If you stroll from the main railway station towards the government district and across the Gustav-Heinemann Bridge, the green meadow of Spreebogenpark stretches out before you. The perfect starting point for our little summer excursion along the Spree. Put on your sunglasses and lean back. We'll show you the 11 most beautiful spots along the Spree for sipping coffee. Or sip an apple spritzer. The main thing is to be outside!
Tip 1: Monbijoupark at the Bode Museum and Museum Island
Just a few steps away from Hackescher Markt , you'll find a popular green park covering around four hectares. It offers sunny green spaces for relaxing, sports facilities and a playground. The highlight, however, is the beautiful waterfront promenade, from where you can watch passing ships. From the promenade, you also have a good view of the Bode Museum on Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site ( ), directly opposite. Other impressive museums such as the Old Museum and the Old National Gallery await you there in a romantic historical setting. It is only a short walk there via the northern Monbijou Bridge .
Where: Oranienburger Straße, Mitte
Day pass for the Museum Island
tip 2: Buchkantine - bookshop and café on the Spree
A little further west on the banks of the Spree in Berlin, not far from Tiergarten, you will find a special mix of café, delicatessen and bookshop. With a direct view of the Spree, the Buchkantine invites you to drink coffee and eat cake. But that's not all: the Buchkantine is also a bookshop. Every day from 10 a.m. you can not only get cakes, quiches and soups there, but you can also pick up a special read or a suitable champagne for a sunny day on the banks of the Spree or in one of Berlin's many parks.
When: Monday to Friday: 10 am to 9.30 pm, Saturday & Sunday: 10 am to 8 pm
Where: Dortmunder Straße 1, Moabit
More cafés in the sunshine in Berlin
tip 3: CapRivi beer garden
Three bends further west along the Spree, the CapRivi beer garden welcomes you with sunny urban cosiness on the northern bank of the Spree. As a beer garden and restaurant on the waterfront, CapRivi is the perfect place to take a refreshment break during your trip to Berlin - with snacks, drinks and cosy beer tables. You can also enjoy the midday sun or the sunset in a relaxed beach chair on the waterfront promenade, with a view of the Spree and the jetty opposite.
Where: Am Spreebord, Charlottenburg
When: daily 12 - 11 pm
BERLIN’S SUMMER NIGHT FESTIVAL 25 July
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Tip 4: Oberbaumbrücke
The Oberbaumbrücke is probably one of the most famous photo motifs in Berlin, connecting the two districts of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg as well as the east and west of the city. From the bridge, you can enjoy a unique panoramic view of the Spree and the city centre. And then you're not far from the East Side Gallery or lively Kreuzberg. Incidentally, you can also enjoy the great view from the trains on the U1 underground line.
Where: Oberbaumbrücke, Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain
11 beautiful bridges in berlin
Tip 5: Island of Youth
One of our favourite summer spots is located on a dreamy island next to colourful boats. More precisely, on the Insel der Jugend, which you can reach after a lovely walk through Treptower Park. The Inselcafé serves cakes and a small selection of hot dishes. If you like to be active, you can hire your own boat and sail around Rummelsburg Bay.
When: the island garden is open when the weather is fine
Where: Inselgarten, Alt-Treptow 6, Treptow
tip 6: Bathing boat and Molecule Man
The place where the districts of Treptow, Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg meet is marked by the Molecule Man. Three metal figures, each symbolising one of the three districts, rise 30 metres high from the Spree, visible from afar. From there, walk a little further downstream on the Treptowers side and you will arrive at the Badeschiff. The expansive pool floating on the Spree with a sunny beach area, bar and music on the banks is reminiscent of Ibiza or the Caribbean on warm summer days - but with a panoramic view of Berlin. You can also hire SUP boards here and paddle to the Molecule Man.
When: Opening hours depend on the weather
Where: Eichenstraße 4, Treptow
More information about the Badeschiff
Tip 7: Rummelsburger Bucht
On the north side of the Stralau peninsula lies Rummelsburger See, also known as Rummelsburger Bucht due to its bay-like location on the Spree. The kilometre-long lakeside path is ideal for long walks, and when the weather is fine, numerous small boats can be found on the water. This urban lakeside idyll was immortalised in the 1970s in the DEFA film "The Legend of Paul and Paula", after which the north-western shore is named today.
Where: Paul-und-Paula-Ufer, Friedrichshain
More information about the Rummelsburger See
Tip 8: Köpenick old town
In 1906, an unemployed cobbler disguised as a captain is said to have arrested the mayor and robbed the town treasury at Köpenick Town Hall, at the confluence of the Dahme and Spree rivers. Today, a bronze statue in front of the entrance commemorates the "Captain of Köpenick" . Around the town hall, which was inaugurated just one year before the "Köpenickiade", you can experience plenty of authentic historical flair in the old town of Köpenick - with houses over 200 years old in the Fischerkietz neighbourhood and the baroque Köpenick Castle on the castle island. Numerous cafés, often located directly on the waterfront, give you plenty of reasons to linger.
Where: Alt-Köpenick 21, Köpenick
Tip 9: House of World Cultures
Make yourself comfortable in the deckchairs and listen to the music ... A stop at the House of World Cultures is also worthwhile, as you have a great view over the Spree, the Chancellery and the main railway station. And you can take a Spree cruise from the landing stage of one of the many passing ships.
By the way: a boat tour in the sunset is particularly beautiful, passing numerous sights with a very special illuminated view of Berlin.
Tip 10: Berlin's historic harbour
You can get an all-round view of Berlin-Mitte with the combined tour. It combines a one-hour boat tour on the Spree with a guided city walk. While the first part of the tour offers you a peaceful view of sights such as the Reichstag, Berlin Cathedral and the Nikolai Quarter from the water, the two-hour tour with qualified city guides takes you through historic sites such as the Palace of Tears, Bebelplatz and the Humboldt Forum all the way to the television tower. Get to know the historical background and urban development.
Where: Friedrichstraße station landing stage, Reichstagufer (at the Palace of Tears), Reichstagufer 18, Mitte
Tip 11: Mellowpark
Mellowpark in Köpenick offers you 60,000m² of fun. Here you have plenty of space for all kinds of sporting activities, great facilities for BMX and skateboarding, basketball and much more.
Where: An der Wuhlheide 250, Köpenick
