For visitors to the Berlin Wall memorial the first decision to make will be which direction to take it in. I think the majority of people start from the visitor centre at the corner of Gartenstrasse and Bernauer Strasse having arrived via Nordbahnhof S-Bahn. The only disadvantage is that you start from the spot where [...]
Thirst for Knowledge: a tour of the old Kindl beer brewery, Berlin
on September 13, 2011 Leave a Comment
We gather under the shadow of an impressive, looming old brewery – the former Kindl-Area in Neukölln – in an eerie, industrial wasteland that might feel intimidating if it wasn’t so familiar, so Berlin. As the nearby clock tower strikes four o’clock, we file punctually into the brewery to start the Berliner Unterwelten guided tour. [...]
Reichenberger Straße in Kreuzberg Berlin – the Kiez is alright
on September 5, 2011 2 Comments
Sandwiched between Görlitzer Park and the Landwehr Canal, Reichenberger Straße is a long, cobbled street flanked by magnificent trees, where the seeds of change have been planted and are beginning to bear fruit. Located in west Kreuzberg, the old Turkish quarter, gentrification has been slower here than in other areas such as Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer [...]
Free Classical Music in Berlin
on August 30, 2011 Leave a Comment
One of the best things about Berlin, especially in the summer, is that all sorts of open spaces get used for a wide range of performance including music. And what is even better is that quite a lot of it is free! This is quite appealing to us, as new parents, as it means that [...]
The Fans Football Team in Berlin – Reasons to be Union
on July 29, 2011 2 Comments
Despite the fact that Berlin hosted the World Cup Final recently, as well as a sell-out opening game for the women’s finals, it does not come across as a football town. In fact many visitors remain convinced that Berlin only has one team. Which is strange when you consider that London often has five teams [...]
Berlin Music Week – 7th to 11th September 2011
on July 13, 2011 1 Comment
Popkomm, one the world’s biggest music industry meet-ups, and the Berlin Festival will this year form part of Berlin’s second annual Music Week event. A date for the diaries of industry professionals and music fans alike, the occasion will include a trade fair, conference and live showcases, finishing up with a two-day festival featuring world-famous [...]
Brunnenstrasse – A street of wonder in Berlin
on July 6, 2011 3 Comments
Brunnenstrasse, strange as it may seem given its recent reputation, encapsulates much of what Berlin is about. A stroll up Brunnenstrasse will certainly give you plenty to think about, whether it be Berlin’s not always glorious past or its potentially wonderful future, as well as ample opportunity to stop and have some ice-cream. Starting from [...]
An Eco Holiday in Berlin
on July 1, 2011 1 Comment
When it comes to being green, Germany has long been top of the class. While European companions sit insolently at the back, ink-flicking and chin-wagging, the Germans lead by example. From recycling to renewables, and everything in between, the country provides a beacon of action amidst a fog of rhetoric. Germany’s tendency towards efficiency along [...]
Berlin’s Funkhaus – Funkhaus Art Prize exhibition 2011 & Private Views – Thursday 30th June 2011
on June 30, 2011 Leave a Comment
There is something particularly special about walking in the halls of a place which once held splendour. When the life that was once breathed into concrete spaces can still be found, gently vibrating under the surface of faded paint and dusty window sills, years later. Something of this feeling can be found when heading out [...]
Eating, Drinking & Seeing Friedrichshain Berlin – A Locals Guide
on June 28, 2011 Leave a Comment
There are things you are guaranteed to spot in Friedrichshain – dogs with bandanas coordinated with their owners, good looking hipster parents, and never ending cocktail happy hours. These days, gentrification means that many of the buildings, which up until the 1990s displayed bullet holes from World War Two, have been repaired, and the rising [...]
