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Fat Tire Bike Tours

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Explore Germany’s capital with Berlin’s top rated bike tour operator! Our fantastic guides make Berlin's history come alive through lots of knowledgeable and fascinating anecdotes about past and present day Berlin.  From our most popular tour, the Berlin City Bike Tour, to our many topic tours, we cover all aspects of this city’s unique history at a relaxed and comfortable pace. We also offer private tours, tours for school groups and bespoke tours on request. And don’t miss out on our Berlin Food Tour by Bike! 

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Panoramastraße 1A 10178   Berlin

A Fat Tire Tour Along The Berlin Wall

• Post author: Wendy
• Post published: November 7, 2019
• Post category: Germany / Uncategorized
• Post comments: 16 Comments

November 9, 2019, will mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

I knew that during our visit in late October, we needed to honor this special occasion with a unique tour. The Fat Tire Tour along the Berlin Wall fit the bill! What better way is there to cover such a large area in just half a day?

Even before I arrived in Berlin, I knew that what remains of the wall is spread out across many miles. In fact the original wall was 27 miles long . Seeing the remains of the wall and related historical points would be difficult on a walking tour.

So I registered me, Jason, and our 21-year old son, Ryan, for our first ever bicycle tour and off we went to explore the Berlin Wall. In my humble opinion, this is definitely one of the top things to do in Berlin!

Table of Contents

A Brief History of the Berlin Wall

It may have been a few years since your high school history class, so let me remind you how the Berlin Wall came to be. After World War II ended, the U.S., Britain, France and the Soviet Union divided Germany into four zones. Berlin, despite its location in the Soviet sector, was also divided into four zones. 

Unfortunately for the Soviets, living in East Germany was very unpopular and many of its citizens fled to West Berlin. In 1961, this prompted the Soviet Union to begin construction of a wall that enclosed West Berlin which then blocked East Germans from fleeing. (See the map of the Berlin Wall below.) It began with barbed wire and grew to a complex security zone over the next twenty-eight years.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, East Germany began to reconsider the travel restrictions imposed on its citizens. They had hoped to lift these restrictions slowly over a period of months, but thanks to a badly executed press conference, East Germans believed that the restrictions had been lifted immediately. On November 9, 1989, men, women and children flooded the gates along the wall and soon the beleaguered guards let them through. Around the world this situation made the news and soon after it was announced that the Berlin wall had fallen.

Fat Tire Bike Tours Along the Berlin Wall–Part One

In a small park near the Fat Tire Tour offices, our guide, Jeff, began our tour by drawing a simple map of Germany with chalk on the sidewalk. From this map he shared the story of the creation of the Berlin Wall beginning with the end of World War II. I kept this map in mind as the story of the wall unfolded over the next four hours at eight different stops.

Our first stop was across the street from the German Parliament, or Bundestag, where there is a small memorial to the first people killed trying to escape after the wall was established. The first man killed was Günter Liftin as he attempted to swim across the river. He was shot and killed.

Our next stop was in a cemetery where a portion of the inner wall still remains. Over time, the East Germans made the wall increasingly secure. Many parts of the Berlin Wall were actually two walls, separated by a dead zone. As would be defectors became more creative in their escape attempts, the Soviets and East Germans responded with a more complex and deadly space.

The Berlin wall was protected by a total of 302 watchtowers , each staffed by heavily armed border guards. Most of these towers were destroyed after the wall fell, but during our tour we had the opportunity to see Führungsstelle Kieler Eck Watchtower --one of the few remaining towers. This tower was unique in that it was a command post for several nearby towers. Border guards were very tempted to defect, so a system had to be developed to keep a close eye on them.

The Berlin Wall Memorial

Located in the middle of the city is the Berlin Wall Memorial, a 1.4 kilometer space designed to share the stories of both East and West Berlin and its residents. Our next few stops took place in this memorial park. Very little of the original wall exists here, but there are several interesting exhibits.  At one point visitors will see stones marking the former location of a tunnel built by students in the West. It was through this tunnel that 57 East Berliners escaped . Many tunnels were attempted over the wall’s history, but most did not succeed.

Also located in the Berlin Wall Memorial is a preserved “secure zone.” An elevated viewing platform across the street allows visitors to look into the secure zone which included two walls separated by a “dead zone” and lined with lights for use at night. Observing this menacing space gives us a good understanding of the fear instilled into anyone considering defection.

At the end of the memorial is a famous photo by Peter Leibig painted on the side of a building. The scene is a young East German police officer, Conrad Schumann, escaping to the West by running over the recently installed barbed wire. This event made it clear to the Soviets that much more than barbed wire would be needed to contain East German citizens.

The Berlin Bike Tour Continues

After leaving the Berlin Wall Memorial we continued to a famous house of worship once located in East Berlin, Zion Church . This church has a long history of resistance dating back to the early days of the Third Reich, but during Soviet occupation, this became a popular place for environmentalists to gather secretly. East German factories were polluting the air, but authorities refused to acknowledge it. Concerned citizens began to gather and share literature about the environment and discuss ways to improve it.

Our final stop was in front of the Stasi Records Agency . The Stasi were the East German secret police, similar to the KGB. Here secret files were kept on millions of East Germans . As the wall came down, the Stasi attempted to shred these files, but citizens stormed the building and saved many of the files. Today Germans can request their file to see what type of information was gathered on them.

Preparing for a Fat Tire Tour

Fat Tire Tours range from 3 to 6 hours . Berlin is a fairly flat city, so the riding is pretty easy, but it is important to be able to operate a bike safely for the duration of the tour. We opted for the Berlin Wall tour which lasted four hours and included a 30 minute break. The cost is $35 per person and can be booked here .

We found ourselves quite hungry by break time, so be sure to bring cash for food and drinks. (Not all German shops accept credit cards, so always have some Euros available.) 

Carefully consider the weather before your tour and dress appropriately. Fat Tire Tours run rain or shine, so come prepared. The weather was quite chilly on the day of our tour, so we all dressed in layers. I kept all my layers on for the duration, but my son gradually took off his outer jacket. Be sure to wear closed toed shoes. Helmets are optional in Berlin, but Fat Tire does make them available.

I was pleasantly surprised at the range of ages on our tour. I estimate that ages ranged from 10 to 60 in our group. Smaller bikes are available for children. So if you can ride a bike, then this is for you!

Where Else Does Fat Tire Tours Operate?

This was our first time booking with Fat Tire Tours, but it won’t be the last! They operate in eight cities in Europe; Rome, Milan, Florence, Berlin, Munich, Paris, Barcelona, and London. In the U.S. there are currently four cities offered; New Orlean, San Francisco, Washington D.C., and Chicago. In some locations Segways tours are also available. So if you’ll be in one of these cities soon, be sure to book your tour soon.

Where To Stay In Berlin

During our recent trip we stayed at the Motel One Berlin Alexanderplatz and were really pleased with it. Alexanderplatz is centrally located in Berlin and the home to a large public transportation hub. The rooms were small, but very clean. The hotel rates are definitely affordable.

And the best part? The Fat Tire Tour office is just a five minute walk from the hotel! 

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This post has 16 comments.

This sounds like such a cool experience! When I was in Berlin a few years ago, I told my friend (who lives in Berlin) that next time I visit I want to bike the perimeter of the former wall. Unfortunately, I haven’t been back. Yet. Soon, I hope!

I have to admit that I don’t usually seek out bike tours, but I’m glad I made an exception for this one. Biking the wall was a great experience.

I remember when the “wall fell” and when it actually came down. Epic times in history for sure. What a wonderful way to experience the history of the wall. Thanks for sharing, great post.

I’m glad you enjoyed the article! And experiencing the wall by bike really was great.

Very interesting. I have a few friends (former co-workers) that grew up in East Berlin before the wall came down. What a frightening time in our history. Thanks for sharing about the tour. It sounds like a perfect option to see everything.

Yes, it certainly was a frightening time in history. The bike tour was an ideal way to see so much of this important historical sight.

Thank you for all the information- I would love to go on this tour. I have heard great things about Fat Tire Tours, so they’ve been on my radar for awhile. We love riding bikes, so they’re really perfect for us. We hope to go to Germany soon, and as a history lover and teacher, this Berlin Wall tour would be really significant to me. There is so much history there.

I hope you’ll have a chance to take this tour in Berlin! My 21 year old son is also a history lover and he enjoyed every minute of this tour.

This sounds great! I took a tour of the Berlin Wall Memorial and I’ve taken Fat Tire tours in Paris — so the combination of both must be perfect! The layout of the wall surprised me, as I envisioned a straight wall before I was there and studied it more. I think everyone should visit to understand it better!

I couldn’t agree more! I know we learned about the Berlin Wall in school, but seeing it up close really brings history to life.

Wish I knew about this when I visited Berlin. This sounds like great fun! I was a bit underwhelmed with Berlin, yet everyone I meet raves about it so feel I may have missed something somehow. Next time!

I must admit that we were a bit underwhelmed by Berlin at first. However, after a few good tours we learned to appreciate this city. It’s definitely different than other European capitals.

I haven’t been to Berlin but if I do go I will be sure to do this tour as it is such a great alternative way to get around and see the wall.

I highly recommend the Fat Tire Tour of the Berlin Wall! Hope you’ll get to do it yourself soon.

You have a way of making history interesting that’s a real knack. It was interesting to get a greater understanding of the zones and why the wall was built and how quickly it came down. Of course I’ve always known about it and can still remember the news cycle about the fall at the wall, but I didn’t really have any detailed level of understanding. It always amazes me how fastidious governments were about keeping records especially during wartime. I haven’t been to Berlin yet but one day for sure I will. And a tour of the wall seems like an essential Activity to help put this wall into historical perspective.

I’m so glad you enjoyed reading this Jay! And I do hope you’ll make it to Berlin one day–its chock full of history.

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Fat Tire Tours

Review Highlights

“ No biggie, the office is super easy to find (just keep walking around the TV tower and you'll find it eventually). ” in 6 reviews

“ You see the Berlin Wall, the Jewish Memorial, The Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie and more. ” in 7 reviews

“ The lunch at the Beer Garden was a delicious addition, and something we would have never found on our own. ” in 14 reviews

Location & Hours

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Panorama Str. 1 a

10178 Berlin

Serving Berlin Area

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127 reviews

Took a bike tour of Berlin and it was absolutely amazing! Our tour guide, Thor, ensured that we saw all the sights, and was the kindest. He knew so much and expanded my knowledge of Berlin and its World War 2/ Cold War history. The weather was not great but we made the most of it. He ensured that we were comfortable and having fun and I can confidently say I can ride a bike much better now.

We always do bike tours while traveling Europe. We love this one because the guides are informative and friendly. We always make friends with other travellers and the bikes are top rate! They show you all the best stops! This is the best way to go on bike!

Best way to see Berlin! Anthony, our guide was fun and very knowledgeable! The pace was nice and easy, and we learned so much history! Would highly recommend to anyone coming to Berlin!

Great 6 hr city tour with Nate! He was so knowledgeable and the pace was good. My family thoroughly enjoyed and it was a highlight of Berlin. We even went back and rented bikes another day.

Great tour with Nate (he was grate!)! Easy ride of 3-6 min between stops, and he gave great background and history leading up to the wall, the wall era, and reunification. Highly recommended!

Chalk drawing explaining the split of Germany after WWII.

We had a wonderful time with Sam. We took the 3 hour highlight tour and it was a perfect introduction to the city.

We last-minute audibled from a walking tour, and we are glad we did. Their slogan is accurate: you can cover more area, in less time, with more fun. Fat Tire is located behind the building that faces the fountain. The staff was friendly and in abundance. Alicia led us for four hours through a flat Berlin in the bike lanes, city streets, and dirt paths. At each stop, Alicia discussed both the pre-20th century Germanic history, to WWII events, to Cold War fallout. Her clever and sarcastic recollection of anecdotes and small details made sure the tour wasn't just lectures with an exercise break. At the end, you stop at a bier garten for some beer and food (not included) which means you won't burn out. Try to get in Alicia's group and bring some water. 100% recommend biking over walking tours.

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe - spend time alone and draw your own conclusions

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe - please be respectful and do not climb on memorial

Dave our tour guide was outstanding!! Most informative best tour I've ever had--hands down in any city. We took the bike tour--which started at 11:00 and our group had so much fun we continued until nearly 4! Dave is the best! He even spent time afterwards giving great recommendations for each person's particular interests in Berlin. There were people in our group from around the world. Best way to see Berlin is by bike. Dave--we love you!!!

See all photos from Christie N. for Fat Tire Tours

Our guide, Ronan, was entertaining, insightful and completely engaging the whole time. We are so glad to have done it. HIGHLY recommended.

Such a wonderful, all encompassing tour!! Our tour guide was BRETT and he was amazing. Such a smooth delivery on all the history of the city, so knowledgable about fun fact and an overall fun guy. This bike tour was very much worth our money. Quite long and covered A LOT but not tiring because of all the stops and lunch break in between. Definitely recommend!

Going along the Berlin Wall remains

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Berlin Street Food Bike Tour

Approximately 3.5 hours

From  €65

Enjoy this Gastronomic Experience

Eat like a real Berliner on our Street Food Bike Tour. Enjoy a welcome beer before cycling to five food tasting stops, featuring local favorites like Döner, Currywurst, and of course, a few sweet treats along the way.

During the tour, we explore the Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg neighborhoods, visit the city’s oldest beer garden, and climb a historic church bell tower for a fantastic view. Our experienced guides also will give you tons of insider tips for more great food, and how to enjoy the rest of your time in Berlin. 

Join us for a delicious, no-frills journey through Berlin’s culinary staples. Book your Street Food Bike Tour now and experience the city’s delicious delights!

*Please contact us directly if you have any dietary restrictions. Our tours involve a variety of culinary stops, and our partner establishments may use ingredients containing gluten. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee a gluten-free environment or prevent cross-contamination during the tour.

Tour Details

What’s included.

• Comfortable cruiser or city-style bike
• Food at our favorite local spots
• Helmet (provided but optional)
• Experienced, English-speaking guide
• Entry into the Zionskirche

Good to Know

• Upgrade to an E-Bike for just €20 (all e-bike riders must be at least 160cm or 5’3″)
• This tour is conducted in English by our experienced team of guides.
• Each bike has an easy-to-use luggage rack, perfect for small bags or extra layers.  Larger bags can be locked up in our shop during the tour.
• While food and table water is included at all restaurants, additional beverages may not be. Please be sure to have Euro cash if would would like to order a separate drink.
• We always stop at each site, so there’s plenty of time to take great pictures!

• 1 Welcome Sparkling Wine Toast
• 2 Five great food tasting stops
• 3 Prenzlauer Berg and Mitte Neighborhoods
• 4 Zionskirche
• 5 Climb up the church tower of Zionskirche
• 6 Berlin's oldest beer garden

Meeting Point

This tour meets at our Alexanderplatz shop, located at the base of the giant TV Tower (Fernsehturm). You can find us on the northeast side of the tower between the Alex Café and the entrance to the TV Tower. The address is Panoramastraße 1a, 10178 Berlin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about our bikes/biking in berlin, do i need to reserve a bike separately.

No – the bike is included with the bike tour, so just bring yourself and we will take care of the rest!

Is this too much riding after a full day of sightseeing or having done another tour?

Absolutely not.  Even if you have spent all day on a bike or dashing around town, you will feel refreshed biking around Berlin in the evening.  Like all of our tours, the pace is easy and punctuated by stops to hear great anecdotes and info from the guide.

What if I haven't ridden a bike in a while?

Don’t worry, it’s just like riding a bike!  Our tours move at a very comfortable pace so don’t worry if you are a bit rusty.  If you are worried about being comfortable on the bike, feel free to stop by the shop a bit early and you can take a few practice laps.

What height is required for an e-bike?

We ask that all guests riding an e-bike are at least 160 cm or 5’3”.

General Tour Questions

Where is the tour meeting point.

This tour meets at our Alexanderplatz shop, located at the base of the giant TV Tower (Fernsehturm). You can find us on the northeast side of the tower between the Alex Café and the entrance to the TV Tower. The address is  Panoramastraße 1a, 10178 Berlin .

Are reservations required for this tour?

Reservations are recommended, but not required.  We suggest that you book in advance so that you are guaranteed a spot on the tour, and also to help us better plan for the day of your tour.  If you do not have a reservation don’t worry, just come on by our shop and we will get you on tour, provided that there is space.

What do I need to bring with me on tour?

Be sure to bring your camera and bring an extra layer of clothing in case it gets chilly during the tour. There are luggage racks on our bikes so you can easily carry some small items with you.

Will I get enough food?

Definitely. At each of the three food stops, you will get a sampling of food.  These portions, over the three food stops, will be a bit more than a full meal by the end of the night. You won’t be hungry.

How do we get food – is it on the go?

No – we don’t want you to stand on the street with food in to-go containers! Because we take you to the places we like to support, we will be welcomed inside and served.

How can I best fit this tour into my day?

This tour fits fine perfectly after a day on tour, a day shopping or museum hopping, or before a night out.  It’s not strenuous, and it’s a great way to spend the evening.

What other costs will there be?

The bike, guide, taxes, and food are all included in the price.  At each food stop, water will be provided at no additional cost to you.  If you prefer to drink something additional, you will be asked to pay for that.

What is your cancellation policy?

We’re happy to offer free changes and 100% refund up to 24 hours before tour* Failure to cancel a reservation  at least 24 hours prior to scheduled departure  may result in forfeited travel funds. Fare difference may apply.

*See restrictions here

Other Questions

Is there a place to store luggage or bags while i'm on tour.

Absolutely, you are welcome to bring your luggage along to the meeting point where you may store your bags in our shop while out on tour.

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