Modellpark Berlin-Brandenburg: The World at Your Feet

Did you ever dream about being so so close to all those famous sightseeings in Berlin and Brandenburg and literally looking at them from the top without taking an airplane tour? Seeing them from close and figuring out all those details from up to the roof until the very ground?

Today I will take you to Modellpark Berlin-Brandenburg, a miniature park featuring around 80 famous buildings in the capital city and close vicinity. From Peacock Island to Cottbus and Rheinsberg, everything is just few steps away.

Berlin-Brandenburg Modell Park is situated in Wuhlheide, in the Southeastern part of Berlin, considered Berlin´s biggest forest park. You can reach there by Sbahn nr. 3 plus few stations by tram. 

The area around it´s an invitation to spend at least one day in this place: There is a public beach pool, and a small adventure park for children, and a huge forest where you can bike, jog, or just have a long weekend walk. For big open air concerts, there is a famous stage that can host 17,000 persons. Famous singers like Peal Jam, Robbie Williams, Bryan Adams or Whitney Houston or the German famous band die Ärtzte performed here. Can someone tell Taylor Swift about this place, please?!

Especially if you are visiting during the summer - the place is open only from April to September between 10 and 18 o´clock and October from 10 to 17 o´clock, afterwards it takes a break, understandable given the weather challenges in Berlin during those months - you can enjoy the walk through the place.

You can even spot some interesting forest constructions. probably the doing of some creative children fully enjoying their holidays.

But clearly, you may need to hurry up to the park, because there is so much to see and you need at least four full hours to check everything.

The normal entry ticket costs 5,50 euro, 2,50 reduced price. Children under 6 years can enter for free.

The park is an entertaining opportunity for both children and parents. Although it is not allowed to touch the models, one can put into motion more or less modern-looking trains or start the background music for some of the sightseeings, like for instance for castle Rheinsberg.

But your visit here should start with the Modellpark. Open in 2007, it displays over 80 models at a scale of 1:25, representing top buildings in Berlin and Brandenburg. From the Peacock´s island to Brandenburg Gate or Victory Column, everything is within your reach. Literally you can reach them, but of course, with your eyes only. You can see the dome of the Reichstag from above, discover Museum Island at a glance or grasp the plans of the Spandau Citadel.

You can explore the park completely on your own. Information about the landmarks are generously provided in English and German in the front of each model, therefore you can easily find out about  many of the models that you cannot figure out what are they about.  

This tour offers a completely new way to discover the history and architecture of Berlin and surrounding Brandenburg area, in a very pleasant and relatable way. Think about: you can for instance, see the famous Rheinsberg castle, very much present in the literature by German authors, with a musical background. You push a button and the music will start. Similarly, you can feel the farm life, not only through the little small pieces representing various animals, but also through typical animal sounds that you can usually encounter there.

It may feel very unusual to see all those places from such a short distance, but it is a lot of fun. The reproductions are very precise. One can even use Modellpark Berlin Brandenburg as an open air classroom, for teaching about the history of Berlin, Brandenburg and Germany in general.

This is a reproduction of the Parkbühne Wuhlheide open air concert location. I haven´t tried it yet, but now I am very curious how does it sound here.

You can admire some places that maybe you´ve hear about here for the first time. But maybe it will encourage you to take that trip to see them in their full splendor: for instance, the beautiful city theatre from Cottbus, with a musical accompaniment. Or have a look at a typical Spreewald village - a great weekend destination, where besides a canoe trip, you can also taste the famous local pickles. 

Just dream a bit about life in the castle while listening to the music accompanying your short visit to Rheinsberg Castle, an inspiration for famous German poets. Köpenick, with the castle and its iconique cityhall, are just within reach.

It is always something new to discover and to photograph. You are allowed to take as many selfies you want with the Reistag building but you may need to wait in line until the view is free. We visited the place during the weekend and it was pretty crowded.

Looking at all those reproductions, I can only admire the punctilious work done. I only wish there are similar parks for other places in Germany as well. There are even some small Lego-humans set on the bridge leading to Museum Island.

There is the famous Miniatur Wonderland in Hamburg, the most visited place in Germany, that I hope to visit soon - but think about how much one can learn by just walking few hour surrounded by so much history.

Famous Berlin sightseeings just steps away

You can explore the park completely on your own. Information about the landmarks are generously provided in English and German in the front of each model, therefore you can easily find out about  many of the models that you cannot figure out what are they about. 

Children to have a lot of space to move around, but also to enjoy some playtime, either running around the playground or just practicing their football skills with other children. Their parents can watch them from afar, resting at the wooden benches near the mini fast food area. There is even a small bench set in a boat on the ground, which may make your experience even funnier.

As we were leaving Modellpark Berlin-Brandenburg, we were happy for all the cool experiences and the outdoor time well spent. It made me realize how many beautiful places I still have to discover in Berlin and abroad.

If you are looking for more travel inspiration, check my YouTube channel as well: https://www.youtube.com/@ilanatravels

Zoo Eberswalde, A Summer Adventure to Remember

I have visited Eberswalde many times before,  once just trying to see places besides the famous Zoo. This summer though, I am back for a short zoo visit, one afternoon in August. 

As usual, we are taking a regional train from Berlin, and in less than one hour we are there. No delays, no surprises, and thanks to the Google Maps, from the main train station I am able to make my way to the next bus station leading to the Zoo. Although I´ve been there more than five years ago I can easily remember the way and some of the places that haven´t changed. For instance, this mural reminding the commuist times. 

The same goes for the lace curtains, who are also witnesses from other times, although they have a hint of cuteness that alters for good the seriousness of the old buildings.

But before meeting the wild animals, we noticed that we are too hungry to hurry up. Thus, I finally have the chance to try the menu offered by Alte Brauerei, a former hunting lodge turned into a beer local. The service is very friendly and although the interior looks very welcoming,we rather prefer to take a seat outdoors, protected by the shadows of the trees, while watching the locals busy with their lives.

The place is also children-friendly, offering not only children menu, but also colouring pencils and sheets, keeping the little ones entertained, at least for a while.

Until our orders are brought - the delay is actually a good sign, meaning that we are offered an elaborated meal, instead of a defrosted products - I am trying something new: a dark Pupen-Schultzes-Schwarzes beer,Made in the Eastern part of Germany, it tastes more sweet than sour, with a caramelized note that completely neutralized the original beer taste that I hate. An unique treat that come on time for the International Beer Day, as I would find out later on from social media. 

Meanwhile, my food is already here, and I am delving into my delicious Hähnchen Spätzle Pfanne - a mixture of German noodles that I love, with chicken covered in a white sauce. Was worth waiting for it, and I am getting exactly the right amount of energy to survive the rest of the trip.

With a full stomach, we are able to reach the Zoo exactly in time for witnessing the feeding of the penguins. There are many people watching them, particularly children, some visiting from Poland, but they little penguins pay only attention to the fish they are generously shared, loudly expressing their satisfaction with loud screams.

A particularity of this zoo, that celebrates this year 90 years, is that the animals do usually have a bigger space to move, therefore you can observe many of them in an almost natural habitat. For instance, the flamingos who are enjoying their time at the lake.

Also, the nature is feeling completely at home, therefore, no matter how hot is the weather during the summer, in the Zoo area it feels mostly moist and cool.

No matter how high or low the temperature is, the tortues will always do their slow walks, Given their long lifespan, they have no reason to hurry up, of course.

It is really soothing to watch them so we are trying, at least for a few minutes to replicate their carefree life.

In addition to the usual exotic choice of lions, tiger, zebras and monekys, there is also a petting zoo, where children can interact with different animals. A good opportunity, especially for children growing up in urban areas, to connect with animal life. 

Those ponnies, for instance, looked adorable.

The Zoo has also a huge area where you can take a break, watch from afar different animals, or just improvise a kind of picnic. In any case, if you want a full travel experience here, be sure to reserve the whole day for it. The fresh forest air is an additional incentive to take a pause from the busy urban life.

As I have been here several times already, I don´t have any to-do-list, enjoying instead just the observation of different animals playing, like those otters who were full of energy coming in and out of the waters.

Or observing the quiet dynamic between those camels, feeding my mind with plots for children books stories.

Why is this leopard alerted, by the way?

Maybe the children runnning across the playground were too loud, but the slide is quite spectacular and it´s a pitty to do not play there at least for half an hour.

This visit at Zoo Eberswalde was pleasant, relaxing and rewarding for both adults and children. Although not sure when I will be back, at least I am happy to have returned after so many years. Some places are just a reminder that you can also enjoy life without a to-do-list.

If you want to watch more travel stories, feel free to check my dedicated YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilanatravels/videos

Top Recommendations for a Short Trip to Nürnberg

I have been to Nürnberg several times, only one time spending more than 24 hours. On my way to and back from LEGOLAND, I decided to have a longer stop, for more than three, four hours, to explore a bit more the city and maybe see some of its sightseeings.

First stop was relatively short, on the way to Günzburg: we had very few hours to kill, therefore we just had the chance to explore the surroudings of the main train station. Just opposite, after few minutes of walking we landed in the midst of a Middle Ages slice of world. 

If you are looking to have a short introduction into the place and the region, here is the best start, because withing few hundreds of meters, one can encounter different locals, tourists as well as local threat, as sausages or traditional art and crafts.

One of the most surprising contrasts is the glass facade of the New Museum of Art and Design, ensconsed in the middle of old cobblestone streets. 

I visited it few years ago, and I was impressed about the quality of the collections as well as its geographic diversity. It was officially opened in 1999, and has 3,000 square meters for collections and exhibitions.

The open air space in the front of the museum, was resonating from the voices of children playing around, which gave a special resonance to the entire surroundings.

As we left this small area of Nürnberg in a hurry, we kept in mind to explore more the last time, with a promise to get a renewed taste of the city later in the week.

And at the end of a great travel week, when we had the chance to finally visit Ulm, Nürnberg was welcoming with a sunnier weather. As an introduction to the city, keep an eye on the roof, as on the top you may discover different figures adding their own identity to the place.

The buildings were mostly destroyed during the WWII, but the new ones reinstated old symbols and statues. Nürnberg has some interesting figures that deserve some additional research probably.

The good weather encourges us to spend more time outdoors, therefore inevitably we ended up on Königstraße, the main shopping area in the old city. Not impressed by the architecture though, just trying to immerse into the everyday local vibe.

The offer as well as some logo design, may compensate for the lack of outdoors creativity.

Some buildings do share a bourgeois individuality, like the Toy Museum, a place that I´ve visited before but was happy to revisit few years later, this time accompanied by my curious little boy.

Until nowadays, Nürnberg and the surrounding area has a name for over 600 years in the field of toys production. All over the world, the toys made in Germany do enjoy a special prestige, and this city played a part in the building of this identity.

Toys do play a role in the further formation of a child, therefore, the toys they play with do create their identity as adults. For me, as a historian, visiting this museum is also a journey into mentalities and personal histories.

The museum is impressive both in terms of quality and diversity of toys exposed. One can write and read multiple childhood stories only watching around.

The collection advances chronologically, and there are many sections that can show a lot about local and general interpretations of childhood. Some more or less controversial than the others.

But thinking outside the ideological narrative, it may be enough to just enjoy the moment, as children from all ages and all over the world do when, for instance, carrying their beloved Teddy Bear.

That innocence we can regain, even for only few minutes while watching the toys. I wished the exhibition is more modern and interactive, but my son is enjoying his toy journey nevertheless.

Besides dolls, there are so many cars from all ages represented, a delightful encounter for my Junior.

If you are planning to visit this museum, keep in mind to keep aside at least three full hours, and I guarantee it is a time very well spent.

Back outside, we are continuing slowly our walk in the old city, trying to adapt to the rhythm of the local city life.

But instead of watching our steps, we just look right and left, trying to figure out the characters standing on the corners of the half-timbered houses.

As our time is about to end, we just use the few hours left, checking some local stores and discovering traditional handycrafts and artists. 

Besides toys, Nürnberg is famous for its Lebkuchen - gingerbread - especially tasted during the winter time. We are many months before the winter, but we were able to find as our last bit of the city, a all-season one, with pistacchio and coconut, covered in a delicious black chocolate. Not a big fan of Lebkuchen, but those ones were intriguing, the sweet note that I needed to finish my trip here. Which means that I will be more than happy to return to explore the rest of the city and its history.

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