Berlin

History and hedonism constitute the very heart of Berlin, a city that's secured its status as one of the world's hippest among the young and artistically restless. Since ’89, Berlin has undergone a modern renaissance of sorts, lickings the wounds incurred by shifting politics while also nurturing its latent creativity. Twenty years after the fall of the Iron Curtain, we are poignantly reminded of Berlin’s ability to rebound and reinvent. And yet, let's not forget, that it's this stormy past that has paved the way for much of the city's current appeal.

Chock full of raw spaces and cheap rents, Berlin has attracted a truly eccentric and visionary crowd in the past decades. The bittersweet truth, however, is that Berlin’s metamorphosis shows no signs of slowing. As its popularity continues to rise, so will its rents. And as its rents rise, so will its elitism. The intense artistic fervor—partially due to Berlin’s present affordability—will likely not last forever. At the height of the hype, there is no better time to experience Berlin’s sheer abundance. As a serious international contender with a notably edgier and less refined essence, Berlin is a paradox. For those with a penchant for unconventionality, Berlin is the ‘it’ city.