Berlin Hotels & Tourism

Cutting-edge Berlin is a feast of history, theatre and music.

Berlin had modest beginnings as a trading centre in the 13th century, growing into a European powerhouse that hogged the 20th century stage. Since reunification in 1990, it has evolved into a dynamic, sexy and creative city where a surprising lightheartedness lurks beneath an austere exterior.

Berlin is the heart of modern Germany, with a stoic beat that echoes through grand public buildings, glorious museums and theatres, urbane restaurants, bustling pubs and raucous nightclubs. It's a city that thrives on change and that has made a virtue out of reinventing itself.

Berlin is made up of 12 administrative districts of which the central ones hold the most interest to visitors. Mitte, formerly In East Berlin, is the city's historic core and packs such blockbuster sights as the Brandenburger Tor, the Holocaust Memorial, Unter den Linden boulevard, Museumsinsel and the Fernsehturm (TV Tower). The Scheunenviertel area, anchored by the Hackesche Höfe, is jammed with bars, restaurants, galleries and designer boutiques. To the north, gentrified and family-dominated Prenzlauer Berg beckons with a vibrant café culture, a bevy of unique owner-run shops and pockets of nightlife action.

South of Mitte, Kreuzberg counts Checkpoint Charlie and the Jüdisches Museum (Jewish Museum) among its highlights.Eastern Kreuzberg, around Kottbusser Tor, is the hub of Berlin's large Turkish population and the place to get down and dirty in trashy-chic bars and clubs. Across the Spree River, Friedrichshain is an eccentric mix of Stalinist architecture, gritty squat-style pubs, polished cocktail culture and chilly beach bars. The main sight is the East Side Gallery, the longest surviving section of the Wall.

West of Mitte, Tiergarten boasts most of Berlin's large-scale post-reunification projects, including the government district, the Hauptbahnhof glass palace and Potsdamer Platz. The vast Tiergarten park links Mitte with Charlottenburg, the hub of western Berlin with lively shopping along Kurfürstendamm and the royal splendour of Schloss Charlottenburg. Much of the district is upmarket residential, as are the adjoining quarters of Wilmersdorf and Schöneberg, although the latter includes a throbbing gay district around Nollendorfplatz.

German belongs to the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family and is spoken by over 100 million people worldwide, mainly in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Travellers to Berlin, Germany can expect to find accommodation of all types, from upmarket Berlin hotels and resorts to more budget-focussed and unique options. For your next holiday accommodation in Berlin, make sure you check the regular and special offers on hotels.com.au first. Germany is host to a wide range of travel experience, suitable for all budgets. And Berlin is a great place to visit, blending experiences such as touring the Bundestag and picnicking in the T with famous attractions such as the Berlin Wall and Haus am Checkpoint Charli. And don’t forget shopping shopping at Galeria Kaufhof, and sample the famous currywurst at Konnopke's Imbiss for an unforgettable Berlin experience. Wherever you’re staying, hotels.com.au offers a huge range of Berlin hotels and Berlin accommodation options.