i envy you immensely. start at potsdamerplatz & go out from there. there's the Piano project that I forget the name, the holocaust monument there (either under or finishing construction), the brandenburg gate, etc. enjoy the fantastic transit system. check out the coolest architecture museum on the former East side, in an old warehouse and I can't find it on google for anything. Had an exhibition of modern chairs when I was there...

Of course Libeskind's jewish museum, form your own opinion on that one; and the Reichstag.

I'm sure others have more articulate suggestions...my memory fails me, it's been a year and a half since I was there.

did not see a camera shop. But I did leave my camera at a deli by checkpoint charley, and went back across town just in time to catch the store manager leaving...there must be a particular saint watching out for all the silly american tourists, I think.

aedes books shop(s) / cafe

east berlin is great. i stayed a few blocks from the ostkreuz stop. alot of texture there, you can see the old starting to mix with the new, definitely not potsdamer platz.

the transit system is very good, i suggest if you have a few hours here and there, just ride around and explore.

watch out for the currywurst though. it bites back.

Architecture - Nordic Embassies, Bahaus Museum (Near The Embassy) Oma, Eisenman IBA housing projects at checkpoint charlie - Eisenman's has seen better days. There is also a zaha hadid IBA Project - I don't remember where. Jewish Extension to Berlin Museum (Libeskind) Holocaust Memorial (Eisenman) is Directly across from Gehry Bank Building (not your typical Gehry building)

Make sure to stop in the DG Bank and snap a few photos. Also check out Peter-Behrens-halle (if you lucky somebody might even let you inside) AMPM is a pretty cool bar with a small dance floor in the basement. I wish I could remember the rest of them. Pick up a ZITTY Mag and it will give you the low down on what is happening and where for the music scene. We walked in to some great local music, you should do the same. Also, if you find the address to a club leads you to a construction site or an abandon looking building don't be turned off. These are some of the best places. Don't leave without getting a few late night Doner Kebabs!

Links to Bahaus Museum and Nordic Embassies Directions in link below:
http://www.ivarhagendoorn.com/photos/architecture/nordic_embassies.html

don't leave berlin without eating a doner kebab after midnight on rosenthaler platz .. it's the best !!!

Visit one of the best techno clubs in Europe



Tresor

best be quick as this legendary venue will be no more from 16 April 2005

If it's not too cold, rent a bike and zip around. Everyone does it sans helmet and it's easy to go from one end of the city to the other, stopping at places that catch your eye. You can head over to Treptow Park and ride along the Spree, past the "giant man" sculpture and then see the enormous Soviet-era memorial. Have a milchcaffe at Cafe Creme on Schlesische Strasse. If you have a free day, check out Postdam as well.

just to add to the other reccomendations:
The Reichstag is open until 10pm try to get there at 9:30 just before they close, the queue will be short and will almost no crowd you will enjoy the experience of going up the ramp even more, plus you get a night view of the city.
Potzdamer Platz is not so great I agree, but it is definetly in the middle and in the way, you wont be able to avoid it. So you migh as well go see it and for your own oppinion plus behind the whole thing and 5 minutes wall you have the cultural quarter of the the Philarmonie and National Library (sharoun) and the new national gallery (Mies).
If as any tourist you go ands see check point charlie, you will find 2 Aldo Rossi projects in the vicinity, the Eisenman projects of course and the beautiful GSW headquarters tower by sauerbruch hutton.
Somebody mentioned Aedes gallery, yes its also a good place to buy their own little catalogues, excellent oppportunity to find new architecture. The Aedes east is in the famous Hackescher Hoefe, so you will also do some general tourism by going therea, also around Hackescher Markt train station under the vaults of the traintracks there is a small coktail bar, excellent place for warming up to a good night out. Riva Bar, Dircksenstraÿe Bogen 142, Mitte. Berlin.

Enjoy.

The easiest and quickest way of getting up the Reichstag is to have lunch or dinner at the roof top restuarant. You have to make reservations. The restuarant entrance is off to the right of the main entrance. The best time to experience the restuarant is during the summer evenings. Since the sun does not set until 11:00pm, you have a late dinner and enjoy the dome with just your dinner party.

check out kino internationale and that whole area near alexanderplatz for a real east berlin experience. it is on karl-mark allee. across from kino internationale is cafe moskou, a great club now, it apparently used to be a place where commie big-wigs would hang out.

sauerbruch + hutton office bldgin kreuzberg (kochstrasse)
the hadid IBA building is on Stresemannstraße, in kreuzberg as well.
catch a show at the philharmonie, if you are a student, it's like 8 euros, defintely worth it. the axel schultes crematorium, but that is outside the city. if you have time, run over to potsdam and check out the einstein observatory, which was remodeled in the last 5 years.

the main library is a sight, especially if you are a wim wenders fan.

of course mies' museum in potsdamer platz, not far from the philharmonie.

the doner is key, i prefer the doner im yufka, which is like a gyro, only bigger and better. i really have to get back soon.

ooh, and go see where the topography of terror isn't getting built because zumthor always goes way over budget...

I just moved to New York from Berlin. I miss it so.

Definitely, go to the Kottbusser Tor U-bahn stop and walk around. There is a huge concentration of excellent cafes, restaurants, etc here. Check out Bateau Ivre and Rottes Harp. Also pick up some tasty Turkish Pastries. I also HIGHLY recommend Bergmanstrasse (Mehringdamm). Its filled with cute shops, cafes, bars - my favorite street in Berlin. If you check out the west, the area around the Savigny Platz S-Bahn is supper charming.

The best gallery is Kunstwerk. http://www.kw-berlin.de/

Architecture: Reichstag, Jewish Museum, the Mies Neue Gallery, GSW (the best architecture bookstore in the city, Bucher Bogen, is just next door). Also do not miss the plattenbauten, the big communist housing blocks in Prenzlberg and Friedrichshain. They are everywhere, and way more fun to look at than Potzdammer Platz or any of the Eisenman crap in Kochstrasse.

Zitty is the best for figuring out what is going on in the city, but if you don't speak the Deutsch there is an equally good english mag called Ex-Berliner.

In the meantime a little fun: www.berlintransport.de/ubahnbaenke/U2_23.htm

Hmm. Perhaps this will work.

http://www.berlin-transport.de/ubahnbaenke/U2_23.htm

You should see the Mercedes-Benz Center in Salzufer. The architecture is amazing, and you get to check out some sweet cars that you'll never be able to buy... let alone even see in the US.

If you can, get a ride to Dessau when you're there. You may have heard of this famous Haus of Bau... or something like that? Ever heard of it? LOL... Anyways, it's about a 1.5 hour drive by car from East Berlin.

Bar Tabac, right next door to Bucher Bogen bookstore that dasein mentions (itself next door to GSW), is a nice place for a snack.

Thanks everyone- this all fantastic- i just wanted to check which of the Bucher Bogen's GSW is next to- which street is it on, and thanks again everyone.

This is the address:

Kochstrasse 19, 10969 Berlin - Kreuzberg

I can also recommend PRO QM near Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz. There's a good noodle shop down the street and the whole area is quite nice.

Go to have diner in the rotating restaurant on top of Fernseeturm (the big needle in East Berlin). Its cheap and a cool retro socialist experience.

Also check out the socialist urban spaces around alexanderplatz. Alot of Alexanderplatz and surrounding buildings is going to be destroyed soon. So its a chance to experience the true modernity of former east germany before it goes.

And go see the colossus Palast Der Republik (former 'parliament' for the east german socialist pary. But also shopping center, theater, concerthall, discoteque etc.) before it is demolished later this year.

while on the route of totalitarian architecture, the restauration of the Nazi olympic stadium is also quite impressive. And there's a Courbuiser building (unite d'habitation) just next to it.


ap

I also recomend the sauerbruch + hutton building in kreuzberg, and if you have time check out their Photonic Zentrum in.... crap, i cant remember where, but it is kinda near Axel Schultz's cremetorium (also hinghly recomended). Pick up a copy of the berlin architecture map, you should be able to get a copy from any design/arch book stores in berlin.

Oh and check out Monsieur Vuong's in Mitte, great food.

b

schinkel's altes museum

also when at the gsw get into an elevator real fast and take it as high as you can... don't ask, just go. i was able to get to the roof that way, pretty nice.

peter behrens aeg factory

sorry don't remember any addresses

also mendelsohn's [sp?] einstein tower is a short train ride away...