7 Concierge Recommendations for a Perfect Day Out in Berlin

We asked Berlin’s top concierges to share their personal recommendations for the perfect day in the city

ANNE RABER

After a sumptuous breakfast at the Hotel de Rome, rent bikes and visit the organic market at Kollwitzplatz.

Walk along the fashionable Kastanienallee to Hackescher Markt and drop in on some art galleries and trendy boutiques. Head past Museum Island and Berlin Cathedral and back to the Gendarmenmarkt for lunch at Borchardt, before jumping on your bikes to ride along Unter den Linden to the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the Holocaust Memorial, and Potsdamer Platz. Spot leftovers of the Berlin Wall near Checkpoint Charlie, and check out the stylish shops along Friedrichstrasse, by which time you’ll be more than ready for a spa treatment back at Hotel de Rome. Once refreshed, head to Kreuzberg for a Korean meal at Kimchi Princess, followed by drinks at Luzia, Würgeengel, or any of the nightspots on Mariannenstrasse. For the real night owls, clubbing at Watergate is a must.

Best restaurants

Parioli

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Grill Royal

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Tausend

Cuisine: Asian and Ibero-American

Best shopping

The Corner

For: Exclusive fashion for men and women.

Best to Do

Take a day trip to the beautiful town of Potsdam. Chill out at the Badeschiff (outdoor pool)

Doina Kocherhans

A trip to the top of the Fernsehturm (TV Tower) is a must for breathtaking views of Berlin.

Lux 11 is just minutes away from shops, museums, galleries, restaurants and nightclubs, so guests are spoilt for choice. For clubbing, Weekend is always busy and its rooftop terrace is a city hotspot.

Best restaurants

Schönbrunn

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Cuisine: Steakhouse

White Trash

Cuisine: German, Tex-Mex and American diner classics

Best shopping

Adidas Originals Store

For: Urban footwear and fashion.

Best to Do

Open Air Karaoke at Mauerpark

Thomas Munko

Take a gallery tour with an expert guide from GoArt! Berlin (www.goart-berlin.de), explore the local fashion scene in the Mitte district, tucked away in turn-of-the-century courtyards, and visit the Boros Collection of contemporary art on Reinhardtstasse.

In 2008, Christian Boros and his wife Karen Lohmann made their collection of contemporary art available to the public in a converted concrete bunker in Mitte, where both the works and the bunker space are part of a combined art concept. Exhibits include sculptures, installations and performance art. For families with children, don’t miss the Kids’ Afternoon Tea at the Ritz-Carlton.

Best restaurants Margaux

Cuisine: French

Reinstoff

Cuisine: Classic haute cuisine

Best Shopping

Cabinet at Quartier 206

For: Avant-garde urban wear for men and women.

Mario Weihrich

Best restaurants Hugos

Cuisine: French Mediterranean

Vau

Cuisine: German

Reinstoff

Cuisine: Classic haute cuisine

Best shopping

Bread & Butter Trade Fair

6 – 8 JULY, 2011

For: Cutting edge urban wear.

The Corner

For: Exclusive fashion for men and women.

Kids Corner

For: Exclusive fashion for children and babies.

Mientus

For: Extensive selection of luxury fashion brands.

Best to Do

Take an historic tour of Berlin’s subway system in a U-Bahn Underground Cabrio Tour, or call Daniel Hurst and his team of huskies for year-round sled tours of the Tiergarten.

Keen historians can discover the murky secrets beneath Berlin’s streets on a Berlin Underworld Tour or take a Trabi Safari city tour in a convertible version of the iconic East German car.

Best Sky Bars

Solar

Puro

SEBASTIAN SCHONFISCH

Enjoy a top-class breakfast at Chipps on Jäger Strasse, followed by a guided tour of the Reichstag.

After lunch at Käfer Dachgarten, and coffee and cake at Café Einstein spend the afternoon exploring the shops of the Mitte district, in particular along Rosenthaler Strasse and Neue Schönhauser Strasse.

Best restaurants

Facil

Cuisine: Traditional International

Reinstoff

Cuisine: Classic haute cuisine

Weinbar Rutz

Cuisine: German

Best shopping

The Corner

For: Exclusive fashion for men and women.

Best to Do

Visit Museum Island and the Jewish Museum, stroll on Unter den Linden and around Hackescher Markt, and take a day trip to Potsdam.

Nicolai Laaser

Start the day with a private tour of one of Berlin’s many great museums; the Egyptian bust of Nefertiti at the Neues Museum is a personal favorite.

Have lunch at Café Quchnia on the Gendarmenmarkt, before exploring the surrounding area. Dine at Weinbar Rutz and round your night off with a drink at the Newton Bar.

Best restaurants

Weinbar Rutz

Cuisine: German

Vau

Cuisine: German

Brechts

Cuisine: Traditional Austrian and Modern International

Best shopping

Galeries Lafayette

For: Exclusive French fashion, perfumes and accessories, as well as new collections from young Berlin designers.

Best to Do

Attend a concert by the Berlin Philharmonic, or spend a night at the opera.

Johnny Piredda

After breakfast at the Grand Hotel Esplanade, take a private sightseeing tour of the Reichstag and Museum Island.

Hit the shops at the Hackesche Höfe courtyards and have a late lunch, before heading back to the Esplanade for a massage at the Afino Spa and dinner at Sankt Moritz, Il Sorriso or Filou. End your evening with live music at Harry’s New York Bar at the Esplanade.

Best restaurants

Sankt Moritz

Cuisine: French Mediterranean

Sorriso

Cuisine: Italian

Filou

Cuisine: Italian

Best shopping

Kadewe

For: Almost everything under the sun. High-end fashion, jewelry, perfumes, technology, books and toys. The huge gourmet floor is an epicure’s dream.

Best to Do

Museum Island