reader's request ::: what to do in berlin?

From time to time I get emails by readers who ask me about my opinion on several objects, who ask for suggestions on what to do, where to shop and where to stay in Germany etc. This time D. from Seattle, Washington asked me:

My husband and I are going to be in Berlin at the end of May - i was wondering if you had a good suggestion for hotels. what part of Berlin did you stay in? Did you like your accommodations? Can you reccommend the place you stayed?

Well. I can only answer this question as a Berlin fan and not as a Berliner. I visit Berlin quite often and have many friends there so I'm totally able to give some insider advice and not only the tourist's view on Germany's capital. But if you're in Berlin for the first time you should definitely check the major historic sites like Brandenburger Tor, Alte Nationalgalerie, Berliner Dom, Alexanderplatz etc. all that stuff that is listed in EVERY guidebook. Belrin is a really incredible city with a overwhelming history. It's simply unimaginably how a whole city had been devided into two parts for so many years. You should definitely try to pass as much "Mauer" as possible. The former course ist still visible in the form of cobble stone... (but there'll be enough about it in your guidebook, I guess...).

You should definitely stay in the Eastern part of Berlin - much more interessting!!! I usually stay in Mitte and when I move to Berlin I'll only move to Mitte or Prenzlauer Berg. Those are the places to be in Berlin, although many people say that this area is more and more established. Friedrichshain is much more freaked out and also parts of Kreuzberg (which actually is part of Western Berlin). But I would stay in Mitte not just because it's Mitte, that means the centre of Berlin. From there you'll be able to walk to most of the seightseein stuff. Also in Mitte is the Alte Schönhause Allee Area where most of the really cool shops are located. It's actually the area where Stil in Berlin take their streetstyle photos. At Kastanienalle are lots of cafés where the uber Berliner's chill out wearing sunglasses waiting to be casted (that's why the street is also called casting allee). At Mitte there also are the Hacke'sche Höfe (you'll also find that in your guidebook).

If you're into high fashion you'll have to take the tube to Kurfürstendamm. There are all the major brands located. Or also at Friedrichstraße. But I wrote a Berlin shopping guide about a year ago. You'll find it here.

Another advice might be the Taxi driving. Taxi driving is quite cheap in Berlin - compared to other German cities. If you hail a cab (important!) be sure to say "Kurzstrecke" (= short distance) when you tell the driver where you want to go. If the distance is short enough the drive will cost you only 3,50 EUR. But that only works in a hailed cab!!!

I'm really sorry that I'm not able to advice any hotel. I've never stayed in a hotel in Berlin...
Just be sure that it's located in Mitte.

Have fun ♥