A Week in Berlin: What's Actually Worth Your Time
It's easy to get Berlin wrong. I learned that the hard way on my first morning when I tried to buy a coffee at a tiny shop on Kollwitzstrasse, only to realize the barista was making a latte art swan while I stood there, confused, holding a €2 coin. I’d expected the city to be all about the history, the monuments, the hustle, but Berlin is actually a city that rewards patience and curiosity, not just a checklist of must-see spots. My advice? Skip the big tourist traps like the Brandenburg Gate at 9 a.m. when it’s packed with selfie sticks. Instead, head to the neighborhood of Kreuzberg, where the real Berlin lives. There’s a little bakery called Bäckerei Schneckenberg on Mühlenstraße, open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., that serves the best pretzels I’ve ever had. They’re not fancy, just thick, chewy, and sprinkled with coarse salt, and they cost just €1.50. I went there every morning for a week, and each time, the owner, a woman named Anja, would nod and say, “Guten Morgen, wieder da?” I...