Berlin is a city with a laid-back attitude and some of the liveliest nightlife in Europe.

Berlin is back – back as the capital of a reunified Germany and back as one of Europe’s greatest cities. Today, all the talk in Berlin is of the future.

In the biggest construction project in Europe since WWII, a new Berlin has emerged from the no-man’s land that was the divided city’s dead heart. The most symbolic recent construction is at the Reichstag. British architect Lord Foster has rejuvenated the German parliament with an impressive glass dome that symbolises the new transparency in German politics.

Coupled with this wave of new construction is a city laden with historical charm – from the old streets of East Berlin, which are slowly being restored after remaining unchanged for 50 years.

Tourism is on the rise, as visitors come to savour the intoxicating mix of old and new. Contrary to the usual clichés about Germany, Berlin is a city with a laid-back attitude and some of the liveliest nightlife in Europe. In Berlin today, there is everything from authentic beer halls and old Soviet era haunts right through to buzzing style bars and Latino nightclubs.

When to travel to Berlin

Most visitors arrive between May and September when the weather is the most reliable. Things are busier in high season, but despite the crowds, summer is a lovely time to be here because much of life moves outdoors. From November to early March, skies tend to be gloomy and the mercury often drops below freezing. On the plus side, there are fewer visitors and shorter queues.