City trip Berlin

Berlin, Germany's capital, is a city of contrasts, of glamour and less glamour, with a palpable history and pioneering architecture. This city, whose inhabitants lived separated by the Berlin Wall for 30 years, has a cosmopolitan vibe and tolerant atmosphere. Discover club, café and food culture and get lost in 12 neighbourhoods, each with its own identity. Follow in the footsteps of David Bowie, cycle past the city's highlights and stroll through the charming shopping streets. And, who knows, you might end your visit with the words 'Ich bin ein Berliner', just like J.F. Kennedy in 1963.

DAY 1: FIRST INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY

You will stay in a former women's prison, cum courthouse, which has been transformed into a beautiful design hotel. The hotel is an oasis of calm in the Charlottenburg district, with elegant pre-war buildings, museums, and with the famous Kurfürstendamm dotted with stores. Also in this district is the Schloss Charlottenburg, the city's largest castle, with beautifully landscaped gardens modeled after those at Versailles. Around Savignyplatz, which before WWII was a hotspot for literature and performing arts, you will find many Asian restaurants.

DAY 2: THE HIGHLIGHTS BY BIKE OR ON FOOT

A Dutch-speaking guide will take you along the world-famous highlights of the city. While cycling in a small group or walking with a passionate private guide, you will discover the Brandenburg Gate, the famous city gate that symbolizes German reunification. You cross the government district with the Reichstag, the parliament building with its glass dome and roof terrace. Nearby is the Tiergarten district, a huge 210-acre park with the zoo and the winged statue Siegessaüle. The guide will show you the remains of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie and the remnants of 40 years of the GDR. He takes you to the famous Gendarmenmarkt, with its two similar-looking churches, and to the Museuminsel, which includes the famous Pergamon Museum, a must for any art lover.

DAY 3: FOOD OR 'BOWIE IN BERLIN' TOUR

Foodies can discover Berlin specialties today on a guided food tour in small group. You will experience the unique street food culture, beer halls and local and historical eateries. You will stroll through secret streets and through the Barn District, a bohemian neighborhood with street art, while tasting traditional German food as well as multicultural cuisine. David Bowie fans can opt for a guided small-group walking tour in the footsteps of their idol. Bowie came to live in Berlin in 1976. He led a simple and clean existence there, away from the spotlight of Los Angeles and drugs. In Berlin he found peace, renewal and creativity and made the albums "Low," "Heroes" and "Lodger," also called the "Berlin Trilogy. You will pass by the legendary Hansa Studios, where the albums were recorded and by the flat he shared with Iggy Pop in the tolerant Schöneberg neighborhood. Of course, you'll also get to know the clubs where the duo partied, including the Neues Ufer café.

DAY 4: Topographie des Terrors - Fernsehturm - Bikini Berlin

Those who wish can visit the Topographie des Terrors, the documentation center on Nazi crimes. The center is located on the same spot as the vanished Gestapo Quarter. An impressive and haunting experience. Those who want to keep things more lighthearted can go to the top of the Fernsehturm with a 360° view of the city. Shoppers will love Bikini Berlin, a monumental industrial building with hip pop-up stores, great stores, cafes, restaurants and a rooftop terrace.

If you stay longer in Berlin, you can visit - with or without a Dutch-speaking guide - Potsdam, 30 km away, with its Schloss San Soucis, its imposing palaces and with the Dutch Quarter.