Flamingo languages

The Best of Berlin – Important Addresses

Bookshops

There is a wide selection of books, DVDs, postcards and photography in the traditional bookshop Prinz Eisenherz, Lietzenburgerstr. 9a, 10789. You can find more information at http://www.prinz-eisenherz.com. At Ludwigkirchpplatz you’ll also find a selection of Rainbow articles and DVDs to rent at Galerie Janssen, Pariser Str. 45, 10719. Ana Koluth at Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 13 has everything for women.

Cafés/Bars

Berlin is full of them. Two of the best in Schöneberg are the legendary Hafen, Motzstr. 19 and Heile Welt, Motzstr. 5. A former hangout of David Bowie and Nina Hagen, Neue Ufer, Hauptstr. 157, is just a couple of minutes walk from the school. In Kreuzberg there’s Sundström, Mehringdamm 61, and just round the corner the Gay Museum. Not far from there are the Sarotti-Höfe. Locus at Marheinekeplatz serves delicious brunches. And in Prenzlauer Berg Stillen Don, Erich-Weinert-Str. 67 is the place to go on Monday. More information is available at www.out-in-berlin.de.

Clubs

Berlin’s nightlife is as varied as its music scene. Berghain with its Panoramabar near Ostbahnhof is a great place for Club and House music. In Schwuz, under Café Sundström, Mehringdamm 61, the music is a bit more poppy and you’re guaranteed to hear a lot of German hits. Kreuzberg likes to do things a little differently and at SO36, Oranienstr. 190, there’s Gayhane with a monthly oriental party and on Sundays you can enjoy ballroom dancing at Café Fatal. Have a look at www.out-in-berlin.de or in the Siegessäule magazine.

Drag Shows

Drag is both “in” and “out”! It’s pretty much only oldies who frequent the rather dusty Travestiekabaretts (Drag Cabarets). Berlin’s nightlife would be nothing without its Drag Kings and Drag Queens. Whether it’s Biggy von Blond, Gloria Viagra or Gudrun Gnadenlos you’ll definitely find listings in the Siegessäule magazine and online. In Betty F***, the Geburtstagsclub (Irrenhaus) or at the trashy Kiezbingo with Inge Borg and Gisela Sommer there’s always something to gawp and laugh at.

Film

Alongside the Berlinale in February, the Lesbian Film Festival and the queer film festival Verzaubert have established themselves in Berlin’s events calendar. In Kino International there’s Mongay – a selection of current and classic lesbian and gay films. Lesbians and gay men are also involved in other cinemas such as Xenon (just round the corner from the school), Neues Off and the Yorck group www.xenon-kino.de / www.yorck.de.

Hotels
Staying in Berlin can be great value. It’s possible to find rooms from € 20 for Bed and Breakfast www.ebab.com. There are many lesbian and gay friendly hotels in Berlin ranging from basic B&Bs to luxury accommodation. There is the women’s hotel Artemesia, Brandenburgischen Str. 18,10707 www.frauenhotel-berlin.de and Intermezzo, Gertrud-Kolmar-Str. 5, 10117 www.hotelintermezzo.de), as well as, for everyone, the centrally located ARCO Hotel, Geisbergstr, 30, 10777. You can find more at www.out-in-berlin.de or from the tourist information agency.

Information

Berlin Tourist Information has noticed that a large number of visitors to Berlin are lesbians and gay men. There is a telephone information line (25 00 25) and web site www.berlin-tourist-information.de for everything from hotel bookings to an events calendar with details of over 1500 events per day to personal sight-seeing programmes. Movin’ Queer is your one-stop-shop for accommodation, city tours and excursions www.movinqueer.de.

Museums

The first name on the list has to be the Gay Museum at Mehringdamm 61, 10961. It is unique and, as well as temporary exhibitions (for details see www.schwulesmuseum.de), it has an extensive permanent collection covering 200 years of lesbian and gay history. Researchers use this diverse archive as well as the lesbian archive Spinnboden, Anklamer Str. 38 www.spinnboden.de. In addition, Berlin has over 170 museums and collections which offer an unrivalled cultural selection. The Museum Island, the Jewish Museum and the German Historical Museum are not only famous for their collections but also for their stunning architecture.

Restaurants

There are restaurants to suit every budget and food from practically every country on the planet. In Schöneberg’s Buddahaus, which is just round the corner from the school at Akazienstr. 27, you’ll find good value delicious food, whereas in MORE at Motzstr. 28 things are a bit more chic and the food is a bit pricier. For Mexican it’s worth visiting Jose Peña at Marheinekeplatz 4, and Z at Friesenstr. 12 is a lively Greek family-run restaurant. Siegessäule magazine offers tips for eating out every month.

Saunas

Berlin may not have as many saunas as Barcelona or Cologne, but the Steam Sauna, the newly re-fitted Apollo Sauna (both in Kurfürstenstraße near Zoo), the smaller Gate Sauna (more for older people, Wilhelmstr. 81) and the Treibhaus Sauna at Schönhauser Allee 132 all have lots to offer gay men. For women there’s Hamam, the Turkish women’s bath at Mariennenstr. 6, in Kreuzberg.

Shopping

As well as the main shopping destinations KaDeWe, at Tauentzienstr. 21-24, and Galeries Lafayette, at Friedrichstr. 76-78, www.out-in-berlin.de also recommends a number of smaller stores: Boys’R’Us at Maaßenstr. 8 is ideal for gay trendsetters. If you’re looking for something wicked cool you can try For Kings and Queens (Zossener Str. 32) or Faster, Pussycat! (Mehringdamm 57) or in Prenzlauer Berg, Fuck Fashion (Schönhauser Allee 72b). Leather lovers can try RoB Berlin, Mister B. and Black Style (all also on the net).

Theatre

Berlin’s legendary revue theatre scene is alive and kicking! Bar jeder Vernunft (Schapertstr. 24) has had massive success with its revival of “Cabaret” www.bar-jeder-vernunft.de. Berlin’s three opera houses have something to satisfy opera lovers, and lovers of classical music will feel at home at the Philharmonie. The best theatres are the Schaubühne and the Volksbühne and the smaller Maxim-Gorki-Theatre is often in the headlines. If you like cabaret, you should definitely check out Tipi-Zelt, BKA-Theater and the Quatsch Comedy Club. Fans of musicals should certainly make a beeline for the GDR’s former flagship Friedrichstadtpalast, Europe’s largest dance theatre. As always, find out more at www.out-in-berlin.de or have a look at www.zitty.de and www.tip-berlin.de for the latest listings.