Berlin is possibly too cool. Frustratingly hip. It's a lot of things and boring isn't one of them!
I spent about half of my military career based in Germany, most of which just a stone's throw from the cool capital. It seemed each time I went I had to relearn which neighborhood was the it place to be. That part was perhaps a little frustrating, but also a great excuse to get out across the city and explore a new corner or quarter I hadn't yet experienced.
There's a lot to explore, Berlin is quite a vast and green city with lots of spots to enjoy modern culture and to soak up a healthy dose of history. The weather's typically pretty good in the summer, too!
I was never one much for Checkpoint Charlie, it felt a little too much like pageantry while there are plenty more authentic spots to explore the rich if troubled history of WWII and the divide of East & West Germany from decades passed.
There are often art installations surrounded by still-standing sections of the Berlin Wall or trendy places to sip a beverage, but with a twist. I can only imagine what that twist might be in 2022, Berliners are nothing if not inventive in the ways they have a good time!
Which is a good point to conclude, the local brew is also known as Berliner. If you're ever lost in Berlin, you're never far from a friendly Berliner (did I just make a German pun?).