Program 538a: Why I Love Berlin; Italian Coffee Bars

Three tour guides from Berlin suggest sights to see and experiences to enjoy in Germany's vibrant, changing capital. And to celebrate Oktoberfest season, a tour guide from Munich explains why beer gardens are so important to Bavarian culture. Then two guides from Italy walk us through the typical Italian's daily visit to a coffee bar, and share tips on how to order your espresso like a true Italian.

• Berlin-based tour guides Holger Zimmer, Maisie Hitchcock, Caroline Marburger
• Grint Ranft, tour guide from Munich
• Alfio diMauro, tour guide from Catania, Sicily
• Anna Piperato, tour guide from Siena, Tuscany

• The Berlin guides recommend visiting the contemporary art collections at the Boros Gallery, and the Old National Gallery on Museum Island to view romantic German paintings.
• Maisie Hitchcock is a co-host of the English-language Radio Spatkauf podcast about news and events from Berlin.
• Tour guide Holger Zimmer provides custom tours in Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, and Potsdam, and contributes arts and culture features for RBB kulturradio in Berlin.
• Grit Ranft is a licensed tour guide in Munich and for the Dachau Memorial Site. She also works with Radius Tours.
• Rick describes how coffee traditions differ in Europe.
• Art historian Anna Piperato leads tours of Siena in Tuscany.
• Alfio diMauro describes growing up in a large family in Sicily.