Temperature soaring in urban environment - currently at 28 degrees, expected rise continues.
The summer heatwave has been drawing more people to Berlin's public bathing facilities, with the relaxed atmosphere and relatively low occupancy in most facilities making it an appealing destination for families and visitors. According to the Bathing Operations, a total of around 79,000 guests were recorded for the entire previous week, with approximately 34,000 people visiting the public baths on Saturday and about 15,000 on Sunday.
The weather in Berlin and Brandenburg is expected to remain warm and sunny for the foreseeable future, with temperatures ranging from 25 to 28 degrees Celsius. However, swimming in the Spree river remains officially banned due to historic pollution concerns, despite protests and advocacy arguing that the water quality is often good enough during the swimming season.
Despite the ongoing water quality concerns, the focus of current advisories primarily revolves around bacterial contamination, such as unsafe levels of E. coli and other harmful bacteria. These risks mainly emerge after prolonged rainfall events that cause untreated wastewater to overflow into waterways, potentially leading to temporary swimming bans or warnings.
There are no specific mentions of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) advisories for Berlin bathing spots as of August 2025. However, there are warning signs for three bathing spots in Berlin - Lieper Bucht, Bammelecke, and Große Krampe - due to the risk of a blue-green algae bloom.
On Tuesday, it will be warmer than the previous day, with maximum temperatures of 28 to 31 degrees Celsius. Overnight on Tuesday, temperatures will drop to 12 to 9 degrees Celsius. The Bathing Operations reported that on Monday afternoon, the Columbiabad in Neukölln, the Sommerbad Staaken-West, the Kinderbad Monbijou, and the Sommerbad Wuhlheide showed medium occupancy, indicated by a yellow indicator. All other baths showed green, indicating low occupancy.
The summery weather is set to continue, making Berlin's public bathing lakes and outdoor pools an even more attractive destination for locals and tourists alike. Indoor facilities like thermal spas further supplement Berlin’s bathing options, though reports mention some service reductions and cultural challenges rather than water quality issues.
For the very latest or local advisory updates on specific Berlin bathing sites, contacting Berlin’s environmental or public health departments would provide the most reliable information. It's worth noting that a spokesperson for the Bathing Operations joked that Berliners take about three days to get into the swing of things when the warm weather arrives.
The upcoming warm and sunny weather in Berlin, as predicted by weather-forecasting, will likely continue to draw more people to the city's public bathing facilities. However, despite relatively low bacterial contamination risks, swimming in the Spree river remains officially banned due to historical pollution concerns.
