Berlin, Germany’s capital and largest city, has become an international epicenter of culture, politics, media, and science. Although badly damaged in the waning years of World War II and divided during the Cold War, the reinvigorated modern city of Berlin is more unified, passionate, and addictive than ever.

Today’s Berlin is a metropolis of international diversity and creativity, boasting some of the world’s best all-night clubs, trendsetting shops, top selling art galleries, and Michelin-starred restaurants. Here where personal freedoms outweigh material wealth, the cafes overflow with genius and the clubs party into the early hours of the morning. It is no wonder then why Berlin has evolved into the 21st century cultural hub it is today, as flocks of artists and creatives take advantage of the low cost of living and generally-accepting culture. Add to the backdrop a high number of students and young people, and the result is a city on the cutting edge of all things art, design, multimedia, electronic music, and fashion.

That’s not to say that Berlin has forgotten its past. Around every city block is a remnant from its textured history, whether leftover pieces from the Berlin Wall, the renowned Checkpoint Charlie crossing point, or the haunting Holocaust Memorial designed by Daniel Liebeskind. Just strolling down a street in former socialist East Berlin reveals a rampant use of Stalinist Zuckerbäckerstil (wedding-cake style) architecture along Karl-Marx-Allee. But while the politically charged history is still very much present in Berlin, its new face of social progress threatens to shroud the past with its unpretentious charm, picturesque green spaces, and irresistible flair for life here and now. It’s visible in the new edgy architecture, the unstoppable nightlife, and in the overpowering art scene, and is perhaps no better represented than at the Eastside Gallery alone. This nearly mile-long painted stretch on the former Berlin Wall along the Mühlenstrasse now serves as the largest open-air gallery in the world with over 100 original mural paintings.

Contact a Ker & Downey luxury travel consultant today to begin planning your next journey through the old and new Berlin today.