Thanks to polar bear Knut, the Berlin Zoo in Charlottenburg may have been more in the spotlight recently, but with gorgeous landscaping and around 8000 critters in often generously sized enclosures, its eastern cousin is definitely an attraction in its own right. Perennial crowd-pleasers include the tigers and lions in the Alfred-Brehm-Haus ; the elephants (including adorable little ones born at the zoo) and rhinos that reside in the Dickhäuterhaus ; and the Schlangenfarm , which has more slithering, poisonous snakes than even Harry Potter could handle. The zoo is particularly proud of its oryx antelopes and Vietnamese sika stags, which are extinct in the wild. Before becoming an animal park in 1955, the grounds were the Peter Lenné–designed park of the late-baroque Schloss Friedrichsfelde . Guided tours (in German) let you sneak peeks into the lives and lifestyles of its many aristocratic owners. Fans of fancy wall coverings, baroque glass, hand-painted porcelain, historic portraits, silverware and other decorative items will especially get their fill. Note that it’s not possible to see the palace without paying admission to Tierpark, and the ticket office shuts one hour before closing time.
