Zoo and parks

Generous modern and historical gardens and park areas as well as the famous zoo "Tierpark Hagenbeck" also offer a great many opportunities to rest, relax, play and keep fit in Hamburg. Here are a few green highlights:

Tierpark Hagenbeck

Is there any man, woman or child who would not enjoy feeding a giraffe of gaze at a baby elephant or even take a ride on a camel? Hagenbecks Zoo makes that all possible! Here monkeys, tigers and Co. live in areas which are designed according to their natural conditions. A real highlight is feeding the elephants in their outdoor enclosure – but only with fruit and vegetables or special food bought from the souvenir shop at the entrance gate to the Zoo. Another attraction is the newly built Aquarium. Here, visitors can start an expedition exploring the deepest tropical oceans while walking through the tropical and sub-tropical jungle as well as mystic caves and grottos.

More info at: www.hagenbeck-tierpark.de

Planten un Blomen

The "Alten Wallanlagen" the old Town Ramparts and the famous "Planten un Blomen" are situated in the middle of the city – a wonderful green leisure area with a botanical garden, tropical green house and the biggest Japanese garden in Europe. If you follow the man made stream at the entrance to the park at "Millerntor" you will reach the park lake which has at certain times in the evening an illuminated fountain organ, playing in time to a piece of classical music. From May to September water games take place here by day and in the evening there are coloured illuminated fountain concerts (May – Aug 10:00 p.m., Sept 09:00 p.m. daily).

Stadtpartk (City Park)

When the weather is nice there is a lot of action on the fields of the City Park. Here young and old come together to play football, have a picnic, a sunbathe or have a trip on the Park Lake in a pedal or a rowing boat. The City Park also has an Open-air concert "hall" with many international artists and bands performing there. Come rain or shine the park is worth a visit. It also has one of the oldest Planetariums in the world. Nowadays it is equipped with the most modern projectors. The Planetarium itself shows presentations and simulations, also theatre acts and music shows are regularly performed.

Ohlsdorfer Friedhof (Ohlsdorf Cemetery)

With its 405 hectares, Ohlsdorfer Cemetary is the main cemetery of Hamburg, it also being the second largest in the world after Chicago. About 17 kilometres of streets and lanes lead you through the well kept Hamburgian "park" which attracts many walkers due to its numerous ponds and old trees especially during the blooming season.