Being landlocked hasn’t stopped Berliners from enjoying the pleasures of the beach when the mercury starts to climb. For one thing, the many rives and lakes that surround the city offer heat-escaping city dwellers a nice patch of waterfront anywhere they can lay their towel. And if Berliners can’t go to the beach, then the beach must come to them. That’s the idea, anyway, behind a few venues on the Spree and at Wannsee, where, with a little sand and imagination, a near-beach experience is created, minus the waves and salt. If only the real deal will do, then head north to the Baltic coast. The island of Rügen is particularly popular with weekenders and, for an even quieter getaway, there’s the adjacent island of Hiddensee where private vehicles are prohibited.