Beyond Berlin: the best places to see art just outside the city

There’s so much incredible art to see in Berlin that we get why you'd skip exploring beyond the Ringbahn (the route around the inner-city area). But rising rents and limited space have pushed many artists and gallerists to the fringes of the city and now a host of new art spaces exist where you’d least expect them—say, a former iron foundry just north of the city, the rambling grounds of an 18th-century Prussian castle in Brandenburg, or a museum hotel on Germany’s Baltic Sea. Here's where to go to up your German art cred.

It’s easy to see why owners Daniel Tümpel and Loretta Würtenberger fell in love with Schlossgut Schwante. The 24-acre estate in rural Brandenburg feels world’s away from Berlin (although it's just a 30 minute drive north), with tons of greenery and an imposing 18th-century Prussian castle where the duo now live. What to expect: an outdoor art paradise full of 29 works by international heavyweights including Ai Weiwei, Martin Creed, and Monika Sosnowska.

Don't miss: The park regularly hosts cultural events such as live music, films, and lectures, and yoga festivals, so it’s worth checking the calendar before planning your visit.

A former iron foundry dating to 1902 is the setting of Berlin's coolest creative hub. Located in the industrial neighborhood of Wilhelmsruh, just north of the city, Wilhelm Hallen is made up of a series of sawtooth-roof brick structures with soaring ceilings and unfinished interiors—a far cry from the white-wall gallery spaces elsewhere in Berlin. New galleries like Mehdi Chouakari have set up shop here, artists including Wolfgang Flad and Johanna Dumet have opened workshops and studios, and a diverse lineup of programming—fashion shows, concerts, a super hip natural wine and sandwich festival—draws a stylish mix of city dwellers every weekend.

Don't miss: There’s not a ton going on in the neighborhood surrounding Wilhelm Hallen. So, in the warmer months, we recommend packing a picnic and enjoying it next to the Wilhelmsruher See and Garibalditeich lakes, both within walking distance from Wilhelm Hallen.

Just two and a half hours north of Berlin near the Baltic Sea, this remodeled 1840s manor house doubles as a museum filled with site-specific works by some of the world’s top contemporary artists. The hotel’s owner, art historian Bettina Klein, is behind the property’s flourishing artist-in-residence program; Alex Schweder, Emma Waltraud Howes, and Riccardo Giacconi are among the talents who have stayed at the property and made once-of-a-kind works for the rooms and public spaces. If you're not staying here, don't worry: you can tour the house and its 11.5 acres of grounds, scattered with various works. But we recommend checking in the the night: the airy rooms have brick walls, wood burning stoves, and clawfoot tubs for an end-of-day soak.

Don't miss: Time your visit to the spring or summer, when tens of thousands of cranes gather on Germany’s Baltic Sea Coast before migrating to Scandinavia and southern Europe.

Berlin isn’t exactly known for its awe-inspiring architecture. But in the Reineckendorf district, an hour-long metro ride away from the center of the city, a group of international street artists have transformed a cluster of nondescript, prefab apartment buildings into an open-air art gallery. Some of the biggest names in the street art scene have left their mark on Artpark Tegel, including local artist Jim Avignon, the art collective London Police, and prominent Australian muralist Fintan Magee. Bring your walking shoes: the largest of the murals stretches nearly 140 feet.

Don't miss: Sure, it’s a bit of a trek to reach the Reineckendorf district, but there’s plenty more to discover after you’ve checked Artpark Tegel off your list. Stop for an espresso and an apple strudel at Café Wetterstein before hitting the trails in the Tegeler Forest, a nature reserve home to the stately Schloss Tegel mansion, the one-time residence of naturalist Alexander von Humboldt.

You may have heard of Potsdam—it's the most popular day trip from Berlin, synonymous with impeccably manicured parks and art-filled royal palaces. But it's not place for contemporary art lovers. This UNESCO heritage site is all about the classics. Start at the Sanssouci Palace, the so-called Versailles of Germany, which served as the summer residence of Prussian King Frederick the Great. The retreat is known for its vineyard terraces, ornate 18th century decoration, and artworks by masters including Peter Paul Rubens, Caravaggio, and Anthony van Dyck. Nearby is the magnificent Marble Palace, another former residence with lavish interiors in silk, marble, and gold, and priceless ceramics and antiques—look out for the exquisite vases from English fine china company Wedgwood and a pair of grandfather clocks from the estate of Madame de Pomadour. End the day at the Museum Barberini, in the center of town, with masterpieces by Monet, Renoir, and Paul Signac.

Don't miss: The world's oldest film studio is located in Potsdam (who knew?) First opened in 1912, Babelsberg showcases the history of German film—including during Adolf Hitler's reign when the studio produced anti-Semitic propaganda—and puts on movies, too.

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