Berlin's Botanic Gardens: Where Locals Go To Escape

Berlin is a busy city. It may not have quite the same pace as, say, London, but the streets are bustling and there’s a constant flow of people. You can make the hum fade into the distance, however, by visiting Berlin’s botanic gardens and public parks. All of a sudden, all you hear is leaves rustling and birds chirping. It’s time for a change of pace – here are our recommendations of the best Berlin botanic gardens and parks, famous ones and hidden gems, for you to visit.

We’ll start our guide with this marvel simply because it’s an absolute must for botany buffs. If you want to know what a botanic journey around the world feels like, this is the place to be. Fifteen greenhouses introduce you to the green diversity of the globe, from the Alps to the tropics, and from the Far East to South America. Roughly 20,000 plant species on an area of 43 hectares – the world in a garden. The tropical house makes sure you don’t need to worry about the weather, and if you'd like to hold on to that feeling of nature and spaciousness that you get in a greenhouse, Mercure Hotel MOA Berlin, with its expansive glass atrium, is a short trip away on Line 9 of the U-Bahn.

• Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 6-8, 14195 Berlin
• Open every day from 9am to 4pm; tickets for €6.

Love themed gardens? Then you must visit Gardens of the World in the eastern part of Berlin. Balinese, Chinese, Japanese, Jewish, Oriental-Islamic... You name it, they’ve got it. Also, stroll over to the Promenade Aquatica, where you can see water in four installations: as a spring, a pond, a waterfall and mist. Who knew water could be so fascinating? Nine international garden pavilions invite you to engage in a dialogue of cultures, and if you want to hover over the gardens, you can do that, too. Book a ride in the cable car and enjoy the spectacular view from a height of up to 35 metres. You’ll feel on top of the world!

• Gärten der Welt, Blumberger Damm 44, 12685 Berlin
• Open every day from 9am to 4/6/8pm (depending on the month); tickets for €4 (€6.90 for gardens + cable car).

Long walks, picnics or simply unwinding – whichever you’re looking to do, Britzer Garten, a large park on Berlin’s southern edge, won't disappoint. In addition to lakes, meadows and paths that wind through groves of trees, this green oasis features themed gardens, such as a 12,000-square-metre rose garden and a geological garden with various earth structures. If you come at the right time, you can see tulips and dahlias in bloom. For the more active, spacious meadows provide plenty of opportunities, and a tranquil atmosphere is always guaranteed as bicycles and dogs aren’t allowed. Looking for somewhere to stay that's just as full of colour? Mercure Hotel Berlin Wittenbergplatz is a design hotel with a stylish fashion-themed interior.

• Britzer Garten, Sangerhauser Weg 1, 12349 Berlin
• Open every day from 9am to 4/6/7pm (depending on the month or day of the week); tickets for €2 (November-February) and €3 (March-October).

Would you like to see a whitebeam that’s almost 150 years old? Of course you would! So take a trip to this gorgeous botanical garden in Berlin’s Treptow-Köpenick district and pay your respects to the arboretum’s oldest tree – and say hello to some of the over 1,200 tree and shrub species there. The lush garden spans 3.5 hectares and has an English landscape-inspired design, featuring a rock garden, a medicinal garden and a pond with shoreline plants. A small, dedicated team makes sure that the arboretum is a peaceful setting for reflection. Whether you’re a plant enthusiast or a casual visitor, the botanical diversity will leave you rooted to the spot with awe.

• Späth-Arboretum, Späthstraße 80/81, 12437 Berlin
• Open Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays, from 10am to 6pm; tickets for €1.50.

What the elderly whitebeam is to Späth Arboretum, the Queen of the Night is to this 34-hectare botanical park in Berlin’s Pankow district. But the rare cactus blooms only one night a year, so you need to be in luck to catch a glimpse and a noseful of its vanilla whiff. Thankfully, it’s not the only highlight here. Thousands of plants and many themed areas guarantee that you never run out of species to savour. The park also features historical elements such as a geological wall with over 120 types of rocks. Once a research hub, today this botanical park is a welcoming spot for visitors who want to enjoy some fascinating plants.

• Botanischer Volkspark Blankenfelde-Pankow, Blankenfelder Chausse 5, 13158 Berlin
• Open every day, from 6/7am to 5/6/7/8/9/10pm (depending on the month); tickets for €1.

So when you're in Berlin and the city's rhythm feels a bit too fast, follow in the footsteps of the locals and escape to one of these peaceful green spaces. With quiet gardens and thousands of rare plants to keep you company, you’ll find that Berlin's botanic gardens and parks offer a much-needed breath of fresh air and a chance to unwind. Who knows, you may even be recharged enough to hit Berlin's famous nightlife scene!