The weather forecast promises sunshine and over 30° in the shade: ideal weather for ice cream salons, bathing lakes and beach bars – or for those spots in Berlin which are guaranteed to stay cool even in high summer. So, don't forget to bring your cardigan.
Berlin below ground
Even when the heat is tropical and the tarmac is steaming, subterranean conditions are always cool. Whether it's an anti-aircraft bunker, mountain of rubble or brewery cellar: the world under Berlin at Berliner Unterwelten is full of secrets and fascinating stories. The Mythos Germania exhibition can currently be viewed at Gesundbrunnen while the Museum im Alten Wasserwerk, which displays every aspect of water supplies in Berlin, is located at Berlin's biggest lake, the Müggelsee.
The Penguin house at Berlin Zoo
Berlin's Zoo's king penguins and rockhopper penguins are at home in the Antarctic, which is why their accommodation at Zoo Berlin consists of a pool of cold water and a special refrigerated hall with temperatures which are pleasantly cool for visitors even in high summer.
The ice pool at Liquidrom
The water temperatures in Berlin's bathing lakes at the moment are higher than 20°. If this is too warm for you, you could take a trip to the ice pool at Liquidrom, where the temperature is a refreshing 16°.
Alighting at the city's deepest underground station
Visitors to Berlin are of course attracted to Pariser Platz and the Brandenburg Gate. This isn't such a bad idea on a hot summer's day, because 17 m below ground you will find the underground station of the same name on U-Bahn Line 55. At such a depth the temperature is said to be a good 10° cooler than at street level above ground.
Cool churches
The climate of Berlin's churches is also pleasantly moderate, for example in Hedwigskathedrale (St Hedwig's Cathedral) on Unter den Linden, Matthäus-Kirche (Church of St Matthew) at the Kulturforum or the Französische Friedrichstadtkirche (French Church of Friedrichstadt) on the Gendarmenmarkt. Berlin's largest church is Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral), and when the sun shines the stained glass windows in the chancel are a wonderful sight. Visitors can climb up to the outer walkway of the dome and enjoy the fantastic view, while those looking to cool down can descend under the church into the Crypt of the Hohenzollerns.
by Catrin Linde, Diana Häner and Susanne Schreiber
