Berlin. Poor but sexy – but also, romantic, tender, suave and sophisticated? The last three adjectives may be pushing it a little, but romance is surprisingly easy to come by in this city. It may not have the gushing grandeur of Paris of the exuberant elegance of Rome, but Berlin can surprise you with some perfect spots to share with your beloved.
We’ve rounded up some of the most popular in a forthcoming guide, but as a complement, we are also offering some of the slightly more off-the-beaten track suggestions in this post.
In summer, Badeschiff is all about the outdoor swimming, but it’s in winter things start getting a bit steamier. The outdoor swimming complex goes undercover and inside, you’ll find one of Berlin’s best saunas, complete with requisite beautiful people. Clothes are not necessary, so be brave and flaunt it.
Yes, candle-lit dinners are all very well and good, but sometimes, nothing beats a summer-time stroll with an ice-cream to make you realise how much you love the person that bought you said ice-cream. You’ll find some pretty tasty stuff round the corner from Miniloft at Eismanufaktur, which offers all manner of flavours to delight the ficklest of tastebuds.
One of Berlin’s prettier, more intimate parks, Viktoria Park is all hillside and winding paths, with a waterfall thrown in for good measure. Plenty of grassy knolls are made for canoodling, and the view from up the top is pretty good considering it’s free.
Christmas time means Christmas markets, and Rixdorf, with all of its bohemian, old-world villagey charm and cobbles, is a perfect setting to get misty over mulled wines and fairy lights. The atmosphere is always joyful, and though the market does get busy, it’s also a place to wander round at your own pace – just remember to wrap up warm.
Although Berlin’s city streets may not boast the charm of Paris, outside the city, Berlin has a trump card in its many lakes. Schlachtensee is the quieter sister to the nearby Krumme Lanke, although you will sometimes have to jostle for space during summer holidays. Get there early (ish), find a quiet bank and on a sunny day, you’ll begin to see why so many have fallen for Berlin’s charms over the years.
Sonntagskonzerte at Clärchens Ballhaus
Yes Paris has the Eiffel Tower and Rome has an innumerable amount of pretty plazas. But name us one other place where you can listen to classical music on a Sunday night with a glass of wine in a dishevelled old mirror salon of a former music hall and we’ll finally admit Berlin has no romantic charm. In other words, the Sonntagskonzerte at Clärchens epitomises the very essence of romance in Berlin – it’s slightly run down, it’s definitely unpretentious and unconventional and boy, is it memorable.
