Berlin is one of the best cities to visit in Europe, due to its history, incredible architecture, insane nightlife and diversity. There are a lot of things you can do on a daily basis, but there are also many free choices.
Berlin has a relaxed vibe that lets you unwind and enjoy the city on your own pace. Whether you choose to spend your day in a park or go to a festival, you will most certainly have a great time.
Museum Island
One of the most beautiful places to visit in Berlin is by far the Museum island. The architecture and the grand buildings will catch you by surprise and will definitely impress you. If you wish, you can also visit the museums. They are usually not free of charge or during special exhibitions and events, but they are all free every Thursday from 18:00 to 22:00.
Free Your Stuff Berlin
A Facebook page, which you can enter after being accepted. You have no idea what you can find in there for free. From new and modern furniture to antiques and electric devices. And Yes!!! All Free! Just nice people giving them away!! But be quick. Once an item is published, it is usually gone within seconds.
Flea market bargains
All of them are open during the weekend and the good thing is you might be lucky enough and find hidden treasures. Right now, there are 8 flea markets all over Berlin, each one with different sorts of items, waiting for you. Some of the most popular flea markets are the ones located in Boxhagener Platz, Bode Museum and Mauerpark.
Help The Homeless
It is a great way to help the less fortunate and meet some really good and kind people. Visit the Homeless Veggie Dinner on Facebook and join these wonderful people that gather once every month and cook for the homeless.
Admire the view from the top of Reichstag
Touring Reichstag is completely free, but you have to wait in line to book the time and day you want to visit. Online you can only book a tour for the German Parliament. In order to visit the glass dome, you have to go outside Reichstag and book tickets in the designated booth. You might wait for 1,5 hours in line, but you will be rewarded with the view.
There are audio tours also for free in many languages. As you move around Reichstag, the audio automatically detects in which part of the dome you are standing and gives you the history of the buildings in front of you.
Meetup for all
Meetup is a very popular website in Berlin, which offers seminars, conferences or simply meetups on all industries. From IT to business, as well as meetings to only meet people and network or even practice your German language skills with others. Most of the events are free, with some of them requiring a small fee or a donation.
Visit the Charlottenburg Palace
Even though you have to pay to enter the Palace, the gardens around are free. You have access to every part of the outside area and is truly worth it.
The beautiful gardens surrounded by a lake, make it a very special place to visit, especially during spring and summer.
Learn German
Yes, learn German for free. And it is getting better. Do so while having a drink and relaxing. How? By joining the events of Deutch für Dich. Visit their facebook website to find the timetable (levels, times and places) and just go have a drink and learn some German.
Explore Tiergarten
It can take you up to 4 hours to explore Tiergarten. Yes, it is huge. Yes, it is beautiful! Yes, it is nature at its best!! While exploring the area, you will come across palaces, lakes, gardens, and sights. In the middle of it all is the Column of Victory.
It makes for a great choice no matter the weather. Even though the park is quite big, there are many maps that show you your current location and what is around. Extra tip!!! Get on the underground tunnels around the Victory Column and find the wall that changes when you touch it.
Let loose at Tempelhofer Feld
It used to be an airport. You can imagine how big it is. It closed in 2008. Now, is a national park. It is a great area to go cycling or skateboarding. Even better, you can hang out with friends and have a barbeque or a picnic. What is great for your kids, is that you can let them go crazy and run around for as long as you want.
Go swimming in a lake!
Berlin might not have sea, but thankfully it has a lot of pools and lakes, most of them being easily accessible by public transportation. What makes the lakes special is that they have beaches. Oh yes! They give you the much-needed feeling of being in the sea.
Picnic time & Barbeque
When the weather allows it, go for a picnic like a true Berliner. Choose any park you want, such as Tiergarten, Mauerpark, Victoria Park or the Tempelholfer Park. Pack your food and beers and enjoy your time on a hot day.
If that is not your scene, then you can always gather with some friends and have a barbeque. Be aware, that there are certain parks that allow you to grill (Tempelhofer Feld, Monbijoupark, Stadtpark Lichtenberg, Görlitzer Park, Volkspark Friedrichshain, Mauerpark, Schlesischer Busch). When at the park, look for the signs that you show you in which part of the park you are allowed to grill. And even then, you must always put out your fire and throw your trash.
Free events
The go-to website for most Berliners to find out all events that happen in Berlin during this month. They are way more than you might think, but thankfully you can find all of them right there. From astronomy to dance learning events. You can also check Facebook for the biggest events, such as concerts, festivals and art galleries.
Get the Chills in the Holocaust Memorial
This memorial for the Jewish victims of the Holocaust is made in a specific way so that it gives the feeling of a heavy, uncomfortable and confusing environment. Totally free to visit, but be respectful. No music or loud noises are permitted. Also, do not take selfies or other inappropriate pictures.
Enjoy outdoor karaoke at Mauerpark on Sundays
During spring and summer, every Sunday from 14:00, you can let loose and sing your heart out. The park is always full of hundreds of people singing or simply having fun. Definitely a MUST!!
Just outside the park, there is one of the biggest flea markets in Berlin. When entering the park, you will be overwhelmed by the performers of all kinds, the activities happening at various spots of the park (barbeque, basketball, playground, latin dances, picnic, karaoke) and the incredible atmosphere.
Take in the art galleries at the Hackescher Markt
If you love art galleries, the Hackescher Markt is the place to be. The area itself is one of the most beautiful and alive in Berlin. If you visit on Thursdays, you will find a few galleries that also serve free wine and snacks. So, visit and combine culture with food.
Want to experience Thailand?
In the summertime, every weekend you can go to a tiny park called Preußenpark or Thai Park and find some amazing food stands. You can explore Thailand’s food culture, by trying Khao Tom Mud, Khao Neow Ma Muang, Sammaki Talad Thai and a lot of papayas and mangos.
Walk along the East Side Gallery & Admire the Molecule Man
You can not come to Berlin without visiting the Berlin Wall and getting lost in intense emotions. Just walk along the wall and get emotional with the paintings drawn for the joy of the wall finally falling. The wall represents freedom, peace, and hope for a better future.
If you feel like walking more after the Berlin Wall, 27 minutes away by foot, is the Molecule Man. A sculpture standing tall in the middle of the Spree River. The American artist Jonathan Borofsky, created this sculpture as a representation of ”the molecules of all human beings coming together to create our existence”.
Enjoy the breathtaking Sanssouci Park
30 minutes outside Berlin, the famous Sanssouci Park is located in Potsdam. You can easily spend 4 hours or more there visiting the Palace, the Roman baths, the Chinese Teahouse, the Orangery, the Belvedere, the Dragon House, the Church of Peace and more. The park is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00.
Visit the parks. Like all of them!
All Berlin parks, are simply beautiful anytime you visit them from April to October before it starts getting really cold. All of the parks are breathtaking and give you a relaxed and easy-going feeling. You will find a lot of people simply hanging out or having a picnic and kids playing all around.
One of the favorite ones is the ViktoriaPark in Kreuzberg. So many visit the park on a daily basis. Besides a breathtaking park with lots of paths to explore, it has a huge waterfall mountain that starts from up high. On all levels of the waterfall, you will find people enjoying the cold water and hanging out.
