Temperatures are low and the clouds are hovering over the city. But that’s no reason to stay inside and sulk. There are a lot of things to do in Berlin even when the weather’s not cooperating. Here are 11 hotspots for cold and rainy days in Berlin.
Tip 1: Explore Berlin's History on a rainy day: Guided tour through the former airport Tempelhof
The huge public park has achieved cult status for Berlin inhabitants, but not too long ago passenger aircrafts have been rolling across the field. To discover the secrets of the historical building we highly suggest you to book a guided tour, which takes you inside the forgotten tunnels, stairways and bunkers of the former Nazi building. Plus: the tour will also take you on the rooftop of the building!
Tip 2: Leave the rain outside and let yourself be seduced: Chocolate!
Another great spot to warm up along Friedrichstraße is Galeries Lafayette where you can get luxury goods and food from France. Make a small detour to Gendarmenmarkt, just a block and a half to the east, and there are two shops that could simply save the day: the chocolatier Rausch has chocolate in abundance.
11 tips for chocolate addicts in Berlin
Tip 3: Bring some color in your rainy day - take crazy pictures at Studio of Wonders
Forget the grey everyday life and make the world just the way you like it. Berlin's playground for the curious offers colorful backgrounds for photo enthusiasts, mirrored rooms and optical wonders of all kinds. Grow tall like Alice in Wonderland and walk along the ceiling of the Berlin subway. We wish you lots of fun!
Tip 4: Simply enjoy your rainy day in Berlin: Visit a coffee roastery
There’s nothing like the smell of freshly ground coffee! Devotees of the cult beverage will want to make their way to the traditional Berliner Kaffeerösterei. This shop offers the finest coffee beans purchased directly from the plantations and roasted in the shop. Three different brewing methods are available for the preparation of the exquisite coffees in house. Whichever you choose, we recommend taking a deep breath, sipping the coffee in peace, adding a lovely piece of cake, and letting the stress of the day just melt away!
The 11 Most Beautiful Cafés in Berlin
Tip 5: Take your family on a mini vacation on a rainy day: Tropical Island
Even when the skies are grey in Berlin, there’s never a cloudy day at Tropical Island near Berlin - the best: If it's your birthday, you get a luau and the tropical beach feeling for free! In this gigantic hall just outside of Berlin is home to flocks of Zebra finches flying through the air, pink flamingos walking on the sand, and koi fish swimming through sparkling clear water. When the sun sets over the the “South Seas” and the lights of the beach bars go on, the illusion of a far away country becomes perfect. The waterpark is perfect for the whole family, because in addition to giant slides and pirate island, there are also great sauna and wellness areas.
Thermas baths in Berlin und Brandenburg
Tip 6: Visit the dinosaurs when it's rainy in Berlin
Berlin is a centre for dinosaur watching, especially at the Natural History Museum. In the museum’s main hall, a massive Spinosaurus is currently on display as part of a temporary exhibition at the museum. You will also learn a lot about the origin of our earth, endangered anaimals and precious stones.
Tip: In our podcast Berlin Unboxed we take you behind the scenes of the Museum für Naturkunde, which is actually one of the world's most renowned dinosaur research stations.(in German language only)
Tip 7: Get active and try out some Indoor Fun on a rainy day in Berlin
When was the last time you played miniature golf? Too long ago? Then let's go! With black light mini golf everything shines in a buten neon shine and the weather outside doesn't matter at all. There are also table tennis tables - and of course coffee and cake. Alternatively, you can let the ball roll at the Bowling Center at Alexanderplatz or go climbing, for example at Magic Mountain in Wedding. Here we have even more tips for leisure sports activities.
Top 11 Indoor Activities in Berlin
Tip 8: Stroll through Berlin's market halls when it's grey outside
A different kind of shopping? If you fancy a market feeling but are prone to sensitive frostbite, you can explore the many covered shopping options in Berlin's market halls. You can also shop, dine and stroll protected from rain and weather in Berlin's numerous malls - such as Bikini Berlin.
Tip 9: Go on an adventure - Play a live escape game on a rainy day
It’s cold and wet outside? Just head down into the cellar. Sounds weird? It isn’t. Rather it’s a high-adrenaline event full of excitement. Now, we’re not suggesting you lock yourself up in just any old musty basement, but instead sign up for your own mission impossible at the Live Escape Game. Your mission: enter a room, the door closes behind you, and you are trapped. The only way out are the clues hidden in the room. It’s a bit like Sherlock Holmes meets MacGyver meets Panic Room.
Tip 10: Sweat & Relax when it rains in Berlin: Go to the sauna
After a few sauna sessions, you're sure to feel warm even in sub-zero temperatures. And with underwater light games in the warm wellness pool, the cold, grey weather is quite bearable. In addition to the public swimming pools, there are numerous hammams, day spas and wellness centres with large sauna areas in Berlin. Off to the warm!
Tip 11: Dive into Virtual Reality to escape the rainy weather
In Berlin you can travel virtually through space and time completely independent of the weather. When visiting the virtual TimeRide at Checkpoint Charlie you can take a look behind the Wall and experience life in the GDR. But of course there are also providers where you can travel through fantastic worlds, for example the VR Nation in Mitte.
