The big loop through Berlin's bridges

About this experience

Stern und Kreis calls this its bridge trip (C1), and it's the most complete view of Berlin you can get from a boat. From Jannowitzbrücke the boat heads upstream past Ostbahnhof and the East Side Gallery to the Oberbaum Bridge, then turns into the Landwehr Canal through the Oberschleuse lock. The canal is 10.7 km long, built between 1845 and 1850 to plans by Peter Joseph Lenné, and lined with willows, cafés and old iron bridges. You pass the German Museum of Technology, drop through the Unterschleuse in Tiergarten, rejoin the Spree and come home through the government quarter, past Museum Island and the TV tower, and through the Mühlendamm lock.

The operator counts more than 50 bridges and three locks. Locks are slow, and that's part of the charm: a lot of the 3 hours 15 minutes is spent gliding at walking pace past people having drinks on the bank. One guest wrote that it felt like four hours with lots of short stops. If you can't sit still that long, book the solar catamaran, which covers the East Side Gallery and Mitte in two and a half.

Two caveats. The live commentary is in German, and English comes from an audio guide in 11 languages. Stern und Kreis says the two are not identical, and guests report that the German guide says much more than the handset. And the landing stage is reached by steps. One more for this week: Stern und Kreis lists a Landwehr Canal closure from 13 October to 1 November 2026 that affects this tour, so check your date before you book.

• The only boat tour that takes the Landwehr Canal through Kreuzberg
• East Side Gallery and Oberbaum Bridge from the water
• More than 50 bridges and three locks
• Museum Island, the TV tower and the Reichstag on the way back
• Drinks and snacks served to your seat

How the day runs

1. 15 to 30 min beforeJannowitzbrücke pier

   The pier is at Rolandufer 4, a short walk from S+U Jannowitzbrücke and about ten minutes from Alexanderplatz. Look for the Stern und Kreis signs and mind the steps down.

2. First 30 minEast Side Gallery and Oberbaum Bridge

   Upstream past Ostbahnhof, with the painted Wall on your left, to the red-brick Oberbaum Bridge.

3. About 1 hourInto the Landwehr Canal

   Through the Oberschleuse into the canal: Kreuzberg's banks, the Museum of Technology, low bridges and willows.

4. Second lockTiergarten and the Spree arch

   Down through the Unterschleuse, back onto the Spree and round the bend to the government quarter.

5. Last hourMitte and the Mühlendamm lock

   Past the Reichstag, Friedrichstraße, Museum Island and the Nikolaiviertel, through the third lock and back to Jannowitzbrücke.

What's included

Who it suits

What guests say

Tips before you book

• Bring wired earphones with a jack. A guest's advice was "BYO headphone WITH AUDIO JACKS", and others found the handset too quiet over the German speaker.
• Sit on the open deck for the canal. The bridges are low and the banks are close, which is the point of this trip.
• Check the date: Stern und Kreis listed a Landwehr Canal closure from 13 October to 1 November 2026 on its tour pages.
• Eat first or plan to order on board. Outside food isn't allowed, and three hours is a long time on coffee alone.
• The same tour also stops at Corneliusbrücke in Tiergarten, which can be handier if you're staying in the west.

Read next:

• East Side Gallery by boat
• The best boat tour

Frequently asked questions

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