Right after the Berlin wall came down, Prenzlauer Berg was the area for former East Berlin. Alternative arts, activism, squatting movement, and everything else new that Berlin had to offer was in Prenzlauerberg.

Since then the area became hip, the landlords moved in, renovated the houses, the rent went up, squats transformed into semi-official house communities, artists moved back to Kreuzberg and other cheaper areas, and now it's all just a pretty postcard.

More than 15 years after its glory Prenzlauerberg boasts the highest ratio of families in Berlin and you can more often hear Americans than Germans here.

Having said that, the area is still cool and a few establishments retained the old feel to them. Kastanienallee is definitely the central street of the area, but also Senefelder platz and the area around Schoenhauser Allee is what real Prenzlauerberg is. Mauer Park hosts a great flea market on weekends (that became quite expensive though, thanks to its popularity and all the tourists). A great wine bar on Zionkirchplatz is a must-see. Various dance venues throughout the area (such as Dock 11 and ada Studio) have made this area the choice for dancers, who seem to come here in flocks from all over the world.