Berlin in Summer can be busy, but it can be different. These eleven tips will take you to some of Berlin's favourite places that not everyone has discovered yet. You can paddle through the industrial idyll, discover bars by the water, dance in the park or listen to the sound of organs in cooling walls. And you don't even have to spend ages travelling, as many secret tips are right under your nose.
Tip 1: Canoeing and relaxing at Funkhaus Nalepastraße
The first tip gives you lost-place vibes. Hidden away in Berlin-Oberschöneweide and yet full of history and life: the Funkhaus Nalepastraße. Once built as the broadcasting centre of the GDR, the ensemble impresses with its monumental architectural style. Today, the site attracts visitors with a very special mix of culture, culinary delights and industrial charm. Perfect for hot summer days: you have a direct view of the Spree here
At the back of the site is Backstagetourism. Here you can hire canoes or SUPs or take part in a guided canoe tour. And after your excursion on the water, you can stop off at the Pizzaria ZOLA or the Milchbar for refreshments. Concerts regularly take place in the impressive halls of the Funkhaus, so it's worth taking a look at the programme.
Where: Nalepastraße 18, Treptow Köpenick
Tip 2: Enjoy cool drinks at the waterfront of the Estrel Berlin
The Waterfront Bar in the Estrel Summer Garden is also located directly on the water. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, you can unwind here in a relaxed atmosphere. The outdoor area of the Estrel Berlin is located directly on the Neukölln shipping canal. Between palms, wooden floorboards and lounge music, you can enjoy a cosy end to a summer's day. Enjoy freshly mixed cocktails, pizza and sandwiches.
Where: Ziegrastraße 44, Neukölln
Waterfront Estrel BerlinTip 3: Time out at Zollhaus Pankow
Bike tour through Pankow
Tip 4: Get through the summer in style with vintage sunglasses
The summer sun is shining at full power and you urgently need a pair of sunglasses, but you don't want just any sunglasses. You'll quickly find yourself in this situation if you've underestimated the Berlin sunshine. Brillovsky has specialised in trading in and refurbishing classic vintage sunglasses since 2004. The speciality: Brillovsky doesn't have a fixed location that you can just go to. The specialist retailer has a stall at the Flehmarkt und Wochenmarkt Boxhagener Platz and will provide you with glasses from the 1950s to the 1970s.
Where: Boxhagener Platz, Friedrichshain Kreuzberg
When: Saturday 11 am to 4 pm, Sunday 12:30 pm to 6 pm
Tip 5: Discover the Kolonnaden Bar in Berlin Mitte
In summer, the Colonnade Courtyard in front of the Alte Nationalgalerie is transformed into a hotspot where you can enjoy the beautiful weather in the centre of the Museum Island. Under the motto "Here We Are", over 50 free events await you - Wednesdays to Sundays, right by the Spree. Ambient sounds, acoustic sessions, DJ nights, urban collectives and classic sundowners make every evening special. The seating under the historic colonnades invites you to stay, listen and chat.
Where: Kolonnadenhof in front of the Alte Nationalgalerie, Museum Island, Mitte
When: Until 31 August
Tip 6: Dance, make music and have fun at Tempelhofer Feld
Every Thursday, the south-western tip of Tempelhofer Feld is transformed into a Mediterranean dance floor when the sounds of the tarantella, a lively folk dance from southern Italy, can be heard. An easy workshop for all newcomers begins at 6 pm. Then it's time to dance, drum and join in! With traditional instruments such as tamburello and accordion, the collective brings the Mediterranean joie de vivre directly to the red Kulturgate container. It's easy to get started, the atmosphere is warm and the music is captivating - whether you want to dance or just listen to the music.
Where: Tempelhofer Feld, south-west entrance (Tempelhofer Damm), Tempelhof-Schöneberg
Tarantella on Tempelhofer Feld
Tip 7: Round off the summer evening on the terrace of the House of World Cultures
Directly on the Spree and in the centre of the government district, you will find a glorious sun terrace with beer garden where you can spend mild summer evenings. It belongs to the restaurant Weltwirtschaft im Haus der Kulturen der Welt. Nestled between an architectural icon and the water, the beer garden offers a perfect mix of urban retreat and cultural hotspot. Here you can meet up for an after-work beer, enjoy snacks under shady trees or listen to the hum of the city. The Weltwirtschaft scores with seasonal dishes, fair ingredients and an atmosphere that is open, informal and special at the same time.
Until the second of August, the House of World Cultures is also the venue for the Sonic Pluriverse Festival with concerts and DJ sets, so that evening entertainment is also taken care of at the same time.
Where: Haus der Kulturen der Welt, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10, Mitte
Tip 8: Swimming fun for the little ones at the FEZ Badesee
As soon as the temperatures rise, everyone is drawn to the water. Especially for children, swimming fun in summer is the highlight par excellence. The FEZ bathing lake is a beautiful alternative to Berlin's natural bathing lakes. The artificial lake has a child-friendly shallow entrance and a sandy beach where you can build a sandcastle with your family.
The water quality is regularly checked during the summer months. A visit to the FEZ Badesee costs admission, but during the summer holidays the ticket is automatically valid for a visit to the "Circus by the Sea". And you don't have to worry about other bathers showing no consideration for your children.
Where: An der Wuhlheide 197, Treptow-Köpenick
Tip 9: Unexpected fascination at the Berlin Organ Summer
Be enchanted by baroque sound art, improvisation and the unique atmosphere of St. Mary's Church. St Mary's Church. Organ music may not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of summer. And yet there it is, the Berlin Organ Summer. In hot temperatures, you can sit inside the cool walls and enjoy the spectacular soundscape of the Wagner/Kern organ, whose oldest pipes date back to 1723.
Where: St. Marienkirche, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 8, Mitte
Tip 10: Tango dancing in Bürgerpark Pankow
Amidst blooming roses, delicate scents and soft sounds, Argentinian tango meets Berlin lifestyle. Every second Sunday, you can take your first steps at the workshop in the rose garden of Bürgerpark Pankow before dancing from 4.30 pm until nightfall. Tango dancing itself is not an insider tip in the Tango metropolis Berlin, but the decentralised location of the pretty park and the relaxed, neighbourly atmosphere make this milonga a very special experience.
Where: Bürgerpark Pankow
Tip 11: From secret insider tips to real secrets
What's up with those pink tubes? Why do yogis squat at traffic lights? And what do rabbits have to do with the Berlin Wall? Berlin surprises - and sometimes confuses. In this article, we go on a discovery tour together and uncover a few of the most beautiful city puzzles.
