Moving to a new country as an expat can be daunting and stressful but it doesn't have to be! Berlin has a large and vibrant expat community for people from all over the world, and there's a good reason- there are a variety of great expat services in the city to make expat relocation to Berlin easy and comfortable. In this post, I'll take you through my recommendations for the top 5 expat spots in Berlin. From apartment searching to language learning and coworking spaces: It's all here for you!

Valentines Day is the perfect opportunity for grand romantic gestures or even simply a loving reminder of how special someone is to you. That can mean celebrating Valentines Day by going on a date with a partner, practising some self-love or having an evening celebrating friendships. This year, I’ve been asked by many friends for ideas of romantic surprises and activities to do on Valentines Day in Berlin. So, I've made a list of 5 places to help you find the perfect date spot and to ensure an unforgettable Valentines day this year in Berlin. From candlelight dinners, fun activities or the best place to take a romantic stroll, keep reading!

Berlin, a city which is both home to a vibrant Jewish community and rich in Jewish history. This blog post details just some of the many, many, locations in Berlin where Jewish culture has been wonderfully preserved for years gone by or which are new and have been opened by the current Jewish community in Berlin. From traditional bakeries, to museums, memorials, restaurants and more; this post is dedicated to a very important and prevalent community within the capital.

I am constantly scouting for new awesome locations in Berlin all of the time as I usually have a lot of coffee dates. I'm not complaining, I love it! But sometimes, I like to try out something new. Berlin offers many do-it-yourself workshops which I find really refreshing. From painting and taking photos to plant and flower workshops: I've tried them all! I would definitely highly recommend workshops even for a unique birthday party or as a gift. To put it in a nutshell, here are my Top 5 workshops in Berlin!

To mark the Chinese New Year celebrations yesterday, today I thought that I'd take you through my recommendations of the top 5 Chinese restaurants in Berlin. Whether you’re looking for a quick spot for something to grab on the go, somewhere really extraordinary to enjoy a special meal or even for a new date-night restaurant to explore this week then I’ve got just the thing! Come along as I take you through the most authentic, beautiful and delicious Chinese restaurants in Berlin.

As Ally and I are publishing our WeddingBerlin Guide this month, we want to give you some more wedding tips. Because whether you're throwing a big party or not it's still your wedding day — and you shouldn't have to worry about anything. Find over 50 tips for wedding dress and suit shops, flower shops, wedding locations more in Berlin on our WeddingBerlin Guide. This month I'd like to show you inspiration of where to shoot your wedding photos in Berlin so here are my personal "Top 5 wedding photo locations in Berlin.

In this post, I’ll be taking you through my recommendations of the top 5 restaurants in Charlottenburg. Whether you’re looking for a quick spot for something to grab on the go, somewhere really extraordinary to enjoy a special meal or even for a new Charlottenburg date-night restaurant to explore this week then I’ve got just the thing for you! Come along as I take you through the most authentic, beautiful and delicious spots in Charlottenburg.

Happy New Year! Have you thought about your goals and aims for the fresh, new decade yet? January is a great time for reflection about the past year, and to decide what you'd most like to achieve going forward. Whilst many people name sport or the gym as one of the things that's top on their list to do more of, sometimes it can get forgotten or left behind quite quickly! That's why I've searched Berlin for the top boutique gyms and workouts! These recommendations are bound to get you jumping on the bike or yoga mat, to meet great people and to kickstart your passion for sports this new year!

In this post, I’ll be taking you through my recommendations of the top five Korean restaurants in Berlin. Whether you’re looking for a quick spot for something to grab on the go, somewhere really extraordinary to enjoy a special meal or even for a new date-night restaurant to explore this week then I’ve got just the thing for you! Come along as I take you through the most authentic, beautiful and delicious Korean spots in Berlin.

New Year's Eve in Berlin: for some, a good time to wear your dancing shoes, for others another reason to flee the city, crowded clubs and subways. If you belong to the first group, there are some places on the day after New Year’s Eve you might want to avoid in Berlin: parks, which are covered in trash from the fireworks. Also, supermarkets, as well as many other stores, are closed on the 1st of January, so you better get everything beforehand. If you want to know where you should go and what's on after New Year’s Eve in Berlin then the following places to recover from New Year's Eve might be of interest.

Over the past few months, I have not made many changes to my office. But after three years "of silence", I now want to introduce you to my awesome new office shelf: The fully customized shelf from MYCS and how I finally made the transformation happen.

For three years I have been sitting in my own furnished office with books, folders and my BertaBerlin guides stacked up all over. Since that I have published fourteen new Berlin guides this year, I really, really needed a new storage room and made it my mission to get a shelf for my office. My salvation was literally my designer friend Juliette, who gave me a lifesaving tip for my office: "Try MYCS – In their showroom and their website you will find a minimalist design with maximum choice".

Travelling Russia in Berlin is fairly easy – Berlin’s relationship with Russia is unique and after the Second World War, Russia had a big impact on the German capital. There are now an estimated 300,000 Russians living in Berlin. Many of them made their home in the borough of Charlottenburg, which soon earned the nickname ‘Charlottengrad’. At the Russian su­per­mar­ket, next to Charlottenburg sta­tion, you can still buy Russ­ian dumplings, vodka and clas­sic Aly­onka chocolate. But within this article, you will discover also Russian memorials, tea houses, parks and even cinemas.

Enjoy a delicious afternoon tea in Berlin whether you are looking for a special way to spend an afternoon or have a bigger celebration in mind.

Berlin is often seen as a vanguard of trends of things to come. For a city that is remarkably dominated by sometimes excellent coffee (see my CoffeeBerlin map) and by an unwavering need for speed, tea shouldn't be thriving surely? But new generation of tea gems keep emerging, indicating that there is a demand for tea spots where people can slow down and focus on the meditative act of making and drinking tea.

Berlin's tea spots can be the perfect place, in which to relax at any time of the day, any day of the week. From your typical English afternoon tea to traditional Chinese tea, here are my top 5 tea spots in Berlin which offer you the chance to unwind with a delicious cup of tea.

Not only on Happy Earth Day should we think about how we can make our world a little better. For those who did not know it yet, Happy Earth Day is the 22nd of April! I try to show readers cafés where you will want to stay but also how you can use reusable coffee cups with my CoffeeBerlin map. Or where you can find vegan spots in Berlin with my VeganBerlin map, today I would like to make our world also more 'beautiful' for you and show you vegan beauty spots in Berlin! If you want to know more about beauty spots in general, you can also check out my BeautyBerlin map. An honourable mention is CAP Beauty, the reincarnation of Castor & Pollux as an all-natural beauty store, opening up later this spring. But until then, there's plenty of vegan beauty places to hit up in Berlin—check them out!

Because I am scouting for new awesome locations in Berlin all the time, I have many coffee dates. I am not complaining, I love it, but sometimes I want to do something else. Berlin offers a lot of do-it-yourself workshops, which I found really refreshing: From painting, taking photos to planting, I've tried it all. I would also highly recommend the workshops for your unique birthday party or as a gift. To put it in a nutshell, here are my Top 5 workshops in Berlin. 

This post lists the top 5 Christmas markets in Berlin, including tips on how to reach them, what you can do and buy. If you’re visiting Berlin during December, you may like to have information on where to get the nostalgic charm of the peaceful Christmas in Berlin. Be sure to read our full article on Christmas in Berlin!

Owning a dog in Berlin is no walk in the park (even when it’s exactly that). You love your dog, and the last thing you want is for your furry pal to stay cooped up in a tiny Berlin apartment all day. Briana, Quigley and I have good news: Berlin is an incredibly dog-friendly city! With an estimated 100,000+ pet dogs living in the German capital, there are plenty of things to do with your dog (including many that won’t cost you a dime). Here are our Top 5 dog-friendly places in Berlin. If you want to know more dog-friendly places in Berlin, no problem: Briana, Quigley and I will publish a Dog-friendly Berlin-Guide soon. Here is a link to preorder the guide.

Finding the perfect Christmas gift ideas for dad is always a challenge! What does he like... doesn’t he like...what if he has it all already?! So in my case, I always search for an activity for my dad and I to do together! Hopefully, I can also help you find Christmas gift ideas for your dad. Here are my „Top 5 Christmas gift ideas for dad“.

Christmas is always a time where people start running around in shops and trying to get the best products, so I wrote my „Top 5 Christmas gift ideas for mom“ to show also what activities work well as Christmas gifts! I hope you get inspired!

Looking for the best Christmas gift ideas for him? Maybe you want to take him to a special spot in Berlin, or you are searching for a Christmas gift idea that suits him best? This month I will be publishing four articles for where to find affordable Christmas gift ideas and grand Christmas gift ideas from Berlin's attractions which you can explore together! Whether you’re buying Christmas gifts, or want to share the Christmas experience with him, this list of Christmas gift ideas for him" should have everything you need.

So, you’ve decided to buck the elaborate wedding and head straight to the courthouse. Seems simple enough, right? Ally thought so, too. But when she decided to call off her big wedding and opt for City Hall nuptials, she was surprised by how little information was out there about how to plan a wedding in Berlin. That's why we put together a "Wedding Berlin map" of things you should know before and while ;) getting married. As we will publish the "Wedding Berlin map" a little later, we want to give you my personal "Top 5 wedding spots in Berlin" (here) and Ally's Wedding favorites in Berlin (here). Because whether or not you're throwing a big party, it's still your wedding day — and you shouldn't have to worry about anything. 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but also stressful. Luckily for my readers, I can help with some Christmas gift ideas! In November I will be publishing four articles about where to search for affordable Christmas gift ideas and grand experiential Christmas gift ideas from Berlin's attractions, which you can visit together as a Christmas present! Consider me as your personal (Christmas gift idea) elf! This week we start with "Top 5 Christmas gift ideas for her"!

Soon it will be a new year and new resolutions will be made. In September I've just started with my nutrition. I am currently writing my second edition of the mini travel guide VeganBerlin, so I wanted to eat consistently vegan. But with me eating this way often fails because of the time for shopping or cooking so I searched for healthy food without stress involved and discovered EasyMeal from Anh Nguyen.

The surprising success of documentary "Die große Stille" (English: "Into Great Silence") by Philip Gröning shows that there is a need to develop the ability to be alone. But, also beyond the screen, there is a increasing need for silence. In the early 90s the first 'quiet garden' opened in England, a quiet place where one should do nothing but sit and be silent. Where can you go in Berlin when you need to just sit and enjoy some quiet time or some personal meditation? While researching I found many places which are surprisingly peaceful in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Berlin! These meditation spots are the perfect places to take a breather and all of my recommendations have open classes for everyone (also in English ;). Here you can enjoy some time of reflection, reading, or simply catching back up with yourself.

While visiting the major, most popular attractions of Berlin, it can be fun, but also overwhelming and full of selfie-taking tourists. However, the great thing about Berlin is that plenty of hidden art places exist. To go beyond the tourist-filled sites and tour Berlin like a Berliner. You are seeing it for the very first time, check out my "Top 5 art places, where you don't expect it", Berlin's hidden art spots.

Only in Berlin – with just a foot out the door you can get to know prominent influencers of the past. In this article about Berlin's street names you have the opportunity to look at Berlin and recognize the names that arise (e.g. poets, politicians, flowers, wars). Why only female names? ...Because in Berlin only 20 percent of the street names are female, mostly in new districts, as Berlin tries to make up for this imbalance!

Let me take you on a walk of fame through nearly a 100 years of history in a city where identity & desires of all varieties can be freely expressed. In addition to the Ella-Trebe street and Bertha-Benz street, we'll take in beautiful architecture, contemporary hubs like the Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Haus and much more.

Holy places are places that people consider holy or a religion considers to be of special religious significance. I am not a religious person, but I do cherish peaceful places which can be holy to everyone. Today I want to show you holy places in Berlin.

Because I am scouting for new awesome locations in Berlin constantly, I have a lot of coffee dates. I am not complaining, I love it, but sometimes I want to do something different. Berlin offers a lot of do-it-yourself workshops, which I found really refreshing: From brushing, taking photos to planting, I've tried it all. I would also highly recommend these workshops below for a unique birthday party or as a gift. In a nutshell, here are my top 5 workshops in Berlin.