Herbst in Berlin © Wolfgang Scholvien
This morning I saw it: the first yellow leaf on the tree outside my window! And it’s 21 September, which means that the day after tomorrow is the first day of autumn! So the yellow leaf’s a nice sign, because there are some good reasons to look forward to autumn in Berlin.
1. The rustling of the leaves – walks in the autumn
The 2,500 parks in Berlin will soon be covered in carpets of red and yellow foliage, the leaves will be dancing up a storm on the waters of the Canal, and the Grunewald will full of the smell of mushrooms – all of which makes this the best time of the year for a walk in Berlin.
Berliner Lichtfeste © berlin-lights.com / verworner
2. Let there be light
There are some good sides to the days getting shorter: the nights are getting longer, which is perfect for the two illumination festivals coming to Berlin 2–19 October: the Festival of Lightsand Berlin illuminated. Spotlights, lamps and colourful light installations will bathe parts of the city both known and unknown in magical and colourful light.
3. Dancing with kites on Tempelhof Feld
Autumn is the time to fly kites in Berlin. So it’s time to get your carefully folded classic from your cupboard, design your own homemade monster or just run off to the nearest shop. The runways of the former Tempelhof airport will be offering some of the best kite-flying conditions around.
4. Cycling the Berlin Wall
On sunny days in autumn, a bike ride is just the ticket. Given that this year is the 25th anniversary of an autumn that changed the world, cycling the Berlin Wall trail along the former no-man’s land would be an appropriate adventure. The path takes you either through the heart of the city centre or through some lovely green areas, depending on which section you opt for. It’s also the perfect way to see how much the city has changed in a quarter century.
Café Petit Fleury © Pierre Adenis
5. Enjoying a quiet afternoon in a café
Is it slowly getting cold and uncomfortable outside? What could be better than relaxing with a hot cup of tea, cocoa or coffee? You can sit warm and cosy at the window of a street café and watch the city pass you by. Find out some of the best spots for coffee in Berlin here.
6. Swimming with the Vikings
Is it raining outside? Are the kids bored? Then it’s time once again to visit a museum. The Vikings is a recently opened exhibition at the Martin-Gropius-Bau that shows what life was really like for the Norsemen. The heart of the exhibition is the largest extant Viking warship, extending an amazing 37 metres long. Found with eight other Viking ships in the Danish port of Roskilde in 1997, it is now being shown to the public for the first time.
7. Shopping for fall and winter clothes
Cuddly warm jumpers, layers, trendy trenches and long coats to me from the autumn winds that blow through the streets of the capital: I finally have a good reason to go shopping!
8. Lights out in the dark restaurant
You eat with your eyes, it’s been said. But in Berlin’s two dark restaurants, you have to rely on only your sense of touch and taste. Pouring wine without looking? Eating spaghetti with your fingers? What might horrify your parents will be a special experience at the dark restaurant.
9. Cinema
When was the last time you saw a really good film? After spending evenings outdoors in the summer, by autumn, it’s finally time to head back to the cinema. In addition to large multiplexes and major cinemas with long histories, Berlin also offers many small cinemas that specialize in films beyond the mainstream.
10. A forest means mushroomsBerlin is one of the greenest cities in Europe, full of inner-city parks and gardens, but also surrounded by forest. The largest forests are the Grunewald and Spandau Forest. And, as everyone knows, a forest means mushrooms, so get your baskets and start hunting for chestnuts, porcini and chanterelles.
Lichtgrenze © Kulturprojekte Berlin WHITEvoid / C. Bauder, Foto: D. Bueche
11. Balloons ascending on 9 November 2014
The Berlin Wall fell on the night of 9 November 1989 and pictures of this historic event went around the world. Since then, the date has been symbol of freedom and peaceful revolution. To mark the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a border of light will be created from thousands of white balloons along the former course of the Wall through the city centre. Every single balloon will be sponsored for the weekend of 9 November and the climax of the event will come when they release their balloons with personal messages as a symbol of hope for a world without walls.
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