Destination - Berlin, Germany

The division of BERLIN into zones of occupation in 1945, although seemingly arbitrary, followed existing local government boundaries, and the dual profile which emerged was by no means solely a product of the Cold War. In his famous interwar collection of short stories, Goodbye to Berlin , Christopher Isherwood wrote:

Berlin is a city with two centers - the cluster of expensive hotels, bars, cinemas, shops around the Memorial Church, a sparkling nucleus of light, like a sham diamond, in the shabby twilight of the town; and the self-conscious civic centre of buildings around the Unter den Linden, carefully arranged .

The latter, the political and cultural core of the Imperial German capital, duly became the heart of East Berlin and of the GDR, while the former quickly adapted itself to the makeshift role of city centre. Because of the decades of division, the reunited city found itself with two of almost everything, but the rationalization process has already reduced the duplication quite markedly, and will eliminate it almost entirely over the course of the next decade.

Although never a conventionally beautiful city, Berlin has much fine architecture, as well as an extraordinary spread of museums which collectively rank among the very richest on the planet. It also has a wide range of bars and restaurants , a vibrant nightlife and strong traditions in the performing arts. Because it occupies a vast geographical area, one interrupted by a plethora of parks, forests and lakes, Berlin is not a place that is appreciated easily or quickly.

Getting there - Being in the center of Europe, Berlin has great flight connections from all over the continent, however international flights still utilize the major European hubs, such as London, Amsterdam, Paris and Frankfurt, the latter still handling the bulk of the international flights into Germany.  There are frequent flights connecting to one of the two major
airports serving Berlin, Tegel and Schoenefeld.

Arriving and getting around - Most scheduled and charter flights arrive at Tegel airport, from where buses #X9 and #109 run every five to fifteen minutes to Bahnhof Zoo, while JetExpressBus TXL goes to Unter den Linden. Alternatively, take bus #109 to Jakob-Kaiser-Platz or bus #128 to Walter Schreiber Platz and transfer to the U-Bahn system (the bus ticket is valid for the U-Bahn journey). Taxis cost Euro 15-25/8-12 to Bahnhof Zoo, covering the distance in about half the time. Berlin's second airport, Schönefeld , lies just beyond the southeastern edge of the city, and mainly serves eastern Europe and the Middle and Far East. Take bus #171 from the terminal building to S-Bahnhof Flughafen Schönefeld, from where S-Bahn #9 provides a direct link to the city centre. Tempelhof , the closest airport to the city centre, to which it is linked by bus #119, is used mainly by German domestic carriers and scheduled flights by very small operators. The Platz der Luftbrücke U-Bahn station is just outside.  Tempelhof will be closed for passenger travel soon.

Trains from western European destinations generally stop at both Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten (shortened to Bahnhof Zoo , or Zoo Station ) and Ostbahnhof; some also halt at Wannsee or Spandau. Bahnhof Lichtenberg , which is easily accessible by S-Bahn from all other stations, is the main terminus for trains to and from eastern Europe. The Lehrter Stadtbahnhof is currently being developed as Berlin's first-ever central rail terminal, though it is unlikely to be operational before 2005. International buses and those from other German
cities mostly use the Zentraler Omnibus Bahnhof or ZOB on Masurenallee near the Funkturm. Bus #149 and U-Bahn #2 from Kaiserdamm link it with the centre.

The headquarters of the tourist office , Berlin Tourismus Marketing, at Am Karlsbad 11 (information tel 0 30/01 90 75 40 40, reservations 25 00 25, fax 25 00 24 24, www.btm.de or www.berlin-info.de ) is not open to the public, but deals with all written and telephone enquiries. Its main branch for personal callers is in the Europa-Center on Budapester Strasse (Mon-Sat 8.30am-8.30pm, Sun 10am-6.30pm); there's another in the south wing of the Brandenburger Tor (daily 9.30am-6pm) and smaller information points in the KaDeWe department store, Tauentzienstr. 24-24 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-8pm, Sat 9am-4pm), and at Tegel
airport (daily 5am-10.30pm). The very helpful EurAide office in the hallway of Bahnhof Zoo (daily: June-Sept 8am-noon & 1-6pm; Oct-May 8am-noon & 1-4.30pm; www.euraide.de ) exists specifically to dispense help and advice to English-speaking travelers.

Gay Berlin - Berlin is one of the world's most important gay cities, with hundreds of different bars, clubs and organizations, most of them concentrated in fairly small areas of northern Schoeneberg and in Kreuzberg, giving them almost a village atmosphere.  The mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, is the first openly-gay mayor elected to a German city.  It is estimated that up to 500,000 gays and lesbians call Berlin their home. There are a number of annual events such as the Christopher St. Day Parade held annually in late June, with an
estimated turnout of 400,000.  Lesbisch Schwules Stadtfest (Lesbian and Gay Street Festival) is held every year on the weekend prior to the Christopher St. Day Parade.  This festival is the largest of its kind in Europe.  Profits go to various cultural and public benefit-projects of the Berlin gay and lesbian communities. Lesbenfilmfestival Berlin (Berlin Lesbian Film Festival).  Every fall for one week this is a forum for international films made predominantly by lesbian filmmakers to offer an alternative to the mainstream cinematic experience, as well as creating a space for female viewership and to promote gay and lesbian film. Berlin also has the only Gay Museum in the world, and should not be missed.  It is located on Mehringdamm 61 in Kreuzberg.

The oldest monthly gay magazine in Berlin is Siegessaeule, so when you're there, pick up a copy at any gay establishment, for the latest information on the gay scene in the city.

Hotels - There are numerous hotels in Berlin, while some are gay-owned and operated, most of the major hotels in Berlin are certainly gay-friendly. Whatever your budget and taste in hotels, Gay-Travel-by-MIM can help you with your reservation.  Here are a few hotels specifically catering to gay clientele:

Arco Hotel - Geisbergstr. 30 - Located in a quiet sidestreet, near many gay bars, restaurants and shops.  It is also close to the famous KaDeWe, Europe's largest department store and the famous Ku'damm.  Rates start at 57 Euros per night and a buffet breakfast is included.

Some other hotels are:

Art City Hotel Connection - Fuggerstrasse 33 - right above the Garage/Connection Disco.

Haus La Garde - Bergengruenstrasse 16

Hollywood Media Hotel - Kurfuerstendamm 202

Hotel Artim - Fuggerstrasse 20

Hotel Bogota - Schlueterstrasse 45 corner of Ku'damm

Contact us for more information at: 954-735-8108

Nightlife - Since the time of the Weimar Republic, and even through the lean postwar years, Berlin has had a reputation for having some of the best - and steamiest - nightlife in Europe, an image fuelled by the cartoon-like drawings of George Grosz and films like Cabaret . Among the big draws today are the clubs that have grown up out of the city's techno scene. In a remarkably short space of time these places, many housed in abandoned buildings on or around the former no-go area of the East-West border strip, have spawned a scene that ranks among the most exciting in Europe. If manic dance music is not your thing, then check out the city's wide range of more traditional clubs and discos, ranging from slick hangouts for the trendy to raucous punky dives.

Berlin's reputation as a leader of the avant-garde is also reflected in the number of small, often experimental theatre groups working here. The scene is an active one, though bear in mind that many theatre companies take a break in July and August. Classical music has long been dominated by the world-class Berlin Philharmonic, though several other orchestras and three opera companies are based in the city. Vanishing subsidies have cast a shadow over theatres, orchestras and opera houses in the city, which, as a legacy of the decades of division, currently has a surplus of such instutitions. Though some rationalization is inevitable in the coming years, it's likely that all the big names will weather current storms.

Theaterkassen (ticket offices) are usually the easiest - and occasionally the only - way of buying tickets for all major music, theatre and dance events. Open during normal working hours, they take credit-card bookings and charge a hefty commission (up to 17 percent of the ticket price). The best place to try, especially for fringe theatre, more obscure classical concerts and dance, is Hekticket , Rathausstr. 1, Mitte (tel 0 30/24 31 24 31). Other good bets are Box Office , Nollendorfplatz 7, Schöneberg (tel 2 15 54 63), Wertheim , Kurfürstendamm 231, Charlottenburg (tel 0 30/8 82 25 00), and Ko Ka 36 , Oranienstr. 29, Kreuzberg (tel 0 30/6 15 88 18, www.icf.de/koka36 ).

The way to find out exactly what's on and where is to look in the listings magazines Tip and Zitty , in Berlin Programm or on the innumerable flyposters about town, or check with your Concierge, if staying at one of the large hotels in the city.

Gay Bars and Clubs - There are a huge number of bars, discos, clubs and saunas, so we'll concentrate on a few of the best known and most frequented ones.  Pick up a copy of Siegessaeule free Out in Berlin to get the latest on Berlin happenings. Pick it up at the tourist office for a good run-down of places to eat, drink and more.

Stiller Don - (Quiet Don) is anything but.  Located in the Prenzlauer Berg area at Erich Weinert Str. 67, the gay scene meets here for a beer from 8 pm on.

Greifbar, Wichert-Ecke Greifenhagener Str. Prenzlauer Berg - open from 10 pm

Tom's Bar, Motzstr. 19, corner of Eisenacher Str., Schoeneberg - open from 11 pm - One of the oldest gay bars in Berlin.  Two for one on Monday nights.

MonGay, Kino International, Karl-Marx-Allee 33 in Mitte - Shows a gay/lesbian cult film at 10:30 pm, but you can get in the mood at 9 pm in the original sixties bar of the ex-GDR institution.

Himmelreich, Simon-Dach Str. 36, Friedrichshain - open from 9 pm.  It's women's night on Tuesdays.

Ficken 3000, Urbanstr. 70, Kreuzberg - open from 10 pm. A raunchy bar with dark room and lots of action.

Prinzknecht, Bar & Café, Fuggerstr. 33, Schoeneberg - open from 7 pm to 3 am, Sat/Sun from 3 pm to 3 am. Popular on weekends, then after midnight head over to:

Connection, Fuggerstr. 33, Schoeneberg - Sat/Sun open from 11 pm - Popular gay disco known for its legendary darkroom labyrinth.

Hafen, Motzstr. 19, Schoeneberg - open from 10 pm.  The perfect place to meet and start the evening, or the place to get your last drink before heading home or back to your hotel.  Both gays and lesbians are welcome here.

Bierhimmel, Bar & Café, Oranienstrasse 183, Kreuzberg - open from 2 pm

Bargelb, Mehringdamm 62, Kreuzberg - open from 6 pm.  Gay, straight, bi, everyone's welcome here. Music theme nights are on the agenda.

Mutschmann's, Martin-Luther-Str. 19, Schoeneberg, 8-11 pm Nude Party, 11 pm Cruising parties, clothing optional or underwear most nights.

There are many more, too numerous to list, so check out Siegessaeule  magazine for the latest in-spots.

Food and Drink

You can spend as much or as little as you like on food in Berlin; it's one item, at least, that won't break the bank. The city's compressed, cosmopolitan nature means that it has restaurants offering a whole gamut of cuisines from around the globe. Indeed, ethnic eateries - many of which serve full meals for under Euro 8/4. - are at least as ubiquitous as traditional German Gaststätten. And nowhere is more than a stone's throw from a bar , at least in the western part of the city. Just about every street corner has a small Kneipe, ranging from lugubrious beer-swilling holes to slick, upscale hangouts for Berlin's night people. Most stay open later than elsewhere in Germany: it's quite feasible to drink around the clock here, the result of a law that requires bars to close only for an hour a day for cleaning. It's worth bearing in mind that many are excellent (and inexpensive) choices for food, especially breakfast, which may be served till afternoon - or later.

The city's most distinctive drink is Berliner Weisse , a top-fermented, very pale-coloured wheat beer with a low alcohol content (usually around 2.5 percent). It has an acidic taste when drunk neat, but it's normally pepped up with a shot of fruity syrup, or Schuss , and served in a large bowl-shaped glass as a summer refresher. Ask for it mit grün and you get a dash of woodruff, creating a greeny brew with a strong herby taste; mit rot is a raspberry-flavoured kiddy drink that works wonders at breakfast time. The city's two large breweries, Kindl and Schultheiss, both make Berliner Weisse , in addition to their own version of Pils . A broader portfolio of beers is available from an ex-GDR brewery, Berliner Bürgerbräu, whose products include a dark Bock and an even darker Schwarzbier .