The Popular European City Best Explored After Dark, According To Rick Steves

Few cities in the world offer the dynamism of Berlin, Germany. You can see it in the still-fresh historical fault lines that still pervade and determine its multiple districts and personalities. The historical core formed the heart of East Berlin, with communist architecture filling the World War II bomb craters. West Berlin, in contrast, embraced Western trends, and looks the part. In between, the no-man's land once split by the famous Berlin Wall now teems with 21^st century glass and steel. This unique tapestry helped make the city a hotspot for those who embrace crashing cultures and aim to keep Berlin weird. It also keeps it distinct from other German cities like Hamburg, "the Venice of the North," coastal Rügen and its white sand beaches, or Rothenburg ob der Tauber — a Rick Steves favorite.

Historical heaps like Berlin don't appeal to everyone, not even famed travel guide, Rick Steves, who admitted it took him some time — and a splash of night — to appreciate certain elements of the city. At Bebelplatz, where a transparent pane on the ground over empty bookshelves below mark the spot Nazis burned books, he wrote on his website, "I've stood over this memorial many times in broad daylight and never really been moved. Finally, at night, it grabbed me." The same goes for the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which, Steves notes, becomes more haunting in the darkness.

Today, when most people speak about Berlin after dark, it's the nightlife they mean. That's because the German capital offers a scene unlike any other in Europe — or the world — thanks to a penchant for walking on the wild side. That translates regularly into acclaim and awards, not to mention dozens of nightlife tours. It's also thanks to the forward-thinking entrepreneurs who revitalized old warehouses, factories, and power stations in the former East Berlin and transformed them into clubs and bars for a newly reunified populace ready to party. Indeed, any trip to Berlin that doesn't step out after dark is missing a key cultural experience.

That's blossomed into a panoply of more than 4,500 bars and clubs of nearly every imaginable type — and several unimaginable. For the German beer experience, head to traditional breweries like Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt and Hofbräu Wirtshaus Berlin or taste the new generation at Bräugier Taproom and Biererei Bar & Vintage Cellar. These can keep you busy until the clubs start thumping after midnight. The most coveted dance floor is at Berghain, perhaps the world's most famous techno club. If you can make it past the notoriously difficult bouncers, (even Conan O'Brien has been rejected) it offers full immersion in raw steel and concrete. Tresor, opened in 1991, also comes with high techno pedigree. For a shot of the bizarre, try Redrum. Whatever your predilections, Berlin supplies.

If intoxication or rhythm nation isn't your idea of a good time, Berlin still offers ample reasons to ride into the night. Many of the major historical markers and memorials, as Rick Steves saw, shine brightest and often colorfully at night, be it the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Radio Tower or Berlin Cathedral. You can also see these on two wheels, on a night bike tour. Or you might take a spin to the Ramones Museum, open until 10 p.m., take in some Weimar-style cabaret at Tipi am Kanzleramt, and dine under the stars on the roof the Reichstag, with panoramic views of nighttime Berlin to accompany.

As with any trip into the night in a major city, a little common sense is strongly encouraged — especially when surrounded by revelers not always in their straight mind. Follow the usual rules of keeping to well-lit areas with people or put down drinks handed to you by random people. As pickpockets are rife in Berlin, keep valuables at the hotel and pocketbooks close to the chest. Those visiting with children and teenagers should also remember that Berlin is a permissive city, and even more so at night, so be sure to investigate beforehand. In fact, it might be best to keep the kids at home when you hit the cabaret.