Apart from the engineered buildings of the branch I work there are numerous museums, nice bars and monuments to visit. My house is close to where the Wall used to divide East and West Berlin, so I’m confronted with its former presence every day.

I had to get used to the fact that people cycle on the roads here. But that doesn’t prevent people from cycling at all. You see a lot more of the city if you travel by bike. And while in former East Berlin you have to watch out for the tram tracks with your bicycle, West Berlin doesn’t have trams.

You get to know the typical Berliner soon enough: they’re the confident and quiet types. Being the second biggest city of the EU, Berlin has become hipper and hipper over the past ten years. In fact, in many parts less than half of the population is from Berlin originally. It is an attractive international city where you’ll meet the most diverse people.

Do
Get in touch with local Berliners. They can be different, but it is nice to go out with them and practice your German language skills. I also recommend cycling and walking - the U-Bahn may be fast and efficient, but will prevent you from getting a proper perspective on the city. And make sure you visit the Flohmärkten, parks, and lakes close to Berlin in summer!

Don’t
Steer clear from standard tourist locations. My friends and I found that when we wandered around aimlessly, we stumbled upon the most surprising and interesting spots.