Sprawling and verdant, Berlin is very different from its enduring image as a cold, grey city which provides the backdrop for many a gloomy war film.

One of the greenest cities in Europe, Germany's has a thriving art and music scene, fine museums and restaurants and attracts everyone from city slickers through to bohemian types and new-age punks.

Berlin's nightlife is one of the rowdiest in Europe and it has an exuberant gay scene.

The city's must-see sights are concentrated in and around Mitte. A good starting point is Unter den Linden which is linked to Bahnhof Zoo in the West by a beautiful tree-lined boulevard. Head west to see the Brandenburg gate which once closed off eastern Berlin from west.

Berlin was the capital of Prussia until 1945 and the capital of Germany from 1871 to 1945. It won back its title of capital after reunification of Germany on 3rd October 1990.

In 1999 the German parliament, the Bundestag, moved from Bonn back to Berlin.

Between 1949 and 1990 the country was divided into East Berlin, the capital of the German Democratic Republic and West Berlin. The Berlin Wall was put up to divide the city between 13th August 1961 and 9th November 1989.

Berlin's history is tumultuous and sad. It has seen and survived, Napoleonic wars, the black death and bloody uprisings.

At the time of German unification immigrants from Prussia and eastern Europen flocked to Berlin. Jewish people, fleeing persecution and seeking freedom, saw the newly thriving metropolis as a place of opportunity. However, the German-Jewish partnership was fragile and Berlin today is littered with Jewish memorials.

To the south of the Brandenburg gate is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe which consists of 2,700 columns in a massive square.

The new government quarter is not far and you can see the impressive Reighstag with its wonderful glass cupola glinting in the sun.

To the east of the city is Alexanderplatz, marked by the massive TV Tower which has a revolving observation deck.

North of Alexanderplatz is a tangle of bars, galleries and shops. Its main attraction is the Hackesche Hofe which has a pretty plethora of courtyards filled with cafes and boutiques.

Arty types should tear themselves away from the cute shops and cafes and head to Auguststrasse, the city's main art area.

Thirsty sightseers should swing by Prenzlauer Berg to avoid the tourist hubs and grab a drink and something delicious to eat in any of the various restaurants and bars.

By night revellers should head for nearby Muhlenstrasse and Simon-Dach-Strasse where there is a variety of chic bars, smoky drinking holes and cool clubs to suit every taste.

Berlin has a split personality. It can be bright, beautiful and uplifting and at other times the looming Stalinist architecture and grey buildings can feel quite menacing.

However, Berlin's reputation as a cold, hard, stoney-faced capital is undeserving. Diverse, lively and packed with fine eateries, bars, shops and restaurants, Berlin is the quintessential European capital.