10 Things to Do in Berlin in March

March in Berlin is not a very warm month but the worst of winter is over, so it's a good time to visit the German capital without too many crowds or excessively low temperatures. And being such a cosmopolitan city, you'll be able to enjoy St Patrick's Day as if you were in Dublin. This article tells you what to see and do in Berlin during the third month of the year.

March tends to be a little chilly, yet temperatures are much warmer than previous months and with the arrival of spring, Berlin is bursting with life. A good way to enjoy the sights and nature is to book a dinner cruise on the river Spree.

The boat passes in front of the city's main attractions such as the Cathedral and the Government District and includes a three-course dinner with traditional Berlin food and vegetarian options - great!

Practical information

• Address: Nikolaiviertel or Friedrichstraße Quay (Weidendamm)
• Price: from €69

March is the month of beer. No, you didn't read that wrong. The golden elixir is usually brewed at this time of year, before the summer heat. It was this style of beer that was served at the first Oktoberfest celebration: the wedding of Bavarian King Ludwig I and Maria Theresa. Märzen-style beverages are amber-coloured lagers with a moderate bitterness.

In Berlin you can enjoy them in many traditional pubs. Two famous names are:

• Weihenstephaner (Neue Promenade 5).
• Dicke Wirtin (Carmer Straße 9).

But if you are really interested in this brew, you should definitely take the Berlin beer tour because you will not only taste 3 to 5 different types of beer with a snack, but you will also learn all about the role of craft beer in Berlin's culture and political history.

No trip to Berlin would be complete without a visit to the famous flea markets. At the stalls you'll find a wide variety of second-hand goods: clothes, trinkets, records, communist-era artefacts, books and much more. Some of these flea markets are complemented by open-air exhibitions that begin in March.

The best known is held every Sunday in Mauerpark, one of the city's most famous parks. Despite its popularity, it is frequented by a large number of Berliners. You can get to the park on board one of Berlin's sightseeing buses and hop on and off at any of the stops throughout the city.

Other highly recommended options are the following:

• Nowkoellen (Maybachufer, according to experts it is also ideal for enjoying a good beer).
• Boxhagener Platz (recommended if you want to buy handicrafts, vinyls and antiques).
• Straße des 17. Juni, which boasts the oldest street in the German capital.

Practical information

• Address: several locations, although the Mauerpark and Nowkoellen are the most important.
• Price: Admission is, of course, free

When spring comes around, Berlin's parks come alive after winter and each one is filled with flowers, colours and new leaves. There are many green spaces in the city, but only one can boast Chinese pagodas and exotic Balinese temples: the Gardens of the World (Gärten der Welt Berlin). This park was not born that way, in fact its foundation dates back to the era of the German Democratic Republic.

According to the intentions of its creators, it is a park that stimulates a dialogue between the continents.

Most tourists don't come here because it is a bit off the beaten track, in the western part of the city near the "border", but you can take a tour of Berlin and then take a very original means of transport: after taking the underground (line U5) to the Kienberg - Gardens of the World station, head towards the Kienbergpark/Gardens of the World cable car station and you will arrive at your destination. How cool is that?

Practical information

• Address: Blumberger Damm 44
• Price: €9.9 (adults) or €5.5 (children). The price includes the cable car

Ireland's bank holidays is celebrated on 17 March and, as you know, its fame has crossed borders. Berlin is no exception and on this day the famous Funkturm (Radio Tower) is lit up in green. And there's no shortage of pubs where you can get into the spirit of the day. For a good Guinness and live music, I recommend these pubs:

• The Harp: one of the oldest and best known in the capital. It's the place to watch Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League matches as well as Six Nations games.
• Celtic Cottage: a bit off the beaten track, but well worth the trip for a delicious full Irish breakfast.
• MacLaren's Pub: This Irish pub is dedicated to "How I Met Your Mother". If you're a fan of the show, you'll see a few items that pay homage to the vicissitudes of Ted, Marshall, Lily, Robin and Barney.
• Finnegan's: An authentic pub with few tourists and a wide selection of whiskies and traditional dishes.
• Kilkenny Irish Pub: voted three times as the "Guinness Irish Pub of the Year".

Are you a beer lover?Book a beer tour in Berlin and you're in for a treat!

In March, spring begins to make its appearance and I can't think of a better plan to celebrate it than hiring a ride in the Die Welt balloon, from which you will have an amazing panoramic view of the German capital and you will have a bird's eye view of its most important monuments, such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag and the TV Tower.

You'll climb to a height of 150 metres, so it's not suitable for people with vertigo, but you'll feel completely safe as the balloons are equipped with state-of-the-art technology. You will also learn important facts about Berlin's history and culture, as the tour team will tell you anecdotes about the places - an unbeatable experience!

Practical information

• Address: starting point is Zimmerstrasse 100
• Price: from €29

If you aretravelling to Berlin with children, you will love this option. Every March, Kurt-Schumacher-Platz hosts the Spring Festival, a fairground with dozens of attractions: roller coasters, ghost trains and much more. As it is a major event you can easily reach it by bus. Several bus lines will get you from the city centre in about half an hour.

Practical information

• Address: Kurt-Schumacher-Platz
• Price: free of charge

World Theatre Day is an international celebration on 27 March. Since 1961, this day celebrates the beauty and importance of the performing arts and their impact on the lives of all of us.

Each year there is a different theme that is translated into all the languages of the world. As you can imagine, on these dates special workshops and exhibitions are organised in the city's main cultural institutions.

Practical information

• Address: various locations
• Price: depending on the theatre and the show

I've already mentioned that March is a rainy month, so if you happen to have a day of excessive rain, you can take shelter while you learn all the unimaginable about your body by visiting the Body Worlds exhibition.

This exhibition consists of more than 200 real and plastinated bodies and is constantly updated with the latest scientific advances and discoveries to make it super easy for you to understand the main characteristics, organs and diseases of the human body. A unique experience that will leave you open-mouthed.

Practical information

• Address: 1 Panoramastraße 1A, 10178
• Price: from €17

Do you like music and are you a curious person? Then you will love the MaerzMusik Festival. This event is much more than just a music event. To use their own words, it is "a place to experience art and think about how we deal with time".

Both acclaimed and young artists participate and each year there is a different focus. It is hosted in various venues and I advise you to check out the official website to keep up to date with all the latest news.

Practical info

• Address: Schaperstraße 24
• Price: depending on the show. They can be free or for a fee.

No, the German capital welcomes a large number of tourists between May and September. This corresponds to the high season, a factor that is reflected in the price of accommodation.

March is an ideal month to travel to the German capital. Spring is the least rainy season and nature slowly begins to awaken.