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Summer in Berlin Summer in Berlin means more summer! Berlin, June 2017 Summer in Berlin is always special. Because Berlin has a lot of summer to offer every year. With the first warm days, the capital kicks off its festival summer, classical summer, theatre summer, culinary summer, and summer at the lakes. Berlin is celebrating summer in the green with an extra highlight as it hosts the IGA International Garden Exhibition for the first time this year. In short, Berlin has the perfect summer for everyone, whether dancing in the streets at festivals, picnicking in the city's parks and gardens, strolls along the water's edge on the Spree or any of the city's dozens of lakes, taking in a bit of culture on outdoor stages, indulging in culinary treats and street food fare, or partying through the night in the city's beach bars and clubs. The main thing for everyone is heading outside to enjoy summer in Berlin. sommer.visitBerlin.de

Berlin's Summer of Festivals With the first rays of sunshine, Berlin literally dances its way into a summer season full of celebration. Every year, on the 1st of May, the Myfest takes place in Berlin's Kreuzberg district, followed by the annual Carnival of Cultures over Pentecost/Whitsun weekend (2017: 2–5 June) that brings in more than a million people to the city. The carnival parade on Sunday is a true celebration of Berlin's cultural diversity with spectacular costumes and rhythmic dances worn by people representing more than 80 nations around the world. All served up with plenty of tasty treats and music from around the world tempt you. The musical, culinary, and international flair continues for an entire month for the German-French Volksfest (16 June to 16 July). In mid July thousands of LGBTQ people will conquer the streets of Berlin on Christopher Street Day (22 July) to demonstrate for equal rights and against discrimination. www.myfest36.de, www.karneval- berlin.de, www.volksfest-berlin.de, csd-berlin.de

Summer in the Neighbourhood Berlin is a city of distinct neighbourhoods and they are a source of pride. In summer, people head outside to grill, play music, and party at events like the Torstraßen Festival in Prenzlauer Berg (8– 11 June) and the legendary Kreuzberg Jazz Festival on Bergmannstraße (30 June to 2 July). Neukölln, meanwhile, looks forward to summer's end when they can celebrate Popráci, the traditional Rixdorf Straw Bale Rolling Contest. For the 184th time, the bales weighing almost 200 kg will be rolled around Richardplatz (9 September). www.torstrassenfestival.de, www.kiez-und- kultur.de/bergmannstrassenfest, www.popraci.de

A Summer of Music Sounds fill the days and nights of Berlin's summer. Whether pop, classic, or rock - numerous open- air concerts and music events throughout the whole city fill the streets with sounds and rhythm.

Rock & Pop: The Fête de la Musique kicks things off with choirs, bands, and soloists performing all over the city (21 June). A month later, Rock im Grünen will take the stage at Biesdorf Park (21–22 July). East Side Music Days (2–3 September) invite musicians to sing and play along the streets between East Side Park and the Oberbaumbrücke. By Pop-Kultur 2017 (23–25 August), no one can escape music fever as the music industry gathers for discussions, concerts, performances, and talk. Lollapalooza signals the end of summer as rock bands from around the world take the stage visitBerlin / Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH Press Office Press Office [email protected] Am Karlsbad 11 Tel. +49 (0) 30 26 47 48 – 912 10785 Berlin, Germany Fax: +49 (0) 30 26 47 48-968 visitBerlin.de press.visitBerlin.de facebook.com/Berlin blog.visitBerlin.de facebook.com/visitBerlin twitter.com/visitBerlin I Research Text at Rennbahn Hoppegarten (9–10 September). www.fetedelamusique.de/berlin, www.rockimgruenen.de, eastsidemusicdays.com, www.pop-kultur.berlin/, www.lollapaloozade.com/festival/

Classical: The summer of classical music kicks off on 1 July as the Berliner Philharmoniker perform outdoors at the Waldbühne. A fortnight later, performers from all over the world will turn the Gendarmenmarkt square in central Berlin into a massive stage (14–16 July). The Feuerblumen und Klassik Open Air at Britzer Garten is another highlight of the summer season (2 September). Tip: From 24 June to 26 August, the former Cistercian abbey at Chorin hosts a number of high-calibre concerts throughout the summer. www.classicopenair.de, www.gruen- berlin.de/nachricht/feuerblumen-und-klassik-open-air-2017, www.waldbuehne-berlin.de, www.choriner-musiksommer.de

Extraordinary: Whether in the middle of the forest, on water, or even vegan, Berlin offers some unusual stages for music performance. These include concerts at the Waldbühne, the Olympic Stadium, and the Wuhlheide, as well as other open-air highlights in 2017 such as the Citadel Music Festival from 1 June to 29 August. Jazz am Hafen brings the music to the harbour from June 30 to July 2 and Berlin Beats & Boats sets sail on 8 July. Kunsthaus Urban Spree in Berlin Friedrichshain district will be holding Germany's very first vegan music festival on 23 June. Food and music are also centre stage at the Foodsharing Festival being held 18–20 August at Malzfabrik. The food will be prepared using salvaged food. www.waldbuehne-berlin.de, www.olympiastadion.berlin, www.wuhlheide.de, citadel-music-festival.de., www.partner-fuer- spandau.de/Jazz-am-Hafen_1060_0.html, www.berlin-beats-boats.de, www.urbanspree.de, www.malzfabrik.de

The Art of Enjoying Summer and a Summer of Enjoying Art ... something that Berlin does very well with quite a lot of art programming outside this summer. Check out the 15th Open Air Gallery on the Oberbaumbrücke between Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg being held 4 June and 3 September this year. This outdoor art show has become quite a platform for creativity from all over the world. People interested in relatively recent history will be drawn to the open-air exhibition "Revolution and the Fall of the Wall", on display in the inner courtyard of the former Stasi headquarters since 2016. A different kind of life in the shadows is this year's theme at the "48 Hours Neukölln" summer art festival (23–25 June). Visitors will be invited to consider the shadow sides of our society. The Berlin Circus Festival brings together acts large and small from 25 August to 3 September at Tempelhofer Feld. www.openairgallery.de. revolution89.de, www.48-stunden-neukoelln.de, www.berlin-circus-festival.de

Another great tip for art lovers are the city's art and flea markets on Straße des 17. Juni, Museum Island, and Fehrbelliner Platz. They feature contemporary pieces and antique treasures. The fabric market at Maybachufer, meanwhile, is a must for fashion artists and decorators. Every Saturday it has everything for sewing and also something to snack on. Every second Sunday this location also offers a cheerful summer atmosphere with knickknacks, art, and music at the nowkoelln flea market. www.berlinertroedelmarkt.com, www.kunstmarkt-berlin.com, www.fehrbi.info, www.neukoellner-stoff.de, www.nowkoelln.de

visitBerlin / Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH Press Office Press Office [email protected] Am Karlsbad 11 Tel. +49 (0) 30 26 47 48 – 912 10785 Berlin, Germany Fax: +49 (0) 30 26 47 48-968 visitBerlin.de press.visitBerlin.de facebook.com/Berlin blog.visitBerlin.de facebook.com/visitBerlin twitter.com/visitBerlin I Research Text

Berlin's open air cinemas provide for plenty of outdoor entertainment nights from May to September. A new kind of silent movies: at Hofkino Berlin in Friedrichshain or the WBB Kinogarten in Pankow, guests listen to the films using headphones. The skies over Berlin will become a stage themselves on 1 and 2 September as the Pyronale lights up the night sky over the Maifeld at the Olympic Stadium with fireworks. www.freiluftkino-berlin.de, www.hofkino.de, www.wwb- pankow.de, www.pyronale.de

Summer in the Garden Berlin is known as the greenest metropolis in Europe, with nearly 32% of the city's total area consisting of green spaces, forest, and waterways. It's no wonder, therefore, that Berliners and visitors like to celebrate summer picnicking on a meadow or strolling through the green outdoors. At Gardens of the World in Berlin's Marzahn-Hellersdorf district, the IGA (13 April – 15 October) will be drawing people from Berlin and all over the world. This is the first time this international garden exhibition is being held in the German capital. More than 5,000 events and a festival of the finest horticulture will take place on the park's 104 hectares. A cable car has been set up to take visitors up the Kienberg in the surrounding Wuhletal. A mountain by Berlin standards, this hill rises a majestic 102 metres with views reaching to central Berlin. Highlight: you can ride 500 metres downhill on Berlin's first natural bobsleigh run. www.iga-berlin-2017.de

The Japanese, Italian, and Balinese style gardens as well as a magnificent tea house in Europe's largest Chinese garden welcome visitors to the Gardens of the World year-round. In April 2017, the English garden was the tenth theme garden to open at the site, just in time for the start of the IGA. www.gruen-berlin.de/gaerten-der-welt

The Britzer Garten, which hosted the National Horticultural Show in 1985, is also an ideal place for day spent enjoying outstanding horticulture, rose gardens, and annual flower shows. Named in 2002 as one of the most beautiful gardens in Germany, this park also offers a creative play area for children, and exhibitions on flora and fauna. gruen-berlin.de/britzer-garten

Another very special place in Berlin is Tempelhof, the 380 hectare former airport which has become the second largest inner-city green space in Germany. You can spend an entire day here in what seems an endless green expanse. Barbecuing is permitted in designated areas and there is plenty of space for skateboarders, inline skaters, and kitesurfers to have their turn on the former runways until sunset. www.thf-berlin.de

Berlin's "green lung" or "Central Park" is the Tiergarten, directly west of the Brandenburg Gate. After a picnic in the park, visitors might want to check out the Zoologischer Garten, the oldest zoo in Germany which also has the most different species of any of the world's zoos. Zoo fans are already looking forward to a pair of young pandas who will be arriving in June 2017. They will be the only pandas in Germany. In eastern Berlin, Tierpark Friedrichsfelde, the city's second zoo, covers 160 hectares, making it the largest landscaped zoo in Europe. www.zoo-berlin.de/de, www.tierpark-berlin.de/de

Berlin is home to many local species in rear courtyards that have been allowed to go wild, green rooftops, and urban nature preserves, as can be discovered during the "Langer Tag der STADTNatur", 500 events at more than 150 venues on 17–18 June. Guided tours are also offered visitBerlin / Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH Press Office Press Office [email protected] Am Karlsbad 11 Tel. +49 (0) 30 26 47 48 – 912 10785 Berlin, Germany Fax: +49 (0) 30 26 47 48-968 visitBerlin.de press.visitBerlin.de facebook.com/Berlin blog.visitBerlin.de facebook.com/visitBerlin twitter.com/visitBerlin I Research Text evenings at Tempelhof to help visitors catch sight of rare birds. 2017.langertagderstadtnatur.de, www.gruen-berlin.de/veranstaltung/voegel-am-abend

Tourists, skaters, cyclists, and locals have discovered that the Park am Gleisdreieck is a perfect spot for a break near Potsdamer Platz. What was once a wasteland caught between the U1, U2 and ICE tracks has become one of the inner city's most important parks. gruen- berlin.de/gleisdreieck

As the royal capital of Prussia and the German Empire, Berlin and Potsdam is home to dozens of palaces and palace gardens. The ensemble is considered so important that it has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One annual highlight is Potsdam Palace Night when the royal summer parties of yore take over the city's palaces and gardens with music and fireworks (19 August). Through October, Babelsberg Palace is featuring an exhibition on the magnificent horticultural art of Prince Hermann Ludwig Heinrich von Pückler-Muskau who designed the palace gardens for the future Kaiser Wilhelm I and his wife Augusta. www.spsg.de, www.potsdamerschloessernacht.de

Things will be both sweet and spicy in the Botanical Garden at this year's special exhibition "Chili & Chocolate: The Taste of Mexico", offering visitors a feast for all of their senses. www.bgbm.de

Summer on the Water Whether on a historic boat on the River Spree, taking a dip in the Wannsee, or having a picnic alongside the Landwehr Canal, summer in Berlin almost always involves water. With more than 80 km of waterways and numerous lakes offering the best swimming for miles around, there's plenty of fun in and on the water to be had in Berlin. Want to know where the closest swimming hole is? Use our Berlin Swimming Map. General tours of the city, tours of the city's bridges, and different themed tours are offered by boating companies large and small. blog.visitberlin.de/de/4908-die- berlin-bade-karte.html, www.visitberlin.de/de/sehen/stadttouren/dampferfahrten

And if you'd like to walk on water, how about stand-up paddleboarding on the Spree and other Berlin waterways? Can you imagine enjoying the sights of the city from your a paddleboard? Why not? www.standupclub.de, www.steh-paddler.com

For those who prefer paddling, there are lots of places to rent canoes in Berlin. You can then go on a relaxed exploration of central Berlin or the surrounding countryside either on your own or on a guided tour in a 2-person kayak. Tip: Kanuliebe offers lovers the chance to paddle around the romantic Isle of Youth in some of the most beautiful boats in the city. www.derkanutourist.de, www.kanuliebe.de

Hauptstadtfloß also offer tours and other special experiences on the water. The boats take a leisurely pace during their three-hour tour through central Berlin. The tour includes small snacks and beautiful views of Berlin from the water. And, if you'd like to combine a boat tour with a barbecue picnic, you can rent boats with real charcoal grills at Treptower Park, the Müggelsee, and at Promenadenhafen Kladow. www.hauptstadtfloss.de

The fleet parade in the Historic Harbour at the start of every summer season is another favourite event on the water. Upon their return, the lovingly preserved veteran vessels set anchor in the harbour at the Fischerinsel in Berlin's Mitte district. These include an historic tugboat, a passenger ship from 1906, and a steam-powered icebreaker that's more than a hundred years old. The vintage boats can also be admired from on board during the Harbour Festival from 15–16 July. www.historischer-hafen-berlin.de

When the weather turns hot, locals and tourists flock to the outdoor swimming pools and lakes in and around Berlin. Among the most famous and largest lakes in Berlin are the Wannsee and the Müggelsee. One of the deepest, yet smallest lakes is the Weißensee in the district of the same name. www.berlinerbaeder.de, www.berlinerbaeder.de/baeder/strandbad-wannsee, www.am- mueggelsee.de

Tip: The "By the Lake Festival" on 13 August turns the Weißensee into a stage and dance floor. Another highlight is "Wannsee in Flammen", a fireworks show on 15 and 16 September. www.bythelake.co, www.wannseeinflammen.de

And, perfect for sharing with friends on social media, Berlin has more than its share of great shots from the water: www.visitberlin.de/de/artikel/12-tipps-fuer-berliner-fotospots-am-wasser.

Keeping your cool: where Berlin gathers in summer No matter how hot this summer will get, Berlin remains cool. This is helped by all of the typical summer spots across the city that are perfect for relaxing, playing, dining, and dancing in the open air.

Lazy days on the river: One of the newest summer oases in Berlin's creative scene is Holzmarkt25 on the banks of the River Spree. Having opened 1 May 2017 at the former site of legendary Bar 25, the Pampa beach bar tempts guests with pizza and beer for relaxing weekends on the waterfront. The indoor space will soon host exhibitions and events. The spot is also home to Restaurant Fame with Katerschmaus, the Kater Blau club, and even a child care centre. There's also a wine shop, a bakery, space for artists, and a co-working space on site, as well as a communal garden. www.holzmarkt.com

Another fine riverside beach is the Rummelsburg in Berlin's Lichtenberg district with white sand, palm trees, pool, dance music, and probably the city's best pizza from Casa di Legno. Reggae sounds and exotic dishes, meanwhile, tempt guests at Yaam near the Schillingbrücke between Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg: the perfect spot to let your soul run free while dancing bare-footed in the sand. www.yaam.de/club-bar, www.rummelsburg-berlin.de

The right address for a cool evening on the Spree is the Badeschiff at Arena Berlin, a pool on a barge floating in the river, complete with sandy beach and outdoor bar: the perfect spot to swim and chill in Kreuzberg. Not far away, the party continues as you dance away the hours till sunrise at Club der Visionäre. Located right on the water, you can feel the beats of summer pulsating through the old wooden planks. Right next door, IPSE invites you to dance on the water's edge. www.arena.berlin/veranstaltungsort/badeschiff, www.clubdervisionaere.com, www.ipse- berlin.de visitBerlin / Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH Press Office Press Office [email protected] Am Karlsbad 11 Tel. +49 (0) 30 26 47 48 – 912 10785 Berlin, Germany Fax: +49 (0) 30 26 47 48-968 visitBerlin.de press.visitBerlin.de facebook.com/Berlin blog.visitBerlin.de facebook.com/visitBerlin twitter.com/visitBerlin I Research Text

Equally popular, but quite different is the Sage Club, which offers a restaurant, a beach bar, and a chill-out area on the banks of the Spree. Spindler & Klatt is a combination of restaurant, bar, lounge and club in Kreuzberg that also has a massive pontoon for dancing on the river. www.sage-restaurant.de/cms/beach, spindlerklatt.com/location

Sipping cocktails against the backdrop of Berlin's famous Museum Island: it doesn't get much better than this. Strandbar-Mitte opened more than ten years ago directly on the banks of the River Spree as one of the first beach bars in Germany. This idyllic location is the perfect spot to relax in a beach chair, even if the sand has since been replaced with gravel. The Ku'Damm Beach is one of the finer beach bars in the city, with elegant lounge furniture on floating pontoons and magnificent views of the Halensee. www.strandbar-mitte.de, kudamm-beach.de/de/grand-cafe

For a change of pace, how about some outdoor table tennis at the Humboldthain Club in Berlin's Wedding district. There are plenty of cool drinks and even cooler music for dancing the night away. Birgit & Bier also offers the chance for a few rounds of ping pong. And, in between, there's plenty of dancing here among the old carnival shacks, carousels, and scooter cars. Right next door, Kreuzberger Chalet has the beats right on the pond for the party atmosphere at the outdoor bar in the rear courtyard. www.humboldthain.com, www.birgit.berlin, www.chalet-berlin.de

The Berghain Panoramabar still counts as one of the most renowned nightspots in the city. In the summer months, the garden at the Bierhof next door is open every Sunday from 12 noon, complete with bar and DJ music. www.bierhof.berlin

Another fine spot to enjoy summer is the outdoor pool and colourful festivals at the old Malzfabrik. www.malzfabrik.de

High above it all: the Klunkerkranich offers views of the TV Tower, DJ music filling the air, and a refreshing cocktail in your hand. A unique garden oasis has been created on the roof of a parking garage and has become a must for a summer's evening in Neukölln. The drinks are flowing and people are chilling in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. In addition to cool drinks, the Haubentaucher also offers guests a refreshing dip in the pool and an urban sundeck. www.klunkerkranich.de, www.haubentaucher.berlin

At what is probably the highest beach bar in the city, Deck5 offers huge amounts of sand covering the the 400 m² car park. www.freiluftrebellen.de

Spectacular sunsets overlooking City West are guaranteed on the rooftop terraces at Restaurant Neni in the 25hours hotel Bikini Berlin and the newly opened One Lounge at Motel One Upper West. www.neniberlin.de, www.motel-one.com/de/entdecken/one-lounge

Guests enjoy the best views while partying at House of Weekend on Berlin's Alexanderplatz. The Roof Garden has space for over 300 guests to dance the night away under the stars. www.houseofweekend.berlin/roof-garden

Tip: Find the best club for you to enjoy chilling summer's nights at www.clubmatcher.de.

The Taste of Summer in Berlin Summer in Berlin literally melts on the tongue: with creamy-sweet ice creams from small shops, a tasty lakeside snack, whiling away the hours in a neighbourhood café, or enjoying a pint in a beer garden.

Street food: Among the most summery open-air dining experiences Berlin's Bite Club is a must. On two Fridays a month, the best international food stalls of the city open their mobile kitchens on board the old Hoppetosse, a steamboat moored on the Spree, complete with DJs and drinks. The Kulturbrauerei in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district offers a weekly Sunday market with lots of food trucks and pop-up stands offering regional foods. www.biteclub.de, www.streetfoodaufachse.de

Street food is taking over RAW in Friedrichshain this summer with the arrival of Kwahn. The Thai BBQ will spoil guests from Thursday to Sunday with oysters, lamb, and pork ribs straight off its grill. Regular food events also take place at Birgit & Bier in Kreuzberg, such as the first-ever Berlin Sushi Festival on 3 June or the Berlin Kebab Festival on 13 August. Even in bad weather, in the summer Berlin's street food takes you on a culinary trip around the world at Street Food Thursday in Markthalle Neun. https://www.facebook.com/pg/khwanberlin, www.birgit.berlin, markthalleneun.de

Ice-cold: What would summer in Berlin be without ice cream? Nowhere is there so much refreshment on the tongue as in the city's cafés and ice cream parlours. There is seemingly no limit to the creativity: small ice cream shops such as Fräulein Frost, Eismanufaktur Berlin, Vanille & Marille, and Rosa Canina come up with such unusual flavours as cucumber, basil, and parmesan ice cream. The fastest ice cream in the world is available at Woop Woop Ice Cream in Prenzlauer Berg. Right before your eyes, the ingredient you select are turned into ice cream in just 30 seconds. All thanks to liquid nitrogen at –169°C! www.facebook.com/pages/Fraulein- Frost/116043595096061, www.eismanufaktur-berlin.de, www.vanille-marille.de, www.rosacanina.eu, www.woopwoopicecream.de

More ice cream tips are available here: www.visitberlin.de/de/erleben/essen-trinken/cafes

Fresh from the market: The best ingredients for fresh summer recipes can be found at Berlin's weekly markets. Enjoy a Mediterranean atmosphere every Tuesday and Friday at the Turkish market on the Maybachufer in Berlin's Kreuzberg district. Fresh organic products and goods from the region are featured at such places as the organic market on Kollwitzplatz and the Dicke Linda country market in Neukölln. Green Market Berlin, Berlin's first vegan lifestyle market, is open in Oberschöneweide on 24–25 June and 16–17 September this year, offering street food, fashion, and handmade goods, as well as music, cooking shows, and lectures. www.tuerkenmarkt.de, www.facebook.com/Ökomarkt-am-Kollwitzplatz-203915213066250/, www.dicke-linda-markt.de, www.greenmarketberln.com

Romantic: Dining on board restaurant boats like Alte Liebe, Van Loon in the Urbanhafen, Patio, or the Deckhaus at Märkisches Ufer is a particularly romantic way to watch the sun set over the water. www.alte-liebe-berlin.de, www.vanloon.de, www.patio-berlin.de, www.deckhaus.de

Frisch gezapft: A veritable institution for summer is the Pratergarten in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district. Not far away the Mauersegler offers refreshing drinks in a relaxed beer garden atmosphere in the shadow of the former border between East and West Berlin. In June, just a little further to the south-west at Nordbahnhof, Castle Pub opened its new craft beer bar and beer gardens with 21 beers on tap. www.pratergarten.de, www.mauersegler-berlin.de, www.castlepub.de

In Kreuzberg, the Brachvogel offers beer plus mini golf and Golgatha has been inviting guests to while away the hours in picturesque Viktoriapark for over 30 years. The popular BRLO Brwhouse opens its beer garden in Kreuzberg daily from 2 pm. www.brachvogel-berlin.de/bv/, www.golgatha-berlin.de, www.brlo-brwhouse.de

In the middle of the Tiergarten, the Schleusenkrug and the Café am Neuen See offer refreshment near the water. www.cafeamneuensee.de, www.schleusenkrug.de

Tip: Berlin Beer Week (21–30 July) and the Berlin Beer Festival (4–6 August) are perfect opportunities to test craft beers from all over the world. www.bierfestival-Berlin.de, www.berlinbeerweek.de

More information can be found at sommer.visitBerlin.de. (23,967 characters)