Berlin offers a broad variety of outdoor activities, attractions and cosy bars during the warm summer months. Soak up the sun, discover the green hidden getaways of the city and cool down either at one of the city’s beaches or in a bar! Berlin is the ideal spot for a relaxed summer vacation full of art and culture, stunning nature and vibrant nightlife, enriched by the multicultural restaurant scene and numerous festivals.
Wassertaxi Spree cruise
Discover Berlin from a different perspective during a one hour long boat trip along the Spree with a Wassertaxi. Enter the boat near the DDR museum and make your way down to the Haus der Kulturen der Welt. On this boat tour, you will see all the main sights in the city centre from the water while enjoying plenty of fresh air or as the locals call it: ‘Spreeluft.’
A cruise on the Spree is the perfect way to not only see the city from a different perspective but to relax and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. Just lay back and enjoy the scenery with a drink in your hand. During your cruise you will see the iconic Museum Island with its many museums, the Deutschen Bundestag and many more interesting sights on the banks of the Spree.
Open-air cinema
Watching a movie under the stars on a warm summer night is an unforgettable experience. Berlin is home to multiple open-air theatres, especially in summer the city’s calendar is filled with various programmes. They’re often located in old warehouses, courtyards or public parks.
While some of the cinemas focus on typically German dubbed versions of the movies, other’s will air the original English versions with subtitles. There’s a lot of variety in the programmes, catering for all tastes. While some will only screen the newest blockbusters, you can also enjoy smaller productions and Indie movies in other theatres.
Berlin’s hippest neighbourhoods are all hosting open-air cinemas during the warm summer months. From Kreuzberg to Friedrichshain or even close by to the famous Potsdamer Platz, you can find the so called ‘Freiluftkinos’ all across the city.
Take a dip into the water
While you may not think of Berlin as a city full of canals and other bodies of water at first glance, you will find plenty of beaches, outdoor swimming pools as well as lakes right in the heart of the city. From idyllic bays, traditional German outdoor swimming pools, flooded gravel pits or small beaches, the city has a lot of places to offer where you can cool down and take a dip into refreshing water.
Pools and beaches are a popular destination for tourists and locals alike and guarantee you beautiful views, silence and peace to unwind after a long day of sightseeing and to take a break from the hustle and bustle from the German capital.
Hiking in Nuthe-Nieplitz Naturpark
Go on breathtakingly beautiful hikes right outside of the buzzing German capital in the Nuthe-Nieplitz Naturpark. One of the largest wilderness areas in Brandenburg and countless hiking routes guarantee you tours full of pristine nature and amazing sights. Most of the nature here is no longer interfered with.
Make your way across seemingly Siberian and never-ending birch forests, fragrant pine trees and heathland in full bloom. Watch beavers build new dams, listen to the birds sing, wander across swamps and climb up the observation tower of Stangenhangen to get a stunning view of your surroundings. Whether you choose to set out on your own and accompanied by one of the audio guides or you join a guided tour, the park is the perfect spot for a break from the busy city.
Cool down in the Berlin Icebar
At a constant -10°C degrees, the Berlin Icebar is literally the city’s coolest bar! Discover the amazing interior completely made of ice, enjoy drinks in glasses made from ice and go on an Arctic adventure right in the heart of Berlin, rapid cooldown from the summer heat guaranteed!
Join the crew of the Hansa to go on a historic German Polar Expedition and enjoy three free drinks along your journey. The bar will also provide you with warm gloves and a winter jacket – trust us, you’ll need them even in the midst of summer to brave the cold during this unique and icy experience!
Rent a kayak or a SUP
Did you know that Berlin has more bridges than Venice and over 240 kilometres of waterways to offer? This makes kayaks perfect to explore the German capital and its various parks from a different perspective. You can either opt for renting your kayak directly nearby the Spree if you want to explore the city centre or you can travel to one of the surrounding nature reserves first.
Whether you want to work out or take a city tour, Stand Up Paddling is ideal in Berlin in summer. Rent it, join a course or tour, or even take a yoga class on a Stand Up Paddle Surf while viewing Berlin from the water side and in the beautiful sunshine.
