Berlin by campervan: my back garden is a huge abandoned airfield

Living in the city can be tiring after a while, especially when your house is a van. For me, there needs to be a balance of open green spaces, community and the usual city craziness.

But I think I found the perfect balance: Tempelhofer Feld in Berlin – an old airfield turned community space and park, with loads of free parking around the edges.

That’s what I want to show you in this post. It’s where I’ve been living for most of the summer…

Side note: I did a general Berlin post back in 2015 here.

I camped on a quiet road with a few other vans

Through the trees is a huge former airfield that now belongs to the people of Berlin

It’s a space for everyone to use how they please

Probably the best place in the city to watch the sunset

Or just soak up the summer vibes

Or do some work outside for once

Or have one of those summer naps where the sounds and smells of outside enter your dreams

What other cities have hay bales?

There’s enough space to do just about any activity

This park can easily give you a 10km bike ride

Sometimes there’s a concert. Always free

But there’s always music somewhere

This guy hung a sheet between the trees and projected a film for everyone to watch

And the community garden is a nice break from the city, without leaving the city

It’s a place where you can grow your own food

Or just. Whatever.

Bring some food to cook on the clay oven

Or get a homemade Samosa off this guy

Maybe bring a barrel of beer

Then learn trapeze at the community circus. Maybe

Or just play some minigolf

I told you, it used to be an airport

It’s why they have this thing. It controls the weather

And then winter came. See you next time, Berlin summer.

I hope this space always belongs to the people. This kind of thing is exactly why I love Berlin. It’s a big part of what makes Berlin Berlin.

There are a lot of vandwellers in this city. You could probably count hundreds of vans. In my experience the residents are totally cool, open minded and accepting of vanners – and everyone. I’ve never had a problem, or heard of anyone having a problem.

Also see the Berlin post I did from 2015 here: Welcome to Berlin – findings from my bike ride

And if you visit Berlin you must go here on a Sunday: Here’s what a normal Sunday afternoon looks like on a park in Berlin

Oh yeah and it was good to bump into all the people who knew me from this blog whilst camping next to Tempelhof. Always caught be by surprise. Bon voyage, everyone 🙂