Palacina Berlin

President John F. Kennedy famously once said “Ich bin ein Berliner” and you can experience what it’s like to be a Berliner too, by renting out your own stylish city apartment for your break in the German capital. Welcome to The Palacina Residence.

Arriving at your Berlin home from home you’ll pass through the neighbourhood of Schöneberg, a historic southern city district.Today Schöneberg is a favourite of Berliners, a stylish district of wide boulevards, large squares and vast green parks. Its old-world glamour and grand municipal buildings are juxtaposed against artsy cafes and the colourful bars and clubs of its thriving gay community.

It’s the district where famed actress and singer Marlene Dietrich and photographer Helmut Newton were born, and was also home to David Bowie and Iggy Pop during the 70s. Even Albert Einstein lived in the area from 1918 to 1933.

It is here, along Winterfeldtstraße, that you’ll find your apartment at The Palacina Residence, housed in a beautiful old Baroque style building that dates back to 1884. Once featuring an open portico, carriage house for horses, and charming courtyard garden, the building has been restored to its former glory and still retains many of its original characteristics. Enter through a gleaming arched entryway to find parquet floors, marble doorways, heavy oak balustrades and original stucco work on the ceilings.

Head upstairs to your very own apartment into a world of chic glamour and sleek furnishings. Think cream walls with black wooden furniture and flashes of silver in the ornate chandeliers, mirror frames and lamps. Each one-bedroom apartment also has its own luxurious mosaic marble bathrooms and shiny kitchens with all the fittings. This is surely one of the most glamorous abodes in all of Schöneberg.

When you’re settled (we’re sure it won’t take long, as this place already feels like a luxurious home), head out to explore more of the area and perhaps stock up on some supplies for your kitchen. Schöneberg is known for its excellent outdoor markets, so why not do as the locals do and stock up there? One of the best is located at the nearby Winterfeldtplatz, a lively square fringed with restaurants, cafes and bars. En route be sure to check out some of the area’s more historical sites – the town hall balcony from which John F. Kennedy delivered his iconic speech and the telecommunications building from where the first radio broadcasting came in 1946.

Armed with bags full of wursts (typical German sausages), schnitzel (meat coated in breadcrumbs), doughy pretzels and sweet apple strudels from the local markets and bakeries, head back ‘home’ to enjoy them in the comfort of your own stylish dining room. When the weather’s nice you can also hang out and relax outside in the building’s pretty courtyard, filled with plants and matching tables and chairs – perfect for a spot of outdoor reading or enjoying a snack.

And when you’re ready to head out and explore the rest of Berlin, you’ll find that the U-Bahn station is conveniently located just a two-minute walk from your apartment. Each afternoon after your busy day of sightseeing you’ll look forward to returning to your cosy and elegant apartment and may just get to experience, if but for a brief time, what being a Berliner is actually all about.