Traditionally, the western districts were the more commercial and wealthier neighbourhoods, and even today one can admire the luxurious city villas of the West End, browse the high end boutiques which line the Kurfurstendamm, or visit former royal palaces in the Grunewald suburbs.  In the east one senses a more dynamic, urban atmosphere, as the old tenement districts of Berlin’s working population have been transformed into the home of a vibrant creative community. The art galleries springing up all over Mitte, the trendy shops and organic groceries of Prenzlauer Berg and the mouth watering multi-culti restaurants and clubs of Kreuzberg are all evidence of the city’s renewed vitality.

Getting around

Moving around the city couldn’t be easier as Berlin’s public transport system, the BVG, connects the city end to end. The U-Bahn, Berlin’s subway, is the largest in Germany with nine separate lines serving 170 stations. In addition, the city’s urban light rail system, the S-Bahn, maintains fifteen rail lines serving 165 stations. Add to this the BVG’s 33 tram lines and extensive bus network and you’ll find there is hardly a street in Berlin not accessible for the price of a ticket.

Normal service runs until 00:30, but there is an extensive network of 24 hour lines and night busses which cater to the city’s large flock of night owls. A one way ticket through central Berlin (Fare areas A&B) costs €2.10 and is valid across all modes of transport for two hours. Also available are daily, weekly and monthly tickets which can save you money depending on the length of your visit.  Check the BVG’s website at http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/Bvg/Start for up to the minute information regarding fares and schedules.

Berlin is also quite bicycle friendly. Most of the city is flat, many streets have designated bike lanes and local drivers are considerate, sharing the road comfortably with cyclists. There are bike rental shops in almost every neighbourhood or you can use a mobile phone to rent of the bicycles of Deutsche Bahn’s Call-a-Bike program which can be found all over town. But don’t forget your driving etiquette; whether on four wheels or only two, Berlin’s “greenies” don’t hesitate to hand out tickets to drivers who flaunt the law.