Seven of the coolest places in Berlin and Brandenburg to visit on hot summer days

As much as Berliners dream of summer sun through the cold, grey winter, nobody wants to be stuck in the city on a sweltering day in the middle of a heatwave. 

But there are some select spots where you can seek a break from the sweltering heat, and make the most of what would otherwise be a hellish day. Here’s our guide to seeing the sights and staying cool in Berlin and the surrounding state of Brandenburg.  

Get wet

Unlike other major cities in Europe, Berlin is surrounded by miles of forest and farmland – and literally thousands of lakes.

Brandenburg alone boasts over 3,000 lakes and there are more than 100 in the city itself.

Visit Berlin has a useful "swimming map” of various lakes and swimming pools which you can reach by public transport.

Everyone in Berlin has their favourite lake. If you ask them nicely, they may let you into the secret.

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If they’re determined to keep it to themselves, afraid of seeing their sacred spot overrun, then check out this interactive guide to swimming in Brandenburg.

Go underground in Berlin

Dive beneath the surface of the German capital with Berliner Unterwelten (Berlin Underworlds), which offers guided tours through historic bunkers, tunnels, and air-raid shelters.

Tours generally last about 90 minutes and a jacket or jumper is recommended: the temperature is usually between 8 and 12C.

Tickets start at €15 per adult. Bear in mind that children need to be over seven to take part, and sometimes over 13 depending on the individual tour.

Go underground in Brandenburg

Twenty kilometres south of Berlin, Wünsdorf’s Bücher- und Bunkerstadt (Book and Bunker Town) is famous for its unexpected combination of antiquarian bookshops and vast underground bunker complexes.

Once a German military command centre, later a Soviet Cold War base, the site features guided tours through extensive subterranean tunnels and bunkers – guaranteed cool on even the hottest days.

Guided tours usually take place on Saturdays and Sundays between 11am and 2pm, with extra tours during the school holidays.

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Visit a gallery

Bunkers seem to be unavoidable in Berlin and Brandenburg, for anyone looking to escape the heat.

The last one on our list houses the renowned Boros Collection of contemporary art. The massive concrete walls of the WWII bunker add mystery to the work on display – and keep the temperature inside blessedly low.

Visits are by guided tour only, meaning the gallery is never over-crowded, and usually take place from Thursdays to Sundays. Book your visit via the collection’s website.

If art is your happy place, and the heat of the city has truly become too much to bear, take a trip out to leafy Potsdam and spend an air-conditioned day at the Barberini.

The museum is open daily from 10am to 7pm (except Tuesdays) and offers international exhibitions of impressionist and modern art in a beautifully reconstructed 18th century palace. 

Get some education

Housed in a restored 13th-century Dominican monastery in Brandenburg an der Havel, the Archäologisches Landesmuseum Brandenburg (Brandenburg Archaeological Museum) showcases 50,000 years of regional history - from Stone Age tools to medieval treasures.

The ancient stone walls of the monastery also keep the interior pleasant on even the hottest days. The museum is closed on Mondays, but open the rest of the week from 10am to 5pm.

Entry is free for children under ten.

Visit the Spreewald

A UNESCO biosphere reserve about 100 kilometres south of Berlin, the Spreewald is famous for its labyrinth of over 200 natural waterways, lush floodplains, and rich biodiversity.

Together, the waterways span more than 1,300 kilometres and wind through forests, meadows, and traditional villages.

Cool off with a boat tour in one of the region's traditional flat-bottomed punts (Spreewaldkähne), followed by a generous helping of locally made pickles.

Get tropical

As counter-intuitive as it may sound, a trip to Brandenburg's Tropical Islands might be just the thing.

The huge dome is climate-controlled, keeping temperatures steady at around 26 to 28C and you're protected from direct sunlight -- which means you can spend all day in your swim suit without worrying about getting burned. 

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For anyone who has never been, Tropical Islands is Walt Disney's idea of an indoor pacific paradise packed into a former zeppelin hangar in the Brandenburg countryside (one of the largest free-standing buildings in the world).

Cherished by people who spend far too much time trapped in endless grey winters, it offers a fleeting and entirely surreal glimpse of tropical gardens, sandy beaches, pools, slides, saunas, spa areas, and restaurants.

Pro Tip: Wherever you go, take advantage of Berlin’s comprehensive 'cooling map'

The Berlin Cooling Map (Erfrishungskarte) shows cool, windy, and shady areas in the city, as well as places that are particularly suitable for cooling off and relaxing in summer (including picnic areas and drinking fountains).