Berlin Things to Do

If you’re looking for a day-trip from Berlin, Potsdam is a no-brainer: by train the journey takes less than half an hour from Berlin’s main station and costs just three euros. An almost absurd profusion of grandiose buildings and stunning landscaped gardens drenched in history await you. But after you’ve done the obvious highlights of Frederick the Great’s Sanssouci palace and the enormous Neues Palais, why not hire a bicycle and take a two-wheeled tour of some far-flung hidden gems in and around Potsdam?

Each year, just at that point when Berliners are wondering whether it’s safe to put the winter coats back in storage, two music festivals come along to remind them that spring is definitely on it’s way to Berlin. Maerzmusik Maerzmusik, which runs from March 17 to 25, is dedicated to the kind of modern works [...]

About halfway along its eventful journey from the Czech border to Berlin, the River Spree suffers a multiple personality disorder, breaking down into innumerable canals and tributaries to form unique wetlands called the Spreewald.

Situated in the state of Brandenburg, this UNESCO biosphere reserve is one of the most stunning natural wonders of Germany. It’s also less than an hour’s train ride from Berlin, making it a hugely popular day trip center in the warmer months. Dozens of long wooden punts glide through the canals past lush green forest and Brothers Grimm cottages, their passengers happily munching on gherkins, the local specialty.