Summer has finally decided to grace Berlin with its presence. To celebrate such a joyous occasion,…read moreI decided to head out to Krumme Lanke. An afternoon spent with a good book and a bag of crisps by the water--what more could a girl, plagued with the unavailability of an air conditioned apartment, want? Unfortunately--half of the city felt the same way. Therefore, half of the city was also plopped on the banks of the lake. Note to self for the next time? Arrive early to beat the crowd. By the time we got to the lake (around 12:30 on a Friday afternoon), most of the prime real estate was pretty much already settled in. The silver lining? We had the opportunity to enjoy a nice stroll around the circumference of the lake. We eventually found a nice shady spot a good 10 minutes from the entrance. Coming from the beachy state of California, the banks of the lake were far harder than I expected, but it wasn't anything that I couldn't get used to. As for the water, it was cold enough to shock you upon submersion, but not cold enough to dissuade you from staying submerged. On a 90F/32C day like today? It was an absolute blessing. As for the environment? I'd say the area we were at was pretty child-dense. It was rowdy and rambunctious in the most youthful and innocent kind of way. I wouldn't recommend bringing any serious reading or work, as you probably won't be able to rack up enough minutes of undisturbed focus to get any of it done or read, but leisurely light reading was absolutely perfect. I'm speaking from experience. We managed in a good few hours of water-play, journaling, reading, and casual-conversing, before the sun shifted and shone directly on us. It was essentially our cue to go. If you absolutely abhor the crowds, feel free to stay in the comfort of your own home. If you can't stand the heat--try the shopping centers. If you're more than willing to not only tolerate, but also embrace the crowds, in other words, if you're one with that more-the-merrier mentality, follow half the city to Krumme Lanke. The good times will be worth your while!

Very accessible lake in Zehlendorf for swimming and hiking/running around. I've run and biked…read moreseveral times there in all weather and seasons and the trails hold up to bad weather quite well. It's never too crowded, but usually always someone within eyesight. Can get a little crowded in the summer on the beaches, though almost always fewer people than at Schlachtensee next door. The water at the beaches on the side of the lake furthest from the Schlachtensee side is clear and clean... it looks to get a little murkier in the W or SW side of the lake. The big downside is the trash at the beaches, especially on weekend mornings during warmer weather. Clearly the area offers a sense of remoteness without being too far away from public transportation, so it's a gathering place for late night grilling and drinking... by people who have no intention of cleaning up after themselves. If you get to the area before BSR does, expect a field of beer bottles and pizza boxes to greet you -- but arrive a little later in the day and you can usually avoid this unpleasantness.

A gem of a park in the Kreuzberg area of Berlin! We had been wandering around Berlin by foot and…read morebike for days, and I was exhausted! We decided to take a little break from touristing around Berlin to read our books in Viktoriapark! And it turned out to be one of my favorite places we explored on our short trip to Berlin! Viktoriapark opened in 1894 and contains a famous Berlin landmark - a cast iron monument dedicated by King Frederick William III of Prussia to the liberation wars fought at the end of the War of the Sixth coalition against France in the course of the Napoleonic Wars. The park also contains a beautiful (but totally artificial) waterfall that begins at the foot of the monument and continues down the hillside to the intersection of Grossbeerenstrasse and Kreuzbergstrasse. We walked along the paths running parallel to the waterfall to the top where the monument is - and stopped several times to take pictures of the beautiful park. After we reached the top, we walked to the open field area just off the monument where hundreds of people were reading, playing with dogs, playing Frisbee, drinking, smoking, etc. It definitely seemed like a place where young locals spend time on the weekend! The park is beautiful! Definitely worth exploring - and I found relaxing and reading my book to be the perfect break from touristing around the city! I highly recommend exploring the park if you're looking for a relaxing break from being a tourist!!

A true getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. Spend the day hiking around the park,…read moreadmiring the monument of 1821 dedicated by King Frederick William III of Prussia to the liberation wars, and losing yourself by the waterfall. This park has it all. Don't forget to sit back and enjoy a couple of drinks at the cafe and beer garden while wandering around. I love this place!

We mainly ended up here because I wanted to see the Soviet War Memorial. The park is along the…read moreriver. There wasn't many people around. If you want to find some solitude, this would be the place to go.

Treptower Park is admittedly not a place I frequent so often, especially considering how close I…read morelive to it. However, it is a place that I am fond of and enjoy every time I am there. In particular, its location on the water is a major positive. There is almost always a cool breeze and plenty of things to see, such as people on boat cruises. The wide expanse of green lawns means that there are plenty of people picnicking, studying, or playing frisbee, but it never tends to be overcrowded - another plus point in my book. The park is also home to a beer garden (Das Zenner), a former amusement park (Spreepark), the Soviet War Memorial, rose gardens and fountains, and it leads over to the Insel der Jugend, another interesting place to check out. All in all, a great place to relax and take it easy without worrying about the crowds.