A Long Weekend in Berlin

by André Koester, Luxury Travel Advisor

Shawna Huffman Owen and I have been friends for years and like to mix business and pleasure by traveling to check out new destinations for our clients. This past winter, we spent four nights in Berlin and loved it, despite the fact that locals kept telling us we were there at the worst time of year. We had a wonderful time in frigid temperatures, so I can only imagine how fantastic the city is when the beer gardens are open and everyone is out enjoying the sunshine and breezes from the River Spree.

I hadn’t been to Berlin since 1990; a few months after the Wall came down. Other than the architectural landmarks, the city was unrecognizable to me. Berlin offers something for everyone: Art galleries and museums for culture buffs, abundant green space and children’s museums for families, high-end hotels, a thriving restaurant scene for sophisticated travelers, and, of course, a complex and turbulent history that can’t be forgotten.

Here are our top picks for a long weekend.

Hotels
• Hotel de Rome: An all-around crowd pleaser for couples and families alike. Berlin’s most luxurious and elegant hotel in a great location.
• Das Stue: Chic, boutique hotel for couples built in the former Danish Embassy. Near leafy Tiergarten, but not within walking distance of most sights, restaurants or shopping.
• Soho House: Cool, hip property in a happening neighborhood. Fun, but the scene is better than the service.

Sights
• Reichstag: Germany’s Parliament and it’s a must-visit to see Norman Foster’s incredible, sparkling glass dome. Tip: If you have breakfast or lunch at the delicious Kafer Dachgarten restaurant on the terrace next to the dome, you can skip the line to enter the Reichstag (restaurant reservations are a must).
• Jewish Museum: Haunting and powerful because it is but very spare; much is left up to the visitor’s imagination.
• Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe: Sobering slabs of concrete artfully spread over several acres in the center of Berlin.
• Berlin War Memorial/East Side Gallery: The best places to see the remains of the Berlin Wall.
• Pottsdam: A half day trip from Berlin; the Versailles of Germany.

Art Museums/Galleries
• Boros Gallery: A private gallery in a former war bunker with rotating exhibits. Appointment only and worth seeing as much for the building as for the art.
• Museum Island: A complex of 5 amazing museums with a range of historic art and artifacts from all over the world.

Restaurants
• Grill Royal: Well-known, chic steakhouse on the bank of the Spree River (same owner as Pauly Saal below).
• Pauly Saal: Michelin-starred, Modern German restaurant located in the former Jewish Girls’ School (the school is full of galleries and worth exploring).
• Katz Orange: Casual, delicious international cuisine in a converted church in Mitte.
• Crackers: Modern cuisine in a gorgeous, dramatic space. Very hip – only a tiny sign on the door and then you walk through an industrial hallway and the kitchen before reaching the restaurant.
• Tausend Cantina: Another “hidden” restaurant, tucked under a bridge in Mitte, serving a casual mix of Mexican, Japanese and Italian cuisine.