Berlin

Berlin is a city reborn, where Cold War scars have transformed into vibrant cultural spaces. The Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag anchor Museum Island, home to five world-class museums including the Pergamon. Street art covers the East Side Gallery, the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall. Neighborhoods define Berlin: Kreuzberg's Turkish markets and dive bars, Prenzlauer Berg's cafés and boutiques, Friedrichshain's techno temples. Food is global—döner kebabs, Vietnamese pho, currywurst—and cheap. Sunday flea markets at Mauerpark draw thousands. Berghain remains techno's mecca, though countless smaller clubs pulse all weekend. Memorial sites like the Holocaust Memorial and Checkpoint Charlie preserve history, while Teufelsberg and abandoned buildings show Berlin's experimental edge. Bike-friendly infrastructure, excellent public transport, and green spaces like Tiergarten make exploration easy. With lower costs than Paris or London, generous portions, and a perpetual startup energy, Berlin attracts creatives worldwide.