Exclusive | Women's Travel: Europe

BERLIN

STAY
Hotel Kunstlerheim Luise (19 Luisenstrasse; +49-30-284-480; EUR79+) is an amazing hotel in Mitte in a neoclassical building dating back to 1825. Each of the nearly 50 rooms is individually decorated by well-known artists. Expect to share your accommodations with murals, space suits, painted bananas, or just great original artwork. An inner courtyard and a multipurpose hall for exhibitions and meetings are also on the premises.

Artemisia Frauenhotel (18 Brandenburgischestrasse; +49-30-873-8905; EUR39+)
Germany's first women-only hotel has deliciously spacious light rooms, a gorgeous roof terrace, a small bar and charming staff. It?s an easy stroll form the S-Bahn station.

Intermezzo (Gertrude-Kolmar-Str. 5; +49-30-224-89096; EUR49+) Near Potsdamerplatz, Intermezzo is another women-only option with disabled-accessible facilities. It is child-friendly and allows boys to age 12.

EAT
Zur letzten Instanz (Waisenstrasse 14-16, Mitte; +49-30-242-5528, fax +49-30/242-6891, EUR12-15) serves substantial German fare. Berlin's oldest restaurant, established in 1621, serves up a limited but tasty selection of traditional Berlin fare. German leaders have accompanied a succession of heads of state here to sample specialties such as Eisbein. This old East eaterie is overlooked by tourists in otherwise often overcrowded Mitte. Luminaries who have graced its tables and toasted themselves by the stove include Mikhail Gorbachev, Gerhard Schroder, Jacques Chirac and, allegedly, Napoleon.

SUMO (Bergmanstrasse 89; +49-30-6900-4963; EUR7-14) On colorful Bergmanstrasse, Sumo is a stylish haven of Ikea minimalism with cool d?cor, matching sounds and delicious modern Japanese fare such as crispy duck on spicy curry, lurking calmly amidst Bergmannstrasse's color, characters and chaos.

Mitte's Monsieur Vuong (46 Alte Schonhauser Strasse; +49-30-3087-2643; $8-12), which attracts hipsters for its excellent and affordable Vietnamese dishes and buzzing, energetic atmosphere in the Mitte district.

PLAY/MEET
Caf?s
Caf? Seidenfaden (7 Dircksen Strasse; +49-30-283-2783)
Caf? Seidenfaden is a smoke- and alcohol-free lesbian caf? in Mitte.

Caf? Sundstrom (Mehringdamm 61; +49-30-693-4414) Coffee hits are on offer from Caf? Sundstrom, a warm caf? bar popular with lesbians and local gay men in front of the tiny Schwules (Gay) Museum (Mehringdamm 61, +49-30/693-1172; www.schwulesmuseum.de; 5 EUR). Good coffees and tantalizing cakes tempt passers-by in off the busy street.

Schokocafe (Mariannenstr. 6; +49-30-615-2999)
Upstairs from the delightful women-only Hamam Turkish Baths (see below) is this Women's Center hip caf?.

Bars
Begine (Potsdamerstr. 139, +49-30-215-4325)
A cozy women's piano bar drawing post-work crowds. Exhibitions by women photographers create a pleasant backdrop to your night.

Pour Elle or "pe-BAR" (Kalckreuthstre. 10; +49-30-218-7533), as it's known, is a well-preserved 30-year-old venue, catering to a chic, femme set.

Clubs
Schwuz (Mehringdamm 61; +49-30-6290-8819) is one of the city's most fun club venues. Last Fridays of the month are L-Tunes, a weekly lesbische party for the girls. Depending on the night, join an upbeat, easy-going crowd for everything from electro to cheese to punk to 50's garage sounds.

SO36 (Oranienstrasse 190, Kreuzberg; +49-30-6140-1306)
See their website calendar for details and dates of occasional excellent women's nights m.appeal and Ladyhane where Turkish tea and cakes are served. It's an offshoot of decade-old 'Gayhane,' a mixed gay/ lesbian event where 'homoriental belly-dance-beats' play and belly dancing go-gos star, the last Saturday of the month.

EXTRA
Sex
Play Stixx (Waldemarstrasse 242; +49-30-6165-9500) offers an exciting range of sex toys.

Beate Uhse's Erotic Museum (corner of Kantstrasse and Joachimstaler;+49-30-888-0666)
The creation of late sex-toy goddess Beate Uhse, the Erotic Museum displays an astounding array of artifacts from chastity belts to fertility demons.

Stores
Chronika (Bergmannstrasse 26, Kreuzberg; +49-30-693-4269)
Amidst the second stores and enticing cafes of funky Bergmannstrasse, Chronika is a lesbian-frequented book and magazine store.

East Of Eden (Schreinerstrasse 10, Friedrichshain; +49-30-423-9362)
This foreign language bookstore in the edgy Friedrichshain neighborhood, attracts the local artpunk set, and offers a few lesbian and gay titles in English, comics, live music, readings and a comfortable atmosphere for browsing.

RELAX
Schokofabrik Hamam Turkish Baths (Mariannenstr. 6; +49-30-615-1464; Monday 3-10 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday noon-10 p.m.), part of Schokofabrik Women's Center, is steps off hip Oranienstrasse (where you can buy the best baklavas outside of Istanbul. Book massages in advance. Once suitably relaxed, head upstairs to the center's hip Schokocafe (see above).

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Women's Travel: U.S. South
Women's Travel: U.S. East
Women's Travel: U.S. West
Women's Travel: Canada/Mexico
Women's Travel: Tours & Events
Women's Travel: Travel Safety