Getting out in winter

Berliners talk about the winter with a certain sense of dread. For many, the months of October to April are something to überleben (survive). But you don’t have to spend the winter sheltering in your flat: getting outside is a great way to beat the January blues. Here are some top destinations worth braving the Berlin winter for.

1. Head to your nearest park. Friedrichshain Volkspark, Berlin’s oldest public park, is home to the Märchenbrunnen fountains (pictured) which features sculptures of fairytale characters. Unfortunately they are covered at the moment to protect them from the weather, but the fountains are sill worth a visit.
2. Hire a bicycle: the most enjoyable – and often quickest – way through the city. A scheme operated by national rail company Deutsche Bahn allows Berliners to pick up bikes right from the street.
3. Go to the market. Favourites include Boxhagener Platz (Saturdays, Sundays), Flohmarkt am Mauerpark (Sundays) and Winterfeldtplatz (Wednesdays, Saturdays).
4. Be a tourist (again).  Rediscover the tourist hotspots of Germany’s most visited city. Unter den Linden, Brandenburger Tor and the Siegessäule are the big ones.