It is no coincidence that Spandauer Vorstadt is one of the most sought-after residential areas in central Berlin: Part of the historic city centre, with its small-scale streets and carefully restored town houses, it is close to Museum Island and the River Spree, between Alexanderplatz and the popular Torstraße, lined with boutiques, bars and restaurants. Here, you enjoy the privilege of short distances: to the popular shopping streets Münzstraße, Alte and Neue Schönhauser Straße, Hackescher Markt, and Linienstraße and Auguststraße, known for their art galleries. The Volksbühne and Sophiensaele stage contemporary theatre and dance productions; on Saturdays, art collector Erika Hoffmann opens her penthouse to visitors. Gourmets meet at the fashionable Remi restaurant, while night owls satisfy their cravings around Rosenthaler Platz. At midnight, the Babylon cinema on Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz plays the country’s only cinema organ, while the historic 1920s swimming pool on Gartenstraße is considered one of the city’s finest. For destinations beyond walking distance, Alexanderplatz offers the best public transport connections in the city: buses, trams, three underground lines, and numerous suburban and regional trains take you conveniently in every direction—within Berlin, to BER Airport, or into the surrounding area.