12 Things to Do in Berlin in August

I have an endless list of activities and plans to do in Berlin, but in August that list seems to get even longer. During one of the most summery months, the German capital is filled with outdoor events. The good weather encourages it! The best thing is that there are plans for all tastes (and budgets), from beer festivals to music festivals.

Organising Berlin's busy August schedule can be tricky, but don't worry, because I've searched for the essential cultural events. You may not have time to attend them all, but I promise you'll be spoilt for choice.

Have you always wanted to experience a hot air balloon ride? August is one of the best times to do so in Berlin. Where? Near Checkpoint Charlie.

That's where Berlin's Die Welt balloon is set up, a tethered hot air balloon that you can climb into to rise more than 100 metres above the city. It's not a trip as such, but that makes it more accessible in every way; it costs around €30 and there are several "flights" throughout the day.

It can hold up to 30 people and, once it rises into the sky, the balloon offers a pretty impressive panoramic view of Berlin and important landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate and the Tiergarten.

The best thing about doing this activity in August is that the weather is good, so there is no danger of the flight being cancelled due to the weather or of not having good views because of fog.

Want to get the best photos of Berlin from above? You can book your ticket for the Die Welt balloon ride in Berlin here.

Useful information

• When: throughout August
• Where: near Checkpoint Charlie (at Zimmerstraße and Wilhelmstraße)
• Price: from €32

During the first weekend of August, you'll have few excuses not to try Berlin's best craft beers. Why? Because the Internationales Berliner Bierfestival is taking place. More than two kilometres of stalls with beers for all tastes in the Karl-Marx-Allee area. Which one will be your favourite? You'll have to go to find out. Admission is free, although you'll have to pay for each glass you drink.

The Berliner Bierfestival brings together master brewers from all over the world, although most (more than two hundred of the nearly four hundred participants) are German. This will give you the opportunity to try some two thousand varieties of beer, but you'll have to control yourself. To avoid drinking on an empty stomach, I recommend trying the typical German food sold there (yes, sausages are the star dish).

To liven up the party, concerts are organised on the eighteen stages around the venue. Local bands usually play, so you'll have the opportunity to catch up on Berlin's music trends. If you like beer, you can also sign up for a tour with tastings of the best German craft beer.

Useful information

• When: throughout August
• Where: on Karl-Marx-Allee, one of the major avenues in East Berlin
• Price: free

When you arrive in Berlin in August, you'll find that temperatures above 20ºC encourage you to spend all your time outdoors. My advice is to take advantage of the good weather and every ray of sunshine to explore the city in a way that's not possible at other times of the year: by bike, on a cruise along the River Spree or even on an open-top tourist bus.

Why not book a bike tour? Berlin can be a vast city, as it has many neighbourhoods, squares, tourist centres... The good thing about cycling is that you'll go faster and the mild temperatures will accompany you throughout the tour.

Another option is to hop on a tourist bus around Berlin. The rest of the year may not be a good idea due to the constant rain, as the appeal of these vehicles is that you can ride on the open-top upper deck. August is the perfect time to hop on, go from one place to another, get off at any of the more than 15 stops, and discover important sites such as the Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, and Gendarmenmarkt.

Useful information

• When: throughout August
• Where: tours of central Berlin
• Price: from €38

Take advantage of Berlin's good weather and pleasant temperatures in August to embark on one of the city's best cruises. Specifically, you can book your dinner cruise onthe River Spree and watch the beautiful sunset from the boat, enjoying wonderful views of the heart of Berlin and discovering the city's most important tourist attractions while enjoying a pleasant evening, such as the Reichstag building, the Berlin TV Tower or Das Bundeskanzleramt, nicknamed the "White House" of Berlin.

Useful information

• When: throughout August
• Where: departure point: Rosengarten, Wintersteinstraße 24, 10587 Berlin, Germany
• Price: from €79

Is visiting Berlin's best museums on your list of things to do? If you're travelling in August, you can do so at night, specifically on 27 August, which is when Berlin's Long Night takes place. From 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., outside of normal opening hours, many of the museums and exhibition halls remain open and offer special activities. It tends to be very crowded, so I recommend booking your tickets in advance. And if you're travelling on any other day of the month and want to know which museums are not to be missed, take note!

• Neues Museum: have you always wanted to see the famous bust of Nefertiti? You can do so at this museum. In addition, during the Long Night of Museums, there are guides explaining the history and legends of the Queen. There are also other pieces that you cannot miss, especially those in the rooms dedicated to Egypt: mummies, funerary sculptures... You can book your tickets in advance here.
• DDR Museum: Would you like to learn about Berlin's recent history? This museum displays everyday objects (from cars to cosmetics) that were used in communist Berlin after the Second World War. Be warned, it's a rather small museum that's always crowded, so be prepared to queue if you decide to go during the Long Night. You can book your tickets in advance here.
• Hamburger Bahnhof: Contemporary art lovers will enjoy this museum, which features works by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Joseph Beuys. During Museum Night, workshops are often organised so you can practise your artistic skills, as well as musical performances. And the greatest treasures are usually found in the temporary exhibitions, not the main one. You can book your tickets in advance here.

Useful information

• When: 25 August
• Where: various museums in Berlin
• Price: from €16

Another great option at this time of year is a helicopter tour, yes, you read that right! If you like heights, this is the perfect tour for you and a different way to get to know the city. Spectacular, privileged views in an experience you will remember for a lifetime. In about 20 minutes, you'll see all of Berlin's iconic landmarks.

A new way to see the architectural perspective of such important and historic monuments as the Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate, the Television Tower and the cathedral.

Useful information

• When: throughout August
• Where: the departure point is Willy-Brandt-Platz, 2
• Price: from €198

Would you like to explore Berlin at night in a totally different way? If you're going to be in the city during August, you have to sign up for one of the Skate by Night rollerblading tours, which start every Sunday at Alexanderplatz.

The best thing is that the organisers offer a different route every week, so you'll have the opportunity to visit Berlin's old town, the banks of the River Spree and many other places as the evening falls. If you don't have skates, don't worry, as the ticket (approximately €2 per tour) includes a free pair.

If you like skating, you'll love the 12 kilometres or so of each tour. You will join a group of people (Berliners and other tourists like yourself) on these tours, which are both sporty and entertaining. If you are not an expert, don't worry, as long as you know how to stand up and brake, that's enough. There are also easier routes for beginners.

Signing up is very easy on their website, where you can also check the routes in advance to choose the one you like best. If you want to go on more than one tour, I recommend buying a pass (approximately £4.50). Once you have your ticket, just meet up with the rest of the group near the clock at Alexanderplatz.

Useful information

• When: Sundays in August
• Where: the starting point is always Alexanderplatz
• Price: approximately £2

Do you like dancing? Whether you enjoy doing it or watching it, you have a date during the first two weeks of August in Berlin. That's when Tanz Im August takes place, a performing arts festival in which different contemporary dance groups perform at various locations throughout Berlin.

Tickets for each show cost around €20, although there are discounts for certain groups (such as students) and if you buy more than one ticket.

The best thing about Tanz Im August is that it showcases the choreographic talent of artists from all over, both local and international. In fact, some of the best companies present their new creations at this festival.

There is more than one stage, so I recommend checking the programme in advance. Most of these venues are cultural buildings in Berlin, such as the Deutsche Theater or St. Elisabeth-Kirche. If you were thinking of visiting any of these places, this is your chance to do so in a different way.

Useful information

• When: first two weeks of August
• Where: various buildings and cultural centres in Berlin
• Price: approximately €20 (per show)

Although Berlin is a very modern city, the birthplace of techno, it also has a large concert hall, the Konzerthaus, where an international youth orchestra competition is held every August.

You may not be able to attend concerts during the rest of the year (tickets can be expensive), but you can take advantage of this more "amateur" event to get a ticket at a more affordable price (approximately €20), see the famous hall from the inside and listen to performances and original compositions by the participating groups.

The aim of Young Euro Classic is not simply to reward the best orchestra, but to give them visibility and allow them to present both a performance of a classical work and a composition of their own that represents the music of their country of origin. For 16 days, Berlin experiences a multicultural event in which, through musical notes, everyone comes together.

Of course, with a venue like the Konzerthaus, located on Gendarmenplatz, everything sounds better. When you're inside, you'll be surprised at how relatively "new" it looks. That's normal, considering that its interior was left in ruins after the bombings of World War II, so it had to be completely rebuilt.

Useful information

• When: mid-August
• Where: Konzerthaus
• Price: approximately £18

Körnerpark is located in one of Berlin's best neighbourhoods: Neukölln. Haven't heard of it? The great thing about visiting in August is that there are lots of free outdoor activities, including concerts.

Every Sunday afternoon, a jazz, rock or blues band performs in an impressive complex of gardens designed in the 20th century by Hans Richard Küllenberg.

The concerts, which are free, take place in front of the Körnerpark gallery, which I recommend visiting while you're there; it exhibits works by contemporary national and international artists. When you're done, it's time to lie down on the grass facing the stage and enjoy the music.

Between "Sommer im Park" (Summer in the Park) and the cultural centre that is the gallery, Körnerpark has been revived after World War II, which had left it looking somewhat desolate.

Useful information

• When: throughout August
• Where: Körnerpark
• Price: free admission

The open-air amphitheatre in Mauerpark has been the venue for many concerts, and it could even be the venue for one of yours! Don't worry, I'm not saying you have to go out and sing in the middle of one of Berlin's largest and best-known parks (only if you want to), but I do encourage you to take part in the group karaoke that is organised there every Sunday in August.

Like a date, on Sunday afternoons many Berliners and tourists flock to Mauerpark with a few beers, which always help to overcome shyness, and join their voices to sing. There is a microphone on stage and you can go up if you dare, although you can also stay seated and sing along.

How did this come about? It all started with a courier who rode around Berlin on his bicycle with loudspeakers. He encouraged people to sing along with him and one Sunday he decided to set up in Mauerpark, establishing a new tradition that has been supported by many.

Useful information

• When: Sundays in August
• Where: Mauerpark
• Price: free admission

Who doesn't fancy a dip in the summer? August is a hot month even in Berlin, where temperatures reach 25ºC. To cool off, Berliners have a clear plan: a visit to the Badeschiff swimming pool. This open-air, floating facility is located in the city centre and offers incredible views of the River Spree.

Beyond the swimming pool, which is located on the river, there is a beach area perfect for sunbathing while gazing at Berlin's famous television tower in the distance. This initiative has always been welcomed by locals, as the water in the River Spree is too polluted to swim in. In any case, the Badeschiff has become an urban centre, as it is also part of the Arena Berlin complex, where events are organised throughout the year.

Access to the pool is free every day during the summer season, from approximately 8 p.m. to midnight. It tends to get crowded, so I recommend going first thing in the morning and on weekdays, when there are fewer people.

Useful information

• When: throughout August
• Where: Badeschiff (Arena Berlin)
• Price: free admission

Of all the activities you can do in Berlin in summer, most are concentrated in August, which is the month with the highest temperatures (between 14ºC and 24ºC). The sun is the star of the show and rain only makes a brief appearance (nothing that can't be solved by packing a small umbrella in your suitcase just in case).

There are almost 15 hours of daylight, although this decreases as the month progresses. For this reason, it may cool down in the evenings after 9 pm. You don't need to bring a coat, but a jacket and long trousers are recommended.

The mild temperatures and sunshine in Berlin in August attract many tourists, which you will notice especially in the price of accommodation and flights. In addition, it also coincides with a month when most people are on holiday and travel more. To avoid much higher than expected costs, try to book your hotel and flight in advance.

With more tourists around, you will notice that Berlin is busier, which means queues to enter iconic places such as the German Parliament. At this time of year, a card such as the Berlin Pass becomes almost a necessity, as it includes admission to various monuments and also allows you to skip some queues, or at least reduce the time you spend in them.

In any case, and although there are clearly places that are worth seeing inside, I recommend taking advantage of the good weather to enjoy the green spaces and outdoor events that Berlin has to offer in August.

Is everything ready for your trip to Berlin? As you can see, there's no shortage of things to do in August. Let me know how it goes!