Berlin. The Wall 25 years later Anniversary celebrations. West Berlin New life in the old west

Maps Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Shopping Events Hotels Berlin October - November 2014 The Wall 25 years later Anniversary celebrations ...
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Maps Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Shopping Events Hotels

Berlin October - November 2014

The Wall 25 years later Anniversary celebrations

West Berlin New life in the old west

inyourpocket.com N°71 - €1.75

Contents

Transport

5

Getting around by S&U

Sports in Berlin

6

All about Berlin’s top teams

Basics

8

Essential travel tips

Mauerfall

9

25 Years after the Wall

Culture & Events

10

Roll up for theatre, shows and cinema

Berlin Mitte

Gendamenmarkt

AM

20

The delights of the city centre

Berlin Prenzlauer Berg

Berlin Charlottenburg & The West

The gentrified north

32

Genteel western Berlin

Berlin Friedrichshain

42

46

Worker’s paradise, student’s playground

SYMBOL KEY T Child friendly

U Facilities for the disabled

V Home delivery

E Live music

N No credit cards

M Nearest S/U-Bahn station

B Outside seating

G Non-smoking room

S Take away

R Internet

Additional symbols for hotels P Air conditioning

A Credit cards accepted

L Guarded parking

H Conference facilities

F Fitness centre

K Restaurant

D Sauna

C Swimming pool

Dinner price guide The number of euro symbols in our restaurant, café and nightlife reviews indicates the approximate price level based on a main course with a glass of wine.

Wartburgstraße 54, Berlin - Schöneberg Open daily from 18:00 Tel. 784 20 59 www.renger-patzsch.com

48

City Tours

56

Guided walks, bike rides and drives

Potsdam

58

Royal palaces and grand gardens

Directory

W Wi-Fi

Local cuisine

Berlin Kreuzberg Immigrants, anarchists and hipsters

€€€€ Expensive; more than €30 per person. €€€ Not cheap; €20-30 per person. €€ Middling; from €10-20 per person. € Cheap; less than €10 per person. facebook.com/BerlinInYourPocket

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Maps & Index Street register City map Public transport map Index

60 61-63 64-65 66

BERLIN BOXES Scattered throughout the guide you’ll find boxes with more information about these topics: Berlin in books Cold War Berlin Erasmus Student Network West Berlin Revival

55 39 8 41

October - November 2014

3

Foreword

Transport

All of us at Berlin In Your Pocket clearly remember the night the Wall fell 25 years ago, even though we were in different cities and countries at the time; for all of us it was clear a momentous change was taking place that would change our horizon. It’s easy to lose track of what Berlin has gone through since then; two isolated, rather provincial towns have haphazardly merged into a thriving metropolis that despite a lack of obvious beauty has become a magnet for visitors from near and far. In November, major anniversary celebrations are planned; see p.9 for the programme and further details. Plenty of sights related to the Wall can be visited at other times too; see p.39 for a selection. And if history isn’t your thing, there are dozens of other concerts, parties, exhibitions and events planned; see our events selection from p.10 for suggestions. Even though all the attention is focused on the old East, try to look the other way too; West Berlin has recently undergone a lot of investment, with several hotels, malls and attractions newly opened this year. See p.41 for our overview. Whatever you do this autumn, let us know your tips and comments at [email protected]. Enjoy Berlin.

Publisher In Your Pocket GmbH Axel-Springer-Straße 39 10969 Berlin Tel: +49 30 27 90 79 81 Fax: +49 30 24 04 73 50 [email protected] www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1611-9037 Printed by Druckteam GbR Berlin. Circulation 20,000 copies bimonthly The public transport map is used under license no. BVG-0079.11. Editorial Editors Jeroen van Marle, Philippe Krüger, Christina Knight Research Cecilia Engvall, Layout Tomáš Haman, Photos Jeroen van Marle (JvM), Emilie Guilland (EG) Maps Kartographie Eichner, Cover © Axel Lauer | Dreamstime.com Sales & Circulation General Manager Stephan Krämer Production Manager Philippe Krüger Accounting Martin Wollenhaupt Advertising Managers Philippe Krüger, CoCoMedia ([email protected]) Copyright notice & Editor’s note Text and photos (unless otherwise stated) copyright pocket publishing GmbH. Maps copyright cartographer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Bernardinu 9-4, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76). The editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information and assume no responsibility for changes and errors.

COVER STORY Original parts of the Berlin Wall on Bernauer Strasse merge with art. This street forms a 1,5-kilometre open air exhibition about the Berlin Wall, which famously came down 25 years ago. See p.9 for more about the anniversary festivities.

Although Berlin is lodged in the middle of the great empty vastness of northeast Germany, it’s very well connected to the rest of civilisation by bus, train, Autobahn and air. Once in Berlin, you’ll wish that your home town had such good public transport.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT Berlin’s integrated network of U-Bahn (Untergrundbahn, underground trains), bus, and Straßenbahn (trams) run by BVG and S-Bahn and RE (Schnellbahn and regional commuter trains run by DB) usually works like a dream. Just remember the number or colour and end station of the line you want to use, and you’ll be navigating the labyrinth-like stations like a local. Most S/U-Bahn trains, buses and trams run every 5-15 minutes during the day. M buses and trams run every half hour at night; U-Bahn trains run every 15 minutes on weekend nights, with N buses following their routes every half hour (starting from Hackescher Markt) on weekday nights. Tickets can be used on all BVG, S-Bahn and local RE train services. Vending machines have instructions in English and accept coins, often bank notes and cards too. Berlin’s AB travel zone contains nearly everything; you’ll only need an ABC-ticket for Potsdam and Schoenefeld airport. With an Einzelfahrschein ticket (AB-zone €2,60, ABC €3,20) you can travel one-way for up to two hours with unlimited transfers; it’s cheaper to buy four tickets at once (VierFahrten-Karte, €8,80). Buy a €1,50 Kurzstrecke (short

distance) ticket if you want to travel up to three S/U-Bahn stops, or up to six stops by bus or tram. If you anticipate a lot of travelling, get the Tageskarte (day ticket, valid until 03:00 the next morning; €6,70) or the seven-day pass (€28,80). Groups of up to five people are best off with a Kleingruppenkarte (group day ticket, €16,20). The multi-day Berlin Welcomecard (€18,50-38,50) is valid for transport and some attractions. Before boarding the S- or U-Bahn, always validate your ticket by punching it in the yellow or red machines near the end of the platforms. On buses and trams, the machines are on board. Public transport uses the honour system, and there are regular checks by uniformed and plainclothes inspectors. If you are caught without a valid ticket you’ll be fined €40 on the spot. BVG The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe run the U-Bahn, buses and trams. Their handy trip planner can be found at www. fahrinfo-berlin.de.Qtel. +49 30 194 49, [email protected], www.bvg.de.

TAXIS CITY FUNKQtel. +49 30 21 02 02, www.cityfunk.de. FUNK TAXI BERLINQtel. +49 30 26 10 26, www.taxifunkberlin.de. TAXI FUNKQtel. +49 30 44 33 22, www.taxi443322.de.

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ABOUT IYP ESTONIA RUSSIA

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POLAND UKRAINE

GERMANY CZECH REPUBLIC AUSTRIA

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ROMANIA

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FYR MACEDONIA ALBANIA GREECE

DUTCH CARIBBEAN SOUTH AFRICA

4

Berlin In Your Pocket

We have come a long way in the 22 years since we published the first In Your Pocket guide - to Vilnius in Lithuania - so much so that we are today the largest publisher of locallyproduced city guides in the world. The publication earlier this year of guides to Johannesburg and to the islands of the Dutch Caribbean - our first guides in the Southern Hemisphere - has taken the number of guides published each year by In Your Pocket to well over five million, spread across more than 100 cities on three continents. And there is more to come: make sure you keep up with all that’s new at In Your Pocket by liking us on Facebook (facebook.com/ inyourpocket) or following us on Twitter (twitter.com/inyourpocket). berlin.inyourpocket.com

free ride around the clock 200 discounts city map + guide from

18,50 €

Available at the Berlin Tourist Infos, BVG + S-Bahn, in many hotels and online. berlin-welcomecard.de

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October - November 2014

5

Sports in Berlin

Sports in Berlin

Alba playing at the O2 World Stadium

Berlin is without a doubt the German capital of sports - the city has no less than six professional sports teams, playing five exciting spectator sports: Hertha BSC and FC Union play football, the Eisbären is an ace ice hockey team, Alba is Berlin’s renowned basketball club, the Füchse play handball, and volleyball is taken care of by the BR Volleys. Their home matches attract huge numbers of visitors to Berlin’s stadiums; last season alone 2,4 million tickets were sold for their events. In addition to this, Berlin’s streets regularly host huge sports events such as the public viewing festivals during major sports events abroad, and the city also hosts countless amateur sports matches.

ALBA BERLIN (BASKETBALL) Also known as the Albatrosse, Berlin’s basketball club is Germany’s most successful, and has the largest fanbase; home matches easily attract 10,000 spectators. The current team’s average height is an impressive 1,98m. Since going pro in 1991, Alba has won the German League 8 times and the German Cup 7 times (including 2013), and was also the first German team to win an international title with the 1995 Korac Cup. Alba slam-dunk their way to victory at their home O2 World stadium on the following dates: 2 Oct, 18:30: BG Göttingen 8 Oct, 20:00: San Antonio Spurs 12 Oct, 17:00: Ratiopharm Ulm 17 Oct, 20:15: ZSKA Moskau 30 Oct, 20:00: Maccabi Tel Aviv 7 Nov, 20:00: Limoges CSP 9 Nov, 17:00: FC Bayern München 23 Nov, 17:00: Basketball Löwen Braunschweig 27 Nov, 20:15: Unicaja Malaga QI-4, Mildred-Harnack-Straße (O2 World), Friedrichshain, MS/U Warschauer Straße, tel. +49 1805 57 00 11, www.albaberlin.de. Tickets €8-65. 6

Berlin In Your Pocket

Despite being rivals, Berlin’s six professional sports collaborate to improve the circumstances for professional sports in Berlin, promoting Berlin’s image as an international sports event destination. The home matches of Berlin’s pro teams are easy to visit: you don’t need to understand German to be able to follow a match and unlike in other European countries, sports matches in Germany are quite peaceful events, meaning it’s no problem to bring the whole family to the stadium for an afternoon or evening of fun. Finding out about which matches are playing where can be problematic for visitors however as the club websites are not all available in English, and some make it difficult to find the upcoming playing dates. In the club details here we have listed all home matches for the following months, though always keep an eye on the club websites for changes or additional matches. Berlin’s official English-language sports website www.berlin-sportmetropole.de has information about all the teams, venues and tickets; ticket booking site www. eventimsports.de sells tickets for all matches. The Alba Berlin basketball team, also known as the Albatrosses, is based in Berlin-Friedrichshain’s impressive O2-World stadium. The team was founded in 1989 but is already eight-time winner of the German championship, last in March 2013, and coming second in 2014. Under coach Sasa Obradovic, a refreshed team with young new talent including Jamel McLean, Jonathan Tabu and Niels Giffey kicks off the 2014-15 season in early October. Enjoy cheering for Berlin!

BR VOLLEYS (VOLLEYBALL)

Berlin’s professional volleyball team originates in the western district of Charlottenburg, but plays home matches at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Prenzlauer Berg. The BR Volleys have been particularly successful since the late 1990s, winning the German Bundesliga title five times, including in 2013 and 2014 under trainer Mark Lebedew. Their upcoming home games are: 29 Oct, 19:30: TV Ingersoll Bühl 6 Nov, 19:30: ACH Volley Ljubljana 8 Nov, 18:00: CV Mitteldeutschland 15 Nov, 18:00: TSV Herrsching 22 Nov, 18:00: Netzhoppers KW-Bestensee 29 Nov, 18:00: SVG Lüneburg

EISBÄREN BERLIN (ICE HOCKEY) Originating in 1953 in East Germany’s Dynamo sports club, the ‘polar bears’ is Berlin’s popular professional ice hockey team. They have won the national Deutsche Eishockey Liga 7 times, more than any other team, most recently in 2013 under Canadian coach Jeff Tomlinson. They also bagged the European Trophy in 2010; unfortunately they were not as lucky in the 2013/2014 season. But their home matches at the O2 Stadium are true family fests, with plenty of young fans packing the seats, and a festive, good-humoured atmosphere. Their upcoming home matches are: 5 Oct, 14:30: Düsseldorfer EG 10 Oct, 19:30: ERC Ingolstadt 19 Oct, 16:30: Schwenninger Wild Wings 26 Oct, 14:30: Iserlohn Roosters 2 Nov, 17:45: EHC Red Bull München 16 Nov, 14:30: Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg 21 Nov, 19:30: Augsburger Panther 28 Nov, 19:30: Krefeld Pinguine QI-4, Mildred-Harnack-Straße (O2 World), Friedrichshain, MS/U Warschauer Straße, tel. +49 30 97 18 40 40, www.eisbaeren.de. Tickets €18-46.

FC UNION BERLIN (FOOTBALL) FC Union is the working man’s football team for Berlin, originating in East Berlin in 1966 and a feared counterpart for the GDR’s state-influenced Dynamo club. Union is still fiercely independent, based in their charming An der Alten Försterei stadium. The club has resisted all commercialism, with a club anthem sung by punkrock legend Nina Hagen, and a stadium uniquely partly owned by passionate fans. Nicknamed Eisern Union (iron union), it had a tough time in the 1990s, but has had more success in the national competitions since the early 2000s. Upcoming home games: 18 Oct, 13:00: SV Sandhausen 31 Oct, 18:30: SpVgg Greuther Fürth 22 Nov, 13:00: TSV 1860 München QAn der Wuhlheide 263 (Stadion An der Alten Försterei), Köpenick, MS Köpenick, tel. +49 30 656 68 80, www.fc-union-berlin.de. Tickets €14-43.

QAm Falkplatz (Max-Schmeling-Halle), Prenzlauer Berg, tel. +49 1806 99 11 12, www.berlin-recyclingvolleys.de. Tickets €13-16. berlin.inyourpocket.com

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FÜCHSE BERLIN (HANDBALL) “The foxes’, Berlin’s handball team, is part of an old West Berlin sports club, and now plays home matches in Prenzlauer Berg’s famous Max-Schmeling-Halle, named after the German boxing legend who was world champion heavyweight between 1930-32. The Füchse compete in Germany’s Handball Liga and the European Champions League, and won the German cup at the end of the very succesful 2013-2014 season. Upcoming home games: 11 Oct, 16:15: THW Kiel 14 Oct, 19:00: HC Erlangen 26 Oct, 17:15: MT Melsungen 9 Nov, 17:15: TSG Friesenheim QG-1, Am Falkplatz (Max-Schmeling-Halle), Prenzlauer Berg, MS/U Schönhauser Allee, tel. +49 30 44 30 44 30, www.fuechse-berlin.de. Tickets €1250.

HERTHA BSC (FOOTBALL)

Berlin’s main football team plays home matches at the impressive Olympiastadion, Germany’s second largest stadium which was built for the 1936 Olympic Games and renovated for the 2006 World Cup. Hertha competes in the national Bundesliga and internationally in the UEFA Cup and Uefa Championships League. Hertha dates back to 1892 and is know as the ‘Alte Dame’, the old dame, witnessing its glory years between 1926 and 1931 when it reached the German Championship finals 6 times, winning it twice. Nowadays Hertha’s fortunes are mixed, but the fan base remains loyal. Upcoming home matches: 3 Oct, 20:30: VfB Stuttgart 25 Oct, 15:30: Hamburger SV 7 Nov, 20:30: Hannover 96 29 Nov, 15:30: FC Bayern München QOlympischer Platz 3 (Olympiastadion), Charlottenburg, MS5 Olympiastadion, tel. +49 1805 18 92 00, www.herthabsc.de. Tickets €15-89. October - November 2014

7

Basics

25 Years after the Wall BASIC DATA Population: Germany: 81,751,602; Berlin: 3,460,725 Longest river in Germany: Rhine, 1319km. The Spree is 403km. Highest point of Germany: Zugspitze, 2962m Highest point of Berlin: Teufelsberg, 114m Highest natural point of Berlin: Victoriapark Kreuzberg, 66m Berlin’s territory: 900 square kilometers

CRIME & SAFETY Berlin is a relatively calm and safe place. Instances of petty crimes are low compared to other Western European capitals, though you shoulds still always keep an eye on your valuables and never leave bags, wallets and mobile phones unattended. Just like anywhere else, be careful when walking in unlit streets late at night. Race-related hassles seldom occur in Berlin’s touristed central areas.

ELECTRICITY Electrical current in Germany is 220v AC, 50 Hz via standard European round, two-pin sockets. Converters can be bought at the airport and large electronics shops, and many hotels will have them at the front desk too.

ERASMUS STUDENT NETWORK How do international students get to meet locals and the city during an academic exchange? The best way to do it is via the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), one of the biggest interdisciplinary student associations in Europe. It was developed to help internationals during their stay abroad. ESN is present in more than 430 Higher Education Institutions in 36 countries. The closest section to Berlin is the section in Potsdam, where more than 20 volunteers care for you. For information, see potsdam.esngermany.org or www.facebook.com/esn.lei.potsdam. 8

Berlin In Your Pocket

MONEY Germany uses the euro (€). Banknotes come in denominations of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500. Coins, whose design depends on in which country they were minted, come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and €1 and €2. Credit and debit card payment is possible in a wide range of shops, restaurants and nightlife venues, though always have cash on you for small payments just in case. This guide indicates which places do not accept plastic. ATMs can be found everywhere; those that charge for transactions clearly indicate the fee during the process. Exchange offices can be found at the major train stations.

VISAS AND ENTRY FORMALITIES EU citizens can stay in Germany as long as they like, though registration at a Bürgeramt office is officially required for stays more than a few months. Citizens of Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Mexico USA and a few others can enter Germany without a visa for a maximum of 90 days in any six month period. All other nationals need to apply for a German visa in advance. Note that there’s no passport control between Germany and the other 14 European ‘Schengen’ countries, and visas to any of these are valid for travel in Germany too. All visitors need a passport that is valid for at least fourth months from the date of arrival; EU citizens can enter with a valid EU identity card too. Check the MFA website for the latest immigration details: www.auswaertiges-amt.de.

CLIMATE

© Kulturprojekte Berlin WHITEvoid / Christopher Bauder, Photo Daniel Büche

As the dictatorships in Eastern Europe crumbled one by one between 1989 and 1991, one event stood out as the symbol for this dramatic turn of fate for Europe and the world: the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989. East Germany wasn't the first country to push its ageing communists aside, nor was it the last. But the pace of change here was so fast, and the opening of the deadly border that split the city for 28 years was so unexpected, that it surprised the most knowledgeable of experts. The actual event leading to crowds of East Germans streaming across the border was a moment of unintended comedy; Communist Party spokesman Günter Schabowski slipped up during a press conference on the evening of 9 November in which he announced the suspension of travel restrictions, saying this would take effect immediately. Border guards along the Wall were surprised by the growing crowds and eventually locked away their weapons and opened the border gates to avoid escalation – essentially signalling the end of the East German state.

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Several places in Berlin can be visited to learn more about the Berlin Wall and see some of the remains; most important is the official memorial on Bernauer Strasse, where a newly renovated information centre overlooks an original part of the death strip. See the Mitte chapter for other Wall-related sights and museums.

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Germans like their beer, drinking about 107 litres per capita per year (down from 136 litres 15 years ago). Unfortunately Berlin’s local brew, the slightly sour Berliner Weiße, is only really palatable ‘mit Schuss’, with a shot of sweet fruit sirup. Cocktails and long drinks of varying quality and price are available in a multitude of places. Non-alcoholic drinks often sipped in Berlin include Apfelschorle, a refreshing mix of apple juice and sparkling water, and Club-Mate (‘kloob mah-tea’) ice tea, made with extract of the South American maté plant, caffeine and tannins, and is popular with local hipsters as it comes in a screw top bottle so you can hiply tote it around (or drink to just below the top label and top it up with wodka).

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It's easy to forget how much progress was made since those joyful days in November 1989; West-Berlin was an oversubsidised and unsustainable half-city, while in East Berlin facebook.com/BerlinInYourPocket

both the society and the city centres were crumbling away. It took decades for the two Berlins to grow together again, and only now that the traces of the Wall become ever more faint, and as West Berlin enjoys increased attention, that we can start to say the city is truly reunited. For those who remember 1989, it's odd to imagine that in the meantime a new generation of Berliners who were born after this event has grown up. And in just 3 years, the Wall will have been gone just as long as it once divided this city. Berliners have no doubt that the Wall won't be forgotten soon.

ANNIVERSARY EVENTS 79 NOVEMBER Various events take place in Berlin in the anniversary weekend of 7-9 November. A 15-kilometre ‘Border of Light’, consisting of 8000 lit-up balloons, follows the route of the Wall through central Berlin between Bornholmer Strasse and the Oberbaumbrücke bridge. Each balloon has a patron, whose personal stories can be read at www.fallofthewall25.com. On Sunday 9 November there’s a service at the Bernauer Strasse memorial, followed by the opening of the renovated documentation centre. In the afternoon, Mikhail Gorbachev, Miklós Németh, Lech Wałęsa and other key personalities kick off celebrations at Gendarmenmarkt, after which Daniel Barenboim directs an open-air concert at the Brandenburg Gate. Around 19:00 the 8,000 balloons along the Wall are released. Read more about this and all other events related to the Wall anniversary at wall.visitBerlin.com. October - November 2014

9

Culture & Events

Culture & Events Berlin is blessed with a large number of quality theatres and halls, top-quality artists and relatively cheap tickets - and an annual cultural budget of over €900 million to fund it all. Sports lovers can choose from a wide variety of matches played year-round.

STAATSOPER IM SCHILLERTHEATER The venue for Daniel Barenboim’s award-winning Staatskapelle orchestra. Temporarily housed in the Schillertheater until renovations of their grand theatre on Unter den Linden are completed.QC-3, Bismarckstraße 110, Charlottenburg, MU Ernst-Reuter-Platz, tel. +49 30 20 35 45 55, www.staatsoper-berlin.org. Tickets €14-220.

OPERA & CLASSICAL MUSIC

ADMIRALSPALAST This former army bathhouse was famous for its cabaret, operetta house, spa and brothel in Berlin’s roaring 20s. Hitler cleaned up their acts in the 1930s, installing a private box so that he could watch his favourite operetta ‘The Merry Widow’, and Brecht tried out his new theatre here from the 1950s. With several theatres, it now puts on plays, concerts and musicals.QF-3, Friedrichstraße 101, Mitte, MS/U Friedrichstraße, tel. +49 30 47 99 74 99, www.admiralspalast.de. Shows Tue-Sun 20:00. Tickets €21-79.

DEUTSCHE OPER BERLIN West Berlin’s 1960s opera building with its excellent acoustics hosts superb musical and theatrical performances. Donald Runnicles is the principal conductor.QB-3, Bismarckstraße 35, Charlottenburg, MU Deutsche Oper, tel. +49 30 34 38 43 43, www.deutscheoperberlin. de. Tickets from €16.

Classical Masterpieces Italy as Prussia‘s guest

Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday Dinner: 18:00 Concert: 20:30

tel. 030-258 10 35-0 www.concerts-berlin.com

KOMISCHE OPER Starting off as the Theater Unter den Linden in 1892, the building’s monumental neo-baroque main hall survived wartime bombing, and reopened in 1947. It shows classic music, ballet and opera pieces. Translations in English are shown on a screen on the seat in front of you.QF-3, Behrenstraße 55, Mitte, MU Französische Straße, tel. +49 30 20 26 00, www.komische-oper-berlin.de. Tickets €9150.

WINTERGARTEN: MADNESS

Enjoy classical concerts and a festive dinner in royal surroundings. Baroque-era culinary delicacies and musical masterpieces are combined in the magical surroundings of the extravagant former summer residence of the Hohenzollern dynasty. The orchestra plays masterpieces of the 17th and 18th centuries, by Bach, Händel, Mozart, Vivaldi and others. Concerts are held every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday in October at 20:30 (except 17 Oct), and November (except 8, 28 Nov). The first Christmas Advent concert takes place on 30 Nov at 16:00. BERLINER RESIDENZ KONZERTE QSpandauer Damm 22-24, Charlottenburg, tel. +49 30 25 81 03 50, www.concerts-berlin.com. berlin.inyourpocket.com

schaubühne Theatre with English surtitles +++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We offer several shows with English surtitles every month. All upcoming shows with surtitles are announced at www.schaubuehne.de/surtitles Tickets: 030.890023 | www.schaubuehne.de

BERLINER RESIDENZ KONZERTE The Berliner Residenz Orchestra plays famous Baroque-era works by candlelight, with musicians in period costumes - a unique opportunity to get a good idea of what it was like to attend a party in the 18th century. Guests can combine the concert with a tour of Charlottenburg castle or a trip on the river Spree, and dinner amidst hundreds of candles.QB-3, Spandauer Damm 22-24, Charlottenburg, MS Westend, tel. +49 30 526 81 96 96, www.concerts-berlin.com. Dinner 18:00, concert 20:30. Tickets €29-79.

KONZERTHAUS BERLIN Together with the Deutscher and Französischer Dom churches, the Konzerthaus forms Berlin’s most spectacular architectural ensemble. Built by Friedrich Schinkel in 1821, it was badly damaged in the war and only reopened as a concert hall in 1984. The Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester plays at the venue.QF-3, Gendarmenmarkt 2, Mitte, MU Stadtmitte, tel. +49 30 203 09 21 01, www.konzerthaus. de. Tickets €10-99.

BERLINER RESIDENZ CONCERTS

10 Berlin In Your Pocket

SHOWS

Thomas Otto © Photo: Peter Noreick

From 15 October until 18 February, the Magical Mystery Show is all about illusion. The red velvet curtain raises to reveal Grand Masters of magic, who make the impossible seem possible, creating magical and mysterious moments where nothing is as it seems. Lead by magician Thomas Otto, the magicians from around the world turn the Wintergarten theatre into a dreamlike place of illusion. Join them on a journey into the world of the unexplained. WINTERGARTEN VARIÉTÉQPotsdamer Straße 96, Tiergarten, MU Kurfürstenstraße, tel. +49 30 58 84 33, www.wintergarten-berlin.de. Shows Wed-Sat 20:00, Sun 18:00. facebook.com/BerlinInYourPocket

BLUE MAN GROUP The (quite literally) Blue Man Group has been wowing audiences for years in their Bluemax Theatre. The visually and musically powerful show is suitable for foreigners as it has little spoken German, and now has been thoroughly revamped, with many new sketches and elements.QE4, Marlene Dietrich Platz 4, Mitte, MS/U Potsdamer Platz, tel. +49 1805 44 44, www.bluemangroup.de. Shows Tue, Fri 21:00; Wed, Thu, Sat 18:00, 21:00; Sun 18:00. Tickets from €69. FRIEDRICHSTADT-PALAST No one does over-the-top better than the producers and long-legged dancers and acrobats of Friedrichstadtpalast. This venue normally puts on the glitziest, biggest revues in town.QF-3, Friedrichstraße 107, Mitte, MU Oranienburger Tor, tel. +49 30 23 26 23 26, www.showpalace.eu. Tickets €18-106. October - November 2014

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Culture & Events FIRST WORLD WAR

Surgical instruments from a military hospital, Germany 1914 © Stiftung Deutsches Historisches Museum, Photo: Sebastian Ahlers

19141918: THE FIRST WORLD WAR Until 30 November. Characterised as the “seminal catastrophe” of the 20th century, nine million soldiers and almost six million civilians died in the First World War, the first industrialised, total war in history. It changed not only subsequent armed conflicts, but also influenced political thought and action for many years to come. The German Historical Museum’s special exhibition offers a multifaceted overview of the war as well as its prerequisites and consequences, and approaches this previously unknown escalation of violence from a broad perspective. It takes 14 salient places as points of departure, battlefields such as Verdun, Tannenberg or Gallipoli, but also political-cultural centres like Petrograd and Berlin as well as occupied cities and regions, including Brussels and Galicia. All of the places point to overriding developments: the modernisation of war technology with its disastrous consequences for the people, the worldwide wartime economy, the global escalation of the fighting as well as the totalisation of the war, which not only affected the soldiers on the fronts, but also mobilised the entire population. DEUTSCHES HISTORISCHES MUSEUMQUnter den Linden 2, Mitte, MHackescher Markt, tel. +49 30 20 30 40, www.dhm.de. Open daily 10:00 - 18:00.

ASK THE CONCIERGE Berlin’s top hotels all have concierges that are there to make the guest’s lives easier. They can inform you about current events, book tickets, make restaurant reservations and hand out copies of Berlin In Your Pocket, transport maps, and brochures. Concierges can be recognised by the crossed golden keys on the lapels of their jackets. 12 Berlin In Your Pocket

Culture & Events HINTERM HORIZONT The musical based on the songs of German rock legend Udo Lindenberg is a hit with the locals, and using the free portable translator device (book in advance), international visitors can follow the spoken scenes too. ‘Behind the horizon’ is an East-West love story set in Berlin: a West German rock singer falls for an East Berlin beauty, who spies on him for the Stasi in order to save her brother. Years later, in a reunited Germany, they piece together their history.QE-4, Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 1 (Stage Theater am Potsdamer Platz), MPotsdamer Platz, tel. +49 1805 44 44, www.stage-entertainment. de. Shows 19:00, Fri 20:00, Sat 15:30, 20:00, Sun 14:30. Mon closed. Tickets €38-97. TIPI AM KANZLERAMT Continuing a tradition that started a century ago in Berlin, the Tipi team wine, dine and entertain guests for an evening in their elegant year-round tent in Tiergarten park. Before the show starts, gourmet food is served. Then it’s over to the artists featured that night to entertain the audience.QE-3, Große Querallee, Tiergarten, MU Bundestag, tel. +49 30 39 06 65 50, www.tipi-am-kanzleramt.de. Shows 20:00, Sun 19:00. Tickets €15-45. WINTERGARTEN VARIÉTÉ One of Berlin’s famed variety theatres was revived here as a dinner theater. Seated around tables, you’ll enjoy a show with acrobats, magicians, clowns, jugglers and more.

EVENT TICKETS Tickets can be purchased at the venues, via hotel concierges, at ticket offices (also in major department stores) and online. EVENTIM An online booking service with event tickets mailed or available for home printing.Qtel. +49 180 557 00 70, www.eventim.de. HEKTICKET Ticket shops and online sales (for home printing, pick-up or mailing). Reduced same-day tickets for shows and attractions are available after 14:00. Also at Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 13, Mitte.QC-4, Hardenbergstraße 29d, Charlottenburg, MS/U Zoologischer Garten, tel. +49 30 230 99 30, www.hekticket. de. Open 10:00 - 20:00, Sun 14:00 - 18:00. KOKA 36 Kreuzberg’s Konzertkasse has tickets in their shop and online (German only), for mailing and pickup.QH-4, Oranienstraße 29, Kreuzberg, MU Görlitzer Bahnhof, tel. +49 30 61 10 13 13, www.koka36. de. Open 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. PAPAGENA Regular and reduced price tickets for classical music, opera and theatre. Call for English-language service.Qtel. +49 30 47 99 74 44, www.khs. papagena.de. berlin.inyourpocket.com

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There are many ways to spend a night in Berlin. But spending an Evening at its Casino could be an unforgettable one. Spielbank-berlin.de +49-(0)30-255 99 0 Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 1 10785 Berlin Open daily 11am - 5am Guest must be 18 or over and show a valid ID card.. Please remember to gamble Responsibly.

Before the show, waiters take orders for meals which are served during the break. New shows are put on several times per year.QE-4, Potsdamer Straße 96, Tiergarten, MU Kurfürstenstraße, tel. +49 30 58 84 33, www. wintergarten-berlin.de. Shows Wed-Sat 20:00, Sun 18:00. Tickets €25-60.

THEATRE, MUSIC & DANCE Berlin has dozens of venues for performances. There’s lots of great theatre, but most of it is German-language; it’s getting better, with English plays or surtitles in some theatres. Berlin is the world capital of contemporary dance; look for shows by Sasha Waltz, perhaps the best choreographer around. The Staatsballett Berlin is the main classic dance company. Tanzraumberlin magazine (www. tanzraumberlin.de), available at the venues, lists all dance events. ENGLISH THEATRE BERLIN Berlin residents, whether native English speakers or not, come to this theatre for the edgy programming on the little black box’s stage.QF-5, Fidicinstraße 40, Kreuzberg, MU Platz der Luftbrücke, tel. +49 30 691 12 11, [email protected], www.etberlin.de. Tickets €14-18. facebook.com/BerlinInYourPocket

FILM FESTIVALS Apart from the huge Berlinale film festival in February, Berlin has over 40 smaller international film festivals throughout the year, often focused on a country or theme. 5-12 Oct: Latin American FF, Babylon, www.lakinobln.com 16-19 Oct: Zebra Poetry FF, Babylon, www. literaturwerkstatt.org 22-26 Oct: Porn FF, www.pornfilmfestivalberlin.de 4-9 Nov: East European Cinema FF, Cottbus, www. filmfestivalcottbus.de 29 Oct - 9 Nov: Première Brasil, HKW, www.hkw.de 9–16 Nov: Kuki Children’s FF, 2 venues, www.kukiberlin.com 11-16 Nov: Interfilm Shorts FF, 6 venues, www. interfilm.de 11-16 Nov: Afrikamera, Arsenal, www.afrikamera.de 1-9 Nov: Spanish FF, Babylon, www. berlinspanischesfilmfest.com 26 Nov - 3 Dec: Russian Filmweek, 3 venues, www. russische-filmwoche.de 28 Nov - 7 Dec: Around the World in 14 films, Babylon, www.14films.de October - November 2014

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Culture & Events DEUTSCHE OPER: CONCERTS AWAY FROM HOME Berlin’s famous Deutsche Oper orchestra is spending a few months away from their home theatre due to renovation works – and they’re making the most of their carpentry shop spaces and other alternative locations. Programme highlights for this season are: 1 Oct: Dinorah oder Die Wallfahrt nach Ploermel (concert version) – Berliner Philharmonie; with Patrizia Ciofi, Jana Kurucová; Etienne Dupuis, Philippe Talbot. Conductor: Enrique Mazzola. 14 Oct: Ariadne auf Naxos (concert version) – Berliner Philharmonie; with Anja Harteros, Daniela Sindram, Susanne Elmark; Stefan Vinke, Markus Brück. Conductor: Ulf Schirmer. 17-19 Oct: Béjart Ballet Lausanne – Tempodrom; soloist: Ronnita Miller, conductors: Donald Runnicles, / James Feddeck. 17-19 Oct: Ce que l’amour me dit; 1718 Oct: Le Sacre du Printemps ; 19 Oct: Bolero. 5 & 11 Nov: Roberto Devereux (concert version) – Berliner Philharmonie; with Edita Gruberova, Veronica Simeoni; Davide Luciano, Celso Albelo. Conductor: Pietro Rizzo. 6,8,9,17,18,19 Nov: In Transit – Tischlerei; with Alexandra Hutton, Christina Sidak, Elbenita Kajtazi; Gideon Poppe, Jörg Schörner, Carlton Ford, Alvaro Zambrano. Director: Eva-Maria Abelein. 29 Nov: Falstaff - with Martina Welschenbach, Elena Tsallagova, Jana Kurucová; Markus Brück, John Chest. Conductor: Stefan Solyom, Director: Christof Loy. DEUTSCHE OPER BERLIN, Bismarckstraße 35, tel. +49 30 34 38 43 43, www.deutscheoperberlin.de.

DALÍ EXHIBITION DISCOUNT The high-quality catalogue of the Dali Exhibition at Potsdamer Platz has 44 pages of text about Dalí’s life and work, and details of the specific artworks in the exhibition, plus 40 detailed large-format illustrations. Until 30 November 2014, readers of Berlin In Your Pocket can purchase the book for €14,95 instead of €19,95 on presentation of this guidebook (for ticketholders of the exhibition only; may not be combined with other offers). 14 Berlin In Your Pocket

Culture & Events HALLE TANZBÜHNE A monumental school gym, used for excellent modern dance productions by the Toula Limnaios company.QG1, Eberswalder Straße 10-11, Prenzlauer Berg, MU Eberswalder Straße, tel. +49 30 44 04 42 92, www.halletanz-berlin.de. Tickets €15.

DALÍ EXHIBITION

Foreign film offerings in German cinemas are often dubbed so check www.critic.de/ov-movies-berlin or look in listings magazines like Tip and Zitty, for subtitled films; these are marked in with OmU or OmengU (original version with German/English subtitles) and OF or OV (original version); DF means German version.

HEBBEL AM UFER (HAU) Three small theatres (the others at Stresemannstraße 29 and Tempelhofer Ufer 10) perform experimental theatre (often in English or mute) and dance.QF-4, Hallesches Ufer 32, Kreuzberg, MU Hallesches Tor, tel. +49 30 259 00 40, www.hebbel-am-ufer.de. Tickets €11-18. KOOKABURRA COMEDY CLUB Laughing matters at this comedy club, which has alternating English-language stand-up comedy nights every month: Kim Eustace on the first Tuesday, and the interactive ComedySportz show on the second and fourth Tuesday. Also look for Karsten Kaie’s show “How to become a Berliner in one hour”.QG-2, Schönhauser Allee 184, Prenzlauer Berg, MU Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, tel. +49 30 48 62 31 86, www.comedyclub.de. Tickets €5-16. Shows Tue-Sun. QUATSCH COMEDY CLUB “Quatsch” is the delicious German word for nonsense, and there’s plenty of it in the shows held in the Friedrichstadtpalast theatre basement. Most are in German, but look out for special guests and the regular Englishlanguage “Strictly Stand Up” nights. Drinks and snacks like nachos and hot dogs are available.QF-3, Friedrichstr. 107, Mitte, MS/U Friedrichstrasse, tel. +49 1806 999 00 09 69, www.quatsch-comedy-club.de. Tickets €25-35. Shows Thu-Sun. RADIALSYSTEM V A fantastic theatre, dance and music venue in an old pumping station along the Spree river. There’s a restaurant and café too.QH-4, Holzmarktstraße 33, Friedrichshain, MS Ostbahnhof, tel. +49 30 288 78 85 88, www. radialsystem.de. Tickets €5-41. SCHAUBÜHNE Set inside a quirky former 1920s cinema, the politically and socially engaged repertoire of this venerable ensemble theatre ranges from classics to contemporary plays, and regularly travels abroad, giving famed directors like Thomas Ostermeier, Falk Richter and Katie Mitchell and actors like Lars Eidinger and Nina Hoss the chance to shine abroad. Every month, several shows have English and/or French surtitles. There’s a good theatre café with drinks and simple meals too.QB-4, Kurfürstendamm 153, Charlottenburg, MU Adenauerplatz, tel. +49 30 89 00 23, www. schaubuehne.de. Tickets €7-47.

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CINEMAS

© DaliBerlin.de

With over 450 exhibits, the new museum and cultural highlight ‘Dalí - The Exhibition at Potsdamer Platz’ offers the most complete overview of Dalí’s virtuous and experimental mastery in almost all art techniques, right here in the heart of Berlin. As Dalí once said: “Come into my brain”. In keeping with this spirit ’Surrealism for all’, visitors to Berlin now have the chance to discover ‘their Dalí’. DALÍ - THE EXHIBITION AT POTSDAMER PLATZQLeipziger Platz 7, Mitte, MPotsdamer Platz, tel. +49 700 32 54 23 75 46, www.daliberlin. de. Open 12:00-20:00, Sun & holidays 10:00-20:00. Admission €11, reduced €9.

Events CLASSICAL MUSIC 5 Oct, 20:00 Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin Conductor: Tugan Sokhiev; Works by Haydn and Mahler PH 9 & 10 Oct, 20:30 Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Cameron Carpenter (organ) Conductor: Giancarlo Guerrero; organ concerto by Terry Riley PH 11 Oct, 20:00 Robert Leonardy (piano) Works by Busoni, Schulhoff, Stravinsky and Schubert PH 12 Oct, 20:00 Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Dorothea Röschmann (soprano) Conductor: Marc Albrecht; Works by Ligeti, Berg and Mahler PH facebook.com/BerlinInYourPocket

ADRIA The film Berlin, wie es war, black and white footage of old Berlin, in German, screens every Sunday at 11:30. QSchloßstraße 48, Steglitz, MS/U Rathaus Steglitz, tel. +49 180 505 07 11, www.cineplex.de. Tickets €7,40-9,40. BABYLON MITTE A 1920s filmhouse with a great program, but beware of dubbed films. The building itself is a example of New Objectivity. Occasionaly there are screenings of silent films accompanied by the 1929 organ.QG-2, RosaLuxemburg-Straße 30, Mitte, MU Rosa-LuxemburgPlatz, tel. +49 30 242 59 69, www.babylonberlin.de. Tickets €7. CENTRAL KINO Art-house films and mini film fests take place in this small, but comfy cinema at the very back of a scruffy courtyard.QG-2, Rosenthaler Straße 39, Mitte, MS Hackerscher Markt, tel. +49 30 28 59 99 73, www. kino-central.de. Tickets €6,50, Tue, Wed €5,50. CINESTAR IMAX & ORIGINAL CineStar IMAX has blockbuster films and documentaries in English on the biggest screen in town, featuring IMAX quality of projection and sound. The CineStar Original cinema has Germany’s widest range of Hollywood and arthouse movies in their original English version. QE-4, Potsdamer Straße 4, Tiergarten (Sony Center), MS/U Potsdamer Platz, tel. +49 30 26 06 64 00, www.cinestar.de. Tickets €6-13. HACKESCHE HÖFE Mainly shows foreign films in their original language. QG-2, Rosenthaler Straße 40, Mitte, MS Hackescher Markt, tel. +49 30 283 46 03, www.hackesche-hoefe. org. Tickets €8; Mon, Tue €6,50. SPUTNIK Berlin’s highest cinema screens a lot of indie films, many in English, and sometimes very long ones. In a back courtyard of a large complex, it may seem a bit dicey working your way to the theater, but it’s safe, small, and friendly. Bricks make up part of the furniture.QG-5, Hasenheide 54, Kreuzberg, MU Südstern, tel. +49 30 694 11 47, www.sputnik-kino. com. Tickets €5-6,5. October - November 2014

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Culture & Events

Culture & Events

SUITABLE FOR INTERNATIONAL VISITORS

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THE SHOW OF ILLUSIONS

presented by

NEW MAGICIANS NEW ILLUSIONS

15 October 2014 – 15 February 2015 Wed – Sat 20:00 · Sun 18:00 Mo + Tue no performances (in November and December additorial performances)

Tickets from € 32*

Our annual classic for the Festive Season

13 & 14 Oct, 20:00 Staatskapelle Berlin Conductor: Daniel Barenboim; Works by Mozart and Widmann PH

8 Nov, 19:00 Berliner Philharmoniker, Ivo Kahánek (piano) Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle; Works by Martinu and Beethoven PH

14 Oct, 20:00 Freiburger Barockorchester, Petra Müllejans (violin) Conductor: Gottfried von der Goltz; Works by Händel, Vivaldi and Schmidt PH

10 Nov, 20:00 Russisches Nationalorchester, Mischa Maisky (cello) Conductor: Mikhail Pletnev; Works by Shostakovitch and Tchaikovsky PH

16-18 Oct, 20:00 Berliner Philharmoniker, Emanuel Ax (piano) Conductor: Andris Nelsons; Works by Mozart and Strauss PH

12 Nov, 20:00 Lang Lang (piano) Works by Mozart and Chopin PH

21 Oct, 20:00 Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Alice Sara Ott (piano) Conductor: Karel Mark Chichon; Works by Dvorák and Grieg PH

13 Nov, 20:00 Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Paul Lewis (piano) Conductor: Marek Janowski; Works by Beethoven and Hartmann PH

23-25 Oct, 20:00 Berliner Philharmoniker Conductor: Daniele Gatti; Works by Wagner, Brahms, Haydn and Berg PH 26 Oct, 20:00 Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Alban Gerhardt (cello) Conductor: Matthias Pintscher; Works by Wagner, Bartók and Pintscher PH 29-31 Oct, 20:00 Berliner Philharmoniker Conductor: Emmanuelle Haïm; Works by Händel PH 2 Nov, 20:00 Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin Conductor: Kent Nagano; Works by Berg and Bruckner PH

The Variet y Show by children for the whole family 23, 30 Nov., 7, 14, 21, 22, 23, 28 + 29 Dec. 2014 Tickets from € 12* In cooperation with CABUWAZI and the Berliner Märchentage

Potsdamer Straße 96, D -10785 Berlin Tiergarten Ticket Hotline: +49(0)30 - 588 433 or just print your tickets at home: www.wintergarten-berlin.de

5 Nov, 20:00 Mitsuko Uchida (piano) Works by Franz and Beethoven PH 7 Nov, 20:00 Berliner Philharmoniker Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle; Works by Kurtág, Lachenmann and Beethoven PH

14 Nov, 20:00 Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Janine Jansen (violin) Conductor: Tugan Sokhiev; Works by Debussy, Chausson, Ravel and Prokofiev PH 17 Nov, 20:00 Staatskapelle Berlin, Maria João Pires (piano) Conductor: Paavo Järvi; Works by Messiaen, Mozart and Schumann PH 19 Nov, 20:00 Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin Conductor: Tugan Sokhiev; Works by Dukas, Mozart and Stravinsky PH 26 Nov, 20:00 Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin Conductor: Joshua Weilerstein; Works by Shostakovitch, Schumann and Tchaikovsky PH 27-29 Nov, 20:00 Berliner Philharmoniker, Martha Argerich (piano) Conductor: Riccardo Chailly; Works by Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Schumann and Rachmaninov PH

*Prices plus advance booking fee and € 2 system fee/ ticket

16 Berlin In Your Pocket

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25.11.2014 Tempodrom 20:00 Uhr

09.10.2014 Tempodrom (Kl. Arena) 20:00 Uhr

20.11.2014 Tempodrom 20:00 Uhr

www.prknet.de www.mariannefaithfull.org.uk

15.10.2014 Columbiahalle 20:00 Uhr

TICKETS: 030 / 479 974 77 | www.semmel.de

MARIANNE FAITHFULL & URBAN DANCE On 25 November, legendary singer-songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull visits Berlin for her “50th Anniversary Tour” concert at the Tempodrom. She recounts half a century of her successes with her characteristic voice, playing hits like Broken English, Vagabond Ways and As Tears Go By. Urban Dance fans can look forward to mesmerising performances of Popping, Hip Hop, House, Locking, BBoying and Voguing styles during the Snipes Funkin’ Stylez international Urban Dance Battle, from 20-22 November. The preselection, followed by parties, take place at the Ritter Butzke club in Kreuzberg, while the World Team Battle is at Tempodrom. For more details and tickets see www.semmel.de. October - November 2014

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Culture & Events CONCERTS 9 Oct, 20:00 Elvis Costello (singer/songwriter) AD 9 Oct, 20:00 Jan Delay & Disko No. 1 (Funk) MS 9 Oct, 19:30 Lady Gaga (Pop) O2 15 Oct, 20:00 Lindsey Stirling (Classical/Pop) CH 27 Oct, 19:30 Kylie Minogue (Pop) O2 5 Nov, 20:00 Lykke Li (Pop) AD 5 Nov, 20:00 Lenny Kravitz (Rock/Soul) O2

Culture & Events KNUTSCHFLECK Berlin Burlesque and more. Opening in October. See p. 24 for more information. 19 Nov, 20:00 Linkin Park (Rock) O2

EXHIBITIONS 16 Oct - 16 Nov Month of Photography Berlin With 125 exhibitions across the city, Berlin’s biannual Month of Photography is dedicated to ‘Upheavals and utopia: the other Europe’, with themes like borders, immigration and refugees taking centre stage. Young and old, classic and experimental photography can all be admired at the participating venues; the main exhibition in the MartinGropius-Bau (until 14 Dec, admission free) shows the contemporary photography exhibition “MemoryLab: The Sentimental Turn”. For more details see www.mdf-berlin.de. MG & other venues 1 & 2 November Museumsfest Deutsches Historisches Museum This year’s museum festival at the German Historical Museum is all about the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall; visitors can learn more about the event, note down their personal memories and watch films; admission to the exhibitions is free. DH

WEST:BERLIN EXHIBITION To anyone who realises how crazy Berlin’s history is, it’s not surprising at all that the new West:Berlin exhibition is located in an elegant palace in the former East Berlin that itself was dismantled and stored in West Berlin for many years. For half a century, West Berlin was a heavily politicised and highly subsidised ‘Island of Freedom’ marooned inside the GDR, and 500 exhibits show the development of this half of the city, from post-war ruins via its function as a showcase of the western Allies, and from the years of decline after the fall of the Wall in 1989 to its current revival. Photographs, art, objects, cars and an audio-salon with the sounds of the half-city demonstrate why West for many is still best. WEST:BERLIN, 14 Nov - 28 June. Open Tue-Sun 10:00 - 18:00, Wed 12:00 - 20:00. Ephraim-Palais, G-3, Poststr. 16, tel. +49 30 24 00 21 62, www.west.berlin. Admission €7, first Wednesday of the month free. 18 Berlin In Your Pocket

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Until 30 Nov 1914–1918: The First World War Nine million soldiers and almost six million civilians died in the First World War, the first industrialised, total war in history. It changed not only subsequent armed conflicts, but also influenced political thought and action for many years to come. This special exhibition offers a multifaceted overview of the war as well as its prerequisites and consequences, and approaches this previously unknown escalation of violence from a broad perspective. DH Until 31 Dec Moshe Gershuni – No Father No Mother Moshe Gershuni (Tel Aviv, 1936) is one of the most important Israeli artists. His existential work - an ongoing project over more than forty years - is uncompromising, and his paintings, drawings and sculptures leave plenty of room for associations. Gershuni works horizontally. He covers the floor with paper and crawls across with his hands soaked in paint. NA

WHERE TO WATCH SPORTS KILKENNY IRISH PUB Fun & football, a drink or two and a bite to eat go hand in hand. And if that’s what you’re after, the Kilkenny Irish Pub is where you find it. Watch all major sport events, Champions League, Premier League, Formula One etc. on large screens, together with locals and tourists from all over the world.QG-3, Am Zwirngraben 17-20, Mitte, MS Hackescher Markt, tel. +49 30 283 20 84, [email protected], www.kilkenny-pub.de. Open from 12:00. EGBW

Until 4 January 2015 Die Welt der Wikinger – The World of the Vikings The new exhibition at the Martin-Gropius-Bau uses spectacular archaeological finds, including a huge ship, to illustrate the history of the Vikings in northern Europe and beyond. MG

VENUE LIST BERLIN AD – ADMIRALSPALAST, Friedrichstraße 101-102, tel. +49 30 47 99 74 99, www.admiralspalast.de. CH – COLUMBIA-HALLE, Columbiadamm 13-21, tel. +49 30 698 09 80, www.columbiahalle.de. DH – DEUTSCHES HISTORISCHES MUSEUM, Unter den Linden 2, tel. +49 30 20 30 44 44, www.dhm.de.

THE HARP Just one minute off Kurfürstendamm, The Harp is a haven for music and sports fans alike. Two bars, a cozy ambience, four large TVs and two big screens provide the setting for a great night out, or an afternoon full of excitement and entertainment while following international football, rugby and other sports, or playing a round of darts.QB-4, Giesebrechtstraße 15, Charlottenburg, MU Adenauerplatz, tel. +49 30 22 32 87 35, [email protected], www.harp-pub.de. Mon-Fri from 13:00, Sat, Sun from 10:00. EBW

MG – MARTIN-GROPIUS-BAU, Niederkirchnerstraße 7, tel. +49 30 25 48 60, www.gropiusbau.de. MS – MAX-SCHMELING-HALLE, Am Falkplatz, tel. +49 30 44 30 45, www.max-schmeling-halle.de. NA – NEUE NATIONALGALERIE, Potsdamer Straße 50, tel. +49 30 266 26 51, www.neuenationalgalerie.de. O2 – O2 WORLD, O2-Platz 1, tel. +49 30 20 60 70 88 99, www.o2world-berlin.de. PH – PHILHARMONIE, Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße 1, tel. +49 30 25 48 80, www.berliner-philharmoniker.de. RS – RADIALSYSTEM V, Holzmarktstraße 33, tel. +49 30 28 87 88 50 facebook.com/BerlinInYourPocket

October - November 2014

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Mitte

Mitte Between Mitte and Charlottenburg, the huge Tiergarten park began as the Great Elector’s hunting grounds in the 1600s. Traffic passes through it, doing a dosey-doe around the Siegessäule victory column. The Straße des 17. Juni leads east to the Brandenburger Tor; just south of it are the state museums of the Kulturforum and the Potsdamer Platz district with its soaring corporate buildings. Getting there Arrivals by plane and train usually end up at Hauptbahnhof station, central for the city but not really close to anything. S-Bahn trains from the top level link to the east and west of the city, while the fancy new two-stop U55 U-Bahn line takes sightseers straight to Brandenburger Tor. Pocket Walk Start off at Brandenburger Tor and the Reichstag before heading south past the Holocaust memorial and Potsdamer Platz to the Topographie des Terrors exhibition and the adjacent stretch of Berlin Wall. Follow Zimmerstraße for the Stasi Exhibition and Checkpoint Charlie. Walk north along Friedrichstraße and turn right at Mohrenstraße for Gendarmenmarkt square, before ambling to Unter den Linden via Bebelplatz. Walk east past the Neue Wache and Berliner Dom, turn left into Spandauer Straße, and pass through Hackescher Markt station. Visit the Hackesche Höfe complex before walking down Oranienburger Straße for the Neue Synagoge. You can catch the S-Bahn from here back to Brandenburger Tor.

Since reunification, the old city centre district Mitte (meaning ‘middle’) has rightly snatched back the title of most-visited district from Charlottenburg. On and off the boulevard Unter den Linden are baroque and classical monuments to Prussian culture. The architecturally humbler but more neighbourhood-like Scheunenviertel area allows the casually chic to saunter from courtyard gallery to sidewalk café. Only traces are left of the Jewish community that lived here from the late 17th century, welcomed by the Great Elector Friedrich Wilhelm.

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20 Berlin In Your Pocket

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treats include Maultaschen (ravioli-like pockets in broth) and Schnitzel.QF-3, Tucholskystraße 48, Mitte, MU Oranienburger Straße, tel. +49 30 28 09 80 84, www. schwarzwaldstuben-berlin.com. Open 09:00 - 24:00. €€. TUNBS

ALPENSTUECK Wiener Schnitzel with Schwabian potato salad, Maultaschen with Bavarian creme are just a few of the dishes available at Alpenstueck, a designer restaurant with a traditional twist. The chef prepares southern German and Austrian home cooking with fresh ingredients, changing the menu every three days. A feast for the eyes and the palate.QF-2, Gartenstraße 9, Mitte, MS Nordbahnhof, tel. +49 30 21 75 16 46, www.alpenstueck.de. Open 18:00 - 01:00. €€. TUGBS

ZILLE-STUBE The name is in homage to Berlin artist Heinrich Zille, whose illustrations line the walls above upholstered banquettes and wooden banisters. Dominating the menu are typical Berlin meat dishes like Boulette, Kohlroulade (beaf-stuffed cabbage leaves), Sauerbraten (marinated pot roast) and Rostbratwurst.QG-3, Spreeufer 3, Mitte, MU Klosterstraße, tel. +49 30 242 52 47, www.zillestubenikolaiviertel.de. Open 12:00 - 22:00. €€. E

Restaurants & Cafés

JOSEPH ROTH DIELE A wonderfully cosy dark brown bar owned by the same people who run the Ave Maria religious shop, right next door to Joseph. It’s named after a prolific Jewish writer whose quotes decorate the walls and who lived nearby in the 1920s when this street was the beating heart of Berlin’s nightlife. A nicely-priced lunch and delicious Flammkuchen pies are served, and it’s a great place for a beer or wine after a show at the Wintergarten Varieté, opposite.QE-4, Potsdamer Straße 75, Tiergarten, MU Kurfürstenstraße, tel. +49 30 26 36 98 84, www.joseph-roth-diele.de. Open 10:00 - 24:00. Closed Sat, Sun. €. TENGBSW MUTTER HOPPE Head down the winding staircase into this restaurant in the Nikolaiviertel district. You’ll find the space divided into cosy, low-ceilinged nooks with upholstered banquettes and historic photos and drawings on the painted walls. Heavy meat dishes are the meals to order here. The kitchen offers sides not served at other German restaurants, including green beans wrapped in bacon. Make reservations; or try their sister restaurant Julchen Hoppe, a few doors further towards the Spree.QG-3, Rathausstraße 21, Mitte, MS/U Alexanderplatz, tel. +49 30 241 56 25, www.prostmahlzeit. de/mutterhoppe. Open 11:30 - 24:00. €€. TEGB RESTAURATION 1840 Located in a vaulted space under the S-Bahn tracks, this traditional Berlin restaurant designed to recall the golden 1920s serves regionally sourced international cuisine, 1840 creations, including local favourites such as Sülze (cold knuckle), Buletten (meatballs) and Currywurst sausage. There are good seasonal wines, and the bar staff can shake up a great cocktail.QG-3, Am Zwirngraben 8-10, MS Hackescher Markt, tel. +49 30 24 72 74 01, post@ berlin-1840.de, www.berlin-1840.de. Open from 10:00. EGBW SCHWARZWALDSTUBEN Bambi meets Berlin chic at the trendy Black Forest themed Schwarzwaldstuben, which has a friendly atmosphere, bedraggled animal heads mounted on the walls and heavy mix-matched furniture. Regional facebook.com/BerlinInYourPocket

ASIAN KAMALA Respectable Thai cuisine is served in a colonial atmosphere, where heavy, dark wood tables are adorned with woven placements, orchids and tall candles. The Tom Yam Gai soup is crowded with chicken and piping hot, and the curries are rich and buttery.QF-3, Oranienburger Straße 69, Mitte, MU Oranienburger Tor, tel. +49 30 283 27 97, www. kamala-thaifood.de. Open 12:00 - 23:30, Fri, Sat 12:00 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 23:30. €€. AB MONSIEUR VUONG Hanoi and Saigon have landed in a chic little red Vietnamese restaurant in Mitte. There are only five dishes and two daily specials, but they’re so delicious you’ll be ordering a second bowl of rice to soak up the leftover sauce. After your gói bo, try some jasmin or artichoke tea. You’ll have to fight the über-cool crowds for a table as Mr. Vuong doesn’t take reservations.QG-2, Alte Schönhauser Straße 46, Mitte, MU Weinmeisterstraße, tel. +49 30 99 29 69 24, www. monsieurvuong.de. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €. S

FINE DINING AIGNER One of Berlin’s best places to eat, Aigner is truly international, as its name, concept and all the old furnishings originate from a famous Viennese café that closed in the 1980s. Master chef Herbert Beltle and his team serve awardwinning dishes with ingredients sourced fresh from the market.QF-3, Französische Straße 25, Mitte, MU Französiche Straße, tel. +49 30 203 75 18 50, www. aigner-gendarmenmarkt.de. Open 12:00 - 02:00. €€€. TUGBSW BORCHARDT Borchardt didn’t have to invest much to make a good first impression - the mere height of the ceiling and the building’s original tile floors whisper class and luxury. The money and creative energy goes into the kitchen, which comes up with a different menu each day to keep its regular clientele surprised. Leave the pork to the Germans, October - November 2014

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Mitte PARIS-MOSKAU Many train passengers rolling into Hauptbahnhof station on the line between Paris and Moscow - have wondered about this unusual half-timber house, stubbornly positioned between new government offices and hotels. Inside, a wonderful gourmet restaurant has been serving up up al la carte and set menu meals for 30 years now. Expect dishes such as a rack of lamb in Dijon herb crust, tuna steak and roast duck breast. On weekdays, there’s a lunch menu as well.QE-3, Alt-Moabit 141, Tiergarten, MS/U Hauptbahnhof, tel. +49 30 394 20 81, www. paris-moskau.de. Open 12:00 - 15:00; 18:00-24:00, Sat, Sun 18:00 - 24:00. €€€. A

INDIAN Mon-Fri 12:00-15:00 Mon-Sun from 18:00 Restaurant PARIS-MOSKAU Alt-Moabit 141 tel. 394 20 81 [email protected] www.paris-moskau.de the beef dishes here are delectable.QF-3, Französische Straße 47, Mitte, MU Französische Straße, tel. +49 30 81 88 62 62, www.borchardt-restaurant.de. Open from 11:00. €€€. GB FACIL At the Mandala Hotel’s Michelin-starred gourmet restaurant, chef de cuisine Michael Kempf creates elegantly light fare using only fresh, local products direct from the market. The menu changes daily and has an emphasis on tasty vegetables and exotic herbs. Facil’s design is a post-modern, glass-box Asian pavilion with a large central skylight that retracts.QE-4, Potsdamer Straße 3, Tiergarten, MS/U Potsdamer Platz, tel. +49 30 590 05 12 34, www.facil.de. Open . Closed Sat, Sun Open 12:00 - 15:00, 19:00 - 23:00. Closed Sat, Sun. €€€€. UGBW h FISCHERS FRITZ The restaurant’s name comes from a tongue-twister and the light, fish-focused menu is for a very refined palate. Chef Christian Lohse has won several of the Michelin stars that appear none too oft in Germany. The German chef first trained in Dijon and has since pleased gourmands such as those at The Dorchester in London and the Sultan of Brunei (as a private chef ). The dining room has light woods, deep carpets and a fireplace.QF-3, Charlottenstraße 49, Mitte, MU Französische Straße, tel. +49 30 20 33 63 63, www. fischersfritzberlin.com. Open 12:00-14:00; 18:30-23:00. €€€€. PAG hh 22 Berlin In Your Pocket

AAPKA Located on a pretty street corner near Zionskirchplatz, Aapka offers healthy vegetarian, curry and grill dishes. You can drop by for the lunch menu and on Sunday join the young Prenzl’ Berg crowd for a relaxed brunch - or drop by later for cocktails.QG-2, Kastanienallee 50, Prenzlauer Berg, MU Rosenthaler Platz, tel. +49 30 44 01 04 94, www.aapka.de. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Sun 11:00 - 01:00. €€. B

INTERNATIONAL NOLA’S AM WEINBERG This hip restaurant overlooks a sloping park. The predominantly Swiss menu lends itself to the terrace, which is perfect for pretending to be in the mountain air of St. Moritz. Breakfast is served until 16:00 and you can order meals until midnight.QG-2, Veteranenstraße 9, Mitte, MU Rosenthaler Platz, tel. +49 30 44 04 07 66, www.nola.de. Open 10:00 01:00. €€. TUGBS REINHARD’S Reinhard’s friendly staff can whisk a coffee to your table in no time, or if you’re here for the food, one of the light meals. The large restaurant is situated in the Nikolaiviertel, and is well-positioned for a break during a city walk.QG-3, Poststraße 28, Mitte, MU Klosterstraße, tel. +49 30 242 52 95, www.reinhards.de. Open 09:00 - 24:00. €€-€€€. TGBS TRAUBE In an elegant building with an interior by Hans Kolhoff, ‘The Grape’ serves gourmet cuisine together with an excellent range of wines. Dishes are often Alpine-inspired: crossover food from southern Germany, Alsace, Switzerland and Austria. Guests can choose from a la carte dishes or compose their own menus, with or without wines. The two-course set lunch menu is great value.QF-2, Reinhardtstraße 33, Mitte, MS/U Friedrichstraße, tel. +49 30 27 87 93 93, www.traube-berlin.de. Open 12:00 - 15:00, 18:00-23:45, Sat 18:00 - 23:45. Closed Sun. €€€. TGB berlin.inyourpocket.com

CAFÉS BARCOMI’S DELI Barcomi’s is well known for its house-roasted coffee and luscious American hand-made baked goods. In the cake window there are several kinds of cheese cake, lemon meringue cake, devil’s food cake, pecan pie and other heavenly creations. Bagels can be eaten with Philly cream cheese spreads, and at this Mitte outlet there are also salads, sandwiches and soups. The Kreuzberg Kaffeerösterei outlet (Bergmannstraße 21) has fresh coffee. QF-5, Sophienstraße 21, Mitte, MS Hackescher Markt, tel. +49 30 28 59 83 63, [email protected], www. barcomis.de. Open 09:00 - 21:00, Sun 10:00 - 21:00. €. TGBS DIGITAL EATERY Just a click away from Brandenburg Gate, inside the historical 1902 Carlton Hotel building, Microsoft’s very first café showroom worldwide is a relaxing, untouristy spot to recharge. Browse the small but excellent selection of pasta or meat dishes prepared fresh at the counter (€8,90), or the soup, paninis and cakes. Recharge your electronic devices or use the free wifi. Best of all are the digital toys that allow you to go online, try out Microsoft products or play Xbox games. To celebrate the first anniversary of Microsoft Berlin, the Digital Eatery offers a 20% discount on the lunch menu in November; simply mention “Berlin In Your Pocket discount”.QF-3, Unter den Linden 17, Mitte, tel. +49 30 39 09 70, www. digitaleatery.de. Open 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 11:00 - 20:00, Sun 12:00 - 18:00. W SANKT OBERHOLZ A large two-floor café overlooking the busy street crossing. Something of a public workspace for IT entrepreneurs from the surrounding Silicon Allee internet startups, it’s the ideal place to crack open a Mac and get some work done using the free wifi and electricity plugs. Or just come for the coffee, bagels, muffins and New York cheesecake.QG-2, Rosenthaler Straße 72a, Mitte, MU Rosenthaler Platz, tel. +49 30 24 08 55 86, www.sanktoberholz.de. Open 08:00 - 24:00, Fri 08:00 - 03:00, Sat 09:00 - 03:00, Sun 09:00 - 24:00. GW

Digital Eatery

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BACK TO SCHOOL The Die Schule restaurant in the Prenzlauer Berg district is not just a place for trying German cuisine. It’s the watering hole for adult students from all around the world who are learning German at the GLS language school, in the same complex. They’re greatly helped by the location of the school in a vibrant neighbourhood with plenty of bars, restaurants and quirky boutiques. DIE SCHULEQKastanienallee 82, Prenzlauer Berg, tel. +49 30 780 08 95 50, www.gls-restaurant.de. GLS LANGUAGE SCHOOLQtel. +49 30 78 00 89 27, www.gls-berlin.de. SOPHIENECK A favourite of locals and tourists alike, Sophieneck is one of the most charming cafés in Mitte. Located near Hackescher Markt since the revamp of the district in 1984, it has resisted trendification, staying true to its warm mishmash decor of art nouveau and poster art. The menu offers delicious Central European fare, accompanied by an international wine list.QG-2/3, Große Hamburger Straße 37, Mitte, MU Weinmeisterstraße, tel. +49 30 283 40 65, www. sophieneck-berlin.de. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 12:00 - 02:00.

Nightlife BARS AUFSTURZ The great 19th-century explorer Alexander von Humboldt lived in this building, but nowadays the only expeditions done here are through the long drinks menu, listing dozens of excellent Belgian, German and other beers. Have a Kwak beer to really kick off your night. Prices are reasonable and the place looks good, with changing modern art exhibitions on the walls. Our favourite Oranienburger Straße haunt.QF-3, Oranienburger Straße 67, Mitte, MS Oranienburger Straße, tel. +49 30 28 04 74 07, [email protected], www.aufsturz.de. Open from 12:00. EB ESCHSCHLORAQUE RÜMSCHRÜMP An island of insanity in a sea of overpriced Hackescher Markt pomp: this veritable den of delights and monsters can be found hidden at the dark end of a graffitied courtyard. There are disturbing metal beasts sticking from the crumbling walls, affordable beers and cocktails, a stage, plenty of smoke, and a wonderful set of characters intent on having a good night out. In summer, the outdoor cinema in the back yard shows foreign films in original version.QG3, Rosenthaler Straße 39, Mitte, MS Hackescher Markt, [email protected], www.eschschloraque.de. Open 14:00 - open end Open from 14:00. ENBW October - November 2014

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Mitte

Mitte CASINO SPIELBANK BERLIN The casino at Potsdamer Platz has French roulette, American roulette, baccarat, poker, blackjack, Sic Bo, bingo roulette and slot machines. Upstairs, the restaurant and Baccara Bar serves drinks and food from the a la carte menu. Newcomers to the game can book a tour including game instructions.QE-4, MarleneDietrich-Platz 1, Tiergarten, MS/U Potsdamer Platz, tel. +49 30 25 59 90, www.spielbank-berlin.de. Open 11:00 - 05:00. Admission €2,50. Minimum age is 18, ID required; dress code is smart casual. REINGOLD A lounge glowing in amber tones recalls the thirties with an oversize drawing of Thomas Mann’s forlorn offspring, Klaus and Erika, and leather and velvet seating. Though it often has a DJ, no one dances here. It’s a setting for making stationary moves on your date, or your tapas.QF2, Novalisstraße 11, Mitte, MU Oranienburger Tor, tel. +49 30 28 38 76 76, [email protected], www.reingold.de. Open 19:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 19:00 - 04:00. Closed Mon, Sun Open from 19:00. Closed Mon, Sun. UB

CLUBS NEW KNUTSCHFLECK Opening in October, the ‘hickey’ is Berlin’s newest Burlesque-style bar, located on Alexanderplatz opposite the Park Inn hotel. Run by a group of local ladies, this is a café, Biergarten, restaurant, cocktail bar and show theatre in one. Expect a programme of events held on the stage, including performances inspired by Coyote Ugly, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Pulp Fiction, Moulin Rouge and more. There’s also Berlinerisch food, beer and cakes, and a selection of 150 cocktails that fluctuate in price as demand changes.QG-3, Alexanderstr. 3, Mitte, MS/U Alexanderplatz, www.knutschfleck-berlin.com. MEIN HAUS AM SEE It’s all about seeing and being seen at some Mitte bars; the ‘My Lake House’ makes it very easy with its large slope of seating steps overlooking a landscape of granny furniture lit up by discoball sparkles and all draped with nattering locals and backpackers from adjacent hostels. Open 24/7, it’s a cafe, bar and restaurant all at the same time. On the menu are drinks, exotic coffee varieties and chilli hot choc, as well as great breakfasts (till 18:00), tasty burgers, pasta dishes and snacks. At night, DJs spin music.QG2, Brunnenstraße 197, Mitte, MU Rosenthaler Platz, tel. +49 30 27 59 08 73, [email protected], www.mein-haus-am-see.blogspot.de. Open 24 hours Open 24/7. €. TUENGBSW 24 Berlin In Your Pocket

KAFFEE BURGER The patterned wallpaper and wood panelling has withstood decades of the alternative scene’s smoke and its stuck-in-theSocialist-Sixties-look is perfect for DJ/author Vladimir Kaminer’s wild and sweaty Russendisko nights. Happenings like poetry slams and jams start evenings that end with DJs spinning anything from Balkan and surf rock to samba.QG-2, Torstraße 60, Mitte, MU Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, tel. +49 30 28 04 64 95, www.kaffeeburger.de. Open from 21:00. E WEEK-END CLUB A club, bar, gallery and lounge set on the 12th floor of the beautifully hideous Haus des Reisens (the GDR state travel agency specialising in saying ‘no’) on the corner of OttoBraun-Straße.QG-3, Alexanderplatz 5, Mitte, MS/U Alexanderplatz, www.week-end-berlin.de. Open ThuSat 23:00-04:00.

Soda Club

Sightseeing LANDMARKS BRANDENBURGER TOR Berlin’s landmark monument, built by Carl Langhans in 1792, is the last remaining of 14 city gates. Nike, the goddess of victory, drives the four-horsepower chariot atop the gate. German armies used to begin their parades here, the fascists spoiled the gate by staging their torchlit marches through it, the war badly damaged it, and then the Wall essentially bricked the patched-up gate in for decades. Berliners celebrated the Wall’s fall in 1989 by standing on it in front of the gate, and after renovations the gate is the proud focus point of the renewed square again. QF-3, Pariser Platz, Mitte, MS/U Brandenburger Tor. GENDARMENMARKT Twin cathedrals-turned-museums (dating to the early 1700s), the Konzerthaus (from 1818, by Carl Langhans) and a row of luxury hotels make up this classic square. The name stems from the mid-1700s when military regiments were stationed here.QF-3, Markgrafenstraße, Mitte, MU Französische Straße. NEUE SYNAGOGE The gilded cupola of the New Synagogue is one of the most eye-catching sights in Mitte. Exhibits strikingly balance the restoration of the Alhambra-inspired synagogue from 1866, with preserved evidence of its destruction, first

PUBS KILKENNY IRISH PUB The three large rooms within the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station offer more than enough space for natives and tourists to eat homemade food, meet and mingle, party and follow live sports events. Large TVs and screens make sure that you won’t miss a single goal. Irish and German beer, whiskey and other cold beverages flow freely.QG-3, Am Zwirngraben 17-20, Mitte, MS Hackescher Markt, tel. +49 30 283 20 84, [email protected], www. kilkenny-pub.de. Open from 12:00. EGBW berlin.inyourpocket.com

Kilkenny Irish Pub

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Soda Club House - R´n´B - Soul

Danceclassics - electro KulturBrauerei on Kristallnacht on November 9, 1938, and then through Allied bombs. Documents and photographs remember the thriving Jewish community of the neighbourhood, many of whom worshipped here in what was the largest synagogue in Germany. A subtle but effective sound installation adds to the experience.QF-3, Oranienburger Straße 28-30, Mitte, MS Oranienburger Tor, tel. +49 30 88 02 83 00, www.centrumjudaicum.de. Open Sun, Mon 10:0020:00, Tues-Thur 10:00-18:00, Fri 10:00-17:00; Mar & Oct until 14:00 on Fri; Nov-Feb also Sun-Thu until 18:00. Sat closed. Admission €3,50/3. NIKOLAIVIERTEL Berlin’s tiny medieval heart is the Nikolai Quarter, whose only truly medieval-looking building today is the Nikolaikirche. The church dates to 1230 and was rebuilt along with the entire quarter in the 1980s to mark Berlin’s 750th birthday in the area in which the fishermen’s settlement first began. No one was trying to outdo Walt Disney here, and many of the buildings have the simple, concrete facades that the GDR government could afford. The small shops in the area mostly deal in toys and souvenirs and tourists gladly fill the sunny tables at the restaurants that face the river. On Rathausstraße, there’s a row of restaurants that flaunt old-fashioned Berlin cuisine and atmosphere. Other rebuilt historic buildings in the area date to the 1700s, such as the Ephraim-Palais and Knoblauchhaus. Both have changing exhibits related to Berlin.QG-3, Nikolaikirchplatz, Mitte, MU Klosterstraße, www.stadtmuseum.de. October - November 2014

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Mitte

Mitte www.inyourpocket.com

POTSDAMER PLATZ Once a busy intersection at the modern heart of a thriving metropolis, Potsdamer Platz was heavily damaged in the war, and suffered again when most remaining buildings were demolished to make way for the Wall’s death strip. Hotel and office skyscrapers now add a cosmopolitan edge to the city, while to the east Leipziger Platz is almost rebuilt. The most popular public space and architectural attraction is the Sony Center, with its huge atrium and tent-like roof, best viewed at night for its impressive lighting. The neighbouring DaimlerChrysler complex holds architecture by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, and the Arkaden shopping mall.QE/F-4, MS/U Potsdamer Platz. REICHSTAG The name together with its monumental size make most people associate Germany’s neoclassical parliamentary building with the Nazis, but they have little history here. After hosting parliamentary sessions since 1894, it was set on fire just one month after Hitler was appointed chancellor in January 1933. It was a conference centre in the years during which it abutted the Wall, while later artist Christo famously wrapped it in cloth. It was used as parliament again after a reunited German government returned to Berlin in 1999. Renovated by Sir Norman Foster, this building is perhaps the most public federal building in the world through its glass dome. On the rooftop, photographs documenting the building’s history circle the rim above the parliament chamber. Two ramps spiral up the side of the dome, an engineering feat even more fascinating than the panoramic view from the top. It’s best to book an entry time to the dome or for the 90-minute guided tour of the building in advance online; otherwise queue up for remaining places at the visitor centre just across the road. Photo ID is required.QF-3, Platz der Republik 1, Tiergarten, MU Bundestag, www.bundestag.de/ htdocs_e/visits. Open 08:00 - 23:00 Prebooked rooftop access every 15 minutes. Guided tours at 09:00, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30, 15:30, 17:00, 18:30, 20:00. Admission free.

CHURCHES

DEUTSCHER DOM The baroque ‘German Church’ from 1701 was completed with an impressive domed tower in 1785; badly damaged by fire in the war it was only renovated in the 1980s. Owned by the state, the bare interior now houses an exhibition about the development of parliamentarian democracy in Germany - and how it came to fail so tragically in the last century. Be sure to see the views from the windows and the impressive building models on the top floor. Free tours in English are possible throughout the day; no booking is required for individual visitors.QF-3, Gendarmenmarkt 1, Mitte, MU Stadtmitte, tel. +49 30 22 73 04 31, www. bundestag.de/kulturundgeschichte/ausstellungen/ wege. Open 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon. Admission free. FRANZÖSISCHER DOM The northernmost domed tower in the Gendermenmarkt’s grand architectural triptych dates back to 1785, and similarly to its counterpart was badly damaged in the war. It now has regular concerts in the simple baroque Friedrichstadtkirche church to the rear. Enter from the other side for the Huguenot museum (in German and French only), dedicated to the thousands of French protestants who moved to Berlin in the 17th century. Yet another entrance leads to the viewing balcony at 40 metres above street level, with great views all around. QF-3, Gendarmenmarkt 5, Mitte, MU Stadtmitte, tel. +49 30 20 64 99 22, www.franzoesischer-dom.de. Open 12:00-17:00, viewing balcony 10:00-19:00, closed Mon. Admission €2/1, viewing balcony €2.50/1.

EXHIBITION BLACKBOX COLD WAR Checkpoint Charlie Friedrichstraße 47 / corner Zimmerstraße | 10117 Berlin-Mitte Daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors’ service [email protected] More information www.zentrum-kalter-krieg.de

HERE, CONTEMPORARY HISTORY COMES ALIVE 26 Berlin In Your Pocket

Schützenstr. 70 | Berlin-Mitte (Nähe Checkpoint Charlie) www.currywurstmuseum.com

BERLINER DOM The fourth incarnation of this Protestant church dating from 1905 might not look as massive if the Stadtschloss were still standing across Unter den Linden (the GDR regime demolished the castle in 1951). The royal Hohenzollern dynasty worshipped and was buried here. The climb up to the dome’s rim is forgiving, with broad staircases, side exhibit rooms and good views.QG-3, Am Lustgarten, Mitte, MS Hackescher Markt, tel. +49 30 20 26 91 36, www.berlinerdom.de. Open 09:00 - 20:00, Sun 12:00 20:00 Oct-March open until 19:00. Admission €7/4.

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Anfahrt | Directions U6 (Kochstr. | Checkpoint Charlie) U6 / U2 (Stadtmitte)

EINE AUSSTELLUNG ZUM ANFASSEN. (AUS)PROBIEREN. MITMACHEN. TOUCHING. TESTING. TAKE PART.

MEMORIALS FÜHRERBUNKER One lonely signpost mark the site where Hitler committed suicide on April 30, 1945. For the last month of his life, Hitler lived roughly eight meters below ground in an air-raid shelter topped by a four-metre-thick, reinforced concrete ceiling. The unremarkable spot can be reached by walking to the end of In den Ministergärten, off Ebertstraße. A parking area surrounded by a prefabricated apartment complex covers the location, which was entirely sealed off during the complex’s construction in 1988-89. The bunker was once accessed through the Festsaal (ballroom) behind the Reichskanzler-Palais on Wilhelmstraße.QF-3, In den Ministergärten, Mitte, MS/U Potsdamer Platz. MEMORIAL TO THE MURDERED JEWS OF EUROPE This bluntly named memorial avoids any vagueness surrounding the term Holocaust. Six million Jews are estimated to have been killed by the Nazis and this site serves as Germany’s national memorial to those victims. The design by American architect Peter Eisenmann is a field of 2,700 concrete stelae, or pillars, of varying height, creating an undulating landscape that fills two city blocks. The memorial has an undergound information centre which is not suitable for children.QF-3, Cora-BerlinerStraße 1, Mitte, MS/U Brandenburger Tor, tel. +49 30 26 39 43 36, [email protected], www. stiftung-denkmal.de. Information centre open 10:0020:00, Oct-Mar 10:00-19:00. Closed Mon. Admission free.

MUSEUMS BLACK BOX COLD WAR The exhibition at Checkpoint Charlie discusses the state of the world during the Cold War, explaining the global links between the Berlin Wall, the Korean War and the Cuban missile crisis. Along the street a free gallery of photos and texts highlights the main events that took place here.QF4, Friedrichstraße 47, Mitte, tel. +49 30 216 35 71, info@ bfgg.de, www.bfgg.de. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Admission €5/3,50. facebook.com/BerlinInYourPocket

ONE YEAR MICROSOFT BERLIN

The first publicly accessible Microsoft Center in the world opened on Berlin’s Unter den Linden boulevard a year ago, on 7 November 2013. The historical 1902 Carlton Hotel building with its great architectural details (try to spot the cats and mice around the side door) is the most plugged-in building in the street. The Digital Eatery café on the ground floor (see the review elsewhere in this guide) has more than just good food and drinks – visitors can use the free wifi, recharge their devices and try out a range of Microsoft products, both hardware and software, with staff at hand to answer questions. The atrium behind the café is used for meetings, performances and parties, while upstairs corporate clients are wowed in the meeting room with 360° video walls. Microsoft Berlin also has offices and a ‘Microsoft Ventures Accelerator’ for start-ups in the building. To celebrate their birthday, In Your Pocket readers get a 20% discount on the price of lunch at the Digital Eatery café in the month of November, simply by mentioning “Berlin In Your Pocket discount” at the cash desk. There’s a fresh selection of pasta and meat dishes prepared daily; see www.digitaleatery.de for the menu of the day. MICROSOFT BERLIN QUnter den Linden 17, Mitte, tel. +49 30 39 09 70, www.microsoft-berlin.de. Café open 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 11:00 - 20:00, Sun 12:00 - 18:00.

October - November 2014

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Mitte The cluster of majestic nineteenth century neoclassic buildings on the tip of the island in the Spree offers the avid or the temperate museum-goer a number of impressive collections of art, history and ethnology, covering many facets of ancient and oriental culture, as well as their cross-overs into modernity. ALTE NATIONALGALERIE Cézanne, Rodin, Monet, Degas and Liebermann are some of the artists whose works hang around this museum of 19th-century art. The temple-like structure itself was built in 1876, and is surrounded by a beautifully battered colonnade.QG-3, Bodestraße 1-3, Mitte, MS Hackescher Markt, tel. +49 30 266 42 42 42, www.smb.museum. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon. Admission €10/5. ALTES MUSEUM This neoclassic building by Prussia’s star architect Schinkel was custom-made in 1830 for the art collection of the royal Hohenzollerns. Classical antiquities were the focus, and today the museum uses pottery and sculptures to take you on a wellpresented tour through ancient Etruscan, Greek and Roman history.QG-3, Am Lustgarten, Mitte, MS Hackescher Markt, tel. +49 30 266 42 42 42, www. smb.museum. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon. Admission €10/5. NEUES MUSEUM Built in 1855, damaged in the war and only restored in 2009, the ‘New Museum’ is new again and is full of ancient art. The excellent Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection are housed here, with spectacular finds such as the famous busts of Queen Nefertiti and King Echnaton. The Pre- and Early History collection has finds from ancient Troy and Lycopolis to medieval Germany. One room exhibits eleven rediscovered statues that were considered to be ‘degenerate art’ by the Nazis.QG-3, Bodestraße 1-3, Mitte, MS Hackescher Markt, tel. +49 30 266 42 42 42, www. smb.museum. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 20:00. Admission €12/6. PERGAMON MUSEUM The Pergamon museum is undergoing major renovations, with the north wing and the hall with the famous Pergamon Altar closed until 2019. Visitors can still see the market gate of Miletus, the amazing blue-tiled Ishtar Gate and processional way from Babylon, and the museum of Islamic Art.QG-3, Am Kupfergraben, Mitte, MS Hackescher Markt, tel. +49 30 266 42 42 42, www.smb.museum. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 20:00. Admission €12/6.

28 Berlin In Your Pocket

DEUTSCHES CURRYWURST MUSEUM According to the myth, currywurst is Berlin’s very own fastfood creation. A spicy sausage snack that first became popular in the late 1940s, these days currywurst can be found at train stations and street corners across the city. This quirky museum explains the colourful history of this culinary creation. There’s a shop with sausage accessories and you can taste currywurst too.QF-4, Schützenstraße 70, Mitte, MU Stadtmitte, tel. +49 30 88 71 86 47, www.currywurstmuseum.com. Open 10:00 - 20:00. Admission €11/8,50, Mon 20% less. DAIMLER CONTEMPORARY BERLIN Inside the Haus Huth, the last remaining pre-war building on Potsdamer Platz, selected works from the Daimler company’s art collection is presented in four well-curated exhibitions per year. The collection has mainly abstract artworks from the 20th century until now, and a few of the larger sculptures are on permanent display in the streets around the museum.QE-4, Alte Potsdamer Straße 5, Tiergarten, tel. +49 30 25 94 14 20, www.sammlung. daimler.com. Open 11:00 - 18:00. Admission free. DALÍ - THE EXHIBITION AT POTSDAMER PLATZ The Spanish master of surreal, Salvador Dalí, left a rich heritage of amazing artworks when he went to moltenwatch land himself. Over 450 exhibits can be viewed at this permanent exhibition near Postdamer Platz. See true genius and craftsmanship in the many paintings, sketches, books, films, objects, and documents that are on show here. English-language tours can be booked in advance.QF-4, Leipziger Platz 7, Mitte, MS/U Potsdamer Platz, tel. +49 700 32 54 23 75 46, www.daliberlin.de. Open 12:00 20:00, Sun 10:00 - 20:00. Admission €11/9, tours €6. DEUTSCHES HISTORISCHES MUSEUM The former imperial arsenal - a pretty, pink, early 18th century building by the Spree - houses the impressive German History Museum. The 7000 objects in the main building give excellent insight into what makes Germany tick, and there are regularly changing exhibitions in the dazzling extension by architect I.M. Pei. You can rent an audio tour set for €3 or join the English-language highlights tour on Saturdays at 13:00.QF-3, Unter den Linden 2, Mitte, MS Hackescher Markt, tel. +49 30 20 30 40, www.dhm.de. Open 10:00 18:00. Admission €8/4. Under 18 free. GEDENKSTÄTTE BERLINER MAUER (BERLIN WALL MEMORIAL) The excellent national memorial site for the divided Germany has a documentation centre covering the Berlin Wall’s history in text, slides and dramatic film footage. An unscathed section of Wall runs along the street; walk behind it to peer through a crack in the Hintermauer rear wall to see a preserved section of death strip as it looked in the 1980s, complete with a patrol road, wires and a watchtower. Nearby, the wooden Chapel of Reconciliation is built on the spot of a church demolished to make way for the border defences. Walk on towards Mauerpark for several more open-air exhibitions.QF-2, Bernauer Straße berlin.inyourpocket.com

111 & 119, Mitte, MS Nordbahnhof, tel. +49 30 467 98 66 66, infoberliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de, www. berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de. Open 09:30-19:00, Nov-Mar 09:30-18:00. Mon closed (outdoor exhibition open 24hrs). Admission free. GEMÄLDEGALERIE Berlin’s largest art museum has 72 rooms full of works spanning the 13th to 18th centuries. German masters include Dürer, Cranach the Elder, and Holbein; the Italians are represented by Botticelli, Titian, Raphael. The Dutch rooms are especially good with a Vermeer and the world’s largest Rembrandt collection. QE-4, Matthäikirchplatz 8, Tiergarten, MS/U Potsdamer Platz, tel. +49 30 266 42 42 42, [email protected], www.smb.museum. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 22:00. Closed Mon. Admission €8/€4.

International

HAMBURGER BAHNHOF Berlin’s wonderful modern art museum is situated in a converted train station. It’s well worth a visit by those curious about the expressiveness of a sculpture made of animal fat (Joseph Beuys) or urban dwellers fixated by bars of neon lighting (Dan Flavin). Andy Warhol and Marcel Duchamp are the other familiar stars of this post-1960s collection.QE-2, Invalidenstraße 50-51, Mitte, MS/U Hauptbahnhof, tel. +49 30 39 78 34 11, [email protected], www. hamburgerbahnhof.de. Open 10:00 - 18:00, Sat 11:00 20:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. Admission €10/5. MUSEUM FÜR FILM UND FERNSEHEN (FILM AND TV MUSEUM) Hooray for Hollywood, but remember that some of the personalities that gave it glamour and style came from Germany. Actors Marlene Dietrich and Peter Lorre, directors Billy Wilder and Josef von Sternberg came out of a country with a strong film-making tradition. Photo stills, footage, set designs and costumes provide glimpses of the familiar, and exhibits on Leni Riefenstahl’s shooting of Olympia (1936) and Nazi entertainment cq propaganda films will impress ‘seen-that’ film buffs. The museum ends with special effects and science fiction.QE-4, Potsdamer Straße 2 (Sony Center), Tiergarten, MS/U Potsdamer Platz, tel. +49 30 300 90 30, www.deutsche-kinemathek.de. Open 10:00 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon Admission €6/4,5. MUSEUM FÜR NATURKUNDE (NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM) All the wonders of nature under one roof; a grand collection illustrating the evolution of life as well as the diversity and beauty of nature. The largest mounted dinosaur in the world towers over visitors in the main hall, and elsewhere there’s the aardvarks, the early 20th-century dioramas, meteorites, the most famous fossil of Earth history (the ancient bird Archaeopteryx lithographica), giant shells and the gorilla Bobby from the primates hall.QF-2, Invalidenstraße 43, Mitte, MU Naturkundemuseum, tel. +49 30 20 93 85 91, [email protected], www.naturkundemuseumberlin.de. Open 09:30 - 18:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. Admission €6/3,50. facebook.com/BerlinInYourPocket

museum

open daily: mon - sat 12 p.m. - 8 p.m. sun + holidays 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. (24th December closed)

Potsdamer Platz entrance: Leipziger Platz 7

Hômmage á S. Dalí by DaVial

MUSEUMSINSEL

Mitte

Infos: 0700 - 325 423 75** (0700DaliBerlin) Tickets: www.DaliBerlin.de (**0,14 € /Min. from a landline, mobile communications vary, max 0,42 € /Min.)|*only in combination with the entrance fee. Cannot be combinded with other offers. Valid until January, 31st 2015.

With over 450 exhibits from private collections this permanent exhibition provides general insight into Dalí’s virtuous mastery in almost all art techniques, in Berlin’s lively city centre.

www.DaliBerlin.de October - November 2014

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Mitte PANORAMAPUNKT

Mitte Shopping DEPARTMENT STORES ALEXA CENTRE A mall at the eastern end of Alexanderplatz square, with five floors and 180 shops, restaurants and cafés. There’s a massive kids’ area with a cinema and the LOXX model train exhibition.QG-3, Grunerstraße 20 (Alexanderplatz), Mitte, MS/U Alexanderplatz, tel. +49 30 269 34 00, www.alexacentre.com. Open Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00, lower level from 08:00. Food court also open Sun 11:0019:00. LOXX open daily 10:00-19:00.

© Landesarchiv Berlin

PANORAMAPUNKT It takes just 20 seconds on Europe’s fastest elevator to get shot up to Berlin’s best viewpoint, on the 24th and 25th floor of this red brick skyscraper. Architect Hans Kollhoff ’s magnificent 1930s-inspired building refers to New York’s skyscraping glory days but also resembles the Berlin bear, complete with a golden crown. On the top floors there’s a short film and an exhibition about the amazing history of Potsdamer Platz square, which went from a world-class entertainment district to a Walldivided wasteland and back again within a generation. The café and rooftop terrace offer great close-up views of Berlin’s highlights: Brandenburger Tor, the Holocaust memorial, Unter den Linden, the former Wall zone and Tiergarten park.QE-4, Potsdamer Platz 1, Tiergarten, MS/U Potsdamer Platz, tel. +49 30 25 93 70 80, www. panoramapunkt.de. Open 10:00-20:00, Nov-Mar 10:00-18:00. Admission €6,50/5, family ticket €15,50. NEUE NATIONALGALERIE You’d think that the art world had gone to minimalist extremes when passing Mies van der Rohe’s empty glass box of a museum; the 20th century treasures are all underground. The marvellous collection includes Otto Dix, George Grosz, Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Picasso and Leger and many more modern artists.QE-4, Potsdamer Straße 50, Tiergarten, MS/U Potsdamer Platz, tel. +49 30 266 42 42 42, www.smb.museum. Open 10:00 18:00, Thu 10:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon. Admission €8/4. Temporary exhibitions extra.

VIEWPOINTS FERNSEHTURM (TV TOWER) The skewered disco ball on the tower peering over rooftops certainly brings a level of humour to Berlin’s skyline. The 368-metre television broadcast tower, completed in 1969, 70m higher than the Eiffel tower and the tallest building in Germany, has an observation deck and the Sphere restaurant with a rotating floor. Photos point out the landmarks for you. QG-3, Panoramastraße 1a, Mitte, MS/U Alexanderplatz, www.tv-turm.de. Admission €12/8. 30 Berlin In Your Pocket

MALL OF BERLIN Opened in late September, this huge shopping mall sits on the spot where the famous Wertheim department store dazzled Berliners 100 years ago. The huge billion-euro mall has all the usual fashion and electronics retailers, a food court and supermarkets in the basement. Centrepiece is a spectacular 23-metre high covered piazza.QF-4, Leipziger Platz 12, Mitte, MS/U Potsdamer Platz, www.mallofberlin.de. Open 09:00 - 22:00.

MARKETS KUNST UND NOSTALGIEMARKT Lining the way to the Pergamon Museum are canal-side stalls carrying crafts and souvenirs including red-and-green Ampelmännchen products.QF-3, Am Kupfergraben, Mitte, MS/U Friedrichstraße. Open Sat, Sun 10:00 16:00 Open Sat, Sun 11:00 - 17:00.

Hotels OVER €200 ADLON KEMPINSKI The reconstructed, historic Adlon hotel has views of the Brandenburger Tor and Under den Linden, unfussy 1920s-style rooms with cherry wood, black marble and rich fabrics, and the staff provides impeccable service. Often voted the best hotel in Germany and even Europe, this is in fact the only place to sleep in Berlin. QF-2, Unter den Linden 77, Mitte, MU Unter den Linden, tel. +49 30 226 10, [email protected], www.hotel-adlon.de. 375 rooms (304 singles €240 379, 304 doubles €216 - 478, 78 suites €531 - 7100). PHAUFLGKDCwW hhhhh

hilton.com, www.hilton.com. 591 rooms (singles €145 - 345, doubles €145 - 345, suites €220 - 1145). Breakfast extra. PHARUFLEGKDC hhhhh HOTEL DE ROME Overlooking Bebelplatz, this top-class hotel occupies a magnificent former bank building from 1889. Wooden panelling, marble and even shrapnel damage pervade the high-ceilinged lobby and rooms, and the bank’s vault is now a 20-metre pool.QF-3, Behrenstraße 37, Mitte, MS/U Brandenburger Tor, tel. +49 30 460 60 90, info. [email protected], www.hotelderome. com. 146 rooms (103 singles €395 - 495, 103 doubles €395 - 495, 43 suites €595 - 4100). MARRIOTT Ten floors of superb rooms and conference facilities overlooking the Platz. The lobby has a serenely spinning 3-tonne black granite globe, and the copper facade of one wall plays an unearthly light show. That plus a wellness centre and a classic Art Deco New York bar and grill make this one of Berlin’s finest hotels.QE-4, Inge-BeisheimPlatz 1, Mitte, MS/U Potsdamer Platz, tel. +49 30 22 00 00, www.marriott.com. 379 rooms (350 singles €159 - 219, 350 doubles €159 - 219, 9 suites €350 1200, 80 executive room €199 - 259). Breakfast extra. PHAFLGKDC hhhhh RITZ-CARLTON A gilt-edged hotel with superlative services, gourmet dining and fake marble Corinthian columns lining a sweeping staircase in the lobby. The classic dark wooden bar opens with a ceremony every evening at 18:00 and serves over 400 fine fruit brandies.QE/F-4, Potsdamer Platz 3, Mitte, MS/U Potsdamer Platz, tel. +49 30 33 77 77, [email protected], www. ritzcarlton.com. 302 rooms (singles €250 - 360, doubles €280 - 440, 40 suites €330 - 5000). Breakfast extra. PTHARUFLGKDC hhhhh WESTIN GRAND Enviably well-located and used in GDR times for Party bigwigs, the Westin is classically furnished, with a copy of the

Adlon’s marble staircase situated in the lobby, a round pool, an upmarket restaurant and suites with butler service.QF3, Friedrichstraße 158-164, Mitte, MS/U Friedrichstraße, tel. +49 30 202 70, [email protected], www. westin.com/berlin. 358 rooms (25 singles €136 - 350, 273 doubles €136 - 375, suites €379 - 930, 15 junior suites €279 - 565, 1 presidential suite €986 - 1930). Breakfast extra. PHARUFLGKDC hhhhh

€150-200 MANDALA Excellent rooms and apartments for both short and longterm stays. The Potsdamer Platz hotel location has great views over Tiergarten park and hosts the top-notch Facil restaurant and Qiu lounge; the suites at Friedrichstraße 185190 are close to all the action.QE-4, Potsdamer Straße 3, Tiergarten, MS/U Potsdamer Platz, tel. +49 30 59 00 00 00, [email protected], www.themandala. de. 157 rooms (157 suites €130 - 5800). Breakfast extra. PHAUFLKDW hhhhh

€75-150 HONIGMOND & GARDEN HOTELS Two meticulously restored buildings with sparsely furnished rooms with original wooded floors makes for a homey feel. The nearby Garden Hotel dependence (Invalidenstraße 122) has a garden with a lawn and goldfish pond for frolicking around in summer.QF-2, Tieckstraße 12, Mitte, MS Nordbahnhof, tel. +49 30 284 45 50, [email protected], www.honigmond.de. 24 rooms (singles €95 - 155, doubles €125 - 225). AG PARK INN BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ Towering 40 stories over Alexanderplatz, Germany’s thirdlargest hotel is as central as it gets. Business rooms are all renovated and stocked with a coffeemaker and ironing board. By far the best choice for the direction-impaired. QG-3, Alexanderplatz 7, Mitte, MS/U Alexanderplatz, tel. +49 30 238 90, [email protected], www.parkinn-berlin.com. 1012 rooms (318 singles €89 - 125, 671 doubles €89 - 125, 23 suites €130 - 185). Breakfast extra. POARFGKD hhhh

HILTON Maybe it’s the excellent breakfast and not the privileged view on Gendarmenmarkt that keeps guests coming back. The formal rooms are supplemented by good restaurants and exotic spa treatments.QF-2, Mohrenstraße 30, Mitte, MU Stadtmitte, tel. +49 30 202 30, info.berlin@ berlin.inyourpocket.com

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October - November 2014

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Charlottenburg & the West

Charlottenburg & the West Follow what becomes an increasingly silken ribbon down Kurfürstendamm (Ku’damm) and the setting becomes more genteel. West Berliners meet in the bars and cafés branching off Savignyplatz, even if the Szene has moved east. Nearby but isolated from the hoi polloi is Schloss Charlottenburg, the residence of King Friedrich I. This chapter also covers other parts of western Berlin: leafy Wilmersdorf and Schöneberg, the centre of gay Berlin since the days of Christopher Isherwood’s Berlin Stories. We’ve also included some nearby venues in Tiergarten (officially part of Mitte) here. Getting there Charlottenburg’s nerve centre is Zoologischer Bahnhof station, along the main west-east raised city railway and easily reached from Hauptbahnhof or Spandau. From here’s it’s a short walk to many hotels and sights, or else hop on the M29 bus, going east along Tauentzienstraße or west down Kurfürstendamm. Pocket Walk: Charlottenburg Explore Charlottenburg from Zoologischer Garten station. Walk east past the Zoo to Breitscheidplatz for the ruins and modern reincarnation of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. Stroll further east down Tauentzienstraße for the KaDeWe department store and other upmarket shops, or head west along Kantstraße to leafy Savignyplatz for calm cafés and refined dining, or southwest down grand old Kurfürstendamm for more shopping. Lich ten ste i

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APRIL This bistro is great value with a generous appetiser plate for two and various specials. The dining is a bit more formal out back, where tables get the white-linen treatment.QD-5, Winterfeldstraße 56, Schöneberg, MU Nollendorfplatz, tel. +49 30 216 88 69, www.restaurant-april.com. Open 10:00 - 24:00. €-€€. UNGBS BAVARIUM A Bavarian restaurant oddly located in the basement of the Europa-Center mall by the Gedächtniskirche. Where buxom waitresses plonk down hearty German dishes and big glasses of Löwenbräu, Radler and Franziskaner beer, to the merry tune of oompah-music. How much more German can it get?QD-4, Tauentzienstraße 9-12 (Europa-Center), Charlottenburg, MU Kurfürstendamm, tel. +49 30 261 43 97, www. bavarium-berlin.de. Open 12:00 - 24:00. €€. TUG KNESE Alt-Berliner, traditional ‘Old Berlin’ cuisine, is on offer at rustic Knese. Try the Königsberger Klopse, meatballs with potatoes, the pork knuckle or the calf liver with apples, onions and potatoes for a taste of the Berlin of yesteryear at reasonable prices. There’s also a selection of international meals and desserts for you to tuck in to. Wash it all down with some good South-African wine.QC-4, Knesebeckstraße 63, Charlottenburg, MU Uhlandstraße, tel. +49 30 88 41 34 48, www.restaurant-knese.de. Open 11:00 - 01:00. €€. TB

ZILLEMARKT It’s easy to imagine Heinrich Zille, a local artist famous for his charming portraits of Berlin’s lower classes, stroll in and order a jellied boiled pork, stuffed cabbage leaves or a Berliner Currywurst. Zillemarkt serves breakfast, home-made cakes. lunch and dinner, and you can down a Zillebräu beer in the glass-ceilinged bar.QC4, Bleibtreustraße 48a, Charlottenburg, MS Savignyplatz, tel. +49 30 881 70 40, [email protected], www.zillemarkt.de. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. TB

Local cuisine Wartburgstraße 54 Berlin - Schöneberg Open daily from 18:00 Tel. 784 20 59 www.renger-patzsch.com

1000 m

berlin.inyourpocket.com

sauerkraut, and boiled potatoes), Oma’s Rote Grütze (a vanilla pudding with stewed red berries), and warm apple strudel make up the menu of traditional Alt-Berlin and Brandenburg cuisine.QD-5, Motzstraße 61, Schöneberg, MU ViktoriaLuise-Platz, tel. +49 30 21 96 98 61, schoeneberger_ [email protected], www.schoeneberger-weltlaterne. de. Open 17:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 17:00 - 02:00. €. TEB

SCHÖNEBERGER WELTLATERNE Come back to old West Berlin at this wood-panelled tavern on the southwest side of Viktoria-Luise-Platz. Schnitzel variations, Berliner Eisbein (pork knuckle with pea puree,

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RENGER-PATZSCH Upscale German dining with a difference. The interior is kept casual and simple, with all focus on the people and the food. Serving regional cooking, you can order dishes such as sauteed mushrooms in chervil sauce, pan-seared pike-perch and a selection of tasty Alsatian flammekuchen.QD-5, Wartburgstraße 54, Schöneberg, MU Eisenacher Straße, tel. +49 30 784 20 59, www.renger-patzsch.com. Open 18:00 - 23:30. €€.

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32 Berlin In Your Pocket

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If ‘downtown’ to you means wide, traffic-filled streets, crowds of shoppers, five-star hotels and tall buildings, then Charlottenburg comes closest to fitting the bill in Berlin. The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche church, left as a ruin after the war, is the nexus of activity; between it and Zoologischer Garten station, over a billion euros is being invested in impressive highrises, hotels and offices.

Restaurants & Cafés

Renger-Patzsch

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October - November 2014

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Charlottenburg & the West

Charlottenburg & the West AUSTRIAN OTTENTHAL The pleasure in this intimate, classy bistro is that of fresh, seasonal ingredients, often from the owner’s home town, Ottenthal. Daily specials might include foam of goose liver or venison pie with apple-celery salad. The portion of Wiener Schnitzel could feed two. Service is excellent, and you can rely on wine recommendations (the list is extensive). Wines and other products from Ottenthal such as pumpkinseed oil, are available for purchase. This is truly one of our favourite spots.QC-4, Kantstraße 153, Charlottenburg, MU Uhlandstraße, tel. +49 30 313 31 62, www.ottenthal. com. Open 17:00 - 01:00. €€€. VGB

Suksan

ASIAN SUKSAN A short stroll from West Berlin’s shops and sights, Suksan is a cosy Thai restaurant decorated with ample bamboo poles and palmleaf roofs. Drop by for the lunch specials, or dine on spicey Thai dishes accompanied by wine or fresh coconut milk, perhaps followed by a cocktail.QD-4, Ansbacher Straße 4, Schöneberg, MU Wittenbergplatz, tel. +49 30 21 01 86 73, [email protected], www. suksan.de. Open 12:00 - 23:00, Fri 12:00 - 24:00, Sat 16:00 - 24:00, Sun 17:00 - 23:00. JJ

Zillemarkt Caféhaus • Restaurant

Over 100 years of comfort and quality Traditional German cuisine

SCHNITZELEI Nearly as far from central Berlin as Austria, Schnitzelei is well off the beaten track, but well worth looking up. No tacky alpine decorations here, but a light take on the genre, with oak patterns and subdued lighting creating a good vibe. There are delicious schnitzels in different variations, though you may also want to try the German tapas.QB-3, Röntgenstraße 7, Charlottenburg, MU Richard-WagnerPlatz, tel. +49 30 34 70 27 78, www.schnitzelei.de. Open 16:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 01:00. €€. TVGBS

FINE DINING FIRST FLOOR A Michelin star has been the beacon over Matthias Dieter’s restaurant for years now, and visiting gourmands who can’t move well after a seven-course meal make a point of staying at the Palace. The cuisine has touches of France and the Far East, and turbot with caviar or prawn is often on the menu.QD-4, Budapester Straße 45, Charlottenburg, MS/U Zoologischer Garten, tel. +49 30 25 02 10 20, www.palace.de. Open 18:30 - 22:30. Closed Mon, Sun. €€€€. G h HUGOS The InterContinental’s Michelin-starred French restaurant on the 14th floor has stunning views across the park to Potsdamer Platz. Chef Thomas Kammeier’s cuisine is equally dazzling; expect subtle creations blending fine flavours in the lightest of dishes.QD-4, Budapester Straße 2, Tiergarten, MS/U Zoologischer Garten, tel. +49 30 26 02 12 63, www.hugos-restaurant.de. Open 18:30 - 22:30. Closed Mon, Sun. €€€€. TUGW h

INTERNATIONAL Mon-Fri 12:00-24:00 Sat, Sun, Holidays 10:00-24:00 Tel. 030-881 70 40 Bleibtreustr. 48a, Berlin-Charlottenburg www.zillemarkt.de 34 Berlin In Your Pocket

DIEKMANN Herr Diekmann was one of the first to grace Berlin’s simple tables with some French finesse, even if it was in what began as a sandwich shop in 1976. Shelves and drawers of an old Kolonialwaren store line the walls, and Diekmann still uses French techniques to primp excellent ingredients. Always on the menu are oysters and a selection of French cheeses.QC-4, Meinekestraße 7, Charlottenburg, MU berlin.inyourpocket.com

Uhlandstraße, tel. +49 30 883 33 21, www.diekmannrestaurants.de. Open 12:00 - 01:00, Sun 18:00 - 01:00. €€€. UGB DRESSLER A good place to go if you yearn to relive something of Berlin’s roaring 1920s. Expect Art Deco wooden paneling, large mirrors, and good bistro and proper restaurant meals served in a very relaxed atmosphere. The menu changes every week. Also in Mitte, at Unter den Linden 39.QC-4, Kurfürstendamm 207, Charlottenburg, MU Uhlandstraße, tel. +49 30 883 35 30, www.restaurantdressler.de. Open 08:00 - 01:00. €€€. UGB

SUKSAN

Sawatdi Kap – welcome to Suksan. Experience a temple for Thai food and cooking culture in the heart of West Berlin, offering varied dishes with captivating aromas and tasty combinations that will tickle the palate. Quality, freshness, and healthy and original ingredients are central to our dishes, without losing sight of modern cuisine. Under bamboo roofs, Suksan seats over 60 guests in Thai settings. Let us take you on a culinary trip to the land of smiles.

DUKE Creative international crossover meals are served in the aptly named Ellington Hotel restaurant, set in a dazzling 1920s building near the Ku’damm. The open kitchen allows you to watch chef cook Florian Glauert create culinary treats.QD-4, Nürnberger Straße 50-55, Charlottenburg, MU Wittenbergplatz, tel. +49 30 683 15 40 00, www. duke-restaurant.com. Open 11:30 - 23:00. €€€-€€€€. EINHORN A fabulous vegetarian lunchbar, with standing space only. Every day there’s a completely different menu, with European and Mediterranean as well as Arab and Asian dishes.QC-4, Mommsenstraße 2, Charlottenburg, MU Uhlandstraße, tel. +49 30 881 42 41, www.einhorn-catering.de. Open 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun. €. NGS

ITALIAN FRANCUCCI’S Francucci’s kitchen churns out fresh, fresh food, with homemade pasta and bread and plenty of regional ingredients in dishes like the veal scallop with herbs, potatoes and black truffles.QB-4, Kurfürstendamm 90, Charlottenburg, MU Adenauerplatz, tel. +49 30 323 33 18, www.francucci. com. Open 12:00 - 23:00. €€€. TVGBSW LA FORCHETTA An upmarket restaurant well within the city limits but overlooking lake Halensee. Only fresh Italian food is served here, including a delicious oven baked lamb. In summer, a romantic terrace is available.QA-5, Königsallee 5b, Wilmersdorf, MS Halensee, tel. +49 30 892 85 97, info@ la-forchetta-berlin.de, www.la-forchetta-berlin.de. Open 12:00 - 24:00. B LOCANDA A tiny restaurant where Gianni can be found welcoming guests, cooking, pouring wine, serving food and washing dishes, all the while singing along to Italian classics. The pasta, fish and meat dishes are simple, and all simply delicious. Ask for the three-course surprise menu. Opposite the Schaubühne theatre.QB-4, Lehniner Platz 2, Charlottenburg, MU Adenauerplatz, tel. +49 30 31 80 69 68. Open 10:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. €. TNGBS facebook.com/BerlinInYourPocket

Ansbacherstrasse 4 (corner of Kurfürstenstrasse) tel. 21 01 86 73, www.suksan.de.

100m to KaDeWe and ZOO Berlin

TRAVEL FAR. EAT AT HOME. RESTAURANT & COCKTAIL LOUNGE ORIGINAL THAI FOOD

Ansbacher Strasse 4 corner Kurfürstenstrasse U-Bhf Wittenbergplatz

Telefon 030.21 01 86 73 Telefax 030.21 01 86 88

www.suksan.de October - November 2014

35

Charlottenburg & the West

Charlottenburg & the West ZWÖLF APOSTEL The alley next to the S-Bahn tracks leads to a grand interior with classicist decoration and angels on the walls. The Italian food - including wood-oven pizzas - served here is excellent, and from Monday to Friday the business lunch options offer good value. Also at Georgenstraße 2, under the S-Bahn track in Mitte.QC-4, Bleibtreustraße 49, Charlottenburg, MS Savignyplatz, tel. +49 30 312 14 33, www.12-apostel.de. Open 08:00 - 01:00. €€. TNGBS

JAPANESE SACHIKO SUSHI An innovative kaiten sushi restaurant - the oldest in town, dating back to 1995 - has little boats circling the restaurant with some of the best sushi in town. Not afraid to serve classic and new sushi varieties with world wines, here’s your chance to have bonito with Sauvignon Blanc, or tuna rolls with Riesling. Beneath the railway arches.QC3, Jeanne-Mammen-Bogen 584, Charlottenburg, MS Savignyplatz, tel. +49 30 313 22 82, www.sachikosushi. com. Open 12:00 - 24:00, Sun 16:00 - 24:00. Closed Mon. €€. TGBS

MAROOUSH Refined Egyptian-oriental opulence with a modern twist and gourmet food. The combined restaurant, shisha lounge and cocktail bar has a luxurious and tasteful décor enhancing the equally exotic menu. Puff on a shisha as you await your meal or come on Friday or Saturday for ‘dinner and dance’, with belly-dancers, live music and a party atmosphere. QC-4, Knesebeckstraße 48, Charlottenburg, MU Uhlandstraße, tel. +49 30 887 11 83 35, www.marooush.de. Open 15:00 - 01:00. E

CAFE KALWIL A cosy and straight-friendly café in gay old Schöneberg. Pink sofas and antique tables are arranged below glittering chandeliers, overlooked by a dozen portraits of strapping moustachioed men. There’s fair trade coffee, quality teas, cakes by Wunderkuchen, sandwiches, light meals and more.QD-4/5, Motzstraße 30, Schöneberg, MU Nollendorfplatz, tel. +49 30 23 63 88 18. Open 09:00 22:00. €€. ABW GRENANDER MORNING GLORY Pastries, muffins, croissants and rolls lie in waiting at the counter of this modern, earth-tone café. Great for breakfast, lunch or indeed something else to glorify your morning.QD-4, Wittenbergplatz 3a, Schöneberg, MU Wittenbergplatz, tel. +49 30 75 52 77 21, www. grenander.de. Open 08:00 - 22:00. €€. TUGBS

Nightlife

SPANISH

BARS

EL DORADO Dark woods and coloured tile work make a proper setting for this Spanish restaurant. The various steak cuts can weigh up to a kilo. The non-red meat dishes include Moorish and Catalan specialities and there’s also tapas if you just want to snack while watching the boulevard’s shoppers pass by.QC-4, Kurfürstendamm 203-205, Charlottenburg, MU Uhlandstraße, tel. +49 30 88 92 65 82, www.eldorado-steakhaus.de. Open 11:00 02:00. €€. B

GREEN DOOR This dimly-lit, cool bar doesn’t take itself too seriously. An undulating wall with a recessed shelf for drinks leads to an improbable end of Gingham-checked wallpaper. A padded, green leather door protects those prone to bumping into things after a few rounds. Most of the crowd is thirty and up, and quite steady on their feet.QD-5, Winterfeldstraße 50, Schöneberg, MU Nollendorfplatz, tel. +49 30 215 25 15, www.greendoor. de. Open 18:00 - 03:00, Fri, Sat 18:00 - 04:00.

CAFÉS CAFÉ AM NEUEN SEE The perfect Berlin biathlon is riding a bike through Tiergarten park, rehydrating with beer here, and then renting a rowboat on the adjacent lake. This café, restaurant and bar serves a breakfast of champions until 16:00 as well as regional food, coffee, cakes and cocktails. Food served till 22:00. QD-4, Lichtensteinallee 2, Tiergarten, MS/U Zoologischer Garten, tel. +49 30 254 49 30, www. cafeamneuensee.de. Open 08:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 23:00. €€-€€€. TUGB CAFÉ IM LITERATURHAUS Some guests may be sporting three-piece suits, straw hats, polished canes and freshly fluffed pups, but you don’t have to be all that precious about eating at this literary hangout. Food runs from cheap sandwiches for aspiring writers and critics, to lamb. The 19th-century building has airy rooms that are pleasant to dine in on a sunny day.QC-4,

36 Berlin In Your Pocket

Fasanenstraße 23, Charlottenburg, MU Uhlandstraße, tel. +49 30 887 2860, literaturhaus@literaturhaus-berlin. de, www.literaturhaus-berlin.de. Open 10:00 - 17:00. €€. GB

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HEFNER The most happening spot on Savignyplatz is this cool cocktail bar on the corner with Kantstraße. Though the lengthy cocktail menu includes all the favourites, Hefner prides itself on having the best selection of Martini cocktails in Berlin.QC-4, Kantstraße 146, Charlottenburg, MU Savignyplatz, tel. +49 30 31 01 75 20, www.hefnerberlin.de. Open 16:00 - 03:00, Sat 13:00 - 03:00. NB

ZWIEBELFISCH The name Zwiebelfisch is, among other things, the term used by printers to label a single letter that rebels and appears in a font unlike the letters around it. Aging, but still-kicking liberals come here to rest the weight of their youthful ideals and trade wisecracks with long-time owner Hartmut Volmerhaus. Jazz or classic music is piped in, and a selection of papers and magazines helps stretch out the beer or coffee. Hot meals, like goulash and Swabian Maultaschen are served up until 03:00. The tall tables abutting the bar are a brilliantly social arrangement.QC-4, Savignyplatz 7-8, Charlottenburg, MS Savignyplatz, tel. +49 30 312 73 63, www.zwiebelfisch-berlin.de. Open 12:00 - 06:00. €-€€. NBSW

JAZZ CLUBS A-TRANE Concerts at 22:00.QBleibtreustraße 1, Charlottenburg, MU Ernst-Reuter-Platz, tel. +49 30 313 25 50, [email protected], www.a-trane.de. Open 21:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 21:00 - 04:00. E

Café im Literaturhaus

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Charlottenburg & the West

Charlottenburg & the West UNION JACK A corner of Scottish highland in the heart of Berlin, this whisky pub is one of Berlin’s first true pubs and continues to draw the punters in with a collection of 401 whiskys (from the best Scottish and Irish brands to Canadian and Japanese bourbon) and various English and Irish beers. Solid food is available too – home made snacks and and Walkers crisps.QC-4, Schlüterstraße 15, Charlottenburg, MS Savignyplatz, tel. +49 30 312 55 57, www. unionjack-berlin.de. Open 19:00 - open end. Closed Sun Open from 19:00. Sun closed.

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