The Brandenburg Gate, focal point for most of Berlin's turbulent history

I’m currently bunged up with a cold, no doubt brought on by a combination of a few too many Berliner biers and the German capital’s even-chillier-than-Scotland autumn weather. But the trip was worth a few sniffles, because I had a great time exploring the place.

The few remaining scraps of the Berlin Wall, the site of Hitler’s bunker (now an anonymous car park) and the new Jewish memorial were all fascinating and humbling, but it was the nightlife that was the main attraction.

While we made a few wrong turns and bad choices, we also found some great bars, such as the graffiti-covered Zapata, the cool DJ bar named after Studio 54 and Silberfisch, a cellar bar that stayed open till 8am.

The quality of the pictures this time round isn’t too good as I was relying on my camera phone, but here are a few anyway, wonky panorama shots included.

My attempt at a panoramic shot of the Reichstag, Germany's parliament building

Another panorama attempt: The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a newish site built with thousands of concrete slabs

Taken 'inside' the Jewish memorial. Looks like rows of skyscrapers to me.

The Fernsehturm, or TV tower, which is visible from practically everywhere in Berlin.

Currywurst, the local delicacy

I’m going to Berlin on Wednesday with a few old friends for five nights. It was a spur of the moment decision driven mainly by us all having to take holiday time off work before the end of the year, and the cheapness of the flights.

Unlike recent holidays to New York, Barcelona and Croatia, where I had either been before, done a bit of research or had a fairly good idea of what to expect from movies and music, Berlin remains a mystery to me.

I’m expecting big, wide public squares, hundreds of kinds of beer, crumbling Communist blocks, nightclubs that stay open till the last person leaves and a huge David Hasselhoff fanbase. But this could just be the stereotypical view for all I know.

Anyway, I’ll be back next week with my thoughts on the German capital and hopefully a few photos – although they won’t be as good as my Croatia pictures as it will just be my pitiful phone camera this time.

In the meantime, have you been to Berlin?

Care to give this clueless tourist a few tips on good bars / restaurants / clubs / sights?