Everyone needs a Berlin adventure.

And if you’re headed to Berlin for the first time, we recommend you spend a week here. There’s a lot to see, experience and digest in the capital city – and we think you could use a few days to overcome jetlag, acclimate and orientate.

Until then, here are a few tips to get you ready for Berlin.

* Remember, shops are closed on Sunday. Make other plans, like a long brunch around Aleksanderplatz or Prenzlauer Berg, relaxing at a spa (Liquidrom seems nice) or spending it at a dance club - which stay open 24 hours over the weekends in Berlin.

* Cash is king in Berlin – with many restaurants and bars not accepting credit cards. This can be a problem as bank machines will tack on a 15 percent upcharge on the exchange rate PLUS a 3 to 5 Euro service fee on each cash transaction. It’s pretty maddening. 

* As for tipping, it is up to you. Nonetheless, a tip of 5 to 10 percent is now a suggested range whenever you sit down for service, whether it’s in a cafe or a restaurant.

* Thumbs up on transportation in Berlin. Buses, trams, elevated and subway trains, and Ubers/Bolts await.

* If a city ever has a dress code, it’s Berlin. You’ll not only want to pack choice club gear and comfy footwear for dance nights at the more popular clubs, but you’ll also want to bring dressier ensembles for happier welcomes at upscale restaurants and bars.   

* Berlin houses some good museums. Those that seem no-brainers are Hamburger Bahnhof (contemporary art), Pergamon Museum (old world antiquities) and Jewish Museum Berlin. The one that needs to be booked well in advance is Sammlung Boros, a private collection that’s opened to the ticketed public.  

* Always try to speak in German, even if it’s a few words, but English is understood and spoken by most people here.

* Ask your waiters and taxi drivers for places to go and you may hear them tell you about the Kit Kat Club, which is a libertine club. If libertine clubs are your thing, good on you. If not, no worries. Berlin is all about finding the scene that fits you. For suggestions suited to you, better to seek input from hotel concierges, new acquaintances, friendly doormen and even that pony-tailed guy at the masquerade shop (if dressing up is your thing). 

LEAD-IN IMAGE

Wonder Shuffle