Kleiner Wannsee Lake

Address: Kleiner Wannsee, Berlin, Germany

Kleiner Wannsee is a small lake in the Wannsee area of southwestern Berlin, Germany, forming part of the local lake and river network connected to the Havel. It is one of several lakes in the Wannsee cluster used for recreation.

The area around the lake is used for boating, walking and local leisure activities, with shoreline access in places and connections to adjacent lakes and channels. Kleiner Wannsee is less extensive than the nearby Großer Wannsee but contributes to the popular waterside recreation of the district.

The basin was shaped by glacial and fluvial processes typical of the Berlin region and has been used for recreational bathing and boating since the 19th and 20th centuries as the city expanded. Facilities and access points are concentrated on the more developed shores nearby.

Kleiner Wannsee lies in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf borough of Berlin, close to the Wannsee neighbourhood and transport links serving the city’s southwestern suburbs.

• Part of Wannsee system: The lake is part of the larger Wannsee/Havel lake system in southwest Berlin and is connected to adjacent water bodies used for boating and leisure.

Kleiner Wannsee is accessible via Berlin’s public transport: S-Bahn to Wannsee station (S1), then a short bus ride or a 15-25 minute walk depending on the lakeside destination.

Because it’s public open space, there’s no admission fee; bring a BVG map or smartphone transit app for connections.

• Walk the lakeside path toward the Jungfernsee area for quieter stretches and good birdwatching.
• Combine a visit with the adjacent Großer Wannsee and the Strandbad Wannsee (beach) during summer for a fuller lakeside day.
• Use public transit: S-Bahn Wannsee plus a short bus or bike ride gives the easiest access from central Berlin.