Top 5 spring activities in berlin

Temperatures are rising again and we Berliners already caught the spring fever. Now, spring is also officially there and Berliners are crawling out of their holes. Many people say that Berlin is at its best in spring (and summer) because that’s when the fruit trees, alleys and parks are blooming and getting green. Today, we’ll tell you what you should experience in Berlin’s spring.

Stroll around markets

As soon as it gets warm outside, the huzzle and buzzle on Berlin markets starts again. If you are up for some fresh food or just want to experience Berlin’s street life hands-on, markets are the best place to go to. One of the nicest markets in our neighbourhood is situated along the waterside of “Maybachufer” in the dirstrict Kreuzberg. On Tuesdays and Fridays, there is a great Turkish market with loads of fresh fruits and veggies, warm snacks and all sorts of fabric. Besides, there is a creative “Neuköllner Stoff” market with local self-made things, fabric, yummy food and drinks. It’s only half an hour to walk from Industriepalast to the market.

Right around the corner of Industriepalast, there is the cool flea market at the RAW area where you can buy all sorts of cheap stuff – from clothes and books to kitchen tools, there is everything to be found. The flea market opens on Saturdays from 9am to 6pm and on Sundays from 12 am to 8 pm and is just five minutes walking distance away from the hostel.

If the sometimes unpredictable spring weather hits in with a shower, you can always feast in the „Markthalle Neun“ in Kreuzberg. Every Friday and Saturday, you can buy regional and organic food products indoors on the weekly market. On Thurdays, the market hall hosts “Streetfood Thursday” from 5 – 10 pm where you can eat delicious food from all over the world. The market is situated only 20 minutes walking distance from the hostel. Otherwise, you can also take the Underground for two stations to “Görlitzer Bahnhof” and walk five minutes from there. Equipped with all this yummy food, just sit by the canal or Spree River and have a picnic!

Smell flowers

As soon as the first flowers and trees are starting to bloom, it smells lovely in Berlin. The best way to smell the blooming Berlin is to go to a big garden. For instance, you could visit the huge botanical garden in Berlin-Dahlem which has a moss garden, moor- and water garden, medical plant garden and an Italian garden. For 6€ (reduced 3€), you can spend the whole day in this little paradise. Another nice garden is the “Britzer Garten” in the district Neukölln. There, you find wonderful flowers and you can go on a boat tour, play garden chess or eat in the Restaurant. With bus and U-Bahn, you reach the park within 45 minutes (get out at bus stop “Windrößchenweg”).

Gardening and Digging

Berlin is one of the greenest big cities of Germany and very active regarding urban gardening. This concept allows city-people to connect to their food and taste sustainably grown fruits and veggies. One example of a very nice urban gardening project is situated at Moritzplatz in Kreuzberg – the “Prinzessinnengarten” (= princess garden). There, fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs are planted and bees are kept. The gardening season starts in April – every Thursday (3pm till 6pm) and Saturday (11am till 2pm), you can get your hands dirty during the open gardening hours. Furthermore, the Prinzessinnengarten organizes workshops, sells fresh food from the garden and regularly hosts a cozy flee market.  A similar concept is applied at the Tempelhofer field. There, food is also sustainably grown in boxes, baskets etc. and every Saturday in summer; you can inform yourself about the project between 2pm and 6pm on-site.

Flying over Berlin

From above, the spring in Berlin looks extra nice. Starting from the „Checkpoint Charlie“ museum at Underground station “Kochstraße”, you can fly for about 15 minutes with the WELT hot air balloon up to 150 meters high over Berlin. From March on, the WELT hot air balloon starts every 15 minutes between 10am to 10pm. At the little island “Insel der Jugend” at Treptower Park, you can do a tour by water plane and fly over Berlins highlights for one hour. We wish you a nice flight!

Drinking coffee in the sun

Drinking coffee is one of the favorite activities of a Berliner. Especially, when the sun is shining – because then, you can sit outside in the sun with your cup of coffee. As there are many nice cafés in the neighborhoods around our hostel, you’ll definitely find a cool place to chill close by. On the Friedrichshain-side of the Spree River (where we are), you’ll find loads of gastronomy in the “Simon-Dach-Kiez” and on the Kreuzberg side, there are many cafés just after the Oberbaum Bridge. For instance, you get very good coffee and delicious (cheese-) cake at the hip café “Five Elephant” at Reichenberger Straße in Kreuzberg. Just around the corner of the café right at the canal, there is the big Turkish beer garden “Burg am See”. Here, you get beer, Turkish breakfast, pizza, barbeque and cake. While you are feasting and enjoying the view over the canal, children can play at the huge playing ground next to the beer garden.

Now, let spring begin! We are looking forward to it and also advise you to use the opportunity and visit us in the capital city.

See you soon

By Norma

Blogger and receptionist at Industriepalast