Berlin is also a rapidly developing city when it comes to shopping. With Ku'damm
(Kurfürstendamm), Friedrichstraße and Potsdamer Platz it boasts three
different shopping centres. The Kurfürstendamm, a magnificent boulevard
which extends for 3.5 km from the Memorial church to Halensee, has something
for everyone: from the famous department store Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe)
over the Europa-Center to the many international fashion boutiques, restaurants
and cafés. During the mild summer nights, this part of Berlin (like so
many others) stays open 24 hours. Closing times are practically unknown and
visitors to the "Athens on the Spree" can savour the delights of its
cosmopolitan character to the full. And to lend them a helping hand, there are
approximately 6,000 restaurants to suit all possible tastes. In addition to
Ku'damm, Friedrichstraße and the attractive boulevard "Unter den
Linden" in the former East Berlin are very nice places to go for a stroll,
too. On Potsdamer Platz there are now around 130 shops on the DaimlerChrysler
site which opened on 2 October 1998. All three shopping centres are directly
connected by the underground line U2.
On the elegant boulevard Unter den Linden, which celebrated its 350th birthday
in 1997, visitors can once again enjoy the charm of the great city of Berlin,
surrounded by historic buildings such as the Humboldt University, the State
Opera House, the New Guard House, the Arsenal, the Old Museum in the Lustgarten,
the Cathedral and the Nicolai District with the Ephraim Palace.
Behind "Museum Island" at the Hackescher Markt in the former Scheunenviertel
district, a sub-cultural scene has established itself which, by virtue of the
creative diversity of its many galleries, performances, variety turns, dance
halls and cafés, attracts an international clientele of artists and visitors
alike. A second centre of the new scene in the eastern part of the city has
developed in the district of Prenzlauer Berg.
We can, of course, provide only a rough outline here of this city and its many
facets. We, therefore, extend a cordial invitation to you to come and visit
Berlin so that you can explore it and come to understand and appreciate it.
We wish you a very pleasant stay.
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