No Surface Without a Seat
Berlin isn't the warmest of places, so I was continually surprised by the amount of outdoor seating around the city. Â In some neighborhoods, sidewalk cafes, public benches, beer gardens, or terraces seemed to be at every turn. Â But what surprised me even more than the sheer amount of seating, was the seemingly ad-hoc, improvised, or innovative nature of many of the options. Â Anywhere there was a surface or some extra space, you were bound to find a cushion, a folding chair, a crate, or some recycled materials inviting you to sit down and take a break. Â It wasn't limited to restaurants and bars either - cushions and chairs could be found on the steps, ledges, sidewalks, and street corners outside of clothing stores, gift shops, and all sorts of other random places.
My visit was in April, presumably the time of year when these chairs and cushions first emerge from winter storage. Â I'd be curious to take walk through the city in summertime to see them in greater use, and to see if even more sprout up. Â It must create an impressively vibrant street life.
Priority: Seating (Downtown Manhattan, NYC)
Many ways to sit (Salamanca, Spain)
Tough for cars, good for culture (Lisbon, Portugal)
… or, surf the Street Furniture tag
