Berlin has been defeated, divided, freed and unified. All that turmoil has created one of the most liberal cities in the world where personal expression is encouraged and the atmosphere is über easy.

By Anita Draycott

Berlin has been defeated, divided, freed and unified. All that turmoil has created one of the most liberal cities in the world where personal expression is encouraged and the atmosphere is über easy.

Berlin is also a bargain. I discovered that prices for clothing, hotels, food and drink seem to be much cheaper here than in other European capitals. Yet quality is top-notch. I’d be inclined to agree with ex-mayor Klaus Wowerweit who said, “Berlin is poor but sexy.”

If you want to get off-the-beaten path and explore some of the city’s most fascinating neighbourhoods, shops and restaurants, sign up for a tour with a local guide.

“Welcome to the beautiful, the damned, the punky, funky, trashy and posh,” says our guide, Henrik Tidefjärd who has greeted us just outside the Kottbusser U-Bahn subway station in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district, also known as “Little Istanbul.”

Swarthy men smoking Turkish cigarettes (or is it hashish?) play chess at a makeshift sidewalk table. The streets are bustling with a mélange of folks, some who look artistic, others who look more “down and out.”

“Don’t worry it’s safe around here,” says Tidefjärd as we walk along the Spree River to our first stop, Defne.

We’ve signed up for Tidefjärd’s Gastro Rallye Riverside “moveable feast,” an evening romp that will take us on a three-course dinner over approximately four-and-a-half hours in the company of a guide who is passionate about his city and a veritable font of knowledge.

Tidefjärd created Gastro Rallye back in 2004. He was born in Sweden but has decided to call Berlin home as he thrives on the city’s unpretentious, bohemian, laissez faire culture. Quality of food and service and unique and contrasting locations are Tidefjärd’s criteria for planning Gastro Rallye itineraries.

We sit outside on Defne’s riverside patio while Tidefjärd orders a smörgasbord of starters including hummus, garlic shrimp, marinated feta, grilled veggies and stuffed mushrooms. Nope, there will be no schnitzel tonight!

Next stop is Sage, about a 20-minute, calorie-burning walk from Defne. Sage is a converted factory with a man-made beach and lounge chairs by the river outside and long communal tables inside. The vibe is cool and the cod with saffron risotto and Parmesan foam is sensational.

We wind up at Freischwimmer, a floating club on a canal that makes us feel like we’ve been transported to Cambodia. We finish off a fascinating evening with dessert and a nightcap and a toast to our charming host who remarks that “Berlin is amazing and we’ve just scratched the surface.”