PRENZLAUER BERG

The epitome of everything arty-farty about Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg is both one of the German capital’s most village-like neighbourhoods (with plenty of yuppie pram-pushers to show for it) as well as one of the most tourist-friendly centres with lots of boho cafes and independent boutiques roping visitors in. In the former East, “Prenzl’berg” still has a lot of old buildings standing strong in its streets (many are named historical monuments) with comparatively little war damage, and is also home to some of Berlin’s best restaurants, as well as its best beer garden, Prater. However, it isn’t all organic coffee shops and yoga studios; there’s a thriving gay community, too, although less stereotypical than the flamboyant in-your-face scene in Schöneberg.