Photo: Alexander Burzik / iStock

GERMANY: Berlin is colourful, diverse and offers countless sights to discover. Especially off the beaten tourist track there are exciting and impressive places worth a visit which definitely not part of the standard program. Here are some of these insider tips we want to share with you.

1. Breakfast in the Cemetery Chapel

Already the exceptional location of the 21 grams in a former cemetery chapel shows that you can have an exceptional good breakfast at the hip café. Between 10 am and 4 pm, delicious breakfast, including vegan options, is served on the terrace. In the evening, guests can enjoy a  glass of wine and tarte flambée in a scenic atmosphere under illuminated chains of lights. Also vernissages take place regularly in the cellar of the former cemetery vaults. The corner house next to the entrance will soon be converted into a take-away coffee house, with a small kitchen, bar and access to the terrace, so that those in a hurry can enjoy good coffee in the morning. Further information on the menu and opening hours can be found here: 21gramm.berlin/ (only available in German).

2. Breathtaking views from the Gasometer Schöneberg

The heritage-protected Gasometer in Berlin Schöneberg offers one of the most spectacular – but also vertigo-inducing – views of the capital. The impressive industrial monument and landmark of the district, 78 metres and 420 metal steps high, can be climbed on guided tours. And the ascent to the lofty heights is well worth it: once you reach the top, the view stretches over the entire city area! Information on booking is available at: www.visitberlin.de/en

3. Climate-friendly agriculture in the middle of the city

The StadtFarm in the Lichtenberg district takes urban gardening to the next level: In greenhouses in the heart of the Herzberge Landscape Park, salads, herbs and vegetables, and even exotic products such as bananas and passion fruit are cultivated local and sustainable. The farm even breeds its own fish. Thanks to the resource-saving AquaTerraPonik system, all this is possible in a closed cycle in which the excrements of the fish are converted by bacteria into fertilizer and the water from the greenhouses is returned to the fish – sustainable and climate-friendly. During the week you can buy seasonal vegetables and salad in the farm shop, on Fridays and Saturdays you can also buy fresh fish in various variations as well as snacks and drinks for take away. Also regional partners offer their products here. As the StadtFarm attaches great importance to transparency, the site can be visited on public guided tours. Further information can be found here: www.stadtfarm.de (only available in German).

4. A colorful playground for adults directly on the banks of the Spree

Holzmarkt 25 in the middle of Berlin is a unique, exciting adult playground that offers creative freedom and art with a view of the Spree. Almost like a small village the area consists of various restaurants, a bakery, a night club, an exhibition room and even a day nursery – all on the waterfront in a rustic wooden look. Guests can enjoy a romantic dinner with international delicacies in the restaurant Katerschmaus, wonderful art exhibitions can be found in the "Säälchen" and fresh bread is baked in the "Backpfeife". The "Pampa" serves tasty pizzas and burgers and the outdoor bar "Spreelunke" offers a wonderful place for the after-work beer in the evening. Some will then continue celebrating in the Kater-Blau. Holzmarkt 25 is open daily from 2 pm and on weekends from 1 pm. It offers something for everyone and admission is free. Further information under: www.holzmarkt.com (only available in German).

5. Adventurous photo tour in the amusement park

So-called Lost Places make the heart of every amateur photographer beat faster. Urban adventurers will find colourful photo subjects with a ghost town atmosphere in the former GDR amusement park Plänterwald, today called Spreepark. It was opened in 1969 in the Treptow-Köpenick district and finally closed to the public after its insolvency in 2002. Today parts of the abandoned amusement park can be visited in guided tours. In about one and a half hours you can walk through the park between the Ferris wheel, roller coasters and other disused rides. Visitors learn exciting facts about the park's history and the current plans for its future use. After the tour, you can relax on the "Insel der Jugend" (Island of Youth) right around the corner. Here visitors can rent canoes, enjoy the sun away from the busy city and take a break from the hustle and bustle on the banks of the Spree. Further information on guided tours through the Spreepark can be found on gruen-berlin.de/en

All our Adina hotels in Berlin are located in centrally in popular neighbourhoods. Book Adina Berlin Hackescher Markt, Adina Berlin Checkpoint Charlie or Adina Berlin Mitte here and enjoy your next trip to Berlin!