How to explore Berlin with a dog

Well helleuw dog lover! This article is for you, especially if you’re planning on a visit to Berlin with your pooch.  As I said in this photo gallery of Chapo in Berlin, I consider Germany’s capital both a blessing and a curse for dogs.

But hey; let’s start with the good news! Berlin is a great city since dogs are very much welcomed in here. Also, streets are broad (great for walks) and you can bring along your pal in the U- and S-Bahn (although you ought to pay an extra ticket for that).

To top it off, your dog will love the smell of currywurst and käsespätzle in the air everywhere 🙂

Yes, she got some of that ?, no worries

Back to the positives features of Berlin. Lots of restaurants have water bowls for the thirsty doggos right outside their doors and Chapo was even welcomed with a smile in most of the shops and cafes. Now that is something I don’t see every day back home in the Netherlands. It felt like the people from Berlin all were very open-minded towards pets. Their ‘dohhh-eyed’ looks aside, in general Germans nevertheless do avoid petting dogs. Apparently German laws forbids it, as a local entrusted me. Good luck resisting those puppies folks. 

Unfortunately Berlin can also be a curse for your dog since there’s lots of glass (and worse) on the ground, especially in the area of Friedrichshain where we were staying. It didn’t help that we arrived on the second of May during our recent visit: just one day after Berlin ignites in its annual May Day ‘celebrations’ that erupt in massive protests and slightly terrifying open air raves.

The area seemed smashed to bits. I wasn’t too happy about some parts of the area and ended up carrying Chapo from time to time, especially in tunnels when I wasn’t able to see what was on the floor. 

Hopping the alleys of RAW Gelände

Of course it wasn’t all bad and we were able to find the better spots for walks as well in the nearby area and the rest of the city. After chasing loads of pigeons, eating great amounts of currywurst and receiving many belly rubs from my friends who are living in Berlin, Chapo was visibly sad when we had to leave. 

These are the spots to hit in Berlin if you want to explore some yourself ánd have a great time with your pooch:

The central oasis @ Tiergarten 

Immediately after arrival at the Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) we were able to shake off the dusty and long train journey in the very green ánd dog friendly park of Tiergarten. This area used to be the former hunting grounds of the royal family and is nowadays transformed into a great park. One that is especially exciting when in full bloom during the spring and summer days. 

Tiergarten is smack right in the middle of Berlin (as far as this city has a center..) and is a popular destination among local pooches and their owners looking to escape the buzz of Berlin.  

The paths are ordered and dotted with statues, little ponds and memorials and you can walk in here for hours if you want to. There’s also a lovely beer garden in here (Cafe am Neuen See), in case you need a break and a pint in between!

Chapo on pigeon pawtrol.

I came back to Tiergarten upon departure again, as it was convenient to do another long walk before we had to head back to the Central Station again.

The second time we saw one Berlin’s icons, the Siegessäule, which is located in here as well! (picture two↓) 

In terms of amusement, don’t expect to find a Central Park in here.. nevertheless Tiergarten is still a much recommend area in my opinion for a stroll! 

Walk along the highlights @ Unter den Linden / Spree river

Nearby Tiergarten you’ll find Berlin’s famous Unter den Linden avenue. Named after the trees on this broad street, Unter den Linden runs all the way from the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate) to the Berliner Stadtschloss (City Palace); some city icons. Many embassies and famous shops (like Dussmann Kulturkaufhaus) are located in here as well.

Walk the avenue all the way to the east and you’ll cross the Berlin State Opera, the Humboldt University and the Museuminsel (museum island). From the Berliner Dom you can easily make your way south (or north) along the Spree; the river on which the original centre of Berlin was built.

This route along the Spree is a pedestrian path (‘Spreeufer‘ and ‘Rolandufer‘) and a suitable one in case you want to walk all the way to that piece of Wall at the East Side Gallery (see below).

Mind that you do have to walk a bit of ordinary road for that. Nevertheless I’d still recommend this route, since you’ll cross the Holzmarkt (picture 3 ↑), which is an absolute hipsterbeaut with loads of cafes and quirky corners along the Spree. Dogs are allowed in here too!

Run free! @ Mauerpark

Weekends can be busy at this park, which is located in the east of Berlin in the beloved area of Prenzlauer Berg. Especially during the weekends locals like to bring along beers and a barbecue and gather in here. The flea market on Sunday is a famous one as well. 

So all in all that may not seem too attractive for dog owners. However, this area has a special section for dogs! In this fenced area they can run free and play with one another! 

Another pooch friendly park @ Volkspark Friedrichshain

I particularly loved Volkspark Friedrichshain. Although I was unable to find a place in here where Chapo was able to run free, I thought this place was still a very entertaining area for her.

Volkspark Friedrichshain is a popular park on the border of both the district of Friedrichshain and Prenzlauerberg. I encountered quite some people in here during my visit in February last year, but I still found it to be a very peaceful place at the same time.

Upon entrance of the park near Friedenstraße, there’s a nice little hill (a result of piles of rubble from the destroyed bunkers during the WWII) with a good view on the Berliner Fernsehturm. Moreover this park features lots of ponds with weeping willows, a large fairytale-like fountain, swans, some sculptures, playgrounds, sport facilities and a beer garden. 

Not bad for a long walk in between!

The Wall @ East Side Gallery

It would almost be weird to visit Berlin and not to see The Wall. Luckily you can easily take Fido for a stroll along this piece of the Spree, as there’s a strip of grass located right behind this piece of Mauer along the river Spree. 

The Berlin Wall, or the East Side Gallery as it’s called today, stars a great vibe and truly amazing (ever-changing) murals. Arriving from Warschauer Str. in the east with the S-bahn, it’s a small walk west to Mühlenstrasse, where the wall is situated. 

The gallery is a 1.3 km long section of the Berlin wall – its longest-surviving stretch -, which was erected in 1961 to prevent Germans from the DDR from fleeing to West Berlin.

In 1990, 105 artists from Germany and the rest of the world were invited to illustrate a section of the wall, resulting in the East Side Gallery. Almost 30 years later, many of the graffitis already are to be called iconic. Take the “Two Guys Kissing” for example. A depiction of a kiss between from former Soviet dictator Brezhnjev and former East German President Erik Honecker (this was by the way a real communist thing.. as in; this really happened. Just to show the outside world how strong the ties were with one another). 

Take it easy if you go the East Side Gallery, as it might be bustling, especially on the weekends. Nonetheless, it’s very well worth the effort as you can see!

Soviet history @ Treptower Park

If you’re a history buff, this is a great place to visit for both you and your dog. Treptower Park is another great is a quiet haven away from the main tourist locations. I only came here because I figured this park would be great for the dog, but I actually was quite amazed by it. 

In the heart of the park you’ll find a huge Soviet war memorial. It has been resurrected to remember the losses scale of the Red Army while fighting the nazis upon reaching the heart of Berlin. Of course this history has many sides, but there’s no denying that the Russians suffered immensely during the war (the great patriotic war, as they refer to it themselves).

Like all Soviet architecture, this memorial is big and bold (picture 3 ↑). Due to its sheer size it’s even difficult to picture it in its entirety. 

The rest of the park is a serene and well-maintained place as well. In spring you’ll find lots of flowers on the Spree-side and there are some food stalls (with great pad thai!)

Enjoy a picnic @ Insel Berlin 

If you’re at the Treptower Park, make sure to cross the bridge and include a visit to the little island, aptly named Insel Berlin (Berlin island) or ‘Insel der Jugend’ (Island of Youth), located in the Spree. This place is a fun and short little escape. It takes only ten minutes to walk the island entirely!

If your dog dares a challenge you can also rent a canoe in here. Or just simply settle down with a pint at the beer garden of the island. 

An eerie amusement park @ Spreepark

From Treptower Park you’ll easily hop into the area of Berliner Spreepark. I’d really recommend you to take a look over here as well. This park is (in)famous since it stars an abandoned amusement park, which has been closed down for quite some time by now.

Although this area is not accessible to the public anymore, it still attracts people that are looking for an eerie experience.

I wouldn’t recommend you to visit this amusement park itself with your dog though. Rumour has it that the place is being guarded by both people and rottweilers. For a reason by the way, as some of the building are on the brink of collapsing. 

Nevertheless, the amusement area is basically like an fenced island within the Spreepark, but the rest of the park is still accessible. A long, broad path winds along both the Spree and the amusement park. 

I felt safe on the road along the river, but I didn’t felt the need myself to explore one of the more inland roads, as you could walk all the way around the amusement park if you want. The forest felt too dense for that. 

But once more, even though you can’t get (legally) on the inside you still can catch a glimpse of whatever is hidden behind the gates. All of these pictures were made during our walk along this path. I even saw the ferris wheel going round by itself, taken by the wind. Very spooky indeed. 

Graffiti and Cold War relics @ Teufelsberg

Are you ready to check out a abandoned cold war spy tower masked in graffiti? Now whattt, say that again?!

Teufelsberg used to be the station were the US intelligence services interpret Soviet messages, in the heyday of the Cold War. To top off that weird thought the agency itself was built on top of a large pile of rubble from WWII.

That’s a way to create mountains as well of course. 

The hilltop area obviously has been neglected for a considerable period of time after it had been abandoned by the Americans, slowly attracting all kinds of (creative) people. Apart from all the stuff beneath it, the site is a huge mess because of all the decay and rubbish thrown out. At the same time it really is a hidden gem of modern art, now that there are lots of graffiti (or street art or graphic) artists spraying in and outside the ugly buildings.

Dogs were welcome at the time of my visit (February 2018) in here as well. Mind that you have to watch your dog obviously, in case you want to enter one of the buildings. 

Nevertheless this visit was a great activity with Chapo too, if only because of the green surroundings of Teufelsberg. 

Go here for more about a visit to Teufelsberg!

By the way, from here you’re almost in Potsdam! Another great place to discover some Fido-oriented parks. 

The perks of a former airport @ Tempelhof 

Have you ever walked on a runway? The former airport of Tempelhof (famous if only because of the ‘airlift’ in the Cold War) stopped operating some ten years ago, and its area has been transformed into a giant open-air ‘park’, favoured by locals.

Come here in the weekend when the sun’s out and you’ll see lots of people skateboarding, cycling, running, working in the funky community gardens or just simply hanging out there alongside their bbq’s with a beer.

Your dog is welcome too in here. On the western side of the area there’s a giant, fenced field – 4 hectares – for your pooch to enjoy. Note however that there isn’t any shade over here (nor anywhere else at the Tempelhofer Park), so if the sun is out take care to bring enough water for your dog. 

If you want to prolong your quality time with Fido, the next doors Volkspark Hasenheide is a perfect addition to your day! Again, here you can find a fenced area for your dog to socialise. There’s also a water fountain and lots of trees for the overheated moments. 

All in all Tempelhof is a great area for a day out!

Other places @ Berlin 

‘Sooo is that it?’ you might be thinking. No way! Berlin is endless and so are its pooch possibilities. I hope to return another time with Chapo and explore some more. On my list for next time are a visit to (the parks of) Potsdam, Pichelsberg and the Tegeler See.

And who knows whatever else. If you have an addition to this list, please let me know – I’d love to hear of it!

Here’s where to go with your dog: