Saturday
10 a.m.
4. A SNAIL’S PACE
Given the stylish looks of most residents, you can imagine how much of their time and energy is spent shopping. To fuel up in the heart of the Ehrenstrasse, a street that has recently overflowed with new clothing stores, local shoppers grab snacks from the Zimmermann bakery (Ehrenstrasse 75; 49-221-25-56-32; www.baeckereizimmermann.de), founded in 1875, where a sublime frosted Schnecke (or “snail,” meaning a raisin Danish) will keep you going at least as far as the next boutique.
11 a.m.
5. CHIC BELGIQUE
Over the past decade, the Belgisches Viertel (Belgian Quarter) has become the neighborhood of choice for many art and media types, who have brought dozens of cool cafes, shops and restaurants in their wake. Start by browsing through Simon und Renoldi’s women’s clothing, primarily from young German designers (Maastrichter Strasse 17; 49-221-945-87-031; www.simonundrenoldi.com), then move along to the men’s jeans and rustic workwear at Monsieur Courbet (Maastrichter Strasse 49; 49-221-59-49-705), which also houses the excellent Groove Attack record store, a specialist in obscure hip-hop and rap, in the basement (Maastrichter Strasse 49; 49-221-522-037; www.grooveattackrecordstore.com). At the area’s main square, Brüsseler Platz, the charming Bob 10.5.10 sells urbane, club-friendly men’s wear from cult brands like Hannibal, Unconditional and Rick Owens (Brüsseler Platz 6; 49-221-168-693-48; www.bob10510.de). The three or four streets surrounding the square have enough to keep your credit card busy for several hours. Afterward, you can unwind with a cinnamon-marzipan cookie and an espresso at Madame Miammiam, a beloved bakery and cafe (Antwerpener Strasse 39; 49-221-271-9242; www.madamemiammiam.de). |
