Ascension Weekend in Berlin

Ascension Day has been a public holiday throughout Germany for almost 90 years. Since this day is celebrated 39 days after Easter Sunday, it always falls on a Thursday and is therefore ideal for a long May weekend with a bridge day on Friday. This year it will be celebrated on 18 May. How about a trip to Berlin? We'll tell you what highlights Berlin has in store for you for the holiday and the weekend.

Ascension Day

The public holiday offers the perfect opportunity to explore Berlin. Whether it's a visit to a museum or a bike tour through Berlin's forests and lakes, Berlin has a lot to offer. Berlin's parks and gardens also invite you to take a trip into the countryside.

Here are our tips for your Ascension weekend in Berlin:

• Discover Berlin's green side.
• Shift your sightseeing to the water with a boat tour.
• Enjoy Berliner Weisse in one of the cosy beer gardens.
• Stroll through Berlin's market halls and weekly markets.
• Visit the attractions in Berlin.

 

With the Berlin WelcomeCard, you can travel free on buses and trains in Berlin and get discounts at over 180 attractions.

Events & Concerts

Enjoy your Ascension Day weekend in Berlin. There are so many exciting things to experience. Here you will find just a small selection:

• The BKA's 35th anniversary celebrations also continue this weekend. The Berliner Kabarett Anstalt will be celebrating its anniversary until the end of June with a wide variety of artists.
• On 18 May, the organist couple Mami and Knsuke Ohira will be playing the organ at the Konzerthaus Berlin.
• In the theatre hall of the ufaFabrik, ngoni players will thrill their audience.
• On the Soul Stage at the Zig Zag Jazz Club, Bobby Sparks is celebrated.
• Best of Radiohead offers a diverse repertoire from classical to film music at the Candlelight Concert in the Apostle Paul Church on Friday evening.
• Numerous events are taking place this weekend. We have also put together tips and recommendations for you for each day.

Fiestas and festivals

Festivals are an integral part of Berlin's calendar of events, and this weekend was no exception:

• At the Ascension Day Knights' Festival, an exciting spectacle with a craft market beckons visitors to the unique atmosphere of Schloss Britz from 18 to 21 May.
• Ten of the most remarkable productions form the centrepiece of this year's Berlin Theatertreffen. From 10 to 28 May, the most renowned theatre festival will thrill you.
• Three days of the most diverse genres of electronic music are offered by the Home Again Club Festival from 19 to 22 May.
• And on Herrfurthplatz, Neukölln will be shaping sustainability on 21 May at the Sustainability Festival Neukölln.
   

Our weekend tips tell you what else is going on in Berlin on Ascension Day.

Museums

Take advantage of the long weekend over Ascension Day for a trip to the museum. Find your favourite among the top museums in Berlin. From the Museum Island Berlin to the Nationalgalerie to the Hamburger Bahnhof, via unusual museums and children's museums, there is something for every taste in Berlin! In addition, exciting exhibition concepts offer variety such as

• the impressive exhibition of Archäologischen Schätzen in the James Simon Gallery
• Imposing works by Gerhard Richter in the New National Gallery
• Hugo van der Goes in the Gemäldegalerie

Tip: Discover Berlin as a large open-air museum and take a walk through the sculpture capital of Berlin.

Tickets for the Gerhard Richter exhibition

Children and families

Berlin offers families with children a wide range of things to do all year round - whether they are small children, schoolchildren or teenagers. Attractions, theatres, cafés, museums, events, guided tours - and of course also on this long Ascension weekend.

• The children's museum under the roof celebrates World Bee Day or you can also learn interesting stories and educational facts about bees at Jagdschloss Grunewald.
• The Tegeler Fließ offers a day out in nature with music and encounters.
• At the Bröhan Museum you can spend a family Sunday learning exciting things about Art Nouveau and Art Deco art.
• Spend the day in Berlin's parks and gardens and enjoy a delicious picnic.

 Tierpark Berlin: Day Ticket

Palaces and Gardens

A veritable sea of blossoms awaits you in the palace gardens in Berlin and the surrounding area. The perfect backdrop for a colourful family photo for Herrentag. Or how about a guided tour of the palace? Or take advantage of our sanssouci + day ticket, which connects most of the palaces and gardens on your excursions to nearby Potsdam:

Tagesticket sanssouci+

You can find more event tips in our event calendar.