15 COOL ACTIVITIES IN BERLIN
Are you planning your next trip to Berlin and looking for cool activities to do in the city? Or are you a Berliner yourself and want to get to know your hometown better? Berlin is a unique city that never stops surprising you, even if you've been here before.
In this article we will show you some of the hidden gems that Berlin has to offer and that should definitely be on your agenda for your next stay in this incredible city.
Take part in a free city tour
A free walking tour is a fantastic way to get a first impression of Berlin on your first day, especially if you are traveling on a tighter budget. There are many different tours, all of which you can find online.
Some tours focus on certain aspects of the city, such as its history, its architecture, certain neighborhoods, etc. But with all these tours you will get to know a bit more of Berlin's history, learn interesting facts, see the most important sights and just get a first feel for the city. Best of all, you can ask the local guide questions at any time. At the end of the tour, you decide how much you think the tour was worth and can tip the guide accordingly.
Join a Trabi Tour
Another cool way to get to know Berlin is to take a city tour in a Trabi or Trabant. These are the popular cars that were used in East Berlin and became a symbol of the former GDR.
The fun part is that you drive the Trabi yourself, while the guide drives ahead in his own car and tells you over the radio all about the sights you are passing.
These are some of the famous Berlin sights you'll pass on the tour:
Brandenburger Tor
Potsdamer Platz
Unter den Linden
Berliner Dom
Rote Rathaus
Fernsehturm
East Side Gallery
Oberbaumbrücke
Checkpoint Charlie
Watch the sunset from Berlin TV tower
The Berlin TV Tower is one of the most famous landmarks of Berlin. You can see it from everywhere in the city, because it is the highest building in Berlin! It stands in the center of Alexanderplatz and has an impressive height of 368 meters.
We recommend you to buy your online ticket in advance so you don't have to stand in a long queue. Once you are on the 203m high observation deck, you will enjoy a breathtaking 360° view of the entire city. If you want to contemplate the view a little longer, you can enjoy a cocktail or a meal in the revolving restaurant, located at 207 meters above the ground. You can pre-book a table for this. The tickets include a skip-the-line ticket to the observation deck.
Take a walk along the East Side Gallery
Die East Side Gallery ist die größte Freiluftgalerie der Welt. Sie besteht aus einem 1.316 m langen Teil der Berliner Mauer und ist ein denkmalgeschütztes Wahrzeichen. Etwa 100 Gemälde von Künstlern aus der ganzen Welt sind auf die Wand zu sehen. Schlendre entlang der Mauer, um all die erstaunlichen Gemälde zu betrachten, auf denen die Künstler Freiheit und ihre Ideen rund um das Thema der Berliner Mauer zum Ausdruck bringen.
Visit Spreepark, the abandoned theme park
A visit to Spreepark is another super cool thing you can do in Berlin! The abandoned amusement park is located in the southeast of Berlin. It was opened to the public in 1969 and finally closed in 2002.
Du kannst ihn nicht alleine besuchen, aber du kannst an einer Führung durch den Park teilnehmen, bei der du alle unheimlichen, verlassenen Attraktionen aus der Nähe erkundest. Nimm auf jeden Fall deine Kamera mit, denn dort wirst du einige atemberaubende Fotos machen können! Auf der Website des Spreeparks findest du weitere Informationen und kannst dort Tickets kaufen.
Visit the Teufelsberg
Since we are talking about abandoned places: Visiting Teufelsberg is another cool activity you can do in Berlin. This former US listening station from the Cold War era, was built on a 114m high hill of rubble and is now open to the public. Take a public or private tour to walk through the amazing building and then enjoy the impressive views of Berlin! Admire the TV Tower and the Berlin Cathedral from afar. If you have a little more time and want to enjoy a bit of nature, take a walk through Grunewald, where Teufelsberg is located. This large forested area is located on the outskirts of Charlottenburg. You can even plan a day there to visit the nearby Teufelssee and the memorial at track 17 at Grunewald station, which commemorates the Jewish deportations that took place from there.
Visit the former Tempelhof Airport
Want to explore a completely disused airport? Then be sure to take a guided tour of the interior of this former Berlin airport. Imagine what it must have felt like when passengers from all over the world rushed through the large, now empty halls. There are several tours you can choose from and book online in advance. Among them is a tour that takes you to all of the airport's secret locations and through one of Berlin's largest bunker systems! After you've toured the inside of the airport, you can relax outside on the former runway. It has been transformed into a huge, 386-acre public park. Berliners like to go there to play sports, barbecue, sunbathe, or meet up with friends on a beautiful day.
Take a tour through the Berlin Underworlds
If you are interested in learning more about the background of World War II in Berlin, you should definitely include this in your program! The tour is one of the most popular WWII history tours in Berlin and takes you through former escape routes from East to West Berlin and WWII bunkers.
After the tour, go to the park across the street to see the "flak towers" built by Hitler to defend the city against enemy aircraft.
Visit a flea market
You may have heard that Berlin is known for its flea markets. And if you are one of those people who love to stroll through such markets on the weekend and take home one or the other unique item, then Berlin is the place for you! Every weekend, even sometimes during the winter, several flea markets take place all over the city. While some of them offer more specific items like antiques, vintage fashion and furniture, many have a little bit of everything, from clothing and jewelry to music LPs.
Here you can find a list of the best flea markets in Berlin:
Mauerpark Flea Market (see the following section for more information).
Flea market at Boxhagener Platz
Antique flea market on the street of 17 June
Antiquitäten- und Büchermarkt im Bode-Museum
Art and flea market at Fehrbelliner Platz
Antiquitäten-Flohmarkt am Ostbahnhof
Neukölln flea market
SO36 Night Flea Market
Enjoy Mauerpark on a Sunday
The Mauerpark flea market is by far the most popular market in Berlin! It takes place every Sunday in Mauerpark in Prenzlauer Berg. It has many stalls and offers a huge range.
After you've looked around and hopefully found something cool to take home, you can grab something for lunch from the food stalls. There you will find food and drinks from different places around the world.
Don't miss it:
You shouldn't miss the famous open-air karaoke that takes place next to the flea market in Mauerpark. Hundreds of people gather in the amphitheater to listen to brave people sing their favorite tunes. You might even be inspired by the lively and contagious atmosphere and volunteer to sing in front of the admiring spectators and experience this unique event! Note that the karaoke takes place only from spring to fall, weather permitting.
Enjoy your remaining afternoon in the park listening to the musicians, watching street artists create new murals, and just watching all the interesting people walking by.
Watch the sunset from the Wattled Crane
Watch the sunset from KlunkerkranichEnjoy a cocktail on a warm summer evening at Klunkerkranich Bar, an open-air rooftop bar in Neukölln popular among locals. There, watch the beautiful orange sun slowly sink below the horizon behind the TV tower. Enjoy the sight of night falling over the city while listening to a live band or DJ play.
Go swimming in the bathing ship
Spend a hot summer day playing volleyball on the sandy beach or swimming in the 30-meter Spree pool and experience Berlin up close. Open from May to September, the pool is popular among locals soaking up the summer heat after a long winter.Popływaj na statku kąpielowym
The recreation area includes a bar and restaurant, making it the ideal place to spend a relaxing day. Live concerts and parties are also often held here.
Jump from Park Inn Hotel
Are you looking for a unique activity in Berlin? Then this is exactly the right thing for you! You will jump from the 125 m high roof of the Park Inn Hotel at Alexanderplatz. You can also do this at night if you prefer to experience it in the dark. Book your tickets online or buy discounted tickets at the door, depending on availability.
Plan a day trip to the Forbidden City
If you are interested in history, adventure or abandoned buildings, you should not miss this unique activity that most tourists do not see! The Forbidden City is located about an hour from the south of Berlin and contains a lot of history.
The place was a former military site of the Prussian army. During World War II, it then became the Nazi command center and finally the headquarters of the Soviet forces in East Germany. In 1994, the entire site was abandoned, which you can now explore. It even includes a swimming pool that was used by the German Olympic team in 1936 while they were training for the Olympic Games that were held in Berlin that year.
Visit the WOW! Gallery Berlin
Want to spice up your Instagram with cool new photos and increase your follower count? Or do you just want to have a cool time? Then you should definitely visit the WOW! Gallery Berlin. This newly opened selfie museum has more than 30 interactive installations covering over 1,000 square meters where you can produce and take your own creative photos. The sets include various decorations and equipment, ranging from a ball pit to a confetti shower to a trampoline jump over the Berlin Wall. The additional professional lighting and equipment available will ensure your photos look fantastic. Get inspired by Berlin's creativity and take unforgettable pictures to take home as a souvenir from Berlin!
Note that the pop-up gallery is only open for 6 months. So check it out on your next trip to Berlin so you don't miss out on this cool activity with your friends and family!
Conclusion: Cool activities in Berlin
As you can see, there are so many cool activities you can do in your next stay in Berlin! With our recommendations and tips, you're guaranteed to have a great experience here. You will visit places that are so unique to Berlin, but that many tourists don't get to see. Discover this incredible city and get inspired by its vibrant culture and people.
