What is it, exactly?
Tempelhofer Feld is the flat, wide-open field of the former Berlin-Tempelhof airport, which closed in 2008 and reopened as a public park in 2010. Its two 2 km runways and taxiways are still intact — so instead of asphalt full of jets you get cyclists, skateboarders, kite-surfers on wheels and joggers spread across roughly 300 hectares of open space. There are community gardens, barbecue zones, a mini-golf-scale sense of horizon, and the vast historic terminal building looming along one edge. When Berliners voted in 2014 to block development here, they turned a decommissioned airport into one of the largest inner-city open spaces in the world.
Is it worth visiting?
Absolutely, and it is completely free. This is where you see everyday Berlin at play rather than Berlin performing for tourists. The sheer scale is the draw — standing on a runway with nothing but sky and a distant skyline is a genuinely odd, freeing feeling you will not get in a manicured city park. It is also a smart, quieter alternative to the crowded Tiergarten: more space, more air, better sunsets, and the surreal bonus of walking down a real airport runway.
How do you get there?
The park has several entrances. For the main Tempelhofer Damm side, take the U6 to Tempelhof (also an S-Bahn stop) or Paradestraße, a 3–5 minute walk to the gate. For the Neukölln side and the Oderstraße entrance, take the U8 to Leinestraße or Boddinstraße, about 5–7 minutes on foot. The Columbiadamm entrance is handy if you are coming from the north.
When to go, and what it costs
Entry is free. Opening hours track the seasons: the field opens early and closes around sunset, so roughly 6:00 to past 22:00 at midsummer and about 7:30 to 17:00 in deep winter — the gates lock at dusk, so check the current month’s times. Late afternoon into evening in summer is magic, when locals stream in with picnics and the runways catch the low sun. Bring your own everything (shade is scarce) or grab food from the surrounding Neukölln streets first.
Insider tip
Walk to the far southern end of the runways, away from the busy Tempelhofer Damm entrance — the crowds thin out fast and you get the cleanest, widest sunset view with the terminal silhouetted behind you. Wheels of any kind (bike, skates, longboard) turn a long flat runway into the best part of the day.
