How to enjoy Berlin in the Heart of Winter
Though the German capital might not be your first idea for a winter getaway, it is actually magic under the snow and culturally exciting during the winter months, with film, dance and food festivals, Bauhaus celebrations, and even a fashion week! Here is a list of must-sees and dos in the German capital currently.
Berlin is today a young and active international city, offering lively nightlife, many cafés, clubs, bars, street art, numerous museums, palaces, and other sites of historic interest, and the month of February is particularly sweet for art lovers: from Feb 7th to Feb 11th is held the Berlin Independent Film Festival, which offers plenty of screening and business opportunities for up-and-coming filmmakers. The exciting programme of films, workshops and networking events combines the commitment to indie filmmaking ideals with a solid understanding of their potential in the marketplace. All films are screened at the Babylon Cinema in Berlin-Mitte and are in English or with English subtitles. Extra tip: this movie theatre offers midnight movies every Saturday, with a live music orchestra!
Held around the same time – Feb 7th to Feb 17th, the Berlinale is the city’s most glamourous event. With more than 400 films shown it attracts the elite of the film industry as well as the largest audience of any film festival in the world. But the festival has much more to offer than just the screening of films. For two weeks, workshops, panel discussions and joint projects encourage collaboration between all the participants. And at the exclusive Berlinale parties, people, art, glamour and business meet.
Dance is also promoted: each year young people aged between 10 and 21 from around the world meet in Berlin to share their love for dancing at the Tanzolymp, a dance event with workshops, seminars and competitions. The main aim of the festival is to support and increase the popularity of dancing, and also provides insight into the variety of dance aesthetics and artistic styles. Another festival, The Days of Dance or Tanztage, is a contemporary dance festival focusing on the discovery and support of up-and-coming choreographers and dancers based in Berlin.
Design and architecture are not left out, since 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Bauhaus design school. For the centenary, many galleries, museums and other institutions in Berlin make the ideas of the Bauhaus visible and tangible, such as “Bauhaus – Modernism around the globe” at Willy Brandt Haus (16 January – 14 March 2019), which exhibits the works of photographer Jean Molitor, who has traced Bauhaus architecture all over the world for over 10 years. He found it not only in Berlin but also in Saint Petersburg, Havana, Casablanca und Guatemala City. The city and its periphery offer a lot of examples of this very recognizable architectural style, especially the Berlin Modernism Housing Estates, a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2008.
To enjoy all these festivities to the fullest, Commendable Rentals has selected three extremely elegant apartments, perfect for families traveling together but also great for business travel. Located in the same chic building on Winterfeldstrasse in the Schöneberg area, you can choose the 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom apartment, depending on who you travel with!
The rooms are spacious and very tasteful, with lots of light, deliciously comfortable bedding and fully equipped marble and mosaic bathrooms as well as state of the art kitchens in each property. These apartments are perfect for those who crave space and comfort, in an excellent, central location, next to Potsdamer Platz. The building itself dates back to 1900 and has been lovingly restored to its former glory. It is within walking distance to a great variety of bars, restaurants and shopping, where you can experience the best of this dynamic city. Commendable Berlin offers both the comfort and ease of a hotel and the familiar feeling and facilities of the best home away from home.
