Where to swim in Berlin
Berlin has many lakes reachable by S-Bahn or tram. Two safe bets:
- The Wannsee, in the west, where the Wannsee beach is one of the city's big lidos. You can combine it with Peacock Island, a little further along the Havel.
- The Müggelsee, in the east, the city's largest lake, surrounded by forest and served by the S3 to Friedrichshagen and Rahnsdorf. The Strandbad Müggelsee, laid out in 1930, is a listed monument. See our guide to Treptow and Köpenick.
For more lakes, prices and access, read our guide to lakes around Berlin. Before swimming, check the water-quality results published by Berlin's health office (LAGeSo): some lakes are occasionally not recommended after a heatwave.
Parks, lawns and beer gardens
Berlin is a city of parks, and in summer people spend whole days in them:
- The Tempelhofer Feld, the former airport, is a huge lawn for picnics, kite flying or cycling.
- The Treptower Park combines a walk along the Spree, beer gardens and the Insel der Jugend.
- The Volkspark Friedrichshain has a lawn, a fairy-tale fountain and, from May to September, an open-air cinema.
- The Mauerpark hosts its flea market and impromptu concerts on Sundays.
Beer gardens open as soon as the weather turns fine. Some allow you to bring your own picnic: check each garden's rules.
Summer festivals and events
Here are the best-known events, with the dates of the 2026 edition:
| Event | When | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival of Cultures (Karneval der Kulturen) | Whitsun weekend: 22 to 25 May 2026, parade on 24 May | Parade and street festival in Kreuzberg, for its 30th anniversary in 2026 |
| Fête de la Musique | 21 June | Free concerts all over the city |
| CSD Berlin | 25 July 2026 | Berlin's big Pride march |
The exact dates of the 2027 edition are announced on the organisers' websites. Our guide to festivals and major events in Berlin gives the calendar for the whole year.
A summer in Berlin: practical tips
- The heat. When it is hot, schedule museums and air-conditioned places for the hottest hours, and parks for the morning and the end of the day.
- Tickets. Our guide to getting around Berlin explains the zones; for the lakes, check the zone you are arriving in.
- Swimming. Lidos have their own hours and prices; the free lakeshores cost nothing but are unsupervised.
- Evenings. Night falls late in June and July: make the most of it with dinner on a terrace or an open-air concert. For going out after sunset, read our guide to Berlin at night.
- Mosquitoes can be a nuisance near the water in the evening: bring repellent.
Going further
If the heat is too much, or in case of a storm, our guide to what to do in Berlin when it rains has ideas under cover. For a family trip, see Berlin with children. Month by month: what to do in Berlin in June, July and August.
