Berlin is a city made for bicycles. The large and well-developed network of cycling paths makes it an ideal place to explore the city from the saddle.
The 28 km (17 miles) Wannsee route is one of the longest and most diverse cycling paths in all of Berlin, being full of contrasts. The route leading from the heart of the city to the beautiful parks and lakes of Potsdam, thus connects not only the former East Berlin with the western part of the city, but also urban life, architecture and city history with nature and relaxation. <
It starts at Schlossplatz, where the Palast der Republik (Palace of the Republic), built by the East German regime to replace the demolished 500 year old Stadtschloss (City Palace), stood until 2008 until it was demolished in its turn, and where the reconstruction of the Stadtschloss is now planned. Crossing the Schleusenbrücke (Lock Bridge), it passes the Friedrichswerder Church, designed by the great Karl-Friedrich Schinkel, in the direction of the Gendarmenmarkt (Gendarme Market). This latter building – along with its twins the "Französischer Dom" and "Deutscher Dom", as well as the Konzerthaus (Concert House) – also designed by Schinkel, are among the most beautiful buildings in Berlin.
And under no circumstances should any visitor to Berlin miss the next stage: Checkpoint Charlie, the former Allied border crossing point between East and West Berlin. From there the route proceeds through the southern part of Friedrichstadt, passing the impressive new Jewish Museum designed by Daniel Libeskind on its way to Kreuzberg, where it’s time to have a short break in Viktoria Park at the foot of the Kreuzberg mound and admire a real Berlin waterfall.
It continues along Monumentenstraße to Schöneberg Town Hall, where in 1963 John F. Kennedy uttered those immortal words “Ich bin ein Berliner”. This is the spot to experience history – not only with the eyes but also with the ears: the Freedom Bell, donated by the Americans in 1950 to commemorate the lifting of the Soviet blockade, tolls every day at noon from the tower of the Town Hall.
