Zoo Berlin (zoo-berlin.de; adult/child €25/12.50), established in 1844, holds the triple crown as Germany’s oldest, most species-rich and most visited animal park. Top billing at the moment goes to a pair of bamboo-devouring pandas on loan from China. The menagerie includes nearly 20,000 critters representing 1500 species, including orangutans, rhinos, giraffes and penguins. Public feeding sessions take place throughout the day – check the schedule online and by the ticket counter.
Entry is via the Lion Gate on Hardenbergplatz or the Elephant Gate on Budapester Strasse. The zoo was established under Friedrich Wilhelm IV, and stocked with pheasants and other animals from the royal family's private reserve.
Right next door, Aquarium Berlin (aquarium-berlin.de; adult/concession €25/12.50) plunges you into the mysterious world of finned, scaled and slithering creatures. Its lurking crocodiles and neon-bright poison frogs might be nightmare-inducing, but ethereal jellyfish and a real-life "Nemo" bring smiles to all.
Booking online saves a bundle, especially for combo tickets to both zoo and aquarium.
