Dresden Parks and Gardens

(Dresden, Saxony, Germany)

Various areas of green are to be found peppered around the city of Dresden, with the Grosser Garten being especially impressive and otherwise known as simply the 'Great Garden'. Home to Botanical Gardens, a public zoo and even a park railway, you can easily spend your whole day within Dresden's Grosser Garten.

On the northern side of the city, the Dresden Heath provides an important woodland area and is filled with local wildlife, contrasting greatly with the stunning formal gardens that surround Pillnitz Palace. If you are a keen cyclist, then what could be nicer than hiring a bike for the day and cycling along Dresden's popular Elbe Cycle Route, enjoying the many views along the way?

Grosser Garten and Zoo (Great Garden)

Address: Lennestrasse, Altstadt, Dresden, D-01069, Germany, DE
Located on the south-easterly side of the Altstadt district (Old Town), the Great Garden is home to the city's impressive zoo, with over 400 different animal species, including an acclaimed collection of breeding apes. For those with a love of horticulture, the Botanical Gardens are a true highlight and feature a large hothouse, which is especially inviting on a cold winter's day. Other highlights within the Dresden Great Garden (Grosser Garten) include woodland trails, a baroque-style 17th-century palace, many outdoor events and concerts, and an adjacent Volkswagen Transparent Factory (Volkswagen Gläserne Manufaktur), where you can actually observe the production line in action.
Open hours: April to October, 08:30 to 18:30; November to March - 08:30 to 16:30
Admission: no charge

Pillnitz Palace and Grounds (Schloss Pillnitz)

Address: August Böckstiegel Strasse 10, Dresden, D-01326, Germany, DE
Tel: +49 0351 261 40
In many ways, the beautiful grounds surrounding the Pillnitz Palace resemble traditional English gardens, with formal landscaping and brightly coloured planting schemes. Next to the River Elbe and to the south-east of Dresden city centre, the gardens offer a series of interconnecting pathways and various white painted benches, where you can sit back and enjoy the scenery and planting.
Open hours: daily - dawn to dusk
Admission: no charge

Elbe Cycle Route

Address: River Elbe, Dresden, Germany, DE
A great way to explore Dresden and its surrounding countryside is to hire a bike for the day and cycle along the Elbe Cycle Route. Along the route you will be treated to views across vineyards, meadows and gardens, with plenty of suitable locations for a picnic or simply a sit down.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: no charge