Parks and the outdoors in Berlin

Parks and the outdoors in Berlin

1. DrinkEast Central

   About Blank

   ://about blank

   This techno club founded by a leftist collective is in a rundown industrial area. The club is known for its endless niches and corners and has two floors and a garden. Guests should know which DJs are playing this night.

   From 23:00

2. SeeTreptow-Köpenick

   Aerodynamic Park

   This aeronautical experimental park on the grounds of Germany's first air field Johannisthal consists of a group of several individual technical monuments such as the walkable Großer Windkanal (High-speed wind channel, 1932–34), the Trudelturm (Fatty tower), a vertical wind tunnel for spinning tests (1934–36), the Schallgedämpfter Motorenprüfstand (Sound-insulated engine test bed, 1933–35) and the Isothermische Kugellabore (Adlershofer Busen, Isothermal spheric laboratories, 1959–1961), which are about 500 metres away from the other monuments.

3. SeeMitte

   Altes Museum

   The main floor houses the antiquities collection in an ongoing exhibit called "Neue Antike im Alten Museum" (New Antiquities in the Old Museum). Directly through the front door, entering from the Lustgarten (Pleasure Garden, now under reconstruction), there is a domed rotunda with red and white cameos, Greek-style, with statues of the gods. To reach the Hildesheim silver collection, go to the back of the rotunda, turn left, walk through the long gallery and turn left into a small room at the end.

   Admission: €10, discounted: €5, children under age of 18 free

4. DoTreptow-Köpenick

   Badeschiff

   An old cargo ship hull converted to a fresh-water swimming pool, anchored permanently on the river Spree. Provides a nice opportunity to swim on the Spree, without swimming in the river, which is far too polluted. There is a bar with disco DJ music next to the pool. In winter time, the pool is covered against the weather.

   entrance free, charges for drinks

5. DoEast Central

   Badeschiff

   An old cargo ship hull converted to a fresh-water swimming pool, anchored permanently on the river Spree. Provides a nice opportunity to swim on the Spree, without actually swimming in the river itself, which is far too polluted. A bar with disco DJ music is situated just next to the pool. In winter time, the pool is covered against the weather.

   entrance EUR 8, requires pre-booked time slot, charges for drinks

6. DrinkEast

   Bistro am Schloßpark

   This Biergarten is simple, but friendly and a convenient place to have a beer and a currywurst after visiting the castle.

   Mon-Fri 07:30-19:00

7. SeeEast Central

   Boxhagener Platz and surroundings

   Boxhagener Kiez

   The area around Boxhagener Platz is filled with bars, cafes and small shops. Boxhagener Platz itself is a small park with a playground and a cafe, and the nearby Simon Dach Straße is filled with cheap bars and restaurants. At the weekend you can find many places that serve the famous, cheap Berliner brunch. On Sundays there is a small flea market worth strolling around

8. EatMitte

   Brasserie Ganymed

   Good French cuisine direct at the terrace of the river and close to the theaters.

9. DoTempelhof and Neukölln

   Britzer Garten

   A 90-hectare garden and former national garden show place (1984); public park with great flora and big playgrounds for kids; popular amongst children and seniors on weekends.

10. DrinkMitte

    Café am Neuen See

    A must-do during the day if the weather is nice. This cafe is more like an outdoor beergarden. Even though it's right in the middle of West Berlin, the "Café am Neuen See" is located in the middle of the Tiergarten next to a small lake. If you are a (romantic) couple, make sure to rent one of the rowboats and enjoy the silent and romantic scenery. The nicer the weather, the more packed this place gets. Don't even dream of a place to sit if it's one of the rare, warm Sundays.

    Beers are between €4-5, giant pizzas are €8-9

11. SeeEast Central

    East Side Gallery

    The longest stretch of the Berlin Wall still in existence, painted by artists in 1991 and restored in 2009, after years of decay. At Mühlenstraße, next to the river Spree. The murals are painted on the east side of the wall after the fall of Communism; so they are not from the Cold War, during which murals could only be painted on the west side. Make sure not to miss the famous mural of a car seemingly crashing through the wall with Leonid Brezhnev and Erich Honecker kissing above it. It is actually on the back side of the gallery (it is facing away from the street.) It is just inside the entrance of the Eastern Comfort Hostel, near the east end of the gallery.

    Open now · open 24 hours·Free

12. DrinkTreptow-Köpenick

    Else

    Open-air techno club and beer garden at the Elsenbrücke bridge which is made out of shipping containers and has a wooden floor and stage and a large sound system. Subsidiary of the Wilde Renate club.

13. SeeMitte

    Fernsehturm

    Television tower

    At 368 metres, the Fernsehturm is Berlin's tallest and indeed EU's second-tallest building, complected between 1965 and 1969. The main function of the building is television broadcasting, but the shiny sphere atop the tower houses a viewing platform, a restaurant and a Berlin Tourist Information point. The viewing platform sits 203 metres above ground, affording views of as much as 42 km away and featuring a bar. Given how flat Berlin is, it's not a very interesting view however and the state of the glass means that you can't get good photos either. The Sphere restaurant at 207 metres rotates at a speed of one full spin per 30 minutes. There are two lifts from the base to the platform and cafe, taking 40 seconds to reach the top, as well as a 986-step staircase. The Fernsehturm is not accessible to wheelchair users. Not all of the Berliners liked the tower and the overall composition of the Alexanderplatz afforded by the socialist city planners. East German T.V. tried to establish the nickname "Telespargel" ("television asparagus") which however doesn't seem to have caught on. During certain times of day, sunlight reflecting from the top caused a large cross-shaped light to shine down on the city. Called the Rache des Papstes (Pope's revenge) by nominally atheist East Berliners, the light-cross was an ironic result of socialist architecture. Rumour has it the architect was deprived of more than his next commission after that fiasco. At night, the Fernsehturm sometimes appears to be shooting light beams from the tower section, giving the impression it's a Death Star à la Star Wars.

    Mar–Oct 09:00–00:00, Nov–Feb 10:00–00:00·€13, children €8.50 (if prebooked, slightly more walk up). Discount with voucher from other attractions

14. DrinkTreptow-Köpenick

    Freiheit Fünfzehn

    Club location and beautiful beer garden at the waterside in Köpenick. The party area includes a concert location on a former cargo ship on the water, a dance club called Pop.arty and a bar called Duke bar.

15. DrinkTreptow-Köpenick

    Freischwimmer

    Bar at the river on a ponton with good food and drinks, good for chilling.

16. EatEast Central

    Freischwimmer

    Beautiful waterside restaurant on a wooden quay with European dishes and a relaxing view on the Flutgraben river branch.

    €15

17. DoTreptow-Köpenick

    Fähre F24

    Paule III

    Make a crossing with the only human-powered ferry run by Berlin's public transport company BVG. The F24 is operated with a rowing boat, and you can use your valid BVG ticket or buy a ticket on site. It needs 12 strokes of an oar to cross the Müggelspree river.

    May-October 11:00-19:00, crosses the river as often as needed

18. DoReinickendorf and Spandau

    Greenwich Promenade

    Relaxing lake-side strolls on 'Greenwich Promenaid', a path named after Reinickendorf's twin town of Greenwich, London.

19. DoMitte

    Großer Tiergarten

    Berlin's largest park. In the summer and on weekends you will see loads of families with their barbecues.

20. SeeCity West

    Grunewaldturm

    Grunewald Tower

    Historic observation tower in the forest near the big Havel River.

21. SeeEast Central

    Görlitzer Park

    K36

    150-200 m along the Wiener Straße (bypassing the fire house and the public swimming pool) from U-Bahn Görlitzer Bahnhof, the park is famous for the Turkish families barbecuing on summer weekends, failed contemporary art and relaxed atmosphere of students. It does have a reputation of being full of pickpockets and drug dealers though and the police makes regular visits to this place to check on the situation.

22. DrinkTreptow-Köpenick

    Haus Zenner

    Eierschale 3

    Restaurant with beer garden and live music venue where Jazz and Swing bands perform regularly. It is one of the successors of the legendary Eierschale Jazz club which was located in Berlin-Dahlem from 1956 to 2000.

23. DrinkEast Central

    Holzmarkt 25

    Sort of a cultural village at the Spree River founded by an alternative cooperative with a restaurant, bar, club, beer garden, an acrobat's hall, music studios and a bakery.

24. DrinkTreptow-Köpenick

    Hoppetosse

    This is a club for minimal techno and house located on a permanently docked excursion ship on the Spree river, the MS Hoppetosse. It is the winter venue for the Club der Visionäre. It has one dance floor and a Martion Bullfrog sound system.

25. DrinkEast Central

    Hoppetosse

    This is a club for minimal techno and house located on a permanently docked excursion ship on the Spree river, the MS Hoppetosse. It is the winter venue for the Club der Visionäre. It has one dance floor and a Martion Bullfrog sound system.

26. SeeEast Central

    Humboldthain

    A pleasant park, featuring an anti-aircraft gun emplacement ("Flakturm") which offers sweeping views over Berlin

27. DrinkTreptow-Köpenick

    Insel Berlin

    Club on the Insel der Jugend island on the Spree river with three floors, music varies from reggae to techno to indie to gothic.

    Mon 14:00-20:00; Tue 16:00-02:00; Wed 19:30-02:00; Thu Sun 14:00-02:00; Fri 21:00-04:00; Sat 22:00-04:00; Winter closed

28. SeeSteglitz-Zehlendorf

    Jagdschloss Grunewald

    Grunewald Hunting Lodge

    Built in 1542. An impressive traditional country estate with stately architecture, it is an enclave of untouched regional cultural history and architectonic epochs. The 80-hectare mixed forest also provides a wide network of paths for walking and rambling.

    Nov-Mar: Sat Sun holidays 10:00-16:00; Apr-Oct: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00

29. DrinkEast Central

    Kater Blau

    Techno club at the Spree river with an open-air area. DJs from the in-house label Katermukke play here regularly.

    From 22:00

30. DoEast

    Kienberg

    Before or after visiting the "Gardens of the World", tourists might be interested in climbing on top of the Kienberg (a small hill nearby with a view on the surrounding suburbs) or to go for a walk in the valley of the Wuhle (a small river). More information on the area can be found on the district's official website (in German).

31. SeeTreptow-Köpenick

    Kleiner Müggelsee

    The "Small Müggelsee" is southeast of the "Large Müggelsee". Its sloping sand beach, which is called Strandbad Kleiner Müggelsee is one of the most popular bathing beaches in this southeast corner of Berlin, if not the most popular.

32. DrinkTempelhof and Neukölln

    Klunkerkranich

    Popular rooftop club, beach bar, sundeck or garden on top of a parking garage with a fantastic view over Neukölln. Generous indoor space and even more outdoor. Live music and DJs playing electro, funk, disco or jazz. Takes a little effort to find, once you have located the shopping centre victory is within sight. This is a very relaxed spot.

    from 5pm·Inexpensive if you arrive early

33. SeeEast Central

    Kollwitzplatz

    The Kollwitzplatz, with a small nice park, is one of Berlin's most beautiful Gründerzeit city squares. Together with the Kollwitzstraße which is crossing it, it offers many cafés and restaurants, but is also a well-known symbol in Germany for gentrification since the late 1990s. Its flea market which takes place every Sunday in one of Berlin's best known and focuses on international delicatessen foods.

34. EatMitte

    Kuchi

    Excellent sushi restaurant with a nice garden right in the centre of Mitte.

    Mon-Sat 12:00-00:00, Sun 18:00-00:00

35. DoCity West

    Lietzensee-Park

    Lie in the grass and unwind at Lake Lietzensee, especially if you are with children - most of Charlottenburg children know and love the playground there.

36. DrinkEast Central

    Lokschuppen Berlin

    Techno club with an indoor dancefloor in a former railway depot, an outdoor dancefloor and a garden. It is 100 meters away from the Warschauer Straße S-Bahn station on the former RAW railway compound. Techno, electro and house bookings.

    From 23:00

37. EatSteglitz-Zehlendorf

    Loretta am Wannsee

    One of the most popular beer gardens in Berlin in summer, for eating and drinking in the sun. There is a Loretta restaurant, the Loretta Biergarten and the Loretta Almhütte.

38. SeeCity West

    Moabit Prison Historical Park

    Geschichtspark Ehemaliges Zellengefängnis Moabit

    A former prison built around 1850 with a haunting history until after the end of World War II (around 1955). During WWII it was used by the Nazis for oppression, torture and murder of political opponents. Nowadays it is a public park serving as a memorial.

    Summer: daily until 21:00; winter: daily until 18:00

39. EatCity West

    Moustache

    Excellent cuisine franchise next to the river, for the expatriate French in Berlin.

    closed on Sundays

40. SeeEast Central

    Märchenbrunnen

    Fountain of fairy tales

    In 1893 the authorities of Berlin issued the artistic entrance to the National Park Friedrichshain. The fountain of fairy tales was commissioned by the National Park and later designed by Ludwig Hoffmann.

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Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Berlin (CC BY-SA 4.0).