River Spree, Wannsee and Havel Lakes, Berlin

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As I said in my introduction, Berliners love to socialise and to party, and have created some cool places to do just that on the banks of the river Spree. After all, why let a little detail like being located many miles from the sea prevent you from enjoying a drink on the beach? So here and there you will find beach bars, and we visited what is reputed to be one of the best, Strandgut Berlin, by the East Side Gallery. In fact, we came twice – on our first afternoon after spending some time checking out the art work on the Wall here, and on our last, when the weather had improved and the hot sunshine tempted us back for a cold beer, and to see what we hoped to be (and was) a much livelier scene.

As well as being a lively bar, this is something of a surreal scene, and worth visiting even if you don’t especially want to drink here. A raised deck on one side leads to a good expanse of sand, dotted with deck chairs and comfortable sun beds and couches. But unlike any other beach you will have seen, the backdrop for this is a stretch of the once oppressive, now historic Berlin Wall. Do check it out – and make time to relax and unwind in the company of locals and other visitors all making the most of this short stretch of what was once No Man’s Land and is now a haven in the city.

My pages are rarely filled with tips on experiences that are designed only for the pleasure of tourists. So it may come as something of a surprise to find a recommendation for Berlin’s equivalent of the Bateaux Mouches in Paris or the gondolas of Venice. So brace yourself… here you have it…an absolute MUST…

Take a boat trip in Berlin

Yes, I know… it’s pricey… it’s for tourists… Trust me on this one – it’s no tourist trap.

Berlin is a place of rich history, many facets and a wall as impenetrable as the one that divided the city for so long, that hinders the visitor from discovering the essence of this gem of a destination. Visit by boat and you’ll be treated to the entire history of the city, ancient and modern, in the space of an afternoon. Passing through many locks, sailing on river and canal you will slowly and gently discover the rich pickings that are to be found for the visitor to this wonderful city.

A good trip covering all you could possibly want takes around 3 - 4 hours and sails on both the river Spree and the Landwehr Canal.

In the tips that follow I give you a glimpse of the delights in store.

The Spree River meanders through the heart of Berlin, cutting through a cluster of historic and significant buildings.

There are several companies to choose from, and I can't remember which one I used (I apologize!--it was near the Berliner Dom and Palast der Republik). Most operate from individual platforms near bridges, and you can't miss their large boats!

It is an enjoyable journey!

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Habíamos oido hablar del río y de sus canales por sus paeos , las terrazas , los baños ... pero en la época que fuimos sólo había nieve , hielo y mucho frío así que nos tocó verlo y pasearlo de una forma diferente , pero que será inolvidable para nosotros pues estaba realmente bonito


We had heard of the river and its channels for their promenades , terraces, swiming ... but by the time we were only there was snow, ice and very cold so we had to see the river and walk very differently , but that will remain unforgettable for us as it was really nice

We took two boat tours, one on the Spree passing all the government buildings and the other one on the Landwehr canal. I liked the second one much better. I would recommend the Spree tour for a first visit to Berlin, when you want to get a first impression quickly. This tour took about one hour.

The tour on the canal was longer and much more interesting. It took us into the greener parts of Berlin, and we also went through the zoo. During my visits in Berlin before I had been in the zoo, but this was the first time I passed through it in a boat. Don't get me wrong, we didn't see too many animals from the boat, just a few.

Berlin is said to have more bridges than Venice, we certainly went underneath quite a lot, including the beautiful Obertorbrücke. Some of those bridges were so low that we were warned not to get up, not even when "a spider would fall down on our head", as the tour guide warned us. I was seriously considering opening my umbrella, just in case.

The river running through Berlin is called the Spree (pronounced shpray). It is a central feature of the city and it runs alonside the Tiergarten, museum island and the reichstag.
To the south east of Berlin lies the Spreewald a beautiful biosphere with many canals and streams.

A somewhat weird 30 meter high sculpture in the Spree River, created by the sculptor Jonathan Borofsky. Borofsky writes of the sculpture, "For me, this hundred-foot tall aluminum sculpture composed of three figures meeting in the center, not only refers to the lightness inside our own solid bodies, but also the figures joining in the center, refer to the molecules of all human beings coming together to create our existence." (www.borofsky.com)

A must, we took the bridges tour and it is unbelievable how many brides there are over the River Spree! The tour was a bit too long, but you can get off at any station should you so wish. Very much like thehop-on busses.