Water

On the shore of the Großer Zernsee in Werder, the Havel-Therme welcomes its guests with Moorish-Andalusian architecture and palm trees. The brine and spring pools range from 34 to 40 degrees, and at the pool bar, guests sit on underwater stools in the warm water. Additionally, there are 13 saunas and steam baths, and a 160-meter-long pier leading out to the lake for cooling down.

The StandUpClub Berlin SUP rental is located on the grounds of Funkhaus Berlin in Oberschöneweide, where the East German Broadcasting used to have its studios. From the pier, you can paddle along the Spree past Plänterwald towards Treptower Park, Molecule Man, and Oberbaumbrücke. In addition to rentals for ages 16 and up, there are beginner courses, guided city tours, and SUP yoga on the board.

In the historic harbor at Märkisches Ufer in Mitte, a converted GDR cargo barge invites guests to a sharing dinner on the water with Asian tapas from bamboo steamers and cocktails named after Berlin bridges.

The paddling pool in Volkspark Friedrichshain is located in Berlin's oldest public park, laid out between 1846 and 1848. The facility includes a paddling area, an artificial stream, and a water pump where children can fill buckets. After water damage to the electrical system, the district office had the paddling pool's electronics renovated.

About 80 kilometers from Berlin, in the spa park of Bad Belzig, there is a facility whose spring brine, with around 20 percent salt content, approaches that of the Dead Sea. Six pools are spread over more than 750 square meters of water surface, plus seven saunas with hourly infusions, and the LichtKlangRaum, a brine pool with sound and light effects underwater.

Kallinchen Lido at Motzener Lake is the most affordable swimming lake on this list: adults pay 4 Euros, children 2 Euros. For that, you get a 100-meter swimming beach, a swimming island, a water slide, mini-golf, beach soccer, and a designated naturist area. Motzener Lake is 16.6 meters deep, and motorboats are strictly forbidden there.

Located on the Havel island of Hermannswerder in the south of Potsdam, this owner-managed 4-star hotel is situated directly on Templiner See, far enough from the hustle and bustle of the city of palaces, yet close enough to reach it in seven minutes by car. Lake sauna, lake restaurant, and lake view: here, the water is not just a backdrop, but the main attraction.

The Kleiner Müggelsee (Little Müggelsee) near Neu Helgoland is the quiet alternative to the large Müggelsee: 10.3 hectares, natural shoreline in the Müggelspree landscape protection area and an official bathing area with excellent water quality. Accessible by the BVG ferry F23, free of charge, with a water rescue station and a bathing area protected from boat traffic.

The cable car at Wasserskipark Zossen is 540 meters long, runs over five masts, and pulls riders with seven carriers over the water, including obstacles and kickers. Beginners start on the 150-meter-long practice lift, where only one person starts at a time. Vest, twin skis, and kneeboard are included in the ticket; the adult day pass costs 58 Euros.

Deep in the green, directly on the Lower Havel in Charlottenburg, lies Berlin's arguably oldest restaurant ship: the Alte Liebe. For over a century, this floating piece of Berlin history has defied the city noise and served hearty maritime cuisine with a view of the water.

On the Rummelsburger Bucht in Lichtenberg, right on the Spree riverbank, Hafenküche combines seasonal cuisine with real water views - from breakfast and lunch to dinner.

The heritage-protected warehouse at Osthafen dates back to 1913, and the Golf Lounge's terrace is right on the Spree with a view of the Oberbaumbrücke. Up to 150 guests celebrate here, catered by the in-house kitchen. As a romantic wedding venue in Berlin-Friedrichshain, the building offers a unique activity: hitting golf balls into the illuminated Spree.

The paddling pool at Forckenbeckplatz in Friedrichshain is part of the established adventure playground Forcki - this combination of water play area and construction playground is unique in Berlin. The site includes a large paddling fountain, another water feature, a zip line, a treehouse, a climbing wall, and a large sandbox.

Sicilian hospitality on the Havel bank: The harbor restaurant Da Peppe in Spandau-Wilhelmstadt is located directly at the Scharfe Lanke marina and serves Italian cuisine with beach chairs, loungers, and water views.

The SSE in Prenzlauer Berg is Berlin's most impressive indoor swimming pool for fitness and sports: Europe's largest indoor pool with a 50-meter basin, ten lanes, and a 10-meter diving tower, attracting both recreational swimmers and competitive athletes.

Strandbad Wendenschloss is nestled in a forest on Lake Langer See and is the only swimming lake on this list where the evening rate costs nothing at all. A jetty with a diving tower, beach chairs, boules, beach volleyball, and boat and SUP rental are available, and the lido is barrier-free. A day ticket costs 7 euros, reduced 4.50 euros.

Starting November 11th, Ciao Wannsee will feature the goose leg menu, served with red cabbage, dumplings, and a drink. The fact that the goose comes from an Italian kitchen here is initially surprising. It is enjoyed with a fantastic view of the water, as the terrace and garden extend to the shore.

Directly on Lake Großer Döllnsee in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve near Templin: The four-star Hotel Döllnsee-Schorfheide offers lake holidays in Brandenburg with its own bathing jetty, bathhouse, and plenty of surrounding forest, just an hour's drive north of Berlin.

Plänterwald is a forest on the banks of the river Spree in Berlin-Treptow and home to the former amusement park Spreepark.

Bad Saarow is a mud spa and recognised health resort in the south of Berlin, directly on Lake Scharmützelsee, which offers a wide range of recreational opportunities.

Fangrot Boat Rental is located on Tegeler See in Marina Prinzenhof and has been family-owned since 1964. Its saloon yacht Heidelberg was built in Köpenick in 1924 and has been electrically powered since its renovation in 2021, making it almost silent. As a wedding venue in Berlin, it is one of the few places where 'I do' can be said on the water.

The play fountain at Stuttgarter Platz sprays water from ten circularly arranged steel nozzles onto a paved area, in the middle of a large sand field. The spray is fine, the water pressure is deliberately low, making the facility suitable even for toddlers. The playground and fountain date back to a citizens' initiative from the 1970s.

In the north of Brandenburg lies a facility with 1,055 square meters of bathing landscape, where brine rises from a depth of 1,650 meters at 57.7 degrees Celsius and 15 percent salt content. This includes a 110-square-meter wave pool, a grotto passage with six percent brine, two slides of 98 and 102 meters, and eight saunas in an 1,800-square-meter sauna garden.

Plötzensee Lido is Berlin's central bathing lake: a sandy beach in the middle of Wedding, right next to Volkspark Rehberge, with a long wooden pier, water slide, climbing frame, and rentable beach chairs. The entrance building from 1926 is a listed monument; people have been swimming in the lake since 1891. A designated FKK (nudist) area is available.

At the Nixe Marina on Königstraße, a hydrofoil lifts the electric surfboard out of the Großer Wannsee, allowing you to fly over the water without wind or waves. Training is conducted on premium boards with jet propulsion; the beginner's course lasts 120 minutes and costs 249 Euros. For water sports in Berlin, this is the most unusual way to get on the water.