According to Timeout, Berlin is the #3 best city in the world in 2024. Obviously we agree with this high position but we sometimes do envy cities like Barcelona and Lisbon because they are located directly at the sea. It’s a good thing to know that there are some beaches in Berlin. There will not be saltwater and waves but there will be sand, water and plenty of sun during the summer-months.
The Wannsee
Because there is no sea, the beaches in Berlin are located at lakes. The Müggelsee, Pötzensee, Sacrower See and Tegeler See are all great options but our favourite is still the Wannsee. Great benefit of the Wannsee is that you can reach this beach with one direct line from the main train-stations in Berlin like Alexanderplatz. Besides that, the water is clean and you can choose to visit the so called strandbad and use some facitilities.
Strandbad Wannsee
Strandbad Wannsee is the largest inland lido of Europe and has a water surface of about 130 000 m². The beach is 1,2 km long and 50-80 meter wide (depending on the tide). Compared to many other places to swim in Berlin, a major advantage of this Strandbad is that everything is well organised: You have showers, changing rooms and you can buy yourself something to eat. Also, there is first aid available in case of an emergency and the guards are keeping an eye on the swimmers.
Do you like sport on the beach? We have listed the best places to play beachvolleybal in Berlin.
Practical Information
Wannsee lido is located approximately 20-25 kilometers southwest of Berlin. This may seem a bit far for an afternoon beach, but since the S-Bahn is heading directly to station Wannsee from main stations like Ostkreuz, Friedrichstraße, Alexanderplatz you can reach the beach in about 45 minutes. Strandbad Wannsee is located in the middle of nature so it really feels like escaping the city for a day. There are plenty of parking spots in case you want to come by car, but personally I would advice travelling by the train if you want to visit the Wannsee.
Strandbad Wannsee – Frequently asked questions
Here are some of the questions you might have before visiting the Strandbad Wannsee:
The entrance of the Strandbad is € 5.50 and you get 2€ off if you can show a student-card or any other discount-card.
In the summer Strandbad Wannsee is open during weekends from 09.00 to 20.00, but hours vary per month of the year See the official website if you want to read more about opening times.
Yes you can rent a normal chair for 4€ and a bigger one for 8€.
Every year the water of the Wannsee is checked and in the last 4 years the quality has been determined as excellent. No need to worry about getting a rash or anything like that.
