Every pair of glasses is still designed and produced in the latest Mykita Haus in a quiet residential area of Berlin's Mitte district and much of the company's success is based on word-of-mouth, its founders say.

WSJ: Shop Talk: What a Spectacle | Mykita Glasses

The modern face of Berlin is well represented by the futuristic architecture of Potsdamerplatz , the recently opened Berlin Hauptbahnhof railway station (the biggest two-level station in Europe), the bars and boutiques of the Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg districts and, of course, Berlin's legendary techno clubs.

CNN: Berlin: What to see

After the Cold War ended in 1989, artists colonised neighbourhoods such as Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg in eastern Berlin, drawn by the inexpensive rent and enormous, high-ceilinged apartments found in 19th-century buildings and unused department stores.

BBC: Living in: Cities known for art and culture