Tierpark Hellabrunn

Tierpark Hellabrunn Review

On the Isar, just upstream from the city, this attractive zoo has many parklike enclosures but a minimum of cages. This zoo is slightly different from most others in that it's a self-styled nature reserve, and it follows a concept called Geo-Zoo, which means care has been taken to group animals according to their natural and geographical habitats. Critics of the concept of zoos won't agree, but supporters appreciate the extra attention to detail. As well as the usual tours, there are also nighttime guided tours with special night-vision equipment (call ahead of time). The huge zoo area also includes restaurants and children's areas, and some of the older buildings are in typical Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) style. From Marieneplatz, take Bus 52 from U-bahn 3 to Thalkirchen, at the southern edge of the city.