
It’s February and chances are that, unless you’re a cinephile (in which case you can focus on Berlinale salvation), you don’t want to be in Berlin. Save yourself a discount ticket to Mallorca with a trip to the yurts at Strandbad Weißensee.
Since October 2013, the public lakeside beach has been home to two of the circular Mongolian tents, open for private gatherings, a programme of cultural events or just a cosy cup of tea. Both yurts are the real deal, built out of felt and wood in Mongolia. Surprisingly warm thanks to the small wood-burning oven in the centre, they make for a cosy place for mini-escapes like fairytale readings (Feb 15, 20 and 22), yurt yoga (on Wednesday mornings) and four-handed Hawaiian massages (by appointment).
Or just rent out one of the yurts for €100/night, and you and 30 of your best friends can have your own winter party. Granted, there’s no room for a buffet table and dancing’s not an option (unless you’re very careful not to trip over the oven) but the staff at Weißensee can provide yurt-friendly food like soups and tarts for an extra charge, and enough wood to keep everyone nice and toasty.