Berlin, the rejuvenated capital of Germany, shook off its Cold War persona and revived the bohemian spirit that made it a mecca for European travellers in the twenties. My five favorite Berlin winter sights and activities:
1. Nefertiti, the artisan’s bust of Eygpt’s famous Queen is mesmerising, see it and much more at the Altes Museum.
2. Berlin’s Jewish Museum educates visitors on Jewish life in Germany before the horrors of Nazism, and the Holocaust Tower is a powerful reminder to never forget.
3. Berlin’s Zoo on a snowy December morning, the animals are mostly indoors but you have the whole place to yourself and few other hardy souls.
4. A hot chocolate at Fassbender & Rausch after sightseeing along the snow covered streets.
5. The Pergamon Museum houses the magnificent Hellenist Pergamon Altar but explore the other rooms for wonderful examples of the ancient world’s artistic talents.