4 p.m. Finally, walk down to the Gedaechtniskirche (Memorial Church), a church that was bombed out in World War Two and was preserved in its ruined state to symbolize the folly of war.

6 p.m. Grab a bite at one of the bustling restaurants around Savigny Platz then hop in a cab to the Philharmonie to attend a concert by the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra, one of the world's most prestigious and conducted by Britain's Simon Rattle.

SUNDAY:

Spend a day walking around Berlin's historic center, tracing the many layers of history.

10 a.m. Start at Alexanderplatz, a vast square in East Berlin famous for its landmark Fernsehturm (television tower). Then walk down past the giant statues of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, over the Spree river onto the "Museum Island."

Pay a visit to one of the many, internationally renowned museums, such as the Neues Museum which was restored and reopened this year, and is chock-a-block with famous antiquities such as a bust of the ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti.

12 p.m. Carry on down the majestic Unter den Linden avenue, past the Humboldt University, the State Opera House and the plush Hotel Adlon Kempinski -- where the late singer Michael Jackson dangled his infant son out of a third-floor window.

Stop off for lunch at Cafe Einstein along the way, or at restaurant Theodor Tucher on Pariser Platz by the Brandenburg Gate -- a square that was flattened during World War II and became a No Man's Land during the division of Germany.

Don't be fooled by the boxy facade of some of the buildings on the square - check out the interior of DZ Bank, designed by star architect Frank Gehry. In the atrium, a bulging filigree roof and a curved glass floor bring to mind an enormous fish.

2 p.m. Pass through the Brandenburg Gate and turn left to the Holocaust Memorial -- a monument to Jewish victims of the Holocaust made of 2,711 huge slabs visitors can wander through.

Then head to Potsdamer Platz area, where what was once a tract of wasteland near the Wall has become a web of futuristic buildings housing business and entertainment complexes.

4 p.m. Walk to the revamped Reichstag parliament building with its glass dome designed by British architect Norman Foster.

Skip queues by booking a table at the roof restaurant in advance and taking their private lift to enjoy "Kaffee und Kuchen" (coffee and cake) with a panoramic view over Berlin.