Grunewald Forest

The Grunewald, at roughly 7,400 acres (3,000 hectares), is one of the largest forest areas in Berlin, stretching across the western districts of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and Steglitz-Zehlendorf all the way to the Havel. The tree cover today is mostly pine (around 56 percent) and oak (about 26 percent), mixed with birch and beech. The forest takes its name from the Jagdschloss Grunewald, a hunting lodge that Elector Joachim II had built in 1542 to plans by Caspar Theiss and which counts as the oldest surviving palace building in Berlin. In 1915 the city permanently secured the area for recreation, and in 2015 the Grunewald was named Germany's forest of the year.

Water is a big part of the appeal. The chain of Grunewald lakes, including the Grunewaldsee, Schlachtensee and Krumme Lanke, draws swimmers, walkers and sunbathers, while the smaller Teufelssee is a popular natural swimming spot in summer. A landmark of a different kind is the Teufelsberg, at 394 feet (120.1 meters) one of the highest points in the city, piled up out of World War II rubble. On its summit stand the ruins of a former US listening station, now an attraction in its own right with sweeping views and large-scale street art.

For a view, head for the Grunewaldturm on the Havel shore, a neo-Gothic brick tower honoring Kaiser Wilhelm I. A dense network of hiking, riding and cycling trails crosses the forest, and several million people a year come here to run, walk and let their dogs off leash. Getting there is simple by S-Bahn (Grunewald or Nikolassee stations, for example), which drops you straight at the trailheads. Sturdy shoes are worth it, and on hot days bring a towel for the lakes.