Graffiti all around and communal, public drinking is allowed everywhere in Berlin! However, it is…read moreespecially great to just linger and be at leisure here! One can stroll along what use to be train tracks on the ground and now turned hipster area. There's plenty of shops to peruse through and just simply enjoy the day. Big, wooden chairs were signature lookers and seaters. Fitted and meant for two to be cozying up. It is a local spot that I definitely would have overlooked. One must visit when in Berlin!

A really beautiful little flea market, which is still not overcrowded. It takes place every Sunday…read moreon the former railway repair factory (RAW). The atmosphere is cozy and chillig! It's almost a little bit as if you would go to a different world. Impressive on the grounds is the considerable amount of graffitis on the walls. Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzq8M3Ancbk

The night flea market was really rad. Buy yourself a beer there and wonder through all sorts of…read morelittle used and selfmade things while listen to vintage loud music. Everything is a little pricey tho. I found a cool homemade postcard for my girlfriend that was really expensive but whatever.. you can never spend enough money on art.

Beautiful mall! Lots of stores and even a whole slide that…read moregoes from top to bottom! Want lego? Got it! Want food? Go get it! Want souveniers? Perfect!

I came to Berlin for the first time this month, and the Mall of Berlin was a quick walk from my…read morehotel. I stopped at Zara and purchased five items using the self-checkout. I placed my items on the scanner, entered my phone number, tapped my card, signed, and completed the transaction. Since my cell service has been spotty while traveling, my e-receipt didn't come through immediately. As I walked out, the security detectors went off and an incredibly aggressive security guard approached me. I tried explaining that I had paid and was simply waiting for the receipt to come through, but he would barely let me speak and repeatedly insisted that I had not purchased the items. He then threatened to call the police. What bothered me most was that a female Zara employee tried telling him that she had SEEN me pay, and he responded by telling her, "I'm not talking to you. Stop talking and allow me to do my job." He then brought over a male employee, who confirmed the exact same thing: I HAD PAID. Thankfully, my e-receipt finally came through and proved the purchase. The security guard didn't apologize or show even the slightest acknowledgment that he had handled the situation poorly. I wasn't expecting some grand apology, but basic professionalism and a little humility would have gone a long way. The male employee, on the other hand, was extremely understanding and even gave me some advice about shopping while in Germany, which I appreciated. My advice to other travelers: if you opt in for an e-receipt, make sure it has actually arrived before leaving the store, especially if your cell service is unreliable. And Zara/Mall of Berlin: security is one thing, but treating a paying customer like a criminal while store employees are actively telling security that they watched the customer pay is completely unnecessary. I hope the security guard has a terrible day.

Die Hackeschen Höfe is a building complex with eight courtyards located in the Scheunenviertel…read more(Barn Quarter*) between Rosenthaler Straße and Sophienstraße in the Mitte area of Berlin. The building was opened in 1906, with an Art Nouveau facade, and mixed use commercial and residential spaces. After a period of disuse and damage following WWII, a revitalization started in 1993 which included extensive restoration. Today about 40 businesses call this location home--with a similar blend of vendors, including cafes, a theater, residential apartments, and a variety of retailers (apparel, shoes and accessories, home goods and furniture, art galleries, toys, stationery and a salon). For food there are a few restaurants, a couple bakeries and confectioneries, a gourmet food store and a coffee shop. Although the hours on g-maps show 9-10am, opening times for individual stores varies, so check prior to arriving. Especially on weekends when some opening times start closer to noon. When I arrived at 9am on a Sunday morning most places were closed, with the exception of Maison de Souvenirs, which although geared towards tourists, I enjoyed perusing because of the local and regionally made souvenirs they carried. Around 9:30am a couple of other shops started stirring, including a cafe, apparel store and gallery though only the cafe had opened by 9:45am. The courtyards are worth wandering around for 10 minutes to appreciate their unique architecture, though I didn't stay longer since most stores opened later. No parking available close by, they recommend arriving via public transit as it's a very busy area. Hackesche Markt S+U-bahn station is a couple minutes by foot, and a number of trams and buses stop nearby too. No public restrooms unless patronizing the couple of restaurants (and maybe the cinema) in this complex. *apparently in the 17th century this used to be the part of town outside of Berlin city walls that stored hay for animals, kept separate from the rest of the city due to fire concerns.

The store is beautifully appointed. The quality of the product is clear. Alice was exceptional when…read moresharing information and answering questions. Highly recommend stopping in if you are out shopping.