Berlin photoshoot locations to reach without a car
Yup, I don’t have a car. I am also not the only Berliner without one. In fact, I know people who have gone 30 years without having a car, even after learning how to drive. I really hope I get my licence soon, but in the meantime, I have been on the lookout for some good photoshoot locations that you can access without the car. And locations that aren’t your typical tourist trap- yeah, some of them are well known but they’re so romantic so I hope you’ll forgive me!
I wanted to keep all the information to myself, but I am just not that mean. These locations are not only super accessible, but they are also the most beautiful places I have taken photos in.
One of Berlin’s newest attractions, the Berlin Schloß is an exact replica of the original palace that once stood here and was built by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1698. The new building opened in 2020, and with it still being finished in some areas, it is slowly gaining more visitors, however is still for the most part a relatively hidden gem, considering its centrality. The palace is a museum and event space, with a viewing deck on the top, and with entry only costing 3€, it’s definitely worth visiting.
Some days, there will be events happening so you won’t be so lucky, but with a bit of planning you can easily get an empty courtyard. The word ”courtyard” doesn’t really do it justice. I have photographed many couples here, and it continues to be one of my favourite places in Berlin.
Hot tip, go to this location early in the morning, or if you chose the evening, go on a weekday when it’s not the holidays.
How to get there:
U-Museumsinsel
S-Bahn Alexanderplatz
I mean, seriously… what a view!
Botanischer Volkspark Blankenfelde-Pankow
This place was my favourite recent discovery. I was looking for a location where we could do a couples shoot with sunflowers. All these people on instagram were posing in sunflower fields and I wanted to take photos in one too! Talk about wanting to follow the crowd… I promise I’m not comparing myself!
The awesome thing about this place is that it is super close to the S Bahn station Blankenfelde, as well as Pankow. It also isn’t far from Osloer Straße with the bus.
I have been at this park twice for photoshoots, but definitely mean to return just to enjoy the entirety of the vast expanse of land. There are sunflower fields, private gardens, deer, apple trees, a lake and a big greenhouse. Both times I took photos it was a summers evening, during the summer holidays, and yet there was nobody there. We bumped into two other families.
The park takes donations of a suggested 1€ to enter. The machine takes coins and doesn’t give change- it’s basically just an honesty box. You can also pick your own sunflowers and give the correct amount into an honesty box there, too.
Opening times: Monday-Sunday: Dawn-Dusk
Greenhouses: Monday-Friday: 10:00–14:00
How to get there:
U-Osloer Straße, then with the bike.
Bus 150, 107
Please tag me in your photos on instagram if you go here, I would love to see your photo results!
The most historic part of the whole of Berlin. I did a wintery shoot with two friends here in March, while it was still cold. I have lived in Berlin for 7 years and it took me 5 years to finally discover Nikolaiviertel. The cute cobbled streets, adorable tiny streets and sweet little cafes, bars and trinket shops are just what my small-town heart needs every once in a while. The trick, however is to dodge the huge groups of tourists who come through like huddles of penguins. This place is historic, and the tourists know about it — not so romantic. For this shoot we chose a weekday at about midday, so the damage wasn’t so bad.
The journey to get there is super easy, as it’s just around the corner from Alexanderplatz, and the new U-Bahn station Rotes Rathaus. You can come here whenever you like, as it’s just a public collection of streets. Get to work on finding some cool angles, maybe bring a wide angle lens. Using a 35mm lens was a great help, as the roads are not very wide, but you still want to get those historic buildings in.
Enjoy going back in time, right in the heart of Berlin. Grab a coffee, take a stroll through the winding streets and take some cute photos. It really feels like you’re in a little German village.
Swoon.
Berlin has a forest? Yup! And it’s a pretty big one. Plus, its only 20 minutes on the S-Bahn from Zoologischer Garten station. Now, this place is also no real secret. But people tend to forget it. If you want a breath of fresh air, and want to see nothing but trees for a few hours, you’re in the right place. The forest spans over many different districts of Berlin, but the part I am talking about is walking distance form the Grunewald S-Bahn station. Or take a bike, if you’re up for the ride. You can make your destination Drachenberg, which is the hill directly opposite Teufelsberg, the more famous of the two hills, known for being built on old WWII rubble and turned into an awesome tourist attraction. But I am talking about the other hill. You can access it easily whatever mode of transport you’re with, including your trusty feet. There is a car-park at the bottom of Drachenberg, and the steep walk to the top with those gorgeous, yet wobbly steps is already a beautiful backdrop, and so is the top. Depending on where you point your camera, you will either have a view of the entire city, or the entire forest. So you can have the best of both worlds.
Then, once you’re back down, you can go into the forest. I took these photos in October, so the trees were a beautiful hue of orange. You do have to be fast, before the ground becomes mushy and the trees turn brown, however. The part of the forest where these photos were taken was only across the road from the car-park. Take your comfy shoes, maybe bring a rainproof jacket, and get your nature on. These photos were so dreamy.
How to get there:
S-Grunewald
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