6 Best Cycle Routes in Berlin

Now decommissioned, Tempelhofer Feld was once an active airport. With 380+ hectares of space open to the city public, you can easily dedicate a day to explore.

Despite its flat landscape, Tempelhofer Feld has a superb variety of terrain – perfect for a hybrid city bike. From full-length runways to old railway lines and fields of wild grass, cyclists have plenty of ways to spend their time. Crank up the gears on the runways for fitness training, have a chilled ride with friends, or take a picnic blanket and score a beer on the fields in summer.

If you follow the blue ‘Havel Radweg’ signposts through Spandau, you’ll ride an exceptionally beautiful 7 km cycle path through Berlin’s smallest borough. Once you get the ferry crossing from Wannsee S-Bahn station, the Havel Cycle Trail begins from the south at Kladow harbour. Follow the blue signposts towards the direction of Nieder Nuenhof.

Spandau is popular in the summer months, as known artists often perform at the Citadel Music Festival (our top leisure tip for families). Climb up to the Julius Tower for an epic view of the Havel landscape.

When the 160 km wall separated West Berlin from the rest of East Germany, Grunewald was a luscious green haven for those needing to escape the stifling claustrophobia of life within the confines. As you ride your way through the Grunewald Forest, you’ll understand why. There’s vast spaciousness in its lakes, hills, dunes and countryside.

This 20 km loop beginning and ending at South Grunewald train station boasts plenty of variety. We recommend a versatile touring bike like the Pathlite, or an electric bike – gliding through chopping and changing terrain with the sunrays flitting through the trees feels like freedom.

Tip: bring your swimming clothes for a well-earned dip in Schlachtensee.

It’s wonderfully relaxing to cruise the Mauerweg am Wasser loop along the lake shores. Head there early for misty morning views across the water, and a little more peace from pedestrian traffic.

While cycling, you can often see the touring boats taking their passengers for journeys around the Tegeler See, Havel and even to Wannsee.

Along the stunning route of Vetschau to Lübbenau, you can enjoy a relaxed 32 km cycle along a wide-pathed cycle trail that begins at the Strandow Ponds. It’s a leisurely stretch with a diverse variety of animal species to spot.

Stopping in Liepe gives you an opportunity to tour Brandenburg’s oldest open-air museum. If you’re interested in how the inhabitants of Spreewald lived 100 years ago, we recommend planning this space into your day.

The route finishes in Lübbenau where you can explore the charming side streets or relax in a beer garden.

Opened 10 or so years ago, the Berlin Wall Trail (Berliner Mauerweg) takes you on a journey of ever-varying landscapes and fascinating history. Discover historic remnants, former watchtowers and crossing points such as Checkpoint Charlie.

The trail is divided into 14 individual sections. It’s possible to conquer the 160 km trail in a weekend – just grab your road bike and pick up the speed – but for a shorter trip, we recommend the Hennigsdorf – Hohen Neuendorf – Hermsdorf route.

Curious about the other routes? Check them out here. They each range from 7 to 21 km long.

If you’re missing anything from our list, check out the tour planner by bbbike. The website covers all primary and secondary roads in Berlin and Potsdam, so you can plan your route dependent on your bike, length of the trail and your fitness level.

Another helpful route planner is Komoot. You can discover ready-made routes or learn how to create your own with Komoot and share them. If you want to use Komoot for more than one region, you need to pay a small fee.