My Berlin moment – dancing on Museum Island
Dancing on Museum Island
The façades are colourfully illuminated in the twilight. Fairy lights hang from the treetops. Beneath colourful lanterns, crowds of people mingle amongst the columns. Relaxing music drifts over to us from the banks of the Spree – and our curiosity is piqued.
Our visit to Berlin’s Museum Island had taken us past Caspar David Friedrich, Édouard Manet and others, and treated us to an enchanting afternoon. We’d actually planned to let our impressions sink in over a drink in a cosy bar or a relaxed dinner. But as we strolled down the wide steps of the Alte Nationalgalerie, we already sensed that Berlin had other plans for us.
We hadn’t expected such a lively atmosphere after our visit to the museum. So we followed the music and soon came across a little oasis: an open-air bar awaited us beneath the magnificent colonnade. Sitting in deckchairs or leaning against the railing overlooking the Spree, a colourful mix of people were enjoying the live music. People were chatting in every language under the sun whilst sipping their drinks.
Seeing this, we didn’t think twice. We ordered a wine spritzer and made ourselves comfortable in the brightly striped deckchairs. After all, dinner wasn’t going anywhere. But before long, the lively atmosphere drew us onto the dance floor, where we danced first to electro beats and later to all sorts of hits from past decades. As night slowly fell around us, our brief detour had turned into three hours on the dance floor.
Ready for your own Berlin moment?
Open-airdance evenings are a tradition throughout the city. Just on the other side of the Spree lies the popular beach bar in Monbijoupark. You can also cut a figure on Tempelhofer Feld, under the trees in Volkspark Friedrichshain or in the Rosengarten in Prenzlauer Berg – all illuminated by colourful lanterns.
Whether it’s salsa, tango, swing or bachata: from Schöneberg to Pankow, you’ll find all kinds of dance styles in Berlin. It doesn’t matter at all whether you’ve danced before. At many events, you can even learn the basics in free classes.
Our tip
You’ve actually already got other plans, but you hear music coming from somewhere? Pop over for a moment! Perhaps five minutes will turn into three hours you’ll never forget. Sometimes the best Berlin moments happen precisely when plans change.