See, here we come! As of this week, Berlin is once again blessed with summery weather that invites you to go swimming. It’s about time after several weeks of constant rain and during the vacation season of all times. Find out which lakes in and around Berlin you can easily reach by public transport here!
Plötzensee
Plötzensee in the heart of Wedding offers you the choice between free sunbathing lawns and the paid Plötzensee lido – including a sandy beach, diving tower and relaxed beach bar atmosphere. The lake is easy to reach with the U9 underground line (Amrumer Straße station) or the M13 and 50 streetcar lines (Beusselstraße). From there it is only a few minutes’ walk. A perfect excursion destination for anyone who wants to swim in a central location without a long journey and still enjoy some peace and quiet.
Lake Tegel
Located in the north-west of Berlin, it is one of the largest lakes in Berlin and can be conveniently reached via a subway line! From Alt-Tegel station, you can reach the foothills of the lake in around five minutes on foot. The lake is also easy to reach by S-Bahn. In this case, you can take the S25 to Tegel station. From here it is about a 15-minute walk. Once you arrive at the lake, there are plenty of restaurants, wooded areas and boats to explore.
Airport lake
You can also reach this lake via subway line 6 from Otisstraße station. From here, a short walk through the woods will take you to the water at the future Schumacher Quartier. As the line is currently closed due to construction work, you can also take the U8. This then stops at Rathaus Reinickendorf and from here the X33 will take you to Sterkrader Straße, from where it is about a 10-minute walk to the lake. Here you will find plenty of nature and a few large and small sandy beaches.
White Lake
This time you can get here by streetcar 12! You can reach it from Falkenberger Str./Berliner Allee station. There are plenty of green areas around the rather small lake where you can take a break in the shade. If you prefer to sunbathe, you can do so from Strandbad Weißensee. Here you can hire sun loungers and parasols on the artificial beach and dive into the cool water. Please note: Swimming is prohibited in the rest of the Weißer See!
Müggelsee
The best way to get to the largest lake in Berlin is to take streetcar line 60, which stops at Josef-Nawrocki-Straße, right on the shore. From here, there are plenty of options: You can plunge into the water for free at the “Teppich” bathing area, while the Stadtbad Friedrichshagen offers a beach feeling and stand-up paddling. If you have a little more patience, you can also go further and find one of the countless official or improvised swimming spots that nestle up against the 7m² of water. There are also landing stages for boat tours and a number of water sports equipment hire points for exploring the huge lake and its side arms.
River bathing on the Dahme
Not far from Müggelsee, the Dahme meanders through picturesque Köpenick. In addition to a few free swimming spots, there is also a riverside pool here, which can be easily reached with streetcar line 60 (or currently with a replacement bus). These stop at the Schlossplatz Köpenick station, from where it is about a ten-minute walk to the pool. Canoes and boats can also be rented here for a relaxing glide along the river.
Schlachtensee
This lake is located in the south of Berlin in Grunewald and is easy to reach with the S1. It stops right on the shore at the S-Bahn station of the same name. From here, you can reach a bad spot in just a few minutes on foot or explore the wooded areas around the pond. There is also a boat rental service here!
Groß Glienicker See
Located on the border with Brandenburg, this lake is only half a Berlin. It can be reached by bus number 135, which takes you to the Seekorso stop. From here, it is about an 11-minute walk to the outskirts of the lake. Although you can access the entire lake shore, there are also official bathing areas on the north and south shores.