A guide to city walking in Berlin
Why I love walking in Berlin, plus a few of my favourite routes that are packed with history to inspire you.
There is nothing I enjoy more than going for a walk. It fixes everything. Not permanently, of course, but it fixes the moment. Getting outside and seeing the world, even if it's just a wee stroll around the block, gives me a fresh outlook. It saves me from falling deep into a bad mood or getting stuck in a haze of overwhelm. A much needed escape from my email inbox.
In Berlin I spend a lot of time walking. It’s a great city to do it because there is so much space, lots of green pockets, it’s safe and nobody bothers you. You get lost in the rhythm of your feet pit patting on the ground, traversing far and wide, stepping back in time.
Another good thing is you’re never far from public transport. That means if you walk too far or you just can’t be arsed anymore, you can jump on a train or a bus and quickly get yourself back home.
Exploring Berlin’s neighbourhoods
People say Berlin isn’t a beautiful city and they’re right to some extent. The architecture and layout reflect its chaotic history. You can imagine! When a city torn up by war then gets split into two for nearly 30 years, it ends up growing in weird directions like a rogue weed.
But that’s what makes it such an interesting place to explore. All the neighbourhoods have a different feel or something special, whether it’s a Volkspark (which translates as people’s park), cute shops or rundown buildings.
From pretty residential areas like Kollwitzkiez in Prenzlauer Berg to the shores of the Spree via a sprinkle of forests, there’s always something new to see.
The quirks of urban walking
There are a couple of frustrating things about going for a city walk. One of them is the construction works that pop up. They make it difficult to cross roads or figure out where you can actually step without getting screamed at or run over by a driver, or worse – a cyclist. Berlin (like it’s big brother Germany) is not user friendly. This goes for everything, from the admin to the pavements.
Given it’s a major city, it can also get pollution-heavy. That can make me yearn for the wilderness.
Another thing to point out is that Berlin is very flat. This is a good thing if you want to walk long distances with minimal effort but it also gets a little boring. No proper hills or steep urban walkways.
Well, maybe you can count the old war-related stuff that’s been incorporated into parks. Like the Flakturm at Humboldthain, which you can climb up for a view of the city. Or the Grosser Bunkerberg in Volkspark Friedrichshain, one of two hills made up of wartime debris, now claimed by nature.
Where to walk in Berlin
The benefits of walking in Berlin far outweigh any negatives. Wandering around aimlessly is a must-do.
If you’re after some inspiration for places to see, here are a few of my favourite routes that you can adapt easily. And don’t worry, there are always plenty of places to stop for coffee and cake.
Treptower Park adventures
Treptower Park is huge. It runs along the River Spree and its grassy banks provide the perfect setting to hang out and watch the boats go by on sunny days. There are so many different sections, including a lake (the Karpfenteich) hidden in the trees.
I like to walk from Neukölln (around Sonnenallee). In this route you are walking from the old West to East Berlin and, if you look down (near Heidelberger Straße), you might spot a plaque on the ground at the site of the old Berlin Wall. But you can also start this walk at Treptower S-Bahn station.
If you have time, check out the striking Soviet War Memorial. The memorial and cemetery opened four years after the end of World War II to commemorate fallen Soviet soldiers.
You can then cross Puschkinallee, which runs through the park. Take in the sights, sounds and smells, and saunter along the water’s edge. Perhaps you can visit the rose garden or the fountains where wee ones like to play in the sun.
Wander along the river path. If you get thirsty, stop for a drink at the Zenner Biergarten. Note of caution: those beers are huge and are liable to knock you out if you haven’t eaten enough that day. Opt for a Radler to dilute it (like a lager shandy). There’s another refreshment stop along the river path called the Eierhäuschen (little egg house).
You can also visit the Insel der Jugend (Island of Youth) by crossing the bridge next to the Zenner Biergarten.
To extend the walk and see Plänterwald forest, keep walking along the path. You’ll see industrial looking buildings and a rusty ferris wheel on the right. That’s the abandoned Spreepark. If you keep walking, you’ll see the ferry that takes you over to the other side of the river.
At some point the path begins to wind up and you take a right turn through the forest. Breathe in the fresh air among the trees before you get back to the road. Then you’ll wind up at Baumschulenweg S-Bahn station, where you can hop on a train to get back to Neukölln (or another stop on the Ringbahn).
Exploring the Landwehrkanal
Aside from the algae and the odd rat scurrying about, the Landwehrkanal is lovely. It’s more than 10km long and runs through Treptow, Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Tiergarten und Charlottenburg.
With friends or alone, I regularly walk around the canal at the Kiehlufer or Weigandufer river banks, and then onto the Maybachufer (the canal splits at one point to join the Spree).
There is a popular market on Tuesdays and Fridays at Maybachufer that’s always busy but worth checking out to pick up some fresh fruit, sweets or bread. Ice cream, coffee and vegan donuts are aplenty in this area.
If you want to continue, you can follow the canal into Kreuzberg. Stop at the Admiralbrücke where people hang out, have a beer, read or play guitar.
Another walk I like is from the German Bundestag through Tiergarten. Tiergarten is gigantic, but when in this area, try and navigate to the Landwehrkanal where you can see a memorial for the communist revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg. It’s at the Lichtenstein Bridge (near Budapester Straße).
Luxemburg, along with Karl Liebknecht, were captured by paramilitaries in January 15th 1919. Luxemburg was tortured and murdered, and her body dumped in the Landwehrkanal. Liebknecht was also killed.
Tempelhof wandering
Perhaps you’re after a super flat landscape where you can see for miles, in all directions. Berlin has the perfect place for you: an old airport. Tempelhof has a colourful history. It used to be an airspace which was turned into an airport and redesigned by the Nazis.
It went onto become a symbol of the Cold War. During the Berlin Blockade when the Soviets tried to cut off West Berlin around 1948/49, the USA and allies sent essential supplies to the city via Tempelhof airport, known as the airlift.
Famously, pilots began dropping packages of sweeties for children. They became known as ‘Rosinenbomber’ (raisin bombers) or ‘candy bombers’.
The airport stopped operations in 2008. It’s now a museum and public park called Tempelhofer Feld.
People love to walk, jog, cycle or fly kites down the runways. You could simply wander around the park and not go anywhere else. It’s so big, you may stumble into the field of sheep or the abandoned aeroplane. You can also visit the grand airport building itself as part of a guided tour.
I like to enter the Feld at Schillerkiez (Neukölln) and take a bracing walk down one of the runways. I sometimes walk with the aim of heading to the Tempelhof S-Bahn at the other end, or Bergmannkiez in Kreuzberg to the north.
If you exit at Columbiadamm, you can visit another park, Hasenheide, which apparently is where the German gymnastics movement began back in 1811. From there, it’s a short walk to Südstern, passed the gothic-style church built in the 1890s.
Walk along Bergmannstraße where there are plenty of places to grab a coffee or hot chocolate. I recommend Frau Behrens Torten for Kaffee und Kuchen. Here you will find cakes as big as your head and you can finish your adventure on a sugar high.
Let me know if you’re inspired or share your favourite Berlin walks. Happy exploring!
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Thanks for the walking route recommendations. I also enjoy taking long walks in Berlin followed by Kaffee und Kuchen. Especially when I can combine a long walk with completing a necessary errand. I tend to center my walks in and around the Wilmersdorfer Volkspark.
I had a meeting Saturday morning in Kreuzberg (I'm in Kollwitzkiez). Transit between those two neighborhoods is never great. It would only take me 12 minutes or so more to just walk. It never would've crossed my mind to walk that far (unless I'm in tourist mode), but I suddenly got really excited about it. Enjoyed it so much the way down that I did a different route back home. Cheers to more city walks!