On the Spree
The best Berlin boat tours
One-hour Spree cruises past the Reichstag and Museum Island, a live-guided boat, a quiet electric yacht, longer river trips and a half-day cruise to the Müggelsee lake; here is how they compare, with honest advice on getting commentary in English, avoiding ticket mix-ups at the pier, and getting a good seat.
See our 7 picks
The best Berlin boat tour for most visitors is the 1-hour Spree cruise with a live guide in English and German, from €18. It passes the city's river sights in an hour, and every pick on this page has free cancellation.
Berlin boat tours: our picks
Five 1-hour city cruises, one 2¼-hour trip and one half-day trip to a lake. All seven have free cancellation.
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from €18 per person Our top pick 1 hour 4.7 (7,364) reviews on GetYourGuide
1-hour boat tour with a live guide in English and German
A real person, not a recording, talks you through central Berlin in German and English. The boat has a toilet, a roof for rain and heating when it is cold. Party groups are not allowed.
Best for First-timers who want a live guide
Check availability: 1-hour boat tour with a live guide in English and German on GetYourGuide -
from €22 per person 1 hour 4.6 (1,393) reviews on GetYourGuide
1-hour Spree cruise opposite the Berlin Cathedral
A cruise past Museum Island and the Nikolai Quarter, explained in German and English. The boat has a heated cabin and a roof that closes. You climb down 8 steps to board.
Best for Cold or rainy days
Check availability: 1-hour Spree cruise opposite the Berlin Cathedral on GetYourGuide -
from €35 per person 1 hour–75 minutes 4.7 (1,476) reviews on GetYourGuide
1-hour cruise on the electric yacht FITZGERALD
A 1920s-style electric yacht through the government district, past the Reichstag and Bellevue Palace. An audio guide in German and English is included. It leaves from the pier at the Paul-Löbe-Haus.
Best for Couples, a quieter boat
Check availability: 1-hour cruise on the electric yacht FITZGERALD on GetYourGuide -
from €30.50 per person 2 h 15 min 4.3 (11,929) reviews on GetYourGuide
2¼-hour boat tour along the Spree
A longer trip through the government district to Bellevue Palace and the main station. There is no live guide; the audio guide comes in 12 languages. Window seats are not guaranteed.
Best for More time on the water
Check availability: 2¼-hour boat tour along the Spree on GetYourGuide -
from €21.90 per person 3 h 30 min 4.5 (2,433) reviews on GetYourGuide
Spree boat tour to the Müggelsee
A 3.5-hour trip from Treptow past Köpenick Palace to the Müggelsee, Berlin's biggest lake. The listing does not state the language of the commentary, so check before you book.
Best for Nature and lakes
Check availability: Spree boat tour to the Müggelsee on GetYourGuide -
from €22.50 per person 1 hour 4.2 (18,052) reviews on GetYourGuide
1-hour city tour by boat with an audio guide
The most-booked cruise, past the Reichstag and the Berlin Cathedral, with an audio guide in many languages. If you miss your boat, staff find you a place on a later one. It is rated lower than the live-guided boats.
Best for Many languages
Check availability: 1-hour city tour by boat with an audio guide on GetYourGuide -
from €18 per person 1 hour 4.3 (2,443) reviews on GetYourGuide
City Spree cruise with an audio guide (1 hour)
A 1-hour cruise past the Reichstag and the Humboldt Forum, from the Alte Börse pier at Burgstraße 27. Swap your online ticket for a boarding ticket at the pier before you board.
Best for A budget cruise
Check availability: City Spree cruise with an audio guide (1 hour) on GetYourGuide
Berlin boat tours side by side
| Tour | From | Duration | Commentary | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-hour boat tour with a live guide in English and German | €18 per person | 1 hour | Live guide, German and English | First-timers who want a live guide | A live guide, the lowest price and 4.7 from 7,364 reviews. |
| 1-hour Spree cruise opposite the Berlin Cathedral | €22 per person | 1 hour | Live or audio guide, German and English | Cold or rainy days | Heated with a closing roof; rated 4.5 from 1,393 reviews. |
| 1-hour cruise on the electric yacht FITZGERALD | €35 per person | 1 hour–75 minutes | Audio guide, German and English | Couples, a quieter boat | The calm, boutique option, rated 4.7 from 1,476 reviews. |
| 2¼-hour boat tour along the Spree | €30.50 per person | 2 h 15 min | Audio guide, 12 languages | More time on the water | The longest city cruise here, rated 4.3 from 11,929 reviews. |
| Spree boat tour to the Müggelsee | €21.90 per person | 3 h 30 min | Not stated | Nature and lakes | The one half-day trip out to a lake, rated 4.5. |
| 1-hour city tour by boat with an audio guide | €22.50 per person | 1 hour | Audio guide, many languages | Many languages | The most reviews here: 18,052, rated 4.2. |
| City Spree cruise with an audio guide (1 hour) | €18 per person | 1 hour | Speakers in German and English, audio guide in more | A budget cruise | From €18, rated 4.3 from 2,443 reviews. |
1-hour boat tour with a live guide in English and German
€18 per person1 hour 4.7 (7,364)
Details
- Commentary
- Live guide, German and English
- Who it suits
- First-timers who want a live guide
- Why we picked it
- A live guide, the lowest price and 4.7 from 7,364 reviews.
1-hour Spree cruise opposite the Berlin Cathedral
€22 per person1 hour 4.6 (1,393)
Details
- Commentary
- Live or audio guide, German and English
- Who it suits
- Cold or rainy days
- Why we picked it
- Heated with a closing roof; rated 4.5 from 1,393 reviews.
1-hour cruise on the electric yacht FITZGERALD
€35 per person1 hour–75 minutes 4.7 (1,476)
Details
- Commentary
- Audio guide, German and English
- Who it suits
- Couples, a quieter boat
- Why we picked it
- The calm, boutique option, rated 4.7 from 1,476 reviews.
2¼-hour boat tour along the Spree
€30.50 per person2 h 15 min 4.3 (11,929)
Details
- Commentary
- Audio guide, 12 languages
- Who it suits
- More time on the water
- Why we picked it
- The longest city cruise here, rated 4.3 from 11,929 reviews.
Spree boat tour to the Müggelsee
€21.90 per person3 h 30 min 4.5 (2,433)
Details
- Commentary
- Not stated
- Who it suits
- Nature and lakes
- Why we picked it
- The one half-day trip out to a lake, rated 4.5.
1-hour city tour by boat with an audio guide
€22.50 per person1 hour 4.2 (18,052)
Details
- Commentary
- Audio guide, many languages
- Who it suits
- Many languages
- Why we picked it
- The most reviews here: 18,052, rated 4.2.
City Spree cruise with an audio guide (1 hour)
€18 per person1 hour 4.3 (2,443)
Details
- Commentary
- Speakers in German and English, audio guide in more
- Who it suits
- A budget cruise
- Why we picked it
- From €18, rated 4.3 from 2,443 reviews.
- None of the 7 includes hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point.
- All 7 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 28 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Which Spree river cruise in Berlin is best?
For most people, the best Spree river cruise is the 1-hour boat with a live guide, from €18. You see the river sights in an hour, and a real person answers your questions.
The 1-hour cruises pass the Reichstag, the Berlin Cathedral, the Humboldt Forum, Museum Island and the Nikolai Quarter. Each boat takes its own route, so read the listing.
A River Spree boat tour for first-timers
Book the live-guided boat for your first trip. It runs in German and English, and the boat is heated when it is cold.
Live guide or audio guide?
Berlin Spree tours come with either a live guide or a recorded audio guide. Pick a live guide if English matters to you.
The live-guided boat speaks German and English. The cruise opposite the cathedral is also explained in German and English.
The other boats use audio guides. The 2¼-hour trip has 12 languages, the 1-hour city tour many more, and the electric yacht German and English.
Berlin river tours: one hour or half a day
Most Berlin river tours take 1 hour. Five of our seven picks do.
The longest city trip takes 2¼ hours. The trip to the Müggelsee takes 3.5 hours and goes past Treptow and Köpenick Palace.
A city tour by boat in one hour
One hour is enough for the main sights. On their own websites, Stern und Kreisschiffahrt lists 1‑hour city tours from €22.50, and Reederei Riedel a 60-minute tour from €21.90 that leaves from the main station.
Berlin canal tours
One cruise on GetYourGuide goes along the Spree and the Landwehr Canal. Its live guide speaks German only, so it is not one of our picks.
Evening, winter and food on board
A river cruise in Berlin works in winter too, on a heated boat. The live-guided boat and the cruise opposite the cathedral both have heating.
Reederei Riedel sails Thursday to Sunday in November and December. Stern und Kreisschiffahrt lists a winter city tour on Fridays to Sundays, from November 20 to December 20, as listed on its site.
For a sunset cruise in winter, go in the afternoon. In January the sun sets at about 4:30 p.m.
Potsdam's palace boat and the Spreewald punts are among the day trips from Berlin.
Is there a Berlin boat tour with dinner?
None of our picks includes dinner. Four of them sell food or drinks on board: the 1-hour city tour, the 2¼-hour trip, the Müggelsee trip and the electric yacht. On some boats you may not bring your own food.
Boat tour or a tour on land?
A boat tour is the relaxed way to see the center in one hour. A tour on land goes inside more places and tells you more.
If you would rather see the sights on foot or by bus, compare our Berlin tours.
If you want to move, try one of our Berlin bike tours.
Tips for a Berlin boat tour
Swap your ticket at the pier
On the City Spree cruise, swap your online ticket for a boarding ticket at the pier before you board.
Check your pier
The 1-hour city tour has two meeting points, set by the option you book. Check yours on the booking.
Arrive early for a window seat
Window seats are not guaranteed on the city tour and the 2¼-hour trip. Come early if you want one.
Missed the boat?
On the 1-hour city tour, talk to the staff: they find you a place on a later boat. All seven picks have free cancellation.
Berlin boat tours: questions and answers
Is a boat tour in Berlin worth it?
What is the best boat tour in Berlin?
What is the best tour to take in Berlin?
Which Berlin boat tour is best at sunset?
What is the 7 Lakes Boat Tour in Berlin?
What should I wear on a Berlin boat tour?
More Berlin boat tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
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