Discovering Berlin by bike is always an adventure - but it doesn't always have to be the hustle and bustle around the Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island and East Side Gallery. Away from the classic tourist routes, green oases await you in Berlin, quiet riverside paths and small, almost forgotten corners that are just waiting to be explored by you. We'll show you routes where you can escape the city noise, take a deep breath and get to know Berlin from a new perspective. Perfect for anyone who wants to actively relax, discover new things or simply unwind
Tip 1: Cycle to lakes, museums and cafés in Dahlem
The Dahlem Route is perfect for anyone who wants to combine nature, culture and relaxed cycling. This 18-kilometre circular route takes you along quiet paths through one of the most charming corners of Berlin.
How about a Sunday brunch at the traditional restaurant Alter Krug or a breather with a Viennese melange and cake at the coffee house on Clayallee? Families should definitely visit the Domäne Dahlem - here you can not only pet animals, but also learn about nutrition and agriculture in a fun way. If you want to refresh yourself along the way, simply jump into the Krumme Lanke or Schlachtensee.
Tip 2: Discover places of industrial heritage
You can explore the exciting history of Berlin's industrial heritage on themed cycle routes - and in a particularly exciting way: by bike. The tours are between 20 and 25 kilometres long and take you past old power stations, breweries, workers' housing estates, railway stations and places of technical innovation. Each route tells its own story - and together they create a vivid picture of the capital's industrial heritage.
Tip 3: Set off in the direction of Copenhagen
Did you know that there is a bicycle route between Berlin and Copenhagen? If you don't feel up to the full 700-kilometre route, you can at least take the Berlin section. It takes you towards Hennigsdorf through the countryside, past the Spandauer and Tegeler Forst and it's up to you how far you want to follow the route. Just don't forget to turn back in time and return to Berlin, otherwise you might find yourself in Copenhagen after all.
Tip 4: Old town flair and Spandauer Forst
This approximately 1 hour and 40-minute bike tour takes you through the medieval old town, along the glittering Havel, through shady forests and past historic fortresses - a perfect mix of city history, idyllic nature and relaxed cycling fun.
A special highlight: the imposing Spandau Citadel, one of the most important fortifications of the Renaissance. Climb the Juliusturm and let your gaze wander over the rooftops and the Havelland - a real postcard motif!
Tip 5: Experience the green side of Neukölln
An idyllic landscape with a windmill is not the first thing that comes to mind when visitors to Berlin think of Neukölln. And yet there is also this facet of the multicultural trendy district. The best way to discover this side is by bike, moving further and further away from the centre. Along the way, you can pay a visit to Schloss Britz and the Britzer Garten.
Tip 6: Cycle from Spandau to Potsdam
For the fitter among us, it can be a bit of a challenge: This route takes you from Spandau S-Bahn station to Potsdam. You are almost permanently on the Havel and pass sights that many tourists otherwise only get to see from an excursion boat. For example, the Heilandskirche Sacrow church. If the bike tour wasn't enough for you, you can hire a board for stand-up paddling, or SUP for short, in Potsdam.
Tip 7: From house to house - art in Grunewald
The tour "From House to House" connects three extraordinary museums in the green south-west of Berlin in a short space: the Brücke-Museum, the Georg Kolbe Museum and the Haus am Waldsee. All three museums present international modern and contemporary art at the highest level - and in a very personal setting, because each museum was once a private residence or studio.
Get on your bike, breathe in the forest air deeply and let yourself drift. The Haus am Waldsee and the Georg Kolbe Museum also each have lovely museum cafés where you can take a breather with a hot drink.
Tip 8: Explore a hidden world in Marzahn
You can discover the green side of Marzahn along the small river Wuhle. The well-known hiking trail is also suitable for cyclists and takes you along the Kienberg to the Gardens of the World. For the latter, it's always worth taking a break from your cycle tour to stroll through the garden with its impressive garden art from all over the world. The natural bobsleigh run on the Kienberg also promises a fun interruption to your cycle tour.
Tip 9: Follow the Berlin-Usedom long-distance cycle route to Bernau
You want to get out of the city, but not all the way to the Baltic Sea? Then saddle up your bike and discover the first section of the Berlin-Usedom long-distance cycle route - it's best to start your tour in Pankow! Because here, north of the hustle and bustle, begins the Berlin that comes to rest: instead of traffic and city noise, you can expect elegant suburban settlements, green riverside paths along the Panke and charming avenues that accompany the route into Brandenburg.
The route from Pankow to Bernau is about 29 kilometres long and ideal for an extended day trip into the countryside. After just a few minutes, you can leave the hustle and bustle of the capital behind you. Along the way, you can visit the Schloss Schönhausen or simply take a break in the beautiful palace park.
Tip 10: Discover hidden oases on a guided tour
If you're afraid of getting lost off the beaten track, this bike tour could be just the thing for you. The local guides from Berlin on Bike will show you a few hidden oases in the city on this guided tour and reveal their personal insider tips. A great alternative to the usual sightseeing programme! The tours are available in German, English and Dutch.
Discover oases of the big city
Tip 11: Relax on the Wannsee-Babelsberg route
On the Wannsee-Babelsberg route, which is almost 19 kilometres long, you cycle through the UNESCO World Heritage Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin - past glittering lakes, royal residences and places steeped in history. The tour starts at Wannsee S-Bahn station, from where you travel directly along the water.
Cultural highlights such as the Liebermann-Villa, the House of the Wannsee Conference and the Pfaueninsel are just as much a part of the route as imposing buildings: Glienicke Bridge, the elegant Glienicke Palace, the magnificent Schloss Babelsberg or the charming church on Lake Stölpchensee. The route not only offers history and architecture, but also pure nature: bathing spots, parks and secluded forest paths provide relaxation.
