{"id":40677,"date":"2015-04-23T10:41:26","date_gmt":"2015-04-23T00:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lastminute.co.nz\/blog\/?p=40677"},"modified":"2015-04-23T11:11:36","modified_gmt":"2015-04-23T01:11:36","slug":"top-5-reasons-i-keep-coming-back-to-berlin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.co.nz\/vc\/blog\/top-5-reasons-i-keep-coming-back-to-berlin\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 5 reasons I keep coming back to Berlin"},"content":{"rendered":"

I never plan to visit the same place twice, but Berlin<\/a> left such an impression on me I\u2019ve somehow found myself back there one, two… three times! The graffiti-clad streets, tucked away old pubs, and eclectic mix of architecture makes Berlin a magnet for people like me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Take<\/a>

Take a seat beside the street art in Kreuzberg<\/p><\/div>\n

On my first day back in Germany<\/a>\u2019s trendy capital, I leave the hotel and stop off at a cafe for my morning latte before heading out for a day of exploring. I attempt a little German and find myself stumbling on a few words. The barista helps me out in English and I recognise his Australian accent instantly. We start chatting about Berlin. It turns out he returned to the city for a second holiday… that was five years ago. It has me wondering, what makes this city so appealing?<\/p>\n

Here are five things that keep bringing me back to Berlin:<\/p>\n

The Streuselschnecke<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You could easily walk past the quiet street of Sophienstrasse and miss the opportunity to taste Berlin\u2019s most delicious sugar-glazed cakes and warm apple fritters. Wander down this street and you\u2019ll soon find yourself staring through the window of Waltraud Balzer B\u00e4ckerei & Konditorei, eyeing off rows of cheesecake slices, freshly baked scrolls, and traditional German breads.<\/p>\n\"2.<\/a>\n

The lace curtains and two lovely ladies greeting me as I walk through the door make me feel like I\u2019m entering Oma\u2019s kitchen, about to be fed treats made from secret family recipes. The bakery\u2019s famous cherry and crumbly streusel-topped streuselschnecke (German for strudel snail) is my personal fave and worth getting in early for. The sweet treats are just as tasty as the savoury selection. This comes as no surprise, as they\u2019ve been baking for the neighbourhood since the 1920s.<\/p>\n\"3.<\/a>\n

Hot tip:<\/strong> If you\u2019re going on a walking tour, take a backpack and stock up on treats for a morning snack. The tour guide often stops off at a busy bakery, but the selection is nothing quite as delish as the baked goodies from the Backerei Balzer.<\/p>\n

The street art scene<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Forget queuing to see artwork hung in galleries \u2013 in Berlin you don\u2019t need to pay an admission fee to see colourful murals by talented artists. Artists from as close by as Italy or as far away as New York have contributed to the vibrant street scene.<\/p>\n

When most people think Berlin street art, the Berlin Wall springs to mind. Sure, it\u2019s impressive, but there\u2019s so much more to see splashed on the side of cafes and apartment buildings in old East Berlin.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The East Side Gallery, with murals stretching 1.3km across the Berlin Wall<\/p><\/div>\n

Make your way through the suburbs of Friedrichshain to see larger-than-life murals, then wander over to Mitte\u2019s bohemian cousin Kreuzberg, where some of the art is so fresh the paint is still drying on the walls.<\/p>\n

\"Friedrichshain<\/a>

Friedrichshain street art by Italian artist AliC\u00e9<\/p><\/div>\n

\"In<\/a>

In the hip suburb of Kreuzberg you\u2019ll find plenty of apartment buildings dressed in art<\/p><\/div>\n

\"7.<\/a>Don\u2019t forget to crane your neck for \u2018heaven spots\u2019. They’re works in places where artists have leveraged themselves from the top of buildings to leave their mark. Some have even fallen while painting – talk about suffering for your art!<\/p>\n\"8.<\/a>\n

Keep your eye out for the cool street art projects around town. My favourites include the retro pre-digital photo booths (Photoautomat) brought back by two Berliners. For two euros you can squeeze yourself into the old-school booths, take four snaps, then wait five minutes for your black-and-white Berlin souvenir to develop.<\/p>\n

Eating sauerkraut with the locals<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I would gladly go back to Berlin just for a hearty dish of pork knuckle and kloesse (delicious potato dumplings) on a bed of sauerkraut, all washed down with a famous Berliner Pilsner. You know that disappointing feeling you get when you\u2019re seated among a crowd of tourists and served sub-average food? You won\u2019t find that at Zum Nussbaum. This pub is tucked away in Mitte and is a copy of Berlin\u2019s oldest pub (the original was sadly destroyed in World War II). Outside are wooden seats in a mini beer-garden-style setting, and inside the cosy timber interior is humming with German conversation.<\/p>\n\"9.<\/a>\n

The service is friendly and the meals are reasonably cheap (around 18 euros), plus they have that home-cooked feel (and taste)!<\/p>\n

\"I<\/a>

I nommed this delicious pork knuckle and sauerkraut dish last time I visited<\/p><\/div>\n

Just around the corner is another authentic gem, the Zum Schusterjungen<\/a>. This pub offers large platters of food and regionally brewed beer. We’re greeted with “Hallo, tisch f\u00fcr zwei?” then led to a table beside a group of elderly German men clinking beers while their pet dog sits beside them. I love the atmosphere and the selection of pilsners and weiss (wheat) beers.<\/p>\n

Live-in art<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In Berlin, hotels are so much more than just a place to sleep. Their creative flair very much reflects the charisma of the city. Take the nhow Berlin<\/a> on the bank of the River Spree for example – it\u2019s a blend of chic design gallery and music production studio. It’s equipped with an actual mixing and recording studio, so if that doesn\u2019t inspire you to quit your day job to make an album, you can at least pretend and hang out with budding musos!<\/p>\n

Stepping into the lobby is like being transported into the future. The lobby lounge has sleek leather chairs against a backdrop of colourful walls that look like the inside of a kaleidoscope. The restaurant, spa, and rooms are equally as chic, with bright bursts of colour.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The nhow Berlin\u2019s lobby<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Check<\/a>

Check out the hotel\u2019s modish spa\u2026 it\u2019s got a Finnish sauna and steam baths!<\/p><\/div>\n

Vintage threads<\/strong><\/h3>\n

My Danish friend often raves about spending weekends op-shopping in Berlin. Having exceeded my museum quota during my third visit, I decided to see what all the fuss was about. I expected to come across a couple of second-hand stores with piles of disorderly clothes, but instead I found chic boutique shops filled with retro and vintage dresses, jumpers, oriental brooches, gloves… I could go on.<\/p>\n

The Kleidermarkt<\/a> chains are must-stops for any vintage lover. At Made in Berlin<\/a> (on Neue Sch\u00f6nhauser) you\u2019ll discover two levels packed with retro fashion, with pieces from the ’50s to the ’80s. Its grungy sister store Picknweight<\/a>, just down the road, involves a little more digging, but is totally worth the rummage. Buying clothes here is like buying apples – everything is by the kilo, perfect for working out how much you can squeeze into your suitcase without exceeding your baggage allowance.<\/p>\n

Hot tip:<\/strong> Leave some room in your suitcase! Plan to go on a Wednesday, that\u2019s when the op shops put on happy hour discounts.<\/p>\n

Reminiscing about Berlin\u2019s delicious streuselschnecken and pork knuckle has me craving more!<\/p>\n

This is my cue to exit and plan trip number four…<\/p>\n

Sie sind ein Berliner? Leave your hot tips in the comments!<\/strong><\/h2>\n