Is it a normal phenomenon that you don’t know the tourist sites of the city in which you grew up? I, for instance, have lived in Berlin my entire life and have never been up to the TV-Tower. Instead of writing about the sites and attractions you can easily find in your Berlin travel guide, I’ve collected some personal tips – places that I go to often and that I think show the “real” Berlin. So I’ve put together a little itinerary for 2 exciting days in Berlin, which you can follow or, of course, mix-and-match as you like.

Day 1

You wouldn’t believe the incredible exhibition that had me in awe for days. I can’t wait to tell you all about it…

First, I would like to point out that Berlin is known for its buoyant art scene. If its antiques at the beautiful Museumsinsel in Mitte, contemporary art at the infamous Hamburger Bahnhof, or even the historical Jewish Museum, Berlin embraces art with both arms wide open.

The Martin-Gropius-Bau belongs at the top of the list of must-see museums. Located in the center of the city just around the corner from Potsdamer Platz, the large old building hosts various exhibitions simultaneously; right now there are two. On the top floor you’ll find Frida Kahlo’s Retrospective, and on the ground floor is the impressive installation that had me in awe: Innen Stadt Außen by the Danish Artist Olafur Elissaon.

Since my first Berlin-Blog post on Young-Germany.de, I’ve been excitedly waiting to write about one of Berlin’s particular events: the annual Karneval der Kulturen (Carnival of Cultures).

The Karneval der Kulturen stands out of the slew of cultural events held here, combining multiculturalism with international foods and music for a spectacular must-see highlight!

The other day, a friend invited us to the bar Madame Claude in Kreuzberg to celebrate his birthday. Never having been to this bar, I was not too sure what to expect because it is named after France’s most famous prostitute of the 60ies. From outside, however, Madame Claude looks like a small and rather nondescript location. Unlike what I had in mind, there were no bright flashing lights on it, and as I entered I was relieved to find a rather normal bar, the name only a misleading gag.

Upon walking into the main room of the location, I heard someone in the back yell “Red Hot Chilli Peppers.“ People around him applauded, while some guests groaned at his speed. The DJ congratulated him; he had just earned a point at what I learned is Madame Claude weekly music quiz. The person with the most points at the end of the game wins a bottle of wine and everyone was trying to get that bottle. The bar was full, every seat taken. Then I noticed some free tables and chairs – on the ceiling. Suddenly, everything was upside down.

Yesterday, I rediscovered Berlin’s hippest district: Kreuzberg. Initially, this post was solely dedicated to interesting bookstores in Kreuzberg, but on my expedition through the streets, I came across a lot more than just bestsellers and second-hand books.

Let me begin with a brief recapitulatation of Kreuzberg’s history. Kreuzberg, which means “cross-mountain“, is divided into two area codes. During the time of the Berlin Wall, three quarters of the southeastern part, also known as SO36, were closed off from the rest of Berlin. In this rather isolated area, the people living here cultivated their own culture. The majority of the people were foreigners, embracing the new symbiosis of Turkish, Persian, African and German culture. Today, more than 180 nationalities live in Kreuzberg, which makes this district a rare melting pot. On my search for interesting bookstores, I discovered a retro garage, a Persian candy factory and, of course, books en masse.

There’s urban art and graffiti all over Germany’s capital. Some better than others… have a look at some impressions from the streets of Berlin:

Click through more urban art pictures on Young Germany here:

http://www.young-germany.de/yg/picturegalleryoverview/urban-art.html

Or look at the set on Flickr here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/young-germany/sets/72157619144846209/