No amount of guidebook research can replace local knowledge so FNND has asked locals about their city and how they interact with it. This is the sixth in a series, with part two focused on the capital city of Germany, Berlin.

 

Modern Berlin is home to renowned universities, orchestras, museums, entertainment venues, and is host to many sporting events.

 

 

The city is well known for its festivals, diverse architecture, nightlife, contemporary arts, and a high quality of living.

 

There is plenty to explore in this city so meet Berlin local Parusha Naidoo – a kind heart and inquisitive mind who loves the food and culture of the city.

 

What you do for a living?

I’m a freelance graphic designer and right now I run a vegan pop up dinner club called Chakalaka. Vegan & plant-based food and lifestyle which is focused on great flavour & food design.

How did you end up in Berlin?

A good friend of mine moved here a few years before I did. I would visit her and her  husband a few times a year. Then I finally decided I wanted to live here too. So I found a job and made the move.

What you love about Berlin?

The thing I love the most is that it is a very bicycle friendly city. I love cycling everywhere. Cycling around with a bunch of friends in summer, to lakes and parks, or from bar to bar, then club to club is the best. Find 10 reasons why the German capital is a marvellous place to cycle HERE

How would you sum up Berlin?

They call it ‘poor but sexy’. That pretty much sums it up!

 What’s your favourite place in the city?

I love the canal in summer. Best enjoyed with beer and friends. This is quintessentially Berlin – cheap, easy and unpredictable. I love that it requires so little effort but gives so much reward. Go for a coffee at concierge coffee or enjoy the summer vibes on the Admiralbrücke.

“You can’t go home before you’ve…?”

Danced in some obscure little room behind a bar or in an unexpected hard to find location

 Describe a perfect day in the city

I would start the day with a walk along the canal, then I would have a coffee in the sunshine, cycle around to different art exhibitions or spend the day at a lake then have a big Vietnamese meal at Monsieur Vuong, a nap, then street drinking with friends and/or dancing til the next afternoon.

One piece of advice for a visitor?

Wear black. You don’t need clothes in any other colour. Get a bicycle. Chat to locals. Don’t rush. Nights are long and most people are deluded. They will tell you that they’re nerds and don’t go out. But don’t fall for that. They will take you to the most exciting places.

 

Hotels

Arte Luise Kunsthotel, Luisenstrasse 19, Mitte, +49 30 428 4480, luise-berlin.com, doubles from €64 / 255AED

Hotel Huettenpalast, Hobrechtstrasse 66, Neukölln, +49 30 3730 5806, huettenpalast.de, doubles from €80 / 319AED, caravans and huts from €60 / 239 AED, without breakfast

Ku’Damm 101, Kurfürstendamm 101, +49 30 520 0550, kudamm101.com, doubles from €119 / 474AED room only