Tegel Airport: Most business travelers will arrive at the recently renovated Tegel Airport, 8 km northwest of the city, where there is a Berliner Bank in the main hall for changing money (0600-2200 daily). Tourist information and a hotel reservation service are available at the left luggage counter, behind the information desk in the main hall (0500-2230 daily).

‘Take Off’ cafés near the gates offer a quick bite to eat and/or a drink before passport control. For something more upmarket, try the Leysieffer café in the main hall, where you can get mouth watering cakes and strudels, open sandwiches on baguettes, or hot meals for reasonable prices (for an airport). Leysieffer has chocolate stores in the most fashionable shopping districts in the city, but if you miss them, you can always see what they have to offer in their sinful sweet shop next to the café. A few trendy stores in the main hall offer diversions for last minute shoppers, and if you want to take home some famous German bread, don’t miss the bakery at the grocery store across from Gate 1.

Tempelhof Airport: Tempelhof Airport, in the city centre, is slowly being phased out. This site of the famous Air Bridge, which kept the city alive during Stalin’s post-war blockade, will be sorely missed. The third airport, Schönefeld (18 km south-east of the city), may be redeveloped to become Berlin’s major, and perhaps only airport, but the good city fathers have been debating building a completely new airport on the outskirts of the city to replace the three above. Most Berliners, quite rightly, see this as a blatant excuse to fill the pockets of property developers to the detriment of the environment and those who live here. If the new airport comes, it will be in around 2009 – watch this space.

Airport to City Centre

A taxi from Tegel to central Berlin takes 20-30 mins and will cost about €25. From Tegel to Alexanderplatz, on the old East Side, will take at least 10 mins longer and cost up to €30. Bus routes 109 and X9 link Tegel Airport to the central Zoo station, taking 20-30 mins, depending on traffic. There is as yet no direct U-Bahn (underground service) link between Tegel and the city centre. The TXL express bus offers services from Tegel to Friedrichstrasse and Unter den Linden for an extra €3.10 charge. Public transportation tickets and information are available at the BVG office next to left luggage, behind the information desk in the main hall. You can also purchase tickets at the machine by the X9 stop. Tempelhof is already close to most places you would want to go in the city. Leaving the main entrance, you’ll see the Platz der Luftbrucke station just on the corner, where the U6 line connects to Friedrichstr, a 15-min journey. Route 9 on the S-Bahn connects Schönefeld with Alexanderplatz; the journey takes 20-30 mins. The 119 bus also goes to Ku-damm, a 25-min journey which drops you off at the zoo.

Many tourists complain that it’s difficult to get a sense of Berlin geography, especially when using the excellent U and S-bahn services as main transportation – you go underground in one place and come out in another. But the proliferation of stations makes it difficult to get really lost. When in doubt, you can almost always find a map posted in a bus stop. The infamous Wall that once divided the city has, except for a few isolated ‘preservation areas’, disappeared, and the city is now pretty much unified geographically – even if there’s still a ‘wall in the head’ of Berliners from both East and West (often rather less than affectionately called Ossis and Wessis).

An explosion of building has taken place in the East. Potsdamer Platz, once by the Wall, is now more or less passable by car and Helmut Jahn’s execrably ugly Sony Centre is all but finished – indeed the whole of ‘Potsi’ is always chock-a-block with a mix of tourists and locals (especially on weekends). Nearby is the Brandenburg Gate, a focal point for the city and also on the old East-West divide.

The main avenue in West Berlin is Kurfürstendamm (Ku’damm), while the East boasts Unter den Linden (a continuation of the West’s Strasse der 17 Juni); both these avenues run east-west and are lined with shops, restaurants, hotels and (in the East) museums. Major north-south thoroughfares include Hardenbergstrasse and Potsdamer Strasse in the West, and Friedrichstrasse in the East.

In 2001, Berlin’s former 23 districts were merged into 12 to cope with city budget cuts. However, the new distinctions have still failed to conquer local topography and remain purely official.

A r ound The City 

Taxis can be hailed in the street. They are quite expensive (about twice the cost of London cabs per distance travelled), but are inevitably quicker than private motoring as they are allowed to drive in bus lanes. If your journey is less than 2 km or shorter than 5 mins, tell the driver at the outset that you want a Kurzstrecke (short stretch). These cost only €3, but be warned: after 2 km or 5 mins, the metre ticks over faster than a one-armed bandit, and remember that a Kurzstrecke can only be used on taxis you hail in the street, not those you phone for or pick up at a taxi rank.

What is Interesting

The Wall: There isn't much left of it to see. One of the longest remaining pieces lies behind the Martin-Gropius-Bau Museum (itself worth a visit) on Niederkirchnerstrasse between Stresemannstrasse and Wilhelmstrasse. It's surrounded by wire now to stop people from removing chunks.

The Reichstag: Once again the seat of Germany's national parliament. The Reichstag (something of a misnomer, as Germany has no Reich, or 'Empire') has had a chequered history since the war. It mysteriously burned down in 1933, an event which was used by Hitler to blame the Left and consolidate his grip on power. Long left as a shell, it was later partially restored as a museum of German history. Now, it's been restored, with a new cupola designed by Sir Norman Foster. The Reichstag achieved worldwide fame again in the summer of 1995 when concept artist Christo 'wrapped' it in silver cloth. Platz der Republik.

Museum at Checkpoint Charlie: Everything you always wanted to know about Berlin's infamous Wall, including exhibits on the most ingenious escapes and, more sombrely, documentation on those who weren't so lucky. 43-44 Friedrichstrasse (open 0900-2200 daily).

Brandenburg Gate: Once again the geographical centre of Berlin following re-unification, this famous landmark was in no-man's-land between East and West until the Wall came down. Built in 1791, it has survived two World Wars, endless tampering (Napoleon stole the Quadriga statue in 1806) and post-Wall graffiti. Used to be called the Friedenstor, or Gate of Peace. Pariser Platz.

Schloss Charlottenburg: Badly damaged in the bombing of the war, the castle has long since been restored to its rococo splendour. Luisenplatz.

Jüdisches Museum Berlin: One of Germany's most impressive buildings, the Jewish Museum was designed by Daniel Liebeskind who calls it the uncomposed third act of Schoenberg's opera Moses und Aron, in three-dimensional form. This stunningly puissant building's permanent exhibition opens in Oct 2000.

Hackesche Höfe: Situated at Rosenthaler Strasse 40-41 in Mitte, this courtyard complex was recently completely renovated and contains restaurants, an architecture gallery, a hip bar, the Hackesche Höfe Theater (specialising in Jewish themes), the Chameleon Varieté and an expensive new housing complex, amongst other attractions. It's now one of the trendiest spots in the East.

Potsdamer Platz: If you want to see how this chaotic mess of building will look when it's completed, a long, red, rectangular 'Infobox' is on hand for a glimpse of the future.

Fernsehturm: This 365m tower - by far Berlin's tallest - is affectionately known as der Spargel (the asparagus). Built from 1965-72, you can't miss it from any point in the city. The rotating deck at the top affords the most spectacular aerial view of Berlin, which you can also enjoy from the fairly inexpensive restaurant. Alexanderplatz (open 0800-2300 daily; 1300-2300 2nd and 4th Tues of the month).

The obvious choice in the West is the Ku'damm leading into Tauenzienstrasse; in the East, Unter den Linden. There are plenty of shopping opportunities in the former, while the latter contains many of Berlin's most renowned museums (in particular the famous 'Museumsinsel' ('museum island'), as well as the Staatsoper, the former East German parliament and the Humboldt University. A hop, skip and a jump from Unter den Linden lies Gendarmenmarkt, site of the Konzerthaus, designed in the early 19c by Friedrich Schinkel - not out of place amid several other neo-classical gems.

Friedrichstrasse is of great architectural interest; the Gallerie Lafayette, designed by Jean Nouvel, is one of the city's finest new buildings. The famous Theater am Schiffbauerdamm just north of Friedrichstrasse Station at Bertolt-Brecht-Platz is the home of the world-famous theatre company the Berliner Ensemble. On the northern extension of Friedrichstrasse, on Chausseestrasse 126, next to the Bertolt Brecht House, is the Dorotheestädtischen Kirchhof. This cemetery, a sort of mini German Père Lachaise, is where many major intellectuals and artists are buried. 'Residents' include Brecht, Hans Eisler, Paul Dessau, Heinrich Mann, John Heartfield, Heiner Müller, Ruth Berghaus, Arnold Zweig, architect Friedrich Schinkel and the philosophers Hegel and Fichte. The largest park in central Berlin is the Tiergarten, which runs from Pariser Platz in the East to the Grosser Stern in the West. It is an oasis of peace and quiet amid the hustle and bustle of the city - particularly in fine weather.