Panke River

The Panke, about 18 miles (29 kilometers) long in total with a good 12 miles inside Berlin's city limits, is the capital's third longest river after the Spree and the Havel. It rises from several springs on the Barnim plateau near Bernau and runs from northeast to southwest across the north of Berlin. On its way it crosses the Pankow district, passing through Buch, Karow, Blankenburg, Französisch Buchholz, Niederschönhausen and Pankow, before joining the Spree in Mitte at Schiffbauerdamm via the Südpanke channel. The whole district takes its name from the river, which probably goes back to a Slavic root meaning swirling or gurgling water.

In the 19th century the Panke powered numerous water mills, including a paper mill near what is now the Bürgerpark Pankow. Industrialization flipped the picture: untreated sewage made the river smell so bad that Berliners nicknamed it the "Stinkepanke," and around 1900 long stretches were straightened and channelized. Only since the 2000s has the Panke been gradually restored, with piped sections reopened, naturalistic banks created and fish ladders built. The result is a continuous green corridor running through the middle of the city.

For visitors the main draw is the Pankewanderweg, a continuously marked walking and cycling path that follows the river from the city limits to the mouth. The prettiest stretches run through the Bürgerpark Pankow and the Panke green corridor in Gesundbrunnen, alternating walking paths, old trees and meadows. If you want a quiet, free alternative to the marquee sights, this is an easygoing nature experience well away from the tourist crowds, good for a walk or a longer bike ride.