Charlottenburg and Wilmersdorf

In contrast to the transient bar and café scene of the east, Charlotten-burg and Wilmersdorf are far more established. Indeed, stepping into West Berlin is for some like entering another city entirely. Following reunification, the city's demographic shifted as Berlin's younger generations migrated east. Initially the change was quite dramatic, but in recent years the flux has stabilized. Club and bar openings 'out west' are on the increase and the one time disaffected youth are starting to trickle back home. That said, you'd still be hard pushed to find an East Berliner who'd consider crossing west on a permanent basis.

This area is home to Berlin's busiest shopping district, the legendary Kurfürstendamm (Ku'damm for short). The road takes its name from the Prussian Kurfürst ('Elector') and was originally just a track leading from the Elector's residence to the Grunewald. In 1886 it was remodelled by Bismark on the grand boulevards of Paris. Today it hosts some of the biggest names in fashion design. The fractured spire of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, located at one end of Ku'damm in the Zoologischer Garten area, is the area's most notable landmark. A onetime hangout for junkies and unsavoury characters, the Zoologischer Garten itself forms a major gateway to the west. It's since been cleaned up, but the neon lights and tourist-trap eateries are a reminder of a seedy past.

Far more charming is the area around Savignyplatz, with its myriad of chic boutiques, restaurants and cafés. During the day, it's the reserve of ladies who lunch and at night an affluent restaurant crowd descend. Pretty 19th-century buildings line the tranquil streets of Bleibtreustraße, while Berlin's major jazz clubs, concert halls and theatres can also be found nearby; the Golden 1920's of cabaret and excess had their roots here.