with a casual style of it’s own, and the cost of doing things here felt a bit less then other major European cities. The nightlife is of course legendary, and with so many recent and not so recent landmarks, there are many sites to see all around the city. The people of Berlin rides bikes everywhere, and it is a great way to get around, and even get lost in a new neighborhood. The food offers greater variety than most German cities, which may be a relief to many, myself included. Getting there is the biggest challenge with such an antiquated airport system, so a stopover may not be that easy or cheap. I enjoyed my first time in Berlin, and hopefully I will be able to expand this soon on my next trip. Fun place to go.
Now that BER Brandburg Airport is finally open, flying into Berlin is a bit more modern. though many will miss the convient location to the main city of TXL Tegel Airport
Flying Private: There are several FBO options available. If your personal assistant can not figure those out, please feel free to contact me.
near the Zoo
My first “Go To” hotel in Berlin.
Tucked at the edge of the leafy Tiergarten and close to all the hot spots, SO/ Berlin Das Stue creates a luxury lifestyle ambiance in its 78 rooms and suites, which are among the city’s largest. Inside, animal motifs give a tip of the hat to the Berlin Zoo, next door. Susanne Kaufmann’s eponymous spa is an organic oasis. At The Casual Restaurant, every meal carries the artful signature of head chef Rico Kägebein, who combines regional products of high quality with spices from the entire Mediterranean, blended to simple but expressive modern dishes.
A VIRTUOSO PREFERRED PARTNER
Berlin-Kreuzberg
My new second “Go To” hotel in Berlin.
Stay in the thriving heart of the city at Orania.Berlin, a beautifully reimagined boutique hotel housed in a legendary art nouveau building. Enter off Oranienplatz, greeted by a huge log fire and art that embraces the hotel’s rich history. Upstairs, 41 charming guest rooms await, with cozy touches and warm palettes. The stage in the restaurant and bar area hosts daily concerts – often jazz, in homage to the Oranienpalast Café, which occupied this spot during the Roaring Twenties. The chef and his team create a superb menu – favorites include the famous, four-course Peking duck experience.
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Berlin-Mitte
Rocco Forte always makes for a fantastic stay.
Located in a historic, beautifully restored 1889 bank building, Hotel de Rome offers a combination of stylish design and personalized service. With only 145 rooms and suites and an incomparable location on Bebelplatz, it is a true architectural gem in the heart of Berlin. CHIARO Restaurant celebrates Hotel de Rome’s rich heritage through Italian specialties refined with Japanese umami, curated by renowned celebrity chef, Tim Mälzer. De Rome Spa is housed in the former bank vault with a fully equipped gym, and wide range of beauty treatments by Irene Forte Skincare.
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PART OF MY ROCCO FORTE PREFERRED PARTNER PORTFOLIO
not far from the Zoo
A great mid-priced hotel. I have stayed here and would go back anytime.
PART OF MY MARRIOTT STARS PARTNER PORTFOLIO
Mehringdamm 32, 10961 Berlin
Totally delicious turkish street food, and worth the wait…. the line starts at 10am. And pretty much authentic, though I am no great expert. Untouched by butter or pork, so un-German!
Gertraudenstraße 10, 10178 Berlin
Just south of the museums and an easy walk from Alexanderplatz, clean simple grilled food, and a lovely modern setting. A good palce for a casual dinner, but nice enough for a special date as well.
Charlottenstraße 55, 10117 Berlin (Mitte)
Bavarian-style beer hall, with a dark wood-paneled ceiling & walls, serving South German cuisine. Go here for when you need a fix on that Oktoberfest style Wurst and Sauerkraut.
Behrenstraße 55, 10117 Berlin (Mitte)
Rated The Best Vegetarian Restaurant in Berlin, the hip Cookies Cream is one of the most “in” restaurants of town. International stars like George Clooney and Robby Williams have already eaten here. You will be happy here, even as a decided meat-eater you’ll be surprised how creative and tasty the vegetarian cuisine can be.
Rudi-Dutschke-Straße 26, 10969 Berlin (Mitte)
See our Report / Review of one of the finest dining experiences in Berlin, if not Germany.
Some of the basic sights:
A hot spot for selfie-taking tourists, and a few funky museums make this a fun stop on your way to Tim Raue for dinner.
A good place to start for a tourist hot spot. Close by is the Memorial to the Holocaust Victims of Europe and a stroll through Tier Garten makes for a lovely afternoon.
One of the many museums and galleries in the Museum Island area… though small and simple this was on of my favorites.
Go early, and gets crowded quite easily due to it’s small size, but worth a look. The interior is pure 1960’s and has some beautiful features. Oh, and the view is pretty good too.
… and not so basic:
Have a 1 or 2 hour tour of Berlin in a Go Cart! Can’t imagine this happening in Paris or London, and everyone was having a total hoot motoring around Berlin.
Former military airport now a park, museum & events space, with several themed guided tours. But check the times for the tours, a rather odd schedule for the English Tours. But walking along the old abandoned airfields and runways is eeire and lovely at the same time. And that this open space hasn’t been filled with buildings, shopping arcade and housing is one of the treasures that makes Berlin, Berlin.
Hardenbergstraße 4-5, 10623 Berlin
Love this store! There are several of these throughout Germany. The MUJI of Germany. Clean, modern and reasonably priced German clothing and household goods.
Münzstraße 5, 10178 Berlin
Isn’t it about time you got a great pair of frames!
The flea market on Straße des 17. Juni is a Berlin original. Founded in 1978, it is the oldest flea market in the city. It is well worth browsing here: amidst the selection of junk there are also genuine collectibles with the value of rarities. You can also find dealers of the big, old farmer cabinets, and fine porcelain from way back when. An arts and crafts market has been connected to the market since 1988, with hand-knitted items, wooden toys, ceramic articles, and much more.
Berlin Germany WikiVoyage Page
A great resource for all the basic information you need for Berlin Germany.
My Berlin Germany Information Page at Virtuoso
Here is a good place to start for some additional information on quality Hotels and Activities.
Click the image above for the Destination: Berlin photos
Bavaria General Information Page
Germany General Information Page
page updated: March 2022
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