Berlin Lakes: Best Places for Swimming & Relaxing Near the City

It’s easy to picture Berlin as a city of concrete, clubs and museums, until a July afternoon sends half the city out to the water instead. What most first-time visitors don’t expect is how close the escape is: some of the best Berlin lakes sit a short S-Bahn ride from the centre, ringed by forest rather than promenades, and free to swim in. This guide picks out where locals actually go, and how to get there.

Whether you’re after a proper lido with all the trimmings, a quieter forest lake with clear water, or simply the nearest patch of sand to cool off after sightseeing, the choice of lakes near Berlin covers every kind of afternoon. Know which one suits your mood, and the water is rarely more than half an hour away.

Wannsee, the grand old lido

The best-known of the city’s swimming in Berlin spots is Wannsee, and Strandbad Wannsee is the reason why. Opened in 1907 and expanded through the 1920s, it’s reckoned the largest inland lido in Europe: a 1,275-metre beach of sand trucked in from the Baltic coast, with room for around 30,000 bathers, plus changing cabins, kiosks and a proper slide for the kids. It sits on the eastern shore of Großer Wannsee, a broad bay of the River Havel, and is easily reached on the S7 to Nikolassee or Wannsee station, followed by a short walk through the trees. It’s the busiest of the city’s Berlin beaches by some distance, so early mornings or late afternoons are the better bet if crowds aren’t your thing.

Schlachtensee, the locals’ favourite

A few stops closer to the centre, Schlachtensee is where Berliners actually go rather than where the tour buses stop. It’s the largest and southernmost lake in the Grunewald chain, deep enough — up to 8.5 metres in places — that the water stays clear and cool through summer, with a 5.5km path circling the whole shoreline for walkers, joggers and cyclists. There’s no entry fee and no lido infrastructure, just sunbathing lawns running down to the water and a historic beer garden, the Alte Fischerhütte, on the eastern bank. Among the lakes in Berlin favoured by residents, this is usually the first name mentioned, and the S1 to Schlachtensee station drops you a two-minute walk from the shore.

Krumme Lanke, the quiet neighbour

Ten minutes’ walk south of Schlachtensee, connected to it by a narrow channel, Krumme Lanke is smaller, shallower and noticeably quieter. Its curved, tube-like shape gives the lake its name, and shallow, sandy bays at the northern end make it a natural choice for families with small children, while a designated naturist area sits at the southern end for anyone who prefers it. There are barely any facilities beyond a seasonal snack van, which is precisely why it stays calmer than its bigger neighbours. The U3 runs to a stop of the same name, with a ten-minute walk through a leafy residential street bringing you to the water.

Choosing between them

None of Berlin’s lakes charges for access beyond Wannsee’s official lido, so the real choice comes down to atmosphere rather than budget. Wannsee suits a full day out with facilities laid on; Schlachtensee splits the difference between infrastructure and a proper forest setting; Krumme Lanke rewards anyone happy to bring their own towel and skip the crowds entirely. All three sit within Berlin’s standard AB transport zone, so a normal city ticket covers the trip there and back with no extra fare to plan around.

Planning around the water

A lake afternoon is one of the easiest additions to make to a longer trip, needing nothing more than a transport ticket and a free half-day. Travelodeal can help build the right Berlin city breaks around it, timing a visit for whichever season suits swimming best, so the water is there waiting whenever the city itself starts to feel like enough sightseeing for one day.

Frequently asked questions