"Poor, but sexy" is the slogan invented by the Mayor and although it sounds very cheap to me, I must say he might be right. The amazing thing about Berlin is that it has everything, and almost everything is affordable. But what is still the most interesting to me - apart from all the cool clubs and cafes - is the history that distinguishes this city from others.
In Berlin I spent all in all 18 months. First, I studied at the Free University in 2002/2003, then I came back to work for Harm Lux, a
curator of contemporary art in 2004. In my first year, I lived on Frankfurter Allee, which is the continuing street of Karl-Marx-Allee, a Stalinist Pracht-Allee and in my opinion a must see (see the Architecture and Citywalks section). When I came back in 2004, I lived in Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg, so I mostly talk about these districts here. This doesn't mean that these are the only ones to explore! Just buy yourself a zitty (or a tip) and you'll find everything you want.