Take advantage of Berlin's beautiful "Weiße Nächte" (short northern summer nights - literally white nights) in the lovely Monbijoupark, perched on the banks of the Spree River across from the handsome Bode Museum.

The eight edition of the international design festival DMY Berlin takes place in the entrance hall and hangars of the former Tempelhof airport. It's a honey-pot of glorious contemporary design from up-an-comers and established luminaries. Thousands of cutting-edge designers buzz together, competing for the honor of 'best contemporary design'. A stroll through the large open exhibition is an inspiring feast for the eyes. It's just a short hop away from your Miniloft apartment on public transport (head south on the U6 from Naturkundemuseum).

The Staatsoper Unter den Linden will soon close its doors for three years of renovations - help send it off in style, with a free outdoor concert on the famous Bebelpatz!

Microbes! Mench Mikrobe, a new interactive science exhibition all about bacteria and viruses, fungi and parasites, has a brief run next door to the Miniloft apartments in the gorgeous theatre hall of Berlin's Humboldt University.

40 galleries, 40 openings, three days. A succinct description for the sprawling Gallery Weekend, a marathon weekend of contemporary art celebrating Berlin's most prestigious collectors and galleries.

A mecca for magazine-philes, the small shop Do You Read Me is filled with a glorious selection of magazines from all over the world - from fashion, photography and art, to architecture, interior and design, to culture and society.

Bach wrote the Beat: the Neue Nationalgalerie livens up as four-time Breakdance World Champions Flying Steps take on classical, performing to Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier".

Themroc is a jewel of a restaurant, hidden in plain sight - I'd ridden my bike past this little hole in the wall dozens of times and never realized it was there. Now that my eyes have been opened, I can't believe how long I've lived without it.

Volksbühne Theater, recently reopened to new glory after a lengthy renovation, towers impressively over Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz.

Spring is in the air, and there's no better way to celebrate Easter in Berlin than a visit to the new animal babies at our two zoos.