This summer in Berlin is special: In addition to all the events that can finally take place again, the Cultural Summer Festival also invites you to 90 days of programming with 90 free open-air events. In addition, there are numerous exciting events on the occasion of the National Games of the Special Olympics and around the first Pride Month in Berlin. Explore Berlin by bike, relax in the parks and green spaces or take a trip to the lake. On warm summer nights you can enjoy the twilight on the Spree. Have fun with our 11 top tips. Here's how to enjoy the summer in Berlin for free.
Tip 1: Cultural Summer Festival (Kultursommerfestival)
Look forward to comedy in the lido, concerts, DJ sets, films, theatre and the state ballet on the Spree, cool drinks and hot nights: under the umbrella of the Culture Summer Festival you can enjoy art, culture and music for 90 days from mid-June to September in all of Berlin's districts. Some of them in unusual places. Celebrate summer in Berlin! All events are free and outside.
11 Tips for Kultursommerfestival
Tip 2: Bathing fun at the lakes of the capital
Natural lakes with sandy beaches and clear water are to be found in and around Berlin. If you feel like relaxing and refreshing after a bike tour through the city, just jump into the cool waters of Großer Müggelsee, Wannsee, Groß Glienicker See or Krumme Lanke. Snacks are available at the kiosk for refreshment, but you can also bring your own picnic. Beach volleyball is played at some bathing spots, others feature DJ sets and live music. Some of the water is so clean and the visibility so clear that you can do a bit of snorkelling. You can find an overview of Berlin's most beautiful lakes and outdoor pools on our bathing map.
Tip 3: Explore Street Art entdecken
The whole city is a gigantic open-air gallery and a mecca for street art. Come with us on a discovery tour. In our free ABOUT BERLIN app, we have put together a few tours of Berlin's most beautiful murals for you. What are the stories behind the murals? Which street artists were involved? And what messages do they want to convey with their works? Answers to these questions, audio books, videos and, of course, directions can be found on ABOUT BERLIN. Immerse yourself in Berlin's street art scene.
Download ABOUT BERLIN for free!
Tip 4: Realxing in Berlin's parks
Pick up your favourite novel and make yourself comfortable in the shade of the trees in Berlin's gardens and green spaces. You'll find secluded spots for a relaxing afternoon at the rushing waterfall in Viktoriapark on Kreuzberg, around the historic flak tower with a panoramic view in Volkspark Humboldthain or in Tiergarten. If you know a lot about wild herbs, you can collect the ingredients for your green smoothie yourself. And you can bring your picnic too!
More information about parks and gardens in Berlin
Tip 5: Berlin - a Giant Open Air Museum
From ancient works to quirky modernism and, of course, lots of street art, Berlin has plenty of art and culture to offer in its public spaces. Discover sculptures, such as this work by Henry Moore in front of the Haus der Kulturen der Welt. In fact, Berlin is a huge open-air museum, a gigantic open-air gallery. We've put together 11 walks for art lovers and the best highlights for an art-historical foray through the city.the best highlights for an art-historical foray through the city, where sculptors, architects, artists and contemporary artists have played a major role in shaping urban space.
More information about Berlin, capital of sculptures
Tip 6: Yard parties and open houses
Berlin celebrates summer everywhere. In addition to street festivals and parades, numerous institutions invite you to courtyard parties and open days. We have put together a few tips for you here:
- The C/O Berlin invites you to an open house on 1 July with free admission and free guided tours.
- On 1 July, the Kreuzberg-Festival also attracts visitors to Bergmannstraße.
- The Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur invites you to a courtyard festival with live music, workshops and a children's programme on 2 and 3 July.
- The Olympic Park (Olympiapark) next to the Olympic Stadium invites all children and families to the big games and sports festival on 25 and 26 June.
- From 16 to 31 July, Alexanderplatz will be transformed into an open-air stage for street art at the "Berlin lacht!" festival.
- The UdK opens its workshops, studios and project rooms to visitors on 23 and 24 July.
- At the Long Night of the Sciences on 2 July you can take a look behind the scenes of Berlin's research institutions and universities.
- There are also numerous free parties, street festivals, parades and events around Pride Week and Pride Month.
Tip 7: Music everywhere
From (almost) professional artists to recreational musicians, whose performances focus much more on the entertainment factor than on musical demands, Berlin has it all. Many cafés currently invite artists to entertain their guests outdoors. Moreover, it's not only worth keeping your eyes open during the Fête de la Musique on your next walk through the neighbourhood: In many train stations and on public squares and the many bridges in the city, there are places where making music is permitted. The short linger will slow you down and put a smile on your face. At the Sunday Karaoke in Mauerpark you can even sing along yourself.
- The Staatskapelle celebrates the end of its season on 7 July with an open-air concert at Schönhausen Palace.
- In Neukölln's Körnerpark you can listen to jazz and world music for free every Sunday (until 28 August) at the "Summer in the Park".
Tip 8: Berlin by Bike
Environmentally friendly, sporty and out in the fresh air - the only thing you can talk about is a bike. Bicycles are currently experiencing a real hype, and we will show you the best places to use your favourite leisure sports equipment. Each of Berlin's districts offers cycling routes for every level of difficulty, leading along the major highlights, a lot of street art, but also off the beaten track. Sports enthusiasts can also venture on great tours that lead through the whole city. Of course, you can also split up the long routes and explore them in sections. So onto the saddles, ready, go!
More information about bike tours in Berlin
Tip 9: Evenings at the Spree
Our top tip for your relaxed, free summer in Berlin is the Spreeufer. Pack up drinks, a few treats, music and the picnic blanket - this is your way to relax on the banks of the Spree. Look for your favourite spot, for example at the small canals or a shady bridge. During the day you can sunbathe on the bank and stretch your feet in the water to cool off. In the evening you can enjoy a cool drink with a view of the river and the city's buildings, and the sunset is free of charge. Please take care to keep the minimum distance between each other.
More information about places along the Spree
Tip 10: Outdoor Gym & Yoga
There are thousands of ways you can let off steam outside in the summer. And Berlin has at least as many places for each of them. Of course you can just move your home workout to a grassy area in the park. But there are even more professional ways to bring your workout in the nature very close to the gym: in the so-called Calisthenics Parks you can arrange your workout as varied as you want. The one or other inspiration from other athletes is on top - there is no chance of boredom. If you like it a little more extensive, you can also visit the well-tried "Trim-you-Paths". These are also hidden everywhere in and around Berlin.
More information about Calisthenics
Tip 11: Enjoy the sunset over Berlin
End your day in Berlin with a cool drink at sunset. Although the sun doesn't sink into the sea here, the backdrop of the horizon in Berlin is very diverse. Whether you're looking for a great photo motif or just want to enjoy the magic of the moment, together with our wonderful community we've put together the best spots to watch the sunset in Berlin for you.
Top 11 places to watch the sunset in Berlin
