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

Secret Natural Retreats near Berlin: Gatow and Kladow

If you are following my blog for a while, you know already how much I love spending as much time as possible outdoors, especially during the summer. As Berlin abunds in such offers, although I love discovering more and more natural retreats from one to a couple of hours away of the city, I also appreciated those oasis just a couple of stations away from the big B. One of the last weekends, I've spent some lovely time in two places which can be reached easily by using the BVG local transportation system: Gatow and Kladow.

GATOW

Until this year, I've only been to Gatow for a visit at the Military Museum. The area around the museum is mostly an urban agglomeration of small mansions and copy-pasted family houses built as many as the space around the former military airport allowed. However this time, once I stop at the Alt-Gatow bus station, the view is completely different: individual stone houses, covered by exuberant layers of ivy, with generous flowers gardens.

Nearby, there are also big veggie gardens, mostly for the use of the big organic food chains in Berlin. If you are there early in the morning, you can see people passionatelly picking up the vegetables. A couple of meters away, there are also some strawberry farms from where you can pick your own fruits and also a milk farm, great for those who love to experiment with cheese and milk-based products.

My favorite summer views may always include blue waters, surrounded by green forests and crossed by white elegant yachts. Mission accomplished in Gatow, as the area near the shores of the river Havel has plenty of it. There is a park where the children are playing, with long wooden tables for picnics or various celebrations. Enough to spend there an impressive amount of time, doing nothing. Nothing at all. Nearby, there are a couple of Italian restaurants with big outdoors space, so you can sip your beer and enjoy your pasta or pizza with a view.

Except if you are looking for a cultural challenge and you are lucky enough to find the Art Gallery on Kladower Damm 97 open.  

Happy now? Then unleash your bike and run hard until the next stop of the day...

KLADOW

I've been first to Kladow three years ago, when limited by a new job and the pregnancy I was exclusively looking for some easy destinations, preferably very close to Berlin. Then, I really enjoyed the charming summer feels. Although I did change a lot since then, the good vibes were still there and was happy to be back in this lovely place. A place where there are many stories to be told, like this tree that since the 17th century succeeded to survive various historical encounters. 

There are so many examples of individual architecture in the area, with big areas left for the green bushes or flowers that embelish both the view and the mood of the inhabitants. 

But who actually would stay indoors when you such views are waiting for you outdoors? Kladow can be reached not only by bike or bus from Berlin, but also with a BVG available ticket by boat from Wannsee. An option to be hopefully checked soon.

Until then, time for counting the happy ducks on lily pads.

On the promenade, there is a row of food places, from fish restaurants to fast-foods, a bit over-priced, but with a view over port, so at least once in a while you may spoil yourself. Some places to also have a sand playground so if you are visiting with kids in tow, you may find a nice way to keep them a bit busy while you are having your lunch.

The foodie choice of the day: Maisel Biergarten, for a hot potato soaked in sour cream. A very countryside choice, easy going and unexpensive too. A couple of days after this visit later, went to check again the Chinese restaurant Regent where I've been the last time, and unfortunatelly, both the service and the food went a couple of steps and stairs down. 

The views are an invitation to slow down and get yourself away from the daily worries. Nothing to worry and be sad about. Not now, not today and maybe either tomorrow.

Far away on the other side of the river, Potsdam with its many attractions is winking at me, but I am lazy enough to answer its call. At least not now. It is so quiet around that it seems that instantly all the many people sipping their beers in the beer gardens, made a sudden agreement to not utter any single word for the time being.

Although summer may run away too fast - please, don't - I hope that at least once the month to be able to return here to try another restaurant at the promenade, walk near the river and enjoy every single ray of light. There is life after the summer but until then, I decided to get the best of every moment of daylight. A decision I am sure will keep it!

Why Visit IGA2017?

Since mid-April, I am trying to save at least one day every week for going to visit the IGA 2017, but the weather was the worst partner ever in this project. How could I visit an International Garten Exhibition where beautiful flowers and gardens projects are displayed and writing about it without being able to take pictures with the rays of sun soaking the natural colours? The last week, things started to change, and I spent one of the few first days of the spring without any drops of rain outdoors exploring an unique temporary project.

The exhibition takes places until 15 October this year. For the 186-day duration, around 5,000 events - among which concerts and theatre representations - are scheduled. Full updates of the program are available on the English and German versions of the exhibition website. Initially, the exhibition - which is organised in Germany every 10 years - was planned to be held in Tempelhof the former airport turned into a public park, but it was transferred to Marzahn-Hellendorf, where the infrastructure of the Gardens of the World was already available, to which a couple of more hectares were added where new constructions were built and new project created. 

As I went to the Gardens of the World several times, I rather preferred to see the newest additions, including the cable car which connects the old and new part of the park, with an overview over the flowers exhibitions and the various other projects developed. The launch of the project was accompanied by a new refurbishing of the metro station Kienberg-Gärten der Welt - which looks just modern but without any special personality as many of the metro stations I featured in my post dedicated to the most beautiful metro stations -, which can be easily accessed via U5 line. With the S5 from Spandau, Zoologische Garten or Alexanderplatz, the train should be changed at Wuhletal station. The duration of the ride is about 45 minutes. If you arrive by car, there should be some problems as there are no parking spaces available around. 

In most cases, IGA 2017 is easily accessible to persons with disabilities and families, with elevators and ramps facilitating a best overview of most places of interest. Particularly for children, there are so many parks and playground where children of different ages can have a great time outdoors. 

Near the main entrance, for instance, there is a big playground inspired by the works of the beloved German children author Erich Kästner. 

Age doesn't usually matter here, as you can enjoy your childhood memento on the top of one of the hills playing on a swing, eventually barefoot for touching the small heaps of sands underneath. Time to dream about the location of your summer holidays.

The ambiance of the natural paradies continues in the Arche Park, where horses or sheep are freely roaming around. Maybe a relaxing gateway in the countryside suits you better?

There are many places where one can meditate about the future, including planet's. Bridges made of recycled metal brings you in the middle of wilder nature patches.

The campus area is designated to teach about environmental protection and teach young people - as young as from kindergarten level - about how to be more careful about our green heritage.

The architectural structures easily integrated into the natural landscape are confirming this frame of mind focused on creating more awareness about the environment among different generations.

At IGA 2017, one can touch, see and learn from first hand sources about various farming conditions of different types of grains or about the life of the bees.

Creating a huge installation out of the eco-friendly and sustainable bamboo boosts the limits of creativity in architecture, while keeping in mind to use technologies that don't create chemical pollution or any harm to the environment.

The area designated to introduce nature-related projects and to offer additional information about plants and green cultures is fascinating, especially for someone that has spent too much time in the urban areas. For instance, the small vineyard created where I hope to return in autumn when maybe some drops of fresh wine will be available for tasting.

Or the little igloo where seeds and plants and micro-level cultivation techniques are introduced...

Or how to create eco-friendly roofs made of recycled materials...There is so much to learn that I almost forgot that I only have only one full day to spend here this time. 

Making your way through the over 100-hectare park is very easy due to the directions leading you to different attractions. If you have comfy shoes you can easily walk slowly for around two hours until you make your way to the Gärten der Welt side of the Exhibition. Just in time to see the last breath of the cherry blossom trees.

The silent Chinese Pavillion, where the tea can be sipped as in the Imperial times, remains unchanged, even nowadays the curious passangers from the cable car might be intrusively overlooking the tea-lovers.

This slice of Asian peace remained unchanged so many years after my first visit here.

If you visit the Gärten this time of the year, you can fully feel the spring in all its fragrances and colours. For instance, wisteria, which is a rare appearance in the Berlin catalogue of flowers.

Children are invited to visit a Brothers Grimm thematic park, with representation of different stories by the famous German story tellers. I may confess that with some exceptions, many of the characters were completely foreign to me so it is about time to return to some basic bibliography.

Hopefully, there are many friendly characters, out of the classroom, which can entertain and make a trip with the children an enjoyable experience.

As during my previous visits, I enjoyed spending some time in the Japanese gardens and their balance between nature and man-made constructions...

...or to wander near the temples' gates of the Korean gardens.

But there was also something new to explore, the Balinese Gardens where it seems that the rich and luxuriant vegetation of Indonesia was brought in the far Eastern parts of Berlin.

As I spent some good time lately at the Botanical Gardens in Berlin - a video displaying the beauty of this part of the world being under editing right now - I was reminded one more time about the preciousness and fragility of our eco-system.

And how else one can celebrate the beauty of nature otherwise than by dancing under the fresh wind of summer, surrounded by interestingly manicured trees and a symphony-like beauty of tulips of all colours, in different stages of blossoming.

The journey at IGA 2017 means more than a hiking trip well-spent taking pictures of flowers. With all the knowledge about nature and the inspiring beauty of flowers, it can be compared, at a lower level though, with the inspirational journey of the prophet Jonah, whose Biblical whale was built in the middle of one of the many playgrounds.

I cannot leave the Exhibition without using the opportunity of having a ride with the cable car. It goes smoothly on the top of the park, with a perfect view over the entire area through the window walls. At mid-way it stops for the exceptional construction of the Wolkenhain, which offers an overview of the Eastern part of Berlin, including the famous TV Tower. During the night time, the entire construction is illuminated creating an impressive visual effect. 

One can reach the top with the elevator or by using the stairs, eventually with a stop at the small coffee at the ground level. Food- and coffee-wise, IGA is providing many resourceful stops, serving mostly snacks and icecreams, without anything noteworthy from the point of view of the gourmet option. Hopefully, you can easily buy bottles of fresh water for a well-hydrated journey through the many wonders offered at the Exhibition. 

From the top of the terrace, you can reach far-far East beyond the typical communist constructions of the Plattenbauten which are surrounding the area and are visible anyway, until you can spot the vivid yellow raps camps and the gigantesques windmills. The green patches are beautifying the ugly concrete constructions - I know that those constructions look so fancy and fashionable for expats, but nothing will convince me that besides the affordable rent prices there is anything else to like about living in such boxes of matches. 

Berlin is a city smart enough to give you serious reasons to stay more and explore its insides even longer. IGA2017 is another example of the unexpected potential of this city.