animals

In Dahlem, where the southwest of Berlin almost feels like a village, Domäne Dahlem has been practicing real agriculture and animal husbandry for centuries, now as a recognized Bioland organic farm with an open-air museum. Here, children experience agriculture up close in a way hardly anyone would expect in a city of millions. The farm is even easily accessible by subway.

Zoo Berlin on Hardenbergplatz opened on August 1, 1844, as Germany's first zoo and is now home to around 20,000 animals from nearly 1,200 species, making it the most species-rich zoo in the world. Its most famous residents are the pandas Leni and Lotti, and next door, the listed Berlin Aquarium has reopened after three years of renovation.

Twelve hectares in size, traversed by the Panke river, and public since 1907: Bürgerpark Pankow is the district's largest green space, showcasing botanical rarities like the bald cypress and tulip tree among oaks and beeches. In summer, the rose garden with its sandstone pergola, the splash pad, and the goat enclosure attract visitors.

The DogCoach Institute has been operating in Detmolder Straße in Wilmersdorf since 2002, offering: individual one-on-one training, courses from basic obedience to mantrailing, trainer education, and therapy dog teams. Founder Enrico Lombardi also conducts the temperament test for Berlin and Brandenburg.

After three years of modernization, the Aquarium Berlin at the Zoological Garden reopened in August 2026. New features include interactive tables and animals like the inland taipan, while the walk-through crocodile hall and one of the world's largest jellyfish breeding facilities remain. For gloomy autumn days in Berlin, this means tropical warmth and sharks, daily from 9 AM to 6 PM.

The dog run at Geraer Ring 49 is the first public one of its kind in Marzahn-Hellersdorf, opened on July 5, 2026. Covering approximately 4,000 square meters, it features benches, waste bins, dog waste bag dispensers, and sluices for leashing and unleashing. This makes it better equipped than almost any other dog area in this city.

Red strawberries, tractor ride, and over 60 attractions: Karls Adventure Village in Elstal near Wustermark, directly in Havelland, is probably the most famous family excursion destination in the Berlin 'Speckgürtel' (commuter belt). From the free petting zoo to the large indoor play area, the adventure farm turns a simple day trip to Brandenburg into a whole adventure camp.

The Zoologischer Garten on Hardenbergplatz takes birthday groups on a ninety minute guided round in a version made for five and six year olds, to lions, elephants and penguins, with animal facts, riddles and games. The guided round costs a flat 75 euros for up to twelve people, and the birthday child itself gets in free of charge.

On the trotting track in Karlshorst, opened in 1894 and with a twelve hundred metre course, children celebrate for three and a half hours between stable and race track: cake and cocoa first, then stroking and feeding the horses, one led ride each and games in the straw, and at the end a buffet laid out just for the children.

Spanning 90 hectares in southern Neukölln, Britzer Garten offers everything you'd leave Berlin for on a beautiful day, without actually leaving the city: blooming theme gardens, an artificially created lake, expansive sunbathing lawns, and a lively event program that carries through the entire summer.