Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [110]
Deutsches Theater (Map; 2844 1225; www.deutschestheater.de, in German; Schumannstrasse 13a, Mitte) Berlin’s top theatre has reeled in numerous thespian awards, including Theatre of the Year in 2008. Plays are also performed in the smaller Kammerspiele, next door, and at Box + Bar, an 80-seat space with cocktail bar that presents edgy and experimental fare.
Berliner Ensemble (Map; 2840 8155; www.berliner-ensemble.de, in German; Bertolt-Brecht-Platz 1, Mitte) Brecht’s former theatre presents works by him and other European 20th-century playwrights, sprinkled with the occasional play by Shakespeare, Schiller or Lessing. The building itself is gorgeous.
Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz (Map; 2406 5777; www.volksbuehne-berlin.de, in German; Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Mitte) Nonconformist, radical and provocative; Volksbühne’s head and Dostoyevsky fan Frank Castorf wouldn’t have it any other way. Performances here are not for those squeamish about blood and nudity.
Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz (Map; 890 020; www.schaubuehne.de; Kurfürstendamm 153, Charlottenburg) The western city owes any cutting-edge theatrical credentials to this former 1920s cinema, rescued from bland obscurity under the forceful leadership of director Thomas Ostermeier. Some performances feature English surtitles.
English Theatre Berlin (Map; 691 1211; Fidicinstrasse 40, Kreuzberg) The repertoire of Berlin’s oldest English-language stage includes classics, physical theatre, comedy and works by emerging writers and directors, many based in Berlin.
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Sport
Hertha BSC (off Map; 01805-189 200; www.herthabsc.de; Olympiastadion; Olympiastadion) Berlin’s long-standing Bundesliga (National League) football (soccer) team plays home games at the Olympic Stadium. Tickets are usually available on game day and start at €10.
Alba Berlin (Map; 01805-969 000 111; www.albaberlin.de; Mühlenstrasse 12-30; tickets €10-35) Berlin’s top basketball team competes hard on a European level and has a solid winning record. Since 2008, fans have been flocking to the sparkling O2 World arena for home games.
Eisbären Berlin (Map; 9718 4040; www.eisbaeren.de; O2 Platz 1; tickets €15-30) Fervent ice-hockey fans have cheered their team all the way to the national champion title in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009. Home games, now in the sleek O2 World arena, practically explode with atmosphere.
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SHOPPING
The closest the German capital comes to having a retail spine is Kurfürstendamm and its extension, Tauentzienstrasse. Getting the most out of shopping here means venturing into the various districts, each of which has its own identity and mix of stores calibrated to the needs, tastes and pockets of locals. Go to Charlottenburg for international couture, Kreuzberg for second-hand fashions, and to Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg for indie designers. Schöneberg has the fabulous KaDeWe department store, but its side streets are also lined with niche shops.
Note that some smaller stores do not accept credit cards.
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Department Stores & Malls
KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens; Map; 212 10; Tauentzienstrasse 21) This century-old department store has an assortment so vast that a pirate-style campaign is the best way to plunder its bounty, especially in the legendary 6th-floor gourmet food hall
Alexa (Map; 269 3400; Grunerstrasse 20) Power shoppers love this XXL-sized mega-mall that cuts a rose-hued presence near Alexanderplatz. Besides the usual mainstream retailers, there’s also a store by German rapper Bushido, the Kindercity interactive indoor playground and Loxx, the world’s largest model railway.
Galeries Lafayette (Map; 209 480; Friedrichstrasse 76) The Berlin branch of the