Plus One Berlin See the city through local eyes. The best way to get to know a city is with a local by your side. And now, thanks to Plus One Berlin, that knowledge is for hire. This new twist on the guided tour, which opened for business in March 2012, includes accommodation in a plush, eco-friendly studio in ‘Kreuzkölln’ – an up-and-coming neighbourhood between Kreuzberg and Neukölln – and the opportunity to be the ‘plus one’ of a wellconnected local who will take you along to their favourite hideouts. Here, founder Clare Freeman shares some of hers.
Wa l k yo u r c i t y the best way to
A P e r f e c t Day i n B e r l i n
travel is still by foot.
B r e a k T h e F a s t Bullys Bakery serves yummy homemade pastries. Hudson’s does a Full-English and Sing Blackbird has a great clothes shop next door. G e t S o m e A i r Viktoriapark boasts its very own waterfall and a great view over the city. Sit by the riverbank in Treptower Park. Walk on and you get to Spreepark Berlin, an abandoned amusement park that’s beautifully derelict. G r a b a b i t e Five Elephant café make the best coffee and homemade cakes.And on the corner of Warschauer Strasse and Stralauer Alle lies Scheers Schnitzel, the best place to get tasty affordable grub in Berlin. B u y St u ff Boxhagener Platz in Friedrichshain is home to two great markets. On a Saturday you can sample local food like
“It’s okay to interact with your environment, have your
macarones, jams and other delights, and on Sundays a great flea market pops up
say and become a stakeholder in your community,”
in its place.
says ‘civic instigator’ Matt Tomasulo, the man who wants to get you walking.
G e t C u l t u r e d If you’re into contemporary art check out The Boros
In January 2012, Matt started posting ‘wayfinding’
Collection housed inside a converted 3,000 square-metre bunker in Mitte. If it’s
signs around his home city of Raleigh, North Carolina,
a sunny Sunday, head to Mauerpark in Prenzlauer Berg, grab a beer and enjoy the
reminding passers-by that local hotspots were just a
live Karaoke. It’s fun, free and the atmosphere is great.
few steps away and encouraging them to walk instead of drive. The response from citizens and city officials
E a t a g a i n Good dinner spots include: Nansen, a laid-back, intimate
was immense. “It’s a simple idea that’s easy to latch
restaurant on the canal in Neukölln; Kimchi Princess, a great Korean restaurant
onto,” says Matt. “It gives you a mental map like, ‘Oh, it
that is ideal for larger groups; and the small and charming Little Otik, run by a lovely
really isn’t that far to there,’ and acts as a reminder that
couple from New York who serve up delicious, simple dishes using local produce.
walking is a choice.”
P a r t y O n ! On a summer’s eve, head to Club Der Visionäre for sundowners
[Your City], an open-source platform, launching
by the canal. Weserstrasse in ‘Kreuzkölln’ is a good spot for small haunts like Tier,
this June, that will allow you to create your own signs
Schilling and the new Gelegenheiten bar. Das Gift, a bar run by a Scottish couple
calling out spots dotted around your city. “It’s a way
with a good selection of drinks, is also fun. Then head to Loftus Hall, a hidden club
to continue the conversation with anyone who wants
on Maybachufer run by three Irish guys. The crowd is always fun, and the parties go
to have it,” says Matt, who funded the project via
on well into the next day. Be warned – it can get very hot and sweaty! Clar e F re e ma n
Kickstarter and is also working with Raleigh City to
That guerrilla action has since morphed into Walk
integrate his signs into official urban plans. “We’re plusoneberlin.com
building in a community-support network to create a dialogue. People can learn how to get involved and talk about city and civic responses. It’s inspired by the tactical urbanism motto, ‘Short-term action, longterm change.’” A n dre a Ku rl a n d walkyourcity.org
22 HUCK