LUNCH
BARCOMI'S
Sophienstraße 21, barcomis.de
In the gorgeous Sophie-Gips-Höfe, a village-like street in Berlin's Mittel district, this deli/coffee shop is a fabulous little find. Its roots are actually American, and its cosmopolitan menu reflects those international origins. Amazing coffee, great cakes and a bustling atmosphere. Also a great place for celeb-spotting. There's another branch at Bergmannstraße 21.
SHOPPING
STEFAN REINBERGER
Showroom (by appointment only), Am Friedrichshain 10, reinberger-couture.com
Berlin is fast becoming a fashion capital to rival Paris, London and Milan, and this is the perfect place to find some of the city's most exciting couture. Reinberger's designs focus on the essentials: excellent, sometimes sober, sometimes elaborate cuts and a natural elegance for everyday wear. It's a new defined luxury and seriously beautiful.
KARL-AUGUST-PLATZ MARKET
Nr Trinitatis Church, Karl-August-Platz, Charlottenburg
One of Berlin's many farmers' markets, this is a great place to find some of the freshest, most mouth-watering food the city can offer. If you're not hungry when you arrive, you soon will be. It's a real locals' spot, so there's plenty of atmosphere to soak up too. Every Wednesday from 8am-1pm; every Saturday from 8am-2pm.
DAS SÜßE LEBEN
Salzburger Straße 7, das-suesse-leben.de
This tiny shop, translated as 'The Sweet Life', is found in the Bayerisches Viertel, the area in which Albert Einstein once lived. If you're a chocoholic (and, let's face it, who can resist?), you'll find it hard to tear yourself away from this gem of a sweet shop.
BARS
KUMPELNEST 3000
Lützowstraße 23, kumpelnest3000.com
This ramshackle, incredibly atmospheric bar actually started life as a brothel. It's the kind of place where pretty much anything can happen, so leave your inhibitions back at your hotel. The entire bar was once dismantled and transported to New York City's MOMA for an exhibition — thankfully it's now back! Berlin in a nutshell — the opposite of cool and an orgy of bad taste. Anything, but anything, goes.
FELSENKELLER
Akazienstraße 2, Schöneberg
This bar looks as if it has been a Berlin staple forever, and you can feel the history in its walls. A favourite with actors and Berlin's alternative scene from before the war, it's a great place to eat as well as drink.
DAYS OUT
BOAT TRIPS
berlin.de/boot/welcome.html
Berlin actually has more bridges than Venice, and one of the best ways to see the city from a different angle is to take a boat trip along the city's many waterways. It's also a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the street
SCHLACHTENSEE
Berlin is actually an incredibly green city — you're never far away from somewhere to take a stroll. But if you're really looking to get close to nature, then head out to Schlachtensee. It's a lake to the southwest of Berlin, and is a stunning place — perfect for jogging and a world away from big city life.
POTSDAM
Just half an hour away from Berlin's centre by train, Potsdam is the capital of the Brandenburg region. Largely spared from damage in the war and overlooked by the GDR, it is full of history. If you want to see the old Germany, not to mention a few castles, this is a great place to come.
WHERE TO STAY
BOGOTA
Schlüterstraße 45, bogota.de
This hotel has a fascinating past: originally its attractively decorated rooms were part of older Berlin apartment houses and you can tell this from the high ceilings. The central location makes it brilliantly convenient for all Berlin has to offer. What's more, Rupert Everett says this is his favourite hotel in the world, and Keira Knightley has been a recent guest.
Gayle Tufts is presenter of The Real Berlin on BBC World News. Visit bbc.com/thereal Sponsored by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.
Travelling to Berlin? Plan your Perfect Day at facebook.com/britishairways.
