a perfect day inâ€¦ berlin

with Belgin Alakus – of the city’s Propeller Island hotel

10AM – My perfect day in this city starts with a large café breakfast, which is easy to find in any Berlin neighbourhood, although I recommend the Kreuzberg district. I head to the Bateau Ivre café on Oranien Strasse, a bohemian coffee shop that attracts students, artists, and academics. Then I’m ready to kick off the day and explore the city anew.

11.30AM – Whenever possible, I avoid the large shopping avenues and prefer to find independent boutiques and cosy bistros and bakeries. I stroll down Bergmann Strasse and go into my favourite stores where I always spot items I’d love to buy as frivolous presents for friends, like a lantern from Morocco, a quilt from India or colourful glassware. In any record store with a world music section, I can’t help but buy a CD.

12.30PM – I head towards the Reichstag (German parliament) to meet my friends and go up to the cupola, the glass viewing dome. From here you can see the large Tiergarten park (in former West Berlin) and the majestic Unter den Linden avenue (in former East Berlin), and look down the funnel of glass into the hall of our parliament. The design makes the building appear less austere and more like an open space that’s worth visiting.

2PM – Next stop is the Old National Gallery, where friends from Brussels are waiting for me. The gallery, which resembles a Roman temple, is one of a group of neoclassical museum buildings in an area called Museumsinsel (museum island). The collection, from the 18th and 19th centuries, includes work by Arnold Böcklin, Casper David Friedrich and Max Liebermann. We wander around listening to the audiotapes – mine in German and my friends’ in French.

5PM – We then walk along the river and over a bridge to nearby Hackescher Markt, admiring the classical buildings around the old bridge in the twilight. At Rosenthaler Strasse, there’s a buzzing atmosphere. It’s a street full of en vogue boutiques, bars and restaurants. We turn into the side streets to Spanish tavern Yo Soy for wine and tapas starters before moving on to have dinner in Charlottenburg.

8PM – We take the S-Bahn towards West Berlin and get off at Savigny Platz. This subway stop is fantastic for dining out. We stop at my favourite eatery, 12 Apostel, for excellent stone-baked pizza. This restaurant has an elaborate baroque interior with ecclesiastical-style frescos. We soak up the atmosphere and open some wine to toast a great day in Berlin.

Meet Belgin at…
Berlin’s quirky Propeller Island City Lodge, where she works on the front desk. The hotel was created by artist Lars Stroschen. Each of its beautifully bizarre rooms is different, with eccentric touches like sound effects and furniture that’s glued to the ceiling. Propeller Island, Albrecht Achilles Strasse 58, +49 (0)30 891 9016, rooms from €75.www.propeller-island.com