THE TOURISTIN: Pretty autumn spots in and near Berlin

There are many pretty warm days in mid-October, with temperatures just below 20 degrees Celsius, and it gets slowly cooler towards November. Sometimes temperatures are below fifteen to ten degrees Celsius, so it is ideal to bring a scarf and wear a coat. October and November are the ideal months to go outside to enjoy the wonderful colours of autumn's tree foliage in and near Berlin.

Travel Germany - Pretty autumn spots in and near Berlin.

433,000 trees line Berlin's streets. Come autumn, the leaves start falling like the Berlin wall and everything looks like a painting. Fun fact: 1900 city-employees are needed to sweep up the fallen leaves and transport them away. Days feel like dipped into softener, there aren't any real sharp contours when one is out for walks in the parks and forests. Everybody seems to just drift along, as there would be no worry in the world. Simply hanging on to the last warm moments, and drinking in the colour of the changing leaves, before the harsh winter is about to come and grips us with its cold hands.

If you like to spend time in nature, you won’t have to go far. I don't like autumn. I love it. Berlin is a super town at this time of the year. Autumn colours are intoxicating and sweet. A sea of blue, red, green, gold, brown and yellow. There are lakes, forests, parks, log houses and most often you are going to be all alone (you might meet some dog walkers). Autumn in and near Berlin makes for perfect day trips and is excellent for hiking and taking photos.

River Havel in Berlin-Wannsee in autumn

The Havel river rises in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, flows through Brandenburg, runs 29 kilometres through Berlin and flows into the river Elbe in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The Havel was developed as a shipping route and is partially straightened.

The silhouette of a boat with two passengers at sunset, whereby the water, as well as the sky, is bathed in a deep orange colour.

A pastel-coloured church on the banks of a river, reflected in the same, surrounded by autumn foliage trees in the soft light of sunset.

Two people dressed in black, walk through thick colourful leaves on a path through a forest.

Peacock island in autumn

You can visit Peacock island, with 400 old oak trees and the oldest rose garden in Berlin a protected UNESCO World Heritage site. Pfaueninsel, Nikolskoer Weg, 14109 Berlin. Visit the website for information. How to get here: Jump onto the S-Bahn and get off at station Wannsee, from where you catch the bus service 218, to get off at the station Pfaueninsel.

A white two-storey property on an island grown over with trees in autumn foliage.

A piece of a castle and a small dark blue sailing boat with one off-white sail, on a river in front of trees in autumn foliage.

Moorlake in Wannsee in autumn

So romantic. Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV built a forester's lodge and a stable building built in Bavarian style on the banks of the Havel in 1840 in honor of his wife, Elisabeth von Wittelsbach, who was born in Bavaria. It was used by them for recreation and hunting parties. In 1896, the royals rented out the lodge as a restaurant, and a farm building and a ballroom were added. Until 1918, the couple used the guest room on the upper floor exclusively for themselves and personal guests. For decades now, the lodge houses a restaurant that also offers literary events.

Moorlakeweg 6, 14109 Berlin-Wannsee. Hours: from 11am. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Visit the website for more info. How to get here: Jump onto the S-Bahn and get off at station Wannsee, from where you catch the bus service 218, to get off at the station Pfaueninsel, from there it is a twenty-minute walk along the river.

A dense forest, in autumn foliage, grows down to a lake where a white swan swims its rounds.

Blockhaus Nikolskoe in Wannsee in autumn

There is a log house in Russian style, and the view from there is breathtakingly beautiful. King Frederick William III built it in 1819 as a present to his daughter Charlotte, who was married to the Russian Tsar Nicolas I. Next door, and only a few steps from the log house restaurant is the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Russianorthodox style.

Nikolskoer Weg 15, 14109 Berlin. Hours: Monday to Sunday 11am to 6pm. How to get here: Jump onto the S-Bahn and get off at station Wannsee, from where you catch the bus service 218, to get off at the station Pfaueninsel, from there it is a five-minute walk.

A wooden two-storey dark brown log house with a staircase at the front, decorated with flower boxes planted with bright red geraniums, under a soft blue sky.

A boat at sunset, whereby the water, as well as the sky, is bathed in a deep orange colour.

Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg in autumn

A walk through Mitte is an excellent thing to do at any time of the year, and especially so in autumn. There is one stunningly beautiful tree with a stink problem though. The gingko trees start to smell like vomit, this is not fun. Their autumn-leaves have a bright-yellow colour. Have you ever been somewhere where somebody dropped a butyric-acid-stink-bomb? Right, that is the smell. Only the female trees stink this horrible. Naturally curious about the world around me, I jumped onto google maps and walked along these streets that have the smelly trees, and, I found out that they were only planted sort of recently, as in (roughly) the last decade. I wonder why on earth didn't they plant the male version and how can people who live near these trees can cope with that smell? Berlin is pretty in autumn, better hold your breath around these trees. Make your way to Unter den Linden, and from there walk up Prenzlauer Allee to Prenzlauer Berg for a stroll through colourful streets.

A wooden bench on a city square with a seemingly endless amount of trees in red-brown colourful autumn foliage.

People and a stone monument on a square with trees in red-brown colourful autumn foliage.

Path, where vanishing point perspective draws you in, below trees in bright yellow autumn foliage.

Linden tree in autumn foliage, statues of Max Planck, Nobel Prize winner and Theodor Mommsen, historian. Facade of Humboldt Uni as background.

Bright autumn leaves in front of the facade of the Humboldt University

Cyclists and pedestrians and their shadows in the low light of sunset as they make their way through the pillars of a large stone arch.

Bright red and golden autumn leaves twine around a window with the reflection of a TV tower.

The facade of a three-storey house overgrown with bright red and golden autumn leaves.

A single person walks through a park on a path covered in autumn leaves.

A red brick water tower with a turquoise door in a park with trees and shrubs in colourful autumn leaves, under a bright blue sky.

A water tower and a tall tower on a hill covered with trees and shrubs in colourful autumn leaves, under a bright blue sky.

Autumn leaves on the pavement in front of a pink and a blue-green five-storey house.

A five-storey house, trees in autumn colours, a pond with water lilies in a park, all reflected in the water of the pond.

Tiergarten - the central park of Berlin in autumn

This is the green lung of the city, that description is heavily overused in any town, how else can I describe this park? Joggers run, couples walk their dogs, families play in and with the leaves. A magical place in the city. Only a few paths in the Tiergarten have lamps, the majority of the park is pitch black at night. Best to visit the Tiergarten during the day along the Straße des 17. Juni, 10557 Berlin.

A middle sized white stone statue on the shore of a still body of water surrounded by trees in brightly coloured autumn foliage, whereby all is reflected in the water.

A red rowing boat on the shore of a still body of water surrounded by thick forest in brightly coloured autumn foliage, whereby all is reflected in the water.

A small stone bridge over a still body of water in a thick forest in brightly coloured autumn foliage, which is reflected in the water.

A still body of water in a thick forest in brightly coloured autumn foliage, which is reflected in the water.

A large park, its trees in colourful autumn foliage, in front of a city skyline.

Two people walk over a small stone bridge over a still body of water in a thick forest in brightly coloured autumn foliage, which is reflected in the water.

A long straight road leads through a large park, its trees in colourful autumn foliage and towards a city, under a soft blue sky.

Two people sitting by a small pond surrounded by thick forest its trees in autumn colours.

A group of yellow-light-brown coloured mushrooms, amongst pieces of wood, acorns, and brown autumn leaves on green grass.

An inner city park, its trees in colourful autumn foliage surrounded by streets under a soft blue sky.

Berlin Weißensee in autumn

In the Berlin borough of Weißensee there is this idyllic lake and park. Weißensee is like a small town in a large city (Berlin). You can cycle here from Alexanderplatz, it is only five kilometres, or take the tram M4, which stops directly at lake Weißer See. The borough is named after its lake.

A woman and a man sitting next to each other on fallen leaves on a lake's shore; the sun sets on the opposite bank. Soft autumn light.

Lake Tornow in autumn

You can walk all around Lake Tornow in Ruppin Switzerland. Lake Tornow is only 12 metres deep and it lies in the middle of a conservation area. Dewy moss covers hillsides. In autumn, the forest floor is already covered densely by leaves. It feels like walking over an expensive and very soft shaggy carpet of reddish colour. Go and see this yourself. Read more about it and how to get to the lake, here: Perfect Indian Summer at the Tornowsee in Brandenburg. Travel Germany.

A person in a red kayak on a still body of water and a black cormorant flying over the still body of water surrounded by thick forest in brightly coloured autumn foliage, whereby all is reflected in the water.

A still body of water surrounded by thick forest in brightly coloured autumn foliage, which is reflected in the water.

A white two-storey cottage in a forest, all covered in autumn leaves.

A wooden bridge over a small stream in a forest, all covered in autumn leaves.

Grumsin Forest

There are over 650 UNESCO recognized biosphere reserves worldwide (as of today). And ever since 1990 the Biosphere Reserve Schorfheide-Chorin is one of them. UNESCO classifies the cultural landscape between the upper Havel, the lower Oder and the Barnim in the north-eastern part of the Mark Brandenburg as so interesting and important that it is one of the few most valuable landscapes in the world and with that also part of the global research program "Man and the biosphere "(MAB). Make your way to the Grumsin Forest. How to get to Grumsin Forst: Via the A11 towards Angermuende. Exit Joachimsthal and follow the signage to Angermuende. Read more about it here: A Magical Place in Germany: Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Beech Forest in Grumsin.

A red and white toadstool and brown autumn leaves on a green mossy forest floor.

Stahnsdorf in autumn

Make your way to Stahnsdorf in the southwest of Berlin, in the state of Brandenburg. In Stahnsdorf you can visit the tenth largest cemetery in the world, which is Germany's second largest one (if it interests you, Germany's largest cemetery is in Hamburg). The wooden cemetery chapel, built between 1908 and 1911, is the true highlight. It looks like one of Norway's typical stave churches. Please keep in mind that the cemetery and its wooden chapel are still in use (no running, shouting, selfies etc).

Bahnhofstrasse 2, 14532 Stahnsdorf, Brandenburg. From Alexanderplatz in Berlin, take the regio to Potsdam. In Potsdam jump onto the bus X1 before you jump off after just four stops. From the bus stop it is a short walk of about five to ten minutes to the entrance.

Ornamented facade of a dark brown wooden stave church under a bright blue sky.

A dark brown wooden stave church on a hill under a bright blue sky.

Linum in autmn

Linum is in the moor landscape of the Upper Rhinluch surrounded by meadows. While photo-hunting for cranes, I pass by a farmstall, there is pumpkins everywhere. I take a gazillion photos of the yummies, and soon realize they look like art. As I chat with the farmer, he tells me that he grows 150 pumpkin varieties, many of the seeds come from abroad, often friends bring them back home from their vacation. The guy admits that he hasn't tried every single variety this season... yet. We both laugh. He surely is on a pumpkin mission. I hop into a local café, have cake and a coffee. As I pay, the waitress gifts me a jute bag that has a print of a robin redbreast and the words: with using this bag you protect the birds from hazardous plastic. You simply must love Brandenburg. How to get to Linum: The town is roughly 60 kilometres from Alexanderplatz (in the very centre of Berlin). Read Travel Germany. Tips for your Eurasian Crane Safari in Linum.

A collection of medium sized orange-green-yellow coloured pumpkins on a wooden board.

About 55 medium sized orange coloured pumpkins on a wooden board.

Liepnitzsee / Lake Liepnitz in autumn

Liepnitzsee (Lake Liepnitz) is one of the cleanest lakes in the state of Brandenburg. In summer, it is beautiful for swimming. In autumn, it becomes one of the most colorful places to visit near Berlin. From Alexanderplatz take the U8 to Gesundbrunne. Jump onto the U2 to Bernau, and once you arrive there, take the bus to Wandlitz and Uetzdorf. From there it is a walk of about half an hour to reach the lake.

A small wooden red cottage on a lake surrounded by thick forest in brightly coloured autumn foliage.

A person on a stand up paddle on a still body of water surrounded by thick forest in brightly coloured autumn foliage, all reflected in the water.

A small ferry boat on a still body of water in front of a thick forest in brightly coloured autumn foliage, which is reflected in the water.

Werder (Havel) in autumn

Werder (Havel), just around the corner from Potsdam, is a historic Old Town with cobbled lanes lined by colourful period properties on an island surrounded by several lakes. It is picture-perfect, especially so in autumn.

You can take the Regio 1 from Alexanderplatz that brings you directly to Werder (Havel).

A village with a church tower a windmill and colourful houses, trees in autumn foliage, and a blue-white ferry on a pier reflected in a still lake under a soft blue sky.

A village with a church tower a windmill and colourful houses, and trees in autumn foliage, reflected in a still lake under a soft blue sky.t blue sky.

Babelsberg park and palace in autumn

Babelsberg palace and its park on the Havel River is beautiful in autumn. The park was the idea of Emperor William I and his wife Augusta. It is designed by two landscape architects, Peter Joseph Lenné and Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau. To see more of his work, read Travel Germany and Poland – UNESCO World Heritage site Prince-Pueckler-Park Bad Muskau and Muskau Castle. The palace is UNESCO World Heritage site. From Alexanderplatz in Berlin, take the S7 to Griebnitzsee and from there take the bus 616 to Potsdam/Babelsberg.

A palace built in English gothic revival style in a park under a bright blue sky.

The stump of a large tree and a medieval tower in neo-Gothic style on a green grassy hill covered with light brown autumn leaves, under a blue sky with big white clouds.

A large tree and a medieval tower in neo-Gothic style on a green grassy hill covered with brown autumn leaves, under a blue slightly cloudy sky.

Pretty autumn spots in and near Berlin

You probably might have not thought about how beautiful Berlin and Brandenburg in autumn looks and feels, just have a look around on your next trip to Berlin.

Four mandarin ducks, three of them brightly coloured , with a red bill, a white crescent around their eyes, one in brown colours, sit in a row on a tree stump in a body of water; all looking, alternately, in opposite dircetions from each other.

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From Berlin with love