From a big open-air concert at the Waldbühnen to circus arts at Tempelhofer Feld and a Faustian fairground spectacle at the Globe Theatre: this Berlin weekend is once again full of discoveries and experiences. Enjoy culture, cuisine and concerts in the open air, explore design studios or board the city's oldest passenger ship. Our 11 weekend tips will take you to the best places in Berlin in August!
Tip 1: Experience Lang Lang, Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra
The Israeli-Argentinian pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim is a legend of the classical music scene and is celebrated in Berlin and around the world. This is not only due to his musical talent: In 1999, together with Edward Said and Bernd Kauffmann, he founded the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, which is made up of equal numbers of Israeli and Arab musicians and has always been committed to a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict.
This message is more important today than ever: this Sunday, the orchestra and its founders will bring their message of peace to Berlin's Waldbühne with the support of star pianist Lang Lang. The programme includes Mendelssohn's First Piano Concerto, Beethoven's Eroica and a strong signal for human rights.
When: Sunday at 5 pm
Where: Waldbühne, Glockenturmstraße 1, Westend
Tip 2: Encounter the work of Max Bill in the garden of the Mies van der Rohe House
The documentary film Max Bill - Das Absolute Augenmaß sheds light on the life of the Swiss architect and artist Max Bill at close quarters. In close collaboration with Bill's widow Angela Thomas Schmid, filmmaker Erich Schmid traces the career of the Bauhaus student step by step, also focussing on Bill's political commitment as a left-wing intellectual.
The garden of the Mies van der Rohe House is the ideal backdrop for the Berlin screening of his film: There is probably no better place to immerse yourself in the mind of an architect than in front of the work of a world-famous counterpart. Both the filmmaker Erich Schmid and Angela Thomas Schmid will be present at the screening and will answer your questions in a Q&A afterwards!
When: Friday at 8pm
Where: Mies-van-der-Rohe-Haus, Oberseestraße 60, Alt-Hohenschönhausen
Tip 3: Get to know sound art from all over the world at DURCHLÜFTEN
This weekend, you have one last opportunity to enjoy international music highlights free of charge at the DURCHLÜFTEN festival. In the Schlüterhof of the Humboldt Forum, sound artists from all corners of the globe will come together to provide Berlin with Mexican cumbia punk, Ghanaian gospel, dodo blues from Kenya and Japanese folk with Caribbean flair.
This weekend, the stages belong to Ekowmania & The Rhythmers, the Kenyan duo ODD OKODDO and DJ CHI aka Robert Machiri, among others. Here, curatorial concepts in the spirit of decolonialism meet interdisciplinary sound art, the rich folk song tradition of other continents and plenty of musical community spirit.
When: Various times
Where: Schlüterhof of the Humboldt Forum, Schloßplatz 1, Mitte
Tip 4: Marvel at the dizzying acrobatics at the Circus Festival
This weekend, the Circus Festival at Tempelhofer Feld comes to an end with an explosive mixture of classical circus elements, theatre, dance and music. The acrobatic performances are sure to leave the audience breathless: The body artists perform their tricks, sometimes at dizzying heights.
The programme is as varied as the disciplines themselves: In fabbrica c "bello", six acrobats and an actor transform short stories into a poetic stage play, while a French trio lets the engines roar in heavy motors. With circus fun and a culinary supporting programme , you can experience Tempelhofer Feld in a festive atmosphere.
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday at various event times
Where: Tempelhofer Feld, Tempelhofer Damm 7, Tempelhof
Tip 5: Cruise through the wild east of Berlin
As the capital of the GDR, East Berlin has experienced a lot: espionage, daring escape attempts and political unrest are just some of the buzzwords. So it's no wonder that this chapter of German history has lost none of its fascination even more than thirty years after reunification. There are numerous city tours dedicated to this period - including, of course, another one by boat.
The Kaiser Friedrich landing stage is the right place for those who are comfortable, interested in history and seaworthy to combine the fascination of the GDR with a relaxed cruise on the Spree. During the 1.5-hour tour of Berlin's Wild East, you can listen to the colourful anecdotes on the deck of Berlin's oldest passenger ship, without being disturbed by the loud noise of the engines, as the Kaiser Friedrich now runs on whisper-quiet electric power.
When: Various departure times
Where: East Side Gallery landing stage, Mühlenstraße 70-71, Friedrichshain
Tip 6: Feast with Tim Raue in the TV tower above the rooftops of Berlin
In the Sphere Restaurant Tim Raue in the TV tower, the restaurant revolves around its own axis and everything in the restaurant revolves around enjoyment. At a height of 207 metres , you can enjoy Michelin-starred cuisine with a breathtaking view over the rooftops of the city. Culinary delights await you in the form of finely interpreted classics of Berlin cuisine, all of which bear the signature of Michelin-starred chef Tim Raue .
And don't worry, although things are dynamic here, you're not in for a culinary merry-go-round ride: It takes a whole hour for the futuristic-looking tower ball of the TV tower to rotate through 360°. So there's plenty of time to enjoy Königsberger Klopse, Berliner Schnitzel and banana split made from delicious and predominantly Brandenburg ingredients - without the dizziness factor and with a pre-booked restaurant ticket, without the annoying wait.
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 11 pm
Where: Sphere Restaurant Tim Raue, Alexanderplatz, Panoramastraße 1A, Mitte
Tip 7: Head to Vegas at the Spiegelpalast
Berlin certainly has a history as a metropolis of gambling, entertainment and vice. This weekend, the Las Vegas Strip will be rolled out, as the successful US production VEGAS ROUGE by renowned director Hanoch Rosènn has also been showing here since April.
This tip is especially for those who want to fill their weekend with a little extravagance, as there is more than enough of that in this tingling mixture of variety and burlesque. Stirring dance routines, spectacular acrobatics and sparkling costumes suddenly make everyday life seem far away. Get yourself a drink at the bar, make yourself comfortable in the theatre seats and enjoy the show - because what happens in the Spiegelpalast stays in the Spiegelpalast!
When: Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 7pm
Where: Spiegelpalast Berlin, Hertzallee 41, Tiergarten
Tip 8: Experience Goethe's Urfaust in the historic ambience of the Globe Berlin
Faust searches for the meaning of life, makes a pact with the devil and proves how close man is to megalomania. The fragmentary original version, the Urfaust from Goethe's Sturm und Drang period, already reveals the enormous power of the tragedy about Faust and Gretchen, which you can experience on Friday and Saturday evening at the Globe Theatre Berlin.
Director Anselm Lipgens takes you into a world long gone with his special production and uses the stylistic means of an old German fairground spectacle with puppet and mask theatre as well as live acoustic music. Take a seat in one of the 690 seats in the wooden circular theatre building and enjoy the show in the open air!
When: Friday and Saturday at 19:30
Where: Globe Theatre, Sömmeringstraße 15, Charlottenburg
Tip 9: Let your hips gyrate at the Miudinho Festival
This weekend, the August sun will be supported by Brazil's hottest forró rhythms on the grounds of the Schöneberg Malzfabrik. The dance and music style originating from the north-east of Brazil is now popular throughout South America and the centre of countless dance and music events that often last all night.
The Miudinho Forró Berlin cultural project regularly organises the Miudinho Festival for musical and cultural exchange so that the Brazilian diaspora in Berlin and all interested music fans can also experience this unique attitude to life. The result is something to be seen and heard: Three days of concerts, dance workshops, DJ sets, caipirinha and summery high spirits!
When: Friday from 1.30 pm to 4 am, Saturday from 12 am to 4 am and Sunday from 12 am to midnight
Where: Malzfabrik Schöneberg, Bessemerstr. 2-14, Schöneberg
Tip 10: Market days at the weekend
Weddingmarkt invites you to an open-air design market with street food, side programme and dancing
On Sunday, the popular Weddingmarkt on Leopoldplatz once again invites you to a creative open-air experience with around 100 stalls of local artists, designers and craftspeople from Berlin - from ceramics to screen prints, photography and jewellery to fashion and illustrations - all "Made in Berlin". Street food stalls will serve international delicacies to accompany the market - including tempeh dumplings, Mexican specialities, Asian creations, unusual ice cream and artistic cupcakes
Tip: From around 3.30 pm, the Brunnenfeld will be transformed into a dance floor with a free introductory course in Brazilian Forró - dance without prior knowledge, just join in and have fun
When: 10 August, 11 am - 6 pm
Where: Leopoldplatz, Wedding
Browse through Flinta* art at the Kreuzberg Design Market
The Berlin community F*ck the Internet doesn't believe in Spotify and digital communication spaces, but lets the music play in real life. For example, at the summer edition of this year's F*ck the Internet Design Market at GlogauAir on Glogauer Straße. On Saturday and Sunday, you can browse through the fashion and design works of 30 Flinta* designers and queer artists in the spacious rooms of this interdisciplinary Kreuzberg art space.
To create the right party atmosphere, DJ music, drinks, walk-in tattoo sessions and Toothgem pop-ups will be provided. Look forward to an energetic creative event in the heart of Kreuzberg - with access to the spacious GlogauAir summer garden.
When: Friday from 4 to 10 pm and Saturday from 12 to 8 pm
Where: GlogauAir, Glogauer Str. 16, Kreuzberg
Tip 11: Get to know the wonderful world of wild herbs with Waldsamkeit
Being able to cook with wild herbs is one thing. But only those who know where to find them, which ones are edible and what to look out for when collecting herbs can feel like a true herb witch. You can learn all this on Sunday afternoon at the combined event organised by the Berlin Initiative Waldsamkeit. Experienced herb experts will take you to the Tegeler Fliess nature reserve.
After finding edible wild herbs there under the guidance of the biologists and packing them into your baskets, you will continue on to the Blankenfeld city estate. A cookery course awaits you there, during which you will process the green treasures into a delicious multi-course meal in a country house kitchen. This course will turn your next forest walks into an all-you-can-eat meal!
When: Sunday at 2 pm
Where: Stadtgut Blankenfelde, Hauptstraße 30, Pankow
Here you'll find even more great tips for things to do in Berlin – rain or shine.
