Although some Berliners favour more underground parties, the Panorama Bar or its other half Berghain, is often recommended as Berlin's best club. It's a haven of electronic music talent with regular appearances from the likes of Sache Funke and Chris Duckenfield. The larger Watergate, on the other hand, is perhaps better known and is often compared to London's own clubbing institution Fabric.

If it's a more cosy after-hours vibe you seek, Arena is where you should head, but those who feel more at home in a swanky lounge bar would be better off at the towering Solar which comes with views of the city almost in the league as those from the famous TV Tower.

For those who can see the sense in spending long stretches of precious time flicking through records shops, make a beeline for Hardwax which is on Paul-Lincke-Ufer in Kreuzberg, or Spacehall in Kreuzberg both of which have good online stores. Alternatively Rotation in Prenzlauer Berg does a nice line in techno through to disco.