Berlin

Why Go?

An architecture buff's dream, with modernist classics and recent creations by Foster, Gehry, and Eisenman. The thriving arts and nightlife scene, in all its still-over-the-top, cabaret-style abandon. The epicenter of 20th-century European history—you'll see remnants from WWII to the Cold War all around.

What to Skip

Shopping and nightlife on the Kurfürstendamm—chains and crowds. http://www.concierge.com/destination/berlin