Hallo Leute!

So this week the title of the post is Seen, as in the word „lakes“ auf Deutsch, not „seen“ as in the past participle for the English word „see“. Boy, what a mess that sentence was! That is the title of today’s post because I’m going to be writing about none other than the lakes of Berlin. Of course not all of them, because we are a city ridden with lakes. But I will talk about the two (arguably depending on what part of Berlin you live in) most popular: Wannsee and Schlachtensee.

Starting with Wannsee, which I believe is the most well-known See in Berlin. Wannsee is split into two parts, Großer Wannsee und Kleiner Wannsee, both located on the Havel (a Fluss, not a See). Wannsee is widely popular and known for its Strandbad, which, did you know, is one of the largest beaches in landlocked Europe. There is actually a large nudist beach in the area as well! Now although it does cost about 5 Euros to get in, es lohnt sich! Wannsee is a beautiful lake that has options for the whole family. The shallow water near the Strand makes it perfect for kids, the water slide farther out appeals to teenagers and young adults, and the relaxing shores of north-east Wannsee are so useful for the adults that want a calm and relaxing day by the water. When you’re done taking a dip in this huge See, you can even take a trip to Pfaueninsel which is only a few minutes by ferry ride.

The second See I want to talk about is Schlachtensee. Now those of you who understand what the word „schlachten“ means, may not think that the lake offers a very appealing picture. But let me just tell you, do not judge a book by its, uh, title! This See has got to be my absolute favourite here in Berlin, although like everyone, I do love Wannsee as well. Schlachtensee is actually very close to Wannsee and one can actually travel the distance from one to the other by walking. This is of course assuming that you’re not too tired from having a swimming day to do so. Schlachtensee is definitely much smaller, and more weirdly shaped, than Wannsee, making it a bit difficult to find a sun-bathing spot on a sunny Sommer day. But it is also less popular, so the throngs of people you see heading to Wannsee on any given hot Wochenende won’t be found in Schlachtensee. This lake is quite popular amongst the younger generation, as it is near a student living area, but I’ve seen people of all ages taking a dip in the waters of the cleanest lake in Berlin!

Both of these lakes are absolutely beautiful in both Sommer and Winter, and I really hope you get to visit them in day and enjoy them as much as I do! Until then, bis bald!

-Milan :-)