of the canals are covered with sand on which rest deck chairs under rainbow-hued umbrellas, creating a series of mini-beaches. The best of these is Bundespresse Strand, Kapelle-Ufer 1 ( 030/28099119;www.derbundespressestrand.de), across from the Reichstag in the center of Berlin. It offers two swimming pools, live music, and a glass pavilion for rainy days.

The bar here is the best-known “beach bar” in Berlin; if you’re hungry, it offers, in addition to beer and cocktails, freshly made salads and grilled meats. On Thursday evenings, salsa music is a feature, and on Sunday, beginning at 3pm, a dance is staged. From May to the end of summer, volleyball is offered—free until 5pm, 15€ thereafter. The location is on the site of the old Berlin Wall in once “forbidden” territory. In summer it’s open daily 10am until late at night (U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse).

Perched on the top floor of the Europa Center’s parking garage (Parkhaus Europa Center), the health and exercise club called Thermen, Nürnberger Strasse 7 ( 030/2575760;www.thermen-berlin.de; U-Bahn: Wittenbergplatz), offers an array of heated pools, saunas, massage facilities, and solariums. You’ll pay 17€ for a 3-hour use of these facilities, but most visitors find that unless they’re terribly rushed and plan on just a quick dip, it’s more practical to buy a full-day pass for 19€. They’ll give you a key to lock up your valuables. It’s a good idea to bring your own bathing suit, but if you don’t have one, an attendant will drag one out of a tattered inventory in back. Know in advance that men and women share the same saunas, and in Germany, no one seems particularly adverse to sweating nude in a communal setting. Massages go for 30€ per 30-minute session and should be reserved in advance. Hours are Monday to Saturday 10am to midnight and Sunday 10am to 9pm.

For outdoor swimming during the hot months, head to one of Europe’s largest lake beaches at Wannsee. Take the S-Bahn to Nikolaisee and follow the hordes of bathers heading toward the water’s edge.

Tennis & Squash

A well-respected outfit that features access to indoor tennis and squash courts is Sport Center Buschkrug, Buschkrugallee 84 ( 030/6069999;www.sportcenter-buschkrug.de; U-Bahn: Grenzallee). Depending on the time of day you arrive, indoor tennis courts rent for between 24€ and 29€ per hour, and indoor squash courts rent for between 9€ and 18€ per hour. Know in advance that the most expensive and most sought-after playing times are between 6 and 10pm, presumably when local residents need to work off steam after a day at the office. A worthy competitor is Berlin’s Squash Tennis Nord, Treuenbrietzenerstrasse 36 ( 030/4153011; U-Bahn: Wittenau, then bus no. 124 or X-21), which charges a bit less—18€ to 24€ per hour for use of one of its half-dozen tennis courts and 10€ to 13€ per hour for use of one of its 10 squash courts, depending on when you opt to play. Advance reservations at both clubs are recommended.

Where to Stay

Berlin is the scene of frequent international trade fairs, conferences, and festivals, and during these times, vacancies in the city will be hard to find. The greatest concentration of hotels, from the cheapest digs to the most expensive, lies in the center near the Kurfürstendamm (Ku’Damm), the main boulevard of western Berlin. Most good-value pensions and small hotels are in the western part of the city; note that many such accommodations are in older buildings where plumbing is rarely state-of-the-art.

The business convention crowd still anchors primarily in the west, as do the hordes of summer visitors on whirlwind tours of Europe. Eastern Berlin often attracts Germans from other parts of the country who want a glimpse of the Berlin that was shut away behind the Wall for so long. The eastern sector still doesn’t have the visitor structure and facilities of the west, although several first-class and deluxe hotels have opened there, notably the Grand, Adlon, and Hilton.

Travelers can also head for hotels in Grunewald, close to nature in the Grunewald Forest, or Charlottenburg, near Olympic Park. If you like biking, jogging, and breathing fresh air and don’t mind the commute into central Berlin for shopping and attractions, you’ll enjoy both these areas.

Tegel Airport is only 20 minutes from Berlin by taxi, but if you have a very early departure or late arrival, and want the added security of an airport hotel, you can check into Mercure Airport Hotel Berlin Tegel, Kurt-Schumacher-Damm 202, 13405 Orsteil-Reinickendorf (www.mercure.com; 030/41060; fax 030/4106700). Doubles are medium size and furnished in standard motel-chain format. The rate for a double is from 69€. There’s also a restaurant on-site, plus a free shuttle service that runs back and forth between the hotel and the airport. American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted.

Dialing Germany

Remember that the phone numbers in this book contain an initial 0 in the German city code. That 0 is used only within Germany. Omit it when calling from abroad.

On or Near the Kurfürstendamm

Very Expensive

Brandenburger Hof ★★★ This hotel lies on a dignified street in the commercial heart of the city and dates from 1991, when it was built in the classic Bauhaus style beloved by so many Germans. As a Relais & Châteaux property, it offers better food and service than most other hotels in its price range. Rooms range from medium size to spacious and are among the most stylish in the city. The decor, with torchier lamps, black-leather upholstery, and platform beds, may appear a touch minimalist, but everybody will appreciate the original artworks that adorn the walls. Another bonus is the state-of-the-art security system and the French doors that open up onto balconies on all but the top floor.

Eislebener Strasse 14, 10789 Berlin. www.brandenburger-hof.com. 030/214050. Fax 030/21405100. 82 units. 295€–345€ double; from 425€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 24€. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm or Augsburger Strasse. S-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; airport transfers (65€); babysitting; concierge; access to nearby health club; room service. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (6€ per hour).

Concorde Berlin Its 17-story limestone exterior near the Kurfürstendamm has already changed the skyline of western Berlin. The location is only 100m (300 ft.) from the landmark Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The famous Berlin architect, Jan Kleihues, went for understated elegance in the hotel design, which features minimalist interiors in warm colors and modern art on the walls. The bedrooms are the largest in Berlin. Like the public rooms, they are elegantly understated in design and most comfortable with warm colors and beautiful hardwoods. The suites, both junior and regular, are among Berlin’s finest and most luxurious, each imbued with grand style.

Augsburger Strasse 41, 10789 Berlin. www.berlin.concordehotels.de. 030/8009990. Fax 030/80099999. 311 units. 135€–275€ double; 240€–430€ junior suite; from 550€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 25€. U-Bahn: Zooligischer Garten or Kurfürstendamm. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; concierge; exercise room; Jacuzzi; room service; sauna. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Grand Hotel Esplanade ★★★ Strikingly contemporary, this luxe hotel lies in a quiet and verdant neighborhood near several foreign embassies, some concert halls, and the massively expanding Potsdamer Platz. Thanks to river views and a swath of park, you might get the feeling that you’re far from the city. It competes effectively with other Berlin hotels in its class, with a well-conceived collection of modern art. It is, in fact, the hypercontemporary alternative to the more traditional Kempinski (see below). The starkly contemporary, bright, sun-flooded, and cheerful rooms pay strict attention to sound insulation. Corner rooms are among the most spacious and have some of the best views of the surrounding area.

Lützowufer 15, 10785 Berlin. www.esplanade.de. 866/597-8341 in the U.S., or 030/254788255. Fax 030/254788222. 392 units. 90€–166€ double; from 175€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 20€. U-Bahn: Kurfürstenstrasse, Nollendorfplatz, or Wittenbergplatz. Amenities: 3 restaurants; 2 bars; babysitting; bikes; concierge; exercise room; state-of-the-art health club and spa; indoor heated pool; room service. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (7€ per hour).

Kempinski Hotel Bristol ★★★ This hotel reigns as one of Berlin’s most prestigious and visible hotels, enjoying a reputation equivalent to some of the best hotels in the world. But the emergence of such luxe Berlin-Mitte properties as Adlon and the Regent has shaken the Kempinski crown. It occupies a bulky, boxy-looking building that was originally erected during the peak of the Cold War, but with an interior that has benefited from ongoing improvements and renovations. The staff is superbly trained, and the shamelessly rich-looking decor is more opulent and better designed than that of many comparably priced competitors. Rooms contain high-quality reproductions of English and Continental antiques, and enough insulation to retain an almost reverential hush.

Kurfürstendamm 27, 10719 Berlin. www.kempinski.com. 800/426-3135 in the U.S., or 030/884340. Fax 030/8836075. 302 units. 240€–520€ double; from 500€ suite. Children 11 and under stay free in parent’s room. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 25€. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm. Amenities: 2 restaurants; 2 bars; airport transfers (90€); babysitting; concierge; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; sauna. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (25€ per day).

Steigenberger Berlin ★★ One of Berlin’s most visible luxury hotels lies on a formal, gracefully proportioned plaza a few steps from the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Originally built behind a nondescript facade in 1981, it caters to a demanding clientele of relatively conservative clients. This place represents western Berlin’s sense of the status quo more visibly than virtually any other hotel in town. Public areas are large, well-designed, open spaces with high ceilings. Overall, expect a sense of bustling conservatism, plush and contemporary comfort, and corporate Europe at its most deeply entrenched. Rooms, for the most part, are medium in size, each maintained in good condition with tasteful modern decor and generous-size beds.

Los-Angeles-Platz 1, 10789 Berlin. www.berlin.steigenberger.com. 800/223-5652 in the U.S. and Canada, or 030/21270. Fax 030/2127117. 397 units. 135€–345€ double; from 305€ junior suite. Children 11 and under stay free in parent’s room. AE, MC, V. Parking 19€. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm. Amenities: 3 restaurants; 2 bars; babysitting; bikes; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; sauna. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Expensive

Bleibtreu Hotel ★ The facade of this trend-conscious hotel isn’t easily recognizable from the street, as the tiny lobby is accessible via an alleyway that leads past an avant-garde garden and a big-windowed set of dining and drinking facilities. The setting is the labyrinthine premises of what was built long ago as a Jugendstil-era apartment house. Rooms are small, minimalist, and furnished in carefully chosen natural materials. Extras include dataports and cordless phones. Tables spill from the cafe into the tiny garden, where shrubs and flowers are surrounded with smooth-polished pieces of colored glass—a definite conversation piece.

Bleibtreustrasse 31, 10707 Berlin (1 block south of the Kurfürstendamm). www.bleibtreu.com. 030/884740. Fax 030/88474444. 60 units. 120€–210€ double. Children 11 and under stay free in parent’s room. AE, DC, MC, V. U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; babysitting; concierge; exercise room; room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (10€ per 24 hr.).

Savoy ★ If you don’t demand the full-service facilities of the grander choices but require a bit of class, this is the hotel for you. In general, rooms are a bit small, but they are comfortable nonetheless, with such amenities as double-glazed windows and fine furnishings. Bathrooms are decent in size and maintained spotlessly. For a nightcap, try the cozy Times Bar.

Fasanenstrasse 9–10, 10623 Berlin. www.hotel-savoy.com. 800/223-5652 in the U.S. and Canada, or 030/311030. Fax 030/31103333. 125 units. 148€–287€ double; 180€–320€ suite. Children 11 and under stay free in parent’s room. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 15€. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; concierge; exercise room; Internet (free; in lobby); room service; sauna. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (6.50€ per hour).

Moderate

Art Nouveau ★ On the fourth floor of an Art Nouveau apartment house, this little-known hotel is an atmospheric choice. Even the elevator is a historic gem of the upmarket and desirable neighborhood. Established in the late 1970s, Art Nouveau is fully renovated. The well-furnished and comfortable rooms are pleasantly decorated and high-ceilinged and are filled with excellent beds and well-kept bathrooms. Rooms in the rear are more tranquil, except when the nearby schoolyard is full of children at play. At an honor bar in the lobby, guests keep track of their own drinks. A generous breakfast is the only meal served.

Leibnizstrasse 59, 10629 Berlin. www.hotelartnouveau.de. 030/3277440. Fax 030/32774440. 20 units. 128€–180€ double; 178€–239€ suite. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, MC, V. Parking 8€. U-Bahn: Adenauerplatz. In room: TV, hair dryer.

Askanischer Hof ★ On the Ku’Damm, which was the heart of West Berlin in the Cold War era, this hotel still exudes an old-fashioned charm that is most appealing. It is not for those who get off on Moderno. To testify to its age, vintage photos of long-ago guests line the walls, and there is a lot of Victorian clutter. Nonetheless, it has attracted such past guests as the very hip David Bowie, so it must be doing something right.

The hotel prides itself on offering spacious, even elegant rooms, while maintaining a decor typical of Berlin, which has long ago faded at most hotels. The hotel dates from the end of the 19th century, and it miraculously survived the war. Bedrooms are most comfortable, evoking some of the charm of the 1920s. Those overlooking the Ku’Damm are double-glazed to cut down on traffic noise.

Kurfürstendamm 53, D-10707 Berlin. www.askanischer-hof.de. 030/8818033. Fax 030/8817206. 16 units. 118€–195€ double; 200€ suite. AE, MC, V. Free parking. U-Bahn: Adenauer Platz. In room: TV, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Hollywood Media Hotel ★ Germany has never seen a hotel quite like this before. The two replicas of the golden Oscars guarding the door set the tone for Berlin’s first cinema hotel. The soundproof rooms are all dedicated to the big heroes or the beautiful divas of the screen—from Marilyn Monroe to John Wayne, from Audrey Hepburn to Humphrey Bogart. Right on the famed shopping street and the former “main street” of West Berlin, the movie-inspired hotel plays up film tie-ins, going from High Noon to In the Heat of the Night. The most spacious and the best accommodations here are apartments with a kitchenette and a balcony or terrace, each dedicated to a classic movie with a film scene painted directly on the wall. The hotel even has a 100-seat cinema. Rooms are medium to spacious in size, each comfortably and elegantly furnished with full, first-rate bathrooms. Rooms are spread across six floors.

Kurfürstendamm 202, 10719 Berlin. www.filmhotel.de. 030/889100. Fax 030/88910280. 182 units. 117€–169€ double; 198€–480€ apt. for 2. Rates include buffet breakfast. Children 11 and under stay free in parent’s room. AE, MC, V. Parking 17€. U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse. Bus: 109, 119, or 219. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; airport transfers (20€–37€); babysitting; exercise room; spa. In room: A/C, TV, fax, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (10€ per day).

Hotel Domus Clean, streamlined, and unpretentious, this government-rated three-star hotel dates from 1975 and lies in one of Berlin’s most attractive districts in Wilmersdorf, a short walk from St. Ludwig’s Church. Most of the accommodations come with a private bathroom; the occupants of two rooms share an adjoining bathroom with toilet and shower stall. It’s a favorite of business travelers, who appreciate its good value and respectability. As such, it has a high proportion of single rooms. Rooms are well designed, well scrubbed, and, although not particularly large, very comfortable. There are virtually no extras on-site, except soundproof windows and a charming breakfast room.

Uhlandstrasse 49, 10719 Berlin. www.hotel-domus-berlin.de. 030/8803440. Fax 030/88034444. 70 units. 58€–110€ double. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 10€. U-Bahn: Hohenzollernplatz or Spichernstrasse. Amenities: Bar; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: TV, hair dryer.

Kronprinz Berlin This hotel is located away from Berlin’s center at the far western edge of the Ku’Damm. In spite of its many discreet charms and features, it remains relatively unknown. All rooms have balconies and fine appointments (often tasteful reproductions of antiques). If you want a little extra comfort, ask for one of the Bel-Etage rooms. Many guests congregate in the garden, under the chestnut trees, in summer.

Kronprinzendamm 1, 10711 Berlin. www.kronprinz-hotel.de. 030/896030. Fax 030/8931215. 80 units. 150€–215€ double; 225€–275€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 13€. U-Bahn: Halensee. Bus: 110, 119, 129, or 219. Amenities: Bar; babysitting; bikes. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (5€ per day).

Ku’Damm 101 ★ On the main drag of the former West Berlin, this boutique hotel is one of the best. Of course, you have to be pleased with its clean, almost stark lines and minimalist palette. At the western end of the Kurfürstendamm, in the district of Wilmersdorf, the hotel is both a winner and a charmer. The midsize bedrooms represent the latest in contemporary aesthetic and lifestyle, with comfortable furnishings and state-of-the-art bathrooms. You breakfast above the rooftops of Berlin, after being treated, if you wish, to everything from ear acupuncture to shiatsu body treatments the day before in the on-site spa. The interior design in both the public and private rooms is harmonious, using high-quality materials and the latest high-tech innovations.

Kurfürstendamm 101, 10711 Berlin. www.kudamm101.com. 030/5200550. Fax 030/520055555. 170 units. 119€–250€ double. Children 12 and under stay free in parent‘s room. AE, MC, V. Parking 14€. U-Bahn: Adenauer-Platz. Amenities: Bar; concierge; exercise room; room service. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (10€ per day).

Inexpensive

Alexandra Hotel Pension This three-floor hotel is comfortable, centrally located, and quiet. The building dates from 1900 and was converted into a hotel in the 1920s. Certain rooms are lined with photographs of old Berlin—perfect for acquainting yourself with what to look for as you tour the streets of the city. Most rooms have modern furniture and well-kept bathrooms.

Wielandstrasse 32, 10629 Berlin. www.alexandra-berlin.de. 030/8812107. Fax 030/88577818. 13 units. 46€–120€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, MC, V. Parking nearby 6€. S-Bahn: Savignyplatz or Olivaerplatz. In room: TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

Bogota Since 1964, when a quartet of separate hotels on four floors was combined into a cohesive whole, this hotel has been a local favorite for the frugal traveler. Typical for older Berlin apartment houses, rooms come in various shapes and sizes, but all have been recently restored. Guest rooms are well cared for and comfortable, the best opening onto an inner courtyard.

The building more or less withstood World War II bombardments. Constructed in 1911, it had been a famous address known for its frequent parties, at which a young Benny Goodman appeared on occasion. The famous entrepreneur Oskar Skaller lived here and was known for his collection of Impressionist paintings, including works by van Gogh. What is now the lounge and TV room was once the office of the infamous director, Hans Hinkel, of the Reich Chamber of Culture. Charlie Chaplin named the title character in his film The Great Dictator after Hinkel.

Schlüstrasse 45, 10707 Berlin. www.hotel-bogota.de. 030/8815001. Fax 030/8835887. 130 units, 60 with bathroom (12 with shower but no toilet). 75€–84€ double without bathroom; 89€–150€ double with full bathroom. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 13€. U-Bahn: Adenauerplatz or Uhlandstrasse. S-Bahn: Savignyplatz. Bus: 109. Amenities: Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: TV, hair dryer.

Hotel-Pension Bregenz This dignified pension occupies the fourth and sunniest floor of a four-story, century-old apartment building, accessible by elevator. The owner, Mr. Zimmermann, works hard to maintain the cleanliness and charm of his comfortably furnished, relatively large rooms. Double doors help minimize noise from the public corridors. The staff gladly assists guests in reserving tickets for shows and tours.

Bregenzer Strasse 5, D-10707 Berlin. www.hotelbregenz-berlin.de. 030/8814307. Fax 030/8824009. 14 units, 11 with bathroom (shower only). 70€ double without bathroom; 95€ double with bathroom. Rates include continental breakfast. MC, V. Parking 10€. U-Bahn: Adenauerplatz. S-Bahn: Savignyplatz. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar.

Hotel-Pension Funk ★ Lying on a back street of the Kurfürstendamm in western Berlin, the home of actress Asta Nielsen has been restored and turned into first-rate and affordable accommodations. Nielsen, a Danish-born star (1881–1972), became one of the stellar lights of the silent era, her beauty praised by Guillaume Apollinaire. She was offered her own studio in Nazi Germany by Josef Goebbels, but turned down the offer. Many original features of her home have been preserved, including decorative ceilings and Art Nouveau windows. All the midsize bedrooms are modernized and comfortably furnished.

Fasanenstrasse 69, 10719 Berlin. www.hotel-pensionfunk.de. 030/8827193. Fax 030/883329. 14 units. 72€–114€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast. MC, V. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm or Uhlandstrasse. In room: TV on request.

Pension München This pension occupies only part of the third floor of a massive four-story elevator building erected as an apartment house in 1908. It offers a simple but tasteful decor of modern furnishings accented with fresh flowers. Rooms are clean, with contemporary furniture and prints and engravings by local artists. Each comes with a compact, shower-only bathroom. Look for sculptures by the owner in some of the public areas.

Güntzelstrasse 62 (close to Bayerischer Platz), 10717 Berlin. www.hotel-pension-muenchen-in-berlin.de. 030/8579120. Fax 030/85791222. 8 units. 78€–98€ double. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 6€. U-Bahn: Güntzelstrasse. In room: TV.

Pension Nürnberger Eck This reliable pension in Charlottenburg is refreshingly old-fashioned. It occupies the second floor of a four-story building on a relatively quiet side street near Europa Center. Rooms are large, with high ceilings, massive doors, and, in many cases, reproductions of Biedermeier-style furniture, including comfortable beds, plus small shower bathrooms. This is the kind of place where Sally Bowles from Cabaret might have stayed.

Nürnberger Strasse 24A (near the Europa Center), 10789 Berlin. www.nuernberger-eck.de. 030/2351780. Fax 030/23517899. 8 units, 5 with bathroom. 70€ double without bathroom; 70€–95€ double with bathroom. Rates include continental breakfast. MC, V. Parking 6€. U-Bahn: Augsburgerstrasse. Amenities: Room service. In room: TV.

Near the Memorial Church & Zoo

Very Expensive

Palace Berlin ★★ Although it isn’t at the level of the Kempinski or the Grand Hotel Esplanade, this well-managed hotel outranks such landmarks as the Berlin Hilton and the Steigenberger Berlin. Don’t be surprised by its boxy exterior (ca. 1968) that rises immediately adjacent to the Europa Center. Inside, thanks to dozens of improvements, the setting is very comfortable and, at times, even opulent. The soundproof rooms range in size from medium to spacious. All have fine beds, superb lighting, quality carpeting, and conservatively traditional styling. Known as “new deluxe rooms,” the most comfortable accommodations are on the third, fourth, and fifth floors.

In the Europa Center, Budapesterstrasse 45, 10787 Berlin. www.palace.de. 800/457-4000 in the U.S., or 030/25020. Fax 030/25021161. 282 units. 145€–360€ double; 265€–415€ junior suite; from 325€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 26€. U-Bahn: Zoologischer Garten. Amenities: 2 restaurants; 2 bars; airport transfers (118€–148€); babysitting; bikes; concierge; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; spa. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (15€ per day).

Expensive

Art’otel ★ Chic, discreet, and avant-garde, this is unlike any other Berlin hotel. The location is ideal, in the heart of cosmopolitan Berlin, with the Ku’Damm action virtually outside the front door. The decor, strictly minimalist, includes touches from top designers. You’ll find Philippe Starck bar stools, Arne Jacobsen chairs, and artwork by Berliner Wolf Vostell. Modernists will be at home here, amid chrome-legged furnishings and pedestal tables that look like cable spools. Traditionalists might not be so pleased. Rooms are all comfortable, with soundproofing, large beds, and tasteful lighting. The service here is among Berlin’s finest. On weekends, a minimum stay of 2 nights is required.

Joachimstalerstrasse 29, 10719 Berlin. www.artotels.com. 030/884470. Fax 030/88447700. 133 units. 69€–240€ double. Rates include buffet breakfast with champagne. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 14€. U-Bahn: Kurfürstendamm. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; concierge; room service. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Hecker’s Hotel For years, this establishment enjoyed a reputation as a small, private hotel, but now it’s expanded. Though not in the same league as the Art’otel (see above), it’s still a good choice, conveniently located near the Ku’Damm and the many bars, cafes, and restaurants around Savignyplatz. The original 42 rooms are smaller than the newer units, which are medium size. The rather severe and somewhat somber modern style may not suit everyone—certainly not those seeking romantic ambience—though the sterility is balanced by up-to-date comfort and top-notch maintenance.

Grolmanstrasse 35, 10623 Berlin. www.heckers-hotel.de. 030/88900. Fax 030/8890260. 69 units. 110€–250€ double; 280€–500€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 18€. U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse. Bus: 109 from Tegel Airport to Uhlandstrasse or 119 from Tempelhof Airport. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; room service. In room: A/C, TV, fax, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Moderate

Ambassador Berlin ★ This hotel is an attractive choice if you’d like to lodge near the Ku’Damm. Rooms are, for the most part, spacious and comfortable for families and include traditional furnishings. Bathrooms are rather small, and only a fifth have showers; the rest have tubs. Soundproof windows are always a relief in noisy central Berlin. The hotel is sometimes overrun with large groups.

Bayreutherstrasse 42–43, 10787 Berlin. www.sorat-hotels.com. 030/219020. Fax 030/21902380. 218 units. 129€–201€ double; 174€–226€ suite. Children 12 and under stay free in parent’s room. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 15€. U-Bahn: Wittenbergplatz. Amenities: Bar; babysitting; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar.

Inexpensive

Arco Hotel Although some of its competitors are more visible and more heavily promoted, this four-story hotel is one of the most consistently reliable and fairly priced gay-friendly hotels in Berlin. It occupies part of a 1900 Berlin apartment building. Rooms are mostly white, well scrubbed, and well organized, with tasteful, albeit simple, artwork and furnishings. A garden in back hosts breakfasts during clement weather. A polite and hardworking staff is alert to the location of emerging neighborhood bars and restaurants. Much of its business includes repeat guests.

Geisbergstrasse 30, 10777 Berlin. www.arco-hotel.de. 030/2351480. Fax 030/21475178. 20 units. 70€–117€ double. Rates include breakfast buffet. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 10€. U-Bahn: Wittenbergplatz, Viktoria-Luise-Platz, or Nollendorfplatz. Amenities: Bikes; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: TV, hair dryer.

In Grunewald

Moderate

Schlosshotel im Grunewald ★★★ With only 54 gemlike rooms, this is one of the most historic and plushest hotels in Berlin. It was built in the 19th century by a friend and advisor of Kaiser Wilhelm II, who entertained him from time to time on the premises. For anyone who can afford it and prefers a stay in the city’s verdant suburbs, the experience can be elegant, historic, and charming. Service is superb and invariably cheerful. Although changes have been made to the decor, its original inspiration was by German-born fashion superstar Karl Lagerfeld. The structure’s monumental staircase, minstrel’s gallery, and other Belle Epoque trappings remain, but Mr. Lagerfeld’s contributions have added an undeniable gloss to the hotel’s interior. Beds are sumptuous, with great pillows, fine linen, and elegant fabrics.

Brahmsstrasse 10, 14193 Berlin-Grunewald. www.schlosshotelberlin.com. 030/895840. Fax 030/89584800. 54 units. 239€–279€ double; from 339€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. S-Bahn: Grunewald. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; airport transfers (85€–120€); babysitting; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; spa. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).

In Berlin-Mitte

Very Expensive

Berlin Hilton ★ The Regent and Westin Grand are finer hotels, attracting some of the Hilton’s former clients, but this durable landmark remains strong. Set within one of the city’s most expensive and desirable neighborhoods, Gendarmenmarkt, this deluxe hotel was the first to open in what was East Berlin following the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Today, it’s the third-largest hotel in the city and one of the most popular, with enough accessories and facilities within its seven floors to keep you busy for a week. Thanks to all the visual distraction in the lobby, you may even have a vague sense that you’re in a resort hotel that’s eager to meet the needs of both large groups and business travelers. Rooms are conservatively modern and very comfortable, with double-glazed windows, comfortable beds, and bedside controls. At least half overlook the twin churches of the dramatic Gendarmenmarkt.

Mohrenstrasse 30, 10117 Berlin. www.hilton.com. 800/445-8667 in the U.S. and Canada, or 030/20230. Fax 030/20234269. 589 units. 165€–349€ double; 365€–965€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 20€. U-Bahn: Stadtmitte. Amenities: 5 restaurants; bar; babysitting; bikes; concierge; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; spa. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (10€ per hour).

Grand Hyatt Berlin ★★★ This is the most exciting, best-designed, and most iconoclastic hotel in Berlin, a government-rated five-star mecca. Don’t expect rococo frills: Interior designer Hannes Wettstein permeated this hotel with a minimalist simplicity that may remind you of a Zen temple. Ceilings soar toward surreal-looking inverted pyramids, upstairs hallways run off into futuristic-looking infinities, and light derives from rambling expanses of glass or translucent slabs of alabaster. The large and sun-flooded rooms are among the hotel’s best features. Suites are often commandeered by fashion photographers as backgrounds for cutting-edge fashion layouts.

Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 2, 10785 Berlin. www.berlin.grand.hyatt.com. 030/25531234. Fax 030/25531235. 344 units. 205€–510€ double; from 500€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 20€. U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz. Amenities: 3 restaurants; bar; airport transfers (90€–115€); babysitting; concierge; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; spa. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (18€ per day).

Hotel Adlon ★★★ Berlin’s most historic hotel is a phoenix, freshly risen from the ashes of 1945. No other hotel sits as close to the Brandenburg Gate, at the top of an avenue that’s reasserting its claim on the city’s sense of chic. Grand and historic, and permeated with the legends of the glamour and tragedies that befell it during various eras of its life, it was originally built by legendary hotelier Lorenz Adlon in 1907, and then reopened with a well-publicized flourish in 1997. Public areas, some of them illuminated with lavishly detailed stained-glass domes, contain coffered ceilings, mosaics, inlaid paneling, and lots of Carrara marble. Rooms are mostly large and have lots of state-of-the-art electronic extras. Those on the top floor offer the best views but are a bit more cramped and lack some extras.

Unter den Linden 77, 10117 Berlin. www.hotel-adlon.de. 800/426-3135 in the U.S., or 030/22610. Fax 030/22612222. 394 units. 240€–440€ double; from 700€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 28€. S-Bahn: Unter den Linden. Amenities: 3 restaurants; bar; babysitting; concierge; health club and spa; indoor heated pool; room service. In room: A/C, TV, DVD player (in some), fax (in some), hair dryer, kitchenette (in some), minibar, Wi-Fi (12€ per hour).

Hotel de Rome ★★★ The Rocco Forte chain makes its Berlin bow in this classically designed building off Unter den Linden in the center of Berlin. The hotel is close to the Brandenburg Gate and opposite Humboldt University. This is one of the few luxury hotels in Berlin located in a prewar building (the rest were bombed). The structure dates from 1889, when it was designed by Ludwig Helm, master builder of Berlin. The playful lobby filled with giant urns sets the tone for this exclusive hotel. A choice of bedrooms, all grand and supremely comfortable, offers classic rooms, deluxe rooms, even superior deluxe rooms, and a range of suites from junior to two historic suites. Bathrooms are among the grandest in the capital, with mosaic marble detailing. Restaurant Parioli, named for a chic district of Rome, features a terrace for alfresco dining in summer and a savory year-round Mediterranean cuisine.

Behrenstrasse 37, 10117 Berlin. www.roccofortecollection.com. 888/667-9477 in the U.S., or 00800/76666667 in the U.K. Fax 030/460609. 146 units. 395€–495€ double; 595€ junior suite; from 700€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 20€. U-Bahn: Französische Strasse. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; children’s programs; concierge; health club and spa; indoor heated pool; room service; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar.

The Regent ★★★ Ranking right up there with the Adlon, this is one of the most elegant and tranquil hotels in Berlin, a citadel of luxury and fine living. The location is near the Gendarmenmarkt in the heart of Berlin Mitte, near Unter den Linen and Friedrichstrasse. The spacious bedrooms, done in harmonious colors and fabrics, are oases of style, comfort, and charm, with many luxurious touches, including marble-clad bathrooms and deep soaking bathtubs and walk-in showers. Many of the rooms open onto a quiet inner courtyard. The bar is idyllic for drinks, a light meal, or afternoon tea, and the Fischers Fritz restaurant is separately recommended.

Charlottenstrasse 49, Berlin 01017. www.theregentberlin.com. 888/201-1806 in the U.S., or 030/20338. Fax 030/20336119. 195 units. 235€–380€ double; from 425€ suite. Rates include breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 28€. U-Bahn: Französische Strasse. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; concierge; health club and spa; room service; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: A/C, TV, DVD player (in some), fax (in some), hair dryer, minibar.

The Ritz-Carlton ★★★ One of Berlin’s most glamorous and prestigious hotels opened at the Potsdamer Platz. The building evokes the Art Nouveau heyday of New York skyscrapers constructed in the 1920s. The club-level rooms and the suites, of course, are the most luxurious way to stay here, but even the standard guest rooms are luxuriously furnished and decorated. The hotel is full of grace notes, such as afternoon tea served in the lobby lounge by an open fireplace; live jazz or blues in the hotel bar, the Curtain Club; and an indoor pool. The dining facilities are among the finest in town, featuring a creative European cuisine, with lots of Italian influences.

Potsdamer Platz 3, 10785 Berlin. www.ritzcarlton.com. 800/241-3333 in the U.S., or 030/337777. Fax 030/7775555. 302 units. 265€–365€ double; 355€–455€ junior suite; from 435€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 28€. U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz. Amenities: 3 restaurants; bar; babysitting; children’s programs; concierge; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; spa. In room: A/C, TV, CD player, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (20€ per day).

Westin Grand Hotel ★★★ A monument to “capitalistic decadence,” as they used to say during the Cold War era, amazingly, this hotel was constructed on socialist soil by the East German government. Now under management by the Westin group and devoid of its original sense of stiffness, it’s one of Berlin’s finest hotels. Belle Epoque features blend with contemporary styling. Guest rooms come in a wide range of styles, from beautifully appointed standard doubles all the way up to the lush-looking Schinkel Suite. Rooms contain beds with wonderfully soft linens, down pillows, and comforters, as well as terry-cloth robes, and fresh flowers.

Friedrichstrasse 158–164, 10117 Berlin. www.westin.com/berlin. 888/625-5144 in the U.S., or 030/20270. Fax 030/20273362. 400 units. 189€–430€ double; 339€–560€ junior suite; from 489€ apt. suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 26€. U-Bahn: Französische Strasse. S-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse. Amenities: 3 restaurants; bar; babysitting; concierge; state-of-the-art health club and spa; indoor heated pool; room service. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (18€ per day).

Expensive

Alexander Plaza ★ A short walk from both Alexanderplatz and the historic district of Hackescher Höfe, this hotel originated in 1897 as an office building. In 1997, it was converted into one of the neighborhood’s most charming and best-managed hotels. A labyrinth of hallways opens into rooms with unique floor plans. Each has parquet floors, high ceilings, and neo-Biedermeier blond-wood furniture. The executive rooms are very large. Low-end rooms are smaller and less dramatic, but still very comfortable. The staff here is among the most attentive in Berlin.

Rosenstrasse 1, 10178 Berlin. www.hotel-alexander-plaza.de. 800/223-5652 for reservations in the U.S. and Canada, or 030/240010. Fax 030/24001777. 92 units. 125€–235€ double; 175€–330€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 15€. S-Bahn: Hackescher Markt. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; concierge; exercise room; room service; sauna. In room: A/C, TV, fax, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (13€ per day).

Arcotel Velvet ★ With its Andy Warhol–inspired decor, this hotel stands in what used to be a Cold War no man’s land. Enveloped by a vibrant artist and designer scene, the hotel lies right in the midst of some of Mitte’s hippest cafes, bars, and restaurants. Its glass facade conceals a comfortably modern hotel that employs minimalist design and innovative concepts in its use of modern equipment, soft furnishings, and tasteful materials. All the beautifully designed bedrooms are stylish and inviting. The on-site restaurant, Lutter & Wegner, is run by Joe Laggner, a legendary star of Austrian innkeeping, and he serves a sublime regional cuisine. That’s not all: The Velvet Bar is as hip as Lady Gaga and is a Mitte hot spot, known for its to-die-for cocktails.

Oranienburger Strasse 52, 10117 Berlin. www.arcotel.at. 030/2787530. Fax 030/278753800. 85 units. 95€–230€ double. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 18€. S-Bahn: Oranienburger Strasse. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; bikes; room service. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, CD player, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (20€ per day).

The Mandala Hotel ★ Built in 1999, this 11-story establishment is one of the most posh and elegant hotels in the pivotal Potsdamer Platz neighborhood. The hotel’s exterior is sheathed in steel and warmly textured Italian brick. Each of the units inside is configured as a suite and is upholstered in discreetly plush fabrics, decorated with top-of-the-line stone, tile, or marble, and ringed with big windows that flood the postmodern interiors with sunlight. The upper levels, including the lounge, Qiu, one floor above lobby level, are spacious and opulent, in vivid contrast to the discreet and understated scale of the reception area. One of this hotel’s most charming features is its fifth-floor restaurant, FACIL.

Potsdamer Strasse 3, 10785 Berlin. www.themandala.de. 030/590050000. Fax 030/590050500. 167 units. 170€–400€ standard suite; from 1,700€–3,800€ deluxe suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 20€. U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; bikes; concierge; exercise room; room service; spa. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (10€ per day).

Maritim ProArte ★ This is a more luxe version of Art’otel. Set about a block from Unter den Linden, this hotel was built as an avant-garde architectural showcase in the mid-1970s by the then–East German government. Today, despite frequent renovations, it still evokes a jazzy, Moderno, and vaguely dated kind of architecture that features lots of chrome and stainless steel. There’s a bustle here, however, thanks in part to a hardworking and polite staff, and a regular clientele of business clients and conventioneers. Avant-garde artwork is exhibited throughout, and Philippe Starck created some of the furniture. Rooms are individually designed, soothing, uncluttered, and comfortable.

Friedrichstrasse 151 (across from Friedrichstrasse station), 10117 Berlin. www.maritim.de. 030/20335. Fax 030/20334090. 403 units. 154€–312€ double; from 254€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 21€. S-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse. Amenities: 3 restaurants; bar; babysitting; bikes; concierge; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; sauna. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (15€ per day).

Meliá Berlin ★★ This deluxe hotel is the first Meliá hotel that the Spanish chain has opened in Berlin. It sits along the River Spree and opens onto splendid views. Since its opening, it has become a celebrity favorite. Within easy reach of all the major attractions, it is ideal for the vacationer or the business traveler. Spacious guest rooms are decorated in welcoming colors and contemporary wooden furnishings. The outward-facing rooms are soundproof. All rooms have access to the Executive Club on the seventh floor. In honor of its Spanish heritage, the hotel serves some of the best tapas in Berlin.

Friedrichstrasse 103, 10117 Berlin. www.meliaberlin.com. 030/20607900. Fax 030/2060790444. 364 units. 177€–212€ double; 257€ junior suite; 850€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 20€. U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; concierge; exercise room; room service. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (22€ per day).

Moderate

Arte Luise Kunsthotel ★ This hotel boasts that it is a “home for artists.” No, it’s not a communal crash pad for the bohemian fringe, but a select boutique hotel where a different German artist designed and individually furnished each of the guest rooms. Under historic preservation, the hotel is in a restored 1825 city palace. Clients from the arts, media, and even the political or business world are drawn to this unusual hostelry. Each room comes as a total surprise, and, of course, you’re treated to some of each artist’s work, which runs the gamut from Andy Warhol–like pop to classicism. Some units evoke modern minimalism, whereas others are much more quirky.

Luisenstrasse 19, 10119 Berlin. www.luise-berlin.com. 030/284480. Fax 030/28448448. 46 units, 29 with bathroom. 79€–110€ double without bathroom; 99€–210€ double with bathroom; 130€–240€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 15€. U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse. Amenities: Restaurant. In room: A/C (in some), TV, minibar (in suites), Wi-Fi (free).

Hotel Honigmond ★ A romantic retreat today, ideal for honeymooners, this boutique hotel in a restored building from 1899 was once a retreat for East German opposition leaders. As such, it was often closed by the dreaded Stasi. The sad history of the repression of East Germany has been wiped away without a trace. Today, guests are coddled in comfort in individually furnished rooms with ornate stucco ceilings, wood floors, and even bed linen designed by Paloma Picasso. The hotel lobby is filled with oil paintings, and a half dozen caged rabbits nibble away contentedly in the inner courtyard. In the cozy restaurant, with its wooden tables and candles, you can relish old-fashioned treats that the Kaiser enjoyed, including Königsberg Klopse and Bohemian dumplings.

Tieckstrasse 12, 10115 Berlin. www.honigmond-berlin.de. 030/2844550. 44 units. 145€–235€ double. MC, V. U-Bahn: Oranienburger Tor. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; room service. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, Internet (free), minibar.

Hotel Luisenhof ★ This is one of the most desirable small hotels in eastern Berlin. It lies within a severely dignified house, built in 1822. Its five floors of high-ceilinged rooms have been outfitted in a conservative and traditional style, a welcome escape from modern Berlin. The upgraded units range in size from small to spacious, but all are equipped with fine beds and individual fax machines. The neighborhood around this hotel, like many other parts of the once-dour eastern zone, is undergoing a rapid renovation.

Köpenicker Strasse 92, 10179 Berlin. 030/2462810. Fax 030/24628160. 27 units. 120€–299€ double; 249€–399€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 10€. U-Bahn: Märkisches Museum. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; concierge; room service. In room: TV, DVD (in suites), CD player, hair dryer, minibar.

Hotel MitArt This was Berlin’s first organic hotel. The staff takes the eco credo seriously—100% of its raw materials are certified organic, not only in the food products—primarily local—but even in all cleaning liquids. Energy and water are used in a sustainable fashion, which is to say sparingly. Two floors of the hotel are smoke free. In addition, the designer of the hotel had a certain artistic flair. All of its bedrooms have been individually designed and present rotating exhibits of paintings and photography by international artists. Be prepared to get along without those energy-burning amenities in your room.

Linienstrasse 139–140, 10115 Berlin. www.mitart.de. 030/28390430. 28 units. 110€–180€ double. MC, V. U-Bahn or S-Bahn: Oranienburger. Amenities: Cafe; Wi-Fi (free).

Lux 11 ★ In the hip central Mitte district, among fashionable art galleries and trendy media firms, this is an oasis of charm, comfort, and style. In a chic minimalist style, its bedrooms occupy a monolithic space, with a modern, glamorous decor. The open bathrooms are furnished in honey-colored wood and concrete. Lux 11 is the latest creation from that dynamic minimalist duo Claudio Silvestrin and his wife, Giuliana Salmaso. In the basement is the Aveda Spa, and there’s even a “micro” department store operated by a former buyer for Quartier 206, a posh fashion emporium in Berlin.

Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse 9–13, 10178 Berlin. www.designhotels.com. 030/9362800. 72 units. 149€–205€ double; 230€–295€ suite. AE, MC, V. Parking 20€. U-Bahn: Weinmeisterstrasse. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; exercise room; room service; spa. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, fax, hair dryer, kitchenette, Wi-Fi (4€ per hour).

Mövenpick Hotel Berlin ★ East of Berlin Mitte, a 19th-century Siemen’s office building that more or less survived Allied World War II bombings has been converted into a trendy, modern hotel with a starkly chic design, including Eero Saarinen-esque chairs. Opaque glass walls separate the bedroom from the spacious bathroom, which sometimes contains a quirky free-standing tub. The clientele blends German hipsters with American college kids and budget-conscious families. The on-site and space-agey Anhalter Bar at the front entrance attracts Berlin youth who live in the area. A massive breakfast buffet is served in an airy, piazza-like dining room.

Schoneberger Strasse 3, 10963 Berlin. www.moevenpick-berlin.com. 030/230060. Fax 030/23006199. 243 units. 104€ double; 144€ junior suite; 209€ suite. AE, MC, V. S-Bahn: Anhalter Bahnhof. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; exercise room; room service. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Myer’s Hotel Berlin Spared from the 1945 bombings, this classical building from the 19th century has been renovated and turned into a good-value hotel that is comfortable, well maintained, and immaculate. Nostalgia and charm are combined with modern amenities. Guest rooms, midsize to spacious, come with a well-appointed bathroom with the latest fixtures, including tub and shower. The hotel offers several charming features, including a lobby bar with parquet flooring and chairs and tables that look as if they came from old Havana. Drinks are also served on the garden roof terrace.

Metzer Strasse 26, 10405 Berlin. www.myershotel.de. 030/440140. Fax 030/44014104. 135€–189€ double; 210€–345€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, MC, V. Free parking. U-Bahn: Senefelderplatz. Bus: 143. Amenities: Bar. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (15€ per day).

Inexpensive

Circus Hotel This is the greenest hotel and the hippest, attracting a youth-oriented clientele intent on saving the planet. Among its many features, all papers used are recycled, some 80% of the lamps are fitted with energy-saving bulbs, and all waste is separated for recycling. There’s no A/C, as the owners believe it is an unnecessary burning of resources. The well-designed bedrooms have blue, tangerine, lime, or hot-pink accents, and all have dark oak floors along with vintage flea market accessories. The staff loads iPods with the best of Berlin music, there is bike and Segway rental, and the garden courtyard is a great place to unwind. In the Fabish Restaurant, local products are featured, and you can also sip cocktails a la Sally Bowles. Across the street is a hostel of the same name, Weinbergsweg 1A ( 030/20003939), offering 16 simple bedrooms, costing 19€ to 25€ if shared, 28€ in a double, and 43€ in a single. In a double with bathroom, the rate is 70€ to 85€.

Rosenthalerstrasse 1, 10119 Berlin. www.circus-berlin.de. 030/20003939. 60 units. 80€–90€ double; 100€ junior suite; 110€ 2-room apt.; 160€ 3-room apt. MC, V. U-Bahn: Rosenthaler Platz. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; bike rentals. In room: Wi-Fi (free).

In Charlottenburg

Moderate

Propeller Island City Lodge ★ Associated with a record producer and songwriting studio (Propeller Island GmbH), this hotel occupies three high-ceilinged floors of an old-fashioned apartment house originally built in the 1880s. Each of the guest rooms is radically different in its decor and theme, and each may delight or appall you with its quirks. Therapie is an all-white, minimalist room whose mood changes with the color of the lighting, which you can adjust at will. Flying Bed places a mattress as an iconic temple at the top of an inclined ramp, giving your bed a cultish importance. And the room known as Galerie features a round bed, a pedal-operated mechanism that can spin the bed on a pivot, and empty picture frames wherein you can superimpose your fantasies. Weirdest of all is the Coffin Room, where those of a macabre bent can sleep in either of two (well-ventilated) closed coffins for a night of Gothic pensiveness . . . or whatever.

Note: This hotel’s eccentricities (think installation art/sleeping quarters) means room types simply do not fit into traditional single, double, or suite categories; in some units, multiple guests can stay in the same rooms, or units can be connected and feature access to shared or private kitchen and bathroom facilities. Call or visit the website for details on each room’s configuration and sleeping situation.

Albrecht-Achilles-Strasse 58, Charlottenburg, 10709 Berlin. www.propeller-island.de. 030/8919016 (daily 8am–noon), or 0163/2565909 (all other hours). Fax 030/8928721. 30 units, 24 with bathroom. Rooms 80€–220€ per person. Each additional person 18€ per night. DC, MC, V. U-Bahn: Adenauerplatz. In room: No phone.

Villa Kastania ★ Surrounded by chestnut trees, this is a snug retreat in the Westend. A small and independently run hotel near the Berlin Exhibition, it is like staying in a villa, filled with fine fabrics, natural stone, and artworks. The spacious rooms are imbued with charm and comfort. Depending on the price you want to pay, you can book a functional yet comfortably furnished bedroom, or one of the “Comfort Rooms,” with better amenities such as larger bathrooms, balconies, and more storage space. Those who want to live more luxuriously can book one of the deluxe suites, including the elegant Venetian Room. The restaurant Marron has a drinking lounge, fireplace, and romantic garden terrace; an on-site Mediterranean health spa comes with pool, Roman sauna, and sun deck.

Kastanienallee 20, 14052 Berlin. www.villakastania.com. 030/30000020. Fax 030/30000210. 47 units. 77€–197€ double; 107€–207€ suite. AE, MC, V. U-Bahn: Theodor-Heuss-Platz. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; room service; sauna; spa. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

In Prenzlauer

Moderate

Ackselhaus Blue Home ★ A majestic building from the 1800s has been restored and turned into a bastion of elegance and affordability. Although completely modernized, the hotel presents a design backdrop of the colonial era and a touch of Balinese romance. A harmonious decor prevails in the midsize to spacious bedrooms, which are bastions of comfort featuring supersize bathtubs. The stylish breakfast cafe, Club del Mar, opens onto a tree-lined street in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood.

Belforter Strasse 21, 10405 Berlin. www.ackselhaus.de. 030/44337633. Fax 030/44312603. 35 units. 110€–170€ double; 180€–250€ studio apt. MC, V. Free parking. U-Bahn: Senefelderplatz. Amenities: Bar; room service. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer.

A Side Trip: Potsdam & Its Palaces ★★★

Potsdam

24km (15 miles) SW of Berlin, 140km (87 miles) NE of Leipzig

The best day trip from Berlin is to the baroque town of Potsdam on the Havel River. It’s often been called Germany’s Versailles. World attention focused on Potsdam July 17 to August 2, 1945, when the Potsdam Conference helped shape postwar Europe. The town has many historic sights and was beautifully planned, with large parks and a beautiful chain of lakes formed by the river. The palaces and gardens of Sanssouci Park, which lies to the west of Potsdam’s historic core, are the major attractions here. A mile northeast of Sanssouci is the Neuer Garten on the Heiliger See, which contains the Schloss Cecilienhof.

Essentials

Getting There By Train Potsdam Hauptbahnhof is on the major Deutsche Bundesbahn rail lines, with 29 daily connections to the rail stations in Berlin (23 min. to Bahnhof Zoo and 54 min. to Ostbahnhof). There are also 14 trains daily to and from Hannover (3–3 1/2 hr.), and 15 daily trains to and from Nürnberg (6–6 1/2 hr.). For rail information and schedules, call 01805/996633 or visit www.bahn.de.

Potsdam can also be reached by S-Bahn lines S1 and S7 from Berlin, connecting at Wannsee station with lines R1, R3, and R4. Travel time on these lines from Berlin to Potsdam is 30 minutes. For more information, call BVG Berlin ( 030/19449;www.bvg.de).

By Bus Verkehrsverbund Potsdam provides regional bus service with frequent connections between Berlin and Potsdam at Wannsee station (bus no. 118) in Berlin. For travel information and schedules, call BVG Berlin ( 030/19449;www.bvg.de).

By Car Access is via the E30 Autobahn east and west or the E53 north and south. Allow about 30 minutes to drive here from Berlin.

Visitor Information Contact Potsdam-Information, Brandenburgerstrasse 3 ( 0331/275580;www.potsdam-tourism.com), open April to October Monday to Friday 9:30am to 6pm, and Saturday and Sunday 9:30am to 4pm; from November to March, hours are Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 9:30am to 2pm.

Getting Around By Public Transportation Ask at the tourist office about a Potsdam Card. With the card, you can ride on the city’s public transportation system at a discount. The card is available for 2 days for 9.60€ or 3 days for 12€. In Potsdam, bus no. 695, leaving from the rail station, will deliver you to the Potsdam palaces.

By Boat Because the area around Potsdam is surrounded by water, boat tours in fair weather are a popular diversion. For more information, call or visit the website of Weisse Flotte Potsdam ( 0331/2759210;www.schiffahrt-in-potsdam.de).

Exploring the Parks & Palaces

Sanssouci Palace

A British air raid on April 14, 1945, destroyed much of the old city center, but the major attraction, Sanssouci Park and its palaces, survived.

Neuer Garten GARDEN On Heiliger See (Holy Lake), in the northern part of Potsdam, lies the Neuer Garten. The nephew and successor to Friedrich the Great, Friedrich Wilhelm II, had these gardens laid out. Set between the park and the palace, this lovely baroque garden is well maintained, and it’s a delight to take a walk into it, enjoying the flower beds, the well-trimmed hedges and arbors, and the fountains in decorated basins. The tract of land was walled in during the 18th century so that the king and his consort could walk in peace without “peeping Toms” intruding on their privacy.

On Heiliger See, about 2km (1 1/4 miles) northwest of Sanssouci. 0331/9694200. Free admission. Same hours as Sanssouci (see below). Bus: 695.

Sanssouci Palace ★★★ HISTORIC BUILDING Sanssouci Park, with its palaces and gardens, was the work of many architects and sculptors. The park covers an area of about 1.6 sq. km (2⁄3 sq. mile). Its premier attraction is the palace of Friedrich II (“the Great”), Sanssouci, meaning “free from care.” Friedrich was one of the most liberal and farsighted of the Prussian monarchs. He was a great general, but he liked best to think of himself as an enlightened patron of the arts. Here he could get away from his duties, indulge his intellectual interests, and entertain his friend Voltaire. The style of the buildings he had constructed is called “Potsdam rococo” and is primarily the achievement of Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff.

Sanssouci Palace ( 0331/9694200), with its terraces and gardens, was inaugurated in 1747. The long, one-story building is crowned by a dome and flanked by two round pavilions. The elliptically shaped Marble Hall is the largest in the palace, but the music salon is the supreme example of the rococo style. A small bust of Voltaire commemorates Voltaire’s sojourns here. Sanssouci Palace can be visited only with a guide. Tip: It is best (especially in summer) to show up before noon to buy your tickets for the palace tour. At busy times, all the slots for the rest of the day can be completely filled by noon. The palace is open April to October Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm, and November to March Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm. Guided tours (in English) of the palace cost 8€ to 12€ for adults, 5€ to 8€ for students and children 6 to 18, free for children 5 and under.

Bildergalerie (Picture Gallery), Östlicher Lustgarten ( 0331/9694181), was built between 1755 and 1763. Its facade is similar to that of Sanssouci Palace, and the interior is one of the most flamboyant in Germany. The collection of some 125 paintings features works by Italian Renaissance and baroque artists along with Dutch and Flemish masters. Concerts of the Potsdam Park Festival take place here. The Bildergalerie is open May to October Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 6pm. The Bildergalerie can be visited with or without a guide, and the crush of visitors here is nowhere near as intense as at Sanssouci Palace. Entrance without a guided tour costs 3€ for adults, 2.50€ for students and children 8 to 18, and free for children 7 and under. Guided tours are available only for groups and by appointment.

West of the palace is the Orangerie ( 0331/9694280), built between 1851 and 1864. It was based on Italian Renaissance designs. Its purpose was to shelter southern plants during the cold months. In the central core is the Raphael Hall, which holds 47 copies of that master’s paintings. In addition, you can visit five lavishly decorated salons. The Orangerie is open May 15 to October 15 Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm. The Orangerie must be visited with a guide. Though not as severe a situation of overcrowding as you’ll find at Sanssouci Palace, you should still try to get your tickets before noon, especially in midsummer. Guided tours cost 4€ for adults, 3€ for students and children 8 to 18, and free for children 7 and under.

The largest building in the park is the extravagant Neues Palais ( 0331/9694361), built between 1763 and 1769, at the end of the Seven Years’ War. Crowning the center is a dome. The rococo rooms, filled with paintings and antiques, were used by the royal family. The most notable chamber is the Hall of Shells, with its fossils and semiprecious stones. At the palace theater, concerts take place every year April to November. Neues Palais must be visited with a guide, costing 6€ for adults, 5€ for children 8 to 18, and free for children 7 and under.

Zur historischen Mühle. 0331/9694200.www.spsg.de. Apr–Oct Tues–Sun 10am–6pm; Nov–Mar Tues–Sun 10am–5pm. Bus: 695 or X15.

Schloss Cecilienhof HISTORIC BUILDING This palace was completed in the style of an English country house. Kaiser Wilhelm II had it built between 1913 and 1917 for Crown Prince Wilhelm. The palace was occupied as a royal residence until March 1945, when the crown prince and his family fled to the West. In addition to the regular guided tour, offered in summer, there’s a tour of the private rooms of Crown Prince Wilhelm and Princess Cecilie on the upper story. The tour takes place at 11am and 2pm. Note that you can lunch and spend the night here, if you wish.

Cecilienhof was the headquarters of the 1945 Potsdam Conference, attended by the heads of the Allied powers, including Truman, Stalin, and Churchill. You can visit the studies of the various delegations and see the large round table, made in Moscow, where the actual agreement was signed. In winter you have to take a guided tour; in summer you can go with a guide or wander about on your own.

In Neuer Garten. 0331/9694244.www.spsg.de. Admission (with tour included) 6€, 5€ students, free for children 5 and under. The palace can be visited in summer without a guide for 5€ adults, 4€ students, free for children 5 and under. Apr–Oct Tues–Sun 10am–6pm; Nov–Mar Tues–Sun 10am–5pm. Bus: 692.

Schloss Charlottenhof ★ HISTORIC BUILDING This palace was built between 1826 and 1829 by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Germany’s greatest master of neoclassical architecture. He also designed most of the furniture inside. The nearby Roman Baths are on the north of the artificial lake known as Maschinenteich (Machine Pond). These baths, constructed between 1829 and 1835, were built strictly for the nostalgic love of antiquity and have no practical purpose.

South of Okonomieweg. 0331/9694228.www.spsg.de. Admission 4€ adults, 3€ for children 17 and under. May–Oct Tues–Sun 10am–6pm. Closed Nov–Apr. Tram: 91.

Where to Eat

Friedrich-Wilhelm ★★★ GERMAN/INTERNATIONAL The finest restaurant to open since before World War II is also romantically scenic and tranquil, in addition to serving the city’s finest gourmet cuisine. In winter a fireplace blazes, with summer guests retreating to an open-air terrace to enjoy the breezes. The cuisine is market fresh, creative, and wonderfully delicate, though you pay a lot for what you get. Even though operating in an inland city, the chefs seem to obtain remarkably fresh-tasting fish such as sea bass or halibut. The menu frequently changes so we can’t recommend any specialties, but the chefs seem skilled at all they turn out, especially if inspired by the Mediterranean kitchen. Perhaps you’ll sample such delights as sturgeon, goose liver, breast of pigeon, or lobster.

In the Hotel Bayrisches Haus, Im Wildpark 1. 0331/55050. Reservations required. Main courses 28€–42€; fixed-price menus 58€–85€. AE, DC, MC, V. Tues–Sat 6–10pm. Located 6km (4 miles) southwest of Potsdam.

Specker’s Gaststätte zur Ratswaag ★★ CONTINENTAL One of Potsdam’s most prestigious and sought-after restaurants happens to be one of its oldest, within a thick-walled country-baroque building set midway between Potsdam’s railway station and its historic core. The clients who file in here for the inventive cuisine of Chef Gottfried Specker tend to be deeply involved in the whirlwinds swirling around whatever political event happens to be gripping Germany at the time of your visit. Within a decor noted for thick walls, rich paneling, and mementos that evoke the glory days of Prussia, you’ll dine on cuisine that changes with the seasons, the availability of local ingredients, and the inspiration of the chef. As such, it’s likely to change at intervals of every 10 to 14 days. Expect a celebration of whatever’s fresh (asparagus, strawberries, game, and some kinds of fish are good examples) and ongoing specialties that include, among others, a terrine of wild mushrooms and goose liver; medallions of sea wolf in a Riesling-flavored foie gras sauce; a clear oxtail soup, loaded with flavor and garnished with spinach leaves; cream of wild mushroom soup; poached crayfish on a bed of black (squid-ink-flavored) risotto; and breast of guinea fowl with a mango-flavored cream sauce.

Jägerallee 13. 0331/2804311.www.speckers.de. Reservations recommended. Main courses 16€–35€; fixed-price menu 30€. AE, MC, V. Tues–Sat noon–2pm and 6–11pm. S-Bahn: Potsdam Hauptbahnhof.

Where to Stay

Hotel Bayrisches Haus ★★★ The most tranquil and luxurious retreat in Potsdam today lies just a 15-minute drive from the center. In 1847, King Friedrich Wilhelm ordered the construction of this Bavarian-style chalet in a forest. Miraculously spared from the ravages of war, it has been successfully converted into an exceedingly comfortable residence of charm and grace. With its elegant atmosphere, it is the only luxury hotel in Potsdam and the only one that’s rated five stars by the government. The spacious guest rooms are studies in design, comfort, and luxury. From the fireplace in winter to the panoramic terrace in summer, this is the way to live in Potsdam if you can afford it.

Im Wildpark 1, 14471 Potsdam. www.bayrisches-haus.de. 800/735-2428 in the U.S., or 0331/55050. Fax 0331/5505560. 33 units. 155€–230€ double; 230€–450€ suite. Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. 6km (4 miles) southwest of Potsdam; take Zeppelinstrasse from the center. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; babysitting; concierge; exercise room; indoor heated pool; room service; spa. In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

NH Hotel Voltaire ★★★ This hotel is a radical renovation of the Brühlsche Palace, formerly a dour and crumbling relic built in 1732. Only the palace’s baroque facade has been retained. The site belongs to the NH chain. Rooms are scattered over three floors and, in almost every case, overlook the quiet, pleasant garden in back. The rooms here are far better furnished and more elegantly appointed than those within its closest rival, Schlosshotel Cecilienhof (see below), although the latter has a richer history. The decor, in fact, is so sophisticated here that the Voltaire accurately labels itself as “a designer hotel.” Some of the accommodations are large enough to be used as triples, with each guest having enough room to move about. Many families book suites here, although some of the regular rooms are large enough to accommodate extra beds. An added feature is the roof terrace, where you’re treated to a panoramic view over Potsdam.

Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse 88, 14467 Potsdam. www.nh-hotels.com. 0331/23170. Fax 0331/2317100. 143 units. 73€–143€ double; from 105€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Tram: 92. Amenities: Restaurant; 2 bars; babysitting; bikes; concierge; exercise room; Jacuzzi; room service; sauna; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar.

Relexa Schlosshotel Cecilienhof ★★ Many visitors to Potsdam don’t realize that they can stay in the palace where Truman and Churchill met Stalin during the 1945 Potsdam Conference. The hotel is better located than any other in Potsdam, or Berlin for that matter, standing in the famous Neuer Garten, bordering a lake about a 15-minute stroll from Sanssouci. The German government originally converted a residential wing of this former royal residence into one of the most charming country hotels and retreats in eastern Germany. Guest rooms are midsize to spacious and are traditionally furnished and well maintained.

Neuer Garten, Potsdam 14469. www.relexa-hotels.de. 0331/37050. Fax 0331/3705221. 41 units. 90€–201€ double; from 211€ suite. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking 8€. Amenities: Restaurant; bikes; room service; sauna; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: TV, hair dryer, minibar.

Steigenberger Maxx Hotel Sanssouci Potsdam ★ Not your typical businessperson’s chain hotel, this is more of a boutique-type establishment, with its terrace opening onto the park and palace of Sanssouci. Many guests prefer to stay in Potsdam during their Berlin visit because of the easy commute. You’re given free transportation for your commute between the two cities. Like another hotel in Berlin (Hollywood Media), the Maxx leans heavily on movie theme rooms, using stills, props, and photos from old Hollywood or else from the nearby Babelsberg studio where German films were made in the heyday of UFA, which produced them. The designers wanted to re-create a British- or American-style hotel from the 1930s and 1950s. In elegant, tasteful, and comfortable surroundings, the guest rooms are midsize to spacious and decorated in dark wood and earthy tones, with cane furniture.

Allee nach Sanssouci 1, 14471 Potsdam. www.steigenberger.de. 0331/90910. Fax 0331/9091909. 137 units. 83€–135€ double; 150€–184€ suite. AE, MC, V. Parking 15€. Tram: 96. Bus: 606 or 631. Amenities: 2 restaurants; bar; babysitting; bikes; spa; Wi-Fi (free; in lobby). In room: TV, ceiling fan, hair dryer, minibar.

The Best of Germany

In this chapter, you’ll find our carefully compiled lists of the best that Germany has to offer, from castles and cathedrals to spas, restaurants, and sightseeing—and nearly everything else you’ll want to see and do.

The best Experiences

• Exploring the New Berlin: Anyone who lived through the fear of the Cold War can’t help but shudder at the memory of the Berlin Wall. Since reunification, civic planners, with almost manic enthusiasm, have demolished large sections of what once stood as a scar across the face of a defeated nation. The architectural changes and urban developments that constantly update the cityscape around Berlin’s Friedrichstrasse and Potsdamer Platz can be confusing. But regardless of which renewal program is churning up rubble at the time of your visit, a pilgrimage through what used to be the most bitterly contested urban turf in Europe can’t help but provoke powerful emotions. See Berlin.

• Spending a Midsummer’s Night in a Biergarten: When the temperature rises, head for the unpretentious cheer of the nearest Biergarten (everybody in Germany seems to have a favorite, so we’re not even going to try to name the “best”). These watering holes, which often feature trellises, climbing vines, Chinese lanterns, and arbors, offer low-cost fun on soft summer nights. You can order platters of hearty food with your beer or bring your own picnic.

• Cruising the Elbe, the Danube, and the Rhine: This trio of rivers, along with their tributaries, dominated German commerce for hundreds of years. Today, an armada of tugboats, barges, and cruise ships still plies the muddy waters beside riverbanks lined with the historic majesty (and sometimes the industrial might) of central Europe. Cruises begin and end at large cities of historic interest and last anywhere from 6 hours to 7 days.

• Boating on the Königssee: A “King’s Lake” must surely be the best, and the natural beauty surrounding this body of cold, dark water doesn’t disappoint. The quiet boat ride using electric motors will allow you to hear the echoes off the forest-covered mountainsides, as you discover baroque chapels and isolated hamlets along the shore. It might just make a Romantic poet out of you.

• Hiking in the Bavarian Alps: If you’re heeding the call to climb every mountain, then the Bavarian Alps are the place to be in summer. Germany’s excellent network of trails, guides, and huts will allow you to discover the wealth of wildlife and stunning scenery. Two of the countless highlights include the 1,240m (4,070-ft.) Eckbauer south of Partenkirchen, and the southeastern “ear lobe” of Berchtesgaden National Park.

• Ascending the Zugspitze: If the gentle inclines of the Harz Mountains or the Thuringian forests aren’t dramatic enough for you, ride the cable car from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the top of Germany’s tallest mountain, 2,960m (9,700 ft.) above sea level. The view from the top is suitably panoramic, and you’ll find an appealing aura of German-ness that comes from the many climbers and trekkers who fan out across the hiking trails.

• Experiencing a German Spa: In Germany, the question isn’t whether to visit a spa, but rather which spa to visit. Each resort has its virtues and historical associations, and can supply a list of the health benefits associated with its awful-tasting waters. Regardless of your choice, you’ll emerge from your treatment with a more relaxed attitude and a greater appreciation of German efficiency and sensuality. The most famous spas are in Baden-Baden.

• Motoring along the Neckar: The Neckar River meanders through about 80km (50 miles) of some of Germany’s most famous vineyards. But the real appeal of the winding road along the water is the medieval castles scattered along the way. Highlights en route include Heidelberg, Neckarsteinach, Hirschhorn, Eberbach, Zwingenberg, and Burg Hornberg. Don’t forget to stop en route for samplings of the local wines.

• Spending Harvest Time in the German Vineyards: Springtime in Germany brings the promise of bounty to the legendary vineyards of the Rhine and Mosel valleys, but the autumn harvest is truly the time to visit. Between late August and mid-October, the banks of the rivers turn gold and russet, and armies of workers gather buckets of grapes from rows of carefully pruned vines. Most of the medieval villages and historic castles scattered between Koblenz and Trier are associated with estates where you can sample the wines.

• Touring the Fairy-Tale Road (Märchenstrasse): This is one of the newer marketing ideas of the German tourist authorities, but considering its appeal, you’ll wonder why they didn’t think of it earlier. From the town of Hanau (a 30-min. drive northeast of Frankfurt), the route zigzags northward along the Weser River for about 600km (370 miles), through some of Germany’s most evocative folkloric architecture, ending in Bremen. Scores of well-marked detours pepper the way. Required reading for the trip is a collection of the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and the Nibelungen legends. Don’t overlook the psychological implications of Goldilocks, the Big Bad Wolf, and the Pied Piper of Hameln.

• Lounging on the Island of Sylt: Don’t expect a lush or verdant island—the climate is temperamental, the setting is savage, the winds blow cold from the north even in summer, and the grasses that manage to survive in the sandy dunes are as weathered and sturdy as the soldiers in a Prussian regiment. Why is it wonderful? Here, the no-nonsense residents of north Germany can preen, flutter, and show off to each other, far from the strictures of their workplaces and the hardworking grind of their everyday lives.

The best Museums

Financial prosperity, artistic flair, and academic curiosity have helped the Germans develop some of the finest museums anywhere.

• Neues Museum, Berlin: Left in ruins for decades after World War II, this museum today houses one of the greatest Egyptian museums in the world, filled with plunder from ancient Egypt. It is home to the celebrated bust of Queen Nefertiti, and its Papyrus Collection is also one of the finest in the world.

• Bode-Museum, Berlin: One of the greatest museums of Germany, the Bode reopened in 2008 to great acclaim. It houses a vast array of museums including a collection of late ancient and Byzantine art. The Picture Gallery is one of the grandest in Germany, and it is particularly strong in masterpieces from the Dutch and German schools of the 15th and 16th centuries.

• Gemäldegalerie, Berlin: This is one of Europe’s leading art museums, with a celebrated collection of works from the 13th to the 18th century. The cavalcade of major European masters ranges from Botticelli and Bruegel to Vermeer and Velázquez. Divided during the Cold War, the collection has been reunited in one home since 1998. The lighting and displays are better than ever.

• Pergamonmuseum, Berlin: Built in 1930 on an island in the Spree, this museum contains entirely reconstructed temples from ancient Assyria, Greece, Rome, and Sumer. Don’t miss the sprawling exhibitions devoted to the ancient art of the Islamic world and the Far East.

• Zwinger, Dresden: A vast rectangular esplanade flanked with pavilions, heroic statues, formal gardens, and galleries, this museum was designed for August the Strong (elector of Saxony and king of Poland), by his favorite architect, Pöppelmann (1662–1736). The destruction of the Zwinger (in the final days of World War II), one of Dresden’s most beautiful buildings, was a great loss, though its postwar reconstruction was a triumph for the East German government. Among the treasures amassed inside are paintings, 18th-century Dresden porcelain, and an ornamental collection of antique weapons.

• Deutsches Museum, Munich: Since 1925, this Louvre of science and technology has led the way in documenting humanity’s innovation. Thoroughly fascinating and amusingly hands-on, its historical exhibits will surely keep you entertained for hours.

• Alte Pinakothek, Munich: This outstanding collection of paintings spanning the 15th to 18th centuries rivals its counterparts in Cologne and Berlin. Its Rubens are gems, and Dürer fans may have to be subdued by the guards. The 19th-century hall provides just the right dosage of art for a few hours.

• Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, Dachau, near Munich: Heinrich Himmler first organized Dachau as a concentration camp for enemies of the Reich in 1933. An escaped inmate, Joseph Rovan, described it as “implacable, perverted, an organization that was totally murderous, a marvelous machine for the debasement and dehumanizing of man.” Today, it’s one of the most poignant museums in the world.

• Lenbachhaus, Munich: Housed in the former villa of portrait painter Franz von Lenbach, this museum has a stunning and internationally renowned collection of modern art. In addition to works from the Blaue Reiter (Blue Rider) group, including Kandinsky, a rich collection of Gothic artwork is an added treat.

• Gutenberg Museum, Mainz: This museum is one of the most comprehensive tributes to printing and publishing anywhere in the world. The bulky presses, on which Johannes Gutenberg used movable type (42 lines per page), and two of the earliest Bibles ever printed are the primary displays here. There’s also a historical rundown on the science and technologies that have dominated the printing industry ever since.

• Museum Ludwig, Cologne: This is the home of one of the world’s largest collections of the works of Pablo Picasso, equaled only by the Picasso museums of Barcelona and Paris. The museum’s collection was beefed up when Irene Ludwig, widow of the late German art patron Peter Ludwig, donated 774 works of Picasso to the museum.

• Wallraf-Richartz Museum/Foundation Corboud, Cologne: The oldest museum in Cologne presents one of Germany’s grandest collections of art, covering the 14th to the 19th century. The collection of Gothic works alone is one of the finest in Europe, and the galleries are a virtual encyclopedia of art, from Flemish old masters to the French Impressionists.

• Kunsthalle, Hamburg: The leading art museum in northern Germany, the Kunsthalle is one of the most important in Europe, with some 3,000 paintings in its treasure-trove, along with some 400 sculptures. Some of its rare treasures date from the 14th century, including works by Bertram, the leading German master of the time. One section of the gallery also displays modern works, including pieces by such artists as Andy Warhol, Joseph Beuys, and Picasso.

The best Castles & Palaces

During the Middle Ages, Germany was divided into many intensely competitive feudal states and principalities. This unstable atmosphere encouraged the construction of fortified castles. As hostilities died down, architects began to design for comfort, style, and prestige, adding large windows, gilded stucco and plaster, frescoes, and formal gardens. As a result, Germany is full of all kinds and styles of Burg and Schloss (various names for castles and palaces).

• Sanssouci Palace, Potsdam: Friedrich the Great’s retreat, where he came to read, listen to music, and generally renew his allegiance to the principles of the Enlightenment, is Germany’s most successful blend of landscape and architecture. The more than 120 hectares (300 acres) of intricately landscaped gardens have enough pavilions, fountains, orangeries, and heroic statues to keep a visitor intrigued for days. The palace itself is an architectural highlight, approached by a terraced staircase of sublime beauty.

• Schloss Wartburg, Eisenach: Built between the 11th and 16th centuries, this was the headquarters of the Landgraves of Thuringia, a center of patronage for the Minnesinger (troubadours) of Germany, and a place of refuge for Martin Luther, who completed his translation of the Bible within its massive walls. Wagner used it as inspiration for the setting of Tannhäuser, and Johann Sebastian Bach and Goethe both visited. Today, from its position on a rocky hilltop, it’s a regional museum.

• Residenz, Würzburg: Built between 1720 and 1744 as the official residence of the powerful bishops of Würzburg, this is one of the most massive baroque palaces in Germany. It combines a Hofkirche (chapel) with gardens, a gallery of paintings, frescoes by Tiepolo, and enough decoration to satisfy the most demanding taste for ornamentation. Also within its showrooms are a worthy collection of ancient Greek and Roman artifacts and valuable paintings from the 14th to the 19th century.

• Neuschwanstein, near Füssen: Love it or hate it, this fairy-tale castle is actually a phenomenon worth seeing. Enter the romantic world of “Mad” King Ludwig II and his theater set designer, a world that further inspired the folks at Disneyland, or marvel at the tourist circus surrounding the 19th-century fantasy. Either way, the outstanding mountain scenery alone is worth the trip.

• Hohenschwangau Castle, near Füssen: Watching its bombastic younger brother from the opposite hill, this lesser-known residence built on 12th-century ruins merits just as much a visit. Finished in 1836, the eventual king Maximilian II lived here with his family, which included the young Ludwig II.

• Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich: This summer palace constructed between 1664 and 1674 features fine interiors on a modest scale that will leave you with enough energy to enjoy the splendid gardens and pavilions. An ideal place to experience the former glory of the long-lost Bavarian kingdom.

• Schloss Linderhof, near Oberammergau: This palace was built in the 1870s as a teenage indulgence by Ludwig II. Its architects created a whimsically eclectic fantasy, inspired by Italian baroque architecture. In the surrounding park, Moorish pavilions and Mediterranean cascades appear against Alpine vistas in combinations that are as startling as they are charming.

• Altes Schloss, Meersburg: Legend has it that this palace’s cornerstone was laid in 628 by Dagobert, king of the Franks. The palace remained a Catholic stronghold even during the Protestant Reformation, housing bishops who appreciated its 3m-thick (10-ft.) walls as a bulwark against the rising tempest around them. In the early 1800s, when its owners threatened to tear the palace down, a German Romantic, Baron Joseph von Lassberg, bought it and transformed it into a refuge for writers, poets, and painters. Although it remains mostly a private residence, you can visit many parts of the palace.

• Heidelberg Castle, Heidelberg: This castle originated as a Gothic-Renaissance masterpiece in the 1500s and was massively expanded as rival rulers competed for control of the Rhineland. After the French sacked and burned the town and the castle in 1689, it never regained its original glory. Today, the ruins brood in dignified severity from a position on a rocky hilltop high above the student revelry and taverns of the folkloric city below.

• Burg Eltz, Moselkern, near Cochem: Its multiple turrets and towers, which rise amid a thick forest near the Mosel River, evoke the chivalry and poetry of the Middle Ages. This is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Germany.

The best Cathedrals

• Kaiserdom (Imperial Cathedral), Speyer: Partly because of their age, Romanesque churches are the most impressive symbols of early medieval Germany. This massive church, from 1030, has four bell towers; a cornerstone laid by one of Germany’s earliest kings, Konrad II; and an undeniable sense of the (anonymous) architect’s aesthetic links with the traditions of ancient Rome.

• Dom St. Peter, Worms: This church is a grand example of High Romanesque style, its oldest section dating from 1132. The Diet of Worms, held here in 1521, condemned the beliefs of the young Martin Luther and banished him to the far boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire.

• Kölner Dom, Cologne: Based on French Gothic models in Paris and Amiens, this cathedral was envisioned as one of the largest religious buildings in Christendom. It required 600 years to finish—work stopped for about 300 years (1560–1842), until the neo-Gothic fervor of the Romantic age fueled its completion. In 1880, it was inaugurated with appropriate pomp and circumstance in the presence of the German kaiser. Today, its vast russet-colored bulk towers are instantly recognizable from miles away.

• Dom (Cathedral), Aachen: Its size and the stonework dating from 1414 are deeply impressive, but even more so is the cathedral’s association with the earliest of German emperors, Charlemagne. He was crowned in an older building on this site in A.D. 800. The cathedral’s treasury contains gem-encrusted Christian artifacts from the 10th century, with heft and barbaric glitter that evoke pre-Christian Germania.

The most charming Small Villages

• Quedlinburg: Spared in part from the ravages of World War II, this town in the Harz mountains still evokes the Middle Ages with its 1,600 half-timbered buildings, more than any other town in the country. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Quedlinburg is a gem of yesterday and was an imperial residence for 2 centuries. Wander the cobblestone streets of the Altstadt (Old Town) for a journey back in time.

• Meissen: Some 25km (16 miles) north of Dresden, this is a romantic little town built along the banks of the River Elbe. It’s celebrated for its porcelain, which carries a trademark of two crossed blue swords and is valued by collectors the world over. Even without its porcelain factory, the town merits a visit for its quiet charm, its old buildings, and its 15th-century castle.

• Rothenburg: If you have time for only one stop along the Romantic Road, make it Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which may be your only chance in life to see a still-intact medieval walled city. Rothenburg exists in a time capsule, though 40% of the town was destroyed during World War II. Luckily, locals quickly rebuilt their Altstadt in its former style to reclaim their glorious architectural past.

• Dinkelsbühl: If you have time for a second stop along the Romantic Road, try Dinkelsbühl. Though not as grand as the more celebrated Rothenburg, it has far fewer tourists and therefore retains more old-time charm.

• Mittenwald: This town has long been celebrated as the most beautiful in the Bavarian Alps, with magnificently decorated houses, painted facades and ornately carved gables. In the mid–17th century, it was known as “the Village of a Thousand Violins” because of the stringed instruments made here.

• Lindau: Dating from the 9th century, this former free imperial town of the Holy Roman Empire is like a fantasy of what a charming Bavarian lakeside village should look like, if only in the movies. But this garden “city,” under landmark protection, is for real. Lindau is enveloped by aquamarine waters, and one part of it is known as the Gartenstadt because of its luxuriant flowers and shrubs.

• Rüdesheim: The Rhine Valley’s most popular wine town is set along the edge of the mighty river. Rüdesheim is known for its half-timbered buildings and its Drosselgasse (Thrush Lane), a narrow cobblestone lane stretching for 180m (600 ft.) and lined with wine taverns and cozy restaurants.

• Cochem: If you’re seeking an idyllic medieval riverside town during your “grape tour” of the Mosel River valley, make it Cochem, famous for its towering castle, dating from 1027. On the left bank of the Mosel, Cochem lies in a picture-postcard setting of vineyards. Little inns serving a regional cuisine along with plenty of Mosel wine make Cochem a highly desirable overnight stop and a nice alternative to the more commercial centers found along the nearby Rhine.

The best Driving Tours

The appeal of the open road is a prominent part of German culture. Some of the best drives include the following:

• The Romantic Road: This well-traveled 350km (220 mile) route, which stretches between Würzburg and Füssen at the foot of the Bavarian Alps, is dotted with lovely medieval towns.

• The Fairy-Tale Road: The colorful characters of the Brothers Grimm live again along this 595km (370-mile) stretch, beginning in the little town of Hanau and stretching all the way north to Bremen. This is one of the great motor trips of Germany for those who thrilled to those nursery-room favorites.

• Alpine Road: Scenic majesty and architectural charm combine for an unforgettable experience on this 480km (300-mile) road through the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. See “Exploring the Region by Car.”

• Upper Black Forest: Fairy tales always seem more believable when you’re in the Black Forest, and the twisting secondary roads that connect Freiburg with Lake Titisee pass through lots of charming scenery and architecture. See the box “An Excursion to the Upper Black Forest.”

• Mosel Valley: The road along this Rhine tributary passes by some of the country’s most famous vineyards. At least a half-dozen of the cities en route are worth visiting as well.

The best Walks

• The Royal Castle Walk: For one of the grandest panoramas in all of the Alps (in any country), hike up to the Marienbrücke, the bridge that spans the Pöllat Gorge behind Neuschwanstein Castle. From there, if you’re up to it, you can continue uphill for about an hour for an amazing view of “Mad” King Ludwig’s fantasy castle.

• Partnachklamm: One of the most dramatic walks in all of the Bavarian Alps starts from the great winter sports resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. A signposted trail leads to the dramatic Partnachklamm Gorge. Carved from solid rock, the route passes two panoramic bottlenecks amid the thunder of falling water and clouds of spray.

• Mainau Island: A walk across the footbridge to Mainau, in Lake Constance, is like a visit to a tropical country. Mainau is filled with exotic plants collected by the Baden princes and members of the Royal House of Sweden. Tropical brushwood and other botanical wonders still thrive in this mild climate. You’ll hardly believe you’re in Germany.

• Cochem: Reichsburg Cochem (Cochem Castle), which towers over the little town of the same name, can be reached on foot in about 15 minutes from the town’s Marktplatz. Although hardly an Alpine climb, this walk is one of the most rewarding you’ll find in Germany, with panoramas in all directions.

The best Biking

• Munich by Bike: You see so many locals riding bikes that you might think Munich is the biking capital of Germany. If you’d like to join the fun, pick up a copy of the pamphlet Rad-Touren für unsere Gäste (Bike-Riding for Our Guests) at the tourist office. It outlines itineraries for touring Munich by bike.

• Lake Constance: Rent a bike at the train station in the former imperial town of Lindau, and set out in any direction to enjoy the views of this beautiful lake. The Lindau tourist office will provide a map and suggestions for the best routes to follow.

• The Neckar Valley Cycle Path: This signposted path allows you to follow the source of the Neckar, beginning in Villingen-Schwenningen and going all the way to the confluence of the Rhine at Mannheim. Instead of going the entire way, many visitors prefer to pick up a bicycle in Heidelberg and cycle along the riverbanks until they find a good spot for a picnic. See “Exploring on Two Wheels.”

• Lüneburg Heath: This wild heath in northern Germany is one of the country’s major natural attractions. (Some of Germany’s greatest poets have waxed rhapsodic about this shrub-covered land.) Rent a bike, pick up a map at the Lüneburg tourist office, and set out on your adventure. See “The Lüneburg Heath.”

The best Spas

• Bad Reichenhall: Many spa lovers head for this remote corner of Bavaria to “take the waters.” Europe’s largest saline source was first tapped in pre-Christian times and the place has a definite 19th-century aura. And though some of the hotels in the town are better than others, all have equal access to the spa and lie about a 5-minute walk away.

• Baden-Baden: There’s no better spa in all of Germany, and certainly none more fashionable or famous—it’s also site of the country’s most celebrated casino. Baden-Baden’s spa’s been going strong since the leisure class of the 19th century discovered its healing waters, although the Roman legions of Emperor Caracalla had discovered the springs long before that. As at Bad Reichenhall, all hotels, no matter the price range, have equal access to the spa.

• Wiesbaden: One of Germany’s oldest cities, Wiesbaden attracted Roman legions to its hot springs, and lures today’s fashionable traveler as well. It’s not as chic as Baden-Baden, but Wiesbaden has one of Germany’s most elegant casinos and concert halls, along with two gourmet restaurants. In summer, the beer garden at the Kurhaus is one of the liveliest along the Rhine.

• Bad Homburg: Bad Homburg lies at the foot of the Taunus Hills in a setting of medieval castles and luxuriant forests. There are more than 31 fountains in the town’s Kurpark. The Bad Homburg Palace was once the summer residence of Prussian kings.

The best Luxury Hotels

German efficiency and cleanliness are legendary, so it’s not surprising that you can choose from a great number of well-managed hotels.

• Grand Hotel Esplanade, Berlin (www.esplanade.de; 866/597-8341 in the U.S., or 030/254788255): This strikingly contemporary hotel near several foreign embassies is one of the most prestigious in the German capital. With its collection of modern art, its spacious, cheerfully decorated rooms, and its first-class service, it is a prime address for the luxury minded.

• The Regent, Berlin (www.theregentberlin.com; 888/201-1806 in the U.S., or 030/20338): One of Germany’s great luxury hotels, the Regent is all about opulence, superb service, and comfort. It’s discreet, tasteful, reliable, and a brilliant addition to the roster of luxury leaders in Germany’s capital.

• Hotel Elephant, Weimar (www.starwoodhotels.com; 03643/8020): This is one of Germany’s most interesting hotels because of its age (over 300 years), its name, its 50-year survival in Germany’s eastern zone, and its associations with such luminaries as Schiller, Liszt, and Goethe. Today, it’s a cost-conscious treasure chest of German history.

• Eisenhut, Rothenburg ob der Tauber (www.eisenhut.com; 09861/7050): This hotel’s 16th-century walls and valuable collection of antiques enhance the appeal of the most authentic Renaissance town in Germany.

• Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski München, Munich (www.kempinski.com; 800/426-3135 in the U.S., or 089/21250): Munich’s most prestigious choice offers elegance and luxury. The wealthy and titled have checked in here for more than a century, enjoying the ambience, the antiques, the style, and the grace.

• Bayerischer Hof & Palais Montgelas, Munich (www.bayerischerhof.de; 089/21200): This deluxe hotel and 17th-century Bavarian palace together form Munich’s answer to New York’s Waldorf-Astoria. This is the only hotel in Munich to provide serious competition for the Kempinski Hotel.

• Der Kleine Prinz, Baden-Baden (www.derkleineprinz.de; 07221/346600): This hotel’s director once helped manage the New York Hilton and the Waldorf-Astoria. Today, he and his wife run a century-old pair of neobaroque houses in the heart of Germany’s most elegant resort, Baden-Baden. Inspired by Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince this stands as one of the most romantic of Germany’s many romantic hotels.

• Krone Assmannshausen, Rüdesheim-Assmannshausen (www.hotel-krone.com; 06722/4030): Sprawling along the banks of the Rhine in an oversize, grangelike, gingerbread-laden fantasy, this hotel has witnessed the arrival of many important Germans (including Goethe) in its 400 years. It also contains one of the best traditional restaurants in town.

• Fürstenhof Celle, Celle (www1.fuerstenhof.de; 05141/2010): This 17th-century manor, enlarged with half-timbered wings, stands out even in a town legendary for its medieval and Renaissance buildings. There’s a cozy bar in the medieval cellar and one of the best dining rooms in Lower Saxony.

• Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, Hamburg (www.fairmont.com/hamburg; 888/425-8227 in the U.S. and Canada, or 040/34940): Its dignified interior is as opulent as its 19th-century facade. This hotel’s appeal is correctly aristocratic, but it has a touch of the saltwater zestiness that makes Hamburg a great city.

The best Small Inns & Hotels

• Art’otel, Berlin (www.artotels.com; 030/884470): This hotel in the heart of Berlin is chic, discreet, and unique. The swirling action of the Ku’Damm lies right outside the door, but inside, the decor is soothing and serene, the work of some of the Continent’s top designers.

• Altstadt-Hotel, Passau (www.altstadt-hotel.de; 0851/3370): This inexpensive hotel stands at the convergence of three rivers—the Danube, the Ilz, and the Inn. But the hotel offers more than river views—it’s comfortably and traditionally furnished, and its regional cuisine and convivial pub attract the locals.

• Gästehaus Englischer Garten, Munich (www.hotelenglischergarten.de; 089/3839410): This is an oasis of charm and tranquillity, close to the Englischer Garten, where buffed Munich lies out nude in the sun. The furnishings are in an old-fashioned Bavarian style, but the comfort level is first-rate.

• Parkhotel Atlantic Schlosshotel, Heidelberg (www.parkhotel-atlantic.de; 06221/60420): This 24-room inn is on the wooded outskirts of Heidelberg, near the famous castle. Every room is comfortable and convenient, and in the afternoon you can go for long walks along the woodland trails surrounding the property.

• Antik-Hotel Bristol, Cologne (www.antik-hotel-bristol.de; 0221/120195): In the heart of this cathedral city along the Rhine, this unique hotel is filled with antiques, both country rustic and town-house elegant, making the atmosphere both authentic and inviting.

The best Restaurants

• Die Quadriga, Berlin ( 030/214050;www.brandenburger-hof.com): Critics hail this gastronomic wonder in the Hotel Brandenburger Hof as Berlin’s finest dining choice. Celebrated for its modern Continental cuisine, it’s where the president of Germany takes his favorite guests when he wants to “show off.” While seated in a 1904 chair designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, you can enjoy food that is, in a word, sublime.

• Essigbrätlein, Nürnberg ( 0911/225131): Food critics single this out as the best dining spot in Nürnberg, and we heartily agree. Its upscale Franconian and Continental cuisine is reason enough to visit the city.

• Weinhaus Zum Stachel, Würzburg ( 0931/52770;www.weinhaus-stachel.de): This is the oldest (ca. 1413) wine house in a town loaded with them. Food is good, portions are copious, the wine flows, and everyone has a wonderful time. This is old-time Deutschland at its most appealing.

• Tantris, Munich ( 089/3619590;www.tantris.de): Savvy German food critics have honored Tantris’s Hans Haas as the country’s top chef. He definitely serves some of the finest and most innovative food in Bavaria.

• Hanse Stube, Cologne ( 0221/2701;www.excelsiorhotelernst.com): Located in a landmark hotel, this restaurant lies on the same square as the fabled Rhineland cathedral. French cuisine in Cologne doesn’t get any better than this—the chefs have a prodigious talent for preparing food using only the finest and freshest ingredients.

• Victorian Restaurant, Düsseldorf ( 0211/865500;www.restaurant-victorian.de): Regulars know what a treasure they have in this restaurant: Market-fresh ingredients and a steady hand in the kitchen produce award-winning traditional and modern food.

• Waldhotel Sonnora, outside Bernkastel-Kues ( 06578/406;www.hotel-sonnora.de): In the Mosel Valley, the Waldhotel Sonnora is one of the most justifiably acclaimed restaurants in the country. Be sure to make a reservation as far in advance as possible and prepare yourself for a gastronomic adventure in Continental cuisine. Herr Thieltges, the chef, told us, “We don’t just serve dishes—rather, culinary masterpieces.” We agree.

• Fischereihafen Restaurant, Altona, near Hamburg ( 040/381816;www.fischereihafenrestaurant.de): Patrons from Tina Turner to Helmut Kohl have pronounced the food here delightful. From a window seat, you can overlook the boats that might have hauled in your sole, eel, turbot, herring, or flounder from the seas that day.

The best Beer Halls & Taverns

• Auerbachs Keller, Leipzig ( 0341/216100;auerbachs-keller-leipzig.de): The most famous tavern in eastern Germany, this is where Goethe staged the debate between Faust and Mephistopheles. The tavern dates from 1530 and has a series of murals evoking the Faust legend.

• Augustiner Bräustuben, Munich ( 089/5022569;www.braeustuben.de): Although many raid the famous Hofbräuhaus (see below), this authentic tavern at the backdoor of the Augustiner brewery combines the Bavarian camaraderie and flavorful fare without the tourist circus. It occupies the former horse stalls, but don’t fret—the odor has long since dissipated. Best of all, they fill the massive Mass glasses for one of the lowest prices in town.

* Hofbräuhaus, Munich ( 089/221676;www.hofbraeuhaus.de): Needing no introduction, the Hofbräuhaus can stake the claim as the world’s most famous beer hall, packing in up to 4,500 beer drinkers on any given night. Music from live bands and huge mugs of beer served at wooden tables combine to produce the best of Bavarian nighttime fun.

• Zum Roten Ochsen, Heidelberg ( 06221/20977;www.roterochsen.de): Over the years, “The Red Ox” has drawn beer drinkers from Mark Twain to Bismarck. Students have been getting plastered here since 1703, and the tradition continues to this day.

• Ratskeller, Bremen ( 0421/321676;ratskeller-bremen.de): This is one of the most celebrated Ratskellers in Germany. A tradition for decades, it serves top-notch German and international food and some of the best suds along the Rhineland, as well as one of the longest lists of vintage wines from the country’s vineyards.

The best Shopping

The best way to approach shopping here is to make it a part of your overall experience and not an end unto itself. Though Berlin and Munich are the major shopping centers in Germany, the rest of the country is okay—neither a shopper’s mecca nor the bargain basement of Europe. Still, you can find some good buys here.

• Porcelain: For centuries, Germany has been known for the quality of its porcelain. Names such as KPM, Rosenthal, and Meissen are household words. KPM, for example, has been a Berlin tradition for more than 2 centuries.

• Handicrafts: In the Bavarian Alps, woodcarvers still carry on their time-honored tradition. The best place to purchase woodcarvings is in the Alpine village of Oberammergau.

• Timepieces: Corny though they may be, carved Black Forest cuckoo clocks remain an enduring favorite.

• Cutlery: WMF (Württembergische-Metalwaren-Fabrik) and J. A. Henckels are two of the country’s premier producers of fine cutlery. Their knives are expensive, but longtime users say they last forever. Both WMF and Henckels stores are found all over Germany.

Germany in Depth

A unified, wealthy, industrial yet beautiful Germany awaits you and promises some of the most intriguing travel experiences in Europe.

Many of its treasures were lost in World War II, but much remains and has been restored. Natural scenery, particularly in the Black Forest, the Mosel Valley, the Harz Mountains, and the Bavarian Alps, is a potent lure.

For those who want to see history in the making, we’d recommend visiting Potsdam, Leipzig, Dresden, Meissen, and Weimar, all centers of East Germany before German unification in October 1990. Keep in mind, however, that although political developments have been fast paced, the infrastructure of the five new states cannot change overnight, and living standards there are still different from those in (the former) West Germany.

Germany is one of the most modern and, at the same time, the most traditional of countries. Its advanced technology and industry are the envy of the rest of the world. Here you’ll likely meet people of learning and sophistication, boasting a long cultural heritage and devotion to music and the arts.

This guide is meant to help you decide where to go in Germany and how best to enjoy its charms, but ultimately the most gratifying rewards will be your own serendipitous discoveries—drinking beer in a yard shaded by chestnut trees, picnicking in a Bavarian meadow, or spending time chatting with a winemaker in the Mosel Valley. You will surely remember experiences like these for years to come.

Germany Today

In late September 2009, Chancellor Angela Merkel swept to reelection, making her one of the longest-serving leaders among Europe’s major powers. Her Christian Democrats formed a new center-right government, triumphing over Social Democrats, who fared badly in the election.

In a union with the probusiness Free Democrats, Merkel strengthened her hand in Germany, and in the next year or so may begin to enact the kind of liberalizing economic plans she proposed when she first ran for chancellor.

Her victory was muted by Germany’s rising budget deficits as a result of the global economic crisis.

As an example of the changing times, Ms. Merkel, Germany’s first female chancellor, is joined by the first openly gay vice-chancellor and foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, who shepherded his Free Democrats to their strongest showing ever. All this occurring in a country that a few decades ago sent homosexuals to the concentration camps and the gas chambers, along with Jews and Gypsies.

It is still ranked low on the threat of terrorism in spite of memories of the 1972 Munich Massacre at the Olympic Games, in which 11 Jewish athletes were killed.

Germany has about 84 million citizens, making it the most densely populated of the nations in the E.U. The capital, Berlin, has the largest population, with some 3.5 million residents, trailed by Hamburg and Munich.

Germany today remains split between Protestantism and Catholicism, and it is not homogeneous, as each year it greets an influx of non-German immigrants.

Turks form the largest group of immigrants (2.3 million), followed by Sorbs (about 60,000) and even some 50,000 Dane, who live in Schleswig-Holstein near the Danish border.

In spite of a gloomy economy, Germany still remains the third-largest economy in the world, with exports counting for 40% of its GDP.

Although East and West Germany long ago united as the Berlin Wall came tumbling down, conflicts remain. Westerners often express resentment at having to spend so many of their euros on propping up the less affluent Easterners, who lived for so long under Communist rule.

The Ossis, as Easterners are known in Germany, often claim that they feel like poor cousins come to live with a far more affluent family, the Wessis (those from the former West Germany).

The friends you’re likely to meet in Germany (and you’re likely to meet many) will probably be well educated and will possess linguistic skills (almost certainly including English) that, by the standards of the rest of the world, particularly the United States, are astonishing. Many younger Germans are likely to be guided by a sense of idealism, even zeal, for ecological and other causes.

Germans, like Americans, are worried about job security. The greatest fear sweeping across Germany today is of “job hemorrhage.” German companies are finding that more and more of their manufacturing plants and jobs can be farmed out to other locations, including, ironically enough, Alabama and South Carolina, where wages and benefits for workers at a BMW plant are about 30% less than in Germany. In the Czech Republic, just across the border, wages are equivalent to 10% of those paid in Germany, for workers nearly as well qualified.

But in spite of its problems, a modern Germany, centered around Berlin, continues to remain at the epicenter of European culture and a continuing powerhouse in the E.U.

Looking Back: German History

Note About Maps

This guide contains dozens of maps of varying sizes and complexity. If you find it hard to read a map on your device, use the zoom function to enlarge. You can also download and/or printout PDFs of all of the maps in this guide. Go to www.frommers.com/go/ebookmaps and click on the title of your guide.

Germany’s Historic Borders

Early Days

“A large build, very strong in the attack, but not suitable to the same extent for heavy work” was how Tacitus, the Roman historian, described the Teutons in A.D. 60. The Romans had been trying to push the borders of their empire up to the Rhineland, with mixed success, since 9 B.C., but the Teutonic tribes fought back ferociously. The first recognized German national hero was Arminius, who led his tribe (the Cherusci) in defeating three Roman legions near modern-day Bielefeld in A.D. 9.

After the deterioration of the Roman Empire, the Franks ruled much of what we now know as Germany. In 800, a Frankish king, Charlemagne, extended the Carolingian Empire from the Pyrenees to Saxony and Bavaria. His rule marks the high point of cultural and political development of that period. He divided the empire into counties, each with an administrator directly responsible to him, and promoted education, scholarship, and the revival of Greek and Roman culture.

The Holy Roman Empire

After Charlemagne’s death, the Carolingian Empire fell apart. In 843, the Treaty of Verdun granted the empire’s eastern territory to Louis the German, marking the beginning of German history.

In 962, the pope recognized Otto I as emperor of what was later called the Holy Roman Empire. This new political entity was formed both to impose unity on the European political world and to create a bulwark against the invasion of non-Christian tribes. It claimed direct links to the grandeur of ancient Rome and to the more contemporary might of the church.

Unity, however, did not prevail. The empire splintered into a bickering alliance of dukedoms, bishoprics, and principalities. The emperor’s authority was often dependent on German nobles and the pope. A capital city that could have served as a center of power was never established—the monarch simply moved from one city to another, mustering an army and collecting revenue wherever he could—so the possibilities for dynastic intrigues were endless. In subsequent jockeying, the church itself was a voracious competitor for power. This power struggle broke out into open conflict in 1076, when Pope Gregory VII excommunicated the emperor, Henry IV, who was forced to stand barefoot in the snow outside Canossa, humiliated, awaiting a repeal.

To strengthen their position as the Holy Roman Empire declined, the emperors turned to alliances with the wealthy, independent trading ports to the north and east, under the federation of the Hanseatic League. Such German cities as Hamburg, Lübeck, and Bremen grew in both economic and political power. Eventually the league controlled trade as far as Novgorod in Russia.

The Reformation & the Religious Wars

When an Augustinian monk, Martin Luther, nailed his theological and political complaints to a church door in Wittenberg in 1517, he set off a political and religious wildfire that spread across the landscape of Europe. The fragmented political situation in Germany played into Luther’s hands: For every prince who condemned him, he found one to protect him. Luther’s Reformation fanned the flames of Germany’s political factions. A new conflict between Catholics and Protestants set the stage for the devastation of the Thirty Years’ War (1618–48), which entrenched the divided sensibilities of the splintered nation.

The only powerful German state to emerge from these conflicts was Prussia, a tiny northeast kingdom on the Baltic Sea. The rise of Prussian power continued through the 18th century until, led by a soldier and patron of the Enlightenment, Friedrich (Frederick) the Great, Prussia became a major kingdom, with Berlin as its capital.

Napoleon Arrives

After the French Revolution, Napoleon and his new political ideas swept across Europe. The left bank of the Rhine came under French control. Under these pressures, the Holy Roman Empire officially came to an end in 1806. Around the same time, Napoleon’s armies invaded Prussia, making it, for a brief time, a part of the French Empire. But Napoleon was defeated at Leipzig in 1813; 2 years later, Britain and Prussia crushed him at the Battle of Waterloo.

Bismarck & Prussia

The Congress of Vienna (1814–15) redrew the map of Germany after Napoleon’s defeat, giving more territory to Prussia but making Austria the leader in a German Confederation. During this time, there was a rising spirit of nationalism, exploited to good effect by Prince Otto von Bismarck when he became Prussia’s prime minister in 1862. Prussia triumphed in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, and after the subsequent Franco-Prussian War (1870–71), when Prussia laid siege to Paris, Bismarck succeeded in his goal of unification. Wilhelm I was made emperor of all Germany in 1871, and a strong, unified Germany at last took shape. Under Bismarck’s leadership, Germany adopted an advanced social welfare system and brought its military and industrial production, as well as technical and scientific achievements, to new heights.

The Prussians

Take, for instance, the Prussians: they are saints when compared with the French. They have every sort of excellence; they are honest, sober, hardworking, well instructed, brave, good sons, husbands, and fathers and yet . . . all with whom I have been thrown were proud as Scotchmen, cold as New Englanders, and touchy as only Prussians can be.

—Henry Labouchere, 1871

World War I

By 1907, Europe was divided into two camps: the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) and the Triple Entente (France, Great Britain, and Russia). The match that ignited the powder keg was struck at Sarajevo in 1914, with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The subsequent German invasion of France launched the bloodiest war the world had ever seen. A new and particularly demoralizing form of battle, “trench warfare,” produced staggering casualties. On August 8, 1918, the Allies penetrated German lines, and the German high command realized the situation was hopeless.

To get more favorable treatment from the Allies, the Germans voluntarily declared a parliamentary democracy, ending the reign of the kaiser. Despite that concession, in 1918 Germany was forced to sign the humiliating Treaty of Versailles, which demanded the surrender of strategic territories, including Alsace-Lorraine, just west of the Rhine. The Allies—especially the French—also demanded huge monetary reparations.

Weimar Republic

In 1919, the National Assembly met in Weimar to draw up a new constitution, hailed at the time as the most progressive in the world. But in defeated and humiliated postwar Germany, extremists from both the left and the right launched savage attacks against the inexperienced and idealistic government. Enormous payments demanded by the Allies crippled the German economy. When Germany couldn’t make reparations, France retaliated by occupying the Ruhr, one of Germany’s most valuable industrial resources. Inflation destroyed what was left of the German economy.

Life is a Cabaret

by George McDonald

Cabaret existed in Germany long before World War I, and even in its early days it strained against the boundaries of censorship and the prevailing moral climate. But the form really came into its own during the years that followed defeat in the war. During the 1920s and 30s, the chaos of the Weimar Republic, hyperinflation and economic meltdown, street battles between militias of right and left, and the steady rise of the anti-Semitic Nazi Party formed the backdrop to a collapse of traditional values. Live it up while you can and spend money while you have it was the new morality. Cabaret provided entertainment with a satirical and political bent that suited the mood and circumstances of the times, influenced by cutting-edge artistic and social movements such as Dadaism, social expressionism, and Neue Sachlichkeit (new objectivity).

Berlin between the wars generally gets the historical kudos when it comes to cabaret, but in fact the capital was a long way behind pre-war Munich in taking to the genre. German Kabarett emerged as different from original French form in that it was nearly always a vehicle for political satire. In clubs like Die Elf Scharfrichter (The Eleven Executioners), founded in 1901 in the Schwabing district, Munich’s bohemians, socialists, progressives, and avant-gardistes of all stripes got together to gripe and poke fun at the smug, stultifyingly bourgeois society in which they lived.

Life in between-the-wars Berlin inspired writers like, among others, Christopher Isherwood, who lived in the city from 1929 to 1933. He wrote The Berlin Stories (1946), comprising two novellas—Good-Bye to Berlin and Mr. Norris Changes Trains—based in part on his experiences. The first of the two stories became the source of the stage and film versions of Cabaret.

“Old chums” and many more fans are still rolling up to the louche cabaret depicted in the modern Broadway show Cabaret, first performed in 1966 and revived at regular intervals ever since, and in the Hollywood movie based on the show, Cabaret (1972), directed by Bob Fosse and starring Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey.

Famous Period Cabarets

Die Katakombe Comedian Werner Finck (1902–78) found “The Catacombs” on Bellevuestrasse, just off Potsdamer Platz, in Berlin in 1929. His subtle jibes at Brownshirts, the Gestapo, and other “pillars” of the Nazi establishment made him popular—and brought secret policemen into the audience to “take notes.” Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels ordered the cabaret closed in 1935, and Finck spent 6 weeks in a concentration camp before enlisting in the German army.

Kabarett der Komiker Better known as Kadeko, the Cabaret of Comics took a less risky approach than Die Katakombe in its choice of material. A well-known Kadeko Conferencier (Master of Ceremonies), Fritz Grunbaum, frequently employed his acid wit on his own audiences, ribbing them for, among other things, their disgusting eating habits.

Wien-München From 1915 to 1916, the “Vienna-Munich” cabaret in Munich had as its director the comic actor Karl Valentin, who has been dubbed “the German Chaplin.” In the 1930s, Valentin made two failed attempts to get his Panoptikum für Gruseliges und Nonsens (Panopticon for Horror and Nonsense) exhibit in Munich off the ground.

Living the Revival

Popular among visitors to Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Dresden, and other German towns is the kind of nightspot depicted in the musical Cabaret, with floor-show patter and acts that satirize the political and social scene, though the satire is less biting than it was during the time of the Weimar Republic. Some of today’s cabaret shows may remind you of Broadway blockbusters, without much of the intimacy of the smoky, trenchant cellar revues of the 1920s and early 1930s.

Playlist

• Berlin; Marlene Dietrich.

• Berlin Cabaret Songs; Ute Lemper, Mischa Spoliansky.

• Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins & Berlin Theatre Songs; Lotte Lenya.

• Songs of the Berlin Cabaret 1920–29; Friedrich Hollaender, Jody Karin Appelbaum, Marc-André Hamelin.

The Rise of Nazism

This was just the right climate for the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. The Nazis believed in the superiority of the Aryan race and blamed non-Aryans, particularly Jews, for Germany’s woes. At first Hitler’s anti-Semitic, nationalist ideas failed to gain popular support, even with right-wingers. Nazi membership in the Reichstag (parliament) dropped from 25 in 1925 to only a dozen following the elections of 1928.

In 1932, Hitler lost the electoral race for president against the compromise candidate of the democratic parties, war hero Paul von Hindenburg. Nevertheless, Hitler’s power increased, and on January 30, 1933, Hindenburg submitted to right-wing pressure and appointed Hitler chancellor. Upon Hindenburg’s death in 1934, Hitler declared himself Führer (leader) of the Third Reich, a new German empire. Protected by hastily drafted laws and regulations, he made his power absolute.

On June 30, 1934, Hitler disposed of any opposing elements in his own party in the “Night of Long Knives,” when hundreds were massacred, including Ernst Röhm, chief of his notorious Brownshirts. Heinrich Himmler’s black-shirted Schutzstaffel (SS) became a powerful political force. Surrounded by adoring fans (or, at best, passive witnesses), Hitler now viewed his empire as a worthy successor to those of Charlemagne and Bismarck.

In 1936, Hitler remilitarized the Rhineland and signed agreements with Japan and fascist Italy, forming the Axis alliance. In 1938, he enforced the Anschluss (annexation) of Austria and marched triumphantly into the country of his birth, and he occupied the German-speaking Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, an act that other western powers could not summon the will to oppose.

The horrors of unchecked Nazi rule lasted until 1945. The Gestapo, or secret police, launched one of the most notorious reigns of terror in history. Anyone whom the Nazis considered enemies or simply undesirables—which included Communists, Social Democrats, homosexuals, political dissidents, Gypsies, and many others—was persecuted. Jews were disenfranchised, terrorized, and forced into ghettos and concentration camps.

World War II

In late August 1939, Hitler signed a nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union that gave him free rein to launch an invasion of Poland, which he did on September 1. France and Britain, honoring their agreements with Poland, declared war on Germany. Germany scored early victories, and in one of the most stunning campaigns of the 20th century, invaded and occupied France in June 1940. In 1941, Hitler turned on the Soviet Union.

Meeting in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee in 1942, the Nazi leadership formulated the implementation of the “final solution” to the “Jewish question,” the systematic extermination of millions of Jews. The mass murders of homosexuals, Gypsies, Communists, Slavs, and other “undesirables” were less systematic but also numbered in the millions.

Following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Germany declared war on the United States on December 11, 1941. But after defeats in north Africa in 1942 and at Stalingrad in 1943, the recurrent theme became one of Nazi retreat. The D-day landings along the coast of Normandy on June 6, 1944, began the steady advance of the Allied armies from the west, while Soviet armies relentlessly marched toward Berlin from the east. Hitler committed suicide in Berlin in April 1945. His country, along with much of Europe, lay in ruins.

Division of Germany

The Berlin Wall

At war’s end, Germany and its capital were divided. The nation shrank in size, losing long-held territories (among them East Prussia and Upper Silesia). The United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union divided the country into four zones of occupation. Berlin, in the heart of the Soviet district, was also divided among the four powers. In the late 1940s, the Soviet Union tried to cut off Allied access to Berlin, but a massive U.S.-sponsored airlift into the city thwarted the effort. In 1949, the Soviets established the German Democratic Republic (GDR). In response, the Federal Republic of Germany was established in the American, British, and French zones. In 1961, the GDR sealed off its borders and erected the Berlin Wall, a stark symbol of the Cold War.

Throughout the 1960s, the financial world buzzed with the talk of an economic miracle in Germany. Led by Ludwig Erhard, the economist, this miracle was called Wirtschaftswunder, and it saw West Germany rise to become the fourth-largest economy in the world.

This era of prosperity also saw the rise of a young German leader, Willy Brandt. Along with his Social-Liberal Coalition, Brandt, as chancellor, brought about long-overdue reform, an overhaul of education, and much improvement in industrial relations. His controversial Ostpolitik (Eastern Policy) improved relations with Soviet-dominated East Germany and other Communist countries to the east of Germany. His efforts in normalizing relations with the GDR brought Brandt the Nobel Prize of 1971.

The 1972 Summer Olympic Games were meant to show the entire world the bold new face of a radically rebuilt Munich. However, the terrorist attack on and murder of 11 Israeli athletes revived memories of the recent past.

Helmut Schmidt became chancellor in 1974, as West Germany continued to amaze the world with its economic muscle. Problems such as mounting unemployment remained, however, and in 1982, Helmut Kohl became the new German leader, pursuing welfare cuts, a tight-fisted money policy, and military cooperation with the U.S. The Kohl era saw the Green Party rise as a political force, with its goals of disarmament and protecting a fragile environment.

Fall of the Wall & Unification

The year 1989 was one of change and turmoil. In the wake of the collapse of Communist power across eastern Europe, the Berlin Wall also fell. The following year was perhaps the most significant in postwar German history. The two German nations announced economic unification in July, followed by total unification—with its thousands of inherent problems and headaches—on October 3, 1990. In 1991, Parliament voted to quit Bonn, seat of the West German government, and reestablish the once-mighty capital of Berlin.

After the first heady period of reunification, disillusionment set in, especially in eastern Germany, which was riddled with unemployment and unrealized expectations. Resentment against immigrant workers led to some violent neo-Nazi marches, bombings, and physical assaults. However, most Germans rose up to condemn the ultrarightists and the sporadic violence.

Psychological and emotional differences between the two zones were almost overwhelming, as were the vast disparities in industrial development. As the influential newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau editorialized, “The terms of east and west are not so much geographical expressions as they are descriptions of states of mind.”

Modern Germany

As the 21st century began, Germany, despite the enormous costs of reunification, remained an economic powerhouse in Europe. As a member of the European Union (E.U.), NATO, and the G8 group of the world’s industrial powers, Germany’s influence extends throughout Europe and across the globe.

Moving deeper into the 21st century, Berlin has become the center of the Continent. Of the three major European powers, including France and Great Britain, Germany appears to be the most dynamic. In fact, of all E.U. members, Germany most actively pursued the abandonment of national currencies, such as its own historic deutsche mark, and the adoption of the euro as the standard unit of currency for all E.U. countries. Other countries, such as Great Britain, though a member of the E.U., still hold back. German economists continue to hope that the adoption of a single currency for Europe will lead to prosperity for all in a future “United States of Europe.”

Homosexuals, once persecuted by the Nazis and sent to death camps along with Jews and Gypsies, moved significantly forward in postmillennium Germany. In 2001, in spite of fierce opposition from some conservatives, same-sex partners won legal status in Germany. The law, announced in Germany’s unofficial gay capital of Berlin, allows gay couples to register their unions at government offices and requires a court decision for divorce. Same-sex couples also receive the inheritance and health-insurance rights given married spouses.

In the aftermath of World War II, Germany had become an economic giant but remained a military midget. Because of its aggression in Hitler’s war, Germany appeared reluctant to make a strong show of military force anywhere in the world. But in 2001, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder announced a major change in military policy in which Germany would pursue a “more muscular policy.” He pronounced as “irrevocably passed” the day when Germany would be economically powerful but militarily passive. Schröder stated that now that Germany was reunited, it had to take on more responsibilities in the international community. As proof of his stated goal, Germany sent troops to aid the United States in its military strikes against terrorist bases in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan following the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001.

But support for U.S. policies abruptly ended in 2003, when Chancellor Schröder took a stance against America’s war with Iraq. While this course proved politically rewarding in Germany, where most voters opposed U.S. involvement, it created a sharp rift with Washington, D.C., and irritated President George W. Bush. Schröder’s opposition to the war led to the lowest point in German-American relations since World War II. Since then, relations have been more cordial. In 2004 Schröder and Bush issued a joint statement on “The German-American Alliance for the 21st Century.” Schröder also attended the funeral of President Reagan as well as the 60th anniversary of the commemoration of the Allied D-day invasion of Normandy.

In a surprise development in 2005, conservative Angela Merkel became the first woman to govern modern Germany and the country’s first leader to grow up under communism in the Soviet-occupied East. Her conservatives finished just 1 percentage point ahead of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s center-left Social Democrats, with neither party getting a majority.

Merkel campaigned on pledges to shake up Germany’s highly regulated labor market and get the stagnant economy going again. She also promised to reinvigorate relations with the U.S. Merkel faced massive problems, including unemployment. Like the United States, the German economy remained strong but there were horrendous problems, including an economic slowdown. The financial burden of reunification has exerted a terrible price on Germany.

The new “First Man” of Germany, Merkel’s husband is mild-mannered chemistry professor Joachim Sauer, who likes to cook for friends and watch old Dustin Hoffman movies.

Although Germany in 2006 and early 2007 didn’t do anything earthshaking enough to discuss here, a significant historical event occurred in Luxembourg. An agreement was reached to open up millions of Nazi secret archives locked away since World War II. The vast archive has been hidden for decades in the German town of Bad Arolsen, but will in time become available to researchers.

An 11-nation International Commission has overseen the archives since the war. The files are available to Holocaust survivors and families of victims whose fate may not be clear. The files contain most of what the Nazis recorded on their death camps, including the prisoners held there, not only Jews but Gypsies and gay people, including “patients” subjected to cruel medical experiments.

In the fall of 2009, Chancellor Angela Merkel swept to victory with her conservative Christian Democrats in an alliance with the probusiness Free Democrats. Since then, her popularity has declined as Germany’s economy suffered under the global economic crisis. The nation as a whole is on the gloomy side, since the country’s money formed a significant part of the bailout for Greece in 2010.

Art & Architecture

Germany’s art ranges from medieval carved wood statues to Dürer prints to expressionist paintings, its architecture from Gothic cathedrals and riotous baroque chapels to neoclassical temples and Bauhaus buildings. This overview should help you make sense of it all.

German Art

Romanesque (11th–12th c.)

Artistic expression in early medieval Germany was largely church related. Because Mass was said in Latin, the illiterate masses had to learn Bible lessons via bas reliefs (sculptures that project slightly from a flat surface) and wall paintings, which told key tales to inspire faith in God and fear of sin.

The best examples of this period include scraps of surviving Romanesque sculpture on the 11th-century, carved wood doors at Cologne’s St. Maria im Kapitol, Augsburg’s Dom St. Maria, and the intricate The Shrine of the Magi reliquary (1182–1220) in Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral; ).

Gothic (13th–15th c.)

Late medieval German art continued to be largely ecclesiastical, including stained glass, church facades, and massive wooden altarpieces festooned with statues and carvings. In Gothic painting and sculpture, figures tended to be more natural looking than in the Romanesque, but remained highly stylized.

The best examples and artists include stained glass in Ulm Münster, Rothenburg’s St. Jakobskirche, and Cologne’s St. Gereon’s Sacristy. Stephan Lochner (active 1400–51) was the premier artist of the School of Cologne, where he painted the Cologne Cathedral’s Altar of the City Patrons (ca. 1440; ) and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum’s Madonna in the Rose Garden (1450; ). Bamberger Reiter is an anonymous equestrian statue in Bamberg’s Kaiserdom, a masterpiece of 13th-century sculpture. Tilman Riemenschneider (1460–1531) was Germany’s genius Gothic woodcarver of languid figures draped in flowing, folded robes. Some of his best works remain in Würzburg, including statues in the Mainfränkisches Museum.

Renaissance (Late 15th to 16th c.)

The German Renaissance masters, striving for greater naturalism, included the greatest of them all, Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528). A genius painter, superb illustrator, and one of the greatest draftsmen ever, Dürer was the most important Renaissance artist outside Italy. His art matched the scientific and geometric precepts of the Florentine Renaissance with a command of color learned in Venice, a Flemish eye for meticulous detail, and the emotional sensibility of the German Gothic. He was the first to paint stand-alone self-portraits (including one in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek; ), as well as watercolors and gouaches for their own sake rather than merely as sketches. His paintings grace Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie and the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in his native Nürnberg. Also see the box.

Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472–1553) melded Renaissance sensibilities with a still somewhat primitive, medieval look. As a young artist in Vienna, he helped popularize landscape painting as a member of the Danube School (Rest on the Flight into Egypt [1504] in Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie; ) and invented the full-length portrait (Duke of Saxony [1514] and The Duchess [1514] in Dresden’s Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, in the Zwinger complex; ). Hans Holbein the Younger (1497–1543) was second only to Dürer in the German Renaissance, and one of the greatest portraitists ever. Germany preserves precious little of his work, but you can see the Portrait of Georg Gisze (1532) in Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie and a Nativity in the Freiburg Cathedral.

Baroque & Rococo (16th–18th c.)

The baroque is more theatrical and decorative than the Renaissance, mixing a kind of superrealism based on the use of peasant models and the exaggerated chiaroscuro (“light and dark”) of Italy’s Caravaggio with compositional complexity and explosions of dynamic fury, movement, color, and figures. Rococo is this later baroque art gone awry, frothy and chaotic. Artists from this period include Andreas Schlüter (1660–1714), whose sculptures can now be found at Berlin’s Schloss Charlottenburg. Balthazar Permoser (1651–1732) was court sculptor at Dresden. His stone pulpit stands in Katholische Hofkirche, his sculptures in the Zwinger.

Romantic (19th c.)

The paintings of the Romantics were heroic, historic, dramatic, and beautiful in contrast to the classically minded Renaissance artists or the overly exuberant baroque artists. Adam Elsheimer (1578–1610) created tiny paintings that bridged the gap from late Renaissance Mannerism (a style characterized by twisting figures in exaggerated positions), through baroque, to proto-Romantic. His Flight into Egypt (1609) resides in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek. Caspar David Friedrich (1774–1840) was the greatest of the German Romantics. Dresden’s Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in the Zwinger complex houses his famous Cross in the Mountains (1808).

Early 20th Century

Until Hitler, Germany was one of Europe’s hotbeds of artistic activity. But the Nazis outlawed and confiscated what they called “degenerate” modern art. Almost all the artists listed below are represented at Cologne’s Museum Ludwig, save Höch and Grosz, whom you can find at Berlin’s Neue Nationalgalerie. At least one artist from every movement is at Stuttgart’s Staatsgalerie, and there are also good modern collections at Düsseldorf’s Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen and Dresden’s Albertinum. Munich’s Pinakothek der Moderne is strong on expressionist artists.

The major artists and movements of the early 20th century include expressionism, which abandoned realism and embraced, to varying degrees, exaggeration, visible artistry (thick paint, obvious brush strokes, and strong colors) and, most important, abstraction—all to try to “express” the emotions or philosophy of the artist himself. Pure expressionism fell into two main groups, especially Die Brücke, founded in 1905 Dresden, which sought inspiration in folk art, medieval examples, and “unspoiled” landscapes. Its greatest members were Ernst Kirchner (1880–1938) and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff (1884–1976), though Impressionist Emil Nolde (1867–1956) also later joined for a while. They have their own Brücke Museum in Berlin. The second movement was Der Blaue Reiter group, set up in Munich in 1911 by Russian-born Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944), Franz Marc (1880–1916), and August Macke (1887–1914) to oppose the cultural insularity and antimodern stance of Die Brücke. The “Blue Riders” embraced international elements, modern abstraction techniques, and bright, vibrant color schemes to seek an emotional, visceral intensity in their work. Determined critics of the horrors of World War I, Dadaists were by turns abstract, nihilistic (inviting gallery visitors to help destroy the art), and just generally anti-art (many made random collages of found materials). Its proponents included Hannah Höch (1889–1978), who collaged photographs and magazine cutouts to make social statements; George Grosz (1893–1959), who was more strictly a painter, and later moved on to the Neue Sachlichkeit movement (below); and Kurt Schwitters (1887–1948), who eventually started his own splinter group called “Merz,” which experimented with abstract and Russian constructivist elements.

Both Max Ernst (1891–1976) and Alsatian Jean “Hans” Arp (1887–1966) started as Blaue Reiter expressionists and, after their Dada collage period, ended up in Paris as surrealists (Ernst as a painter, Arp as a sculptor and painter of amorphous shapes).

Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity) was a 1920s Berlin movement opposed to the abstraction of the expressionists. Their caricature-filled art was painted in harsh colors and focused on even harsher subjects such as sex and violence. Proponents included Otto Dix (1891–1969), who started as an expressionist but quickly became one of the most scathing and disturbing New Objectivity painters; George Grosz (see above); and Max Beckmann (1884–1950), who also was originally an expressionist.

Post–World War II Art

Germany hasn’t had any one style or school to define its art since World War II, though terms such as neoexpressionism (an antiabstract, antiminimalist, anticonceptual trend that grounds itself more in tradition and figurative art) are often bandied about. There have been, however, several important artists. All three listed below are represented in Stuttgart’s Staatsgalerie and Bonn’s Kunstmuseum. Notable post–World War II artists include Josef Beuys (1921–86), an iconoclast and nonconformist who made constructivist sculpture from trash; Anselm Kiefer (b. 1945), who made a return to huge, mixed-media figurative art, often with a strong historical bent; and Georg Baselitz (b. 1938), a figurative painter—and a sculptor, since the 1980s—a neoexpressionist with a penchant for portraying people upside down.

Architecture

Romanesque (10th–13th c.)

Romanesque architects concentrated on building large churches with wide aisles to accommodate the masses. Identifiable features include rounded arches, thick walls, small windows, huge piers, tall towers, dual chancels, and blind arcades.

The best examples include Mainz’s Dom, which looks more like a castle fortress than a church; Worms’s Dom St. Peter, with a dual-chancel arrangement and two imposing facades; and Speyer’s Kaiserdom, the largest cathedral in Germany, a four-towered Romanesque basilica with dwarf galleries and blind arcades.

Church floor plan

Dom, Mainz

Gothic (13th–16th c.)

Ceilings began to soar with Gothic architects, walls became thinner, and windows—often stained glass—proliferated. On the exterior, graceful buttresses and soaring spires rose over a town. Pointed arches, it was discovered, carried more weight than rounded ones. Other features included cross vaulting, a facade flanked by two towers, flying buttresses, spires, gargoyles, and delicate tracery.

Cross vault

Cross section of a Gothic church

The best examples of Gothic include Cologne Cathedral, Germany’s finest, at once massive and graceful; Freiburg Cathedral, built almost entirely during the Middle Ages; and Ulm Münster, second in size only to Cologne’s cathedral. Ulm’s Münster sports the world’s tallest spire—though it did take 500 years to complete. The best-preserved town centers with Gothic-style houses and buildings include Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Goslar, Regensburg, and Tübingen.

Cologne Cathedral

Renaissance (Late 15th Through Mid–17th c.)

Germany was so busy with the Reformation that the country had little time for the Renaissance, which really had an effect only in southern Germany (transalpine influences from Italy) and a few isolated examples in the far north (influences from Flemish and Dutch neighbors). Other than a close eye to the Renaissance ideals of proportion, symmetry, and the classical orders (distinguished by the use of three column capitals: Corinthian, Ionic, and Doric), little specifically identifies Italianate Renaissance buildings.

Classical orders

Weser Renaissance was a late-16th- and early-17th-century style prevalent in Lower Saxony, distinguishable on houses by pinnacled gables (the triangular upper portion of a wall at the end of a pitched roof), heavy scrollwork, elaborate dormers (an upright window projecting from a sloping roof), rounded pediments (a low-pitched feature above a window, door, or pavilion), and decorative stone bands.

Celle is the best preserved town center in the Weser Renaissance style, including its moated Herzogschloss. The Pied Piper town of Hameln has several fine Weser Renaissance houses, including the Rattenfängerhaus, Hochzeitshaus, and Dempterscheshaus. The only solidly Renaissance church in Germany is Michaelskirche in Munich, built 1583 to 1597 by Jesuits to resemble their church in Rome.

Baroque & Rococo (17th–18th c.)

With a seamless meshing of architecture and art, the German baroque flourished in the south and in Lower Saxony. Germany’s brand of over-the-top, baroque chaos worked better perhaps than in any other country. Whereas rococo is usually used as a derogatory term for the baroque gone awry into the grotesque, in Germany the rococo actually succeeds (sometimes). Baroque lines follow a complex geometry and interplay of concave and convex surfaces. The overall effect is to lighten the appearance of structures and add movement of line and vibrancy to the static look of the Renaissance.

The best example of a baroque palace is the Residenz in Würzburg (1720–44; ), designed by Balthasar Neumann, including a monumental staircase under the world’s largest ceiling fresco by the Italian master Tiepolo. Friedrich the Great’s Sanssouci Palace at Potsdam (1744–1860) is one of Europe’s best examples of the rococo.

Jean François de Cuvilliés (1698–1767), a French dwarf, was originally the elector of Bavaria’s court jester until his talent for architecture was recognized. After schooling in France, he returned to Munich to craft its greatest rococo monuments, including the jewel box of the Residenz’s Altes Residenztheater, which now bears his name, and the facade of the baroque Theatinerkirche. His masterpiece is Schloss Nymphenburg’s Amalienburg hunting lodge, which became a model for palaces across Europe.

Amalienburg, Schloss Nymphenburg

Neoclassicism & Romantic (Mid–18th Through 19th c.)

As a backlash against the excesses of the baroque and rococo, by the middle of the 18th century architects began turning to the austere simplicity and grandeur of the classical age and inaugurated the neoclassical style. Their work was inspired by the rediscovery of Pompeii and other ancient sites. However, many of their interiors continued to be rococo, though more muted than before. The sterility of German neoclassicism didn’t last long, however, and the 19th century left the increasing nationalist German society looking into its own past for inspiration, kicking off the neo-Gothic Romantic Movement.

The Prussians remade Berlin in a neoclassical image, starting with the Brandenburger Tor and moving on to the buildings of Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1781–1841), among which Altes Museum, Schloss Charlottenhof, and Nikolaikirche are his best. There’s a museum devoted to him called the Friedrichswerdersche Kirche–Schinkelmuseum. In Munich, Ludwig I had Leo von Klenze lay out neoclassical structures across his “new Athens,” including those surrounding Königsplatz and the nearby Alte and Neue pinakotheks. Caught up in Wagner’s dramatic operas set in the heroic Middle Ages, “Mad” King Ludwig II was the ultimate Romantic, building for himself a series of faux medieval fairy-tale castles, including Herrenchiemsee’s Neues Schloss and the incomparable fantasy of Neuschwanstein Castle, a festival of banner-fluttering towers and battlements right out of a Brothers Grimm folk tale, its entire setting chosen solely for its picture-postcard perfection.

Neuschwanstein

20th-Century Architecture

Germany’s take on the early-20th-century Art Nouveau movement was called Jugendstil. The Bauhaus was a 1920s avant-garde school of architecture led by Walter Gropius (1883–1969) that combined industrial-age architecture with art and craft to create functional buildings and furnishings. Among its chief designers and institute teachers were Marcel Breuer, Wassily Kandinsky, Oskar Schlemmer, and Paul Klee. The Nazis closed the school in 1933, though it was reborn in Chicago. Jugendstil houses and hotels exist across Germany, but the movement took its name from Jugend magazine published in the Schwabing district of Munich, where many buildings in the style survive. Munich is also home to the Jugendstil Museum in the Stuck-Villa, a hybrid neoclassical/Jugendstil structure. Bauhaus structures, too, pepper Germany in unobtrusive ways, often in city outskirts. One fine example is Berlin’s Die Siemensstadt, the first modern housing complex, built with long “slab” blocks by Walter Gropius. Berlin also has the Bauhaus-Archiv Museum für Gestaltung, devoted to Bauhaus drawings, photographs, and some design examples.

Siemensstadt

Germany in Pop Culture

Books

Biography

Taylor, A. J. P. Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman (1967). This is the story of the “Iron Chancellor,” who was instrumental in unifying the German states into the German Empire.

Trevor-Roper, Hugh. The Last Days of Hitler (1986). This is an insightful reconstruction of the twilight of the Third Reich.

Fiction

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. The Sorrows of Young Werther (1990). This is required reading for every German schoolchild. Goethe explored the theme of suicide in this early epistolary novella.

Grass, Günter. Dog Years (1989), The Tin Drum (1990), and The Flounder (1989). Grass’s works deal with the German psyche coming to terms with the dreadful legacy of Nazism and World War II.

Isherwood, Christopher. The Berlin Stories (1954). Isherwood lived in Berlin from 1929 to 1933. His most famous story was “Good-Bye to Berlin,” which became the source of the stage and film versions of Cabaret.

Mann, Thomas. The Magic Mountain (1969). This is Mann’s most celebrated masterpiece.

Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front (1987). This is a classic novel of World War I.

Folklore & Legends

Grimm, Jacob, and Wilhelm Grimm. Complete Grimm Tales. This is the world’s most famous collection of folk tales, with a cast of characters that includes everybody from Little Red Riding Hood to Tom Thumb.

The Nibelungenlied. Every school kid in Germany reads this great epic poem, which details the exploits of Siegfried and Kriemhild and the fall of the Burgundians. The Nibelungenlied is characterized by the violence of its emotions and its uncompromising emphasis on vengeance.

History

Beevor, Antony. The Fall of Berlin 1945 (2002). This is one of the most vivid accounts ever written of the Red Army’s assault on Berlin.

Large, David Clay. Berlin (2000). In this controversial and caustic survey of Berlin since 1871, the author claims that “no other place has so dramatically encapsulated the highs and lows of our modern human experience” as Berlin.

Schneider, Peter. The German Comedy: Scenes of Life after the Wall, translated by Leigh Hafrey and Philip Boehm (1992). Comic absurdities surrounding the collapse of the Wall fill this book, but Schneider (author of The Wall Jumper) also explores resurgent anti-Semitism and how West Germans are coping with the flood of refugees from the former East Germany.

Shirer, William L. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany (1959–60). This story has never been told better—the complete saga of Hitler’s empire from beginning to end.

Taylor, Frederick. Dresden: Tuesday, February 13, 1945 (2004). This book takes a new look at the destruction of Dresden by Allied bombings, which was more famously brought home in Kurt Vonnegut’s 1969 novel Slaughterhouse Five. A British historian, Taylor debunks the theory that Dresden contributed little toward the Nazi war effort, but was “one of the foremost industrial locations of the Reich.”

Travel

Twain, Mark. A Tramp Abroad (1989). The American humorist’s travels through Germany are comically detailed here. Read also his comments on “The Awful German Language.”

German literature: From Gutenberg to Grass

Even before Gutenberg invented the first printing press in the Western world in the 15th century, German literature—both oral and written—was being produced. The first written literary work known is The Lay of Hildebrand, a narrative poem handed down by ancient storytellers and copied by monks at the Benedictine Abbey at Fulda. Such tales of valor, love, sorrow, and death were strong in oral tradition, with the Rhine valley giving rise to many legends and songs through the centuries, Lohengrin, Roland, the Lorelei, and the Nibelungen being among the subjects.

The age of chivalry gave birth to lyric poetry in Germany. Like the troubadours in France, Minnesingers of the Holy Roman Empire roamed the land singing songs of love and derring-do inspired by the Crusades. One of these, Walter von der Vogelweide, a knight of the late 12th and early 13th centuries, is seen as the father of lyric poetry in Germany. Another early-13th-century poet of note was Wolfram von Eschenbach, whose epic, Parsifal, glorifies chivalry and religious devotion. By the 16th century, another “hero” had joined German folklore and literature—Til Eulenspiegel, a clownish fellow whose life around 1300 became the subject of story and song.

From the time of the Reformation (16th c.), Martin Luther’s influence can be traced in many fields of the German life of the mind and spirit. His translation of the Bible into modern German was hailed as the first great literary work in the language. A Luther contemporary, Hans Sachs, a Meistersinger (a “master singer” who carried on the traditions of the earlier Minnesingers), was a prolific author of stories, poems, plays, and songs.

Publications of a picaresque novel, Simplicissimus, by Grimmelshausen (17th c.), marked the start of production of long prose narratives in the country. The Age of Enlightenment in German literature dawned in the late 17th century, inaugurated by Klopstock in his epic, Der Messias, and his Odes, and it continued into the 18th century. Rationalization was the watchword in this Enlightenment period, or Aufklärung. Much writing was in the form of philosophical treatises (for example, the works of Leibniz and Kant). Also in this era, the principles of German drama were laid out by Lessing.

As a reaction to rationalization, a literary movement known as Sturm und Drang was born in the 18th century, marked especially by poetry and drama extolling both sentiment and grand passions and rejecting previous social, political, moral, and literary authority.

In this time, when ideas of storm and stress dominated the literati, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe arrived on the scene, a giant of letters. Dramatist, novelist, philosopher, and Germany’s greatest poet, Goethe followed the pattern of the times in youth and early manhood (the Urfaust or Early Faust, Egmont, and The Sorrows of Young Werther). However, he soon became disenchanted with Sturm und Drang, turning in midlife after a stay in Italy to a classical mode (Nausikaa). During this period, he reworked Faust so that the final product begins with storm and stress and then levels off into tranquil classicism. It was after his sojourn in Italy that he also produced Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, a novel that served for decades as the prototype of the best German fiction.

Another literary immortal, Johann Friedrich Schiller, playwright and poet, a contemporary and friend of Goethe, also turned away from Sturm und Drang after presentation of Don Carlos, a powerful historical drama honoring liberty. Similar dramas were Wallenstein and Wilhelm Tell. Schiller’s outlook placed his interests in the fields of history and philosophy.

Besides these two masters of the literary world, which soon moved on from classicism to romanticism to historical romanticism, such names of world note as the brothers Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, famous for their collection of fairy tales, folk tales, and myths, and Heinrich Heine appeared. Many of the works of Heine, second only to Goethe as Germany’s greatest poet, have become folk songs.

A poet who became known for his work in the first quarter of the 20th century was Rainer Maria Rilke. Another German, the novelist Erich Maria Remarque (All Quiet on the Western Front), moved to the United States to escape the political conditions of his homeland. Franz Kafka became known for his novels of the absurd. Bertolt Brecht (The Threepenny Opera and Mother Courage) chose to live in East Germany after World War II.

In 1959 Gunther Grass burst onto the scene with his extraordinary first novel, Blechtrommel (The Tin Drum). He became a spokesman for the German generation that grew up in the Nazi era and received the Nobel Prize in literature in 1999 as a poet, novelist, and playwright.

Other Germans who won the Nobel Prize for literature:

• Theodor Mommsen, 1902, philosopher

• Paul J. L. Heyse, 1910, novelist, dramatist, and poet

• Gerhart J. R. Hauptmann, 1912, dramatist

• Thomas Mann, 1929, novelist

• Hermann Hesse, 1946, novelist

• Heinrich Böll, 1972, novelist

The influence of German thought on the Western mind has been powerful, from as far back as the 13th century when Albertus Magnus became known as a scholastic philosopher, naturalist, and theologian. Through the centuries, other notable philosophers have been Kant, Moses Mendelssohn, Schopenhauer, Hegel, Marx, Engels, and Nietzsche (Thus Spake Zarathustra).

Music

Music is an important and pervasive facet of German life. German disunity over the centuries actually helped foster German music. The many small principalities and bishoprics that split up the German-speaking world meant that there were many courts to offer opportunities to musicians, both composers and instrumentalists. As a result, the German-speaking nations produced more composers of indisputable greatness than any other.

Today, the musical scene in Germany is as vibrant as ever. Every major city has an opera house and an orchestra, many of them world renowned. New composers are encouraged, and productions are often at the cutting edge.

Men (and Women) of Note: Germany’s Rich Musical History

by Donald Olson

Some of the greatest works of Western music have been written by German composers. The roster includes Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Wagner, as well as 20th-century greats Alban Berg and Kurt Weill. The country’s rich musical history dates back to 12th-century Minnesängers (troubadours) and religious chants. Over the centuries, Germany’s musical traditions were fostered in convents, monasteries and churches where composers were hired to write sacred songs, cantatas and oratorios. Eventually, as opera houses and concert halls became a fixture in German cities, a wider public clamored for musical performances. Classical music remains an important part of German culture today and can be enjoyed in concert halls and opera houses throughout the country.

Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) Known as Saint Hildegard, this Benedictine abbess was revered in her day as an author, visionary, herbalist, poet, and composer. Over 70 of her compositions have survived, one of the largest repertoires among medieval composers. Hildegard’s music is monophonic, consisting of only one melodic line, but her soaring melodies go well beyond the range of medieval chant.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) After stints as a violinist, an organist, and Kapellmeister, Bach arrived in Leipzig in 1723 and stayed for the rest of his life, writing more than 200 cantatas, the Passion According to St. Matthew, and the Mass in B Minor. He was prolific in other ways as well, fathering 17 children. Every June, Leipzig celebrates Bach’s musical legacy with the famous Bachfest (www.bach-leipzig.de), during which Bach’s works are performed in the Thomaskirche, where he is buried.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Beethoven brought emotional depth and new tone colors to music in the transitional period between the Classical (Bach) and Romantic (Brahms) eras. He began his career by composing and performing piano concertos, and he continued to compose (9 symphonies, the opera Fidelio) even when his hearing began to deteriorate in the late 1790s. By the time his monumental Ninth Symphony was premiered in 1824, Beethoven was so deaf that he had to be turned around to see the tumultuous applause of the audience. Music lovers can visit his birthplace, the Beethoven House Museum, in Bonn.

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Like Beethoven, Brahms was a composer and virtuoso pianist who performed many of his own works. He composed for piano, chamber ensembles, symphony orchestra, and for voice and chorus. The structure of Brahms’s music is rooted in the traditions of Baroque and Classical composition, but he developed musical themes in a way pioneered by Beethoven, creating bold new harmonies and melodies. Brahms’s glory years as a composer were between 1868, when he premiered A German Requiem, his largest choral work, and 1885, by which time he had composed his four symphonies and the Piano Concerto No. 2. In 1889, Brahms made an experimental recording of his first Hungarian dance on the piano, the earliest recording made by a major composer.

Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Known primarily for his operas, Wagner pioneered advances in musical language that greatly influenced the development of European classical music. His life was tumultuous, requiring periodic flights to escape creditors. It was while in exile from Germany that Wagner completed his four-act Ring cyle, the opera Tristan and Isolde, and developed his revolutionary vision of operas as Gesamtkunstwerk, or “total artwork”, a fusion of music, song, dance, poetry, visual arts, and stagecraft. His fortunes brightened when Ludwig II, king of Bavaria, became Wagner’s patron., Wagner built the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth, a theater where his operas—and only his—would be performed. He is buried in the garden at Villa Wahnfriend in Bayreuth.

Kurt Weill (1900-1950) Although he was classically trained and had some success with his works for the concert hall, it was Weill’s musical-theatre songs that became popular in Germany in the late 1920s and early 1930s. His best-known work, The Threepenny Opera, was written in 1928 in collaboration with the German playwright Bertolt Brecht contained his most famous song, “Mack the Knife.” As a prominent Jewish composer, Weill became a target of the Nazis and was forced to flee Germany in 1933.

A History of German Music

Baroque Music The greatest composer of the baroque era was Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), who was a supreme master of all musical forms of his time. Bach produced many church cantatas, especially for St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, where he served as cantor. His compositions were technically outstanding, vigorous, and profound. Little of his music was published during his lifetime, but after his death, his influence steadily grew, especially that of his organ works. The musical tradition in his large family was maintained by two of his talented sons, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–88) and Johann Christian Bach (1735–82). The Brandenburg Concertos are highly recommended.

Bach’s contemporary George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) was another great composer. He first rose to prominence as musician of the court of Hannover, a post that he left to become composer at the court of St. James of England. He was a leading composer of operas and instrumental music for the court. Listen to his oratorio, Messiah.

The Classical Period Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–91), although an Austrian, cannot be omitted from any discussion of German music. His operas, with their contemporary themes and lively musical characterizations, paved the way for later composers. Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809), another Austrian, also exerted great influence on German music, especially instrumental music. Listen to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni and Haydn’s “Drum Roll” Symphony no. 103.

The 19th Century & Romanticism The 19th century was rich in musical genius. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) ushered in romanticism. His works included symphonies, piano concertos, piano sonatas, quartets, and many others. He greatly expanded and developed the orchestra. Tragically, he completely lost his hearing in 1819. However, the chamber music he wrote after this event shows an even greater depth and complexity than his previous compositions. Listen to symphonies no. 5 and no. 9.

Other great composers of the era include Franz Schubert (1797–1828), Felix Mendelssohn (1809–47), Robert Schumann (1810–56), and Johannes Brahms (1833–97). Listen to Schubert’s Lieder, Mendelssohn’s “Overture” to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Schumann’s Symphony no. 3, and Brahms’s German Requiem.

The giant of the 19th-century opera world was Richard Wagner (1813–83). His theories of musical drama exerted a tremendous influence on everyone who followed him, even his detractors. His influence can best be heard in the music of the later Romantic composer Richard Strauss (1864–1949), whose operas carry Wagner’s ideas of character development to greater psychological depth. Listen to Wagner’s The Ring of the Nibelungs and Strauss’s Salome.

The 20th Century Musical experimentation flourished in early-20th-century Germany. Austrian-born Arnold Schönberg (1874–1951) developed the 12-tone system of musical structure. Kurt Weill (1900–50) and Paul Hindemith (1895–1963) tried to reach a more popular audience. During the Nazi era, many composers fled Germany. Others, like Hans Pfitzner (1869–1949) and Strauss, remained in an uneasy relationship with the Nazis. Listen to Schönberg’s Five Pieces for Orchestra, Weill’s Threepenny Opera, and Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler. The music of Pfitzner is still heard in such operas as Palestrina from 1917 and Das Herz from 1931. The compositions of Strauss are among the most frequently played around the globe, especially his operas such as Salome (1905) and Elektra (1909).

More recently, major composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007) and Hans Werner Henze (b. 1926) have brought the traditions of Germany’s musical past into the present. Listen to Stockhausen’s Gesang der Jünglinge (Song of the Youths). Henze has won cultural awards around the world for such compositions as The English Cat in 1980 and La Cubana in 1973.

Beyond Baroque: The Modern German music Scene

Modern German music tastes are heavily influenced by the American or British pop worlds, but many German musicians have created their own Teutonic sounds, notably the amusingly named “Krautrock.” Kraut, of course, was originally an ethnic slur used by American GIs to refer to Nazi soldiers. One critic defined Krautrock “as a mix of Anglo-American post-psychedelic jamming and moody progressive rock.” Its stars were the band Can, often compared to the Velvet Underground, and the band Faust, which became one of the first acts to sign with Richard Branson’s Virgin Records.

Crossing international boundaries is the German industrial metal band Rammstein, which nonetheless performs almost exclusively in German. The group is known for its rock hit “Du Hast.” Rammstein is also controversial—a liquid-ejecting dildo earned them a night in a Massachusetts jail. Rammstein band members much admire the music of Nina Hagen, who often leads protests concerning issues such as the war in Iraq. She headlined the Drop Dead Festival in New York City in 2005.

Neue Deutsche Welle (New German wave) was a form of punk rock and new wave music that rose in the mid-’70s. Out of this movement came a German band from Berlin, Wir Sind Helden (We Are Heroes), which has achieved great success, including sold-out concerts in London, with non-English lyrics.

Punk music became popular in the 1970s in the wake of the success of British bands like the Sex Pistols, who developed a devoted following in West Germany. After reunification, many punk bands such as Slime rose to rant against politicians who ignore the dangers of neo-Nazis in Germany. The late ’70s also saw the rise of Goth rock, with strong ties to the English punk rock scene. Since the turn of the millennium, Goth rock has declined in popularity but still flourishes in pockets.

German hip-hop entered the mainstream only in the early ’90s, bringing with it graffiti and break dancing. The controversial and mysterious Berlin rapper Sido released Maske, a debut album in 2004, which was hailed as the first real German hip-hop music. His most recent releases are the 2008 album Ich und meine Maske (Me and My Mask) and the 2009 album Aggro Berlin.

Film

German cinema came into its own in the aftermath of World War I, although it actually began in 1895, when the brothers Skladanowsky presented their Bioscop in the Wintergarten at Berlin. Early German film not only has earned a place in cinema history, but also has been enormously influential in both Europe and the United States. Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari), directed by Dr. Robert Wiene and released in Berlin in 1920, was hailed as “the first work of art on the screen.” After viewing the film, the French coined the term Caligarisme to describe the “all upside-down” postwar world.

The 1920s saw the production of many notable German films, such as Fritz Lang’s Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler (Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler), a 1922 screen version of a novel by Norbert Jacques. In 1924, Lang achieved great popular success with his two Nibelungen films, which became classics. The influence of Lang’s science fiction film Metropolis (1927) can still be seen today, and his Spione (The Spy) became the forerunner of the Hitchcock thrillers. Carl Mayer achieved renown for his scripts, which were called “screen poems.” These include the expressionist 1920 film Genuine and 1924s Der Letzte Mann (The Last Laugh). Mayer is said to have “unchained” the camera.

In the late 1920s, Hollywood began drawing away Germany’s brightest stars, including directors Ernst Lubitsch and F. W. Murnau (Faust, 1926) and stars such as Conrad Veidt and Emil Jannings. As the worldwide recession hit Germany, film production suffered further. The most notable film to come out of this troubled period was Der Blaue Engel (The Blue Angel), released in 1930. It starred Emil Jannings and brought world acclaim to its female lead, Marlene Dietrich, who later found even greater glory in Hollywood.

When the Nazis came to power, German films became propaganda tools. Nazi films reached the zenith of their power in Leni Riefenstahl’s 1934 Triumph des Willens (Triumph of the Will), acclaimed for its cinematic techniques in spite of its glorification of Nazism. She went on to make Olympia, her classic account of the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Her innovative camera angles and close-ups of the athletes in action were brilliant, and the films won her both praise and condemnation.

In the first decades after World War II, the German film industry was not very creative. By the 1970s, however, a group of talented directors was emerging, including Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, Wim Wenders, and Volker Schlöndorff.

Currently, there are few screen giants in Germany. The Berlin Film Festival often honors golden oldies, such as Pandora’s Box, by G. W. Pabst, starring American Louise Brooks. Many Pabst films have been restored and reconstructed. Pabst’s critical treatment of social issues earned him the sobriquet “The Red Pabst” during the Weimar Republic. Franz Seitz is often honored for producing some 80 films during his career, including 1979’s The Tin Drum.

The 1981 story of a doomed Nazi submarine, Das Boot (The Boat) still holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations for a German film, a total of six. The 1990 film Das schreckliche Mädchen (The Nasty Girl) tells the often shocking story of what a Bavarian high-school student uncovers when she sets out to investigate the Nazi past of her hometown. Michael Verhoeven’s picture was nominated for an Oscar as best foreign film. The movie is said to have been based on true-life experiences of a young woman. The German hometown in the film is actually Passau, covered later in this guide. Hitler once resided in Passau.

In 2006, Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others) won an Academy Award as best foreign-language film. The film documented how Stasi (the East German secret police) spied on the lives of its citizens. In 2007, Die Fälscher (The Counterfeiters) also won an Oscar as best foreign-language film. Shot in Berlin, this Austro-German production told the story of how forgers were assigned the job of producing massive amounts of fake U.S. dollars and British pounds in an effort by the Nazi regime to weaken the Allied economy.

Modern films continue to offer us a glimpse of contemporary German life and culture as well. Most of these are available in the U.S. either dubbed or translated into English. Tom Tykwer’s Lola Rennt (1998) remains one of our favorites. It was called Run Lola Run in its English release. Starring Franka Potenta as Lola, the film has been called iconic of a reunified Germany. The plot involves a young woman who has 20 minutes to find and bring 100,000 German marks to her boyfriend before he robs a supermarket. The action is riveting, the soundtrack dynamic.

In Der Krieger und die Kaiserin (The Princess and the Warrior), director Tykwer is reunited with Potenta. First released in 2000, the film follows the travails of Sissi, who works in a psychiatric hospital. She becomes involved with a tormented ex-soldier who stages a bank robbery. A near-death experience throws Sissi’s life into chaos.

One of the freshest post-reunification films is Wolfgang Becker’s 2003 comedy Goodbye, Lenin!, set in East Germany in 1989. A young man, to protect his fragile mother from a fatal shock after a long coma, tries to prevent her from learning that her beloved East Germany has disappeared.

Eating & Drinking

Though traditional dishes like dumplings, Wurst (sausages), pastries, and beer may make Germany seem the worst possible place to eat healthfully, in reality, restaurants are offering foreign foods and neue Küche (modern cuisine). Chefs trained in Switzerland, France, or Italy return to Germany to open Continental restaurants, and Italians and Turks, many of whom originally came to Germany as “guest workers,” own restaurants featuring their own culinary traditions.

Regional Specialties

• Bavaria & Franconia: In southern Germany, you can feast on such hearty fare as Leberkäs (a chilled mold of minced pork, beef, and liver), Knödel (dumplings or soaked bread), Haxen (pork or veal trotters, most often consumed with Sauerkraut), Rostbratwürste (small finger sausages), and Leberknödel (large liver dumplings in a clear broth). Schweinwurst mit Kraut (pork sausages with Sauerkraut) is another unforgettable local dish.

• Lower Saxony & Schleswig-Holstein: Here in northwest Germany, with its maritime tradition, a typical local dish is Aalsuppe—sweet-and-sour eel soup flavored with bacon, vegetables, and sometimes even pears and prunes (or perhaps other fruits). The sailor’s favorite is Labskaus, a ground-together medley of pork, salt herring, and beef, along with potatoes and beets. The traditional topping is a fried egg and a side dish of cucumbers. Bruntes Huhn is salt beef on a bed of diced vegetables, a robust winter favorite. Rollmops, pickled herring rolled in sour cream, is another local specialty, as is Finkenwerder Scholle (plaice) and oysters, raw or baked with cheese.

• Berlin: During those cold nights in old Prussia, Berliners took comfort in their soups, notably Kohlsuppe (cabbage soup) and Erbsensuppe (pea soup), along with dark bread, especially Westphalia pumpernickel. Hase im Topf is a delicious rabbit pâté. Other favorites are Bratwurst, a pork sausage, and Regensburger Wurst, a spicy pork sausage. For dessert, Berliners like Kugelhupf, a marvelous coffeecake, and Käsekuchen, or cheesecake. But probably the most typical Berlin delicacy is Eisbein (pigs’ knuckles).

• Hassen & Westphalia: Famed for its hams, this region eats food guaranteed to put hair on your chest. Sample their Sulperknochen, made from the pigs’ trotters (feet), ears, and tail, and served traditionally with pea pudding and pickled cabbage. Try Tüttchen, a ragout of herb-flavored calves’ heads and calves’ brains, or settle for Pickert, sweet-potato cakes flavored with raisins.

• Baden-Württemberg: In the southern region around Stuttgart, begin with such dishes as Schneckensuppe (snail soup), Spätzle (egg-based pasta), or perhaps Maultaschen (ravioli stuffed with ground meat, spinach, and calves’ brains). A dish beloved in the area and widely consumed is Geschnetzeltes (slices of veal in a cream sauce). The favorite local dish in Stuttgart itself is Gaisburger Marsch, a beef stew. Another commonly served dish is Rostbraten, braised beef, invariably accompanied by Sauerkraut or Linsen mit Saiten, lentil stew cooked with sausages.

• Saxony & Thuringia: In eastern Germany, you can feast on everything from Linsensuppe mit Thüringer Rotwurst (lentil soup with Thuringian sausages) to Rinderzunge in Rosinen-Sauce (calves’ tongues in grape sauce). Kartoffelsuppe (potato soup) remains a favorite of the district, as does a baked appetizer, Quarkkeulchen, made from curd, boiled potatoes, flour, sugar, and raisins, topped with cinnamon and served with applesauce. Each city in the district also has its own popular local dishes. Leipzig, for example, has its Leipziger Allerlei, a blend of carrots, peas, asparagus, cauliflower, mushrooms, crayfish, oxtails, bits of veal, and dumplings.

• Rhineland: The Rhineland features dishes that have made Germans the subject of good-natured ridicule, especially in neighboring France. For example, there’s Saumagen, stuffed pork belly with pickled cabbage. Also beloved is Schweinepfeffer, a highly seasoned and spicy pork ragout that’s thickened with pig blood. After that feast, it’s on to Hämchen, pork trotters with pickled cabbage and potatoes, or else Sauerbraten, beef marinated in wine vinegar and spices. Postwar Chancellor Konrad Adenauer was a Rhinelander, and one of his favorite foods was Reibekuchen, small potato pancakes with a blueberry sauce or applesauce. Taverns along the Rhine fill up when Federweisser, partially fermented new wine, comes in. They drink it while devouring onion tarts.

The Best of the wurst

The German love affair with Wurst (sausage) dates from the dawn of history. Every region of Germany has its own specialty, but the overall favorite seems to be Bratwurst from Nürnberg, made of seasoned and spiced pork. Germans often take their Wurst with a bun and a dab of mustard. Weisswurst (white sausage) is a medley of veal, calves’ brains, and spleen. Bauernwurst (farmer’s sausage) and Knockwurst are variations of the Frankfurter, which originated (naturally) in Frankfurt. (Oddly enough, small Frankfurters, which are called wieners or Vienna sausages in the United States and Wienerwurst in Germany, are known as Frankfurters in Austria.) Leberwurst (made from liver) is a specialty of Hesse. Rinderwurst and Blutwurst (beef sausage and blood sausage) are Westphalian specialties and are often eaten with Steinhäger (corn brandy).

Beer & Wine

Beer For variety and quality, German beer is unequaled. The world’s oldest brewery is in Bavaria, but other regions in Germany have proud beer-making traditions. Export beers and the rather more bitter Pils, the most popular type of beer, are also produced in Berlin, Hamburg, the Ruhr, Hesse, and Stuttgart. Altbier, a very early product of the brewer’s art, can be found today all over Germany.

In Germany, if you go into a beer hall and ask the bartender for ein Bier, you’ll probably get the standard stock beer, Vollbier, which is 4% alcohol. More potent is Export at 5% or Bockbier at 6%. Connoisseurs specify the type of beer they want and often the brewery. The following is a bit of beer vocabulary. When the malt has been darkly roasted and fermented for much longer, it becomes dunkles Bier, or dark beer. Doppelbock is an extra-dark beer with a 6% alcoholic content. Helles Bier is light and brewed from malt dried and baked by the local brewery, or Brauerei. Many Germans, especially the citizens of Bamberg, like their beer “smoked.” If that appeals to you, request Rauchbier. In nearby Bayreuth, Richard Wagner’s old hometown, locals prefer a “steam beer” known as Dampfbier. The denizens of Düsseldorf and Frankfurt can often be heard requesting Alt, a brown, barley-malt brew. Kölsch is a light beer drunk mainly in Cologne in tall fluted glasses. Hefeweizen is a yeasty wheat beer consumed often with a squeeze of lemon. Berliner Weisse is made from wheat, like a Bavarian white beer, but with a dash of raspberry or woodruff syrup. Dark and sweet, malt beer has hardly any alcohol, whereas Starkbier is a powerful beer served when the barrels are opened after the post-Lenten celebrations in March. It has the highest alcohol content of them all. Finally, Pils, or pilsner, beers are light and contain more hops. Dortmund has earned a reputation in this field.

o’ zapfstisl (“The Barrel Is Tapped”)

The oldest brewery in the world is at Weihenstephan, a former Benedictine monastery 30km (19 miles) northeast of Munich in Old Bavaria. It dates from the year 1040, although there is evidence that a hop garden already existed near the grounds of the monastery in A.D. 768. The monks here brought beer to the masses in Europe. Even today, the oldest brewery within Munich itself, Augustiner, reflects brewing’s monastic heritage.

Over the centuries, monks brewed a strong beer for consumption during the fasting period of Lent, during which they were technically supposed to drink only water. The story goes that the pope heard about this custom and ordered that the beer be transported to Rome for him to sample. When the pope finally tasted the beer after its long journey (it didn’t have preservatives back then), he decided it tasted foul and decreed that the beer was strong enough punishment for the Bavarian monks to drink it during Lent. Today, all Munich breweries brew this strong beer during Lent; Salvator and Triumphator are the best-known brands. Ator in German means a strong beer. By long-standing tradition, the names of German Doppelbock Bier (a type of strong beer) end with an “-ator” suffix.

Wine Germany has produced delightful wines for centuries, but sometime in the 1970s, German wine became the butt of jokes. The postwar German economic miracle had led to a boom in wine production. Many new vineyards sprang up suddenly, and quality was not always their first priority. Cheap, cloyingly sweet table wines flooded the market. One label in particular, Liebfraumilch, began to sully the reputation of the entire industry; the mere mention of its name to anyone in the know met with a knowing titter or contemptuous sneer. Today, however, German viticulture has many smaller producers producing excellent wines.

Good German wine is renowned for its natural lightness and its delicate balance of sweetness and acidity. Most vineyards flourish on steep hillsides, protected from harsh winds by wooded neighboring hills, especially on the banks of the Rhine and Mosel rivers and their tributaries. The vineyards profit from the warmth reflected off the sunlit water. The slow maturing of the grapes gives German wines their typical fresh, fruity acidity.

Germany does produce red wine, but as a rule it’s better to stick to white or perhaps a rosé. Trocken (dry) or halbtrocken (semidry) are often given on the labels; look for them if you want to escape anything sweet. This avoidance, however, should not extend to the dessert wines, which resemble nectar.

The overload of information on a German wine label is often puzzling to foreigners, but it’s not really that hard to decipher. First of all, the grape variety should be indicated. Legally, German wines are only required to contain 85% of the declared variety. The classic is Riesling, which can range widely in taste from fruity to spicy. Other grapes include Weissburgunder, used to make dry wines, often with an aroma of melon or pear, and Scheurebe, which produces delicious, high-quality wine with the aroma of red currant. No grape reference on the label often means a poorly blended, inferior-quality wine.

“Vintage” refers to when the grapes were grown (not harvested). The question of origin is also something to keep an eye on. It’s best if the label gives a single vineyard, but these can be distinguished from the less specific vineyard zones only if you are in the know or can consult a pocket guide, such as Johnson’s.

Next, check for the level of ripeness. German law distinguishes between Tafelwein (table wine) and Qualitätswein (quality wine). QbA (Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete) on a bottle means the wine is made from the approved grape varieties, which will give it the particular and traditional taste of its region. QmP refers to Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (wine with distinction) and carries one of six special attributes. These, in order of ascending price, are Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese (BA), Eiswein, and the exclusive Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA).

As a classification, Kabinett was first used by Eberbach Abbey in 1712 to denote quality. This wine is especially good as an aperitif with light snacks or veal. The mildly sweet and fruity Auslese from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region and the rich Spätlese are well suited to richer dishes such as duck, smoked fowl, and oysters. Those trocken and halbtrocken Rieslings from the Rheingau and Mosel-Saar-Ruwer are perfect with pork, sausages, and Sauerkraut, as well as with mild cheeses. A fuller-bodied Riesling Spätlese and Auslese Trocken from Rheingau or Pfalz goes excellently with wild boar and lobster. The rarest vintages, those sweet wines carrying the BA and TBA designations, are best left for anything oily or pungent in flavor, such as goose-liver pâté or rich cheeses. They are also wonderful with desserts.

Many foreign visitors tour one of the winegrowing districts. Since reunification, a number of wine districts have emerged in eastern Germany; however, the traditional German wine country, stretching from the middle Rhine at Bonn down to Lake Constance on the Swiss border, is still the most charming, with its classic scenery of imposing castle ruins, elegant spas, and Brothers Grimm villages replete with spires and black-and-white gabled houses.

When to Go

The most popular tourist months are May to October, although winter travel to Germany is becoming increasingly popular, especially to the ski areas in the Bavarian Alps. Germany’s climate varies widely. In the north, winters tend to be cold and rainy; summers are most agreeable. In the south and in the Alps, it can be very cold in the winter, especially in January, and very warm in summer, but with cool, rainy days even in July and August. Spring and fall are often stretched out—in fact, we’ve enjoyed many a Bavarian-style “Indian summer” until late in October.

Holidays

Public holidays are January 1 (New Year’s Day), Easter (Good Friday and Easter Monday), May 1 (Labor Day), Ascension Day (10 days before Pentecost/Whitsunday, the seventh Sun after Easter), Whitmonday (day after Pentecost/Whitsunday), October 3 (Day of German Unity), November 17 (Day of Prayer and Repentance), and December 25 and 26 (Christmas). In addition, the following holidays are observed in some German states: January 6 (Epiphany), Corpus Christi (10 days after Pentecost), August 15 (Assumption), and November 1 (All Saints’ Day).

Calendar of Events

All dates and events are subject to change. Contact the German National Tourist Board (www.germany-tourism.de) for more information. The board publishes a free calendar of forthcoming events three times a year, in April, October, and January; the first two are biannual calendars and the last is a yearly preview. They give the dates of trade fairs and exhibitions, theatrical and musical performances, local folk festivals, sporting events, conferences, and congresses throughout Germany.

For an exhaustive list of events beyond those listed here, check http://events.frommers.com, where you’ll find a searchable, up-to-the-minute roster of what’s happening in cities all over the world.

January

New Year’s Day International Ski Jumping, Garmisch-Partenkirchen. This is one of Europe’s major winter sporting events. For more information, contact the tourist bureau on Richard-Strauss-Platz ( 08821/180700;www.gapa.de). January 1.

February

International Film Festival, Berlin (at various theaters; announced in local newspapers). Stars, would-be stars, directors, and almost anyone with a film to peddle show up at this well-attended festival. It lasts for 10 days and is a showcase for the work of international film directors as well as the latest German films. Tickets can be purchased at any box office. Contact the Berlin International Film Festival ( 030/259200;www.berlinale.de) for more information. Early February.

Ambiente. This is one of the principal consumer goods trade fairs of Europe. Its origins go back centuries. For information, call 069/75750 (http://ambiente.messefrankfurt.com). Mid-February.

Fasching. Carnival festivals take place throughout Germany, reaching their peak on the Tuesday (Mardi Gras) before Ash Wednesday. Particularly famous carnivals take place in Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf, and especially Munich.

March

Spring Fairs. Highlights throughout Germany, especially in Augsburg, Münster, Nürnberg, Hamburg, and Stuttgart. Dates vary from year to year.

April

Walpurgis Festivals. Celebrated in the Harz Mountains. Festivities occur on the night of April 30.

May

Hamburg Summer. An entire series of cultural events, including concerts, plays, festivals, and special exhibitions throughout May, June, and July. For information, contact the Hamburg Tourist Bureau, in Hauptbahnhof ( 040/30051300;www.hamburg-tourism.de).

International May Theatre Festival, Wiesbaden. This city near Frankfurt hosts a premier cultural event—a series of artistic celebrations lasting 1 month. For information, contact the Wiesbaden Tourist Office, Marktstrasse 6 ( 0611/1729780;www.wiesbaden.de).

June

Floodlighting of the Castle, Heidelberg. Fireworks enliven the display in this storied university city. For more information, contact the Heidelberg Tourist Bureau, Willy-Brandt-Platz 1 ( 06221/14220;www.heidelberg-marketing.de). June, July, and September.

Mozart Festival, Würzburg. Mozart fans flock to this major cultural event in the baroque city of Würzburg. For more information, contact Tourismus Zentrale, Falkenhaus am Markt Centrum ( 0931/372336;www.wuerzburg.de or www.mozartfest-wuerzburg.de). Early June to early July.

July

See Floodlighting of the Castle, Heidelberg, under June, above.

Freiburg Wine Tasting. Local residents and visitors enjoy the first vintages from grapes grown in the Black Forest district. For more information, contact the Freiburg Tourist Board, Rathausplatz 2–4 ( 0761/3881880;www.freiburg.de). Early July.

Richard Wagner Festival, Bayreuth. One of Europe’s two or three major opera events, this festival takes place in the composer’s Festspielhaus in the capital of upper Franconia. Note that opera tickets often must be booked years in advance. For information, contact Festival Administration, Bayreuther Festspiele, Kartenbüro, Postfach 100262 ( 0921/78780;www.bayreuther-festspiele.de). Late July to late August.

August

Red Wine Festival, Rüdesheim/Assmannshausen. This is held in Assmannshausen, the Rhine village most famous for red wines. For exact dates, contact the Rüdesheim Tourist Bureau, Geisenheimer Strasse 22 ( 06722/906150;www.ruedesheim.de). Late August.

Musikfest Berlin ( 030/254890;www.berlinerfestspiele.de) takes place for a little more than 2 weeks. During the festival, Berlin plays host to orchestras, ensembles, conductors, and soloists from around the world. The festival is organized in conjunction with the Stiftung Berliner Philharmoniker. Late August to mid-September.

September

See Floodlighting of the Castle, Heidelberg, under June, above.

Oktoberfest, Munich. Much of Germany’s most famous festival takes place in September, not October. Millions show up, and hotels are packed. Most activities are at Theresienwiese, where local breweries sponsor gigantic tents that can hold up to 6,000 beer drinkers. Contact the Munich Tourist Bureau ( 089/23396500;www.muenchen.de) for particulars or just show up. Reserve hotel rooms well in advance. Mid-September to mid-October.

October

Frankfurt Book Fair. A major international event for publishers, book dealers, agents, and authors. For more information call 069/21020 (www.frankfurt-book-fair.com) or contact the Frankfurt Tourist Office ( 069/21238800;www.frankfurt-tourismus.de). Mid-October.

Spielzeit’europa. Schaperstrasse 24, Berlin ( 030/254890;www.berlinerfestspiele.de), is a 4-month season of theater and dance performances at Festspiele. October to January.

November

Jazz-Fest Berlin. This annual festival, staged at the Philharmonie, attracts some of the world’s finest jazz artists, ranging from traditional to experimental. Contact the Berlin Festspiele Ticket Office ( 030/254890;www.berlinerfestspiele.de) for more information. Early November.

Winter Dom, Hamburg. An annual amusement fair (sometimes called Hamburg Dom) at the Heiligengeistfeld. For more information, contact the Hamburg Tourist Bureau, in Hauptbahnhof ( 040/30051300;www.hamburg-tourism.de). Early November to early December.

December

Christmas Fair, Mainz. Mainz stages its Christmas fair on the Rhine for the 4 weeks preceding Christmas. For more information, contact the Mainz Tourist Bureau, Brueckenturm am Rathaus ( 06131/286210;www.mainz.de). December. (Other German towns hold Christmas fairs in Nov.)

Responsible Travel

Germans, with some justification, consider themselves in the avant-garde of green travel. Although they suffered one of history’s most devastating attacks on their environment (World War II), in the postwar years they became a front-runner in preserving their environment and protecting nature.

“Germans are known for recycling and reusing their natural resources,” said Berlin activist Hans Welder.

In Germany, more and more systems are going into place to generate energy from wind and solar power.

Germans didn’t exactly invent walking or hiking across their countryside, but you would think so when you notice the numbers of citizens who prefer this form of exploration. It’s a way to stay in good health, enjoy nature, and avoid harming the environment, all at the same time.

Trails in Germany are often signposted, cutting through all areas of the country, from tidal shores to low mountain regions, with tours offered to some of the more difficult-to-reach points along mountaintops.

The outdoor enthusiast might want to concentrate on Germany’s national parks, 14 in all, with the heaviest concentration in Bavaria and in old East Germany. Our favorite of these biosphere reserves is the Bavarian Forest National Park in the south and the Harz National Park in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.

We applaud the German effort to reintroduce wildlife that was once native to these parks. The last lynx in the Harz Mountains was shot in 1818. But the animal was reintroduced in 1999, and wild lynxes began to give birth in 2002. However, other attempts have failed, including an attempt to return the capercaillie to its former native habitat.

For general data about the parks of Germany, consult Nationalpark Service, Informationshaus, 17192 Federow, Germany ( 039/91668849;www.nationalpark-service.de). The national parks are free, but camping at designated areas ranges from 5€ to 10€ per night. Some parks have huts that are basic but better than a tent, and this form of accommodations costs from 10€ to 20€ per person. Park rangers crack down on those who harm the environment.

If you’re interested in camping, check the Great Outdoor Recreation Page (www.gorp.com) before you go. It has some fine data not only on camping but also on ways to enjoy the landscapes of Germany.

Many organizations are devoted to eco-tourism today, including Biosphefere Expedition, P.O. Box 917750, Longwood, FL 32791 ( 800/407-5761;www.biosphere-expeditions.org). This group sets up ecofriendly tours to the Bavarian Alps, for example. Earthwatch, 3 Clocktower Place, Ste. 1000, P.O. Box 75, Maynard, MA 01754 ( 800/776-0188;www.earthwatch.org), often includes Germany in its 1- to 3-week jaunts to promote conservation of natural resources.

An unusual offering for the true green visitor is provided by Willing Workers on Organic Farms, Postfach 210259, 01263 Dresden (www.wwoof.de). Charging a membership of 20€, the organization’s name says it all—participants get free room and board at a variety of organic farms throughout the country, but they must be willing to work for their supper.

One of the best ways for the green traveler in Germany is to take a tour from one bio hotel to another. These jaunts take you to the most scenic parts of the country, ranging from Lüneburg in the north to the Bavarian Forest in the south. For information and a list of these places to stay, check www.biohotels.info.

Increasingly popular is spending a vacation on a German farm, a welcome alternative for families with children. Sometimes guests can help with the activities, such as feeding the cows or helping with the harvest. Some lodgings are no longer working farms but have been turned into tranquil guesthouses with typical regional charm. Find out more about this type of holiday by searching www.landtourismus.de.

In addition to the resources for Germany listed above, see frommers.com/planning for more tips on responsible travel.

Tours

Germany is one of the great outdoor destinations of Europe. From its mountains to its beaches, from its rivers to its castles, there is much to see and explore. It has summer attractions galore, plus skiing on its Alpine slopes in winter. Here is but a sampling of the offerings that await you.

Biking

In Germany you can bike through green valleys and past rivers while enjoying rural landscapes and villages. Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club, P.O. Box 107747, 28077 Bremen ( 0421/346290;www.adfc.de), offers complete information on biking in Germany.

For over 20 years, Classic Adventures, P.O. Box 143, Hamlin, NY 14464 ( 800/777-8090; fax 585/964-7297; www.classicadventures.com), has offered bike tours of such areas as the Romantic Road. Euro-Bike and Walking Tours has teamed with Austin-Lehman Adventures to offer some of the best biking and walking tours in Germany. The company’s trips in Bavaria are particularly notable. For more information, check out www.austinlehman.com. You can also call 800/575-1540 in the United States and Canada, or else write to P.O. Box 81025, Billings, MT 59108.

Dozens of companies in Britain offer guided cycling tours. One of the best is the Cyclists Touring Club, Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, Surrey GUZ 9JX ( 0870/873-0060;www.ctc.org.uk). It charges £36 a year for membership.

Cruises

The most popular cruises in Germany are along the Rhine.

Jody Lexow Yacht Charters rents hotel barges (including crew, food, and beverages) and smaller self-drive craft for touring the canals and rivers of Germany. For additional information, contact the agency at 26 Coddington Wharf, Newport, RI 02840 ( 800/662-2628;www.jodylexowyachtcharters.com).

Canal barge cruises are the way to see a rarely viewed part of Germany. The best such packages are available through European Barging, 25132 Oakhurst Dr., No. 130, Spring, TX 77386 ( 888/869-7907;www.europeanbarging.com). German itineraries focus on Berlin and the Mecklenburg lakes, and the “Mosel Cruise,” from Trier to Koblenz.

Escorted General-Interest Tours

Escorted tours are structured group tours with a group leader. The price usually includes everything from airfare to hotels, meals, admission costs, and local transportation.

Many people derive a sense of ease and security from escorted trips. Escorted tours—whether by bus, motorcoach, train, or boat—let travelers sit back and enjoy the trip without having to spend lots of time behind the wheel or worrying about details. You know your costs upfront, and there are few surprises. Escorted tours can take you to the maximum number of sights in the minimum amount of time with the least amount of hassle—you don’t have to sweat over the plotting and planning of a vacation schedule. Escorted tours are particularly convenient for people with limited mobility. They can also be a great way to meet people.

On the downside, an escorted tour often requires a big deposit upfront, and lodging and dining choices are predetermined. You’ll have few opportunities for serendipitous interactions with locals. The tours can be jampacked with activities, leaving little room for individual sightseeing, whim, or adventure—plus they often focus only on the heavily touristed sites, so you miss out on lesser known gems.

Brendan Vacations ( 800/421-8446;www.brendanvacations.com) has a selection of 8- to 15-day tours. Accommodations are at the better hotels, and rates include everything except airfare. Collette Vacations ( 800/340-5158;www.collettevacations.com) has an “Alpine Countries” tour that covers southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Globus & Cosmos Tours ( 800/338-7092;www.globusandcosmos.com) offers 9- to 16-day escorted tours of various parts of Germany. It also has a budget branch that offers tours at lower rates. Maupintour ( 800/255-4266;www.maupintour.com) has a selection of upscale tours, such as a Rhine River tour of Berlin, Dresden, Meissen, Nürnberg, and Heidelberg. Its most popular tour is a 14-day trip that takes in such cities as Dresden, Berlin, Rothenburg, Munich, Meissen, Baden-Baden, and Potsdam, including a Rhine River cruise past the Lorelei Rock.

Abercrombie & Kent ( 800/554-7016;www.abercrombiekent.com) provides customized group tours to various areas of Germany.

Golf

Most German golf courses welcome visiting players who are members of courses at home. Weekday greens fees are usually around 50€, rising to as much as 90€ on Saturday and Sunday. For information about the various golf courses, write to the Deutscher Golf/Verband, Viktoriastrasse 16, 65189 Wiesbaden ( 0611/990200;www.golf.de/dgv).

The Swabian region of Allgäu has several good courses. Golf Club Oberstaufen und Steibis ( 08386/8529;www.golf-oberstaufen.de), at Oberstaufen, is an 18-hole course close to a forest and nature park. Ofterschwang, a small, peaceful resort on the scenically beautiful Tiefenberger Moor, has Golf Club Sonnenalp ( 08321/272181;www.golfresort-sonnenalp.de). A good 18-hole course is found at Golf Bodensee ( 08389/89190;www.gcbw.de) on Lake Constance in southern Germany. Farther north, the city of Augsburg has an 18-hole course at Golf Augsburg ( 08234/5621;www.golfclub-augsburg.de).

Hiking & Mountain Climbing

These sports are popular in the German uplands. It’s estimated that Germany has more than 80,000 marked hiking and mountain-walking tracks. The Deutschen Wanderverband, Wilhelmshöher Alle 157–159, 34121 Kassel ( 0561/938730;www.wanderverband.de), services the trails and offers details about trails, shelters, huts, and addresses of hiking associations in various regions. The Deutscher Alpenverein (DAV), Von-Kahr-Strasse 2–4, 80997 Munich ( 089/140030;www.alpenverein.de), owns and operates 50 huts in and around the Alps that are open to all mountaineers. This association also maintains a 15,000km (9,300-mile) network of Alpine trails.

The best Alpine hiking is in the Bavarian Alps, especially the 1,240m (4,070-ft.) Eckbauer, on the southern fringe of Partenkirchen. The tourist office will supply hiking maps and details. Another great place for hiking is Berchtesgaden National Park, Franziskanerplatz 7, Berchtesgaden ( 08652/64343;www.nationalpark-berchtesgaden.bayern.de), bordering the Austrian province of Salzburg. This park offers the best-organized hikes and will hook you up with various groups offering hikes.

Planning Your Trip to Germany

Getting There

By Plane

Lufthansa ( 800/645-3880 in the U.S., 800/563-5954 in Canada, or 01805/805805 in Germany; www.lufthansa.com) operates the most frequent service and flies to the greatest number of Germany’s airports. From North America, Lufthansa serves 23 gateway cities. In any season, there are more than 100 weekly flights from these cities to Germany. The largest of the gateways is the New York City area, where flights depart from both JFK and Newark airports. Lufthansa has an alliance with United Airlines and Air Canada to provide seamless air service to Germany and other parts of the globe from North America. Dubbed “Star Alliance,” the union allows cross-airline benefits, including travel on one or all of these airlines on one ticket and frequent-flier credit to the participating airline of your choice.

American Airlines ( 800/443-7300;www.aa.com) flies nonstop from Chicago and Dallas to Frankfurt daily, and American’s flights connect easily with ongoing flights to many other German cities on Lufthansa or British Airways. Continental Airlines ( 800/525-0280;www.continental.com) offers daily nonstop service from Newark to Frankfurt. Delta Airlines ( 800/241-4141;www.delta.com) offers daily connecting service to Hamburg (via Paris) and nonstop to Frankfurt from Atlanta, Cincinnati, and New York’s JFK; nonstop to Munich from Atlanta; and nonstop to Berlin from JFK. United Airlines ( 800/538-2929;www.united.com) offers daily nonstops from Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago to Frankfurt and Munich, and because of the Star Alliance, discussed above, all German flights by Lufthansa or Air Canada will also be honored as a part of a United ticket. US Airways ( 800/428-4322;www.usairways.com) also flies to Frankfurt and Munich daily (with nonstops from Charlotte and Philadelphia).

From London, British Airways ( 0870/8509850;www.britishairways.com) and Lufthansa ( 01805/805805;www.lufthansa.com) are the most convenient carriers to the major German cities, including Düsseldorf, Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin. British Midland ( 0870/6070555;www.flybmi.com) has daily flights to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich.

Flying for Less: Tips for Getting the Best Airfare

• Passengers who can book their ticket either long in advance or at the last minute, or who fly midweek or at less trafficked hours, may pay a fraction of the full fare. If your schedule is flexible, say so, and ask if you can secure a cheaper fare by changing your flight plans.

• Search the Internet for cheap fares. The most popular online travel agencies are Travelocity (www.travelocity.com), Expedia (www.expedia.com), and Orbitz (www.orbitz.com). In the U.K., go to Travelsupermarket ( 0845/345-5708;www.travelsupermarket.com), a flight search engine that offers flight comparisons for the budget airlines whose seats often end up in bucket shop sales. Other websites for booking airline tickets online include Cheapflights.com, SmarterTravel.com, Priceline (www.priceline.com), and Opodo (www.opodo.com). Meta-search sites (which find and then direct you to airline and hotel websites for booking) include Sidestep.com and Kayak.com—the latter includes fares for budget carriers such as JetBlue and Spirit as well as the major airlines. Lastminute.com is a great source for last-minute flights and getaways. In addition, most airlines offer online-only fares that even their phone agents know nothing about.

• Keep an eye on local newspapers for promotional specials or fare wars, when airlines lower prices on their most popular routes.

• Consolidators, also known as bucket shops, are wholesale brokers in the airline-ticket game. Consolidators buy deeply discounted tickets (“distressed” inventories of unsold seats) from airlines and sell them to online ticket agencies, travel agents, tour operators, corporations, and, to a lesser degree, the general public. Consolidators advertise in Sunday newspaper travel sections (often in small ads with tiny type), in both the U.S. and the U.K. They can be great sources for cheap international tickets. On the downside, bucket shop tickets are often rigged with restrictions, such as stiff cancellation penalties (as high as 50%–75% of the ticket price). And keep in mind that most of what you see advertised is of limited availability. Several reliable consolidators are worldwide and available online. STA Travel (www.statravel.com) has been the world’s leading consolidator for students since purchasing Council Travel, but their fares are competitive for travelers of all ages. Flights.com ( 201/541-3826) has excellent fares worldwide, particularly to Europe. They also have “local” websites in 12 countries. FlyCheap ( 800/359-2432;www.flycheap.com) has especially good fares to sunny destinations. AirTicketsDirect ( 888/858-8884;www.airticketsdirect.com), based in Montreal, is another good source.

• Join frequent-flier clubs. Frequent-flier membership doesn’t cost a cent, but it does entitle you to free tickets or upgrades when you amass the airline’s required number of frequent-flier points. You don’t even have to fly to earn points; frequent-flier credit cards can earn you thousands of miles for doing your everyday shopping. But keep in mind that award seats are limited, seats on popular routes are hard to snag, and more and more major airlines are cutting their expiration periods for mileage points—so check your airline’s frequent-flier program so you don’t lose your miles before you use them. Inside tip: Award seats are offered almost a year in advance, but seats also open up at the last minute, so if your travel plans are flexible, you may strike gold. To play the frequent-flier game to your best advantage, consult the community bulletin boards on FlyerTalk (www.flyertalk.com) or go to Randy Petersen’s Inside Flyer (www.insideflyer.com). Petersen and friends review all the programs in detail and post regular updates on changes in policies and trends.

Getting Through the airport

• Arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before an international flight to Germany. You can check the average wait times at your airport by going to the TSA Security Checkpoint Wait Times site (http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov).

• Know what you can carry on and what you can’t. For the latest updates on items you are prohibited to bring in carry-on luggage, go to www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel.

• Beat the ticket-counter lines by using the self-service electronic ticket kiosks at the airport or even printing out your boarding pass at home from the airline website. Using curbside check-in is also a smart way to avoid lines.

• Help speed up security before you’re screened. Remove jackets, shoes, belt buckles, heavy jewelry, and watches and place them either in your carry-on luggage or the security bins provided. Place keys, coins, cellphones, and pagers in a security bin. If you have metallic body parts, carry a note from your doctor. When possible, keep liquids in checked baggage.

• Use a TSA-approved lock for your checked luggage. Look for Travel Sentry certified locks at luggage or travel shops and Brookstone stores (or online at www.brookstone.com).

Don’t Stow It—Ship It

Though pricey, it’s sometimes worthwhile to travel luggage-free, particularly if you’re toting sports equipment, meetings materials, or baby equipment. Specialists in door-to-door luggage delivery include Skycap International and Sports Express. Both services use the same website (www.sportsexpress.com).

By Train

Many passengers, especially holders of the Eurailpass, travel to Germany by train from other European cities. (See “Getting Around,” below, for information on purchasing rail passes.)

British Rail runs four trains a day to Germany from Victoria Station in London, going by way of the Ramsgate-Ostend ferry or jetfoil. Two trains depart from London’s Liverpool Street Station, via Harwich-Hook of Holland. Most trains change at Cologne for destinations elsewhere in Germany. You can purchase tickets through British Rail travel centers in London ( 866/274-8724 in the U.S. and Canada; www.britrail.com). See “Via the Chunnel,” below, for information about the Eurostar service running between London and Brussels via the Channel Tunnel.

Unless you pay a premium for rail travel on the Eurostar, which connects London’s St. Pancras station via the Chunnel (see below) with either Paris or Brussels, train travel from the U.K. to points within Germany can be lengthy and tedious, with multiple transfers en route and with long, bouncing segments aboard either hovercrafts or conventional ferryboats between the English port of Ramsgate and the Belgian port of Oostende. If you opt to save money and embark upon one of these non-Chunnel methods of transport, expect transit times between London and Cologne of up to 12 hours, and from London to either Berlin or Munich of between 18 and 22 hours, depending on the train and the ferryboat or hovercraft crossing.

Frankly, it’s far better to pay the extra premium aboard Eurostar, the name given to each of the trains running under the English Channel, between London and Brussels, and from there, taking a high-speed train onward to your destination within Germany. Even so, transit time from London to Cologne, requiring a change in Brussels, would take 4 hours and 45 minutes; from London to Berlin, requiring a single change in Brussels and Cologne, would take 9 hours; and from London to Munich, requiring a single change in Brussels, would require between 9 and 10 hours, depending on the day of the week.

By Car & Ferry

To bring a car over from England, you face a choice of ports from which you’ll continue driving to Germany. P & O Ferries ( 08716/645645 in the U.K.; www.poferries.com) has 30 to 35 ferryboat crossings a day, depending on the season, between Dover and Calais. The crossing can take as little as 1 hour and 15 minutes. Once you’re in Calais, the drive to Cologne takes about 3 hours. Other options involve passage from Harwich to the Hook of Holland, a sea crossing of about 8 hours. You can also take your car via the Chunnel (see below).

Via the Channel Tunnel

The $15-billion Channel Tunnel, one of the greatest engineering feats of all time, is the first link between Britain and the Continent since the Ice Age. The tunnel was built beneath the seabed through a layer of impermeable chalk marl and sealed with a reinforced concrete lining. The 50km (30-mile) journey between Britain and France takes 35 minutes, although actual time in the Chunnel is only 19 minutes. Once on the Continent, you can connect to Germany fairly easily.

Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com) sells tickets on the Eurostar direct train service between London and Paris or Brussels ( 800/622-8600 in the U.S., or 800/361-7245 in Canada; www.eurostar.com). In the U.K., make reservations for Eurostar at 0870/5186186. The train operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, running every 15 minutes during peak travel times and at least once an hour at night.

The tunnel also accommodates passenger cars, charter buses, taxis, and motorcycles from Folkestone to Calais. Tickets may be purchased at the tollbooth.

Getting Around

By Plane

From Frankfurt, most Lufthansa ( 800/645-3880 in the U.S., or 800/563-5954 in Canada; www.lufthansa.com) destinations in Germany can be reached in an average of 50 minutes, with at least four flights daily.

All German cities with commercial airports have an airport shuttle service, offering reduced fares and fast connections between the city center and the airport. Departure points are usually the airlines’ town offices and the city’s main rail terminal. Luggage can be checked at the DB (Deutsche Bahn/German Rail) baggage counter at the airport for delivery to the railroad station at your ultimate destination.

By Train

Whether you travel first- or second-class, you’ll find that the trains of German Rail (DB Rail; 0800/1507090;www.bahn.de) deserve their good reputation for comfort, cleanliness, and punctuality. All are modern and fast, and all cars are nonsmoking. A snack bar or a dining car, serving German and international cuisine as well as good wine and beer, can usually be found on all trains except locals.

For city sightseeing, you can leave your baggage in a locker or check it at the station’s baggage counter. In many cities, German Rail provides door-to-door baggage service, allowing passengers to have luggage picked up at or delivered to their hotels. Accompanying baggage can be checked for a nominal fee. Suitcases, baby carriages, skis, bicycles, and steamer trunks are permitted as baggage. Insurance policies of various kinds, including a travel medical plan, are also available.

About 20,000 InterCity (IC;www.bahn.de) passenger trains offer express service every hour between most large and medium-size German cities. IC trains have adjustable cushioned seats and individual reading lights, and often offer telephone and secretarial services. Bars, lounges, and dining rooms are available, too. A network of EuroCity (EC) trains connecting Germany with 13 other countries offers the same high standards of service as those of IC.

Germany’s high-speed rail network, known as InterCity Express (ICE), is among the fastest in Europe—their trains reach speeds of 280kmph (174 mph). One of these trains runs from Hamburg, via Würzburg and Nürnberg, to Munich; another from Frankfurt, via Stuttgart, to Munich; and yet another from Berlin, via Frankfurt, to Munich. Each train makes stops along the way. ICE significantly reduces travel time, making transits north to south across the country easily possible in the course of a single day. Some 200 east-west connections have been added to the German Rail timetable to link the Deutsche Bundesbahn (west) and the Deutsche Reichsbahn (east). Additional connections make Leipzig and Dresden more accessible.

InterCity Night (ICN)—one of the most comfortable night trains in Europe—operates between Berlin and Bonn, and Berlin and Munich. Even though the train doesn’t depart until 10 or 11pm, you may board as early as 8 or 8:30pm. Arrival the next morning is between 6:55 and 7:55am, and you have the option of remaining aboard until 9 or 9:30am.

The ICN offers first and tourist class. Sleeping accommodations in first class include single or double compartments with shower and toilet, and they are equipped with key cards, phones for wake-up service, luggage storage, and other amenities. Tourist class offers open seating with sleeperettes (reclining seats). The ICN is equipped with a restaurant and bistro car, and a breakfast buffet is included in the first-class fare. For an extra cost, a limited menu for dinner is offered. Advance reservations are mandatory for all sleeping accommodations.

German Rail issues tickets for the ICN and also makes reservations. Eurail and German Rail pass holders are accepted on this train but have to pay for the seat or sleeper reservation and also for meals. Youth-pass holders are accepted only in tourist class. Children 3 and under travel free, provided they do not require a separate seat; those between 4 and 12 are charged half fare.

Before leaving for Germany, you can get complete details about German Rail and the many plans it offers, as well as information about Eurailpasses, at Rail Europe ( 877/272-7245;www.raileurope.com).

German Rail Tourist Passes The German Rail Passes offer several options beginning with 3 days and going up to 10 days in 1 month. For example 3 days of travel in 1 month costs 230€ first class or 175€ second class.

If you’re age 12 to 25, ask about a Youth Pass, or inquire about a Twin Pass, which is shared by two adults traveling together at all times.

The passes also entitle the bearer to additional benefits, such as free or discounted travel on selected bus routes operated by Deutsche Touring/Europabus, including destinations not serviced by trains, or excursions along particularly scenic highways such as the Romantic Road and the Castle Road. The pass also includes free travel on KD German Line steamers (day trips only) along the Rhine, Main, and Mosel rivers.

These passes are available from www.bahn.com or buy them from travel agent Rail Europe ( 877/272-7245). Rail Europe can also arrange cost-effective “Rail and Drive” packages that combine a certain number of days on the train with a certain number of days in a rental car. Here’s an example of how it might work: Ride the train from Frankfurt to Munich, spend 3 days exploring the city, and then rent a car for a 2-day excursion to Berchtesgaden and the Bavarian Alps. The German Rail Flexipass is also sold by Premier Gateway ( 800/777-8369 in the U.S. and Canada; www.premiergateway.com).

Where to Buy Rail Passes Travel agents in all towns and railway agents in major North American cities sell all these tickets, but the biggest supplier is Rail Europe ( 877/272-7245;www.raileurope.com), which can also give you informational brochures.

Many different rail passes are available in the U.K. for travel in Britain and continental Europe. Stop in at the International Rail Centre, Victoria Station, London SW1V 1JY ( 0870/5848848 in the U.K.). Some of the most popular passes, including Inter-Rail and Euro Youth, are offered only to travelers 25 years of age or under; these allow unlimited second-class travel through most European countries.

By Car

British travelers who want to bring their own cars over should see “By Car & Ferry” under “Getting There,” earlier in this chapter.

Competition in the European car-rental industry is fierce, so make sure you comparison shop. You can make reservations by calling these toll-free numbers: Avis ( 800/331-1212;www.avis.com), Budget ( 800/472-3325;www.budget.com), Hertz ( 800/654-3001;www.hertz.com), Kemwel Drive Group ( 877/820-0668;www.kemwel.com), and Auto Europe ( 800/223-5555;www.autoeurope.com). You can often rent a car in one German city and return it to another for no additional charge.

There are some advantages to prepaying rentals in your native currency before leaving home. You get an easy-to-understand net price, the rental process is more streamlined, and you can avoid unpleasant surprises caused by sudden unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates. Remember, however, that if you opt to prepay and your plans change, you’ll have to go through some rather complicated paperwork for changing or canceling a prepaid contract.

Driving Rules In Germany, you drive on the right side of the road. Both front- and back-seat passengers must wear safety belts. Children 5 and younger cannot ride in the front seat.

Easy-to-understand international road signs are posted, but U.S. travelers should remember that road signs are in kilometers, not miles. In congested areas, the speed limit is about 50kmph (about 30 mph). On all other roads except the autobahns, the speed limit is 100kmph (about 60 mph).

In theory, there is no speed limit on the autobahns (in the left, fast lane), but many drivers going too fast report that they have been stopped by the police and fined, and the government recommends a speed limit of 130kmph (81 mph). Reasonable caution is recommended, for safety if nothing else. A German driver on the autobahn can be a ferocious creature, and you may prefer the slow lane.

Note: Drinking while driving is a very serious offense in Germany. Be sure to keep any alcoholic beverages in the trunk or other storage area.

Breakdowns/Assistance The major automobile club in Germany is Automobilclub von Deutschland (AvD), Lyoner Strasse 16, 60528 Frankfurt ( 069/660600;www.avd.de). If you have a breakdown on the autobahn, you can call from one of many emergency phones, spaced about a mile apart. On secondary roads, go to the nearest phone. If you don’t belong to an auto club, call 01802/222222. In English, ask for “road service assistance.” Emergency assistance is free, but you pay for parts and materials.

Driver’s Licenses American drivers, and those from E.U. countries, need only a domestic license to drive. However, in Germany and throughout the rest of Europe, you must also have an international insurance certificate, known as a carte verte (green card). Any car-rental agency will automatically provide one of these as a standard part of the rental contract, but it’s a good idea to double-check all documents at the time of rental, just to be sure that you can identify the card if asked by border patrol or the police.

By Bus

An excellent, efficient bus network services Germany. Many buses are operated by Bahnbus, which is owned by the railway. These are integrated to complement the rail service. Bus service in Germany is particularly convenient during slow periods of rail service, normally around midday and on Saturday and Sunday. German post offices often operate local bus services (contact local post offices for schedules and prices).

The most popular bus ride is along the Romantic Road, where special green-and-white buses carry tourists regularly from town to town. For more information, ask a travel agent or call Deutsche Touring GmbH, Am Römerhof 17, Frankfurt ( 069/7903501;www.touring.de).

By Boat

Perhaps Germany’s most beautiful features are its lakes and rivers. The mighty Rhine is the country’s most traveled waterway. German cruise ships also run on the Main River between Mainz and Frankfurt; on the Danube from Nürnberg to Linz (Austria), going on to Vienna and Budapest; and on the Mosel between Cochem and Trier.

To cruise the mythically rich rivers of Germany, especially the legendary Rhine, you can book cruises on the principal carrier, Viking River Cruises ( 800/304-9616 in the U.S., or 0800/319-6660 in the UK; www.vikingrivers.com).

Tips on Accommodations

In general, Germany has one of the highest standards of innkeeping in the world. Hotels range from five-star palaces of luxury and comfort to plain country inns and simple Gasthäuser (guesthouses), with a huge variation in rates. The cheapest accommodations are in Fremdenheime (pensions) or rooms in private homes (look for a sign saying ZIMMER FREI, meaning there are rooms for rent). Hotels listed as garni provide no meals other than breakfast.

Also, tourist offices will often book you into a room for a small charge. Obviously, the earlier you arrive in these offices, the more likely you are to get a good room at the price you want.

Surfing for Hotels

In addition to the online travel booking sites Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, and Hotwire, you can book hotels through Hotels.com, Quikbook (www.quikbook.com), and Travelaxe (www.travelaxe.com).

HotelChatter.com is a daily webzine offering smart coverage and critiques of hotels worldwide. Go to TripAdvisor.com or HotelShark.com for helpful independent consumer reviews of hotels and resort properties.

It’s a good idea to get a confirmation number and make a printout of any online booking transaction.

Throughout Germany, as in many tourist centers worldwide, hotels routinely overbook, so booking by credit card doesn’t automatically hold your room if you arrive later than expected or after 6pm. The hotel clerk always asks when you expect to arrive, and the hotel usually holds the room until that time. Always pad your expected arrival by a few hours to be safe. However, all bets are off after 7pm, and the hotel is likely to give your room away unless you call and specifically ask them to hold it. If you’ve made a reservation very far in advance, confirm within 24 hours of your expected arrival. If you’re experiencing a major delay, alert the hotel as soon as you can.

Beware of billing. Readers report that sometimes in Germany they booked a room online (say, $100 a night) but were charged $125 when they checked out. Keep your online confirmation in case of a dispute.

Saving on Your Hotel Room

The rack rate is the maximum rate that a hotel charges for a room. Hardly anybody pays this price, however, except in high season or on holidays. To lower the cost of your room:

• Ask about special rates or other discounts. You may qualify for corporate, student, military, senior, frequent-flier, trade union, or other discounts.

• Dial direct. When booking a room in a chain hotel, you’ll often get a better deal by calling the individual hotel’s reservation desk rather than the chain’s main number.

• Book online. Many hotels offer Internet-only discounts, or supply rooms to Priceline, Hotwire, or Expedia at rates much lower than the ones you can get through the hotel itself.

• Remember the law of supply and demand. You can save big on hotel rooms by traveling in a destination’s off season or shoulder seasons, when rates typically drop, even at luxury properties.

• Look into group or long-stay discounts. If you come as part of a large group, you should be able to negotiate a bargain rate. Likewise, if you’re planning a long stay (at least 5 days), you might qualify for a discount. As a general rule, expect 1 night free after a 7-night stay.

• Sidestep excess surcharges and hidden costs. Many hotels have adopted the unpleasant practice of nickel-and-diming their guests with opaque surcharges. When you book a room, ask what is included in the room rate, and what is extra. Avoid dialing direct from hotel phones, which can have exorbitant rates. And don’t be tempted by the room’s minibar offerings: Most hotels charge through the nose for water, soda, and snacks. Finally, ask about local taxes and service charges, which can increase the cost of a room by 15% or more.

• Carefully consider your hotel’s meal plan. If you enjoy eating out and sampling the local cuisine, it makes sense to choose a Continental Plan (CP), which includes breakfast only, or a European Plan (EP), which doesn’t include any meals and allows you maximum flexibility. If you’re more interested in saving money, opt for a Modified American Plan (MAP), which includes breakfast and one meal, or the American Plan (AP), which includes three meals. If you must choose a MAP, see if you can get a free lunch at your hotel if you decide to do dinner out.

• Book an efficiency. A room with a kitchenette allows you to shop for groceries and cook your own meals. This is a big money saver, especially for families on long stays.

• Consider enrolling in hotel chains’ “frequent-stay” programs, which are upping the ante lately to win the loyalty of repeat customers. Frequent guests can now accumulate points or credits to earn free hotel nights, airline miles, in-room amenities, merchandise, tickets to concerts and events, discounts on sporting facilities—and even credit toward stock in the participating hotel, in the case of the Jameson Inn hotel group. Perks are awarded not only by many chain hotels and motels (Hilton HHonors, Marriott Rewards, and Wyndham ByRequest, to name a few), but by individual inns and B&Bs. Many chain hotels partner with other hotel chains, car-rental firms, airlines, and credit card companies to give consumers additional incentive to do repeat business.

For more tips on surfing for hotel deals online, visit Frommers.com.

Landing the Best Room

Somebody has to get the best room in the house. It might as well be you. You can start by joining the hotel’s frequent-guest program, which may make you eligible for upgrades. A hotel-branded credit card usually gives its owner “silver” or “gold” status in frequent-guest programs for free. Always ask about a corner room. They’re often larger and quieter, with more windows and light, and they often cost the same as standard rooms. When you make your reservation, ask if the hotel is renovating; if it is, request a room away from the construction. Ask about nonsmoking rooms and rooms with views. Be sure to request your choice of twin, queen-, or king-size beds. If you’re a light sleeper, ask for a quiet room away from vending or ice machines, elevators, restaurants, bars, and dance clubs. Ask for a room that has been recently renovated or refurbished.

If you aren’t happy with your room when you arrive, ask for another one. Most lodgings will be willing to accommodate you.

In resort areas, ask the following questions before you book a room:

• What’s the view like? Cost-conscious travelers may be willing to pay less for a back room facing the parking lot, especially if they don’t plan to spend much time in their room.

• Does the room have air-conditioning or ceiling fans? Do the windows open? If they do, and the nighttime entertainment takes place alfresco, you may want to find out when showtime is over.

• What’s included in the price? Your room may be moderately priced, but if you’re charged for beach chairs, towels, sports equipment, and other amenities, you could end up spending more than you bargained for.

B&B Stays

Many travelers prefer to go the B&B route when touring Germany. This can be an inexpensive alternative to all those pricey hotels. However, some B&Bs, just as in America, are more luxurious than even a first-class hotel. Naturally, these come with a higher price tag. Breakfast, as promised in the name, is served, and often the staff at a B&B will pack you a picnic lunch if you’re staying over in the area and want to go hiking. In some cases, and only if arranged in advance, a home-cooked German dinner might be served.

For reservations, contact Bed & Breakfast Inns Online ( 800/215-7365 or 310/280-4363; www.bbonline.com) or BnB Finder.com ( 888/547-8226 or 212/432-7693; www.bnbfinder.com).

Bungalow, Villa & Apartment Rentals

Dozens of agencies handle such rentals, the best of which include At Home Abroad, Inc. ( 212/421-9165;www.athomeabroadinc.com). Drawbridge to Europe ( 888/268-1148;www.drawbridgetoeurope.com) offers vacation rentals in Mittel Europa, including not only Germany but also Switzerland and Austria. The staff will even rent you a private castle. Interhome ( 800/882-6864 or 954/791-8282; www.interhomeusa.com) offers properties in 21 countries, including Germany.

Castle Hotels

There are more Schlosshotels (castle hotels) in Germany than anywhere else in Europe. After unification, many castles in the old East Germany were restored and opened to the public. Some are rather basic, having more character than comfort, but others are luxurious, with antiques such as four-poster beds and a baronial atmosphere, often harking back 3 centuries or more. Most of them have installed modern plumbing. Some visitors with a sense of the romantic book castle hotel packages throughout Germany. The best source for such vacations is Euro-Connections ( 800/645-3876 in the U.S.; www.traveldata.cc).

Farm Vacations

Growing in its appeal to tourists, a vacation down on the farm—Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof in German—cuts costs and is an adventure as well. Nearly every local tourist office has a list of farmhouses in its area that take in paying guests. Sometimes only bed-and-breakfast is offered; at other places a farm-style home-cooked dinner can be included if you wish. For more information, you can contact DLG (German Agricultural Association) at 069/247880 (www.landtourismus.de).

House Swapping

House swapping is becoming a more popular and viable means of travel; you stay in their place, they stay in yours, and you both get a more authentic and personal view of a destination, the opposite of the escapist retreat many hotels offer. Try HomeLink International (www.homelink.org), the largest and oldest home-swapping organization, founded in 1952, with more than 11,000 listings worldwide ($115 yearly membership). HomeExchange.com ($9.95 a month for 6,000 listings) and InterVac.com ($100 for more than 10,000 listings) are also reliable.

Romantik Hotels

Throughout Germany you’ll encounter hotels with a “Romantik” in their names. This is not a chain, but a voluntary association of small inns and guesthouses that have only one theme in common: They are usually old and charming, and romantic in architecture. If you like a traditional ambience as opposed to bandbox modern, then a Romantik hotel might be for you. The requirement is that the hotel be in a historic building (or at least one of vintage date) and personally managed by the owner. Usually you get a regional cuisine and good, personal service, along with an old-fashioned setting and cozy charm. Sometimes the plumbing could be better, and standards of comfort vary widely, but all of them have been inspected.

For more information, contact Romantik Hotels and Restaurants ( 800/650-8018 in the U.S., or 069/6612340 in Germany; www.romantikhotels.com).

Spa Hotels

More than any other country in Europe, Germany has developed the spa process to a high art. The heyday of German spa construction coincided with the rise of the bourgeoisie in the 19th century, when a lavish series of resorts was built around the dozens of mineral springs bubbling from the soil. Many of these springs had been known since the Middle Ages, or even Roman times, and to each was attributed specific cures for arthritis, gout, infertility, hypertension, and gynecological problems. (The German word Kur—Kurort means “spa”—is derived from the Latin cura, meaning “care.”) Going to a spa became an intensely ritualized social experience.

Regardless of the various medical claims made at the spas of Germany, the real reason to go to any spa, in our view, is to momentarily escape the stress of everyday life.

For more information, contact Deutschen Heilbaderverbandes, Reinhardtstrasse 46, 10117 Berlin ( 030/2463629-0;www.deutscher-heilbaederverband.de).

Youth Hostels

Germany has some of the best and most modern youth hostels (Jugendherbergen) in the world—some 550 of them are scattered throughout the country. Reservations are imperative in all cases, but especially in July and August. Venues range from rather bleak modern buildings to old castles in bucolic settings.

For more information and requirements, contact DJH Service GmbH, Bismarckstrasse 8, 32756 Detmold ( 05231/74010;www.jugendherberge.de). Most hostels in Germany are affiliated with Hostelling International USA ( 301/495-1240;www.hiusa.org).

Fast Facts

Business Hours Most banks are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 1pm and 2:30 to 4pm (Thurs to 5:30pm). Money exchanges at airports and border-crossing points are generally open daily from 6am to 10pm. Exchanges at border railroad stations are kept open for arrivals of all international trains. Most businesses are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and on Saturday from 9am to 1pm. Store hours can vary from town to town, but shops are generally open Monday to Friday 9 or 10am to 6 or 6:30pm (Thurs to 8:30pm). Saturday hours are generally from 9am to 1 or 2pm, except on the first Saturday of the month, when stores may remain open until 4pm.

Car Rental See “By Car” under “Getting Around,” earlier in this chapter.

Cellphones See “Mobile Phones,” later.

Crime See “Safety,” later.

Customs You can take into Germany most personal effects and the following items duty-free: one video camera or two still cameras with 10 rolls of film each; a portable radio, a tape recorder, and a laptop PC, provided they show signs of use; 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco; 2 liters of wine or 1 liter of liquor per person 18 and over; fishing gear; one bicycle; skis; tennis or squash racquets; and golf clubs.

Returning U.S. citizens who have been away for at least 48 hours can bring back, once every 30 days, US$800 worth of merchandise duty-free. You’ll be charged a flat rate of 4% duty on the next US$1,000 worth of purchases. Be sure to have your receipts handy. On mailed gifts, the duty-free limit is US$200. With some exceptions, you cannot bring fresh fruits and vegetables into the United States. For specifics on what you can bring back, download the invaluable free pamphlet Know Before You Go online at www.cbp.gov. Or contact the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229 ( 877/287-8667), and request the pamphlet.

For a clear summary of Canadian rules, you can download the booklet I Declare at www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications. It is issued by Canada Border Services Agency ( 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca). Canada allows a C$750 exemption, which can be used only once a year and only after an absence of 7 days. You’re allowed to bring back duty-free one carton of cigarettes, one can of tobacco, 40 imperial ounces of liquor, and 50 cigars. In addition, you’re allowed to mail gifts to Canada valued at less than C$60 a day, provided they’re unsolicited and don’t contain alcohol or tobacco (write on the package “Unsolicited gift, under C$60 value”). You should declare all valuables on the Y-38 form before departing Canada, including serial numbers of valuables you already own, such as expensive foreign cameras.

Citizens of the U.K. who are returning from an E.U. country will go through a separate Customs exit (called the “Blue Exit”). In essence, there is no limit on what you can bring back from an E.U. country, as long as the items are for personal use (including gifts) and you have already paid the necessary duty and tax. However, Customs law sets out guidance levels. If you bring in more than these levels, you may be asked to prove that the goods are for your use. Guidance levels on goods bought in the E.U. for your own use are 3,200 cigarettes, 200 cigars, 400 cigarillos, 3 kilograms of smoking tobacco, 10 liters of spirits, 90 liters of wine, 20 liters of fortified wine (such as port or sherry), and 110 liters of beer. For information, contact HM Revenue Customs at 0845/0109000 ( 02920/501261 from outside the U.K.), or consult their website at www.hmrc.gov.uk.

The duty-free allowance in Australia is A$900 or, for those 17 and under, A$450. Citizens can bring in 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of loose tobacco, and 2.25 liters of alcohol. If you’re returning with valuables you already own, such as foreign-made cameras, you should file form B263. A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at 1300/363263, or log on to www.customs.gov.au

The duty-free allowance for New Zealand is NZ$700. Citizens 18 and over can bring in 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco (or a mixture of all three if their combined weight doesn’t exceed 250g); plus 4.5 liters of wine and beer, or 1.125 milliliters of liquor. New Zealand currency does not carry import or export restrictions. Fill out a certificate of export, listing the valuables you are taking out of the country, so you can bring them back without paying duty. Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs Service, The Customhouse, 17–21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington ( 0800/428786 or 04/4736099 in New Zealand, or 04/4736099; www.customs.govt.nz).

Disabled Travelers Germany is one of the better countries for travelers with disabilities. All the large cities have excellent facilities. The local tourist offices can issue permits for drivers to allow them access to parking areas for people with disabilities. Newer hotels are more sensitive to the needs of those with disabilities, and the more expensive restaurants, in general, are wheelchair accessible.

Older, smaller towns may pose more of a problem, however, especially where the streets are cobblestone. Also, because of Germany’s many hills and endless flights of stairs, visitors with disabilities may have difficulty getting around outside of major cities, but conditions are slowly improving. If the areas you wish to visit seem inaccessible or you are not certain, you may want to consider taking an organized tour specifically designed to accommodate travelers with disabilities.

Organizations that offer assistance to travelers with disabilities include MossRehab ( 800/225-5667;www.mossresourcenet.org), which provides a library of accessible-travel resources online; Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH; 212/447-7284;www.sath.org), which offers a wealth of travel resources for all types of disabilities and informed recommendations on destinations, access guides, travel agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, and companion services; and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB; 800/232-5463 or 212/502-7600; www.afb.org), a referral resource for those who are blind or visually impaired that provides information on traveling with Seeing Eye dogs.

Air Ambulance Card ( 877/4247633;www.airambulancecard.com) is now partnered with SATH and allows you to preselect top-notch hospitals in case of an emergency.

Access-Able Travel Source ( 303/232-2979;www.access-able.com) offers a comprehensive database on travel agents from around the world with experience in accessible travel; destination-specific access information; and links to such resources as service animals, equipment rentals, and access guides.

Many travel agencies offer customized tours and itineraries for travelers with disabilities. Among them are Flying Wheels Travel ( 507/451-5005;www.flyingwheelstravel.com) and Accessible Journeys ( 800/846-4537 or 610/521-0339; www.disabilitytravel.com).

Flying with Disability (www.flying-with-disability.org) is a comprehensive information source on airplane travel.

Also check out the quarterly magazine Emerging Horizons (www.emerginghorizons.com), available by subscription ($17 per year in the U.S.; $22 outside the U.S.).

The “Accessible Travel” link at Mobility-Advisor.com (www.mobility-advisor.com) offers a variety of travel resources to persons with disabilities.

British travelers should contact Holiday Care ( 0845/124-9971 in the U.K. only; www.holidaycare.org.uk) to access a wide range of travel information and resources for seniors and people with disabilities.

For more on organizations that offer resources to travelers with disabilities, go to Frommers.com.

Doctors Contact the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT; 716/754-4883 or 416/652-0137; www.iamat.org) for tips on travel and health concerns in Germany and lists of local, English-speaking doctors. You can find listings of reliable medical clinics in Germany at the International Society of Travel Medicine (www.istm.org).

Drinking Laws As in many European countries, drinking laws are flexible, enforced only if a problem develops. Officially, you must be 18 to consume any kind of alcoholic beverage. Bars and cafes rarely request proof of age. Drinking while driving, however, is treated as a very serious offense.

Driving Rules See “Getting Around,” earlier in this chapter.

Electricity In most places, the electricity is 220 volts AC (50 cycles). You will need a transformer and a plug that fits the German socket for your U.S. appliances. Many leading hotels will supply these.

Embassies & Consulates The following embassies and consulates are in Berlin. The embassy of the United States is at Pariser Platz 2 ( 030/83050;http://germany.usembassy.gov; U-Bahn: Brandenburger Tor), open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 3pm. The U.K. Embassy is at Wilhelmstrasse 70 ( 030/204570;http://ukingermany.fco.gov.uk/de; U-Bahn: Anhalter Bahnhof), open Monday to Friday 8am to 4:30pm. The Australian Embassy is at Wallstrasse 76–79 ( 030/8800880;www.germany.embassy.gov.au/beln/home.html; U-Bahn: Spittel-markt), open Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 5pm and Friday 8:30am to 4:15pm. The Canadian Embassy is at Leipziger Platz 17 ( 030/203120;www.canadainternational.gc.ca; U-Bahn: Potsdamer Platz), open Monday to Friday 9am to noon. The Irish Embassy is at Friedrichstrasse 200 ( 030/220720;www.embassyofireland.de; U-Bahn: Uhlandstrasse), open Monday to Friday 9:30am to noon and 2:30 to 3:45pm. The New Zealand Embassy is at Friedrichstrasse 60 ( 030/206210;www.nzembassy.com; U-Bahn: Friedrichstrasse), open Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm and 2 to 5:30pm.

Emergencies Throughout Germany the emergency number for police is 110; for fire or to call an ambulance, dial 112.

Family Travel To locate accommodations, restaurants, and attractions that are particularly kid-friendly, look for the “Kids” icon throughout this guide.

Health Germany should not pose any major health hazards. The heavy cuisine may give some travelers mild diarrhea, so take along some antidiarrhea medicine and moderate your eating habits. The water is safe to drink throughout Germany; however, don’t drink from mountain streams, no matter how clear and pure the water looks.

German medical facilities are among the best in the world. If a medical emergency arises, your hotel staff can usually put you in touch with a reliable doctor. If not, contact the American embassy or a consulate; each one maintains a list of English-speaking doctors. Medical and hospital services aren’t free, so be sure that you have appropriate insurance coverage before you travel.

If you suffer from a chronic illness, consult your doctor before your departure. Pack prescription medications in your carry-on luggage and carry them in their original containers, with pharmacy labels—otherwise they won’t make it through airport security. Carry the generic name of prescription medicines, in case a local pharmacist is unfamiliar with the brand name.

For conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes, or heart problems, wear a MedicAlert Identification Tag ( 888/633-4298;www.medicalert.org), which will immediately alert doctors to your condition and give them access to your records through MedicAlert’s 24-hour hot line.

Insurance For travel overseas, most U.S. health plans (including Medicare and Medicaid) do not provide coverage, and the ones that do often require you to pay for services upfront and reimburse you only after you return home.

As a safety net, you may want to buy travel medical insurance. If you require additional medical insurance, try MEDEX Assistance ( 800/732-5309 or 410/453-6300;www.medexassist.com) or Travel Assistance International ( 800/821-2828;www.travelassistance.com; for general information on services, call Worldwide Assistance Services, Inc. at 800/777-8710;www.worldwideassistance.com).

Canadians should check with their provincial health-plan offices or call Health Canada ( 866/225-0709;www.hc-sc.gc.ca) to find out the extent of their coverage and what documentation and receipts they must take home if they are treated overseas.

Travelers from the U.K. should carry their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which replaced the E111 form as proof of entitlement to free/reduced-cost medical treatment abroad ( 0845/605-0707;www.ehic.org.uk). Note, however, that the EHIC covers only “necessary medical treatment”; for repatriation costs, lost money, baggage, or cancellation, travel insurance from a reputable company should always be sought. Call 0870/033-9985 or visit www.travelinsuranceweb.com for quotes from several companies.

Travel Insurance The cost of travel insurance varies widely, depending on the destination, the cost and length of your trip, your age and health, and the type of trip you’re taking, but expect to pay between 5% and 8% of the vacation itself. You can get estimates from various providers through InsureMyTrip.com ( 800/487-4722). Enter your trip cost and dates, your age, and other information, for prices from more than a dozen companies.

U.K. citizens and their families who make more than one trip abroad per year may find that an annual travel insurance policy works out cheaper. Check www.moneysupermarket.com ( 0845/345-5708), which compares prices across a wide range of providers for single- and multitrip policies.

Most big travel agents offer their own insurance and will probably try to sell you their package when you book a holiday. Think before you sign. Britain’s Consumers’ Association recommends that you insist on seeing the policy and reading the fine print before buying travel insurance. The Association of British Insurers ( 020/7600-3333;www.abi.org.uk) gives advice by phone and publishes “Holiday Insurance,” a free guide to policy provisions and prices. You might also shop around for better deals: Try Columbus Direct ( 0870/033-9988;www.columbusdirect.net).

Trip-Cancellation Insurance Trip-cancellation insurance will help retrieve your money if you have to back out of a trip or depart early, or if your travel supplier goes bankrupt. Trip cancellation traditionally covers such events as sickness, natural disasters, and State Department advisories. The latest news in trip-cancellation insurance is the availability of expanded hurricane coverage and the “any-reason” cancellation coverage—which costs more but covers cancellations made for any reason. You won’t get back 100% of your prepaid trip cost, but you’ll be refunded a substantial portion. TravelSafe ( 888/885-7233;www.travelsafe.com) offers both types of coverage. Expedia also offers any-reason cancellation coverage for its air-hotel packages. For details, contact one of the following recommended insurers: Access America ( 800/284-8300; www.accessamerica.com), Travel Guard International ( 800/826-4919; www.travelguard.com), Travel Insured International ( 800/243-3174; www.travelinsured.com), and Travelex Insurance Services ( 800/228-9792; www.travelex-insurance.com).

Internet & Wi-Fi Many hotels, cafes, and retailers are signing on as Wi-Fi “hot spots.” Boingo (www.boingo.com) and Wayport (wayport.com) have set up networks in airports and high-class hotel lobbies. IPass providers (see below) also give you access to a few hundred wireless hotel lobby setups. To locate other hot spots that provide free wireless networks in cities in Germany, go to www.jiwire.com.

A few thousand hotels in Germany now offer free high-speed Internet access. In addition, major Internet service providers (ISPs) have local access numbers around the world, allowing you to go online by placing a local call. The iPass network also has dial-up numbers around the world. You’ll have to sign up with an iPass provider, who will then tell you how to set up your computer for your destination(s). For a list of iPass providers, go to www3.ipass.com and click on “Individuals Buy Now.” One solid provider is i2roam ( 866/811-6209 or 920/233-5863; www.i2roam.com).

To find cybercafes, check www.cybercaptive.com and www.cybercafe.com. Cybercafes can be found on almost every business street in large cities.

Aside from formal cybercafes, most youth hostels and public libraries have Internet access.

Language German, of course, is the official language, but English is widely understood. Germans start learning English in grade school.

LGBT Travelers Although Germany is one of the “gayest” countries of Europe, there is also prejudice and hostility here. Violence against gays and foreigners (especially nonwhite) is not unknown. On the other hand, homosexuality is widely accepted by a vast number of the country’s millions, especially young people. All major cities have a wide and varied gay and lesbian nightlife. Keep in mind that western Germany is far more gay-friendly than the more isolated outposts of the former East Germany. The legal minimum age for consensual homosexual sex is 18.

The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA; 954/630-1637;www.iglta.org) is the trade association for the gay and lesbian travel industry and offers an online directory of gay- and lesbian-friendly travel businesses; go to its website and click on “Members.”

Many agencies offer tours and travel itineraries designed specifically for gay and lesbian travelers. Now, Voyager ( 800/255-6951;www.nowvoyager.com) is a well-known San Francisco–based gay-owned and -operated travel service. Olivia Cruises & Resorts ( 800/631-6277;www.olivia.com) charters entire resorts and ships for exclusive lesbian vacations and offers smaller group experiences for both gay and lesbian travelers. Gay.com ( 415/834-6500;http://daily.gay.com/travel) provides regularly updated information about gay-owned, gay-oriented, and gay-friendly lodging, dining, sightseeing, nightlife, and shopping establishments in every important destination worldwide.

The Canadian website GayTraveler (www.gaytraveler.ca) offers ideas and advice for gay travel all over the world.

The following travel guides are available at many bookstores, or you can order them from any online bookseller: Spartacus International Gay Guide, 38th edition (Bruno Gmünder Verlag; www.spartacusworld.com/gayguide); and the Damron guides (www.damron.com), with separate annual books for gay men and lesbians.

For more gay and lesbian travel resources, visit Frommers.com.

Mail Street mailboxes are painted yellow. It costs 1.70€ for the first 5 grams (about 1⁄5 oz.) to send an airmail letter to the United States or Canada, and 1€ for postcards. All letters to the U.K. cost .70€.

Medical Requirements Unless you’re arriving from an area known to be suffering from an epidemic (particularly cholera or yellow fever), inoculations or vaccinations are not required for entry into Germany.

Mobile Phones The three letters that define much of the world’s wireless capabilities are GSM, which stands for Global System for Mobiles, a big, seamless network that makes for easy cross-border cellphone use. In general, reception is good. But you’ll need a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. This is a small chip that gives you a local phone number and plugs you into a regional network. In the U.S., T-Mobile and AT&T Wireless use this quasi-universal system; in Canada, Microcell and some Rogers customers are GSM, and all Europeans and most Australians use GSM. Unfortunately, per-minute charges can be high.

For many, renting a phone is a good idea. While you can rent a phone from any number of overseas sites, including kiosks at airports and at car-rental agencies, we suggest renting the phone before you leave home. North Americans can rent one before leaving home from InTouch USA ( 800/872-7626 or 703/222-7161; www.intouchglobal.com) or RoadPost ( 888/290-1616 or 905/272-5665; www.roadpost.com). InTouch will also, for free, advise you on whether your existing phone will work overseas.

Buying a phone can be economically attractive, as many nations have cheap prepaid phone systems. Once you arrive at your destination, stop by a local cellphone shop and get the cheapest package; you’ll probably pay less than $100 for a phone and a starter calling card. Local calls may be as low as 10¢ per minute, and in Germany incoming calls are free.

Money & Costs The euro (€) is the single European currency of Germany and other participating countries. Exchange rates of participating countries are locked into a common currency fluctuating against the dollar.

The major cities of Germany are some of the world’s most expensive. So, if you want to see the country without breaking the bank, you may want to cut short your time in Frankfurt, Munich, or Berlin and concentrate on regional capitals such as Freiburg in the Black Forest, where you can cut your travel cost by anywhere from 20% to 40%. You may also want to consider a rail pass.

Although prices in Germany are high, you generally get good value for your money. The inflation rate has remained low. Hotels are usually clean and comfortable, and restaurants generally offer good cuisine and ample portions made with quality ingredients. Trains are fast and on time, and most service personnel treat you with respect.

Many people come to Germany just for winter sports. The most expensive resorts are places like Garmisch-Partenkirchen. However, if you avoid the chic places, you can enjoy winter fun at a moderate cost. Some of the winter spots in the Bavarian Alps that haven’t been overrun by the beautiful people give you great value for your money. And prices in a village next to a resort are often 30% lower than at the resort itself.

In Germany, many prices for children (generally defined as ages 6–17) are considerably lower than for adults. And fees for children 5 and younger are often waived entirely.

Frommer’s lists exact prices in the local currency. The currency conversions quoted above were correct at press time. However, rates fluctuate, so before departing consult a currency exchange website such as www.oanda.com/currency/converter to check up-to-the-minute rates.

ATMs The easiest way to get cash away from home is from an ATM (automated teller machine), sometimes referred to as a Geldautomat. Note: Remember that many banks impose a fee every time you use a card at another bank’s ATM, and that fee can be higher for international transactions. In addition, the bank from which you withdraw cash may charge its own fee. For international withdrawal fees, ask your bank.

Note: Banks that are members of the Global ATM Alliance charge no transaction fees for cash withdrawals at other Alliance member ATMs; these include Bank of America, Scotiabank (Canada, Caribbean, and Mexico), Barclays (U.K. and parts of Africa), Deutsche Bank (Germany, Poland, Spain, and Italy), and BNP Paribas (France).

Credit Cards Credit cards are another safe way to carry money. They also provide a convenient record of all your expenses, and they generally offer relatively good exchange rates. You can withdraw cash advances from your credit cards at banks or ATMs, but high fees make credit card cash advances a pricey way to get cash. Remember that you’ll pay interest from the moment of your withdrawal, even if you pay your monthly bills on time. Also, note that many banks now assess a 1% to 3% “transaction fee” on all charges you incur abroad (whether you’re using the local currency or your native currency).

In Germany, American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, and Visa are commonly accepted, with the latter two cards predominating.

Beware of hidden credit-card fees while traveling. Check with your credit or debit card issuer to see what fees, if any, will be charged for overseas transactions. Recent reform legislation in the U.S., for example, has curbed some exploitative lending practices. But many banks have responded by increasing fees in other areas, including fees for customers who use credit and debit cards while out of the country—even if those charges were made in U.S. dollars. Fees can amount to 3% or more of the purchase price. Check with your bank before departing to avoid any surprise charges on your statement.

For help with currency conversions, tip calculations, and more, download Frommer’s convenient Travel Tools app for your mobile device. Go to www.frommers.com/go/mobile and click on the “Travel Tools” icon.

Passports Visas are not needed by citizens of the U.S., Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or the U.K. for visits of less than 3 months. You do need a valid passport, unless you’re a citizen of the E.U., EEA or Switzerland (in which case you need only an identity card, though we recommend you always carry a passport anyway).

Passport Offices

Australia Australian Passport Information Service ( 131-232, or visit www.passports.gov.au).

Canada Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 ( 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

Ireland Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 ( 01/671-1633; www.foreignaffairs.gov.ie).

New Zealand Passports Office, Department of Internal Affairs, 47 Boulcott Street, Wellington, 6011 ( 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100; www.passports.govt.nz).

United Kingdom Visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), 89 Eccleston Square, London, SW1V 1PN ( 0300/222-0000; www.ips.gov.uk).

United States To find your regional passport office, check the U.S. State Department website (travel.state.gov/passport) or call the National Passport Information Center ( 877/487-2778) for automated information.

Police Throughout the country, dial 110 for emergencies.

Safety Overall, the security risk to travelers in Germany is low. However, Germany experiences a number of demonstrations every year on a variety of political and economic themes. These demonstrations have a tendency to spread and turn violent, and anyone in the general area can become the victim of a random attack. Prior police approval is required for public demonstrations in Germany, and police oversight is routinely provided to ensure adequate security for participants and passersby. Nonetheless, situations may develop that could pose a threat to public safety. All foreign visitors are cautioned to avoid the area around protests and demonstrations and to check local media for updates on the situation.

In addition, hooligans, most often young and intoxicated “skinheads,” have been known to harass or even attack people whom they believe to be foreigners or members of rival youth groups. While U.S. citizens have not been specific targets, several Americans have reported that they were assaulted for racial reasons or because they appeared “foreign.”

Violent crime is rare in Germany, but it can occur, especially in larger cities or high-risk areas such as train stations. Most incidents of street crime consist of theft of unattended items and pickpocketing. You should take the same precautions against becoming a crime victim as you would in any city.

Report the loss or theft abroad of your passport immediately to the local police and the nearest embassy or consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while in Germany, in addition to reporting to local police, contact the nearest embassy or consulate for assistance. The embassy/consulate staff, for example, can assist you in finding appropriate medical care, contacting family members or friends, and explaining how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you understand the local criminal-justice process and find an attorney if needed.

Senior Travel Mention that you’re a senior when you make your travel reservations. Although all major U.S. airlines have canceled their senior-discount and coupon-book programs, many hotels still offer discounts for seniors. In most cities, people 60 and over qualify for reduced admission to theaters, museums, and other attractions, as well as discounted fares on public transportation.

Members of AARP, 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049 ( 888/687-2277;www.aarp.org), get discounts on hotels, airfares, and car rentals. AARP offers members a wide range of benefits, including AARP The Magazine and a monthly newsletter. Anyone 50 and over can join.

Many reliable agencies and organizations target the 50-plus market. Exploritas’s ( 800/454-5768;www.exploritas.org) programs include a wide spectrum in Germany. The most popular is a 10-night program in both Berlin and Munich, where participants join local experts to learn about the history and culture of Germany. For the more athletic, there is a 13-night program spent biking along the Danube. Those interested in opera and classical music can join a 12-night cultural and fine arts program that takes place in the vibrant cultural cities of Berlin, Dresden, and Leipzig.

Recommended publications offering travel resources and discounts for seniors include the quarterly magazine Travel 50 & Beyond (www.travel50andbeyond.com) and the best-selling paperback Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can’t Get Unless You’re Over 50 (McGraw-Hill), by Joann Rattner Heilman.

Frommers.com offers more information and resources on travel for seniors

Smoking Check before lighting up. In general, you cannot smoke in most restaurants and many bars in Germany, but it is in a continuous state of flux and rules vary by federal state—in some cases smoking is banned by law and enforced. In other cases the official law is not enforced in bars of a certain size, or after the kitchen closes at restaurants that are open late and morph into a barlike setting as the night goes on. Throughout the country, smoking is banned in all public buildings and transport.

Taxes As a member of the European Union, Germany imposes a tax on most goods and services known as a value-added tax (VAT) or, in German, Mehrwertsteuer. Nearly everything is taxed at 16%, including vital necessities such as gas and luxury items such as jewelry. Food and books are taxed at 7%. VAT is included in the prices of restaurants and hotels. Goods for sale, such as cameras, also have the 16% tax already factored into the price. Stores that display a tax-free sticker will issue you a Tax-Free Shopping Check at the time of purchase. When leaving the country, have your check stamped by the German Customs Service as your proof of legal export. You can then get a cash refund at one of the Tax-Free Shopping Service offices in the major airports and many train stations, even at some of the bigger ferry terminals. Otherwise, you must send the checks to Tax-Free Shopping Service, Mengstrasse 19, 23552 Lübeck, Germany. If you want the payment to be credited to your bank card or your bank account, mention this. There is no airport departure tax.

Telephones The country code for Germany is 49. To call Germany from the United States, dial the international access code 011, then 49, then the city code, then the regular phone number. Note: The phone numbers listed in this book are to be used within Germany; when calling from abroad, omit the initial 0 in the city code.

For directory assistance: Dial 11837 if you’re looking for a number inside Germany, and dial 11834 for numbers to all other countries.

For operator assistance: If you need operator assistance in making a call, dial 0180/200-1033.

Local and long-distance calls may be placed from all post offices and from most public telephone booths, about half of which operate with phone cards, the others with coins. Phone cards are sold at post offices and newsstands in denominations of 6€ to 25€. Rates are measured in units rather than minutes. The farther the distance, the more units are consumed. Telephone calls made through hotel switchboards can double, triple, or even quadruple the base charges at the post office, so be alert to this before you dial. In some instances, post offices can send faxes for you, and many hotels offer Internet access—for free or for a small charge—to their guests.

German phone numbers are not standard. In some places, numbers have as few as three digits. In cities, one number may have five digits, whereas the phone next door might have nine. Germans also often hyphenate their numbers differently. But since all the area codes are the same, these various configurations should have little effect on your phone usage once you get used to the fact that numbers vary from place to place.

Be careful dialing toll-free numbers. Many companies maintain a service line beginning with 0180. However, these lines might appear to be toll-free but really aren’t, costing .12€ per minute. Other numbers that begin with 0190 carry a surcharge of 1.85€ per minute—or even more. Don’t be misled by calling a 1-800 number in the United States from Germany. This is not a toll-free call but costs about the same as an overseas call.

To call the U.S. or Canada from Germany, dial 01, followed by the country code (1), then the area code, and then the number. Alternatively, you can dial the various telecommunication companies in the States for cheaper rates. From Germany, the access number for AT&T is 0800/8880010, and for MCI, 0800/8888000. USA Direct can be used with all telephone cards and for collect calls. The number from Germany is 013/00010. Canada Direct can be used with Bell Telephone Cards and for collect calls. This number from Germany is 013/00014.

If you’re calling from a public pay phone in Germany, you must deposit the basic local rate.

Tipping If a restaurant bill says Bedienung, that means a service charge has already been added, so just round up to the nearest euro. If not, add 10% to 15%. Bellhops get 1€ per bag, as does the doorperson at your hotel, restaurant, or nightclub. Room-cleaning staffs get small tips in Germany, as do concierges who perform some special favors.

Toilets Use the word Toilette (pronounced twah-leh-tah). Women’s toilets are usually marked with an F for Frauen, and men’s toilets with an H for Herren. Germany, frankly, doesn’t have enough public toilets, except in transportation centers. The locals have to rely on bars, cafes, or restaurants—and using them isn’t always appreciated if you’re not a paying customer.

VAT See “Taxes,” above.

Visas See “Passports,” above.

Visitor Information All cities and nearly all larger towns in Germany have tourist offices. The German National Tourist Board headquarters is at Beethovenstrasse 69, 60325 Frankfurt am Main ( 069/751903;www.germany-tourism.de or www.cometogermany.com).

In the U.S., they can be reached at 122 E. 42nd St., Ste. 2000, New York, NY 10017 ( 212/661-7200).

In Canada, tourist offices are at 480 University Ave., Ste. 1500, Toronto, ON M5G 1V2 ( 877/315-6237 or 416/968-1685). In the U.K., you can write P.O. Box 2695, London W1A ETN ( 020/7317-0808).

Water See “Health,” earlier.

Wi-Fi See “Internet & Wi-Fi,” earlier.

Useful Terms & Phrases

Getting There & Getting Around

I am looking for… Ich suche…

…a porter. …einen Träger für mein Gepäck.

…the check-in counter. …den Abfertigungsschalter.

…the ticket counter. …den Kartenschalter.

…arrivals. …den Ankunftsbereich.

…departures. …den Abreisebereich.

…the waiting area. …den Wartebereich.

…the men’s restroom. …die Herrentoilette.

…the women’s restroom. …die Damentoilette.

…the police station. …die Polizeidienststelle.

…a security guard. …einen Sicherheitsbeamten.

…the smoking area. …den Raucherbereich.

…the information booth. …den Informationsstand.

…a public telephone. …ein öffentliches Telefon.

…an ATM. …einen Geldautomaten.

…baggage claim. …die Gepäckausgabe.

…a luggage cart. …einen Gepäckwagen.

…a currency exchange. …eine Geldwechselstube.

…a café. …ein Café.

…a restaurant. …ein Restaurant.

…a bar. …eine Bar.

…a bookstore or newsstand. eine Buchhandlung oder einen Zeitungsstand.

…a duty-free shop. …einen Duty-Free-Shop.

Is there Internet access here? Gibt es hier einen Internetzugang?

I’d like to page someone. Ich möchte jemanden ausrufen lassen.

Do you accept credit cards? Akzeptieren Sie Kreditkarten?

Common Airport Signs

Ankunft Arrivals

Abreise Departures

Terminal Terminal

Gate Gate

Tickets Ticketing

Zoll Customs

Gepäckausgabe Baggage Claim

Drücken Push

Ziehen Pull

Rauchen verboten No Smoking

Eingang Entrance

Ausgang Exit

Herren Men’s

Damen Women’s

Pendelbusse Shuttle Buses

Taxis Taxis

Security Lingo

Bitte ziehen Sie Ihre Schuhe aus. Please remove your shoes.

Ziehen Sie Ihre Jacke aus. Remove your jacket / sweater.

Legen Sie Ihren Schmuck ab. Remove your jewelry.

Legen Sie Ihre Taschen auf das Band. Place your bags on the conveyor belt.

Treten Sie zur Seite. Step to the side.

Wir müssen Sie abtasten. We have to do a hand search.

Road Signs

Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung Speed Limit

Stopp Stop

Vorfahrt gewähren Yield

Gefahr Danger

Sackgasse No Exit

Einbahnstrasse One Way

Einfahrt verboten Do Not Enter

Strasse gesperrt Road Closed

Maut Toll

Nur Bargeld Cash Only

Parken verboten No Parking

Parkgebühr Parking Fee

Parkhaus Parking Garage

General Terms

Basic Greetings & Expressions

Hello. Hallo.

How are you? Wie geht es Ihnen?

I’m fine, thanks. Mir geht es gut, danke.

And you? Und Ihnen?

My name is ____. Ich heiße ____.

And yours? Wie heißen Sie?

It’s a pleasure to meet you. Freut mich, Sie kennen zu lernen.

Please. Bitte.

Thank you. Danke.

Yes. Ja.

No. Nein.

Okay. OK.

No problem. Kein Problem.

I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Entschuldigung, ich verstehe Sie nicht.

Would you speak slower please? Könnten Sie bitte etwas langsamer sprechen?

Would you speak louder please? Könnten Sie bitte etwas lauter sprechen?

Do you speak English? Sprechen Sie Englisch?

Do you speak any other languages? Sprechen Sie irgendeine andere Sprache?

I speak ____ better than German. Ich spreche besser ____ als Deutsch.

Would you spell that? Könnten Sie das bitte buchstabieren?

Would you please repeat that? Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen?

Would you point that out in this dictionary? Könnten Sie mir das bitte in diesem Wörterbuch zeigen?

Common Words

Allee Avenue

Altes Rathaus Old town hall (a historical monument; no longer used as the headquarters of the city’s officials)

Altstadt Old part of a city or town

Anlage Park area

Apotheke Pharmacy

Auf Wiedersehen Goodbye

Ausgang Exit

Bad Spa (also bath)

Bahn Railroad, train, course

Bahnhof Railroad station

Berg Mountain

Bitte Please

Brücke Bridge

Burg Fortified castle

Danke Thank you

Dom Cathedral

Domplatz Cathedral square

Drogerie Shop selling cosmetics, sundries

Eingang/Einfahrt Entrance

Eintritt Admission

Fahrrad Bicycle

Flughafen Airport

Gasse Lane

Gasthaus Inn, tavern, restaurant

Gasthof Inn

Gutbürgerliche Küche German home cooking

Hallo Hello

Hauptbahnhof Main railroad station

Hotelgarni Hotel that serves no meals or serves breakfast only

Insel Island

Kammer Room (in public building)

Kapelle Chapel

Kaufhaus Department store

Kino Cinema

Kirche Church

Kloster Monastery

Kneipe Bar for drinking; may serve snacks

Konditorei Cafe for coffee and pastries

Kunst Art

Land State

Marktplatz Market square

Neue Küche Cuisine moderne

Neues Rathaus New town hall (the seat of current city business)

Neustadt New part of city or town

Palatinate A region of Germany bordering France

Platz Square

Polizei Police

Postamt Post office

Rathaus Town or city hall

Ratskeller Restaurant in a Rathaus cellar serving traditional German food

Reisebüro Travel agency

Residenz Palace

Schauspielhaus Theater for plays

See Lake (der See) or sea (die See)

Seilbahn Cable car

Speisekarte Menu

Spielbank Casino

Stadt Town, city

Stadtbahn (S-Bahn) Commuter railroad

Steg Footbridge

Strasse Street

Strassenbahn Streetcar, tram

Tagesmenu Menu of the day

Tankstelle Filling station

Teller Platter

Tor Gateway

Turm Tower

Ufer Shore, riverbank

Untergrundbahn (U-Bahn) Subway, underground transportation system

Verkehrsamt Tourist office

Weg Road

Weinstube Wine bar or tavern serving meals

Zimmer Room

Menu Terms

Meats & Poultry (Wurst, Fleisch & Geflügel)

Aufschnitt Cold cuts

Beefsteak Hamburger steak

Brathuhn Roasted chicken

Bratwurst Grilled sausage

Eisbein Pigs’ knuckles

Ente Duck

Frankfurter Hot dog

Gans Goose

Hammel Mutton

Kalb Veal

Kassler Rippchen Pork chops

Lamm Lamb

Leber Liver

Ragout Stew

Rinderbraten Roast beef

Rindfleisch Beef

Sauerbraten Marinated beef

Schinken Ham

Schnitzel Cutlet

Schweinebraten Roast pork

Tafelspitz Boiled beef usually served with applesauce and horseradish—a famous staple of Austria

Truthahn Turkey

Wiener schnitzel Breaded veal cutlet

Wurst Sausage

Fish (Fisch)

Aal Eel

Forelle Trout

Hecht Pike

Karpfen Carp

Lachs Salmon

Makrele Mackerel

Muschel Mussel

Rheinsalm Rhine salmon

Schellfisch Haddock

Seezunge Sole

Eggs (Eier)

Eier in der Schale Boiled eggs

Mit Speck With bacon

Rühreier Scrambled eggs

Spiegeleier Fried eggs

Verlorene Eier Poached eggs

Vegetables (Gemüse)

Artischocken Artichokes

Blumenkohl Cauliflower

Bohnen Beans

Bratkartoffeln Fried potatoes

Champignon Mushroom

Erbsen Peas

Grüne Bohnen Green or string beans

Gurken Cucumbers

Karotten Carrots

Kartoffel Potato

Kartoffelbrei Mashed potatoes

Kartoffelsalat Potato salad

Knödel Dumplings

Kohl Cabbage

Reis Rice

Rettich Radish

Rote Rüben Beets

Rotkraut Red cabbage

Salat Lettuce

Salzkartoffeln Boiled potatoes

Sellerie Celery

Spargel Asparagus

Spinat Spinach

Steinpilze Boletus mushrooms

Tomaten Tomatoes

Weisse Rüben Turnips

Desserts (Nachtisch)

Auflauf Soufflé

Bienenstich Honey almond cake

Blatterteiggebäck Puff pastry

Bratapfel Baked apple

Dolce di Castagne Chestnut roll

Eis Ice cream

Kaffeecreme Coffee mousse

Käse Cheese

Kirschtorte Black Forest cake

Kompott Stewed fruit

Obstkuchen Fruit tart

Obstsalat Fruit salad

Pfannkuchen Sugared pancakes

Pflaumenkompott Stewed plums

Schlagsahne Whipped cream

Schokolademus Chocolate mousse

Tarte Tatin A tart filled with, most often, apples

Topfenpalatschinken Cottage cheese pancakes

Zwetschkenknodel Plum dumplings

Fruits (Obst)

Ananas Pineapple

Apfel Apple

Apfelsine Orange

Banane Banana

Birne Pear

Erdbeeren Strawberries

Himberren Raspberries

Kirschen Cherries

Pfirsich Peach

Weintrauben Grapes

Zitrone Lemon

Beverages (Getränke)

Bier Beer

Ein dunkles A dark beer

Ein helles A light beer

Eine Tasse Kaffee A cup of coffee

Eine Tasse Tee A cup of tea

Eistee Ice tea

Geist Brandy

Hiesse Schokolade Hot chocolate

Kaffee Coffee

Kaffee mit Rahm/Milch/Zucker Coffee with cream/milk/sugar

Kaffee mit Suss-stoff Coffee with artificial sweetener

Kaffee Schwarz Black coffee

Koffeinfrei Decaffeinated coffee

Kräutertee Herb tea

Leicht Light (wine)

Likör Liqueur

Limonade Lemonade

Milch Milk

Mineralwasser Mineral water

Mit Eis With ice

Mit Wasser With water

Ohne Eis Without ice

Ohne Wasser Without water

Pur Straight

Rotwein Red wine

Saft Juice

Schaumwein Sparkling wine

Schnaps Schnapps

Schokolade Chocolate

Soda Club soda

Soda mit gas Soda with gas (to make sure your club soda is carbonated)

Süss Sweet (wine)

Tee mit Milch Tea with cream

Tee mit Zitrone Tea with lemon

Trocken Dry (wine)

Wasser Water

Weisswein White wine

Condiments & Table Items (Würze & Tafelgeschirr)

Brot Bread

Brötchen Rolls

Butter Butter

Eis Ice

Essig Vinegar

Flasche Bottle

Gabel Fork

Glas Glass

Kalte pikante sosse Ketchup

Löffel Spoon

Messer Knife

Öl Oil

Pfeffer Pepper

Platte Plate

Sahne Cream

Salat Zubereitung Salad dressing

Salz Salt

Senf Mustard

Tasse Cup

Teller Platter

Tischzeug Napkin

Zucker Sugar

Cooking Terms

Gebacken Baked

Gebraten Fried

Gedämpft Steamed

Gefüllt Stuffed

Gekocht Boiled

Geröstet Roasted

Gut durchgebraten Well done

Heiss Hot

Kaltes Cold

Mittep Medium

Nicht durchgebraten Rare

Paniert Breaded

Pochiert Poached

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Berlin, Germany: Frommer’s® Shortcuts

Table of Contents

Berlin

Essentials

Getting There

Visitor Information

City Layout

Getting Around

Organized Tours

Exploring Berlin

Sightseeing Suggestions for First-Time Visitors

Charlottenburg

Around the Tiergarten

Berlin-Mitte

Sights in the Environs

Berlin’s Parks & Zoo

Where to Eat

On or Near the Kurfürstendamm

Near the Memorial Church & Zoo

Near the Tiergarten

In Greater Charlottenburg

In Grunewald

In Berlin-Mitte

In Kreuzberg

In Prenzlauer

Shopping

Antiques

Art Galleries

Bookshops

China & Porcelain

Commie Relics

Department Stores

Design

Fashion

Jewelry

Markets

Military Figures

Music

Perfume

Punk Memorabilia

Sculpture

Shoes

Shopping Arcades

Entertainment & Nightlife

Nightlife

Sports & Outdoor Pursuits

Where to Stay

On or Near the Kurfürstendamm

Near the Memorial Church & Zoo

In Grunewald

In Berlin-Mitte

In Charlottenburg

In Prenzlauer

A Side Trip: Potsdam & Its Palaces

Essentials

Exploring the Parks & Palaces

Where to Eat

Where to Stay

The Best of Germany

The Best Experiences

The Best Museums

The Best Castles & Palaces

The Best Cathedrals

The Most Charming Small Villages

The Best Driving Tours

The Best Walks

The Best Biking

The Best Spas

The Best Luxury Hotels

The Best Small Inns & Hotels

The Best Restaurants

The Best Beer Halls & Taverns

The Best Shopping

Germany in Depth

Germany Today

Looking Back: German History

Early Days

The Holy Roman Empire

The Reformation & the Religious Wars

Napoleon Arrives

Bismarck & Prussia

World War I

Weimar Republic

The Rise of Nazism

World War II

Division of Germany

Fall of the Wall & Unification

Modern Germany

Art & Architecture

German Art

Architecture

Germany in Pop Culture

Books

Music

Film

Eating & Drinking

Regional Specialties

Beer & Wine

When to Go

Holidays

Responsible Travel

Tours

Biking

Cruises

Escorted General-Interest Tours

Golf

Hiking & Mountain Climbing

Planning Your Trip to Germany

Getting There

By Plane

By Train

By Car & Ferry

Via the Channel Tunnel

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Tips on Accommodations

Surfing for Hotels

Saving on Your Hotel Room

Landing the Best Room

B&B Stays

Bungalow, Villa & Apartment Rentals

Castle Hotels

Farm Vacations

House Swapping

Romantik Hotels

Spa Hotels

Youth Hostels

Fast Facts

Useful Terms & Phrases

Getting There & Getting Around

Common Airport Signs

Security Lingo

Road Signs

General Terms

Basic Greetings & Expressions

Common Words

Menu Terms

Meats & Poultry (Wurst, Fleisch & Geflügel)

Fish (Fisch)

Eggs (Eier)

Vegetables (Gemüse)

Desserts (Nachtisch)

Fruits (Obst)

Beverages (Getränke)

Condiments & Table Items (Würze & Tafelgeschirr)

Cooking Terms