10 Things to Do in Berlin in February

With the arrival of February, the German city offers us art festivals, unique experiences and invites us to get in touch with nature to celebrate the month of love. The Christmas festivities and the excitement of the new year have passed, but the winter charm continues in one of the most important cities on the world's tourist scene.

Behind closed doors or outdoors, with these suggestions of great events and a wide variety of activities Berlin has to offer, you won't be short of things to do and places to visit to round off the winter holidays.

February and its winter sunsets in Berlin offer a different landscape to what you might find in summer and it deserves to be seen from the heights, so don't hesitate to book tickets for Panoramapunkt. From the 24th floor of this vantage point at the northern end of Potsdamer Platz, you'll have an amazing view.

It is a 100-metre-high observation platform where you can enjoy drinks and snacks in the cafeteria, ideal for the occasion. Another of its curiosities is that here you will find the fastest lift in Europe, because in just 20 seconds, you will reach the top.

As if that wasn't enough, at the top you will also find an open-air exhibition divided into two floors that tells the story of Potsdamer Platz, located in Tiergarten, one of the best neighbourhoods in Berlin. Don't forget to take pictures!

After a long sightseeing tour, it's time to sit back, rest your feet and enjoy a nice drink. For me in particular, a cool beer comes to mind to soothe the heat, but warm weather is not something that characterises Berlin at this time of year.

To your good fortune drinking cold beer in Berlin is not the norm, so you'll have the perfect opportunity to partake in the German custom while enjoying a beer while warming up. Book the Berlin beer tour and find out more about the city's eating and drinking customs.

And remember that in Berlin you are allowed to drink on the streets and even on public transport, so if you wish, you can continue your tour with beer in hand. However, if that doesn't suit you and you'd rather take a beer-tasting tour than the other way around, how about taking one of Berlin' s best beer tours while sampling the best craft beers?

Berlin is never short of things to do, but a break from the hustle and bustle is also very much appreciated. If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre and enjoy something a little quieter, I recommend a ride to the Grunewald district in the east of Berlin to enjoy the view away from the Berlin city centre from the Drachenberg mountain, the little sister of the more popular Teufelsberg.

Both elevations were built from World War II debris and have been rescued as viewpoints over the city, but the approximately 90-metre-high "Kite Mountain" or "Dragon Mountain", unlike its 700-metre neighbour, is a perfect place for an enjoyable, short hike that allows you to raise the temperature without getting too exhausted.

Thanks to its clear, treeless slopes, you'll enjoy a clear and impressive view. When you reach the top, sit for a while on the ground with a good blanket and, if the February air inspires you, you can bring a torch, some food and some music to create a romantic Valentine's Day atmosphere. To get to Drachenberg you can:

• Take the S-Bahn train and get off at Grunewald station, as the mountain is about a 30-minute walk away.
• If you arrive by car or bicycle, there are free parking spaces. Therefore, I recommend you to book one of the best bike tours in Berlin.

February, Berlin and snow are synonymous with fun, so I invite you to put on your helmet, elbow pads and get skating! I have the perfect ice rink for you. On this occasion, the Neukölln Ice Stadium is home to one of the best-ranked ice rinks in the city for several reasons, including its easy accessibility, as it is just a few metres from the U-Bahn and S-Bahn stations on Hermannstraße.

Inside you can rent the necessary equipment at a good price and you won't have to worry about the crowds as there are set schedules to avoid any mishaps. They also have happy hour offers for the last hour of their afternoon and evening sessions, as well as various discounts for children, students, senior citizens and others. Of course, you'll need to make a reservation to guarantee your comfort.

Go to the Berlin Ice Bar

If you're not afraid of the Berlin cold, finish off the day with a cocktail at the city's ice bar, a winter wonderland where you'll discover natural ice sculptures. Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Book tickets for Berlin's ice bar and enjoy an unprecedented activity.

February is the end of winter in Berlin and you can still make the most of its snowy roads before the arrival of spring. In the following recommendation you can enjoy a tour of white landscapes and homey warmth with local gastronomy to end your day with a cheerful evening in which, of course, you can't miss the traditional German beers.

For this I recommend a pleasant walk through the emblematic Tiergarten Park, whose path will take you -in less than half an hour- to the Oberbaumbrücke bridge, an iconic structure of high towers next to the Spree River whose history will move you.

Afterwards, make your way to the S-Bahn station. Once there, take the U6 route to Stadtmitte station on the U2 route, get off at U Klosterstraße and walk to the Zur letzten Instanz restaurant, famous for having a tiled oven where Napoleon once sat in the 17th century. Here you can enjoy a variety of dishes and, of course, in the tavern you'll find homemade, dark stout beers to round off your evening. But if you want to ensure a good meal and learn more about German cuisine, don't hesitate to book a food tour of Berlin.

Also during February you can visit the Berlin Botanical Garden which, thanks to its wide and international variety, is considered one of the most important botanical gardens in the world.

During the cold season the space with its glass and steel architecture that stands out as an example of art nouveau design opens its doors and invites you to spend a different night with cocktails and music under the warmth of the palm trees in its Tropical Nights, so you can escape the winter weather for a few hours on Friday and Saturday nights.

So now you know, if one of those cold nights in Berlin you are looking for warmth, good atmosphere and a completely different experience, this is for you. Due to its popularity, I recommend booking.

If you're passionate about stories on the big screen, Berlin in February is the place for you. During this month, film fever invades the city with the Berlin International Film Festival, which has been held for two consecutive weeks in mid-February since 1978. Berlinale, as it is colloquially known, is one of the city's most important cultural events, a festival of the seventh art on a par with the Venice Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival, and most of its screenings are open to the public.

At this event you can enjoy a variety of over 400 national and international films with different themes and genres that you won't find elsewhere. Don't worry, the foreign films are subtitled in German and English and films from Spanish-speaking countries are also shown.

If you're in the mood for a good movie, remember that as this is such a highly acclaimed event, demand is high, so you should consider buying your tickets in advance. On their official website you can check the line-up and venues, as well as buy your ticket for the performances that most appeal to you.

It's the turn of dance with the Tanzolymp Festival, whose motto is dance as a global language, an annual event based in Berlin for young dance talents, who for one week can attend workshops, seminars and exhibitions.

At the end of the festival, a gala takes place in which the best dancers in each category, chosen by the jury, perform in front of an open audience.

If you would like to take shelter from the cold and enjoy an eye-catching show, while supporting new dance talent, you can follow the dates and relevant information to attend the final ceremony on their website.

When I tell you that film fever is sweeping the city, I'm not kidding. If one of the world's most acclaimed film festivals isn't enough for you, Berlin offers another alternative.

For those who love a different story, a second film festival also takes place during February, which, although it happens at the same time as the Berlinale, has no association with the glamorous event. I'm talking about BIFF, The Berlin Independent Film Festival, an interesting proposal for you to get to know alternative and low-budget films, as worthy of being seen as any other.

For just over a decade BIFF has hosted refreshing new voices from European and international filmmakers. Like Berlinale, BIFF offers a variety of genres such as documentaries, short and feature films, horror, sci-fi and even animated films. Like Berlinale, all films are subtitled in German and English. If you're interested in discovering something different, don't forget to visit their official website for dates, times and ticket information for their next event.

An important event that sometimes happens in February every year is the Fasching celebration, commonly called Fasching in Berlin, but also known as Kölner Karneval or Cologne Carnival in other locations.

Although this carnival is not exclusive to Berlin, as all German cities have their own version, the capital is not far behind and brings together both tourists and locals to enjoy the party, music, food and drinks that you can find in street stands. The season of celebration is extensive and starts from the 11th of November, but the real party in February starts every year on Ash Wednesday, which is the kick-off for the streets to be filled with hustle and bustle and fancy dress dancing.

It is important to keep in mind that the time of Lent changes every year and the day Fasching starts depends on it, so the celebration will not always be during February, but if the timing of the event coincides with your visit, take the opportunity to go out on the streets to have fun, eat and meet new friends. Don't forget your costume!

In the Friedrichshain neighbourhood of East Berlin is the Mercedes-Benz Arena, a large stadium where you can enjoy hockey games, basketball or even music concerts.

The line-up is varied and the stadium alone is worth a visit, so if you want to take advantage of your stay in February to check it out, during this month the Mercedes-Benz Arena hosts the ISTAF, a long-running annual athletics meeting.

The organisation holds several events a year, but at the start of each one the ISTAF brings together its best athletes to compete indoors and demonstrate their fitness and physical ability to the public.

Although it may sound far-fetched at first, since February is still very cold, you can still take advantage of one of the most attractive winter recreation areas the city has to offer.

It is an old barge that, during the summer, functions as a refreshing swimming pool on the banks of the river Spree; it was designed in 2004 by Susanne Lorenz and its location gives it a privileged view, which makes it one of the favourite places for Berliners.

The interesting thing to consider about this place during the winter months is that the pool is conditioned with a cocoon-shaped roof that envelops it and turns it into a warm sauna that is also accompanied by a comfortable lounge bar that is perfect to continue with the romantic tone of Valentine's Day. Undoubtedly, a place where you will have an incredible time, I assure you that you won't want to leave! Book your tickets here.

It is true that the coldest months in the German capital are usually during the winter season, so during the month of February you should expect to find quite cold weather.

According to official data the average maximum temperature is 7°C and the average minimum temperature is around -2°C, in both cases with snowfall. However, as you have already seen, the cold and the snow bring with them a different and unique shade of fun, so don't forget to wrap up warm, plan ahead and have fun! and have fun!

Whether it's enjoying the romantic sights during Valentine's month or taking advantage of the clear skies when visiting the German capital's historic and iconic sites during the low tourist season, I guarantee that your stay in Berlin during February will be a memorable one.