Berlin, I've learned, has existed – in some form or another – for almost eight hundred years; since 1701, as capital of Prussia and then Germany. In other words, it has History – with a capital H.

In my free time, I've thus been eagerly exploring the sights and museums around Berlin. On Saturday, having been told by my new Berlin friends that there was an entire island dedicated to museums, I decided to take a gander at the place. While walking, I chanced across some gorgeous buildings on Unter den Linden straße: Humboldt University, which had a lovely neoclassical facade and statues of (you guessed it) Humboldt and his brother; the Berlin state opera, which was in pink neoclassical garb; and the German Historical Museum, which was also pink, but Baroque! To my absolute disappointment, this one was closed – and so we then proceeded to the very top of museum island, starting with the Bode Museum.

The Bode Museum was stunning. Built in 1913 under the auspices of Wilhelm II, it is a building of palatial proportions, with an ornate neo-Baroque exterior and a beautiful copper dome. (Thanks, Art Hum!) Entering the museum, I was promptly met with the busts of Frederick Wilhelm I, Frederick I, Wilhelm I, Frederick III, and Wilhelm II – one exemplar of the creative naming conventions of European monarchies – hanging high above the ceiling. I then went on to look at the museum's extensive collection of Byzantine mosaics; Renaissance art, including Donatello's Pazzi Madonna; and around half a million coins, spanning from ancient Greece to modern Germany.

On Sunday, I went to Schloss Charlottenburg – one of the principal palaces of the Hohenzollern dynasty, located around twenty minutes west of Berlin – also on the recommendation of the aforementioned Berlin friends. I was accompanied by a friend – who very kindly popped over from the Emirates to come see me – and walked through the gorgeous palace grounds, containing statues of past German kings and their spouses, wonderfully manicured trees and flowers, and a couple of lovely lakes. The interior was similarly wonderful – with rooms upon rooms of finery, china, paintings, and the like – that evoked images of past imperial grandeur.

Overall, I've very much enjoyed the past couple of days; not only was it a chance to stretch my legs, but it was such an amazing experience to do so in one of Europe's finest cities. Can't wait to see what next week brings!