Berlin Zoo and Aquarium

Opened in 1844 and located in the Tiergarten in the city center, Berlin Zoo is Germany’s oldest zoological garden and the most visited zoo in Europe. With daily feedings that visitors can watch and naturalistic enclosures, the zoo is designed to provide intimate encounters with animals. For an unforgettable experience, the zoo also offers “meet and greets” with the giraffes, elephants, hippos, tapirs, and meerkats in the company of experienced guides (adults only).

The accompanying aquarium was built in 1913 and is home to black-tip reef sharks, crocodiles penguins, “Nemos” (clownfish), and more. The aquarium also has several tuataras from New Zealand, a rare breed of lizard that has lived on Earth for 200 million years. The zoo is one of the stops on the Berlin hop-on-hop-off bus tour.

• Entry to the zoo and aquarium is via paid ticket—visitors can choose a combined pass or purchase separate tickets for each attraction.

• The zoo and aquarium are wheelchair- accessible, and wheelchairs are available on loan.

• Both the zoo and aquarium have restaurants and cafes.

• Make sure to see the Chinese-inspired entrance gate with twin elephants, a replica of the original gate that was destroyed during World War II.

The zoo is accessible by car, hop-on hop-off bus, public transport, or on foot from nearby areas. The closest metro stop is Zoologischer Garten (S-Bahn and U-Bahn). Paid parking is also available.

The zoo is open from 9am–6pm 365 days a year; last entry is one hour before closing. Seasonal opening times are as follows: January 1–February 25, 9am–4:30pm; March 26–September 23, 9am–6:30pm; and October 29–December 31, 9am–4:30pm.

Like Central Park in New York, Berlin’s Tiergarten is the city’s green heart, where locals come to run, walk, and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. With plenty of open lawns shaded by trees, it’s a great spot for a lunchtime picnic or simply somewhere to sit down and rest tired feet in between sightseeing spots.