Rheinaue Park, Bonn (must see)

Rheinaue Park spans 160 hectares across both sides of the Rhine and serves as Bonn’s expansive urban green space. Once a natural floodplain, the area was redesigned in 1979 for the Federal Garden Show, when landscape architects converted former farmland into a landscape of hills, artificial lakes, pathways, and themed gardens. Today, it features a network of walking and cycling trails that connect the city’s historic core with contemporary neighborhoods and the riverbank.

At the heart of the park lies the 15-hectare Auensee, an artificial flood-plain lake crossed by six pontoon bridges. This centerpiece attracts rowers, model-boat lovers, and pedal-boat rentals-and on cold winters, its frozen surface is sometimes even suitable for skating. The shore is home to diverse wildlife, including geese and the occasionally coypu, a semi-aquatic rodent that often delights visitors.

Beyond the lake, the park unfolds in a patchwork of themed gardens and cultural landmarks: the Japanese Garden, a gift commemorating the 1979 horticultural fair, the scented Rose Garden, bursting with over 6,000 blooms in late spring, and the Blind Garden, with touch-friendly plants and braille plaques. History enthusiasts will enjoy the Roman Street, a path showcasing 26 replicas of ancient Roman stones from the region, plus monuments including the Bismarck Tower and a granite sculpture of Beethoven by Peter Breuer.

The park also functions as a cultural venue for the city. From March to October, it hosts a monthly flea market with approximately 1,700 stalls on the third Saturday of each month. During the summer, the grounds come alive with open-air events-beer gardens echo with jazz, blues, rock, and Latin music. Major festivals such as Rock Meadow Open-Air and the newer Riot & Friends attract music fans; and dazzling fireworks illuminate the night during the “Rhine in Flames” celebration.