Unlike unluckier East European countries like Romania and Yugoslavia, where emerging from the Cold War and throwing off communism was met by violence and chaos, Germany became reunited in October 1990 with fanfare and fireworks above the iconic gate, one of the most famous European landmarks.

This dramatic symbol of German statehood is known for its 12 stately Doric columns, crowned with a chariot drawn by four horses representing victory and fame. The endowing of such characteristics in the structure couldn’t have been more prescient, given the stricture’s mighty role in history.

The historic events of a generation ago filled the Germans, known for their no-nonsense approach to life, with unrestrained revelry, and pride that they need not be victims of their unsavoury past. Rather paradoxically, Berliners, along with all Germans, are known at once for their workaholic nature and their love of fun – just take the annual exuberance known as Oktoberfest for example! For sure, Berliners are proud about their robust food, and the quintessential Berlin speciality is “boulette” (fried meatballs). They are ideally paired with “Berliner Weise” (beer with juice).

The once-again German capital is home to many grandiose structures from centuries ago, including the Reichstag building, which under extensive refurbishing reopened in 1999 as the seat of the German parliament once more. The Bundestag, as the parliament is now known, is at the western end of the historic Unter den Linden Boulevard.

The boulevard is home to several wedding cake-like structures such as the Schlossbrücke (Palace Bridge), classical-style Berlin State Opera, German Historical Museum, campus of Humboldt University, and the Bebelplatz. Many of these grand edifices will be lit up dramatically as part of the Festival of Lights.

Unter den Linden boulevard, which is named for its linden (lime) trees that line the grassed pedestrian mall between two carriageways, is all the more stately for its statues of German leaders. These include Frederick the Great, Alexander von Humboldt, Wilhelm von Humboldt, and a few Prussian generals.

The 18th-century baroque Schloss Charlottenburg is the biggest palace in Berlin. It was first built in the 1690s to be the summer home for Sophie Charlotte, Elector Frederick III’s wife. Like much of the city’s large historic buildings, it was bombed by Allied forces during World War II, and reconstructed after the war.

Besides being a centre for politics and finance, Berlin has a thriving arts scene as is seen in its uncountable cool cafés and pubs, and playhouses such as Grips Theatre and the Berlin Theatre Des Westens. Indeed, Berlin is known as a centre for youthful exuberance, whether it is a night out in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, home to artists and Turkish immigrants, with plentiful chic hangouts, or chilling out on the Kurfürstendamm, the city’s hippest shopping district, and home to fine hotels and restaurants.

History and modernity merge at the Berlin Wall Museum, which is situated near the famous Checkpoint Charlie border crossing, where the community-dividing wall was erected in 1961. Maps show just how unnaturally the city was divided. Graffiti-flecked pieces of stone from the wall poignantly reflect the tension and passions of that bleak, extraordinary period.

For a sign of just how successful the city has been in healing its deep wounds when it was divided into East and West, just look at the newly erected Potsdamer Platz, which was dissected during the Cold War, but now has been reunited and boasts modern shopping centres, hotels and cineplexes, designed by renowned architects, including Renzo Piano, Chrisoph Kolbecker and Helmut Jahn. The delightfully energetic plaza under the Sony Centre Dome has been reclaimed and is now a pleasure zone for locals and visitors to see and be seen.

Also worth a visit are nearby Mitte in the eastern end of town, where there is a plethora of cafés, restaurants, museums and clubs, and the Pergamon Museum, which houses one of the world’s most extensive display of Asian and Islamic artworks. The area is particularly popular with neo-hippies from west Germany.

Similarly, Prenzlauer Berg, in northern Berlin, is a funky area being reconstructed around the interests of yuppies, students, artists and other left-wingers (think even more chic bars and cafés). The greenery-blessed Zehlendorf district is home to Old Money, Freie University, and sometimes great but often overlooked museums and old buildings.

With eastern Berlin reaching its saturation point for representing the alluring “other” which was inaccessible for so many decades, interest in the western end of town is now growing. Another well-visited site is the Jewish Museum, which traces the highlights and tragic history of Jews in Germany through art, memorabilia, and powerful photos.

And there are still many sad reminders of how much was lost during World War II, such as the neo-Romanesque Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, of which only the bell tower remains. If you get cultured out, one way to make your okay vacation an unforgettable one is by taking a two-hour night-time tour of Berlin’s subway stations in an open-roofed carriage.

Earlier this year, the German capital unveiled the unusual motto “Be Berlin” – the city’s first of its kind since reunification in 1990. While the slogan has raised eyebrows in some quarters, it may be just the thing if interpreted as “Be in Berlin” – as soon as you can.