Discover what to see and where to stay in the German capital …
Berlin serves both as a backdrop and central character in the Netflix series Unfamiliar. I spotted Oberbaum Bridge, a former crossing point between the east and west Berlin and the Cube, one of the smartest office buildings in Europe. If you’ve watched this twisty spy thriller you’ll know it incorporates past and present history, just like many of the city’s boutique hotels. Hotel Wilmina, a former courthouse and women’s prison, is now a hip hideaway in the lively Kantstrasse area, where the cult bookshop Bücherbogen, the Rococo Charlottenburg Palace and leafy Lietzenseepark are notable attractions. Beyond the hotel’s Baroque facade, guests will discover romantic courtyards, secret gardens, a rooftop swimming pool and sauna. Cell walls have been demolished to create bright white rooms, some with window bars still in place. Its minimalist, vegetarian restaurant, Lovis, is another talking point, as is its bakery. @wilmina
If you haven’t seen the city’s big hitters (Brandenburg Gate, Alexanderplatz, the DDR Museum) it’s best to stay in the Mitte district (try the sophisticated Gorki Apartments). Invest in a Welcome Card, which offers significant discounts at museums and other attractions. Take a stroll through the Hackesche Höfe, a warren of restored courtyards now a hive of restaurants and quirky fashion and design ateliers. @gorkiapartments
For a cultural hit, the Brancusi exhibition at the Neue Nationalgalerie includes the “Kiss” and “Sleeping Muse” sculptures, on until August 9. For photography fans, C/O Berlin and the Helmut Newton Foundation are mustvisits, or follow in the footsteps of David Bowie and Iggy Pop with a pit stop in Schwarzes Café. @schwarzescafe
In the free-spirited Friedrichshain district, Sly Berlin and Locke aparthotel at East Side Gallery both serve as stylish bases – the latter has a preserved section of the Berlin Wall adorned with political murals. Nearby, the boutique-lined streets surrounding the Boxhagener Platz are good for a browse especially for the Sundays flea market. @lockehotels
This Month I’m …
BOOKING: Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport before an early flight
PACKING: Eye Want Candy eye masks
READING: Helmut Newton – One-Off
