The Best Parks In Hamburg Germany

Though Hamburg may be one of Germany’s biggest cities, it is far more than just urban sprawl. There are plenty of green spaces dotted throughout the city where visitors can escape the hustle and bustle for a few moment of reflection. We pick 6 of the best parks in Hamburg.

Planten un Blomen

Park

With its first seeds planted in 1821, Planten un Blomen has blossomed over the past almost two centuries to become a beautiful urban park about 116.1 acres in size. Famous for its musical performances, it’s a lovely place to come and relax, admiring the blooms and the ambience. Children will enjoy the playground and water-light concerts. “Planten un Blomen” Greenhouse | ©mike / Flickr

Loki Schmidt Garten

The Loki Schmidt Haus, or the New Botanical Gardens, were also established in 1821. Although the current garden site opened at the end of the ’70s, the original site is still open and houses the greenhouses. There are three major sections: the Systematic Garden, 90 beds of plants organized by evolutionary relationship, the Geographical Garden, organised by location in the world, and the Plant and Man area, which explore five main relationships between flora and fauna, the Farmer’s Garden, Biblical Garden, crops, pharmacy garden, and poisonous and medicinal plants.

Dahliengarten

Ever seen a sea of dahlias in bloom? It’s an incredible sight and a reminder of the awesome beauty of nature in action. During the season, the Dahliengarten is open to the public for free, offering visitors the chance to see hundreds of different type of dahlias, of all shapes, sizes and color. Be sure to ask staff for tips and tricks to growing your own flowers.

Opening hours: Mon – Sun 8am – 8pm

Jenischpark

With its origins as a model farm and arboretum, Jenischpark has been a place to enjoy nature since 1800. Now Jenisch House is considered to be the oldest landscape park in the city, giving visitors both a sense of the original way of life in the area and how it relates to the contemporary city. Visitors can also view the Jenisch House, which was built in the 19th century and now house the Museum für Kunst und Kultur an der Elbe.

Jenischpark, Elbchaussee, 22605 Hamburg, Germany, +49 40 428112396

Park Fiction

Building, Park

For those with more alternative interests, check out Park Fiction. It started as building development, but demonstrations stopped the construction in 1997 and the area was inaugurated as a park in 2005. Now activists use the park as the setting for lectures, exhibitions and film-screenings. A must see for those interested in urban development, political demonstrations and/or skate parks.

Hagenbeck Zoo

Zoo

Want to take a walk on the wild side? Spend the afternoon with over 210 different animal species at Hagenbeck Zoo. The green surroundings are the perfect setting to see waddling penguins, barking sea lions, or a lazy pride of lions. A nice alternative to the history of Hamburg and a great place to take the kids.

About the author

Mary Jane Dempsey

What do Frank Sinatra and I have in common? We are both from New Jersey. While the Garden State is beautiful, I love exploring and traveling to new places. During my undergraduate career, I studied in both Siena and Bologna. After completing my BA in History and International Relations at The College of New Jersey, I moved back to Bologna, where I worked as the Student Life Assistant for an American study abroad program. In 2014, I moved to London to pursue my MSc in History of International Relations at the London School of Economics. When I am not in lecture, I enjoy baking, exploring London's museums and watching old films.