36 Hours in Berlin: Things to Do and See

The sisters Xenia and Sophie von Oswald mix and match Persian, German and Australian influences at rocket + basil, an easygoing, no-reservations eatery near the busy Potsdamer Platz, with exposed brick walls painted mint green inside. This is the place to load up on fiber, with a weekend menu that includes an omelette filled with butternut squash and leeks, then topped with a kale and sesame salad, or a thick sourdough toast piled high with cannellini beans, roasted radicchio and hazelnuts, with dill sprinkled on top. For a sweet option, try the mascarpone pancakes, served with caramelized bananas, maple syrup, pistachio butter and barberries. If you have space left, grab a baked good at the counter; the moist pistachio-rosewater cake and the tahini-halva brownie are equally delightful (brunch for two, 40 euros).

The secret to enjoying the warmer months of the year in Berlin is to head for the city’s lakes. The cool waters and lush greenery encircling the city — about one-fifth of Berlin is forested — are nearby and free. With 3,000 lakes in Berlin and its adjacent state, Brandenburg, choosing one can be difficult. Fortunately, the city’s tourism agency provides a useful map showing 32 options and how to reach them. Wannsee, Schlachtensee and Krumme Lanke, in the city’s southwest, are 40 to 60 minutes away from the center and offer plenty of opportunities for swimming, sunbathing (clothed or nude), taking nature walks, playing volleyball and table tennis, and renting paddle boards and boats. If you’re in the mood for art, the Haus am Waldsee, a museum in an English countryside-style villa, is a 15-minute walk from Schlachtensee and showcases contemporary works (entry, 9 euros).