Take me to the river

After flowing a bucolic 400km from the Czech border region to Berlin, the Spree River goes out with a bang before disappearing into the Havel River in the Spandau district. Cutting a southeast to northwest passage through the city, the river provides tremendous views of the urban landscape, including the Berlin Cathedral, the Reichstag and government district and the Berlin Wall between Ostbahnhof and Warschauer Straße. Some of the Spree is diverted along park-lined canals and the city has more bridges than those boastful cities Venice and Amsterdam.

Taking in the city from the top deck of a cruise boat is a great way to spend a few hours. A waiter takes orders for beer, meals, snacks and ice cream. The captain or a guide narrates (often in German only), but you'll get the idea when passing a great-looking building.

Boats offering similar 3.5-hour “Brücke” (Bridges) tours leave from various landing spots. To reach the Märkisches Ufer landing (G-2), take the U-Bahn to Märkisches Museum, walk to the water and turn right; the landing is by the Angolan and Brazilian embassies. Similar tours start from the bridges Jannowitzbrücke (H-2; S- and U-Bahn Jannowitzbrücke) and Kottbusser Brücke (H-4; next to café Ankerklause, near U-Bahn Schönleinstraße).

Tours lasting 1 to 1.5 hours depart regularly from two boat landings near Hackescher Markt (G-2), on the east side of Museum Island. Another company leaves from the west side of the island, opposite the pink-coloured German History Museum (G-2). A third place to begin a short tour is behind the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (E-2), which has its own bus stop in Tiergarten.