Visit Berlin

"Brassy, bold and beautiful in its austerity, Berlin is a sexy temptress that will ensnare you with her infinite riches; she's a creative genius that will amaze you with ideas and trends uniquely her own; she's a hotbed of hedonism, feasting passionately on the bountiful buffet of life; and, above all, she's a clever chameleon, endlessly adaptable and thriving on change, almost pursuing it like a drug. Berlin is all that and then some to the people who live here and those ready to make the journey to the depths of her past, present and future.

Berlin functions on a welcoming and exquisitely human scale. It's a city in which you can embrace and be embraced, relish and revel in its abundant charms and variety with total abandon, and feel energised in ways that you'll feel in few other world-class cities. A simple 'Wie geht's?' (how are you?) uttered in any pub or street-side café may well unleash a torrent of opinions and perceptions in perfect English. And, boy, do Berliners have their opinions! It's no exaggeration to say that your average cabbie can hold forth respectably on any subject from the best sausage in the city, through the meanderings of Nietzsche, to the likely outcome of elections anywhere in the world - Berliners are that broadly learned and curious about the world and its people.

Since reunification, Berlin has undergone a massive evolution in how it presents and regards itself. Gone is its self-perception as a beleaguered and schizoid city existing beneath the ominous presence of the Wall. What Berlin is now becoming is surprising, innovative and stunning - even by its own standards. The last vestiges of communism have been detonated, rebuilt, or at least received cheerier paint. All that's worth salvaging has been lovingly and expensively restored while some of the world's greatest new architecture jostles for position with the classical splendour of old Berlin." (from Lonely Planet)

You can find more information about Berlin at the following pages: