Review: Tiergarten

Let’s start big picture. Give us some of the background on Tiergarten?
Berlin's signature park and "green lung," this leafy 519-acre oasis was once used as the hunting grounds of Berlin’s rulers (“Tiergarten” means “animal park”). These days, the boars and pheasants have moved on, and in their place a series of lakes, hiking paths, English gardens, and even a biergarten attract joggers, cyclists, and sunbathers.

Beautiful. What are the highlights across those 519 acres?
Towering over the center of the park, the gilded Siegessäule (Victory Column) is the most famous of Tiergarten’s many monuments and commemorates Prussian war victories. Paying visitors can ascend its spiral staircase for sky-high views over the forested surroundings. Nearby, the white Schloss Bellevue palace is where the German president lives. Elsewhere, don’t miss the manicured English Garden and teahouse, and Berlin’s most attractive and romantic biergarten, Café am Neuen See, where lovers can enjoy a pint, a pizza, and a paddle aboard a rowboat on the lake.

Got it. What's the best way to navigate the park?
It would take you days to see all of the park. Like Tempelhofer Feld park, the best way to take in Tiergarten is either on bike or by jogging. However, the No. 100 public bus conveniently picks up right at the Victory Column, goes past the Schloss Bellevue, and bisects much of the park.

If you were to leave us with any final tips, what would they be?
We recommend downshifting and taking your time here. (That’s the whole point of a park, right?) Bring a bike, a blanket, a book, and stay a while. If you’d like to hike to the top of the Victory Column, take the bus—it’s a deceptively long walk from the Brandenburg Gate, where it appears to loom closer than it actually is.