Berlin.

Turned off the map about an hour in and just followed whichever street looked most interesting. Found a courtyard with a tree that must be older than the building around it, a shop selling nothing but buttons, and eventually - after about six wrong turns - our way back to somewhere we recognised.

Notes for next time: bring water, the "shortcut" is never actually shorter.

Woke up early enough to catch the fishing boats coming in. The whole harbour smelled like salt and diesel and there was a guy selling something out of a cart that we couldn't identify but bought anyway (verdict: correct choice).

Spent the rest of the morning just walking the waterfront with no real plan, which might be the best way to see a new place for the first time.

We'd planned a full day of walking, but the weather had other ideas. Ducked into a tiny cafe near the main square and ended up staying for two hours - the kind of detour that turns into the best part of the day.

• Cobblestones slick with rain, everyone running for doorways
• A local pointed us to a bakery that wasn't in any guide
• Windows fogged up, coffee that actually tasted like coffee

Would trade a sunny itinerary for this again in a heartbeat.