Berlin am Meer

Kieran Drake hops on his paddle board—and hires a kayak or two—to explore Berlin’s waterways…

Over the last two years I’ve got to know the city and its history by diving into its lakes, rivers and pools—and wondering how I’d never heard about Berlin’s wonderful lakes before moving here. 

This year I wanted to spend more time on the water while seeing more of the city and its surroundings than is possible from swimming alone. While numerous boat tours exist, I wanted to travel at my own speed and choose my own route, with the flexibility to stop or change it as I go—the obvious options were to invest in a paddle board and hire some kayaks.

It worked. Every single trip I’ve done so far has opened up new perspectives on the city. Even in places I know well, such as Potsdam or Wannsee, I’ve been struck at how different the view is from the water. In other places, like Neu- and Klein-Venedig, or Stölpchensee, there’s actually no way to visit except by boat, unless of course you’re lucky enough to know someone who lives there.

Below are three routes I’d recommend to anyone else wishing to see more of Berlin from the water. In all the places I’ve paddled, boat hire—kayaks, canoes, paddle boards as well as motor boats—has been possible, so if you don’t own a boat or board, don’t despair! 

Müggelspree and Neu-Venedig

On the far side of Müggelsee, between the lake and Dämeritzsee, lies the Müggelspree river and the small, idyllic residential settlement of Neu Venedig (New Venice). Like its Italian namesake, it’s built on a series of canals that make it a perfect place to spend a day paddling around on the water.

We hired a two-person kayak from one of the boat hire places on the small (unnamed) island between the Müggelspree Alter Spreearm, near Dämeritzsee (25 euros for four hours; 35 euros for the whole day) and set off west along the Alte Spreearm before branching off into Neu Vededig.

The story of Neu-Venedig dates back to 1890, when the expanding town of Köpenick—then outside Berlin—purchased the land for new housing. Instead of draining the marshy ground, five canals creating five kilometres of waterways were dug in 1926 and later divided into around 400 waterside plots with space for small summer houses (datchas). Most of these houses remain relatively modest, consisting of a small pre-fab summer house and a lawn sloping down to the water, where a boat of some kind is invariably moored. Yes, we got house envy.