Tiergarten

The Tiergarten, a bucolic 630-acre park with lakes, meadows, and wide paths, is the "green heart" of Berlin. In the 17th century it served as the hunting grounds of the Great Elector (its name translates into "animal garden"). Now it's the Berliners' backyard for sunbathing and summer strolls.

The government district, Potsdamer Platz, and the embassy district ring the park from its eastern to southern edges. A leisurely walk from Zoo Station through the Tiergarten to the Brandenburger Tor and the Reichstag takes about 90 minutes.