For most of the latter part of the 20th century, Berlin has stood as a symbol of the division between East and West, split by the infamous fortified wall erected to separate the socialist sector from the democratic district. When the Berlin Wall was pulled down in 1990 the city discovered that it suddenly had two of everything, most notably two very distinct societies separated both socially and economically. The past decade has seen Berlin embracing unification and rebuilding itself as a modern European capital. More than 100 streets have been reconnected, and signs of the Wall's existence have all but disappeared. Years of division are still reflected in the new city's architecture, however, with a modern city of skyscrapers, retail centers and urban developments in the West contrasting with most of the pre-War city that remains in the East.

For nearly 30 years the Wall sealed off the imposing Brandenburg Gate from the West, but now traffic passes through it freely. Similarly Alexanderplatz, which was one of the main centers of 1920s Berlin, and later post-war East Germany, has once again become one of the city's focal centers. The site of the infamous Check Point Charlie with its threatening monitoring tower erected to ensure no one crossed over from East to West, is now a museum, and while the tower no longer stands, visitors can see the East Side Gallery, a surviving chunk of the real Wall, now decorated by local artists.

Berlin is once again a vibrant center for the arts, with many museums, galleries and theaters. At the Kulturforum visitors will find a number of impressive museums and concert venues from the spectacular Berliner Philharmonie concert hall to the complex's Picture Gallery, which houses a vast collection of European paintings from the 13th to 18th centuries.

Berlin still boasts a fantastic nightlife, and while tastes have changed since the height of the cabaret halls of the 1920s and 30s, there is a vast array of venues catering to all tastes. Berlin's calendar is also packed with festivals and parties from the Christopher Street Day gay and lesbian parade in June to the Jazz Fest Berlin in November.

Vau
The uniformly high standards in place since the day it opened its doors reflects on the work of Head Chef Kolja Kleeberg, whose efforts, together with those of his team, were awarded with a Michelin. VAU restaurant is a grand accomplishment by master architect Meinhard von Gerkan with interior decoration by Peter Schmidt with artwork by the multi-prize winning Cologne artist Oliver Jordan. Through the connection between glass and steel, shale and pearwood, Venetian 'stucco lustro' plaster walls and Thonet cantilever chairs, VAU is one of the most modern restaurants in Berlin.
 
Gabriele
The restaurant Gabriele has been designed by Anne-Maria Jagdfeld in the Mid-Century style and is located at the Adlon Palais in the heart of Berlin at the Brandenburger Tor.  A contemporary Italian cuisine with culinary influences from the Alps down to the tip of the boot – prepared with the most aromatic and precious products and full of Mediterranean cheerfulness.

Ma Tim Raue
Awarded with one Michelin Star represents a modern interpretation of the philosophy of Chinese cuisine combined with regional ingredients. It reflects Tim Raue´s distinctive passion for freshness, new flavours and the balance of food, body and soul.
Anne Maria Jagdfeld acoomplished the exceptional, Asian-inspired interior-design for the MA-Tim Raue. Top quality materials, such as slate, bronze, jade and cashmere-fabrics are creating a glamorous, modern and urban atmosphere.

Margaux
A beautiful example of French Haute Cuisine and charming interior design. Located just a few steps from the Brandenburg Gate and the Pariser Platz, this gourmet restaurant sets refreshing new standards. Elegant but distinctively modern and colourful, it sticks out of the mass of minimally cool, Zeitgeist-influenced restaurant designs one sees so often. The interior design concept of the Margaux was created by Professor Johanne Nalbach, the abstract modern paintings were done by Ingeborg zu Schleswig-Holstein, a former assistant of Andy Warhol in the 80s. The colourful paintings contrast with the subdued, indirect lighting and create an inspiring and extraordinary backdrop for the excellent culinary creations of chef Michael Hoffmann. His superb creations have been awarded with a Michelin star - quite remarkable as his sometimes daring variations and avantgarde cuisine are definitely out of the ordinary.

NEWTON BAR
Helmut Newton's black-and-white shots of nude supermodels grace the chic Newton Bar in Berlin Mitte. Sidle up to the crescent-shaped bar for a famous martini cocktail, or recline in a maroon club chair to mingle with the well-heeled crowd.

Kunstliche BEATmung
Kunstliche BEATmung means 'artificial breathing' and the reason why becomes clear upon entering this quirky Friedrichshain haunt. Blood-red walls and a tunnel shaped like a windpipe are accentuated by 1960s swirls and retro lighting. Disco and drum 'n' bass dominate the decks.

Sage Club
The ultra-cool Sage Club in Berlin Mitte is worth dressing up for. Housed in an underground station, it appeals to serious clubbers with three dance floors, a rooftop pool and a bass-loaded sound system pumping out techno, house and rock.

Kadewe
The biggest department store of the European continent offers a variety of international designer labels. Furthermore there is anything one could possibly long for, just like cosmetics and jewelry at the ground floor or fashion for men and women, books, a huge assortment of music, dishes, furniture or kitchen supplies. The legendary delicacies department at the sixth floor is an absolutely must.

Gallery Schrill
Leopard-print chairs and gilded mirrors recall a diva's boudoir at flamboyant Gallery Schrill in Charlottenburg. Shoppers are dazzled by diamante brooches, sparkly tiaras and oversized 1960s shades. The back room displays Elvira Bach artworks depicting voluptuous women.

Galeries Lafayette
French fashion, delicious food and art de vivre are offered at Galeries Lafayette. Just observing the modern architecture of the building with its light cone made of glass is worth a visit, however, there is no one who could possibly resist the temptation of French delicacies at the basement.

Brandenburg Gate
Towering above Pariser Platz square in Berlin Mitte, neoclassical Brandenburg Gate is the most potent symbol of German reunification. Look up to glimpse Victoria, goddess of victory, charging forth on Quadriga. At dusk, light bathes its Doric columns in gold.

Reichstag
Sir Norman Foster's striking glass cupola atop the Reichstag (German Parliament) draws architecture lovers to Tiergarten. A lift races up to the crystalline dome, where a mirrored funnel creates optical illusions and a viewing platform shrinks Berlin to toytown scale.

Checkpoint Charlie
Symbol of a once-divided city and former border crossing between East and West Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie now draws camera-toting tourists to its reconstructed guardhouse and soldier's post in the Mitte district. The adjacent Mauermuseum tells real-life stories of ingenious escape attempts.

East Side Gallery
A remnant of the Berlin Wall, the East Side Gallery stretches 1.3km through Friedrichshain. Artists have revamped dull concrete to create the world's largest open-air gallery, featuring 106 airbrushed murals from Trabant cars to politically-charged works like Bruderkuss (Brotherly Kiss).

Tiergarten
A swathe of greenery in the heart of Berlin, Tiergarten is where locals flock when the sun is out. Once a Prussian hunting ground, the city's largest park is crisscrossed with footpaths leading to tranquil lakes, mature woodland and English-style gardens.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Comprising 2,711 dark concrete slabs, the labyrinthine Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Tiergarten is Peter Eisenman's moving tribute to victims of the Holocaust. Dark, narrow alleyways between the slabs eventually emerge at the Information Centre's permanent exhibition.