It's busiest of all around Kollwitzplatz and Wasserturmplatz. In the daytime as well as at night, a mixed, colourful scene gathers in Anita Wronski or Kommandantur. Another good place to refuel after the hectic round is Café M.A.K., where you can spend the early morning lying on a sofa listening to the DJs. Santiago, with its good cheap cocktails, is better for evenings.

You can eat and drink in November, Pasternak or Gugelhof, which is very good but not all that cheap. A couple of doors away from Gugelhof is Nostalghia, a Russian studio theatre with teas and red vodka. Go inside and you're in another world. The delightful little touches and the whole atmosphere take you deep into the Russian soul or simply to the charming lady of the house, Marina.

The AKBA Lounge in Sredzskistraße is very different - music between house and hits. In front is a bar, always pretty packed, and behind is the club room. All sorts of concerts are held in Knaack-Club and on weekends there are three different discos, from pop to punk to house. Fans of harder sounds gravitate to Duncker in Dunckerstraße.

Pfefferberg is an old brewery with one of the most beautiful beer gardens in the city. Inside the building you find a varied programme with lots of world music. Prenzlauer Berg is very much a beer garden Eldorado. Prater in Kastanienallee invites you to linger with its ideal mix of beer and culture. The Volksbühne's second theatre stage is also located here. It's really worth seeing a production if you can.