Seen the Brandenburg Gate? Already paid your respects at the Jewish memorial? Been to all the well known Berlin museums? Or maybe it is not Berlin’s tourist hotspots that interest you and instead you are looking for something a little different? If “yes” then this list of unusual tourist attractions in Berlin might be just what you are looking for;
Visit the ruins of a once thriving amusement park
Speedpark was once a tourist hotspot with its forty five foot ferris wheel and dinosaur statues! Now however, it looks more like a ghost town or something out of a zombie apocalypse movie. There are go-carts that have been de-railed and rides with no one on them, it is easily one hell of a scary place to get lost in!
Pay a visit to see Berlin’s mascots, Schnute and Maxi
Schnute and Maxi are two bears living in the middle of Köllnischer Park. They are smack bang in between a children’s playground and the great Märkisches Museum! So it is no surprise that people gather round trying to take the perfect photograph of these adorable little beasts which live in a cozy little open air pit. It may seem strange but bear keeping has been a tradition in Berlin since as early as 1937.
Gaze upon a real UFO!
Okay, so there aren’t actually any little green men inside, nor did it come from outer space. However, this spiffy alien spacecraft looking piece of architecture was designed by a man named Matti Suuronen and is just 1 of 96 futuro houses distributed across the world. You can’t actually waltz right inside and check it out due to someone actually living in this very uniquely designed house, however you are free to take pictures of it from across the Spree, or if you’d prefer you can ride one of the public ferries to get a little closer and snap yourself a shot of it.
Badeschiff (bathing ship)
Perhaps one of the strangest swimming pools you will ever come across, the Badeschiff was designed by the ingenious artist Susanne Lorenz. It is made out of a former cargo container and floats in the River Spree, making an un-swimmable river eye level to anyone who wants to relax in this mini oasis. DJ’s, open air bars and cool clean water make this the perfect hang-out in the summer! Who would have thought that something such as the Badeschiff would exist in such an urban centre?
Watch some amazing movies with squatters
Berlin has its fair share of squatters and it just so happens that squatters absolutely love to watch films! They are also kind enough to allow members of the public to watch films that they screen. If you head on over to Kreuzberg on either a Monday or Thursday night and find the punk squat named KØPI 137, you will be invited to watch movies all night with them! There is also a place in Friedrichshain named Filmrisz which hosts a range of free films on Wednesdays and Sundays. Most films shown in Filmrisz are dubbed in German so if you’re not fluent in the language then you may struggle. There are various other squats dotted all over Berlin and they are absolutely brilliant places to hang out with some real down to earth German folk and meet new people.
Visit the Soviet War memorial
It may seem strange having a soviet memorial in the very country they battled against during the Second World War, however, this war memorial commemorates the memory of Soviet soldiers who lost their lives during the war. This colossal sized memorial can be found within the leafy park of Treptower Park and is definitely a must see for anyone with an interest in history and war.
Tropical Islands
Perhaps one of the most fantastic unheard of tourist attractions in Berlin, the Tropical Islands was built by a man named Colin Au who basically converted an old airship hangar into what can only be described as a Garden of Eden theme park! The hangar is actually so big that you could fit the Eiffel Tower inside it both upright and on its side! It’s not just a man-made paradise either, it is also home to the worlds largest indoor water park, a lagoon, restaurants and even music for you to dance to! For as little as 12 Euros you are even allowed sleep there overnight in a tent provided to you. Doesn’t this sound like the perfect place to bring the kids?
Dine in the apartment of one of Berlin’s most skilled chefs
That’s right, forget going to a restaurant as the newest way of doing things is to actually visit the chefs home! Berlin’s master chef is known as the Shy Chef and she will cook you up one hell of a meals, with past menus having included mint cured fillet of lamb and chilled strawberry soup. One thing to note though is that you will actually be dining in this lovely young ladies very own apartment in Kreuzberg, so reservations are required.
Urban Farming
This is the perfect place for children with a passion for animals. It is basically a farm located in the middle of Kreuzberg where children can ride horses, pet rabbits and look at ducks, pheasants, turkeys and hens. The farms main purpose is not to eventually slaughter animals, but instead to allow children to fully understand and grow closer to nature. It’s the perfect way to impart knowledge onto your children.
Explore beneath Berlin
If you have a passion for all things architecture then this unique tour will show you what you don’t usually see. It’s a tour which takes place beneath Berlin where you will be able to view shelters and bunkers which were used during the World War. Not a thing has changed and has been preserved for the folk of today to take a trip back in time! I recommend everyone takes this tour as it will leave you pondering as to what exactly is beneath our own cities!
So there you have it! A list of the quirkiest things to do in the great city of Berlin. They may not be the type of things which are typically found in a travel brochure but they are certainly just as awesome as any attractions your travel brochure may suggest!
