Living in Berlin

Book excerpt: Berlin has triumphed over its own history as a divided city to become one of the most vibrant and thrilling capitals in Europe. Entire districts have been rebuilt in only ten years, making the city a showcase of great architectural achievement. "Living in Berlin" seeks out both the new and the old of Berlin's most eye-catching attractions from the fabulous eighteenth-century palace of Sans-Souci to breathtaking new buildings designed by moderns like Foster, Starck, and Gehry. This sumptuously illustrated book offers an insider's tour of the city's unique architectural and cultural heritage-and beyond, to the hidden jewels and neglected treasures of the Berlin that most travelers pass by. Living in Berlin pauses at the river and the lakes that lie at the heart of the city, and visits hidden courtyards and market squares. The classic Berlin of Kurt Weill's songs is still there; the voice of Marlene Dietrich still hangs in the smoke-filled bars-if only you know where to look! Living in Berlin also visits cutting-edge contemporary designs for living in the city; from minimalist modern settings to the organized chaos of young artists' studios. The book is completed by details on the best places for excursions and shopping trips, where to eat and where to stay, all selected by true Berliners.