This post provides several interesting activities that you can enjoy in Berlin throughout the month of July 2024, including a variety of family-friendly, nighttime, and free things to do.
For more ideas, see our post on things to Do in Berlin at any time of the year.
TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES IN JULY
The following list covers some of the best ideas for fun things you can do in Berlin during the month of July. It will include several concerts, sporting events, tours, festivities, and more.
- Free Berlin Walking Tours
- Hop on Hop off Bus Tours
- Berlin Boat Tours & Cruises
- Berlin Bike Tours
- Things to Do in Berlin
Wondering what to pack? Check out our post on the weather in Berlin in July.
1. Attend a Concert
July is a quiet month for concerts in Berlin, but a few big-name artists are scheduled to play.
Concerts
- Pearl Jam | July 2, 3
- Garbage | July 4
- Pet Shop Boys | July 6
- Justin Timberlake | July 30
Check out this list for even more July concerts in Berlin.
Music Festivals
- Staatsoper für alle/State Opera for All | July 13
- Nation of Gondwana 2024 | July 19-21
- Citadel Music Festival | May 25-September 1
2. Discover the Best Food in Berlin
There’s plenty of great food to eat in Berlin, but if you’re not familiar with the city or its cuisine, you might have trouble finding the best restaurants and dishes.
Thankfully, there are food tours covering both the Mitte and Kreuzberg neighborhoods.
During these 3 - 3 ½ hour tours, you’ll visit several different restaurants and try many delicious samples.
You can expect to try a variety of dishes such as Currywurst, fusion dumplings, homemade schnitzel, and drinks like German wine or beer.
If you’re not a meat eater, there is also an Evening Food Tour by Bike which allows you to explore the culinary history of Berlin and test a variety of foods while burning off some of those extra calories on a 5-hour outing.
3. Take a Cruise or Boat Tour
Summer is the best time to get out on the water and enjoy the nice weather in Berlin, and there are several excellent cruises and boat tours to choose from.
In addition to traditional sightseeing cruises, there are also night and dinner cruise options you might want to consider.
If you want to save a few euros and you’re planning to take a hop-on hop-off bus tour as well, it’s worth noting that you’ll probably be able to save money on tickets by purchasing a combo package.
For more details about ways to save and all of the best cruise options in this city, please read our post covering Berlin cruises and boat tours.
4. Experience Botanical Night
This annual event, taking place July 19 & 20, celebrates nature and art - with the Botanical Gardens lit up with light installations.
Illuminated paths guide you through the themed areas of the garden wonderland. It's a true sensory experience.
Enjoy music as well, with this year's event theme "15 years of Botanical Nights!"
For tickets, pictures of previous nights, and additional information, visit the Botanical Night website.
5. See a Theatrical Performance
Although there are no major musicals or operas taking place in Berlin this month, there will still be plenty of opportunities to spend a night at the theater or enjoy a live performance.
Here are a few of the best options this July:
- 90s Forever Hits and Acrobatics at the Wintergarten
- Sixx Paxx Theater Show
- Berliner Residenz Orchestra Concert
- Showgirls of Burlesque
- Falling | In Love Grand Show Friedrichstadt-Palast
If you're looking for a laugh, consider a comedy night with free pizza!
6. Celebrate LGBTQ+
There are three fantastic events taking place in Berlin in July that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
Stadfest/Motszfest/Lesbian and Gay City Festival | July 20 & 21
This 30-year-old street festival takes place in Nollendorfplatz in the Schöneberg neighborhood.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors attend from around the world each year, enjoying music, entertainment, dancing, and more.
Berlin Canal Parade | July 25
For now 18 years, gay clubs and groups have sponsored boats where guests can party while sightseeing.
Pride/Christopher Street Day 2024 | July 27th
For 45 years this festival has promoted the acceptance of and celebrated queer life.
It all starts with a parade, then there's a pride Rally near Bradenburg Gate with DJs, music, and performances.
7. Money With a Tourist Pass
If you’re planning to visit several popular attractions while exploring the city, it’s important to note that many of the best sites and landmarks are actually included with some Berlin tourist passes.
Depending on how you use these services, you can expect to save anywhere from 20% - 50% off general admission prices by using a tourist pass.
Here are a few of the most popular tickets included with various Berlin Tourist Attraction Passes:
- Checkpoint Charlie Museum |
€12.50 - Hop on Hop off Bus Tour |
€30 - Olympic Stadium Tour |
€8 - Aquadom & Sea Life |
€19 - Berlin River Cruise |
€15 - Madame Tussauds |
€25 - Berlin Dungeon |
€22.50 - Panoramapunkt |
€7.50 - Berlin Bike Tour |
€28 - LEGOLAND |
€19.50
For more details about how to use these services and how much money you can save, please read our post covering Berlin tourist attraction passes.
8. Attend More Festivals
There are festivals to fit any interest area in June in Berlin, from the arts to rollercoasters to tech.
Berliner Volksfestsommer | June 21- July 24
Every year Berlin hosts this fair that you can attend for free! There are currently about 150 different performers, rides and rollercoasters, a ghost train, the Rock & Roller Coaster, and many more. Rides and food purchases will cost some money, but there are other on-grounds activities to see and do without any cost.
Fiesta Latina | July 19-27
Head to Alexanderplatz for cultural delicacies, fashion, music, drinks, and piñata parties.
International Barrel Organ Festival | July 5-7
This event starts with a barrel organ parade with players from around the world. It ends with the festival itself at Museum Pankow.
Kulturesommerfestival | TBA
This festival takes place throughout the city, at parks, museums, and community centers. Each day you'll find events around theatre, music, dance, exhibitions, and workshops, all with a focus on celebrating the richness and diversity of German culture.
Tegel Harbour Festival | TBA
This annual festival takes place in Tegel along the Greenwich Promenade.
In addition to live music, there's dancing, food, art exhibitions, and activities around the water such as a boat parade. There are also activities for kids.
9. Catch the UEFA European Championship
Join millions of football lovers as Berlin hosts the finals of UEFA Euro 2024.
Events take place at Olympic Stadium where the final six matches take place, ending with a winning team.
The dates of the matches are:
- Quater-finals | July 5,6 and 7
- Semi-finals | July 9 and 10.
- Final | July 14.
Visit the EUFA Euro 2024 website for more information and for tickets.
10. Explore Berlin By Foot or Bike
The weather in Berlin in June is a really nice time to be outdoors. You can see the city and learn about its culture and history on a guided pay-what-you-like walking tour.
There are also bike tours that allow you to see more of the city while getting a bit of a workout!
If you prefer to explore at your own pace, you can use our self-guided tours or a GPS-enabled audio tour which can be used day or night.
Also, Berlin tourist passes typically include multiple tours, so if you’re planning to use one of those services, you could easily save some money on this activity.
Experience Berlin's Street Art
Ever since Berlin’s reunification and the fall of the Berlin Wall was torn down and covered in inspirational and positive graffiti about unity, Berlin has been associated with street art.
Berlin is known by some as the "street art capital", with some seeing it as vandelous graffiti and others recognizing the political messages and artistic expression in the paintings.
If you want to experience this thriving culture whilst on a budget, try our self-guided Street Art tour of the city's highlights.
THINGS TO DO AT NIGHT IN JULY
The following section covers some of the best things to do after dark in Berlin this December.
Watch a Movie Outdoors
Various open-air movie theaters pop up throughout the city in the summer, showing anything from current Hollywood blockbusters to international art-house movies.
Films are often shown in their original language with German subtitles.
- Freiluftkino Friedrichshain
- Freiluftkino Hasenheide
- Mobile Kino
- Freiluftkino Kreuzberg
- Freiluftkino Rehberge
- Neue-Zukunft at Alt-Starlau 68
- Freiluftkino Insel
- OpenAirKino Spandau
- Freiluftkino Friedrichshagen
Race Through the City at Night
The annual Adidas Runners City Night event brings together runners and inline skaters of all levels who take on either a 5K or 10K course.
Runners start at the Memorial Chruch, racing through the streets of Berlin, through a glowing gate at the finish line.
The race takes place on July 27, 2024. Visit the Adidas Runners City Night website for more information.
See the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
If you’re a fan of classical music, this group will be performing throughout the month, giving you plenty of opportunities to enjoy a live orchestra.
Some of their shows will be Christmas themed, but most of them will feature a variety of classical tunes.
For more information, make sure to check the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra calendar.
See our post on things to do at night in Berlin for even more suggestions.
Visit an Observation Deck
Berlin has a few landmarks that can be climbed by night (and day), ones that offer a view of the city from above.
We have a post on 10 observation decks in Berlin.
A few of them are:
Admission to some of these attractions is included on at least one major Berlin attraction pass, so you don’t even have to pay full price!
FREE THINGS TO DO IN JULY
This section will cover some of the best free activities you can enjoy in Berlin during the month of December.
For even more affordable fun, read our post covering free things to do in Berlin.
Visit the Berlin Wall Memorial
This moving memorial honors the victims of the GDR regime, stretching over 1.4 kilometers (roughly 1 mile) of the Berlin Wall's foundations.
The memorial and its documentation center detail the various ways by which its citizens sought to flee, including tunnels and, in particular, jumping from windows and roofs on Bernauer Strasse.
The memorial also explains the various methods used by the GDR, the East German regime, to keep its citizens from fleeing.
It is a completely free memorial and should be the first stop for anyone interested in Berlin's divided past.
Read our post covering the highlights of this memorial.
Go to Dussmann Bookstore
Whether you are looking for a good read or just want to browse and warm up, the Dussmann bookstore offers a wide range of literature, books, CDs, and more over 3 levels.
Bookworms will have a blast, and the best of all is, this store is open late (until midnight on weekdays, and 23:30 pm on Saturdays).
Even if you don’t plan to buy anything, this is definitely a great spot to drop in and take a look around.
A cozy coffee shop/restaurant is attached. The store is located near S-Bahn station Friedrichstrasse.
Take in an Exhibit at Humbolt Forum (Berliner Schloss)
The motto of the Humbolt Forum is to be a place for culture, science, and the exchange of ideas.
It's housed in a mostly reconstruction of the 18th century Berliner Schloss (Berlin Palace), once the seat of the Hohenzollern dynasty.
There are several free things to experience here, including exhibits of the Ethnological Collections and Asian Art museums.
There is also a free and fascinating exhibit in the cellar of the building, where you can see remains of the previous palace and its related structures.
Lastly, there is a rooftop terrace where you could get pleasant views of Unter den Linden, the Berliner Dom, and Museum Island.
Go to a Flea Market
Berlin offers a huge variety of flea markets all around the city that are open on Sundays, conveniently when most of the other shops here are closed.
Some of the best flea markets around the city are located in Mauer Park (also a great place for buskers, beer, and karaoke),
Klunkerkranich (a rooftop community garden, bar, and weekend flea market), the Turkish Market at Maybachufer (Tuesdays and Fridays), and RAW (located in a cool old abandoned railway yard).
Read our post on the best Berlin Flea Markets.
Take a Self-Guided Walking Tour
We offer several self-guided tours you can take in Berlin which won’t cost a thing to enjoy.
If you’re interested in learning more about the city, consider one of the following outings:
For even more self-guided trips, make sure to read our post covering Berlin walking tours.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN JULY
In this section, we’ll cover some of the best things to do with your kids in Berlin during the month of July.
Take the Kids to LEGOLAND
For even more family fun, consider taking your children to the LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Berlin.
This attraction features 2 rides, 10 build & play zones, a 4D cinema and many other fun activities.
Not only will your kids have an opportunity to build a lot of LEGOS and potentially even learn a few tricks of the trade, but there is also a LEGO factory tour, a LEGO-themed cafe and even a LEGO shop!
If you’re worried about paying for both tickets and LEGOS, it’s worth noting that this LEGOLAND is actually included with some Berlin tourist passes.
Check out the Zoo
You can see some animals and save the Berlin Zoo's entrance fee.
Just walk around the edge of Tiergarten and catch glimpses of animals that reside in Berlin’s most famous zoo.
You could also walk into Berlin’s most unique shopping center, Bikini Berlin, and grab a coffee at the center of the mall.
Between the art stores and racks of designer clothes , you can watch the monkeys of Berlin run around through a window viewing area that opens to the Zoo.
Go Swimming
Berlin may be landlocked but this does not stop the Berliners from enjoying a retreat from the city on the weekends with a swimsuit and a backpack full of beer.
Berlin offers a wide range of lakes that surround the city, and often in the summer these coveted spots get quite busy.
Hop on a train and head 30 minutes west of the city to Schlachtensee.
Walk through the serene forest and find an empty spot along the bank of the lake and jump in.
If this spot seems too busy for you, head to the nearby Krumme Lanke, Schlachtensee’s smaller and less touristy sister.
Tegelersee in the north by Tegel Airport offers row boats for hire and Wannsee in the west boasts a more traditional beach atmosphere.
Go to a Kid-Friendly Museum
In addition to all the free museums, there are also several family-friendly museums in Berlin which cover a variety of topics.
Many of these locations are Children’s museums aimed entirely at a younger audience and providing many wonderful opportunities for kids to learn through hands-on experiences.
Other museums are simply well suited to a family audience with plenty of exhibits, artifacts and activities that both children and their parents can enjoy.
Here are a few of the better family-friendly museums in Berlin:
- Labyrinth Children’s Museum
- MACHmit! Museum for Children
- Puppet Theatre Museum
- Museum of Natural History
- Museum of Technology
- Science Center Spectrum
- Computer Game Museum
- And more!
TIP: Some of these museums are included with the Berlin Museum Pass. This could be a good way to save money on admission if you plan to visit more than one museum!
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