Top 10 things to do in Berlin this summer (II)
Berlin has so much to offer during the summer months, so we’ve put together a list of our highlights to help you out. Catch up on part I here, or scroll down for part II…
Sundays at Mauerpark
6) Enjoy a lazy Sunday at Mauerpark! All Berlin can be seen at Mauerpark on a Sunday – at least, during the summer months, it feels like all Berlin is there. The crowded flea market is a haven for people watching and treasure hunting. Once you’re done browsing, you can grab a coffee or something to eat from one of the countless food stalls on the market, and then sit in the park and listen to the buskers, take a seat at the famous Bearpit Karoake (a sort of open-air X-Factor), or dive back into the market for some late afternoon bargains.
Authentic Asian cuisine at the 'Thai Park' in Wilmersdorf ©Emma Martell
7) Dine al fresco! Eating outdoors in Berlin no longer just means munching down a Currywurst at a standing table. Many of the city’s beautiful parks and green spaces permit barbecues; the expansive runways of the former airport in Tempelhof are particularly popular, and you won’t need to fight for space. For an out-of-the-ordinary picnic, visit the Thaipark in Preußenpark at the weekend, and sample all kinds of authentic homemade Asian cuisine.
Berlin fleamarket on the Straße des 17. Juni
8 ) Rummage at flea and food markets! Berlin has countless unique and intriguing markets, where it’s still possible to find a bargain. For art and antiques, head to one of Berlin’s oldest markets: on Str. des 17. Junis, next to the Tiergarten park. The Winterfeldtplatz food market in Schöneberg has dozens of stalls laden with all kinds of tantalising edibles. You can spend the morning sampling local delicacies and basking in the delicious smells. A little further east, the Sunday fleamarkets at Arkonaplatz in Mitte, and Boxhagener Platz in Friedrichshain, are thoroughly civilised affairs, perfect for an afternoon of laid back browsing.
Hire a wooden raft from Floß & los!
9) All aboard! Cool off and escape the hordes by getting on the water – you can rent a boat by the hour and cruise along the Spree; if you don’t fancy captaining the vessel, you can hire a Spreecab (spreecab.de), or alternatively you can rent a boat with a barbecue onboard (grill-boot.de)! If you feel like going further afield, you can rent a large wooden raft (flossundlos.de) for a day of swimming and sunning at Lake Müggelsee, east of Berlin.
Spectacular views at Teufelsberg Berlin
10)Enjoy the view! Because Berlin is, at the moment at least, a low rise city, magnificent views can be afforded the visitor without having to go to the top of the TV tower on Alexanderplatz (although, if you don’t mind queuing, this is well worth doing). The views from Viktoriapark, and various bridges including Admiralsbrücke in Kreuzberg, are quite splendid. For the more adventurous, make your way to Teufelsberg (the Devil’s Mountain) near the Grunewald. This abandoned Cold War listening station, 260 ft above ground, will literally be the high point of your trip.
All this fun and sun can make for thirsty work, so why not cool off at the end of the day with a glass of champagne or delicious cocktail on our Le Faubourg terrace? Prost!
