Relaxing & parks – All our local tips

Mainly the Admiral-Brücke is just a beautiful little iron bridge over the Landwehrkanal in Kreuzberg. But it has something to it that is kinda typical for Berlin: For some reason people meet, chill out and chat here.

While strolling around in Kreuzberg with friends our ways crossed the bridge a couple of times. And every time one of them came up with the idea: “Hey, why don’t we just stay here for a while and have a beer?”

So we went to this little late night shop (so called “Späti”) a few meters away and got some fridge-cooled beers and sat down on these road stones on the bridge. It didn’t take very long for me to understand that this must be quite an alternative meeting place. Seems there are always a bunch of people here who do the same we did… I’ve always met people there, even in winter. The crowd is often joined by street musicians who are probably the reason why the Admiral-Brücke started to be that appealing for so many people a few years ago.

When you go there, please be considerate and lower your voice the later it gets. People living around are easily displeased. Every now and then police have to show up after neighbour’s phone calls to ask the “squatters” to leave.

By the way, the photo is from April 7th, at around 21:00. That was one of the first warmer days in 2009. One can tell the bridge attracted many people…

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Admiral-Brücke | Relaxing | Free
Admiral brücke | Kreuzberg
24 hours daily

Wanna go swimming? You like saunas? Make your choice the famous “Badeschiff”!

Imagine a simple swimming pool. And now imagine the same swimming pool actually swimming, just like a boat. Combine that with the Berlin river Spree and there you go – a really cool place for relaxing and getting a bit of beach atmosphere into the rushing life of Berlin.

While swimming enjoy the awesome view at the river, the completely urban scenery, a little industrial port, bridges, apartment & office buildings, a ship wreck(!), a huge metal structure and perhaps a boat floating by.

They’ve converted the actual Badeschiff into a winter version of it so you can now enjoy massages and saunas, next to the pool. The rooms under the nicely designed wooden arches and the water are heated.

Regular admission is 12 € for 3 hours but they have reduced prices for children and early birds (admission before 15:00 8 €) and late comers on Friday and Saturday from 23:00. Saunas for woman only are open on Wednesday and Saturday from 10:00 till 14:00. Men only sauna is open on Monday from 22:00 till 3:00.

The website is in German only but you should check it out our for the photos and the cool virtual tour (select “Winterbadeschiff”).

Note: This winter season ends at April 5th. The Badeschiff will be closed for a while until days get warmer.

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Badeschiff | Relaxing | Admission/3 hours € 12.00
Eichenstraße 4 | Outer – South&West
Mon 12:00 – 22:00, Tue & Thu 12:00 – 00:00, Wed 14:00 – 00:00, Fri 12:00 – 03:00, Sat 14:00 – 03:00, Sun 10:00 – 00:00

I dropped by Bflat, for the first time, by coincidence on a lazy Wednesday evening. I set down in a corner and leaned on one of the big windows. While I was happily entertained by a Hefeweizen (in case you don’t know, make sure you will get to know this special German beer), I started wondering whether the piano and saxophone players were improvising or not. It was pretty good jazz. The answer came two minutes later when somebody from the audience asked the piano player for his seat and got it.

I go back to Bflat every now and then, on Wednesdays, when they have their free entrance jam sessions, starting with 9pm. Bflat is close to Hackescher Markt, has a mixed public and great acoustics.

Tip: They charge around 10 Euro for concerts during other evenings.

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Bflat Jazzclub | Bars, Relaxing | Beck’s € 2.60
Rosenthaler Strasse 13 | Mitte | +493028386835
Almost daily from 21:00

Once in Buchkantine, a café just a street away from the river, you will wonder yourself: how come not all cafes have books, or how come not all bookstores serve coffee? The books are new, and in case something is missing, one can order new titles from one day to the next. The bulk is in German but there are also a few English titles.

There is Wireless internet available for free, on request, and the music covers jazz and relaxed tones. They also show detective films every Sunday between 20:00 and 22:00. The people from Buchkantine are friendly and have a great sense of humor, too, some of their passwords for the Wireless used to be: I want to stay alone with my sandwich or the horse eats cucumbers.

The mixture of books, music and drinks is a good choice for a relaxed afternoon or simply for a search for new books or new inspiration. While writing this text, I am sitting at one of their tables and I observe with curiosity my neighbour – a middle aged man, alone with his laptop, longer hair, looking at the people sitting around as if they would suddenly become characters in his novel. One thing is sure, now he certainly has become a character on Spotted by Locals.

Tip: A books’ connoisseur is in the café from Monday to Friday, between 09:30 and 18:30, and on Saturday between 09:30 and 17:00 o’clock.

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Buchkantine | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Shopping, Snacks | Tee € 2.20
Essenerstr 11 | Tiergarten | +493094883728
09:30 – 20:00 daily

Morgenrot is one of the many cafes in Kastanienallee. It has a few tables outside, self service and mostly punk music. The atmosphere is relaxed and intimate around the small wooden tables.

What makes Morgenrot a special stop?
- One can borrow here a one chess-set-lacking-a-pawn.
- One can have here wonderful vegetarian brunches (until 15:00) for customer-decided-prices between 4 and 8 Euro.

Additionally, the cafe hosts cultural and political discussions – it is an open space which welcomes and supports such initiatives. This openness, the affordable prices, the great breakfasts and the vicinity to the Volksbuehne im Prater theatre (see the Volksbuehne article) make it worth while to me.

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Café Morgenrot | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing | Brunch from € 4.00
Kastanienallee 85 | Prenzlauer Berg | +493044317844
Tue – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – 10:00 – 03:00, Sat 11:00 – 03:00, Sun 11:00 – 01:00

For years left as a dump, this former train depot has been converted into a unique place that is now of major importance for cultural life in the heart of district Friedrichshain: the “Cassiopeia”.

Two clubs feature live music, parties and/or host festivals. The music there ranges from Hip Hop to Funk, Rock to Hardcore, Electro and Reggae to Drum & Bass.

The beer garden is nice during the warmer days, just as is the outdoor cinema “Freiluftkino Insel” (season May – Sep) which will be run until September.

If you want to get active, here you have two chances:
Number one is the Skatehalle Berlin. Huge half pipes and rails challenge even advanced skaters and BMXers. It’s also extremely nice just to hang out there and to watch the pros and kids handling their boards.
Number two is the “Kegel” (the “Cone”). It’s basically a former water tower but it is nowadays used for wall climbing! Inside is a little exhibition space and further boulder walls.

Next big place inside the Cassiopeia is the cultural centre “RAW-Tempel” which regularly hosts nice events such as readings, exhibitions, workshops and, of course, parties.

The whole area is designed by famous mural artist Christian Wahle a.k.a “Lake” who, simultaneously, runs the “Kegel”.

If you want to discover Berlin check out the Cassiopeia – I promise you won’t regret it. Before or after your visit adjacent Simon-Dach-Straße (see the Simon-Dach Strasse article) can be your next option during your evening.

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Cassiopeia | Art & culture, Music, Relaxing | Der Kegel € 3.00
Revaler Str. 99 | Friedrichshain | +493029362966
See the website

The window is covered up by paper and the entrance hidden. It looks like a shop under construction but every minute people go in and out. This is Dr. Pong: Prenzlauer Berg’s Ping Pong-Bar.

When you first enter, you get the feeling that this is not an official bar but a member’s only club. The Spartan interior includes little more than a ping-pong table and some chairs. The walls are empty, but the club is crowded. Upon further exploration, you will find a bar, a small lounge and a DJ stand. No luxuries here, just a comfortable, cozy grotto that offers a remarkable alternative to all the normal bars where you just sit, stand or talk.

In the bar’s main room, people with table-tennis paddles run in circular fashion around the ping pong table, playing one of our favorite children’s games, but usually in a big group. Most of the people are not professional players and some have never even played before, so don’t worry if you don’t hit the ball (and as a good excuse, you can always say that beer makes you lose your body control). Anyway, there is always a new round, which gives you the chance to show your hidden talent.

One of the bar’s owner’s interests is, according to the bar’s manifesto, “losing the definition between game/sport and partying”.  A “healthy addiction” to beer and ping pong makes you definitely want to come back to this inconspicuous place.

By the way, you don’t need to bring your own ping pong paddle; you can borrow one at the bar for a deposit of 5 euro.

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Dr. Pong | Bars, Relaxing | Beer € 2.00
Eberswalder Str. 21 | Prenzlauer Berg
Mon – Sat 20:00 – open end, Sun 14:00 – open end

Whether you have a dog or not is irrelevant. I myself as a cat owner still enjoy accompanying my good friend when she walks her hyper Jack Russell Terrier by Grunewaldsee.

As you enter Grunewald from the north side, not far from the Jagdschloss( Hunting Castle), you will find a darling stretch of the Grunewaldsee where dogs reigns supreme, they can run about without a leash and even have their own colonised stretch of beach.

It’s lovely to take a walk around the lake on a warm spring/summers day, stopping off for a bratwurst or ice-cream. I can spend hours just watching the dogs frolic around, bark and paddle in the lake together and resembles a case of Best in Show.  I especially enjoy observing how much the dogs resemble their owners – it’s truly uncanny.

Thumb of rule to keep in mind when walking around the lake is that as it’s a sandy beach and dogs are prone to dig man sized holes, avoid what i did once and fall face first into one of them.

generally owners are pretty considerate about cleaning up after their canine pals, but still keep an eye out for the rogue dog poop along the way.

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Grunewald Dog Beach | Relaxing | Free
Grunewald | Outer – South&West
Daily

Arts and trains haven’t seized to come across each other. Be it trains threatening to come out of Lumiere Brothers’ film at the end of the 19th century, be it locomotives entering the Nave of the Grand Palais in 2007, part of the L’Art Entre La Gare exhibition celebrating the 70th year of France’s national rail operator, trains continue to inspire.

Hamburger Bahnhof transformed from a terminal station of the railway net into a museum and is since 1996 a venue for Contemporary Art. There aren’t any more train tracks. However, the ephemeral element of a train station is fuelled by the ever changing exhibitions (Felix Gonzalez – Torres, Shirin Neshat, Robert Rauschenberg and Janet Cardiff are just a few of the artists shown here) and by the (more than) 250 000 visitors a year. In 2008 Hamburger Bahnhof also took part in the Cult of the Artist Exhibition organized by the state museums in Berlin, with a show on Joseph Beuys, while the New National Gallery celebrated Paul Klee and Jeff Koons.

One can find this museum across the street from the Berlin main train station, in Moabit. All the borders of Moabit district are water. Moabit is just another type of island in Mitte, more quiet and cosy. Do stop by. It will be a story of trains of the past and art of the present.

Tip: The museum has free entrance on Thursdays, between 14:00 – 18:00.

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Hamburger Bahnhof | Art & culture, Relaxing | Entrance € 8.00
Invalidenstraße 50-51 | Mitte | +493039783411
Tue – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 11:00 – 20:00, Sun 11:00 – 18:00

Located next to the New Jewish Synagogue, the trio of backyards (see the Backyard article) “Heckmannhoefe” are really worth discovering.

Entering from Oranienburger Strasse, the first backyard contains a little bookshop and a candy-making shop in the basement, the “Bonbonmacherei” where you can watch Katja and Hjalmar produce traditional sweets with antique equipments.

In the second backyard, the main one of the three, you’ll see why this is certainly one of the nicest backyards complexes in Scheunenviertel. It houses a little theater, boutiques, cafes, restaurants and even a hairdresser’s shop. The surrounding ivy clad buildings invite you to take a seat on a bench next to a lovely little fountain.

In the third backyard which you can also enter from Auguststrasse there isn’t that much special stuff going on – except for the impression you’ll get when you see how residents have improved their homes with a nice little gazebo structure in their own backyard – that is the real Berliner backyard culture (see the Backyard article)!

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Heckmannhoefe | Art & culture, Relaxing, Shopping, Theaters
Oranienburger Strasse 32 | Mitte
Daily

The Kastanienalle is a long lively road lined wtih an abundance of cafes, restaurants and trendy shops; half of the street resides in Prenzlauerberg and the other half in Mitte.  I kind of have a love hate relationship with this street, on one hand its’ a prime location for people watching as you have a coffee, with its mix of fashionistas, young 30 something parents with their bugaboo strollers and locals that have lived here even before the wall came down.

On the other hand Kastanienalle can be tiresome, with the constant flux of painfully hip youngsters sporting their asymmetric hairstyles and nu rave chic, strutting down the street like runway models, which has lead to my friends and I sardonically renaming it Casting-allee. (Gee I’m starting to sound like an old age pensioner)

Despite this, there are a host of little spots that make it well worth a stroll down. You can always find cutting edge new fashion designers showcased at the Temporary showroom, where Kastanienallee meets Schwedterstrassse; or if you are more of a modern classicist there is also a small branch of womans’ prêt-a-porter brand Thatchers.

On a warm sunny spring or summers day/eve it is always pleasant to pop into the Prater beer garden (located near the Eberswalderstrasse end of Kastanienalle) and take in the sunshine with a nice pint of radler and a schnitzel.

There are also a couple of oddball, for want of a better word, ‘post-modern’ shops that don’t actually sell anything, like the Apple Macintosh shop that is never open and displays broken and outdated computer models in the window.

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Kastanienallee | Bars, Relaxing, Shopping
Kastanienallee | Prenzlauer Berg
24 hours daily

Sometimes after trawling Berlin’s many galleries, museums and sight seeing tours your poor feet are just Kaput and a little pampering wouldn’t go astray. A break from the city hum drum in the midst of the this bustling capital would be in order right? In that case, soothe your aching feet and over stimulated mind with a trip to the Liquidrom.This urban spa, part of the Tempodrom complex, in heart of Berlin, combines a sense of modern minimalism with Zen like temple through the designs of architects Gerkan, Marg and Partner.  The defining characteristic, setting it apart from other more traditional spas, is the “Underwater Concert Hall”.

The main feature of this spa, is a darkened 34 degree heated saltwater pool, where gentle, (for want of a better term) electronic ‘World’ music, is played to enhance your relaxation experience. The music is projected both outside and within the pool and on Friday evenings you can even enjoy live music from 8pm onwards in candlelit interiors.

A note to my fellow Anglo Saxons, this spa is a thoroughly German affair.  This being the case, both the sauna and changing rooms are mixed. In the sauna, there is a no clothing policy, though a towel is permitted for those like myself who are a bit more on the shy side.

It’s a little bit a case of style over substance here, but all in all you do leave feeling quite pampered. The Liquidrom is a lovely break from the daily routine of urban life and worth a visit if you are in Berlin.

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Liquidrom | Music, Relaxing | 2 hour entry ticket € 17.50
Möckernstrasse 10 | Tiergarten | +493025807820
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 01:00

Some years ago I was quite charmed by a skinny-pink-squeaky tram crawling through Bucharest. M1 is neither pink nor squeaky, but it surely is … charming!

M1 guides you from TrashArt Museum (See the TrashArt museum article) (next to Pankow subway station) to Pergamon Museum (next to Am Kupfergraben). It is a lyrical transition from a upcycling museum (TrashArt Museum lends new eyes and new colours to curious viewers over disposable things collected in a garage complex) to a classical, imposing, centrally located museum (one should make sure not to miss out the reconstructed Pergamon).

M1 finds its lazy way through bars-packed-Kastanienallee (check the Kastanienallee article), it passes the pay-as-much-as-you-think-its-worth-it-Weinerei (check the Weinerei article), the-luxurious-inner-yards-Hackescher-Hoffe, the grafitti-pioneer-project-art-house-Tacheles (check the Tacheles article), and the-glittering-revue-theatre-Friedrichstadt-Palast. M1 will not disappoint you as a guide.

M1 never sleeps. It works the whole night, all week long. M1 keeps you warm, dry and can take you from north to middle Berlin. Above all, the tour will only cost you 2 Euro and 10 cents (price of a one way trip). M1 is the coolest tram Berlin has!

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M1 | Art & culture, Relaxing | Ticket € 2.10
Pankow subway station | Outer – North&East
24 hours daily

North to Treptower Park (see the Treptower Park article) , between the peninsula Halbinsel Stralau and the district Lichtenberg you can find a place where nature and architecture are closer together than anywhere else in Berlin.The Rummelsburger Bucht is a bay around the Rummelsburg lake. While walking all around the lake, which is actually a small branch of the river Spree, you will be overwhelmed by the beauty of the Berlin skyline and the new modern and fancy houses. Those were built mostly after 1997. In the 20th century this area used to be an industrial area.

Some of the old houses are under monument protection so they reconstructed most of them completely, for example the two “Knabenhäuser” (boys’ houses) which were part of an orphanage built under the German Emperor.

All around the bank you can find small fenced ecosystems where you can watch animals in spring and summer. In winter sometimes the lake is freezed up and if you are lucky you can ice skate there.

The closest station is Ostkreuz or Rummelsburg (S-Bahn).

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Rummelsburger Bucht | Relaxing | Free
Rummelsburger See | Friedrichshain
Daily

This delightful retro inspired bar is a recent discovery of mine, after trying to find shelter from the down pour of a sudden torrential rain storm, as I was walking down the Kollwitzstrasse one evening.

Inside i came across a warm and cosy watering hole, with an almost Twin Peaks feeling interior. There are red velvet furnishings, an old 50’s TV and eclectic mix of patterned wallpaper. You can make your self comfortable chatting as you sip a cocktail or two, with the Andrews Sisters, Billie Holiday or Johnny Cash playing in the background.

I warmed myself up with a reasonably tasting Whiskey Sour. Cocktails are fairly priced and tasty, but this depends on the bar tender.   I have had great cocktails and friendly service and other times underwhelming ones served with a slice of attitude.

Don’t let this put you off, it is well worth a visit on a cold evening or in the summer take advantage of the terrace area directly on the Kollwitzstrasse.

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Scotch and Sofa | Bars, Relaxing | Whiskey Sour € 5.50
Kollwitzstrasse 18 | Prenzlauer Berg | +493044042371
14:00 – till late daily

Spielwiese is a one room, rather small but cosy bar/ shop close to Warschauerstr.
What make it a special bar are its walls – they are packed with over 1100 games. Chess, Siedler, Monopoly, Risk and Magnet Table Football and many others one could not yet imagine. Games are available for rent and sale too.

The owner of the place, Mr. Michael Schmitt will amaze you with his knowledge of games. There might be people guessing with coffee, others in stars, Mr. Schmitt might be able to guess the game matching your personality.

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Spielwiese | Art & culture, Bars, Relaxing, Shopping | Wine € 2.92
Kopernikusstr 24 | Friedrichshain | +493028034088
Mon, Thu & Fri – Sat 14:00 – 00:00, Tue & Sun 14:00 – 21:00

Many times I passed by this building which fascinated me at first sight. Generally I am not that interested in churches but this one is not a common church: no spire, no nave and no bell.

The story of St. Elisabeth-Kirche, built in 1835, is a long one. The famous Prussian architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel designed the church which is a special example of neo-classical architecture.

Until 1945 it played an important role in church and urban history. But then it was destroyed in World War II except the perimeter walls. So the church was a ruin for more than 40 years. Only 1991 it was possible to protect the building by specialists. Until today they were able to rebuild the structure with the help of Berlin’s government and different organizations. But they still need financial support for the interior.

The church is currently used for cultural events, especially concerts and exhibitions. But his winter they will do more interior work so that the church can be opened for public soon. Sometimes the door just stands open so try your luck to catch a glimpse of the inside. (There is also a rotating view online)

The German Federal President Horst Koehler paid tribute to this place when he held his second “Berliner Rede” (Berlin speech) on the 24th of March 2009 at the Elisabeth-Kirche.

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St. Elisabeth-Kirche | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Invalidenstraße 3 | Mitte | +493031808770
Open during events

Stattbad Wedding was a public swimming pool complex, but the story here is about what it is today. A place for site-specifc installations. A place for parties. A place for performances. A place for filming. A place for what you can imagine building there. Because the managers of the space are open for your suggestions.

Of this assured me Jochen Küpper, cultural manager at Stattbad Wedding. The first time I met him was for a short interview, or better say, he answered a curiosity call. We set down on a couch by the swimming pool. The light was warm and we were surrounded by fishing nets, which managed to provide intimacy to the conversation, despite the constant movement around us. The place was getting ready for a weekend event. Jochen works around the clock for the Stattbad, no wonder he has nights catching him sleeping there.

Stattbad Wedding is a contemporary cultural centre, so its definition remains open. There is however a focus on urban arts. One of the first exhibition openings I have attended there was a urban affairs show spread throghout the swimming pool and the lockers. Alive butterflies were flying everywhere. Incredibly cruel and beautiful. The second time I’ve been to the Stattbad was an underground experience – we were literally under the swimming pool. Imagine pipes everywhere, video installations, bars and music which lasted til the morning. The space does offer unfolding possibilities.

Go there to be surprised. Or to surprise.

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Stattbad Wedding | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Relaxing, Festivals & events | Ticket +/- € 4
Gerichtstrasse 65 | Mitte
Please make sure to check the website

The beach at the lake Weiße See in the district Weißensee seems to be one of the last oases in the concrete jungle of Berlin and is situated only 20 minutes by tram from Alexanderplatz.

It looks like a park from the outside, and as soon as you enter the green forest you will find a circular lake, which seems totally isolated from the outside world.

In winter the entrance is free.

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Strandbad am Weißen See | Relaxing, Snacks | Free
Seeweg | Outer – North&East | +49309253241
Summer 09:00 – open end daily | Autumn – Spring 11:00 – open end daily

It’s winter! it’s cold and it’s miserable, so what to do?  Nothing lifts the spirits and helps combat those winter blues than a visit to the Turkish baths.

Berlin having the large Turkish community that is does, is not short of authentic Turkish bath houses to choose from. What I like about ‘Sultan Hamam’ is its unassuming nature.

The first time I went there I was a little confused, thinking that I had inadvertently taken the wrong directions or was lost, being that it is located in a rather isolated dodgy looking commercial park.  As you follow the arrows leading you into what seems to be some random residential apartment block do not be disconcerted. When I first arrived there I was convinced I was knocking on someone’s apartment door.

When you enter all your worries melt away, as the staff are utterly friendly and accommodating, explaining the basic rules and guidelines to first time ‘bathers’. Sultan Hamam is a simple and authentic affair, which is what i like. There is no extra over styled paraphernalia distracting you from just lying back, steaming and relaxing.

You can choose from a variety of beauty treatments on offer from massages and body peeling to waxing and facials. I highly recommend the all over body peeling and oriental soaping, where a bath expert (Bademesiterin) rubs down and cleans your body Turkish style.  You leave with your skin feeling as soft and supple as a babies bottom.

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Sultan Hamam | Relaxing | Basic Entrance € 16
Bülowstraße 57-58 | Schöneberg | +493021753375
Women Tue – Sat 09:30 – 23:00 | Men Mon 12:00 – 23:00 | Men & Women Sun 12:00 – 23:00

Close your eyes and imagine Sheherezade and her 1001 stories. Imagine her in an interior with tall walls, diffuse light, columns, cushions on the floor and exotic aromas.

The good part about this imagined place is that it has a physical address in the middle of Berlin, Im Palais, next to Unter den Linden. It is a hidden tea room with small tables and places to sit on the floor. Each tea has its own story.

Do not be afraid to enter the palace-looking-like house. You will find the tea room on the first floor, where the white-marble-building will open into a comfortable and warm space. You’ll get a feeling of crossing over.

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Tadshikische Teestube | Coffee & tea, Relaxing | Herb tea € 2.80
Am Festungsgraben 1 | Mitte | +49302041112
Mon – Fri 17:00 – 00:00, Sat – Sun 15:00 – 00:00

A perfect spot for urban exploring: The Teufelsberg, an artificial mountain which was piled up from rubble after the war and is Berlin’s highest point.

Here is where different US and British Army and intelligence agencies operated in huge buildings and a radar tower to either control air spaces or to spy deep into countries of the Warsaw Pact. Teufelsberg is now full of left, dark and partly destroyed buildings, lots of waste, a tower for great views and other things.

Since 2003 nobody stands sentinel over the whole area anymore. Hence, people enter it through holes in the fences to explore, to wander around and for other reasons, such as vandalism, (illegal) parties (you can see traces of that), graffiti or even shooting movies. You can still enter all the buildings and the impressing main tower there.

All my friends who went there loved the view over Berlin but were even more impressed by the whole atmosphere Teufelsberg creates. But be aware, it might be frightening to walk through dark rooms (bring a torch/flashlight!), especially when you suddenly meet other people. Also, be warned: It’s dangerous, too! There are holes in the ground and platforms aren’t save. So never go there alone!

To get there, take S-Bahn S7 and go to “S Grunewald”. It’s about 40 min walk or 10 min bicycle ride westwards through the forest from there. Plan to be there at the latest of about 2 hours before sun sets.

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Teufelsberg | Relaxing | Free
Teufelsbergchaussee | Outer – South&West
Daily

Treptower Park is one of the bigger parks in Berlin. Its huge meadows draw locals for sunbathing in summer; for football, Frisbee or table tennis during all times of the year. The banks of river Spree make Treptower Park a paradise for jogging addicts and people love to stroll under tree lined alleys and between flower beds. If you had a look at the many benches here and there you could certainly see people reading books or elderly people chatting. People simply love this park for its relaxed atmosphere and because it is never really crowded.

I’d like to point out 2 highlights here:

On the southern half of the park (T. P. is bisected by Puschkinallee), the first is certainly the Soviet War Memorial. On graves of thousands of fallen soldiers the Red Army honored their heroes with a huge monumental memorial. Although the most important Soviet war memorial after the one in Stalingrad, only few people seem to visit it.

Second: The “Insel der Jugend” (”Island of youth”) or simply “Die Insel” which is located within the Spree. Chill out on a stage on the waterside or find a club and an outdoor beer garden / cafe which is nice to relax at especially on sunny days. (You can see the island on the map if you switch to satellite mode and go a bit eastwards along the river.)

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Treptower Park | Relaxing | Free
Puschkinallee | Outer – South&West
Daily

One play I have seen there some time ago was a jam session and had an improvised open ending, which slowly transformed into a competition: who will last longer? The actors improvising on the stage, or the spectators invited already to leave? It was not until after midnight that the curtain was down.

Volksbuehne is an experimental theatre. Like any experimental endeavor, it is not for everybody. Expect most of the times live filming, simultaneous video projections and loud music.

The theatre has another small stage in Kastanienallee, the Volksbuehne im Prater. This is right next to the Prater beer garden, which is a delight during warm days. Besides the great plays, there is a wonderful gigantic wooden table next to the bar in the Volksbuehne im Prater. While waiting to enter the play, the spectators can sipp a drink around this table – this circle gives an uncanny warm feeling and it creates a familiarity among people who haven’t met before.

Note: The plays are in German.

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Volksbuehne | Bars, Relaxing, Theaters | Students € 3.50
Linienstraße 227 | Mitte | +4930240655
Plays almost every day of the week

Whenever I feel active to do something I go to my favorite park “Friedrichshain” For me it’s simply the best place to relax and retreat from daily life.

This park is the second oldest in Berlin after Tiergarten and was first completed in 1848 but had to go through times of war when the Nazis erected two Flak towers here which were blasted after the war and piled up with rubble. Same two little “mountains” are still there. Over the years flora and fauna grew back on here and now the F’hain is one of the most diverse parks in Berlin.

There’s no time of the day when you don’t see people jogging, going for a walk or letting their children play or being active in sports. Speaking about which, there is plenty to do here: Tennis courts (€ 12.00 / hr), half pipes, a nice little climbing rock, soccer and basketball courts,…

Also, where there used to be a swimming stadium (you can still see the former shape of it in the park ground) people love to go for beach volleyball (in summer) or roller skating on the surrounding 800 meters asphalt track.

Whenever it’s warm, barbecue and picnic are extremely popular, too, next to sitting in Cafe Schoenbrunn, in the adjacent beer garden or having cones of ice cream while wandering about at famous “Märchenbrunnen” (”Fairy Tale Fountain”, see picture) in the very western corner of F’hain.

On top of all that, there is a popular outdoor cinema (next season: May 19th – Sep 19th).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Volkspark Friedrichshain | Cinemas, Relaxing, Festivals & events | Tennis € 12.00
Volkspark Friedrichshain | Friedrichshain | +491706344007
Tennis court: Tue – Sun 11:00 – 19:00