It’s been a summer of extremes in Germany with both heatwaves and heavy rainfall recurring quite often across much of the country.

Thursday is set to be the hottest day of the year in the German capital, according to the German Weather Service (DWD), with expected temperatures in Berlin up to 35C.

The DWD also has heat warnings in place across most of the middle of the country – from Stuttgart to Frankfurt to Hamburg to Dresden.

Generally high temperatures will range from the low to mid 30s in most of the country, with the exception of the North Sea coast which will remain cooler.

The weather is expected to cool off a bit on Friday and into the weekend, but will remain quite warm in many places.

Here’s a roundup of our reporting on tips for escaping the heat, or otherwise dealing with it in the German fashion:

• Which German cities are best prepared for extreme heat?

Many German cities have developed a ‘heat plan’, for developing better ways to protect citizens from dangerously high temperatures and provide more cool spaces. But some cities are well ahead of others in terms of converting concrete covered ‘sealed’ spaces to green spaces (which is among the best ways to cool a city centre).

• Hitzefrei – Is it ever legally too hot to go to work or school in Germany?

Today is the day to ditch work for a Hitzefrei (a heat-free day) if there ever was one. As Rachel Loxton explains, German workers often take a break from work on particularly hot days. In some cases, it may even be your legal right: workplace regulations stipulate that room temperatures should not exceed 26C. So if you’re sweltering in an office with no A/C, consider taking a tip from the locals and walking out ‘heat-free’.

• ‘Go early and stay late’ – Your tips for making the most of Germany’s lakes

If you do succeed in getting off for Hitzefrei, or otherwise have the day free, your next question may be, ‘Where can I go to cool off?’ In many German cities, the best option could be your closest lake. Readers of The Local told us about their favourite lakes to visit, as well as some good tips for making the most out of a lake day.

• Eight of the coolest places in Germany to visit on hot summer days
• Eight places in North Rhine-Westphalia to escape the heat this summer

If you don’t mind travelling a bit further, we’ve rounded up some of Germany’s coolest destinations, all of which can make for a good day or weekend trips, especially during a summer heatwave.

• Five ‘coolcation’ spots you can reach by train from Germany

When you have a bit more time for travel, there are plenty of potential vacation destinations around Germany that may be more enjoyable than Spain, Italy or Greece when the temperatures are running near all time highs. 

• Five ways to talk about the heat like a true German

Lastly, after you’ve done what you can to find a cool place and chill out, here’s a quick guide to some simple and interesting German phrases for talking about the hot weather.