Diving into the green side of Brunswick

If you are in the city of Lions for a weekend, have good weather conditions, don’t want to do just the typical tourist attractions and are well recovered from a night out in bars, go for a small hike in some of Brunswick’s parks and gardens. You will be surprised by the diversity of flowers and trees in the botanical garden, the birdlife in Riddagshausen or the size of the South Sea lake. All situated in Brunswick.

Into the footsteps of a botanist

Honestly, the Technical University’s botanical garden isn’t the most impressive nor the biggest, but situated right on the river Oker and close to the city centre, it proves to be the perfect spot for having a rest, reading a book or picnicking. It takes just 30 minutes to stroll through the tiny garden, but if you are interested in plants and flowers, you can see and learn quite a lot about them there. Botanical gardens are like natural museums or art galleries, except that the creator of these beautiful, varied and colourful masterpieces was nature herself.  

The Technical University of Brunswick uses the botanical garden for research and it has a tropical house where you can find all kinds of weird and wonderful plants like leaves of the giant water lily (Victoria cruziana).

Botanical Garden of Brunswick

Botanischer Garten der Technischen Universität Braunschweig, Humboldtstraße 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Deutschland

Into the footsteps of an ornithologist

In the east of Brunswick lays Riddachshausen and its ponds. For birds it is a refuge, because the nature reserve is a calm place and a good spot for bringing up baby birds. For nature lovers it suits well, too. Walking through the different ponds and enjoying the scenery and the chirping of the birds. Another reason for the high amount of birds is that the ponds are used for fish farming. During the winter season some of the ponds are pumped empty and filled again in spring. Some ponds are kept untouched and if you are lucky and it is cold enough, some ponds become popular ice skating areas during winter. If that is the case the city declares the ice skating safe and permitted at certain ponds and you are good to go. During autumn the nature reserve is also recommendable as the trees turn their leaf colours into shades of yellow, orange and red.

Nature Reserve of Riddachshausen

Riddagshausen, 38104 Braunschweig, Deutschland

Into the footsteps of a mariner

Sure, it's unlikely that you will become a sailor at the South Sea lake of Brunswick if you pay the city only a short visit. Anyway the South Sea lake is big enough to provide the opportunity to learn how to sail. Also it is a popular running, cycling and walking area in the south of Brunswick. It is quite nice to circumnavigate the lake, and it doesn’t matter in which manner. What matters is the weather, but the season doesn’t either, as the South Sea lake shows its beauty in different ways depending on the season. If you’re like me and Autumn is your favourite season, with the sudden colour change and the last warm rays of sun before winter, then you’ll love the lake side during September, October and November.

The South Sea lake

Südsee, 38124 Braunschweig, Deutschland