It’s a holiday weekend in Germany. Since there’s no better city to be in right now than Berlin (we’re biased), we’ll be out and about, grilling, lounging, hiking and hanging in the park with our friends. And with so much to do, we figure it was the perfect time to share a list of our favourite spots, so here are the eight best from the RCKT. staff.
1. Klunkerkranich
Fall in love with the greatest rooftop in Berlin. Have a drink, eat hummus, sit outside on the wood furniture and enjoy the sunset while the DJ spins funky music. It’s an amazing place to check out if only for the view.
Parks, lakes and rooftops. Those are the top 3 destinations for me during sunny warm days in Berlin. The Klunkerkranich, located on top of the Neukölln Arkaden, is so far my favourite place to have a beer watching the sun setting in the berliner cityscape. Außergewöhnlich cool!
2. Tempelhofer Feld
I can only describe grilling at Tempelhofer Feld with one word: amazing. Grab your friends, pick up some burger patties (and veggies or tofu), a bit of charcoal and search for a nice comfortable spot on the grass. Tempelhof is not only a great place to bring people but make new friends as well. The best part, while you’re waiting for the meat to reach that perfect crispiness, you can ride your bike around the track, fly a kite or have kick-about with friends.
3. Gleisdreieck Park
I said Gleisdreieck Park because it’s incredibly clean, spacious and not crowded at all. I have a Aerobie frisbee, this thing flies up to 300 meters, so it is unlikely to hit people, although this still happens! There are many different corners to discover and nearby there are a lot of nice places to grab something to eat – Imren for example, you should check that out! And the best Baklava in Berlin is even closer, stop by Pasam Baklava. I love the Turkish cuisine.
But probably the best thing about the park are the huge swing sets, always take me back in time, when I was a little youngster in Poland and trying to do the 360-degree flips. No worries still got all my teeth 😉
4. Thai Park
An unassuming Wilmersdorf park is home to one of Berlin food enthusiasts’ favourite weekend traditions. Every Sunday, Thai families gather in Preußenpark to sell the freshest – and spiciest – Thai dishes you can find in the city. Sitting on a blanket in the afternoon sun while eating made-to-order green papaya salad is one of the best ways to spend a hot summer day.
5. Krumme Lanke
I love Krumme Lanke because it is one of the best spots in Berlin to escape the city rush and to breathe some fresh air. Located in the southwest of Berlin in Dahlem, I used to go there a lot when I was studying at FU. The trip took only 10 minutes to get there by bicycle and the path took you directly through the forest. Now the route is a bit longer, but the feeling when you leave the hectic city and find yourself lying on the sand, surrounded by trees and birds still overwhelms me. You have to love Berlin for that. It only takes less than half an hour to escape.
6. Volkspark Friedrichshain
If you’re not afraid of families throwing frisbees around and aren’t intimidated by the runners in ultra tight running apparel, then Volkspark Friedrichshain might be the place to be for you this weekend.
The park – it actually is one with all the green bits and what not – is located at the border between Friedrichshain and Prenzlauer Berg. If you´re not really into the whole lying on grass thing there´s a beer garden and a restaurant named after Viennese Schloss “Schönbrunn” to seek refuge in. Tip from the Berliners: test your fairytale knowledge at the park’s “Märchenbrunnen” – a fountain surrounded by several German fairy tale figures.
7. Schlachtensee
When my former flatmate advised me last summer to go to Schlachtensee, in the southwestern part of Berlin, I was starting to learn German and I honestly didn’t get super excited about going to a lake that had ‘slaughter’ on the name. But I was also learning that Berlin is full of surprises and the place turned to be my favorite spot to run to on hot summer afternoons. Just make sure you don’t have a job and go during the week – it gets super crowded on weekends.
8. Admiralbrücke
So Admiralbrücke isn’t exactly a “Geheimtipp” in Berlin. Head over on a warm Friday evening and finding a spot to sit can sometimes be an adventure. But for me there are few things better in this city than grabbing a cool drink and a slice of pizza, sitting by the canal and letting your feet dangle over the edge while you watch both Berliners and tourists alike congregate. Then once the sun goes down you’re ready to start your night in Kreuzberg.