Without a doubt, my favorite place in Berlin was a park called Gardens of the World on the eastern outskirts of the city. As you meander through the lush greenery, you’ll begin to feel like you are miles away from Germany in the heart of four different nations.
The Grounds
Gardens of the World is a sprawling lush park on the eastern outskirts of Berlin. You can walk to it from the last tram stop. I, however, was unsure of how far it really was from the stop, so I hopped on the bus.
Once you pay the cashier and get your ticket to enter the park, take a moment to appreciate the sheer size of the place. There are plenty of areas to just hang out with friends for a afternoon picnic. One secluded area of the park had two hammocks. They were super comfortable for a nap in the warmth of the Berlin summer after exploring the park.
Another favorite area of mine was the hedge maze. As soon as I saw it, I knew I needed to try it. Inside there were some kids squealing and giggling. I’ve always been a fan of corn mazes, but have never had the opportunity to try a hedge maze. I thought it would be easy because I am an adult, surely I would know how to navigate the maze.
I hit more dead ends inside that maze than I have ever hit in my life.
It was so much fun though! There is nothing quite as satisfying as climbing the central tower and looking out over your newly conquered kingdom. Okay, that whole kingdom thing may be a stretch, but it’s fun to pretend. Never let go of your imagination guys!
Once I was at the top, I studied the path on how to get out. I thought for sure there was a second way out of the maze, but I was wrong. Even though I saw the whole thing and stuied how to get out, it still took forever. Turns out it was the exact same way I had gone in. Still so much fun!
Korea
If you start in a counter-clockwise direction form the entrance, like I did, the first garden you come to will be the Korean garden. A small gated entry leads you into a courtyard area. A small sign above the entry way is written in hangul, the Korean alphabet. Inside the courtyard, two statues are waiting to greet you. Follow the path up the stairs to see the next section of the garden.
On the upper level more statues and a replica of what a traditional Korean home would look like. However, my favorite part of this garden was once you got past the home. A small creek ran along the hill and out into a pond. The trail leading you out of the garden takes you into what felt like the middle of nowhere in a forest. The house peeking through the trees was beautiful. I can only imagine if it were a real house overlooking a small stream somewhere in a forest.
Japan
The Japanese garden was very peaceful. If you follow the stone path to the right it will take you up a small hill with another creek running behind another traditional building. Benches are available for you to sit on throughout the garden. Take a moment and sit. Take in the peacefullness of nature. Life doesn’t always need to be go, go, go.
China
The Chinese garden is the largest of all the themed spaces in the park. Measuring about 290,000 square feet, you definitely feel like you have somehow been transported to China.
The path leading into the garden twists around the various builidngs designed to look like authentic Chinese buildings. This park also has a stream running through it that leads into a large pond full of beautiful birds and water lillies. In one of the buildings on the edge of the water is a cafe. It was closed when I went through, but I imagine it would be the perfect spot to grab a tea and read a book.
Christian
The Christian garden was interesting and not at all what I was expecting. Unfortunately, while I was there they had most of the caged in area roped off. I did manage to get a couple of decent photos of inside the garden though.
Arabic
The Arabic garden was a surprise treat when I stumbled across it. So much of what was in there reminded me of the Alhambra in Grenada, Spain. So much of it was so different than anything I had every seen before too.
The colors in this garden were vibrant. The architecture was unique to western eyes. And it definitely gave me a strong desire to travel to the middle east and see some of the beautiful architecture for myself.
While I was there, they were doing some maintenance and painting, so some of the area was roped off. In my opinion, it kinda ruined the opportunity for gorgeous photos.
All in all, Gardens of the World is something I classify as a must do if you ever find yourself in Berlin.
Have you ever been to Gardens of the World or something similar?
What did you think? Did you like it or no?
