It’s one of those crisp, grim Berlin days, the kind that makes you feel like you’ve walked into a refrigerator as soon as you leave the front door. I’ve decided to take a walk down Sonnenallee (sun alley) in the Neukolln neighbourhood, a busy strip lined with Turkish doner restaurants, Arabic groceries and Internet cafes. One of the last things you’d expect to run into at this point is an ... Read Full Article
A Fast Guide to Berlin’s Rapidly Transforming Neighborhoods
Of all Europe’s capitals, Berlin is one of the most geographically unique in that it doesn’t have much of a city ‘centre’. In its day, cutting the city down the line, the Berlin Wall created two separate hubs, depriving the reunified modern capital of an organic ‘downtown’. While a ‘centre’ has developed since the reunification years (in the form of the ‘Mitte’ district) it is arguably within the ... Read Full Article
My Favorite Foods of Europe
To travel is to taste the world. And Europe presents a particularly eclectic hotchpotch of flavours. From the strange to the sublime, I’ve sampled various dishes and foodstuffs throughout my jaunts across the continent and here (in no particular order) are some of my personal favourites: Gran Canaria Though the Atlantic archipelago presents a popular European mix of English, German and Italian ... Read Full Article
Tune in to Germany’s Business Culture
Doing business in Germany can be an unfamiliar experience for someone from an English-speaking country. And the differences can start right from a first meeting. Seniority within a company is important, so it’s good to be clear about someone’s job title and responsibilities. The distinction between the executive role of managers and the monitoring role of directors is quite clear-cut. The ... Read Full Article
10 Top Sights in Berlin
The top sights in Berlin range from world-class museums to WWII memorials. The Nazi regime brought the city to its knees, and several sights tell of the atrocities and crimes committed by the Nazis. Visiting these sights can be both painful and educational. Other top sights focus on world history and art. Berlin, for example, has amassed one of the best collections of ancient Greek and ... Read Full Article
Classic Sights in Berlin
Berlin is an exhilarating city full of art, music, café culture, and nightlife. While the German capital has a palpable creative energy today, there is also plenty of history worth exploring. Before wandering to buzzing neighborhoods like Kreuzberg or Friedrichshain, get your bearings by visiting some of Berlin’s most classic sights. Not only are these sights fascinating from a historical ... Read Full Article
Where to Stay in Berlin: Editor’s Picks
The exuberant city of Berlin provides a huge number of 'where to stay' options; and we’ve put together a list of the best hotels for every price-point. These hotel recommendations also provide information on how close the hotels are to the major sights, a description of the neighborhoods in which the hotels are located, and descriptions of the rooms and their amenities. 5-Star Hotels in ... Read Full Article
Berlin or Paris …Take Your Pick
So … you have a long weekend, or a long week, or maybe two weeks to spend in a single European city and you’ve narrowed your choice to Berlin or Paris. For me, the choice is far from easy. Being a lover of large, international, bustling cities that ooze history, the cultural arts, and untold numbers of captivating attractions, I vacillate between these two dynamic European capitals. And ... Read Full Article
Top 10 Reasons Why Berlin is the Greatest City on the Continent
In 2010, Berlin-Without-A-Wall celebrated its 21st birthday. It officially became a grown-up, able to party and vote and go to war. But hear this: the war is over, the city has voted in a gay mayor, and don’t tell anyone, but Berlin started partying a long time ago! Here are the Top 10 Reasons Why Berlin is the Greatest City on the Continent. 1. Recent, and Relevant, History Your grandparents ... Read Full Article
Schokofabrik, A Guesthouse in the Heart of Berlin’s Kreuzberg District
Many visiting Berlin opt to stay in the city center, amidst the more famous tourist sites, perhaps within walking distance of the Brandenburg Gate or near the chaos surrounding Checkpoint Charlie. A unique approach to Germany’s capital city is to stay in a residential neighborhood, such as Kreuzberg, a historically Turkish district and now an increasingly trendy area. Schokofabrik, a guesthouse ... Read Full Article