Berlin: Greener than green

It's Germany's largest city, it's the capital city, and you may be surprised to learn that it is one of the greenest cities in Europe. It's fantastic Berlin!

The city walks with a swagger after recently staging the World Cup Final, for becoming an unofficial centre for modern arts and for opening Hauptbahnhof - Europe's largest central train station and a symbolic centre which cements the union of east and west almost two decades since the Berlin Wall crumbled.

The Berlin Wall, or at least the history surrounding it, cannot be ignored on a trip to Berlin, so visits to the iconic Brandenburg Gate and the Wall's only border crossing point for Allies and foreigners - Checkpoint Charlie - are a must.

If shopping is your thing then Berlin really has it all. You can shop to your heart's content in the major department stores and designer boutiques along the tree-lined Kurfürstendamm and on Saturday mornings, the Winterfeldtmarkt in Schöneberg sells a
wide range of clothing, arts and crafts gifts – perfect for souvenirs!

Bird's eye view

For one of the best views of Berlin, you must go up the Funkturm, a radio transmitting tower known affectionately by the locals as 'langer Lulatsch' (lanky lady). At 126 metres up you have superb panoramic views over the entire city.