Heckmann-Höfe Berlin

For a retreat from the urban frenzy, skip on over to this idyllic 19th-century courtyard complex linking Oranienburger Strasse with Auguststrasse. Aside from boutiques, restaurants and a theatre, it also shelters the adorable Bonbonmacherei, an old-fashioned candy kitchen and shop. Construction of the complex began in 1799 and continued in the 19th century when its then-owner, a timber merchant, added a horse barn and a coach house. In 1905 it became the headquarters of the Heckmann company that specialised in building distilleries.When entering from Auguststrasse, there's a photogenic view of the dome of the Neue Synagoge.