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Nalani Sup Surving at Oderbaumbrücke in Berlin
Nalani Sup Surving at Oderbaumbrücke © nalani-supsurfing.com

Activities in Berlin: Things to do & explore

Experience the capital "in action"

There is a lot to experience and discover in Berlin. In addition to classic sightseeing offers, you can also get active yourself. Twith many activities. Let us inspire you and inform you about new trends and exciting offers about great activitities in Berlin. We have compiled the best activities and excursion for you here. Get active - alone or together with friends and family.

Tip: Check out our bike tours and suggestions for audio walks.

Activities that will take your breath away

High Swing
© Foto: www.bungee.de

High Swing

If you are looking for a very special thrill, why not experience Berlin from a bird's eye view? On the High Swing, you can swing 120 metres above Alexanderplatz and enjoy the view over Berlin. Only the TV tower is higher!

Before you swing over the edge of the Park Inn Hotel, you will of course be given a short introduction. And a safety harness. Then you can enjoy five minutes of freedom on the High Swing while an accompanying person is allowed to take photos. Make sure you bring warm clothing, as there is often a stronger wind at lofty heights...

With this offer, Vertical Sports replaces base flying, where you can swing at lofty heights above the Alex, as shown in the picture above.

House Running
Since you are already in the adrenaline rush, we have another tip for you. House Running is a vertical descent down the facade. From a dizzying height of 50 meters you let yourself fall over the edge of the roof of the Andel's Hotel and then run down the wall with your eyes directed downwards. Of course, you'll be well secured. So why not just enjoy the view?

Tip: With the BerlinWelcome Card you get discounts and also travel for free on all public transport. 

Berlin WelcomeCard

Up high in Berlin

Ausblick vom Gasometer Schöneberg
© visitBerlin, Foto: Sarah Lindemann

By the way, you don't necessarily have to throw yourself off the roof of a building in Berlin to enjoy a panoramic view. Guided tours of the approximately 80-meter-high Gasometer in Schöneberg (photo) will not be possible again until it has been rebuilt.  Away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, the Müggelturm with its 30-meter-high viewing platform offers a great view of the forest landscape of Köpenick and the nearby Müggelsee.

More viewpoints in Berlin

Activities for the whole family

Domäne Dahlem
Domäne Dahlem © K. Wendlandt

Berlin offers numerous destinations for excursions with the whole family. Discover the island republic of Reiswerder in Lake Tegel. On the Domäne Dahlem estate there are regular exciting offers for the whole family, learn more about traditional agriculture or get active yourself harvesting potatoes. Also in the museum village Düppel (from June 5) young and old can discover and experience a lot.

Tips for familys in Berlin

Excursions to Berlin's surroundings

Treetop path Beelitz-Heilstätten
Treetop path Beelitz-Heilstätten © Baum & Zeit

In the area surrounding Berlin, you will find numerous scenic biosphere reserves and protected landscape areas that invite you to take long hikes. During a visit to the Beelitz sanatoriums, take a walk on the treetop path 20 meters above the treetops.

Off to Brandenburg

"Long nights" in Berlin: activities for night owls

Long Night of the Museums in Berlin
Long Night of the Museums in Berlin © Sergej Horovitz

The long nights in Berlin are a special highlight of the year. Here you can take a look behind the scenes of scientific institutions and political institutions. Universities often give very playful and family-friendly insights into their fields of research. And at the Long Night of Museums, one ticket gives you access to all of Berlin's major cultural institutions. There is even a long night of the hotel bars!

More about the museums in Berlin

Berlin Dungeon: a creepy and amusing journey into Berlin's past

Berlin Dungeon
© Fotograf: NickIch Mailer

In the Berlin Dungeon, professional actors and actresses take us on a journey into Berlin's past. All the stories and characters are based on true events. Berlin's darkest and most dangerous side is brought to life in more than eight different shows. Among others, you will meet the notorious serial killer Carl Großmann or the witch Catarina Selchow, who was sentenced to death. 360-degree backdrops and surprising special effects give you extra goosebumps. And the raft ride or the indoor free-fall tower also get the adrenalin pumping. Are you brave enough?

Berlin Dungeon

Escape Games & Exit Rooms in Berlin

Smartroom - Escape Room Spiele
Smartroom - Escape Room Spiele © Smart Room, Foto: Alex Lammok

Solve a crime case, prevent a bank robbery, save Berlin from an alien attack or embark on a mission that takes you crisscrossing the capital. Everywhere in the city you will find providers of fantastic or even historically inspired Escape Game games. The Hauptmann von Köpenick, for example, offers an exciting change from traditional sightseeing.

Tip: For those who prefer to be out and about, we have compiled the top audio walks and scavenger hunts.

Top 11 Escape Games in Berlin

Activities for kids

Child in the forest high ropes course Jungfernheide in Berlin
Forest high ropes course Jungfernheide in Berlin © Waldhochseilgarten Jungfernheide

Children in particular need to be allowed to let off steam every now and then during their city trip. Fortunately, there are numerous green oases for families in Berlin and great playgrounds where children can get rid of their excess energy. At the zoo climbing frames and swings invite to romp and in the Britzer gardens, the little guests can refresh themselves on hot summer days on the water playground. At the Waldhochseilgarten Jungfernheidehigh ropes course in the middle of the woods, the treetops are the limit.

With children in Berlin

Activities to let off steam

JUMPHouseBerlin - Trampoline mit Springern - Innenansicht
JUMPHouseBerlin © JUMPHouseBerlin, Foto: Tom Menz

Especially active children will be happy about a visit to JUMP House Berlin. The trip to the trampoline park is also a good tip for rainy days. Likewise, the FEZ (leisure and recreation center) in Wuhleheide. Here there is plenty of room to romp indoors and outdoors, a theater, a museum and a space center where budding astronauts can even train themselves after registering. In addition, most museums offer special programs and workshops for children and families.

Tips for things to do on rainy days

Trend sports in Berlin

Kite Landboarding at Tempelhofer Feld
Kite Landboarding at Tempelhofer Feld © visitBerlin, Foto: Dagmar Schwelle

Kitesurfing on the Tempelhofer Feld or indoor surfing on the biggest wave in Berlin? Discovering the city's canals by kayak or paddling into the sunset on a SUP board? Or how about a tour on the narrow waterways of New Venice? In Berlin, there are countless opportunities to actively discover the city or try something new. Very active people discover Berlin's sights while sightrunning.

More Trend Sports in Berlin

Go paddling, sailing or swimming

View of the Wannsee with kayak on the beach on the Wannsee-Babelsberg route
View of the Wannsee with kayak on the beach on the Wannsee-Babelsberg route © Wirtschaftsförderung Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Foto: Steven Ritzer

Berlin is rich in lakes, streams and canals: Here you can rent a SUP-Board ,go rowing, sailing or swimming. Around Wannsee, Müggelsee or Schlachtensee you will find numerous boat rentals, but also hidden bathing bays and even small sandy beaches. The Berlin Swimming map give you the perfect overview. In addition to lakes and beaches, numerous outdoor pools and historic indoor swimming pools entice you to take a dip in the refreshing water.

Berlin's most beautiful historic pools

Winter activities: Tobogganing & ice skating

Familie beim Rodeln
© GettyImages, Bild: Robert Kneschke/EyeEm

Of course, there are also many offers for sporty visitors in winter. When there is snow, cross-country skiers meet on Tempelhofer Feld and families and children romp around in the parks with bobsleds and sleds. We have compiled the most beautiful toboggan runs and ice rinks for pirouetting here for you.

Tip: Sledding in the summer is also possible in Berlin. On a trip to the Gardens of the World, you can take the gondola up to the Kienberg and whiz down into the valley at 40 kilometers per hour on the natural bobsled run. (Currently only the cable car is open)

Winter Sports

More sports activities in Berlin

Parkour
© Mike Harrington

Whether you want to be part of a big sporting event, or prefer to be active yourself: In Berlin, amateurs and professional athletes get their money's worth. Many parks offer special places for calisthenics and invite you to jog, parkour or inline skating. Climbing towers and bouldering halls, yoga studios, SUP and kayak rentals but also horse farms offer variety when visiting Berlin. You can also try out many trend sports in Berlin.

Recreational sports in Berlin

ABOUT BERLIN App

Murals in Berlin
© visitberlin, Foto: Chris Martin Scholl

Discover Berlin on your own with our ABOUT BERLIN app. Look behind the scenes, learn more about the capital. ABOUT BERLIN brings historical moments to life in multimedia and also shows current developments. Using the map function of our ABOUT BERLIN app, you can discover which special places and sights are close to you. Of course, we have also put together some exciting tours for you, for example on the topic of street art along the Berlin Wall or around Moritzplatz. Discover the city of tomorrow, street art or Berlin's monuments of industrial architecture.

Walking tours

Get the ABOUT BERLIN App for free! 

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There are many stories to tell. ABOUT BERLIN.