The city was founded in the 13th century before being appointed as capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg – a major principality of the Holy Roman Empire – in 1417. Since then, its history has been richly coloured by the Kingdom of Prussia, Imperial Germany, the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich.

Signs of these predecessors heavily punctuate Berlin today; from the Baroque Charlottenburg Palace – a grandiose castle constructed in the 17th century – to the infamous communist partition, the Berlin Wall, that physically and ideologically divided the nation between 1961 and 1989.

Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Museum Island, the Modernism Housing Estates and Sanssouci Palace and Gardens in outlying Potsdam – will strike a chord with culture buffs, in addition to three world-class opera houses and 150 theatres. Nature lovers can bask in the green spaces provided by Berlin’s 2,500 parks, and party people should not miss out on the city’s richly entertaining nightlife.

Located on the Great European Plain, the climate here changes with the seasons. Summer is the most popular time to visit, when the imposing architecture, piercing metallic Fernsehturm tower and the river Spree positively gleam in the sun. During the winter months, Christmas markets and ice-skating rinks twinkle from the iconic Alexanderplatz. Sample a traditional Currywurst (German sausage) alongside a warming Bavarian Glühwein for a festive refreshment.