Berlin clearly lived through one of its most bizarre periods during the Cold War. Bizarre, in that erecting a wall dividing a city into two parts, separating families and neighbours and setting them in opposing universes, is an Orwellian experience to say the least.

Each part of the city obviously developed in a very different way. On the one hand, East Berlin stagnated within a system based on obsessive control by the regime, a pattern shared by the rest of the communist bloc. West Berlin, for its part, evolved in similar fashion to the rest of the capitalist world.

West Berlin – From the Mecca of the Underground to Hedonistic House

From the seventies on, in line with the new trends in England and the United States, a new musical scene began to gain currency in Berlin, based on creative freedom and the aesthetic of a clean break with the past. Berlin became one of the leading centres of punk and all its subsequent ramifications. Their outsider and underground art culture sediment attracted performers of the calibre of David Bowie, Brian Eno, Keith Haring and Lou Reed throughout the seventies. By then, a good number of bands were feeding such exciting circuits as those of London and Sheffield.

At the end of the seventies, the music of Joy Division and dabblers in electronic and industrial music were adopted as icons of the flourishing alternative scene of an open Berlin. Unlike the British or American varieties, German post-punk was characterised by a tension between politics and culture and aesthetically owes much to krautrock, as many of its themes are endless repetitions at a heady pace, notably Geld/Money by the arty band, Malaria, or the early recordings of DAF.

As of 1980, the exciting Berlin scene was always on the move, spawning an inexhaustible string of bands like Einstürzende Neubauten– headed by the controversial Blixa Bargeld – Die Unbekannten, Nina Hagen, Die Krupps, Mekanik Destrüktiw Komandoh, Die Tödliche Doris, Geile Tiere and Die Arztewith their punk funk distinguished by sarcastic lyrics.True to say, the scene was not made up of musicians alone, but by film stars and directors, writers, philosophers, artists and photographers, too. By the mid-eighties a process of disintegration had set in. Music became ever more commercial and groups began to sign up with multinationals. However, it was not long before a new sound revolution arose which had a marked impact on the city – the advent of acid house and techno. Recall that Berlin’s Love Parade was the first mass parade of electronic music in the world. The first Love Parade was in 1989. The event started out as a clamour for peace and mutual understanding through music. Just a few months later, the Wall came down and West Berlin was consigned to history.

The legendary SO36 was still going strong at that time. The club, located on the Oranienstrasse near Heinrichplatz in the Kreuzberg district, took its name from the area’s famed postal code – SO36. The district of Kreuzberg is historically the home of Berlin punk, and of other alternative German subcultures. SO36 was initially dedicated mainly to punk music. As of 1979 it attempted a crossover between punk, new wave and visual art. In those days the club rivalled New York’s CBGB as one of the world’s leading new wave spots. Others on the Berlin circuit included Metropol, the disco, Kino, the club 54 Kantstrasse and the Sputnik alternative cinema, where the cult film Christiane F. premiered.

Period Document on the Big Screen

The 13th Beefeater In-Edit Festival will be held in Barcelona from 29 October to 8 November. Prominent among the many films to be shown is B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989, a documentary directed by Jörg A. Hoppe, Heiko Lange and Klaus Maeck on music, art and chaos in the Wild West of Berlin in the decade of the 1980s, the walled city that became a creative crucible for a special type of pop subculture which attracted brilliant dilettantes and world-famous celebrities of all kinds. However, prior to the fall of the Iron Curtain, artists, squatters, poets, music creators and hedonists came together to enjoy a highly unconventional lifestyle in Berlin. They all knew it would be short-lived but, who’s worried about tomorrow? It was a case of living for the here and now.

Featuring mostly unreleased television material and original footage, photos and interviews, B-Movie chronicles life in a divided city, a cultural interzone where anything seemed possible – a place different from anywhere else in Europe. It is a fast-moving collage of stories about a frenzied but creative decade starting with punk and ending with the Love Parade, in a city where days are short and nights are interminable.

Berlin is currently experiencing a youthful resurgence in terms of cultural activity – and music, too! Why wait to discover it all? Check out our tickets here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by B-Moviem, SO36

Each November San Sebastián hosts what for me is the best footrace on the national circuit, the Behobia-San Sebastián classic. It covers the 20 kilometres separating the Irunese town of Behobia on the French border from the capital. It is a veritable sports festival which this year chalked up its 51st edition, with some 30,000 runners signed up.

I took part in the race, but not on foot, as I chose to do it on skates. Indeed, it has a skating section and also features a Behobia Txiki version for children up to the age of 13. The latter takes place the day before the main event. There is also a much shortened version for teenagers from 14 to 18 years known as the Behobia Gaztea which covers the final 4.4 km of the main race. Lastly, organisers provide a Behobia for runners with disabilities; so, all in all, it caters for everyone. For the main event your physical preparation should be thorough and you must book your number and accommodation well in advance. The race itself includes continual climbs, so it can turn out to be really tough if you start out running above your rhythm.

More Than Just the Behobia-San Sebastián Classic

In my last London post I encouraged you to discover cities by running them. For an urban race in Donosti I would recommend the route of “the three beaches”. Starting at El Peine de los Vientos, Chillida’s sculpture at Ondarreta, you traverse the Paseo de La Concha as far as La Zurriola beach, crossing the Bulevar and the Kursaal bridge. The same route is also suitable for roller or inline skating.

But, apart from running through the city, San Sebastián also lends itself to interacting with its environment through such activities as these:

Surfing at La Zurriola. Zurriola beach, in the district of Gros, attracts foreigners all year around. The international atmosphere stems from the quality of its waves. There you will come across the friends of Pukas who have spent years promoting surfing in the Basque Country. They now also have a school in Barcelona. If you’re going to surf there for the first time, please place yourself in the hands of an instructor, as it is not an easy beach.

Kayaking and SUP at La Concha. You can hire equipment for kayaking and stand up paddling at the same facilities in Club Fortuna on La Concha beach. From there you can paddle carefully to the island of Santa Clara in Donosti’s old harbour. La Concha is noticeably calmer than La Zurriola and affords some spectacular views over the whole bay.

Swimming at La Concha. If you fancy open waters and have a wetsuit, you can extend your swimming season. La Concha is a calm beach, as long as you stay within the bay. There are changerooms with lockers where you can shower and leave your clothes. The lockers operate with a magnet key which is easy to wear while you are swimming.

Mountain biking or hiking in the monte Ulía.Anyone who has run the Behobia will recall (for better or for worse) the final climb known as the Alto de Miracruz, which comes after the final descent down Ategorrieta avenue. There, on the right, after passing the Arzak restaurant, is the climb up to Ulía. You can drive to the upper picnic area or walk up. The mountain is full of footpaths and tracks, so you can have a delightful time mountain biking, running or simply walking. At the very least, you will enjoy the views and the promenade leading to Pasajes de San Pedro and the Trintxerpe fishermen’s quarter.

If by chance the weather lets you down and you have to resort to indoor sport, you can use the gym at the Club Atlético San Sebastián for doing your gym routine (cycling, running, lifting) or, if you are looking for something different, go up to the Pabellón del Club Fortuna Pío Baroja to practise your skills on their climbing wall, using either a rope and safety harness (sports climb) or just climbing shoes. The hall is provided with safety mattresses for low-height climbing.

As you see, it is well worth coming to San Sebastián to do sport, even if you aren’t competing. However, if you have the urge to compete, take note of the following dates and events (in chronological order, after Behobia) and start booking your ticket at Vueling to enjoy them.

San Sebastián Marathon – end of November.
Lilatón – the first week in March, coinciding with International Women’s Day. The race is open only to women.
Onditz Memorial Triathlon – and women’s Triathlon in June.
La Concha Swim Crossing – in September.
Cross de las tres playas – in October.

Text by Raúl Casañas

Images by Iaona Manolache, Pello Sosoro

By Marco Fiocchi – RondoneR (Travelblog.it and Vistamondo.com)

When Francesco, my boss, called me, I was driving in a hot, chaotic, hectic late morning in the center of Rome.

The proposal to join the blog tour challenge of Vueling, flying on one of the Baleares islands in search of unexplored places, strikes me as a lightning. I am thrilled: Vueling Loves Islands is a beautiful challenge. And I am proud of being chosen to represent travelblog.it for Blogo.

Lovely Elisa Casagrande informs me that my island shall be Menorca. She prepares everything. Flight and hotel. It ‘s great. The island I wanted more. The only one I’ve never seen and I longed to visit. I’ll have plenty of freedom. I’ll be alone. A dream comes true.

I landed in Menorca on Saturday night. The airport is located in the south, also very close to my hotel, which is in S’Algar, just above the most popular beaches and tourist interests.

I immediately decided to rent a car. Menorca is not small, but not even huge So if I wanted to see enough I should own a transport. A motorcycle was really good but I had different equipment. As for the bike I needed more time, and more lungs …

Sunday morning I ventured at once on the south side. As I mentioned, the beaches in this part are very beautiful, but also quite popular. And the tourist building has not always respected the natural setting of the place.

In my tour’s beginning thanks to the dawn, I could enjoy almost single Playa de Punta Prima (where I greeted the sun rising from the sea), Cala de Binibeca and Cala Biniancolla. The Poblat de Pescadors (Binibeca Vell) is particular for the style of the white village. A little artificial, but with a nice mini port.

Going on I met Cala d’Es Canutells, Cales Coves and the beautiful Cala’n Porter, probably the most fascinating bay of the coast. The colour of the water from the mirador, is incredible. It looks as if it’s fake. I do not have time to visit the great cave (Cova d’en Xoroi) that all I say unique.

I move again. Need to return inland to reach other beaches, so I have time to do a hike in one of the many prehistoric sites of the island. Torre d’en Galmés. Such as Sardinia (with Nuraghi) indeed, Menorca preserves several megalithic structures. Talayotic period, which derives from talayot​​, stone structures, which together with the taula and navetas make a great archaeological heritage.Only Thinking here lived our prehistoric ancestors rendered the earth a little ‘more mother. It ‘s strange. It is fascinating.

But it is time to return to the beaches, now I’m a beach blogger. I go down to San Bou, the longest coastline of the island. A spectacular stretch of white sand of 3 km, ruined by a horrible hotel in the east.

The water is turquoise and clear. Crystalline. Almost beside San Bou there is Sant Tomas, with a series of bays, one more beautiful than the other. Vegetation that reaches the coast, red rocks, white beaches, blue water. I can’t resist and give in to the first swim. Divine.

I went down on the camin de ronda which is starting from the first beach and runs along the coast. So I realize now that I’m surrounded by nudists. Actually everywhere on the island. Of all ages. Along with normal people wearing bath suits, many families and a host of children. No one stamps his feet, or be offended. If heaven exists, this placev really looks like.

After having dried, against my will, against the Spanish siren song singing to me to put up a tent inviting me to stay and live here, I left and reached my coche (now I understand why they call it here, the car, because when you let it under the sun, then it “cooks” …).

I have to discover even more places “unexplored”, I was not even Indiana Jones, but this is a race, definitely my rival bloggers have done the same. So arriving at Cala Santa Galdana. Pleasant turquoise baia raped by big hotels and factories.

Here I decide the best thing is to take a boat, one of the many tours who lets you spy on beaches and coves unreachable in a few hours, unless you are a Rambo hounded by vietkong. I go for a ride of three hours. The company is called “Amigo’s”. A “Glass Bottom Boat” who has only a small glass bottom next to the engine, so you can watch only the splash. Cost 15 euros. I can make it.

Very good choice. I can admire from the sea beautiful places, such as Fustam Cala, Cala Escorsxada, the natural arch with the legend of the pirate hidden ship, Cala Mitjana, the beautiful Cala’n Turqueta and the famous Cala Macarella and Maccarelleta, these ones too besieged by boats and yachts. Are they trendy for nudists? But in a boat aren’t you runningaround always naked?

We can swim round the lovely Cala Trebaluger, complete with water slide that shoots you do not know where. When we return the crew offer us an ignoble gin lemon into a lemonade bottle with a funny straw. I understand it’s a tradition, but is seasickness.

May be in the evening I will find out the cause for this tradition, arriving in Ciutadella, Menorca’s second city, not only geographically opposed to Maò, which is the capital, and I will visit the next day.

On 24 June, in fact, is St. John. And here’s a holiday in the country, for the patron saint San Juan de Ciutadella. I immediately understood it because I sensed many caballeros on horseback, all dressed up, including horses.

Rivers of that Anglo-Saxon drink mixed with the local lemon, rain over the picturesque village with the elegant buildings that becomes a sort of big arena for the passage of horses. I’m too tired to attend the various shows, I just go against the crowd, and then I sit down at the restaurant. The most famous one: S’Amarador. I want to taste the dish: caldereta de llagosta.

A soup of lobster stew with bread to eat. I’m sorry for the poor animal that comes alive proudly displayed. But the flavour is exceptional. In the night I run away from the port now besieged by people from the passage of the knights. Above me even a shooting star, but a quilted starry sky. One sees clearly the Milky Way. I almost stop here, I get lost in silence and peace.

The morning after is harder to get up early. A new day in Menorca. The hunt continues. This time I promise to search really the most unexplored places. So after scouring the southern side of the island, probably the most touristic, I headed to north. Crossing diagonally Menorca I notice that the vegetation changes going north. The island is still very green, but here above all. And it’s funny to see white farmhouses, amid bales of hay, grazing cows and lush palm trees.

In a short time I’m at Fornells, the village of the central north coast, in which gulf sailing and mini racing colouring the sea. The village is nice and peaceful, suitable for tourists in search of quiteness. I find a wi-fi hot spot (it’s not so easy in whole island) and I send some pictures around for # MyVuelingCity or to Facebook for Travelblog.it. But it’s already time to leave. Towards Cap de Cavalleria. The northern most point of Menorca.

While ascending, the coast becomes barren, rocky. Red sands and green fields which look like mountain. The sea is always blue. I wish to be Gauguin to paint these horizons. I try with my camera. But I’m not so good…

When I’m close to the lighthouse of Es Cobròmbol, I see on my left a small creek. I left the road and go down a road of orange stones. I do very well. There is a small bay looks like a natural pool. Three beaches in the midst of dark rocks. The smallest one is finally my very private corner of paradise. I can not help it, I’m totally bare. Nudist to the goal. So do I. Now I understand why Menorca iis devoid of any social superstructure.

The only poor witnesses of this naturist epiphany are very nice locals. There are many goats with me! Free and not in difficulty on the sharp rocks. They look tolerant even though I think I’m Colombo kissing the shoreline. What a great place, I want to stay here..

Instead, the duty (is there one more pleasant?) calls me. I reach the lighthouse. Watch Fornells from the promontory. There is a strong wind. On the way back I stop, however, in the most famous beach of the area. Platja de Cavalleria (notice I always use the Catalan language, here it’s like the Holy Bible). A road descends to a fiery red terrace overlooking this tropical half moon. Amazing. But there is “too many” people for me, now I’m used to the wilderness..

On the right of the playa there is a cala even more beautiful. Cala Torta. It seems the Reef. From above I have the feeling of being in Hawaii, but without 24 hours’ jet lag on my shoulders.

I place myself in the car, I still have 3,4 hours before going to catch my return flight that leaves in the evening by Maò to Barcelona. So I decide to point north east. I’m sorry for what I cannot see to my left, the islanders advised me about Cala del Pilar and Cala Algairen, before reaching the famous Cala Morell. But I would never have time to walk so much. Too bad. I’ve lost too much wooing the goats…

Going down clockwise from the south, there are still points delicious, as Cova des Vell Mari or Arsenal Son Saura. But I go to another lighthouse, like in a trip with Virginia Woolf. I am so arrived to Fevarritx Cap. Unusual and moon scenarios. Dark rocks, flat, on a spit of rock bursting from the sea. Cala Presili is the most beautiful, but the whole area is very wild and picturesque.

Now unfortunately my tour ended. There’s only Maò to visit in a hurry after an iced cervesa. Pretty, clean but honestly Ciutadella, despite that funny chaos, it seemed best.

I can return the car. 40 euros for day is not the greatest savings. But if you stay for a week is more convenient. Embarked me on the fly. Vueling wants to surprise me, always on time, even ahead of time. In the same place. The great window 4A. Even during the fly Barcelona to Rome, I admit it without marketing blackmailing. Check those flights if you don’t believe me.

What can I say? It was an amazing experience. I found an island I fell madly in love with, and where I shall return soon. Vueling Thanks! Thanks MyVuelingCity!

By Marco Fiocchi – RondoneR (Travelblog.it and Vistamondo.com)

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

By Ferran Imedio from Gastronomistas

Nancy Albrecht, who was born and bred in Berlin and, as the marketing manager at a luxury hotel, knows everything that’s going on in the German capital, tells us that what is happening here in gastronomy is “crazy”. With a new places opening every weekend, she does’nt know where to start, because what is on offer is ever more overwhelming, as vast as the city itself. 

“What has happened here food-wise over the last three or four years is incredible. Incredible“, confirms Matthias Diether, one of the city’s most renowned and youngest chefs.

We had heard that in these parts that something was going on in the German capital. We wanted to see for ourselves, so a few days ago we travelled to Berlin to get to know a city that is ‘on fire’ gastronomically. We went in search of places that were trendy, good and nice to look at (and several of them cheap), like the Bread & Butter trade show to be held from 14 to 16 January. Our base of operations was the Wyndham Grand Berlin Hotel, a modern establishment, well located (about 500 metres from Postdamer Platz), clean and with impeccable service.

TIM RAUE

One restaurant definitely not to be missed is the Tim Raue. A worthy example of a Michelin two star restaurant in one of the most centrall districts (in the Kreuzberg neighbourhood, a few metres from the historic Checkpoint Charlie). The suggestion may surprise you because you’ll think that an establishment so recommended by the bible of gastronomy will be very expensive and luxurious, but when I tell you there’s a three course set lunch for €38, things change, right? And with no etiquette or ceremony. The winelist offers 500 wines, many of them quite affordable, with prices starting from €28.

Tim Raue is a modern, pleasant place frequented by famous Berliners. So many come here that taking photos has been banned to protect the intimacy of celebrities.

And why do they go there? For its fusion Asian cuisine, always light, a marvel playing with aromas, hot spices, sweet flavours… Exoticism passed through the filter of a German who knows to how connect with the Western palate. Squaring the circle. Its cuisine is well rounded, always with some hot spice (not too much, just enough to be enjoyable), some sweetness (fruit) and some sharpness. And never any bread, potatoes, rice or pasta, so as not to detract from the symphony of flavours in each of its dishes. This makes it unique in Germany.

If you go there and your budget doesn’t stretch to the taster menus (from €118 to €168) but can stand the lunch menu (three dishes for €38; four for €48, five for €58 and six for €68), don’t miss the Cantonese style shrimp with mango, carrot and wasabi mayonnaise. Or duck reinterpreted on one of its variations: foie gras, broth, breast on waffle, or leek and apple. Unbeatable. Closed on Sunday and Monday. The rest of the week the kitchen is open from 12:00 noon to 2 pm and from 7 pm to 9 pm.
Rudi-Dutschke-Strasse, 26.

LA SOUPE POPULAIRE

How to convert a brewery into a restaurant. The ubiquitous Tim Raue knows how. You’ll find it done here with a radical industrial design: iron beams, cement, bare bricks in the walls… 

The menu is based on softened, modernised versions of German recipes. The Königsberger Klopse is a meatball originally accompanied with mashed potato, capers and a butter and flour sauce. Here it is the same, but much lighter, not overpowering as you would expect from such ingredients. The cod with vegetables and citrus touches, and the beef and vegetable broth, are well worth the visit.

Open Thursday to Saturday, from 12 noon to 11 pm. Average price between €30 and €40.
Prenzlauer Allee, 24

KATZ ORANGE

You’ll have to look for it because it’s hard to find. It is in the inner courtyard of a block of flats. This is a charming old brewery, built in the late 19th century, that stopped producing beer and is now a most welcoming, modern restaurant.

The light, international dishes, with a touch of sophistication, are made with organic produce. We really liked the salad with goose pâté, the beetroot broth and the salmon with mashed potato and marinated quince.

The taster menu costs €50 for four dishes (€25 more with wine) and €60 for five dishes (€30 more with wine). A la carte is around €40.

Open Monday to Saturday, from 6 pm to 11 pm. It has two floors with a cocktail bar on the ground floor.
Bergstrasse, 22

SAGE

While the DJ spins tunes (club and disco – no classical music because this is a superdiscofashion venue) you go on dining. Sage is considered one of the coolest venues in Europe. When the good weather arrives, it opens a ‘beach’ by the river, with sand and sun loungers where you can enjoy views of the river to the opposite side: on the other bank you can see the East Side Gallery, a long stretch of the Wall painted by graffiti artists from all over the world.

Here, in what was an old loom, they serve uncomplicated, contemporary international cuisine: pizza, soup, meat… Average price between €35 and €40. There are special menus with three dishes (€35), four dishes (€42) and seven dishes (€69). Ah, and of you’re a smoker, there’s a space reserved for you… And it’s covered.
Köpenicker Strasse, 18-20

CAFE AM NEUEN SEE

A must for anyone who likes spots that are quiet, bucolic, romantic even (if you go at night, there are those candles, those little lights by a lake in the Tiergarten, one of Berlin’s big parks). It gets full at weekends because the setting is so nice. Open every day from 9 am (they have a huge range of breakfasts) until midnight and beyond. The menu has simple, international dishes like pasta, pizza, soups, etc. But there is also German food. All products are local. If you’d like to have a drink at night, there are no cocktails but they do serve beer, soft drinks, spirits and liquors.

Lichtensteinallee, 2

COOKIES CREAM

The city’s fashionable vegetarian restaurant. “It’s Berlin”, sums up Diether, our spontaneous guide on this getaway. “It’s in a hidden away spot, where you’d never expect to find a restaurant. And when you walk in you see all kinds, from punks to people wearing suits and ties”.

Hidden away means next to the trade door of the neighbouring five star hotel. It’s an ugly door, with just a chandelier, suggesting there’s something different here, as a clue that you’re on the right track. The premises are a building that includes a restaurant (Cookies Cream, on the first floor), a disco (Cookies, on the ground floor) and a cocktail bar (Draytone, next door). So you’ve just finished your dinner (a three course menu with a starter, main and dessert, drinks not included, costs €36) and now you can enter the disco free of charge.
Open Tuesday to Saturday, evenings only.
Behrenstrasse, 55

CURRY 36

Its name makes it quite clear what to expect here. Curry is king. But, only applied to sausages of all kinds and chicken. Nothing else. They put it on the sausages, on the chips that go with them, in the ketchup… It’s a simple take away (you can also eat at high tables in the street, sheltered by an awning) but it’s always full of Berliners hooked on its way of preparing the hot dog and its variants, and on its prices that start from €1.20. Open every day from 9 am to 5 pm. If you don’t fancy this idea, right next to it there are similar places offering pizza and Chinese food.

Mehringdamm, 36

MUSTAFA

Berliners love this little Turkish place. They travel kilometres to get to this street kiosk next to the entrance to Mehringdamm underground station and to try its shawarma. It’s famous for its queues. We went at 11:30 am an it took us 30 minutes, but friends in the city tell us that at busy times you can wait for up to two hours. 

The portions are huuuuuge, tasty and spicy hot (just enough). They have golden brown chicken with vegetables, sauces and spices Prices are between €2.80 and €4.30.
Open week days from 10 am to 2 am, and weekends from 11 am to 5 pm.
Mehringdamm, 34

THE CASUAL BY PACO PÉREZ

Inside the Das Stue luxury hotel there are two restaurants by Paco Pérez,:the outstanding Cinco, with a Michelin star, and the The Casual, based on Spanish tapas. They are separated by a curtain. The famous restaurant’s taster menu is priced at €140 (€230 with drinks) and the price at The Casual is between €35 and €50.

There are unforgettable tapas like the Galician octopus on mashed potato with caramelized onions (the delicious sauce is paprika-based), the Iberian ham croquettes and spicy garlic shrimp with a perfect poached egg. There are also non-Spanish dishes, like steak tartar with truffled egg yolk and Chinese brioche (filled with Iberian rib pork).
The greatest care is taken over the quality of the ingredients to the point where the fish is brought to Berlin from Catalonia . 
The Casual never closes (the kitchen is open from 12 noon to 3 pm and from 6 pm to 11 pm). On Friday and Saturday nights there is live music or a DJ.
Drakestrasse, 1

BAR RAVAL

In Kreuzberg, one of the city’s most exciting areas, it is owned by Daniel Brühl. It serves tapas, including its unbeatable chicken and ham croquettes (look out Joselito) and cod fritters. There ate hot, cold and speciality tapas, and dishes of the week. And on the first Monday of each month there is paella for 40 people. A real party.

If you stay the night you can try from their list of gin tonics (not a usual drink in Berlin), added recently with 30 types of gin and 3 types of tonic.

Daniel Brühl is not always there because of his acting commitments, but this place is not just another investment for him, he really loves it. An example: he bought the syphon bottles that decorate the room from Barcelona’s Encants market and he also bought the traditional floor tiles in Barcelona. 

Open from 5 pm to 11 pm (weekends to midnight and later). Weekends in April to October from midday. Average price between €20 and €25. If you’re going for a weekend it’s better to book through their website a week in advance because it’s always full.
Ah, and if you go to the Bread & Butter trade fair, look out for them because they will have their own space. This year they will serve tapas and Spanish tortillas.
Lübbener Strasse, 1

FIRST FLOOR

If you want to give yourself an even bigger treat and you don’t mind digging deep in your pocket, check out First Floor, naturally enough on the first floor of the Palace Hotel. While the décor is elegant and classic, the kitchen is run by a chef who has fun with his staff and with his food, Matthias Diether. I’d call him Matthias Donald Duck Diether because his duck dishes are incredible. You’ll have to cough up at least €109 (a four-course menu, with six starters and two desserts included, but there are also menus at €129 and €159), but it’s worth it because eating there is great fun. Modern dishes based on French haute cuisine. 

The colourful presentation plays with textures, each ingredient being served in different versions on the same plate, always with a visual artistic touch. And the taste. The dish called Duck Through and Through is a must: pâté, ham, broth, breast, chutney… Breathtaking! But the crab from Australia and the halibut are also very good

Ah, and one other thing. The wine selection is unbelievable, infinite. There are 1,500 wines. They are in a winelist that the waiters call the ‘Bible’. Some are so good you’ll feel you’ve been in the divine presence.
Budapester Strasse, 45

STREET STALL

And if your budget runs low you can always grab a hot dog for €1.50 at a street stall like the one in the photo. You can see why it’s so cheap, when to sell a sandwich all you need is an umbrella and a hotplate, some sausages, mustard and ketchup. The one you see in the photo was in front of the cathedral, but they sell them for €1.35 in Alexanderplatz. You can’t beat that!

CAFÉ GIPFELTREFFEN

A trendy, cozy spot in the heart of the Kreuzberg district. You go in and feel like you’re in your living room. Simple warm decoration, windows onto the street, quiet background music… Ideal on cold rainy/snowy days.

Here you can order light meals like sandwiches and salads, and enjoy drinks, cold (juices, beer, wine, cocktails, spirits, water) or hot (tea, coffee), while you relax listening to music, chatting quietly with friends (even better with your partner) or reading a book.
After 6 pm it changes from a modern welcoming café into a restaurant with international cuisine cooked with local ingredients. Open every day from 9 am to midnight, and weekends from 10 am to midnight and later.
Görlitzerstrasse, 68

WYNDHAM GRAND BERLIN

 And why not eat at a hotel? Where I stayed, the Wyndham Grand Berlin, is a safe bet, and not just because it’s a great BBB (Bedroom with Bathroom and Breakfast) at a good price. The breakfast has a variety and quality that many top class hotels would be proud of, while the elegant restaurant, called The Post, offers really good Mediterranean cuisine (including gazpacho and Catalan-style grilled vegetable salad) at an average price of €25. Salads, pasta, pizzas, meats, fish… For lunch from 12 noon to 3 pm and in the evening from 6 pm to 10:30 pm.

Hallesche Strasse, 10

Makes you want to go, right? Do it! Check out our prices here!