Bike tour Nikolassee

On the short round trip through the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district in the southwest of Berlin you can enjoy the peace and quiet of the Grunewald forest, jump into the cool water at various bathing spots, learn interesting facts about the beginnings of Berlin in the Museumsdorf Düppel and take a trip back to the days of German division at Alliied Checkpoint Bravo Dreilinden.

The tour starts at Wannsee S-Bahn station, continues along Kronprinzessinnenweg and Borussenstraße past Nikolassee S-Bahn station and over the "Spinner Bridge" into Grunewald. On the Wannseebadweg you cycle past the famous Strandbad Wannsee to the island of Schwanenwerder and over the Havelchaussee and the Kronprinzessinnenweg back to Schlachtensee. Continue along Spanische Allee and the road Am Schlachtensee to Schlachtensee, where the Nikolassee Route crosses the Dahlem Route. Past Mexikoplatz and the Museumsdorf Düppel, you take the Königsweg to the former Alliied Checkpoint Bravo Dreilinden and via Stahnsdorfer Damm and the Ronnebypromenade back to Wannsee S-Bahn station.

Tip: Combine the Nikolassee Route with other tours in southwest Berlin, such as the Dahlem Route or the Wannsee Route. You can also book guided bicycle tours on all routes.

On the way you will pass places worth seeing and beautiful bathing places:

„Spinner-Brücke“

On your way from S-Bahnhof Nikolassee to Grunewald you cross the motorway A115 over the so-called „Spinner-Brücke“ and you will see many motorcycles. At the „Spinner-Brücke“ you will find the biker's restaurant of the same name which is well known far beyond the borders of Berlin. The popular biker meeting place has existed since 1921 and today is a restaurant and beer garden with German-Austrian cuisine.

Freistrand at Großer Wannsee

At the Freistrand you will have first opportunity to swim in the Wannsee. The bathing area is free of charge and a good alternative to the Strandbad Wannsee.

Strandbad Wannsee

A few metres further on is the famous Strandbad Wannsee. The lido is one of the oldest and largest lidos on an inland waterway in Europe. So you really should stop here on your tour. In addition to a wicker beach chair rental, a water slide and a huge reclining area, food and drinks are provided.
Tip for architecture enthusiasts: The Strandbad Wannsee is part of the Grand Tour of Berlin Modernism, which was developed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus.

Wannseeterrassen

If you like it more sophisticated, then make a stop at the Wannseeterrassen and enjoy high-quality German-French cuisine with a breathtaking view of the Wannsee.

Schwanenwerder

If you continue along the Wannseebadweg, you will reach the island of Schwanenwerder via a bridge. The island, built with villas, has an eventful history behind it: even before the First World War, numerous wealthy and often Jewish families settled here. After the National Socialists seized power, however, the magnificent houses were auctioned off and leading figures of the Nazi regime, including Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels, moved in. After the war, which the island survived unscathed, the properties were returned to their rightful owners or heirs.
The island became famous through the first German version of the board game Monopoly. In 1933 the most expensive property of the game was called "Inselstraße" (today Schlossallee).
On approx. 2.5 km you drive around the island, enjoy great views of the Wannsee and the Havel and learn things and stories worth knowing about the history of the island.

Bathing area „Großes Fenster“

Further along the Nikolassee route, the bathing area "Großes Fenster" is located at the widest point of the Havel. Since the water here is not particularly deep and you can walk far into the Havel, the "Großes Fentser" is ideal for a bathing stop with children who can romp in the water to their heart's content.

Schlachtensee

Via the Havelchaussee, the Kronprinzessinnenweg and the Spanish Alley you will cycle back to Schlachtensee.
Not far from the Schlachtensee S-Bahn station is the Schlachtensee bathing area. The Schlachtensee is one of the most popular bathing lakes in Berlin and is perfect for swimming, splashing around, stand-up paddling or renting boats.

The Nikolassee Route crosses the Dahlem Route between Schlachtensee S-Bahn station and Mexikoplatz S-Bahn station. So you can combine the two cycle routes in the best possible way.

Mexikoplatz

Let's move on to Mexikoplatz. The square at S-Bahnhof Mexikoplatz with its small park and the station building, built in Art Nouveau style, is one of the most beautiful squares in Berlin.

Museumsdorf Düppel

Via Lindenthaler Allee you cycle south towards Museumsdorf Düppel. Here you can go on a journey through time to the beginnings of the German capital: How did people live 800 years ago? How did they work? What did they eat? You can find answers to these and other questions in the open-air museum, which is unique in Germany. Admission is free for children and young people under the age of 18 and holders of the Museum Pass Berlin. So, interrupt your tour and immerse yourself into the Berlin of the 13th century!

Königsweg and Checkpoint Bravo Dreilinden

Past the Zehlendorf forest cemetery with the graves of famous Berliners such as Willy Brandt and Hilde Knef, you cycle the Königsweg through the forest to the former Allied Checkpoint Bravo Dreilinden. From the bridge over the A115 motorway you have a good view of the former border crossing between West Berlin and the GDR and the former Dreilinden service area. Here you can take a trip back in time to the time of the German division.

Ronnebypromenade

Return to Wannsee S-Bahn station via Stahnsdorfer Damm and the Ronnebypromenade. This is where the Nikolassee Route and the Wannsee-Babelsberg Route cross, which can also be combined to form a longer cycle tour through the southwest.