Lesbian

Begine (Potsdamerstr. 139, +49-30/215-4325; www.begine.de) is a cozy women's piano bar drawing post-work crowds. Exhibitions by women photographers create a pleasant backdrop to your night.

Kreuzberg 61 and 36

From Mehringdamm, turn left onto Bergmannstrasse and flirt with the waitstaff over breakfast at Bergmann 103 (Bergmannstrasse 103; +49-30/694-8323; 7-12 EUR). Back on Mehringdamm, exhibits range from fascinating to offensive at the Schwules (Gay) Museum (Mehringdamm 61; +49-30/693-1172; www.schwulesmuseum.de; 4 EUR), behind Café Sundström (Mehringdamm 61; +49-30/693-4414; open Wednesday-Sunday, 2-6 p.m.), a warm café/bar popular with local lesbians and gay men. Have some cake, then continue along Bergmanstrasse, soaking up charms of the second-hand clothes and bookstores of this colorful street. Check out Sexclusivitaten (Fürbringerstr. 2, +49-30/693-6666; www.sexclusivitaeten.de) for leather, videos, sex toys, cliterature and escort service.

The Turkish area adjacent to Kottbuser Tor is Kreuzberg 36. Take a brisk walk along the river, where Turkish markets are held Tuesday and Friday afternoons. Back over the bridge, funky Oranienstrasse offers the best baklavas outside of Istanbul. Not to be missed are women-only Hamam Turkish Baths (Mariannenstr. 6; +49-30/615-1464; Monday 3-10 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday noon-10 p.m.), part of Schokofabrik Women's Center. Book massages in advance. Once suitably relaxed, head upstairs to the center's hip Schokocafe (Mariannenstr. 6; +49-30/615-2999; www.schokofabrik.de).

For dinner, try stylish Sumo (Bergmanstrasse 89; +49-30/5900-4963; dinner entrées: 7-14 EUR), before joining the throngs at Café Sundström (see above). Club Subterra at Schwuz (behind Sundström, Mehringdamm 61; +49-30/693-7025; www.schwuz.de), every second Friday, attracts more women than men and offers massages in candlelit corner. Siegessäule magazine details dates of excellent women's nights m.appeal or Jane Bond Party (SO36; Oranienstr. 190; +49-30/6140-1306).

Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg

This area, where the wall once divided the city, is undergoing massive redevelopment. Near the impressive New Synagogue (Oranienburger Str. 29), ogle industrial art in bombed Jewish Department-store-turned- café/arts-center Tacheles (Oranienburger Str. 54-56). Then, take in some shopping at the big name stores in 1920s theater district Friedrichstrasse. Take the S-Bahn south and wonder at the skyscrapers of Potsdamer Platz.

For lunch, try one of the tempting options, ranging from café fare to fine dining, at Opernpalais (Unter den Linden 5; +49-30/202-683) for lunch before walking this impressive thoroughfare, stopping at Bebelplatz (Unter den Linden), where Hitler burnt books by authors including Brecht and Mann. Pass enormous department store Galleries Kaufhof (www.galeria-kaufhof.de) on your way to women only, smoke/alcohol-free Café Seiden Faden (Dircksenstr. 47; +49-30/283-2783, Tuesday-Sunday). Walk or take a cab to EWA-Frauenzentrum (Prenzlauer Allee 6; +49-30/442-5542; www.ewa-frauenzentrum.de; 6-11 p.m.) for a taste of Berlin's best women's art, literature and politics.

Oxon Magenta (Greifenhagener Str. 48; +49-30/4473-6482; 6-10 EUR) is a popular, lesbian-friendly restaurant, serving vegetarian-friendly fare in Prenzlauer Berg. Have after-dinner coffee at lesbian-run Café am Senefelderplatz (Schönhauser Allee 73; +49-30/449-6605) before heading to Pour Elle (Kalckreuthstrasse 10; +49-30/218-7533), now known as pe-Bar, Berlin's oldest women's bar. It's kitsch, camp and fun.