Hey Berliners!

This is the week Berlin turns the music up. Lollapalooza lands next weekend — Pitbull, Lorde, Lewis Capaldi and a stacked lineup are taking over the Olympiastadion. If you're going, grab tickets before they're gone.

And here's the part that costs nothing: there's free live music almost every night this week. DURCHLÜFTEN turns the Humboldt Forum courtyard into a free open-air stage — two concerts and a DJ, global sounds, and no ticket needed. Classic Open Air runs to Tuesday — David Garrett tonight, Alphaville closing it. The Volksfestsommer funfair is in full swing. And the lakes are perfect.

Big ticket or no ticket, it's a brilliant week to be here. Get outside.

— Dr Yassir A Shuaib

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🔊 Sony ULT WEAR noise-cancelling headphones — same processor as the WH-1000XM5, 30h battery. In MediaMarkt's current "LET'S GO! DEALS" flyer, valid to 20 July. · 🔗 More info here
🌬️ Dyson TP11 Purifier Cool — €333. Fan and air purifier in one. The heat isn't over. · 🔗 More info here
🥾 Adidas Terrex Anylander hiking shoe — €45, or ~€31.50 with corporate benefits + payback stacked. · 🔗 More info here
🩳 Jack & Jones Gordon sweat shorts — €9.99 (XS–XL). · 🔗 More info here
🎫 BahnCard 50 — up to 20% cheaper, ends 31 July. Deutsche Bahn cut every BahnCard 50 variant. · 🔗 More info here

🏃 Decathlon Summer Sale — 54,000+ items reduced. Their women's sale is deep, and there's a 10% app code running (valid to 22 July). · 🔗 More info here
💳 Payback Coupon Calendar — 29 June to 26 July. A new gold or blue eCoupon every single day in the app. Free. Most people never notice it. · 🔗 More info here
👗 BestSecret summer sale — up to −65%, plus 20% extra with code PRS26. · 🔗 More info here
🐟 Nordsee: 1+1 free coupons until 22 Aug. Up to 50% off — Backfisch-Baguette and more at all participating restaurants. · 🔗 More info here
🩴 Adidas Adilette Aqua slides — from €9.60 (free adiClub membership). Lake shoes, sorted. · 🔗 More info here

📚 Thalia: €5 voucher for a good German grade. A "1" in German, or an improvement of one full grade. Berlin started 9 July; valid to 30 Sept. Bring both report cards. · 🔗 More info here
🛋️ Höffner: €5 per "1" — up to €30. No minimum spend. Free Kids Club membership. · 🔗 More info here
💻 MediaMarkt & Saturn: €1 off per 1 or 2 on the report card — straight off at the till. · 🔗 More info here
🏊 Decathlon kids' & swim gear — summer sale. Swim aids, water shoes, and beach kits for lake season. · 🔗 More info here
💧 Free water across Berlin — the Refill map. Every station and public fountain where you can top up any bottle for free. Genuinely useful with kids in this heat. · 🔗 More info here

🎸 Lollapalooza Berlin · 18–19 July · Olympiastadion ⭐
Weekend tickets are 83% sold out. If you're going, book now.

Sat 18: Pitbull, Lily Allen (West End Girl), Zara Larsson, Tom Odell, Ayliva, Anitta, Young Miko, Artbat.
Sun 19: Lorde, Lewis Capaldi, Teddy Swims, Boys Noize, Self Esteem, Zartmann, and Funk Tribu.

Prices: Weekend €219 · Saturday €134 · Sunday €124.
Cheaper ways in: PayPal weekend ticket, €189 (€30 off, while stocks last) · Teens 12–15: €99 · Kids 7–11: €10 · Under-7s and carers: free · 15% off DB train travel with a festival ticket.

Bring a photo ID — it's checked at the gate. U2/S Olympiastadion is the fastest way in.

📍 Olympiastadion & Olympiapark
🔗 Tickets here · 🔗 Full lineup here

Hot and dry. Proper summer — 29–30°C all week, barely any rain

Sun 12: 30°C, no rain. The week's best day — perfect for David Garrett at the Gendarmenmarkt.
Mon 13: 29°C, mostly dry.
Tue 14: 30°C, slight chance of a shower.
Wed 15: 29°C, dry and clear.
Thu–Sat: staying hot. Ideal for open air — and for the lakes.

Drink water and seek shade.

🔗 Full forecast

🚇 S-Bahn chaos through the holidays
Six weeks of work started Friday. S1 is cut between Bornholmer Str. and Schönholz until 17 Aug (replacement bus via Wollankstraße). S2 has no trains Karow–Bernau until 21 July. The U5 (Hellersdorf–Friedrichsfelde) and trams M1/M2/M13/12 are on replacement buses too. Check before you travel — every time. 🔗 Live disruptions here · 🔗 S-Bahn changes here

🎸 Lollapalooza: 83% sold out
Weekend tickets are 83% gone for 18–19 July. Expect packed trains west to Olympiastadion.

🎻 Classic Open Air runs to Tuesday
David Garrett tonight, HAEVN Mon 13, Alphaville Symphonic Tue 14 – the finale. (See Free Music)

🌡️ 30°C all week
Hottest, driest stretch of the summer so far. (See Weather)

🎨 THE DARK ROOMS: VEINS · to 26 July · Ticketed ⭐
An abandoned Berlin cinema complex – with its hidden tunnels, transport corridors and dark chambers behind the auditoriums – is filled with installations by 10 international light and sound artists. The location stays secret until 48 hours before your slot. The ticket includes a welcome cocktail. Three weekends only; tickets are very limited.
📍 Secret location — revealed 48h before
🔗 Book tickets here

🖌️ Street Art × Street Food — Teufelsberg · TODAY, final day
The Cold-War listening station in the Grunewald: food trucks, live painting, one of Europe's biggest street-art galleries, and the best view in the city. Today only, 11:00–21:30 (last entry 20:30), ~€12. Shuttle from S Heerstraße — the road is closed to cars.
📍 Teufelsseechaussee 10, Grunewald
🔗 Tickets here

🎨 UdK Rundgang — 17–19 July · Free ⭐

Once a year, at the end of the academic year, Berlin's University of the Arts throws open every door — studios, workshops, practice rooms, and rehearsal spaces — across its campuses for three days. Fine art, design, music, and performing arts: you walk in on students' final projects before anyone else sees them.

It's free, it's citywide (the main campus is on Hardenbergstraße in Charlottenburg), and it's one of the best weekends Berlin gives away.

📍 Hardenbergstr. 33+ venues citywide — U2 Ernst-Reuter-Platz
🔗 More info here

SUN 12 · today
🎻 Classic Open Air — David Garrett · 19:30 · Gendarmenmarkt (U2/U6 Stadtmitte) · 🔗 Tickets here

🖌️ Street Art × Street Food · Teufelsberg · final day, 11:00–21:30 · ~€12 · S Heerstraße + shuttle · 🔗 Tickets here

🛒 Nowkoelln Flowmarkt · 10:00–17:00 · Free · Maybachufer (U8 Schönleinstr.) · 🔗 More info here

🛒 Flohmarkt Mauerpark · 10:00–18:00 · Free · U8 Bernauer Str. · 🔗 More info here

👨‍👩‍👧 Family Sunday · Uber Platz · Free · water play, workshops, yoga · S Ostbahnhof

MON 13
🎹 Classic Open Air — HAEVN · 19:30 · Gendarmenmarkt · Dutch indie-pop with a 12-piece string ensemble · 🔗 Tickets here

🖼️ Museums free on Mondays — the Deutsche Guggenheim is free every Monday. A good move at 29°C. · 🔗 More info here

TUE 14
🎤 Classic Open Air — Alphaville Symphonic · THE FINALE · 19:30 · 'Forever Young', 'Big in Japan' with the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt · 🔗 Tickets here

🌿 Türkenmarkt · 11:00–18:30 · Free · Maybachufer (U8 Schönleinstr.) · 🔗 More info here

🗣️ Language Exchange · 19:00 · Free · Travolta Bar, Wiener Str. 14b (U1 Görlitzer Bhf) · 🔗 More info here

WED 15
🎡 Volksfestsommer — Superheroes & Princesses day · Free entry · Spider-Man, Rapunzel, Ariel walking acts · Zentraler Festplatz (U6 Kurt-Schumacher-Platz) · 🔗 More info here

🏊 Lake day — 29°C and dry. Schlachtensee (S1) is 30 minutes from Mitte. · 🔗 Water quality here

THU 16
🌍 DURCHLÜFTEN · from 19:00 · Free · Noura Mint Seymali (Mauritania) + DJ · Humboldt Forum (U5 Museumsinsel) · 🔗 Programme here

🍜 Street Food Thursday · 17:00–22:00 · Free entry · Markthalle Neun (U1 Görlitzer Bhf) · 🔗 More info here

FRI 17
🎆 Volksfestsommer FIREWORKS · ~22:00 · Free · Kurt-Schumacher-Damm 207 (U6/U7) · 🔗 More info here

🎨 UdK Rundgang — 17–19 July · Free ⭐ (See Special Event)

🌍 DURCHLÜFTEN · from 19:00 · Free · Ustad Noor Bakhsh (Pakistan) + DJ · Humboldt Forum

🌿 Türkenmarkt · 11:00–18:30 · Free · Maybachufer

SAT 18
🎸 Lollapalooza — Day 1 · Olympiapark · Pitbull, Lily Allen, Zara Larsson · U2/S Olympiastadion · 🔗 Tickets here

🌍 DURCHLÜFTEN · from 19:00 · Free · ADG7 (Korea) + DJ · Humboldt Forum

🏃 Parkrun Hasenheide · 09:00 · Free 5km · U8 Boddinstr. · 🔗 Register here

🛒 Flohmarkt Mauerpark · 10:00–18:00 · Free · U8 Bernauer Str.

It's 29–30°C all week. Berlin has ~50 swimmable lakes inside the city — most are free and most are under 45 minutes away.

🌊 Schlachtensee · Free — the classic. Forest-ringed, clear, 5.5km loop; swim from grassy banks. Get there mid-morning on weekends. (S1 — southern branch, unaffected by the northern closures)
🌊 Krumme Lanke · Free — Schlachtensee's quieter neighbour, same S1.
🌊 Müggelsee · Free — Berlin's largest lake. Wooded shore, lakeside beer gardens. (S3 Friedrichshagen)
🌊 Plötzensee · Free — a proper city dip in Wedding, no journey needed. (U9/S Beusselstr.)
🏖️ Strandbad Wannsee · €7.50 (€5.50 reduced, €4.50 under-16) — Europe's largest inland lido: 1.2km of Baltic sand, beach chairs, lifeguards. Book online for up to 20% off and skip the queue. (S1/S7 Nikolassee, then bus 218)
🔗 Book tickets here · 🔗 Live occupancy here

🌅 Freiluftkino Kreuzberg — the only one that shows everything in the original language ⭐
Berlin's oldest open-air cinema, in the Bethanien courtyard. Every film in its original language with German or English subtitles — the only Freiluftkino in the city that does this. Deck chairs, blankets, a beer, and the film starts when it's properly dark (~21:45). Currently showing this year's Golden Bear winner (Gelbe Briefe) and the Oscar Best Picture winner.
📍 Mariannenplatz 2, Kreuzberg — U1/U8 Kottbusser Tor
🔗 Programme here

🎪 Freiluftkino Friedrichshain — the big one — 2,000 seats in the Volkspark. Mixes Hollywood, indie and local films; look for "Engl. with Germ. subs" in the listings. (Tram M8)
🔗 Programme here

How to read the listings: OmU = original language with subtitles. DF = dubbed into German — avoid unless you speak it. Berlin has 20+ open-air cinemas; the full programme is here.
🔗 All open-air cinemas here

🎪 Cirque du Soleil ALIZÉ — Theater am Potsdamer Platz
Cirque's first permanent show in Europe was built for this theatre, and it can't be seen anywhere else. Acromagic: acrobatics fused with Magie Nouvelle – invisibility, levitation, and holograms. 2h 5min with an interval.

Air-conditioned — the smart move in a 30°C week. Ages 3+; under-16s get 20% off, and there's a family deal (2 adults + 1 child; extra children half price) plus 20% off for groups of four or more, both running until 27 September.

Wed 18:30 · Thu 19:30 · Fri–Sat 16:00 and 20:00 · Sun 13:00 and 17:00. No shows Mon–Tue.
📍 Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 1 — S/U Potsdamer Platz
🔗 Book here · 🔗 All dates here

🌍 DURCHLÜFTEN — Humboldt Forum — to 1 Aug — FREE ⭐
The Schlüterhof courtyard becomes an open-air stage: two concerts + a DJ set every festival evening (19:00 / 20:30 / 22:00). 24 acts, 12 DJs, no ticket.
This week: Thu 16 — Noura Mint Seymali (Mauritania) · Fri 17 — Ustad Noor Bakhsh (Pakistan) · Sat 18 — ADG7 (Korea).
Arrive early — seating is limited.
📍 Schloßplatz, Mitte — U5 Museumsinsel / S Hackescher Markt
🔗 Programme here

🪘 Sonic Pluriverse — HKW rooftop · to 1 Aug
Moroccan Gnawa music meets flamenco, tarantella and desert blues on the rooftop terrace. DJ sets, films, talks and workshops are FREE. Concerts: €24/€20 (under-10s free). Fri 17: Mehdi Nassouli + Gnawa Diffusion, followed by a film and an all-night Lila ritual.
📍 HKW, Tiergarten — S+U Hauptbahnhof
🔗 Programme here

🎻 Classic Open Air — Gendarmenmarkt · Ticketed
Six nights on Europe's most beautiful square. Tonight (Sun 12): David Garrett, 'Millennium Symphony'. Mon 13: HAEVN + 12-piece strings. Tue 14: Alphaville Symphonic — the finale. All 19:30, doors 17:30.
📍 Gendarmenmarkt — U2/U6 Stadtmitte
🔗 Tickets here

All running through summer. Book online — Abramović's opening drew a 400m queue.

🏛️ Brancusi
Neue Nationalgalerie · Until 9 Aug · €14 — 150+ sculptures from the Centre Pompidou; his first major German show in 50 years. Air-conditioned. Tue–Sun, Thu to 20:00. (U Potsdamer Platz)
🔗 Tickets here

🖼️ Cassirer & the Breakthrough of Impressionism
Alte Nationalgalerie · to 27 Sep · €16/€8 — 120+ works: Monet, Manet, Degas, Cézanne, Renoir, van Gogh. (S Hackescher Markt)
🔗 Tickets here

🎨 Marina Abramović: Balkan Erotic Epic
Gropius Bau · to 23 Aug · €15 — Film, sculpture and live performance. Explicit. Closed Tue. Book ahead. (U Potsdamer Platz)
🔗 Tickets here

🎪 Luftschloss
Tempelhofer Feld · to 13 Sep · Ticketed — Open-air theatre, concerts, and comedy. (U6 Paradestraße)
🔗 Tickets here

🛒 Flohmarkt Mauerpark — Sun 12 · 10:00–18:00 · Free — 500+ stalls: vinyl, vintage, and GDR oddities. Bearpit Karaoke from 15:00. Cash only. (U8 Bernauer Str.)
🔗 More info here

🛒 Nowkoelln Flowmarkt — Sun 12 · 10:00–17:00 · Free — Canal-side design and vintage biweekly. (U8 Schönleinstr.)
🔗 More info here

🛒 Flohmarkt Boxhagener Platz — Sun 12 · 10:00–18:00 · Free — Calmer and more local than Mauerpark; books and records are the speciality. Playground on site — the best flea market with kids. (U5 Frankfurter Tor)
🔗 More info here

🥢 Dong Xuan Center — daily except Tue · 10:00–20:00 · Free ⭐ — Berlin's "Little Vietnam": six vast halls in Lichtenberg, 250+ traders. Fresh Asian produce, spices, textiles, electronics — plus the city's best pho, at Berlin prices. Haggling expected. It doesn't feel like Germany. (Herzbergstr. 128–139 — Tram M8/21, Herzbergstr./Industriegebiet)
🔗 More info here

🌿 Türkenmarkt — Tue 14 + Fri 17 · 11:00–18:30 · Free — Produce, Turkish and Middle Eastern food. Cash preferred; prices drop after 17:30. (U8 Schönleinstr.)
🔗 More info here

🍜 Street Food Thursday — Thu 16 · 17:00–22:00 · Free entry — 30+ vendors, Markthalle Neun. (U1 Görlitzer Bhf)
🔗 More info here

⚽ Nagelsmann is out. Klopp is in talks. Four days after the Paraguay shootout, the DFB terminated Julian Nagelsmann's contract — he'd asked to go. He's only the second Germany coach ever forced out, after Flick in 2023. The DFB has already opened talks with Jürgen Klopp, who confirms them: "Yes, I can confirm the talks". He's under contract at Red Bull but says the timing is "better than it's ever been".
🔗 Full story here

🏆 World Cup — semis are this week. France beat Morocco 2–0; Spain edged Belgium 2–1. Norway, who knocked out Brazil. Semi-final 1: France vs Spain, Tue 14, 21:00. Semi 2: Wed 15. Final: Sun 19.
🔗 Fixtures here

⚫ Hertha's clear-out. Captain Fabian Reese → Wolfsburg (to 2030). Cuisance → RC Lens (~€5m). Eichhorn → Leverkusen. Keeper Tjark Ernst is next – Feyenoord and Celtic are circling. Four squad spots go to academy players.
🔗 Hertha transfers here

🔴 Union Berlin sign Marvin Friedrich (Gladbach) and make Nsoki permanent. Elsewhere: Prömel goes to Stuttgart; Tabaković leaves Hoffenheim. The window shuts 31 August.
🔗 All transfers here

🏃 Parkrun Hasenheide — Sat 18 · 09:00 · Free 5km. Register once; the early slot beats the 30°C heat. (Columbiadamm 160 — U8 Boddinstr.)
🔗 Register here

🏊 Open-water swimming — the lakes are free outdoor exercise. (See Summer Guide)

Berlin has English stand-up almost every night. The regulars, by day:

🎤 Cosmic Comedy — every Thursday · Prenzlauer Berg — The city's best-known English open mic. Hosted by Dharmander Singh; free pizza slices at your seat before the show. Ends ~23:00.
🔗 Tickets here

🌙 Dark Comedy Open Mic — Fridays · Karakas — English stand-up, trigger warning, free shots. Bad thoughts, great jokes. Running 245+ shows.
🔗 Tickets here

🍸 Top Shelf — Saturdays, 19:00 · Schöneberg — English stand-up, weekly.
🔗 Tickets here

🌇 After Party Comedy — Sundays, 18:00 · The Wall — English stand-up to end the weekend. Tonight.
🔗 Tickets here

🐒 Mad Monkey Room — nightly · Prenzlauer Berg — Shows most evenings (some German, some English) plus a Spree comedy cruise on Thursdays.
🔗 Full comedy calendar here

🎤 New in Town — tonight, Sun 12 · 20:30 · from ~€15 — International Showcase, Mitte. (Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 20 — S+U Alexanderplatz)
🔗 Tickets here

🍺 Dude! What's Up, Berlin?! — Thu 16 · 20:30 · donation-based — One of the longest-running weekly English shows. The Harp Irish Pub, Kreuzberg. Free shot. (U8 Kottbusser Tor)
🔗 Reserve here

🍻 LAUGH on TAP — Sat 18 · 20:30 — English showcase at Brlo Brwhouse, a Kreuzberg craft brewery. (U1/U3/U7 Möckernbrücke)
🔗 Tickets here

🚢 Laughing Spree — comedy on a boat · Sun, Tue, Fri — Berlin's only Spree comedy show. 6 comedians, free shot. (Mühlenstr. 73 — S+U Warschauer Str.)
🔗 Tickets here

Berlin is a hard city to make friends in. These make it easier — most are free.

🗣️ German-English Language Exchange — Tuesdays · 19:00 · Free — The classic. Travolta Bar, Kreuzberg. Separate tables by language, all levels, no sign-up. Just buy a drink. (Wiener Str. 14b — U1 Görlitzer Bhf)
🔗 More info here

🍻 Expat Stammtisch — regular · Neukölln — For anyone three days or three years in. Ä Stube: dim lights, no shouting to be heard. The antidote to the expat bubble.
🔗 More info here

🌍 Berlin Expats — weekly — Pub crawls, hikes, BBQs, game nights, wine tastings. The biggest and most active group genuinely does things, not just drinks.
🔗 More info here

🗨️ Berlin Language Exchange & Social Group — regular · Free — Multi-language: you speak yours, help someone with theirs, switch tables freely. Explicitly a safe space for all backgrounds.
🔗 More info here

🎭 International & Social Events Berlin — regular — Comedy, mixers, trips, exhibitions, nights out. Good if you want events, not just a bar.
🔗 More info here

🌐 InterNations Berlin — monthly socials — The biggest network, but membership required. Better for professional networking than casual friends.
🔗 More info here

🧩 Casual Sunday Board Games — 14:00 · Free — Codenames, Dixit, and Coup in the beer garden at Berliner Berg Brewery, Neukölln. (U8 Boddinstr.)
🔗 More info here

🎡 Kinder Rave: Midsummer Daydream — 12:00–16:00 · Free entry — Family rooftop party at Klunkerkranich. Music, dancing, kids welcome. (U7/U8 Rathaus Neukölln)
🔗 More info here

Berlin's school holidays started 9 July. Six weeks to fill – here's the free stuff.

🎡 Berliner Volksfestsommer — to 2 Aug · Free entry ⭐
Germany's largest funfair is back for its 63rd year: 60+ rides, a Ferris wheel, a ghost train, bumper cars, and beer gardens. Entry is free — you pay only for rides and food. Wednesday is Family Day (reduced ride prices). Closed Mon–Tue; Wed–Thu 14–22; Fri–Sat 14–23; and Sun 13–22.
Fireworks Fri 17 · ~22:00 · Superheroes & Princesses walking acts Wed 15.
📍 Kurt-Schumacher-Damm 207 — U6 Kurt-Schumacher-Platz / U7 Jakob-Kaiser-Platz
🔗 More info here

💦 Family Sunday at Uber Platz — today · from 12:00 · Free
Around the fountain field: face painting, bouncy castle, outdoor games, a join-in circus, kids' cocktails and workshops. The next one is 26 July.
📍 Uber Platz, Friedrichshain — S Ostbahnhof
🔗 More info here

📚 Free money for good grades. Report cards are out. Thalia gives a €5 voucher for a "1" in German, or an improvement of one grade. Höffner pays €5 per "1", up to €30. MediaMarkt takes €1 off per good grade. Bring the report card.
🔗 More info here

🍺 Schleusenkrug — Tiergarten, by Zoo station
A Berlin institution since 1954, on the Landwehr canal lock. 700 seats under the trees, boats drifting past, and the beer garden fill the moment the sun's out — a 30°C week, so go early.

Order from the grill (fires up 16:00): Leberkäse, merguez, and bratwurst in a roll. The cakes are excellent. Skip the Flammkuchen. Self-service at the window, card accepted — quick, no waiting for a waiter.

Kids get a play corner and an old boat to climb. Handy for Lollapalooza — it's the last good stop before Olympiastadion. Open daily 11:00–00:00. No sports broadcasts, ever — that's deliberate.

📍 Müller-Breslau-Str. 14b, Charlottenburg — U2/U3/U9 + S3/S5/S7/S9 Zoologischer Garten
🔗 More info here · 🔗 Menu here

July is Schlussverkauf — Germany's summer sale. 30–70% off at mainstream retailers right now.

👕 Humana, Frankfurter Tor — five floors of second-hand, thousands of items, from €2 t-shirts to curated leather jackets. Berlin's biggest thrift store, and the one patient diggers swear by. (U5 Frankfurter Tor)
🔗 More info here

⚖️ Pick'n'Weight — vintage sold by the kilo. Coloured tags weigh at checkout. Sorted by colour and style, so it's browsable rather than a dig. (Alte Schönhauser Str. 30, Mitte)
🔗 More info here

🤖 Cogram — Ex-Technical Founder (Product Engineer) · Berlin/Remote — YC W22, AI for architects and builders. Posted 7 days ago.
🔗 Apply here

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See you next time. Same time. Same Kiez.

— Yassir