Bike tour Dahlem-Route

On the Dahlem bicycle tour you discover the green southwest of Berlin and cycle along museums, exceptional architecture and charming lakes.

The 18 km long circular route is well signposted and leads as far as possible over roads with little traffic. The route can be reached quickly from the city centre using the U3 underground line or the S 1 suburban railway line. Without breaks it takes about one and a half hours, but especially the stopovers make it so attractive.

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

Map of the tour by Komoot

At komoot.de you can find the Dahlem route and many other route suggestions through Berlin and can conveniently display and download them for your GPS device.

Starting point: Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum

You can start the Dahlem Route at the Botanical Museum. Here you already have your first highlight on the route, because the Botanical Garden with its historic greenhouses and rich flora is definitely worth a visit.

Dahlem-Dorf

The legendary restaurant and jazz bar Euerschale at Podbielskiallee underground station is one of Berlin's institutions. At the weekend there is a sumptuous brunch buffet available for you.
The Dahlem domain is a worthwhile stop especially for families, because in the open-air museum on the historic estate you can pet animals and learn a lot about food and agriculture in an entertaining way.

Museums in Dahlem

Under the motto "Remember - Learn - Act", the newly renovated Martin Niemöller Haus presents itself as a place of learning and remembrance, reminiscent of the experience of ecclesiastical resistance against National Socialism.
The Allied Museum in the former cinema of American soldiers presents the time of the Western powers between 1945 and 1994. The highlight of the exhibition is a raisin bomber which was supplied from the air during the blockade of the West Berliners.
A little down Clayallee you can enjoy sumptuous cakes and delicious Viennese style coffee in the Viennese Conditorei Caffeehaus. 

Krumme Lanke and Schlachtensee

After your visit to the museum you cycle to the subway station Onkel Toms Hütte through a quarter with exciting architecture from the 1920s. In the shopping street Onkel Toms Hütte you can go shopping in the small, individually managed shops and have a small snack. Every Thursday between 12 and 18.30 the weekly market "Onkel Toms Hütte" takes place here. Stop here for fresh and regional products and live music. 
In summer, Lake Krumme Lanke is the perfect stopover to jump into the lake and refresh yourself.

Alternatively, the Schlachtensee is only a short distance away. In the fishing hut at Schlachtensee you sit directly by the water and enjoy the view over the lake surrounded by trees. On the north side of Lake Schlachtensee, sporty people complete the cycling tour with a stand up paddling excursion across the lake. At Schlachtensee S-Bahn station you can get delicious ice cream and healthy snacks in "goodies Coffee and healthy food". There are other restaurants in the street, including the Gabana. In the colourful restaurant you can get tasty tapas and delicious cocktails.

Mexikoplatz

From Schlachtensee, the route leads to Mexikoplatz, one of the most beautiful squares in the city with its striking S-Bahn station with its imposing Art Nouveau dome. Café Krone on Mexikoplatz serves the finest cakes and pies in a long family tradition.
From Mexikoplatz goes to the lake Waldsee. The Haus am Waldsee shows international art. It will be renovated and extended until August 2018. The Café am Waldsee is also located here. In the villa district you will see idyllically situated, magnificent residential buildings while cycling past. For a short break you can stop at the romantic Fischtalpark or in the Dreipfuhlpark and lie down in the grass.

University Freie Universität Berlin

The campus of Freie Universität Berlin is located in Dahlem. The prestigious Henry Ford Building in the style of New Objectivity houses the auditorium of the FU Berlin. The Philological Library is located in the main complex of the FU Berlin, the Rost- und Silberlaube. The star architect Norman Foster created the library as a bold tribute to the human brain, hence the name Berlin Brain. You can also visit the library with a guided tour.

Over the Hittorfstraße it goes along into the old center of Dahlem village. The cosy beer garden of Königin Luise is a popular meeting place for students and also a nice place for a stop to rest under old trees.

From here it is also not far to the starting point of your bicycle tour through Dahlem, the Botanical Garden.

Other starting points of the circular route with connection to suburban and subway lines:

• S train station Schlachtensee
• S train station Mexikoplatz
• S train station Krumme Lanke
• U train station Dahlem Dorf
• U train station Oskar-Helen-Heim
• U train station Freie Universität (Thielplatz)
• U train station Podbielskiallee

Tip:

Some museums and sights such as the Grunewald hunting lodge, the Kunsthaus Dahlem, the Brücke-Museum or the museum village Düppel are not directly on the route, but are quickly accessible and worth a short detour.

You can find out more about Dahlem, its sights and insider tips in our free Going Local Berlin APP.