Beauty on your Bike

(1) Cafe Anna Blume, Kollwitxstrasse

Every cyclist needs energy, and what better excuse is there to have a three tier breakfast from Anna Blume? Sat in the art nouveau surroundings and stunning flower arrangements of the cafe, you'll being eyeing up everyone else's brunch before you even receive a menu. The tiered breakfast holds a mouthwatering selection of fresh marmalades and seasonal fruit, artisan cheeses, salami and cold meats, scrambled egg and Mediterranean salad vegetables. With all this, a basket of fresh bread and a refreshing, just pressed rhubarb juice, there's no better way to start your day.

(2) Berliner Dom, Am Lustgarten

History and beauty combine in the stunning neo-renaissance cathedral. Park your bike up and venture inside for a breathtaking view of the altar, wedding chapel and crypts, and of course a fantastic arial view of the city. 

(3) Brandenburger Tor

Cycling along Unter den Linden will bring you to the neoclassical Brandeburg Gate, the most iconic monument in Berlin. The statue of Quadriga that sits on top of the gate was once stolen by Napoleon as a war trophy, although the Prussian army reclaimed it with their victory over the French in 1814. It was also seriously damaged in WWII, and eventually stood in the death strip between East and West Berlin. The site became a place for ideological disputes, and when the gate was re-opened with the fall of the wall it reunited the two halves once again. History was made here many times, reflecting the troublesome past of Germany and now standing to demonstrate the peaceful achievements of the country. 

(4) Tiergarten

Directly through the Brandburg Gate is the Tiergarten, the largest park in Berlin. Plan a route through the park using the information boards, being sure to view all the monuments and memorials dotted around the gorgeous park land. And of course, finish by viewing the Siegessaule, the Prussian Victory Column in the centre of the Tiergarten.

(5) Rosenthalerplatz

Finish off by retreating back to Rosenthalerplatz for a well deserved coffee in the unbelievably hip Mein Haus Am See or Sankt Oberholz. Sip your latte-machiato and re-engergise as you watch the beautiful people of Berlin pass you by. 

The Beautiful People of Mitte

Just north of the generic and disheartening Alexanderplatz is this thriving, cool and cosmopolitan collection of cafes and shops that is Rosenthalerplatz. Whilst at first this might seem like nothing more than a busy road junction, the surrounding bars and alfresco seating areas are a shrine of the most beautiful people of Berlin. Of course, each venue attracts it's own brand of stunning person, but here's three hotspots to go and visit.

For the beautiful backpackers: Weinerei Forum

It's good enough news that this quaint wine bar that operates an honesty policy when it comes to money. Perhaps this is the reason it attracts so many backpackers, as the bohemian traveller would be thrilled to hear that for only 2€ entry you can drink as much wine as you like, and determine the value whilst leaving.  It gets even better when you realise that the cosy bar is littered with bra-less women in summer dresses and men that haven't changed their socks in well over a week, but are good-looking enough to make this look cool. Chiselled jaw-lines and un-brushed hair will mean that you'll have to dress casual before approaching anyone, but after a few glasses of wine you'll be ready to flirt and chat the night away.

For the wonderful workaholics: Sankt Oberholz

Mitte's office-away-from-the-office sees hundreds of Macbook-using, latte-machiato-drinking work types flood in and fill the two story coffee shop just in order to lynch the free wi-fi. Characterised by their dark clothing colour palettes and effortless-chic Cheap Monday jumper and jeans combinations, these customers are so busy drinking their 4€ coffees and using usb-graphic tablets that it'll be impossible to catch their eye. If you're brave enough to order yourself a drink, you'll realise that even the members of staff are perfect specimens of the human race, with simple but elegant style and smirks that tell you they know you fancy them. If you're going to land a date with anyone here, you might have to ask their name and chat to them on Facebook, as you'll struggle to get them to look away from their computer screen. 

For the (really, really) hot hipsters: Mein Haus Am See

The paint-stripped walls, retro furniture and incredibly alternative soundtrack that greets you in this cafe-come-bar-come-nightlife venue will slap you in your un-cool face as you walk in to Mein Haus Am See. The Nike Free Run and Ghandi-glasses wearing clientele of the bar are so unbelievably cool that they're not even interested in talking to their friends, but will be sitting tweeting about where they are and how cool it is instead. Attracting interest in here will be difficult, but perhaps bringing a book on a really obvious artist, philosopher or musician will generate enough interest in you to spend some time stroking the ego of these -although boring- very  hipsters in return for some phone numbers. 

Berliner Dom

It isn't a struggle to try and think of the most beautiful building in Berlin. Overlooking Museuminsel's Lustgarten is the magnificent Berliner Dom, the centre of the Evangelical church in Germany. Although only appearing in it's current Neo-renaissance form since 1905, the cathedral's history dates back as early as 1454 and has transformed architecturally from Renaissance, Brick Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical to this day. The building itself sees ageing sandstone with a darker charcoal tone to it contrast with the green copper and gold of the dome itself, creating an image of timeless grandeur. Christian sculptures and paintings illustrate the purpose of the building, with an imposing statue of Jesus central and above the main entrance. 

Although your expectations may be high for the interior of the building, nothing can prepare you for the breathtaking extravagance of the main hall. Framed in intricate white coving, the altar is saturated with sunset hues of copper, bronze and rose-gold allowing the scarlet highlights of the stained glass windows to shine through. No details are spared as the candle holders surrounding the golden altar illuminate the area with a warm glow. To the left and also framed in the same white coving is the 113 stop pipe organ, built originally by Wilhelm Sauer and restored to full working order after an Allied bombing in 1944. It's a goose-bump inducing experience to hear it played, so check the website for recital times and be sure to hear it's rich tones bring the cathedral to life. 

A much less extravagant and more sombre side to the cathedral is found in the crypts. High ceilings and dim lighting give a sense of darkness and loss as you view the graves of royal Prussians. It is also possible in good weather conditions to access the dome itself and get a 360 degree view of the city as you walk around it's circumference, and with all this available to view on a 7€ ticket, why not go visit Berlin's most beautiful building?

Schloss Charlottenburg

Designed by Johann Arnold Nering, the Charlottenburg Palace was commissioned by Friendrich III, Elector of Brandenburg for his wife Sophie Charlotte. After crowning himself as King Friendrich I of Prussia, he begun to extend the palace, starting by adding two side wings to the one already existing and extending the main building itself. In the following years the Orangery was built and the centre of the palace was extended with a large dome tower. The baroque details and Corinthian pilasters characterise the facade, which's magnolia and ivory grandeur occupies the horizon as you approach it. 

Behind the palace are the stunning baroque gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg. Free for the public to roam, the flat and vast space of lush lawns and well maintained box plants separate the formal gardens from the surrounding parkland, but were not always this way. In 1787 Steiner redesigned Simeon Godeau's baroque garden in an English landscape style, adopting a wilder and more natural looking use of the space. After the Second World War, the decision was made to restore the garden back to it's baroque roots. Grey gravel, soil and wild flowers are all used to fill-in the swirls and lines of the design, like an intricate and opulent colour-by-numbers of the landscape. The duck-egg teahouse Belevdere was added to the gardens in 1788, which was used to view the design from a more arial perspective, and the neoclassical Mausoleum was built as a tomb for Queen Luise in 1812. On a hot summers day the gardens make for a luxurious and peaceful retreat, and with the palace overlooking your frolicking, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were in Versailles. 

Alte Nationalgalerie

Both the building and the contents of the Alte Nationalgalerie are beautiful in their own right. The exterior was designed by Friendrich August Stuler and Carl Busse, in a style that mixes late Classicism and early Neorenaissance. The grand staircase is reminiscent of a theatre and the apse of a church, with the design intending to express the unity of art, nation and history. A copper-green statue of Frederick William IV stands central at the top of the stairs, and the inside stairs boast a frieze by Otto Geyer depicting German history from prehistoric times to the 19th century, accumulating to a grand and eclectic mix of style and culture to house the collection. 

Originally the gallery was dedicated to contemporary and Prussian art, but as time passed Impressionist and Expressionist art was added, ending the focus on German art. Auguste Rodin's "The Thinker" and works by Edouard Manet and Claude Monet are amongst the pieces, and are particularly impressive on the upper floors. The interior of the building is also stunning, altering between teal and scarlet walls edged in black and much more elaborate white and cream coving. None of this detracts from the art however, and simply highlights the tonal ranges and themes of each room. 

Tiergarten

As far as parks are concerned in the city, Tiergarten is certainly the largest and definitely the most beautiful.  Until 1881, Tiergarten was owned by the monarchy and controlled directly by the King. After the monarchy abolished their rights to the forest it became a park for the use and maintenance of the people. Nationalistic memorials were added as patriotic contributions to the culture of Tiergarten, and most famously, the Siegesalle (Victory Avenue) was added. After WWII the park saw a sudden change in that most of the wooded areas were used for firewood due to the shortage of coal and the empty fields were turned into temporary farmland for growing vegetable and potatoes. Only 700 of 200,000 trees survived, the bridges were destroyed and monuments lay on their sides. The Berlin Magistrate decided to restore Tiergarten in 1945, but it wasn't until 1949 that the first tree was planted to signify the beginning of the restoration. Although over 250,000 new trees were planted, the restoration became stagnant until the fall of the wall, and it is only since German Reunification that it has taken on it's present form. 

Today, the Tiergarten's 210 hectares see ponds, lawns and memorials stretch through the city creating a fairytale-like woodland scene right in the heart of Berlin. Everyone uses the park for their own purpose, whether it's the cruisers and nude sunbathers of Schonefeld or the couples lazing underneath the willow trees by the spree. Hiring a bike is recommended so that you can see the whole of the park, being sure to cut through the middle and see the Victory Column. The seasons change the appearance of the park from the bright, poster shades of blue and green in the summer to the reflected autumnal hues that create symmetry in the undisturbed ponds and rivers. Even the winter's monochrome tones prove beautiful, so no matter when you're visiting Berlin, you'll be wowed by the inner-city retreat that is Tiergarten.