Holidays in Berlin

There’s enough to fill weeks, let alone a weekend, in Berlin, but this easily-navigable city is perfect for a short city break if you know what you want to see. Checkpoint Charlie and the remaining Berlin Wall at East Side Gallery are must-sees on first visits, as is the glass-domed Reichstag building. Stay at Hilton Berlin to be within reach of all the best sights.

Have you been inspired by Berlin-set films like Good Bye, Lenin! and The Lives of Others? Enjoy a cultured holiday in Berlin. On the hunt for the next big thing? Nurture your love of contemporary art at Urban Spree. Music lovers: See the famous Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in action, or bag a coveted spot at a free Tuesday lunchtime concert at the Philharmonie. Stay at the Gold Inn Angleterre, near Checkpoint Charlie.

Berlin’s luxurious side makes a pleasant contrast to its gritty nightlife. Start your luxury Berlin holiday right by travelling in British Airways Club Europe, our business class cabin – and once you’ve landed, install yourself in Hotel Adlon Kempinski which has beautiful views over the Brandenburg Gate and its own Michelin-starred restaurant. Need to dress for dinner? Stop at KaDeWe, Berlin’s answer to Harrods.

From techno to trance, clubbing in Berlin is quite an experience – and nights out can last well into the next day. Start your night at one of the bohemian bars that populate the districts of Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain before going on to your club of choice. Tresor, in Mitte, is a well-respected techno venue, whilst Berghain is one of the city’s best-known clubs. Remember ID and respect the door staff – who can be notoriously selective about who they deem worthy of entry.

A pleasant stroll along the Unter den Linden boulevard in Berlin’s central Mitte district takes you to the scenic Spree river or the world-famous Brandenburg Gate. Climb to the top of the 368m TV Tower in buzzing Alexanderplatz for stunning panoramic vistas. Soak up the lively atmosphere in Hackescher Markt, with its array of trendy boutiques, bars and cafés. The luxurious Hotel Adlon Kempinski enjoys a superb Mitte location, with views of the Brandenburg Gate.

Spend an evening at the opera or visit the imposing Second World War-era Olympic Stadium in the affluent west district and Charlottenburg. For designer label shopping, make your way to the bustling boulevard of Kurfürstendamm. Visit Berlin’s landmark Kaiser Wilhem Memorial Church at Christmas time to shop for festive goodies at its excellent market. Head to Savignyplatz for a host of lively bars, cafés and restaurants. The stylish H10 Berlin Ku’damm hotel is a perfect base for exploring this thriving area.

The red-bricked Oberbaum Bridge links Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, two districts once separated respectively into West and East Berlin. Happily reunited into one borough, it’s countercultural and exciting; and Friedrichshain has the city’s highest concentration of clubs. Be sure to stop by East Side Gallery, the Jewish museum, or Volkspark, a green oasis of parkland in an area dominated by Soviet-style blocks. Hotel Indigo Berlin East Side Gallery comes with a rooftop terrace – for enjoying a German Weissbier.

Even in the communist era, the area north of Mitte was a magnet for bohemian artists and hip young things. Since then, Prenzlauer Berg has undergone a dramatic transformation but retains its trendy edge. Watch the world go by from a laidback café, or cool off in summer with a refreshing lager at PraterGarten, Berlin’s oldest beer garden. Vienna House Andel’s Berlin fits the Prenzlaueur aesthetic well – it’s a little bit retro, a little bit modern – plus it has a lot of spa facilities.

The idyllic parklands of Tiergarten border the totally modern Potsdamer Platz. Potsdamer Platz has been subject to modern development on a grand scale: like the towering Sony Centre – whose ‘cyberpunk’ architecture conceals Sony HQ. There are a good selection of hotels in the area, including Berlin Marriott and the deluxe Ritz-Carlton Berlin.