Tour 34 - A Cycling Tour of Charlottenburg

This tour starts at Louisa's Place Hotel Berlin at Kurfürstendamm 160. Ride west (to your left) until you come to the end of Kurfürstendamm at Rathenauplatz. Cross the busy intersection onto Hubertusallee and then make an immediate right at the petrol station onto Königsallee. In about one block, you will come upon the Restaurant La Forchetta.

La Forchetta

This beautiful garden restaurant is right on the Halensee and is a fine place to take a break with some refreshing drinks and snacks. When you've had your break, retrace your path on Königsallee, take a left onto Hubertusallee, ride around Rathenauplatz and continue on Kurfürstendamm across the tracks for about 500 metres.

Georg-Wilhelm-Straße

Shortly after the tracks, take a left onto Georg-Wilhelm-Straße, a small residential street to the left of leafy Henriettenplatz. Follow the street as it curves to the right through the neighbourhood for 300 metres until it curves onto Heilbronner Straße. Stay on Heilbronner Straße for three long blocks until you come to Kracauerplatz. Continue straight ahead as the road becomes Gervinusstraße. After a long block, take a left onto Windscheidstraße and cross the S-Bahn tracks to Stuttgarter Platz.

Stuttgarter Platz

The area around Stuttgarter Platz, nicknamed "Stutti" by the locals, was a hotbed of the Berlin student movement in the 1960s. Veer to your left across the square and then ride onto Leonhardtstraße, somewhat to your right. Here you will find nice shops, great restaurants and cosy cafés where you might want to take a break. Continue on Leonhardtstraße.

Amtsgerichtsplatz

After two longer blocks, the street meets Holtzendorffstraße. Turn right and then an immediate left onto Amtsgerichtsplatz. This venerable old building has served as the Charlottenburg district courthouse since 1897. At the corner, take a right onto Suarezstraße.

Suarezstraße

Carefully cross busy Kantstraße and continue on Suarezstraße. Suarezstraße is known for its many antique shops that invite you to some leisurely browsing and maybe even a purchase. After one block, take a left onto Steifensandstraße, cross Witzlebenstraße onto Lietzensee to your left.

Lietzensee

Lietzensee is a 10 hectare lake in the middle of a listed garden, one of the city's green treasures. Famous Berlin artist and painter Heinrich Zille often relaxed here in the area. After enjoying the view, ride back to Steifensandstraße.

Insider-Tipp: Bootshaus am Lietzensee

Somewhat hidden is the café and beer garden Stella am Lietzensee. You can relax on the wooden deck overlooking the water here.

Witzlebenstraße

Ride back to Witzlebenstraße and take a left. Take a brief stop at no. 4-5, home to the Reichskriegsgericht, the highest German military court, until 1945. Almost 2,000 death sentences were imposed against members of the military here. Ride to the corner and take a right onto the Kaiserdamm.

Tour map

Schloßstraße

Take an immediate left onto Schloßstraße. Schloßstraße is like a little piece of Paris: boules is played on the central reservation (median strip) and numerous bars, cafés and restaurants welcome guests to linger in their shady gardens. The street leads directly to the main entrance of Charlottenburg Palace, about 1 kilometre away.

Insider-Tipp: 3 Galleries

If you enjoy art, you should visit at least one of the collections in the Museum Berggruen, the Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg or the Bröhan Museum.

Schloss Charlottenburg

Charlottenburg Palace is one of the most important sights in Berlin. It was built in 1699 and was the largest residence of the royal Hohenzollern family in Berlin. The gardens behind the palace may be visited for no charge. Simply cycle through the park, enjoy the garden and relax on one of the lawns

Insider-Tipp: Orangerie

Enjoy a refreshing drink in the beer garden of the café-restaurant to the left of the palace.

Luisenplatz

Ride back to the main entrance of the palace. Take a left onto Spandauer Damm to the next corner, where you will take a left onto Luisenplatz. Take a right onto Charlottenburger Ufer just before the Spree bridge.

Schnitzelei

Continue straight along the riverbank, crossing Wintersteinstraße. At the next bridge, you can take a right away from the river onto Röntgenstraße. At no. 7 on the left side of the street is the excellent Schnitzelei restaurant, specialising in schnitzel, of course. Return to the riverbank path and continue riding east.

Salzufer

As the path curves to the right, you will now be riding along the Landwehrkanal. Ride under the Dovestraße bridge and ride on the bike path parallel to Einsteinufer. At the next bridge, turn onto Franklinstraße and cross the Landwehrkanal. Then take an immediate right onto the Salzufer. Ride along the canal for four further blocks until you can take a left onto Englische Straße. At the end of the road you will come to the KPM porcelain factory.

KPM Porcelain Factory

KPM has been making hand-painted decorative porcelain since it was founded in 1763. There are few regular tours, but you can book exclusive tours through the factory which will be tailored to your interests. At the end of the street, take a right onto Wegelystraße.

Tiergartenquelle

At the end of the street, take a left onto Bachstraße. On the right-hand side of the street is Tiergartenquelle, serving Berliners and visitors delicious home cooking for over 80 years. Turn around and head south on Bachstraße to the main intersection at Straße des 17. Juni and take a left.

Straße des 17. Juni

The street ("17 June Street") was named after the major popular uprising in the GDR on 17 June 1953 which was soon crushed by the Soviet army and was followed by martial law. The day was an official holiday in West Germany until 1990 and served as a call for German reunification.

Tiergarten

In a few metres, take a right into the Tiergarten. Continue straight ahead, crossing two bridges and you will come to the Schleusenkrug. If you want, you might want to relax in the beer garden with a view of the lock on the Landwehrkanal. As you ride past Schleusenkrug, you'll see the Zoologischer Garten to your left.

Zoologischer Garten

If you're lucky, you’ll see some of the animals who live in Berlin's largest zoo. In a few metres, you will come to Hardenbergplatz, directly in front of Bahnhof Zoo.

Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten

Bahnhof Zoo was the primary long-distance train station in West Berlin during the division of Germany. West Berliners going on a visit to East Berlin would often depart from this station for the short ride across the Wall. Continue straight ahead, crossing Hardenbergstraße and onto Joachimsthaler Straße.

Kurfürstendamm

Turn right onto the Kurfürstendamm and ride until you reach no. 160. You've reached the end of the tour.