So You Want To See Berlin - Germany That Is...

Berlin Travel Guide
Overview
Berlin may not have the history of Rome or the splendor of Prague, but its importance is in the now. Ever since the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, the city has been changing on a daily basis. There is an immediacy and excitement in watching the metropolis grow. However, you can't go there without taking a moment to contemplate its very painful history, which didn't start and end with World War II. Its many monuments and museums serve as reminders of what happens when you don't speak out and when you don't stand up. Berlin has definitely moved forward, but rightly so, it hasn't forgotten its past.
While staying in Berlin, it's important that your hotel be central to what you want to see and do, because the attractions are spread out. The good news is that public transportation is efficient, punctual and clean. It's served by Trams, the underground train (or U-Bahn), and the elevated train (or S-Bahn). Velotaxis (or pedicabs) are also a great way to get around. They fit two people, are reasonably priced, and can take you anywhere you wish. However, they usually stay in the center of the city, where all the tourists travel.

Sights/Landmarks/To Do
Boat Tour: A boat tour through Berlin offers a fascinating view of the city's architecture. During Germany's reunification, the powers agreed to use architecture as the main vehicle to define the new Berlin and, therefore, all of Germany in its democratic ideals. By boat, it's easy to sit back and watch history unfold.
Mitte: Mitte is Berlin's historic center. Today, it's the hip place to be with loads of cafés, restaurants, shops and galleries. It's been yuppie-fied, but it's still cutting edge, a little on the fringe. Some of Berlin's most important tourist sites are in the area, including the Pergamon Museum, Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag.
St. Nicholas Quarter: St. Nicholas Quarter is centered around Berlin's oldest church, St. Nicholas. The quarter is a vibrant, pedestrian-only center that holds lots of cafés and shops for tourists.
Berliner Dom: One of the most recognizable landmarks in the city is the Berliner Dom, or Berlin Cathedral. It is an enormous neo-baroque cathedral with a copper dome, well over 300 feet high.
Web site: www.berlinerdom.de
Address: Am Lustgarten 1, Hackescher Markt (S-bahn)
The Reichstag: The Reichstag has not always been the most beloved building in Berlin. Built in 1884, when Germany still had a king, it housed the legislative body, so his Royal Highness wasn't a big fan. Hitler didn't like it, because it represented democracy, and after that, the people turned against it, because they thought the architecture seemed too bombastic. Today, it is the parliamentary seat of unified Germany, so stop picking on the Reichstag!
Web site: www.bundestag.de
Address: Pl. der Republik 1, Unter den Linden (S-bahn)
Brandenburg Gate: The Brandenburg Gate is one of the most defining landmarks in Berlin. It was completed in 1791, as a tribute to the king, but hasn't had an easy history. At the top of the gate is a sculpture of four horses, which Napoleon ordered sent to Paris in 1806, to adorn one of his own arches of triumph. After Germany defeated France in 1814, the sculpture was returned to Berlin. However, in World War II, the entire upper portion of the gate, including the sculpture, was destroyed. In 1957, the original molds were discovered, and a brand-new chariot was cast. It's been there ever since. If you were watching television in November 1989, you saw hundreds of thousands East Germans pass through its archways into the West for the first time since 1961.
Address: Pariser Pl., Unter den Linden (S-bahn)
Museum Island (Museumsinsel): When Berlin was divided, both sides tried to one-up each other in the arts. By the time the wall came down, there were three opera houses, two national galleries, eight orchestras, 17 museums, and the list goes on. Since then, Berliners have pooled their resources to make the city an international cultural powerhouse. Museum Island is one product of that effort. If you're a museum groupie, Museum Island is a must-see - it's literally an island of museums, five to be exact.
Web site: www.smb.museum
Address: Entrance to Museumsinsel: Am Kupfergraben, Hackescher Markt (S-bahn)
The New Synagogue: Prior to World War II, the New Synagogue, or Neue Synagoge, was the centerpiece of a vibrant Jewish community. It's no longer a place of worship, but it is the only synagogue in Berlin that wasn't destroyed by the Nazis.
Web site: www.cjudaicum.de
Address: Oranienburger Str. 28-30, Oranienburger Str. (U-bahn), Oranienburger Tor (S-bahn)
Kurfürstendamm: Kurfürstendamm is a very popular street in Berlin. It's loaded with great shopping. One highlight is KaDeWe, short for Kaufhaus Des Westens, an upscale department store that boasts the largest food hall in all of Europe. You can buy all types of gourmet items there, like pastas, salt from around the world, and sugar in decorative jars. Allow yourself at least an hour to look around, more if you want to eat.
Unter den Linden: Unter den Linden, or Under the Linden Tree, is a street in the center of Berlin. It's one of the city's most celebrated boulevards - green, leafy, and almost always nice for a walk.
Tacheles: Tacheles is one of the last remaining communal art spaces in Berlin. Artists moved into the abandoned building after the Berlin Wall came down, because it was rent free. It soon became an alternative space for art, theater and film. Not only does it hold artist studios, but also galleries with art available for purchase. Whether you call it absurdism or avant-garde, you have to call it progress, because the art represents individual expression, which wasn't always tolerated in Berlin.
The Berlin Wall/Eastside Gallery: The Berlin Wall went up in 1961 and came down in 1989. The Eastside Gallery is the biggest remaining portion of it, and now it's home to the largest open-air gallery in the world. Over 100 artists from 21 different countries were invited to leave their mark on it. It's very powerful and evocative.
Where: The stretch along the Spree Canal runs between the Warschauer Strasse S- and U-bahn station and Ostbahnhof. Warschauer Str. (U-bahn and S-bahn), Ostbahnhof (S-bahn).

Hotels
Arcotel Velvet: The Arcotel Velvet is a bargain, but not a bargain hotel. It's a modern, smart-looking hotel in Mitte, Berlin's historic center. The Velvet is decorated with portraits of people who have fascinated us through the years, and there is a cocktail lounge in the lobby. Right next door is a restaurant with an amazing breakfast buffet. Be sure to ask whether or not it's included in your stay.
Web site: Arcotel Velvet

Food/Restaurants/Bars
Currywurst: Currywurst is the snack to have in Berlin. It's essentially a hot dog sprinkled heavily with curry and topped with a lovely sauce of curry ketchup. It's sold everywhere