Throw yourself into the hustle and bustle at the weekend and discover all the small and large galleries in the city - you won't get as close to the art scene and Berlin's artists as you will at Berlin Art Week. Or take a city tour by boat and glide past the sights ata leisurely pace. The weekend is once again packed with exciting events, fair markets, democracy and civic festivals.
And there is also a special tip: from 11 to 14 September 2025, the listed International Congress Centrum (ICC) Berlin will open its doors again. Under the motto "49h ICC" , the decommissioned "spaceship" will be brought back to life for a long weekend on "Open Monument Day".
Tip 1: Explore the ICC Berlin on Open Monument Day
Once a year, on Open Monument Day, very special places in Berlin open their doors - and this weekend it's that time again. On Open Monument Day 2025, you will have the opportunity to see the otherwise inaccessible interior of the imposing ICC Berlin . The iconic building from the 1970s impresses with its extraordinary architecture and futuristic flair. Exciting events await you at the ICC Berlin this weekend: from exclusive dining in the Pullman Lounge to movie nights and cycling sessions.
To see the ICC from the inside, you will need a free or pre-booked ticket. You can find the current ticket offers on the website.
When: Thursday & Friday design conference, from Friday 5 pm to Sunday 7.30 pm public days
Where: Messedamm 11 (main entrance Neue Kantstraße), Charlottenburg
Tickets, times and meeting points
Tip 2: Enjoy a weekend full of art
Berlin Art Week, Gallery Night and POSITIONS Berlin Art Fair - it's hard to find more art than this weekend, even in Berlin. From Friday to Sunday, you can discover works of art, listen to talks with artists and experience live performances in more than 100 participating galleries and even in the hangar of the former Tempelhof Airport. More than enough programme for art enthusiasts.
It's best to make a plan of what you want to visit and throw yourself into the hustle and bustle. Or simply let yourself drift and discover works of art fresh from the studio.
When: Friday to Sunday
Where: Various locations throughout Berlin
Tip 3: Lose yourself in art at the Lost Art Festival
And art for the second time this weekend: At the Lost Art Festival, you will discover one of the remaining lost places in Berlin - a 100-year-old light bulb factory in Spandau. Such forgotten places are becoming increasingly rare, even in once wild Berlin. So it's all the better that you can now discover the 14 halls and a total of 19,000 square metres in all their glory.
Inside the huge concrete hall, you can expect monumental light and sound installations, performances and electronic live acts. There are also hidden bars and inviting pop-up restaurants. All of this for the last time, by the way: because this venue won't be around in its current form for much longer.
When: Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 2 am, Sunday from 11 am to 11 pm
Where: Luxwerk Berlin, Nonnendammallee 44, Spandau
Musikfest Berlin 2025
The Musikfest Berlin 2025 will inspire with over 40 concerts. Highlights: Opening with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, five guest performances from France, the Berliner Philharmoniker honour Pierre Boulez and more! Tickets available now.
Tip 4: Go on board the two-hour Spree river cruise
Simply put your feet up, unwind and let everyday life pass you by. There is no better way to do this than on one of the Spree ships operated by the Winkler shipping company. We start at the Schlossbrücke Charlottenburg. From here, the crew will take you on a tour through historic and modern Berlin.
Discover famous sights such as Berlin Cathedral, the City Palace, the TV Tower and the Red City Hall from the water and enjoy a perspective that even Berliners don't get to see every day. After two hours of relaxed cruising, you'll be ready for the next land adventure of the weekend.
When: Friday to Sunday
Where: Charlottenburg/Schlossbrücke landing stage, Charlottenburger Ufer 1, Charlottenburg
Tip 5: Join in the celebrations at Frank-Walter Steinmeier's citizens' festival
You don't get an invitation like this every day: Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier invites you to a citizens' party at Bellevue Palace. Under the motto "Ehrensache - Ich bin dabei", over 50 organisations, initiatives and companies will be presenting what they are committed to. You can also expect a varied programme with readings, music, dance, sport and lots of fun for the children. The partner country Portugal and the partner federal state Rhineland-Palatinate will contribute to the culinary diversity.
When: Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm
Where: Bellevue Palace, Spreeweg 1, Centre
Citizens' festival at Bellevue Palace
Tip 6: Take part in the Berlin Democracy Day festival
And if you were a guest of the Federal President on Saturday, you can continue with democracy and commitment on Sunday. A special kind of hands-on festival awaits you on Blücherplatz in front of the Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek on Sunday. Over 50 Berlin associations, NGOs and initiatives will be presenting their work and inviting you to talk about democracy and everything that goes with it.
The title " hands-on festival " is meant seriously. Because you can try out(almost) everything yourself: Print jute bags, design memes, try out VR glasses and answer democracy quiz questions.
When: Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm
Where: In front of the Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek, Blücherplatz 1, Kreuzberg
Tip 7: Get to the top of the Berlin TV Tower and take a look around
Head straight to the best viewpoint in Berlin without having to wait - with the Fast View Ticket , you can skip the queue at the capital's highest attraction and head straight up to the viewing floor with Sphere Bar. It takes just 40 seconds to travel 203 metres up the Berlin TV Tower.
And if you get hungry after climbing to the top, you can fortify yourself with original Berlin currywurst, champagne and freshly prepared feta salad.
When: Friday to Sunday from 9 am to 11 pm
Where: Panoramastraße 1a, Mitte
Tip 8: Turn night into day at Tanznacht Berlin 2025
Another highlight in Berlin's cultural calendar awaits you this weekend with the renowned Tanznacht festival. The theme of this year's edition is feminist voices and their physical, sonic and political dimensions - in other words, Vocal Affairs. It's about political voices and the right to vote. Both were denied to women for a long time.
Having a voice - to be vocal - is therefore a more than fitting title for this festival. The programme curated by Mila Pavićević and Felicitas Zeeden includes performances, installations, open-air dance walks and shows.
When: Friday to Sunday
Where: Various locations in Berlin
Tip 9: Enjoy the old Berlin beer evening with a steamboat trip
Take to the water again: at the Old Berlin Beer Evening, you can sail across the Spree for 2.5 hours on the electrified, historic passenger ship Kaiser Friedrich. The Kaiser Friedrich is almost 140 years old, but after its modernisation, it is as fast as on the first day. What's more, she is now free of rattling and smoke.
In keeping with the theme of the evening, there will of course be freshly tapped Kaiser beer and selected snacks. But the main attraction of the evening is Berlin itself. You can relax and enjoy the boat trip against the backdrop of the city lights in the evening.
When: Friday to Sunday
Where: Alte Börse landing stage, Burgstraße 27, Mitte
Tickets for the steamboat trip
Tip 10: Enjoy a paradisiacal summer festival at the Kulturforum
Celebrate the summer once again before autumn slowly arrives: You can do just that at the summer festival at the Kulturforum . For the fourth time, the local cultural and scientific institutions and the church are inviting the public to a public festival. This year's motto is "Paradise". And the festival programme is also paradisiacal.
you can expect workshops on instrument making, VeloStage concerts, family tours of the Philharmonie and an architectural tour of the imposing buildings.
When: Sunday from 10 am
Where: Kulturforum, Matthäikirchplatz, Mitte
Summer festival at the Kulturforum
Tip 11: Shop your way through the fair market in Lichtenberg
Fair, family-friendly and diverse: on Saturday, you can find everything from sweet (and savoury) treats and sustainable cosmetics to art, decorations, textile products, clothing and more on Tuchollaplatz in Lichtenberg. Live music provides the right shopping atmosphere. You can find out more about fair trade in the workshops.
The Fair Market is taking place for the third time and will once again attract numerous visitors from all over the city. But don't worry: there's enough for everyone!
When: Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm
Where: Tuchollaplatz, Lichtenberg
