If you’re planning a trip to Berlin then you’re a lucky thing. I fell in love with the city that really never sleeps, within 12 hours of landing. I’d only heard amazing things about Berlin: the nightlife was epic, the people are Balinese friendly and life moves at an amiable pace. None of this was untrue but my vision of Berlin was completely superseded by the city itself.

We started in Kreuzberg the cool quarter, the Berlin Dalston if you will. And whilst there were many incredible cafés, nameless bars and dive spots to dance the night away in, the beauty of the city’s canals and riverside eateries place it on another level. Walking home after a day discovering Mitte, you’ll never fail to be welcomed by droves of Berliners drinking giant beers along the many banks and bridges of the river.

The clubs are as to be expected- insane- and the mix of friendly ravers and fitties makes a nice change from the balding bankers who slur as they try to chat you up in London. The places you have to go are: Renate, Prince Charles (pictured) and Berghain. Berghain is notoriously the hardest to unlit rate but all you need is confidence and a little swag; but if you read Blush that’s clearly a given.

Berlin is also the place to sample a lot of sausage and whilst the idea of a curry wurst didn’t initially appeal the reality of chopped sausage in spicy ketchup with a baguette of our choice was easily the best train food I could wish for.

In regards to shopping Berlin has all you need: from the retro C&A and the budget Monki, to the seriously cool Wood Wood (pictured), which if you’ve got dollar to spend, has the finest edit I’ve seen in years. And for Beauty, there’s nowhere better than the ground floor of KaDeWe. If you’re feeling a little homesick (which you really won’t be) then Urban Outfitters is the epitome of home comfort, reassuringly transplanted from the Shoreditch branch in London.

All in all, whether you’re a disenchanted Londoner, touring Europe in search of a city that is achingly cool, or are simply in search of some considered conversation, Berlin is the only place to be; and as a Londoner it pains me to say that I’ve finally found another city that’s awesome enough to call home.

Best of the rest:

Wood Wood 2

Canalside apartments in Kreuzberg

Yum

My first currywurst

Blossoms on the canal

Street art – Kreuzberg

Getting our first day under way

Breakfast

Every cloud..

On the way

London in Berlin

Lunch at 25 hours bikini hotel

The best cappuccino in Berlin

More street art

Sunset in Tiergarten

The House of World culture

Post-Berghaain brekkie

Pisco sours at Soho House

Being looked after by the boys at Soul Food.

Jamila x