The 10 best sunset spots in Berlin

Columbiadamm 10, 12101 Berlin · the decommissioned airport

Berlin's answer to "where's the widest sky in the city?" is the former Tempelhof airfield — 300+ hectares of flat, open grass and runway where the horizon extends uninterrupted in every direction. On a clear evening in June or July, the sun drops behind the stands of trees at the western edge and the whole field turns gold. Entry is free, gates close at sunset, and the runway is a favorite for cyclists, roller-bladers, and anyone who just wants somewhere to lie down and watch.

Karl-Marx-Straße 66, 12043 Berlin · top of the Neukölln Arcaden mall

The rooftop you've already heard of, and deservedly so for sunset. Klunkerkranich's main terrace faces west across Neukölln, Kreuzberg, and the distant Tiergarten — a low enough skyline that the sun actually drops behind the city rather than behind a neighboring building. Arrive by 7pm in summer to get a spot at the edge; the entry fee is small and the beer is cold. Seasonal, roughly April through September.

Teufelsseechaussee 10, 14193 Berlin · a hill inside the Grunewald forest

A 120m artificial hill built from WWII rubble, topped with a decommissioned Cold War listening station whose geodesic radomes are now covered in street art. The western slope faces the Havel river — which means sunset here is, in clear conditions, a reflection off the water with the Grunewald treetops in the foreground. There's a modest entry fee to go inside the dome structure; the surrounding paths are free.

Kreuzbergstraße, 10965 Berlin · the hill at the south end of Kreuzberg

Kreuzberg's one proper hill, crowned with a wrought-iron monument and fed from the top by a multi-tier artificial waterfall. Follow the path up, past the monument, to the western edge and the whole of Schöneberg and Tempelhof opens out. Sunset lands directly in the gap between the trees. Bring a beer from Golgatha at the base of the hill and climb the last hundred meters. Free, open 24/7.

Gleimstraße 55, 10437 Berlin · the old Berlin Wall death-strip turned park

Mauerpark's low hill on the western edge (what was once the wall's death strip) catches late sun all the way down. On Sundays the crowd swells for flea market and open-mic karaoke, but even on weekdays the hillside is a reliable spot to watch the light fade over the city. If you're lucky with the wind, you'll also get the soft drift of someone doing badly-sung Abba from the amphitheater below. Free.

Admiralbrücke, 10999 Berlin · over the Landwehrkanal

A small iron pedestrian bridge over the Landwehrkanal that has, by slow accumulation of habit, become Kreuzberg's default summer-evening living room. People gather with beers from the nearby Spätis, someone starts playing guitar, and the light angles down the canal directly into everyone's eyes. It's the un-organized version of a sunset spot — no fee, no opening hours, sometimes no place to stand on a Friday night. Worth it.

Oberbaumbrücke, 10243 Berlin · between Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain

The red-brick double-decker bridge that spans the Spree near East Side Gallery — arguably Berlin's most photogenic piece of infrastructure. Stand on the pedestrian walkway on the southern side as the sun drops upriver toward Mitte and the brickwork goes warm. The adjacent riverside park (along the East Side Gallery) is an equally good vantage, with more room to sit.

Volkspark Humboldthain, 13357 Berlin · top of the former WWII Flakturm

One of Berlin's best under-used sunset viewpoints. The park is built around a semi-demolished WWII anti-aircraft tower; climb the spiral path to the top and you're on a broad, flat concrete platform maybe 30m above the surrounding neighborhood — high enough to see all the way to the Siegessäule on a clear day. Free, open during daylight, with proper railings now.

Oranienburger Straße, 10178 Berlin · opposite the Museumsinsel

A small park on the north bank of the Spree, with a direct view across the water at the neoclassical columns of the Bode Museum. Sunset doesn't happen behind the museum — it comes from upriver — but the light at that hour turns the stone façade rose-gold and it's one of the best free, sittable views in central Berlin. Strandbar Mitte is right here if you want a deck chair and a drink for the full experience.

Alt-Treptow 6, 12435 Berlin · the small island at the east end of Treptower Park

A tiny island in the Spree, connected by a pedestrian bridge and circled by a riverside path. Head around to the western tip and you get an unobstructed view upriver with the old radio tower at Treptower Park in silhouette. Mellower and quieter than the Kreuzberg-side bridges, and usually room to sit right at the water. Free, open daylight; there's a beer garden on the island for when you want to stay.