Berlin is a huge city with tons of different things to see and do and you can spend every weekend exploring new districts and sights. Yet, especially for people living in Berlin, there is also this urge to go beyond the city’s borders and discover the new. There are numerous lakes around Berlin that are worth visiting as well but sometimes you just wanna escape the city a bit more.
In the following we have put together a list of our personal top 5 best day trips from Berlin. Each destination can be reached by either public transportation or by car in less than 1 1/2 hours. If you have a car or can rent one (€20-€30/day), we do suggest to do so as it makes life easier (and faster) for some of the spots we have chosen.
1. Teufelsberg
Teufelsberg is on the list of our top day trips from Berlin because it is a) not that difficult to reach from the city, b) offers a totally different activity than what you are usually used to and c) is an interesting part of the city’s history.
The Teufelsberg is an old, cold-war relic located in the forest of Grünewald in the city’s west. We put together an extensive blog post about Teufelsberg where you can read about it in more detail. It’s definitely an interesting destination and a day trip worth taking.
2. Märkische Schweiz
The Märkische Schweiz is natural area located around 70 km east of Berlin. It is definitely recommended to get here with a car (around 1 hour and 15 minutes) as public transportation (train from Ostkreuz to Müncheberg + bus to Buckow) will probably take a bit longer. Yet, it really is worth the effort!
The ideal destination is the town of Buckow, which is located in the center of the Märkische Schweiz by a beautiful lake called Schermützelsee. From here you can take a nice walk around the lake, enjoy some scenic hikes, take a dip into the water and explore the small town center. The area has been shaped in the late Ice Age and has some characteristic natural settings.
3. Spreewald
On the top 3 of our best day trips from Berlin is the natural reserve of Spreewald. This area can best be reached with a car (around 1 hour and 20 minutes) with the final destination being the town of Lehde. This town is part of Lübbenau and is located along the many water channels and is one of the oldest and charming towns in the area.
Also known as “The Green Venice” the area is especially famous for growing cucumbers (pickled) and its extensive network of small rivers and unique landscapes.
4. Köpenik / Müggelsee
Another great day trip from Berlin is a journey to the town of Köpenik, just located southeast of the city. It can easily be reached with the public transportation system and takes around 1 hour to get to. The town of Köpenik itself is quite nice as it lies in the meltwater valley of the two rivers Dahme and Spree.
If you are in Köpenik you can move further to the district’s most iconic lake, the Müggelsee. The Müggelsee lake is the largest Berlin lake by area and offers some very nice spots for biking, walking, swimming and riding a boat. A truly classic day trip from Berlin!
5. Caputh
