When visiting a city, you tend to go all out. Rushing around trying to pack in as many sights, museums, and galleries as possible so you can say “I’ve done Madrid/Paris/Dublin” etc. But there’s more to a city than just the museums. The parks are where the locals go and are the areas that give you a sense of what sort of city it is. Take Central Park in New York, a rectangular expanse of greenery in a city known for its regimented city blocks. Or Hyde Park with its statues and memorials that wouldn’t be out of place in one of London’s many museums.
On a summer’s day, heading to a city park is a great way to still soak up the atmosphere of the city whilst having a bit of a break from the hard core sightseeing. But which parks should you visit? Simple, we’ve done the research and seen them first hand, below are the best parks in Europe.
Amsterdam, Vondelpark
Located south west of the city centre, the Vondelpark isn’t far from the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum should the weather turn nasty.
The park was created in 1865 and now serves as an open-air theatre and playground as well as a city park. The theatre is open from June to August with performances ranging from classical music to cabaret. The famous rose garden dates from 1936 and is home to around 70 different varieties. If you can’t face walking around it, why not hire a bike and wind your way through the large paths before heading to Groot Melkhuis for some bitterballen and a Heineken.
Rome, Villa Borghese Gardens
Most famous for its 19th century “Temple of Aesculapius”, the Villa Borghese is a large landscape garden in the heart of Rome. The Garden’s English style is emphasised by the Temple which was built purely as a landscape feature and influenced by the lake at Stourhead in Wiltshire. Also, the wonderful balustrade at Cliveden House in Buckinghamshire was actually taken from the gardens in the 19th century.
Reached via the Spanish Steps, the gardens were originally the estate of Cardinal Scipione Borghese’s 17th century residence and now boast various museums and galleries. One of the highlights is the stunning view of Rome from The Pincio. Bike hire is available should you require it.
Paris, Parc des Buttes Chaumont
There are a number of great parks to choose from in Paris. The Jardin des Tuileries, Jardin du Luxembourg, and Parc Monceau for example are all worthy contenders but we’ve gone for the Parc des Buttes Chaumont.
The Parc may be located someway north of Notre-Dame but it’s worth the visit! A former quarry and rubbish dump, the park was created in 1867. It’s filled with wonderful landscaped gardens, hidden grottoes, and a lovely lake. Its most famous sight, the Temple de la Sibylle, lies perched on an island in the lake and was inspired by the Temple of Vesta in Tivoli.
Madrid, Buen Retiro Park (El Retiro)
Most famous for its striking monument to Alfonso XII, El Retiro is one of the largest parks in Madrid. Owned by the Monarchy until the 19th century, it was given to the public in 1868 and contains some wonderful statues, the Casita del Pescador, and the stunning Crystal Palace.
Laid out in the 17th century by Felipe IV, the park is particularly popular at the weekend when it attracts both locals and tourists in their droves to wander through the gardens, read the papers, or to have a drink at an outdoor bar.
If you’ve got children with you, there are numerous playgrounds scattered around the park whilst the Casa de Vacas sometimes hosts children’s theatre at weekends.
If you’d like to visit a quieter garden, check out our post on Madrid’s secret gardens.
Berlin, Tiergarten
The 2nd largest park in Germany (Munich’s Englischer Garten is larger), the Tiergarten is located on an old hunting estate next to the Brandenburg Gate. It is much changed from even 75 years ago. After the war, a shortage of coal led to swathes of forest being cut down to provide fuel. Out of 200,000 trees, only 700 survived whilst the bridges were destroyed and statues toppled.
Since the war, the Tiergarten has been transformed into a wonderful city park perfect for a stroll, cycling, jogging, or sunbathing – it even has a dedicated area for nude sunbathing.
Milan, Parco Sempione
Designed to offer panoramic views of both Sforza Castle and to the Arch of Peace, Parco Sempione was created in 1888. Its winding paths, secluded copses, and ponds still attract both Milanese and tourists pretty much in equal numbers.
For even better views of the Castle and Arch of Peace, head to Giò Ponti’s 355ft tall Torre Branca. Built in 1933, the iron tower offers superb views over the park and Milan. The park is well maintained and a perfect place for a picnic in the sun (get some Italian picnic inspiration here) before setting off in the afternoon to explore more of Milan.
Vienna, StadtPark
Home to the most photographed monument in Vienna, the golden Johann Strauss Monument, the StadtPark is one of the most attractive parks in Europe. Filled with statues and striking buildings such as the Renaissance style Kursalon building, Otto Wagner’s U-Bahn Station, and the Meierei milk-drinking hall (now a great restaurant), the StadtPark is a great place to relax and wander at your own pace.
Bonus: Norwich, Plantation Garden
It may not rank on the same scale as any of the parks mentioned above but Norwich’s secret Plantation Garden is a great place to spend a few hours in the sun.
Close to the Catholic Cathedral, this former chalk quarry was turned into a stunning garden in the 1880’s and retains a Gothic fountain, an Italian Terrace, and quiet meandering paths.
See you there!
If you think we’ve missed out any obvious Parks, get in touch below and point out how silly we’ve been – we’d love to hear from you! In the meantime, don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest travel tips and news.
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