Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PARTICIPATORY SPORTS
JOGGING
With so many parks it's easy to find a good place to jog
in Berlin. Best are the Tiergarten, Volkspark
Friedrichshain, Treptower Park and the gardens of Schloss
Charlottenburg. The lakes around the city are also popular
with joggers: try the Schlachtensee, Krumme Lanke or
Grunewaldsee. If you're into long-distance running
there's always the Berlin Marathon (see p.27) on the last
weekend in September.
17
Hamam
Mariannenstr. 6, Kreuzberg
T
030 615 14 64,
W
hamamberlin.de; U-Kottbusser Tor.
Women-only (but
not lesbian) Turkish-style bathhouse in women's centre
Schokofabrik (see p.237). Various beauty treatments
available.
Mon 3-11pm, Tues-Sun noon-11pm.
Ì
Liquidrom
Möckernstr 10, Kreuzberg
T
030 258
00 78 20,
W
liquidrom-berlin.de; S-Anhalter Bahnhof.
Cutting-edge health spa, whose claim to fame is its
atmospheric saltwater pool into which ambient music is
piped. The amazing underwater sound experience is
complemented by mildly psychedelic projections on the
ceiling and floors. There's also a couple of hot tubs - one
outdoor - a sauna, steam room and a civilized bar.
Sun-Thurs 10am-midnight, Fri & Sat 10am-1am.
Sommerbad Olympia-Stadion
Olympischer Platz
(Osttor), Charlottenburg
T
030 663 11 52,
W
berlinerbaederbetriebe.de;
U-Olympia Stadion.
Outdoor pool that's part of the impressive 1930s-era
Olympic Stadium complex. With a 50m pool and several
diving boards.
Mid-May to mid-Sept daily 7am-7pm.
Stadtbad Charlottenburg (Alte Halle)
Krumme Str. 10,
Charlottenburg
T
030 34 38 38 60,
W
berlinerbaederbe
triebe.de;
U-Bismarckstrasse.
A delightful, old-fashioned
tiled pool, seldom crowded, with three saunas and a steam
room.
Hours vary wildly by day and season.
Stadtbad Neukölln
Ganghoferstr. 3, Neukölln
T
030
68 24 98 12,
W
berlinerbaederbetriebe.de; U-Rathaus
Neukölln.
Swim and relax in a setting that resembles a
Hungarian spa. Two pools (one heated, one cool) decorated
with fountains and mosaic tiles, encased in a maze of
archways and colonnades. Sauna and steam room available.
Approx. daily 6.30am-10.30pm; but hours vary wildly.
Strandbad Wannsee
Wannseebadweg 25, Zehlendorf
T
030 70 71 38 33,
W
strandbadwannsee.de;
S-Nikolassee.
Berlin's famed beach, with lots of activities
in summer - volleyball, table tennis, basketball, boat
rental - when it is usually packed. There are
GYMS, POOLS, SAUNAS AND SPAS
Berlin's private gyms are usually members-only and you'll
usually need to be a guest of a member to qualify for a day
pass, which is likely to be around €15. However, if you are in
Berlin for a few weeks it should be fairly easy to get a short-
term membership at your nearest gym. One chain with
several branches in Berlin is Fit Sportstudio (
W
fit
-sportstudios.de). Most city districts have both indoor and
outdoor
swimming pools, the majority of which are
municipal (
W
berlinerbaederbetriebe.de), charge around
€4 for a swim and have complicated opening hours - from
as early as 7am to as late as 10pm on some days, with some
closing in the summer and some offering men- and
women-only times and family times. Look out too for
Warmbadetag
, when the water is warmer than usual - and
admission is usually more. Many pools also have saunas
which cost around €15 for three hours, and require you to
leave any Anglo-Saxon prudishness at home, for they are
inevitably naked and mixed-sex. Women uncomfortable
with this arrangement should look out for women-only
sessions offered regularly at most facilities, while men
should be aware that men-only sessions, where offered,
are frequently cruisey - anywhere advertising itself as a
men's sauna is an out-and-out gay venue. If you're looking
for a waterpark, you could head outside the city to Tropical
Islands (see p.175), a luxurious indoor complex with a
constant temperature of 27ºC.
Bad am Spreewaldplatz
Wiener Str. 59h, Kreuzberg
T
030 695 35 20,
W
berlinerbaederbetriebe.de;
U-Görlitzerbahnhof.
Popular 25m indoor pool complete
with wave machine that makes it popular with families.
Also a good sauna.
Approx Mon-Fri 2.30-10pm, Sat &
Sun 11am-6.30pm.
Strandkörbe
(stylish beach cabanas that seat two; €8) for rent. Entry
€4.50.
April-Sept daily 10am-6pm, with varying but
extended hours June-Aug.
Thermen am Europa-Center
Nürnberger Str. 7,
Charlottenburg
T
030 257 57 60,
W
thermen-berlin
.de;
U-Wittenbergplatz.
Big sauna complex with no less
BADESCHIFF
A dip in the River Spree might not sound like such a good idea until you visit
Badeschiff
(daily
8am-midnight; €5 pool, €14 sauna;
T
030 533 20 30,
W
arena-berlin.de; U-Schlesiches Tor), an
old industrial barge converted into a clear blue, 20m-long swimming pool that bobs in the
river. A wooden jetty that's perfect for sunbathing connects the pool to a beach - complete
with a happening beach bar that hosts various events - that's been constructed on the bank.
Look out for early-morning yoga sessions. The entrance is hidden behind a maze of old tram
sheds beside the Arena complex. In winter the pool gets a roof and its two saunas are popular.
