Berlin

Maybachufer and Paul-Lincke-Ufer offer a relaxed route beside the Landwehr Canal, with cafés and places to eat in the surrounding streets. A short stretch is enough for a walk together; there is no need to follow the entire waterway. On market days the atmosphere changes considerably, with more food, browsing and people stopping to chat.

KINDL, in a former brewery, is a distinctive place to encounter contemporary art in Neukölln. The district also has small music venues, cinemas and theatres, including Heimathafen and Neuköllner Oper. An exhibition followed by food keeps the conversation open; a concert or play gives the evening a set starting time. For spoken performances, the language is as useful to know as the address.

Stand-up at Quatsch Comedy Club Berlin gives a Mitte evening a clear focus. The club has its own stage beneath the Friedrichstadt-Palast. Check the show format and announced language, and agree to meet at the club entrance; the building hosts more than one performance programme.