Climbing and bouldering are not only about strength and skill, but also about solving a kind of movement puzzle. To do this, you shimmy along the walls on colourful holds, with different colours marking routes of varying difficulty. It's a fun leisure sport that also offers a healthy whole-body workout for all ages. You don't need much equipment. Climbing shoes and chalk can usually be rented on site. Just give it a try!
Here is our selection of the top 11 bouldering and climbing gyms in Berlin.
Tip 1: Südbloc in Mariendorf
Housed in a large industrial hall with a brick tower, the Südbloc offers 1600 square metres of light-flooded hall space and a large outdoor area. During the day, there are separate areas for children and young people as well as for adults, with kids letting off steam under supervision. There are also numerous courses for adults. There is also a dedicated yoga room, an extra workout area and large showers. You can recharge your batteries in the bistro - in summer also outside on the terrace.
Where: Großbeerenstraße 2-10, building 4, Tempelhof
When: daily 9 am - 11 pm, Thursday already from 7 am
Tip 2: Berta Block
This large hall in Pankow offers lots of space for bouldering. Here you will find an area for children as well as some difficult overhangs for bouldering professionals. Competitions such as the BertaBlockMasters are held here time and again. But absolute beginners also get their money's worth with the numerous courses on offer.
Where: Mühlenstraße 62, Pankow
When: daily 9 am - 11 pm, Monday and Wednesday until midnight
Tip 3: Ostbloc Boulderhalle
Bouldering has been going on in the Ostbloc since 2010. Thick mats cushion your jump - or fall - off the climbing walls. How to fall properly is also an element of the taster course, which you can book online like all the other courses. The bistro serves delicious chai and coffee as well as snacks. Children under 12 are only allowed to boulder under supervision.
Where: Hauptstraße 13, Friedrichshain
When: Monday to Friday 10 am - 11 pm, Thursday 10 am - midnight, Saturday & Sunday 9 am - 11 pm.
Tip 4: Boulderworx
The Boulderworx in Wilmersdorf has also been around for a while. The walls are not very high, but from beginner courses to really hard routes, the Boulderworx offers fun and sport for all abilities and ages. Children under 12 who are not taking part in a course must be supervised. As in the other bouldering halls, teenagers between 13 and 18 need a letter of consent from their parents if they want to climb without the supervision of a parent or guardian.
Where: Berliner Straße 46, 10713 Berlin Wilmersdorf
When: Monday to Friday 1 pm - 9 pm, Saturday & Sunday 1 pm - 7 pm.
Tip 5: Bouldergarten
For the operators of the bouldering garden, bouldering is almost something like their own philosophy. In the Neukölln bouldering garden, you will therefore not only find beautifully aesthetically designed climbing walls and routes, but also a great range of services related to the bouldering lifestyle. In the garden studio you can book massages, yoga and physiotherapy sessions. The bistro offers homemade juices and musts as well as snacks and coffee from local cafés and producers - all sustainable and healthy, of course. Children climb in the climbing forest.
Where: Thiemannstr. 1, Neukölln
When: Monday to Friday 10 am - 11 pm, Saturday & Sunday 10 am - 10 pm.
Tip 6: Boulderklub Kreuzberg
In a backyard in Kreuzberg, you'll find the Boulderklub somewhat hidden away. There is a large wooden climbing ship for children. Only kids between the ages of four and 13 are allowed to let off steam on the yellow mats around it. The rest of the 1300 square metres are open to teenagers and adults. By the way: beginners can also buy taster lessons with instruction at the counter at short notice.
Where: Ohlauer Str. 38, Kreuzberg
When: Saturday - Monday 10 am - 2 pm, Tuesday - Friday 8 am - 2 pm
Tip 7: Bright Side
The Bright Side doesn't bear its name for nothing. Here you can boulder in bright daylight thanks to the large glass windows of the former industrial hall. In addition, the large outdoor area between the beginning of April and the end of September invites you to have fun climbing under the open sky (minimum age for the garden is nine years). Of course, you can also enjoy the sun in the garden with coffee and cake from the bistro. You can certainly put that energy to good use, because there are always new challenging routes in eight difficulty levels. There is also a wide range of courses on offer.
Where: Wilhelm-Kabus-Straße 40, Schöneberg
When: daily 9 am - 2 pm
Tip 8: Kegel
Without further ado, the high bunker on the RAW site in Friedrichshain was converted into a climbing tower. You can climb up to a height of 18 metres on a rope - and as a reward not only enjoy a great view, but even sign the summit book at the top. Inside there is plenty of space for bouldering and training. On the RAW site itself, originally the Reichsbahn repair works, you will find numerous clubs, bars and cultural venues today.
Where: Revaler Straße 99, Friedrichshain
When: daily 9 am - 11 pm
Tip 9: Magic Mountain
Magic Mountain brings bouldering and climbing fun under one roof. The difference is that when bouldering, you are a maximum of three to four metres above the ground. The actual climbing is really high up. That's why you have to rope up, with the ropes attached to the top of the climbing tower - which is where the name Toprope comes from. There are over 130 climbing routes in the indoor and outdoor areas of Magic Mountain. Climbing - and of course bouldering - has been going on here not far from Gesundbrunnen station on 2200 square metres since 2002.
Where: Böttgerstraße 20, Wedding
When: Monday to Friday 10 am - 11.30 pm (on Thursday already from 8 am) Saturday & Sunday 10 am - 10 pm.
Tip 10: Outdoor climbing
There are no high mountains in Berlin - and if there are, they are rubble mountains; although the Arkenberge on the northern outskirts of the city, the Teufelsberg and the Ahrensfelder Berge in Marzahn are always in contention for the title of "highest mountain in Berlin". The Müggelberge are also in the running, but they were actually formed in the Ice Age and are thus naturally the highest natural elevation in Berlin without competition. Climbing enthusiasts should nevertheless head for Teufelsberg, because here you will find the oldest artificial climbing facility in Germany, the Teufelsberg climbing tower, built in 1970. The flak bunker in the Humboldthain, built in 1941, is even older, but has only been used for climbing since 1989. Note: To climb these towers you must be a member of the Alpine Club.
- Teufelsberg climbing tower: Take the M49 to Mohrunger Alle, then walk 15 to 20 minutes.
- Bunkerwand Humboldthain: Take the S2, S25, S26 to Humboldthain, S41 to Berlin Gesundbrunnen or U6 to Schwartzkopfstraße.
Tip 11: Climbing - South Rock - Area 85
In Area 85 you'll not only find Berlin's highest climbing hall, South Rock, but also a spacious hall with many beach volleyball courts. South Rock is the place for real climbing, i.e. roping up and climbing to dizzying heights. Climbing fans will also get their money's worth at the outdoor rock wall, which is designed close to nature and has a roof. Afterwards, you can relax in the sauna.
Where: Trachenbergring 85, Tempelhof
When: Tuesday to Friday 10 am - 11 pm, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10 am - 8 pm
