Charlottenburg is a retail enthusiast’s dream. Kurfürstendamm offers kilometres of solid shopping, beginning near Zoo station with lower-priced fashion retailers such as H&M and Zara, and moving up to the likes of Gucci and Prada further west. Independent boutiques, including Nanna Kuckuck (030 3150 7150), Salto (030 882 4240) and Boutique Almina (030 881 2727), dot side streets such as Bleibtreustrasse and Fasanenstrasse.

There’s no shortage of large chain supermarkets, organic supermarkets, greengrocers, and gourmet food and wine shops, as well as chemists, housewares shops, hair salons, and chemists. Charlottenburg abuts some of Berlin’s most appealing spots for outdoor relaxation, notably the Tiergarten and the Grunewald. Within the district, Schloss Charlottenburg and its extensive gardens await, and the Lietzensee makes for a nice pondside picnic.