Berlin - City-West, the centre of former West Berlin, is back in vogue. During the Cold War, this area was the goal for those trying to escape the East. But with the fall of the Wall in 1989 and German reunification, the spotlight turned to eastern districts, leaving staid and stagnant City-West distinctly out of favour. In the past year, however, it has undergone a startling renaissance.
At its heart, the Zoological Gardens area spreads out from Zoo station, where a glitzy, new-build Waldorf Astoria opened in 2013, followed last year by the avant-garde Bikini Berlin complex.
The renewal is gathering pace too, with a resurgent retail centre at Kurfürstendamm and the C/O Berlin gallery reopening last year.
Touch down
Berlin has two main airports, Tegel and Schönefeld. Berlin’s transport network extends across travel zones A, B and C. For multiple journeys, pick up a tageskarte (day ticket) at any station. Alternatively, buy a Berlin Welcome Card combining travel pass with discounts at attractions, tours and restaurants. These are available from Tegel’s tourist office (daily, 8am-9pm) and at the main tourist office in Neues Kranzler Eck (visitberlin.com; 8am-8pm, closed Sundays). From Tegel, the X9 bus to Zoo station takes 20 minutes; taxis take 15 minutes. From Schönefeld, take the train: Deutsche Bahn’s Airport Express runs every 30 minutes and takes 30 minutes to reach the zoo.
Get your bearings
Devastated, post-war Berlin was effectively rebuilt as two cities, with two transport hubs and commercial centres, and even two zoos. Access into City-West is via Zoo station, which connects U-Bahn, S-Bahn, Deutsche Bahn rail and buses. From Zoo, the leafy expanse of the Tiergarten is immediately adjacent, with Charlottenburg to the west.
Berlin’s other central hub, Alexanderplatz, lies across the Tiergarten, via Brandenburg Gate. Most of the city’s major draws are in this easterly portion, including the districts of Mitte, Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg.
Take a hike
Start out at Brandenburg Gate: Berlin’s signature sight. Strike out along Strasse 17 Juni (or wander through Tiergarten’s woods and lawns) towards the Siegessäule (Victory Column), topped by a winged figure nicknamed Golden Elsie. From here, continue along 17 Juni before turning left at the Gas Lantern Museum, where an open-air collection of 90 old-fashioned street lamps from across Europe (including London and Dublin) lines a cobbled pathway in the park.
Cross the bridge at the end of this path and stop at Schleusenkrug, a café overlooking the Landwehrkanal. Grab a coffee or beer and watch boats navigate the lock. Across the canal lie the Zoological Gardens, with more species than any other zoo and great landscaping.
Lunch on the run
Head upstairs to Bikini Berlin’s open-air, third-floor “garden” and nab a table at Supermarket. Part café, part design concept store, it serves a daily-changing set menu.
Window shopping
Back downstairs, get ready to splurge at Bikini Berlin, an all-new mall with youth-oriented streetwear stores, pop-up units highlighting home-grown design and a picture window looking into the zoo’s baboon enclosure. Kurfürstendamm (or Ku’damm) is City-West’s main shopping street, though most flagship stores are closed on Sundays. Another City-West stalwart is Kaufhaus des Westens, or KaDeWe, at Tauentzienstrasse 21. Europe’s largest department store sprawls over eight floors.
An aperitif
For a drink with a view, head to Monkey Bar on the top floor of the 25hours Hotel. As Berlin’s bar of the moment, it attracts a cool crowd.
Dining with the locals
Try Ranke 2 for traditional dishes such as sausage and schnitzel, at Rankestrasse 2. Or try some Michelin-starred fine dining at Les Solistes, by Pierre Gagnaire, at the Waldorf Astoria. For a late-night snack, try currywurst, a sausage in tangy tomato sauce, a Berlin favourite, from Wursterei at Hardenbergstrasse 29d (until midnight Monday-Thursday, to 3am Friday-Saturday).
Go to church
With its “broken tooth” spire, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on Breitscheidplatz is City-West’s definitive landmark (free; 10am-6pm, Monday-Saturday, noon-5.30pm Sundays). It has glorious mosaics and the honeycomb carapace and stained-glass blocks of the 1960s replacement create a disco-ball interior (9am-7pm, daily).
Out to brunch
The eclectic Breakfast Market, at Markthalle Neun, Eisenbahnstrasse 42, is held every third Sunday. More at Motzstrasse 28 in Schöneberg also does great meals.
Cultural afternoon
At the Helmut Newton Foundation, Jebensstrasse 2 (10am-6pm, Tuesday-Sunday), exhibitions include his iconic, black-and-white portraits. Or catch a blockbuster at the renovated Zoo Palast, Hardenbergstrasse 29A, a 1950s cinema restored to full retro glory.
A walk in the park
Pfaueninsel (Peacock Island) was once a pleasure garden for Prussian royalty; its woods are dotted with World Heritage-listed landmarks.
Icing on the cake
The Berlin Wall’s entire course has been marked out as a recreational route.
The Independent