5 Things Real Berliners Do In The Summer
Do As The Locals Do
Summer in Berlin can be a hot and sticky affair. Coming from the Southern US, my immediate reaction once the thermometer spikes and the moist air settles in is to ask where the air conditioner is. I only received blank stares in return. With that in mind, I give you 5 ways to beat the heat and enjoy a Berlin summer, just like a Berliner would.
1. Get out of town: No, really – most Germans have upwards of five weeks of vacation a year, and July and August are prime vacation months. Don't let this stop you from going there – it just means that the non-tourist destination streets are a little quieter. For a getaway of your own from the city center, try a day-trip to Potsdam. Although it's best known for the palaces of every member of the Prussian royal family, it also has an historic downtown and a ton of open parkland. Rent a bike (available at many places in both Potsdam and Berlin) and ride around the city and its parks. With a bike and a map, you can go all over the city – see the elaborate Sansoussi and its neighboring palaces, or just take an afternoon to swim in one of the popular lakes. Wannsee is by far the largest (and has the best beaches), but swimmers are also to be found at Nikolaisee and Schlachtensee – all of which have stops on the S-bahn.
2. Relax on the beach: If you simply want a break from a busy day of sightseeing, or maybe a coffee to cut the edge off of a post-clubbing hangover, try one of Berlin's many beach bars – my favorite is the Strandbar, located in Monbijoupark across the river from Museuminsel. Grab a Milchkaffee (latte), Apfelschorle (apple juice mixed with sparkling water), or perhaps just a beer and kick back and relax in the sand. Monbijoupark is also the home of the Hexenkessel Hoftheater, an open-air summer theatre specializing in Commedia dell'Arte-style interpretations of classical authors like Shakespeare and Moliere. The plays are in German, but if you already know the plot of Twelfth Night, there's enough physical humour to carry you through.
3. Shop off the beaten path: To satisfy your shopping needs, skip KaDeWe (which, though it's the largest department store in Europe, is still just another department store) and head out to one of Berlin's great weekend flea markets, or Trödelmärkte. A Trödelmarkt can mean anything from a gigantic collective junk sale (such as the one found in Prenzlauer Berg's Mauerpark) to a high-class antique market, like the one on Strasse des 17. Juni (S-bahn stop Tiergarten). Buy something or simply browse through miles of stalls containing everything from furniture and clothes to door handles and beer stains.
4. Have a picnic: Berlin is one of the cheapest cities in Western Europe, so finding a decent and affordable restaurant (or simply eating a Döner kebap from a stand) is not difficult. If you're looking for an even cheaper meal, try making your own picnic and taking it to one of the many parks within city limits – the Volkspark Friedrichshain (M5, 6, or 8 to Platz der Vereinten Nationen) and the Palace Gardens at Schloß Charlottenburg (U2 to Sophie-Charlotte-Platz) are both beautiful spots to enjoy a summer afternoon or evening.
The best place by far to buy food is the open-air Turkish market, found Tuesdays and Fridays in Kreuzberg (U8 stops Schönleinstraße or Kottbusser Tor). The Turkish market isn't just for produce; stands there also offer great Turkish breads, spreads, and cheeses, so you can stock up on a full meal's worth of food right there. The only thing you won't find is alcohol – for that, head to a regular supermarket; Lidl, Plus, and Netto are the cheapest.
5. Try indoors: Although the summer weather in Berlin is generally hot and humid, it isn't always that way; every now and then the city gets a thunderstorm or a rainy spell. If your trip coincides with a rainy patch, you might want to forsake the day-long bike rides for some indoor activities. Try a museum or 3 – the Pergamon on Museuminsel, the Gemäldegalerie near Potsdamer Platz, and the Hamburger Banhof Museum near the Hauptbahnhof will satisfy your cravings for antiquities, medieval and renaissance paintings, and ultra-modern art, respectively.
This isn't all you can do – with a city as large as Berlin you'll never be bored - even if you skip everything on this list. Checkpoint Charlie, Alexanderplatz, and the East Side Gallery are all places worth visiting in the city, but they're also places you'll find teeming with fellow travellers. However if you take a chance to experience Berlin the same way its residents do, then you'll see why Berliners are so proud of their city.
Abby Lynch
