A serene city of parks and woodlands

1. The landmark of Cottbus is Spremberger Turm, a 31 metres high red-brick tower located along the south end of pedestrianised Spremberger strasse. This atmospheric 300 metres street, lined on both sides with restaurants and commercial buildings leads northwards towards the Altmarkt, a huge reconstructed square ringed with an impressive ensemble of Baroque 18th-century houses.

2. The parklands southeast of the centre are the city's most valuable jewel. Spreeauenpark, bordered from its west edge by the banks of the Spree is the ideal place for family outings, leisurely walks and summer picnics. Magnificent avenues lined with old trees and wild shrubs, a rose garden shaded by a picturesque wooden trellis and a pond covered with water lilies add to the natural beauty of the place. Spreeauenpark leads south towards Tierpark, a forested area with water canals that provides a home for more than 1,000 animals. East of Tierpark, the Furst-Puckler Park is definitely the highlight of the city's green areas. Atmospheric tree-shaded walkways, grass-covered pyramids, garden gazebos, artistic statues and a historic castle-palace provide enough attractions for a full day tour amidst impressive areas of natural beauty.

Quick Tips:

1. On reaching Cottbus, the street names displayed at every street corner on ornamental wall tablets in two languages will definitely strike your attention. One language is obviously German; the other is Sorbian, a language closely related to Polish. If you want more information about this language and the development of the Sorb culture, visit the interesting Wendisches Museum at Muhlenstrasse 12.

2. If your time here is limited to just 1 day, it's impossible to walk through all the parks and still find time to appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds you. However, you can get a vague orientation of this vast green area by taking a trip on the nostalgic Pyramid Express, a narrow-gauge train that runs 3kms across the parks from north to south. There are five stations along the route; stop at any station you prefer, soak in the atmosphere and then continue on another train.

3. Staying overnight gives you the opportunity to stroll at leisure along the parks during the day and enjoy the Old Town atmosphere after sunset. Even during the high season you will easily trace out a room in one of the numerous hotels in the city.

Best Way To Get Around:

1. Hourly trains to Cottbus depart from Berlin Lichtenberg, the capital's east station. Some trains also depart from Bahnhof Zoo before continuing through Lichtenberg. Tickets and information can be obtained from the BVG kiosk on Hardenbergplatz in front of Zoo station. The 115kms trip takes 90 minutes.

2. Cottbus is just 53kms northeast of Dresden but there are no direct trains from Dresden's Hauptbahnhof to Cottbus. However, from the Hauptbahnhof, you can take the frequent train to Dresden's Neustadt station (10 minutes) from where the regional train RE18 reaches Cottbus in about 1 hour.

3.The town's train station is southwest of the city centre. When you exit from the station, walk north on Bahnhofstrasse, cross the bridge over the train tracks and continue north until you reach Karl-Liebknecht-strasse. This road soon leads towards the south end of Spremberger strasse, the centre's main artery. Alternatively, from the adjacent bus station, take Bus 11 which runs northwards and passes close to the Tourist Office on Berlinerstrasse and the Altmarkt. From Gorlitzerstrasse south of the bus station, you can also take Tram 1, 2, 3 or 4; all these pass through the Old Town.

Reasonably priced and within walking distance of the Old Town and the parks, Hotel City is ideal for those who put price and location before comfort and atmosphere. This does not mean in any way that Hotel City is a dreary or second-rate place of accommodation. As a matter of fact, it provides good no-nonsense rooms and sufficient comfort to satisfy the needs of all but the most discerning of travellers.

From the train station, Hotel City can be reached on foot in about 15 minutes. When you exit from the station, walk north on Bahnhofstrasse towards the city centre. After crossing Bahnhofsbrucke, the bridge over the train tracks, continue further north until you reach Rudolf-Breitscheid-strasse. Turn right on Rudolf-Breitscheid-strasse and walk about 50 metres. Here you’ll find Hotel City, its name clearly displayed above the porched doorway.

The hotel occupies a renovated three-storey house of character that was modified to meet the needs of a medium-sized hotel. The welcoming reception on the ground floor is modestly furnished with a dark-wood reception desk, side tables with matching armchairs and an extravagance of unique pre-war historic photos. Take your time to examine these old photos to see how the whole city of Cottbus, particularly the Old Town and the parks looked before the war. Though not as fluent as you would wish them to be, the receptionists can easily cope with your English. Since the hotel is rarely if ever full, I have succeeded in bargaining for the price of a double which was reduced by 9 Euro per night.

Just behind the reception, the restaurant-bar which doubles as a breakfast room is a graceful place with four rows of tables decorated with ceramic vases and matching candlesticks. The windows overlook a charming garden terrace that is used frequently as a restaurant extension or an open-air summer venue. A footpath leads from the garden terrace to the parking space, available free for hotel guests. Adjoining the restaurant, the huge conference-banquet room is the ideal place for business conferences, wedding receptions or anniversaries and birthday parties.

The hotel’s two upper floors are occupied by 5 singles and 15 doubles. There’s no lift and the only way upstairs is through a wide carpeted staircase adorned with a lovely wrought iron banister and more wall-hanging nostalgia photos. The double rooms are large enough to accommodate a family while the singles can easily be upgraded to host two persons. The bed is covered with a white soft fluffy duvet that complements the undulating white lines of the curtains. The bathrooms are equipped with a hot water shower and all the basic amenities available are spick-and-span. The breakfast buffet though not extravagant provides an ample supply of oven-fresh bread, fruit, cereal, coffee cakes and juices.

Once a month always on a Friday, the hotel’s ground floor becomes one big venue where locals join tourists to celebrate a Sushi night, a real extravaganza of Japanese food, exotic cocktails and night-long Japanese music.

After making my way through Spremberger strasse to soak in the Saturday night summer atmosphere, I finally reached the southwest corner of the Altmarkt, the Old Town square whose central vast space is taken over by open-air restaurants, ice-cream parlours and bars. A stone’s throw from the Market Fountain and the Apothecary Museum on the south side of the square, Restaurant Mosquito occupies a huge premises whose distinct yellow painted facade stands out amidst a row of impressive historical buildings.

When I was there, the Altmarkt was one big venue of outdoor night partying. But nowhere was this more pronounced than in the open-air space taken over by Restaurant Mosquito for summer entertainment. On the adjoining elevated stage-like platform, a live percussion band was beating hard on the drums to accompany the high-pitched amplified voice of a solo singer who sang non-stop to South American music. The 40 open-air tables laid out with colourful tablecloths were packed with diners who were enjoying both the food and the atmosphere. Nothing could stop me from looking around trying to find a table. However, when this seemed impossible, I had no further choice than to make my way inside and take one of the empty tables near one of the restaurant’s bay windows.

From here, it was not possible to see the floodlit stage but I could still enjoy the deafening tango music and the outside atmosphere enhanced by the clapping of hands and tapping of feet. Who could remain seated when samba music took over the exuberant scene outside? Diners left their tables and twisted unceasingly amidst moving beams of colourful spotlighting.

I was soon presented with the menu, a 10 page colourful booklet displaying long lists of tapas, tortillas, paellas and unusual main dishes, mostly consisting of chicken, grilled meats and sausages. There were no vegetarian dishes however, except a couple of heavily sauced salads. The wine list featured numerous German wines mostly produced from the vineyards in Saxony together with a whole page of South American wines imported from Chile and Argentina. A couple of imported red vintages from 1999, obviously for the well off only, completed the list. The menu finished off with a list of unusual strong cocktails, mostly a mix of alcoholic drinks and exotic fruit concentrates.

After starting off with a dish of excellent tapas, I waited eagerly for the main, a specialty dish of frango estufado consisting of spiced chicken braised in wine. Rightly sauced and rightly peppered, tasty and appetising, I couldn’t resist scraping the leftover gravy with a slice of bread. After the last drop of Muller-Thurgau went down my throat, I ended with an amaretto-based cocktail flavoured with avocado juice.

Those who crave for spicy South American food will find at Restaurant Mosquito the best and most varied choice in this part of Germany. However, it’s not only the food that makes Mosquito the most popular restaurant in Cottbus. The party-like vibrant Saturday night atmosphere beats all, even the food.

The chef and the food are Italian, the manager is Armenian and the waiters are Bulgarians. This combination of wholesome ingredients has produced a restaurant which can easily claim to be the best in Cottbus.

Located along an atmospheric street that leads westwards from the Altmarkt towards the Lindenpforte Gate, Rossini Hosteria is an elegant restaurant that is neat, orderly, and refined to the finest details. The two large dark-wood antique tables covered with a white starched tablecloth and adorned with a central arrangement of fresh flowers and a pair of silver candlesticks can each host 12 people. The smaller matching tables each suitable for 4 people are similarly decorated. Right outside, there’s space for three more tables; in summer more space is taken over by Rossini on the other side along the southeast corner of Neumarkt.

On approaching the restaurant’s wide entrance, customers will very probably be welcomed heartily by the English-speaking Armenian manager who cordially greets diners on arrival while directing them towards a table. His personal interest and attention endures to the end of your dinner when you’ll be asked for your views, comments and suggestions about the food, the service and the ambience. Once you’re comfortably seated, take your time to examine the artistic decor of the place. Sculpted coving, strips of molded gypsum, crystal chandeliers and damask curtains gathered at the sides add up to produce a striking impression of magnificence and elegance.

This impression of stateliness was carried on with the presentation of the menu, a leather-bound booklet with embossed print and engravings. The long list of Italian food items for which Rossini is renowned is as extensive as the list of wines, drinks and cocktails. Mostly based on a typical Mediterranean cuisine, Rossini’s menu is constantly renewed, updated and bettered. Anybody who chooses this restaurant for a one-off dining experience will definitely finish off with the knowledge that each dish served at Rossini is a feast of abundance. Be it a simple dish of tortellini with ham and mushrooms or a full main dish of grilled salmon steak with peppercorn sauce and vegetables, you can be sure that both will satisfy the most hungry appetite.

A real treat was my classic dish of Gnocchi con Funghi e Erbe Aromatiche, an overabundant dish of colourful pasta surrounded with fried mushrooms and sprinkled with fresh basil, oregano and mint. Beautifully and artistically arranged, it was almost a pity to ravage it. But once I took the first mouthful, it was impossible to stop. As I sipped a glassful of lovely red Trentino imported from Italy, I noticed that a couple sitting on a table opposite were making expressions of ecstasy over their superb pasta dishes.

Rossini’s food is tasty, delicious and well presented. Imagine such food served by competent waiters whose sweet manners, graceful appearance and helpful attitude towards clients are superfluous. Milena Vladimirova, one of the Bulgarian waiters who treated us with extra consideration requires a special mention.

Cottbus with a population of over 100 thousand people is the biggest city within the Spreewald region, a huge forested area of parks, rivers, canals and streams. Much closer to the Polish border than to the country's capital, Cottbus is the home to most of Germany's Sorbian minority, an ethnic race of about 70 thousand people, related to the Poles with regards to language, culture and customs.

Visitors come here mostly for the magnificent parks that border the east edge of the city centre. While these remain definitely the town's prime attraction, the city centre particularly the Old Town is also well worth a visit for its well-preserved medieval houses, towers, churches and museums. Add to these the new city that has evolved around the historic centre and you will understand why the number of visitors is increasing year after year. Old historic buildings and modern shopping galleries now stand side by side providing enough interest and delight to attract those who are looking for hospitable surroundings away from rushing or overactive city life.

The name of the city originating from Sorbian means 'a beautiful little house' and this little house painstakingly reconstructed or restored still exists today. Any visit to Cottbus must necessarily take in the Altstadt, a small area of attractive walkways and narrow alleyways enclosed within the Alstadtring. A good starting point is Breitscheidplatz, a huge busy square whose centre is adorned with the Enke Fountain. From the north edge of the square, pedestrianised Spremberger strasse runs northwards for 300 metres towards the Altmarkt. A former important trade road, now lined with a multitude of restored 19th-century commercial buildings, this is the city's most atmospheric street. On the left side of its southernmost end, the 31 metres high red-brick Spremberg Tower built in the 13th-century as part of the surrounding city walls is considered to be the city's hallmark. Halfway along Spremberger strasse, Schlosskirche is a small graceful church originally constructed in 1419 but rebuilt and extended several times throughout the centuries. Behind the church on Schlosskirchplatz, the historic Sorat Hotel is the city's most atmospheric and refined place of accommodation. The square itself is a summer venue where open-air musical concerts and entertainment festivals are regularly held.

If you continue further north along Spremberger strasse, you'll reach Muhlenstrasse, which leads eastwards towards Gerichtsplatz and Schlossberg. At Muhlenstrasse 12, the Wendisches Museum boasts 16 exhibition rooms filled with numerous specimens of traditional costumes, fine artistic works, documents and music, all associated with Sorbian customs and culture. Further east, Schlossberg Castle, which is asking for urgent restoration, has an impressive 46-metres-high medieval tower furnished with a pewter coping and a neo-Gothic roof. Another attractive feature is Schlossberg's little waterfall.

Back on Spremberger strasse, visitors will soon reach the interesting Brandenburg Museum of Art Collections which displays contemporary works of art, photographs and posters. Almost opposite the museum, not to be missed is a huge wall painting in black and white that shows how Spremberger strasse looked before the war. A short distance further north, Spremberger strasse opens into the Altmarkt, a huge square ringed with restored Baroque town houses, magnificent mansions, bars and restaurants. Not too hectic or noisy except on Saturday nights when the square becomes one big venue of outdoor partying, it is an ideal place to linger over a cup of coffee while enjoying the pleasant and cheerful atmosphere.

On the south side of the Altmarkt, the Market Fountain constructed in stone by local craftsmen is nothing grand or special but its octagonal design and central statue impart an air of gracefulness and order. Opposite the fountain, the green building faithfully restored and meticulously maintained is the Apothecary Museum. A gilded statue of a lion decorates the facade while a gilded sign hanging above the door displays a balance to indicate that medicines were formerly produced here. Inside, a historical collection of pharmaceuticals is exhibited. More impressive than this are the complete laboratory and the poison room with numerous interesting and unusual exhibits.

From the Altmarkt, Marktstrasse leads towards the remaining sections of the Medieval City Wall. The Lindenpforte Gate, made by breaking through the city wall to enable faster access from the Altmarkt to Neustadt is nearby. The street that crosses the Altmarkt from east to west is Berliner Strasse. If you take the east section of Berliner Strasse, you'll soon reach the 14th-century Oberkirche St. Nikolai, a three-naved early Gothic hall church with an arched middle nave and a beautiful choir balcony. Attractive interior features are the pulpit and the 17th-century high altar made by Andreas Schultze and adorned with magnificent alabaster carvings. More artistic works and fresco paintings decorate the side naves and the chapels. It's advisable to climb the 55 metres high church tower from where the view over the parks of Cottbus is amazing.

From the north edge of Oberkirche platz, Klosterstrasse runs west past the Wendish Quarter, a cluster of slab constructions adorned with typical historic facades and artistic works created by Sorb artists. West of this, Klosterstrasse opens into a huge busy area which is an excellent representation of what's new in Cottbus.

This vast space, currently replanned with new tram tracks is mostly taken over by three huge buildings. Of interest to visitors is definitely the Stadthalle, a modern Town Hall whose ground floor houses the Tourist Information Office. Besides practical information about the city and its surrounding parklands, this is the place where you can buy transport and theatre tickets, books about cities within the Spreewald and authentic souvenirs of the region. The high-rise building left of the Stadthalle is the recently constructed Holiday Inn Hotel. In front of this, an elegant and modern three-storey shopping gallery filled with boutiques, food stores, take-aways and restaurants has recently opened to provide the best Cottbus can offer. Named the 'Spreegalerie' , it has quickly evolved as the most important business centre in Cottbus.

No visit to Cottbus is complete unless you devote at least a full day to tour the parks and woodlands that border the inner city from the east and southeast. This vast green area that crowns the route followed by the River Spree with impressive water canals, ponds, gardens and recreation areas is the ideal place for summer visitors to relax, discover and enjoy picturesque and exciting landscapes.

Just outside the city centre, only a stone’s throw from the medieval tower of Schlossberg is Goethepark, a small forested area whose main attraction is the central Amtsteich pond. Serene and quiet, the atmosphere here enhanced by a dripping water fountain is ideal for relaxation or meditation. Adjacent to Goethepark but on the opposite bank of the Spree is Blechenpark, a medium-sized green space of shrubs and grasses that was landscaped in 1954 for the "Grunen und Bluhen an der Spree" exhibition. From here, Ludwig-Leichhardt-Allee lined on both sides with chestnut trees leads south towards Eliaspark.

Before reaching the entrance to the park, visitors have the opportunity to look inside the 1974 planetarium that provides a true-to-life presentation of what takes place in the universe. The nearby Stadion der Freundschaft is a fully equipped football stadium that is regularly crowded with supporters and football fans during weekend matches. East of the stadium, Eliaspark stretching across an area of 3.5 hectares boasts numerous leisure and recreation spots surrounded with an abundance of century-old trees where visitors can enjoy a peaceful environment characterised by the refreshing air of the forest. While touring the park, you can’t miss the narrow-gauge railway tracks still used by the nostalgic 50 year old Pyramid Express that chugs along the west edge of Eliaspark before proceeding towards Tierpark. The 3kms long journey accompanied by young conductors in ornamental uniforms gives visitors the opportunity to get a glimpse of some of the attractions. Taking the train is obviously not the best way to enjoy the beauty of the greenery within the parks of Cottbus; nevertheless, it enables visitors to get a vague orientation of what awaits them.

South of Eliaspark and disconnected from it by the interrupting B97 Stadtring motorway, Spreeauenpark is definitely the perfect place for family outings and day breaks. An entrance ticket costing only 1 Euro entitles you to wander anywhere within an area of 55 hectares of well-kept landscape enhanced by magnificent pedestrianised avenues, pleasant meandering walkways, century-old trees, wild shrubs and eye-catching gardens. The highlight of the park is the huge central pond surrounded with weeping willows and winding footpaths. Nearby, numerous sunshaded resting areas with deckchairs provide visitors with the perfect place for relaxation. Along the east edge of the park, a small restaurant with outdoor seating is the ideal place to sit over a cup of coffee after hours of walking and picnicking.

An exit gate along the southeast edge of Spreeauenpark leads out into Kiekebuscher strasse. This street runs south and proceeds towards the entry gate into Tierpark, a huge unspoilt woodland with plenty of ponds, canals, streams and water channels. Once here, you will not take long to notice the wide diversity of animals that live within the boundaries of this delightful habitat. Take any footpath and discover for yourself numerous nooks, huts and sheltered spots where a variety of animals live, feed and breed amidst dense forested areas or along the impressive green shoreline. With some luck, you can easily catch sight of a couple of elephants, a colony of zebras or a family of monkeys. You can even take your time to discover various species of water birds that populate the brooks that flow out of the River Spree. Direct yourself towards the formal zoo where a multitude of domestic animals and pets can be observed and enjoyed.

One last park that asks for special consideration and careful observation lies east of Kiekebuscher strasse. Named Furst-Puckler Park after the person responsible for its construction, this is a unique woodland park considered to be a perfect example of 19th-century German landscape design. Soon after entering the park from Kiekebuscher strasse, the first attraction that surprises visitors is the water pyramid, a huge grass-covered central pyramid that seems to float over the calm reflecting water of a medium-sized lake. The view from numerous lookout points along the lakeside is particularly stunning when the pyramid casts off its shadow in the lake at sunset. Once here, cross the footbridge and have a look at the land pyramid that fills up one side of the park. Numerous walkways lead east from here towards Schloss Branitz. Surrounded with magnificent landscaped gardens, statues standing on pedestals, ornamental stone pots and an abundance of climbers, Schloss Branitz is the former home of Prince Hermann Furst von Puckler-Muskau and his wife Lucie. Built in Baroque style, the castle boasts numerous rooms that provide an insight into the life and works of the prince and his wife. Not to be missed are the Oriental Room, the Historic Library and the Music Hall. The castle opens daily from 10am to 6pm in summer and from 11am to 5pm in winter. Nearby, a handful of interesting outbuildings provide more opportunities to view other examples of 19th-century landscape architecture.

If you still have an extra half day after visiting the parks of Cottbus, you can combine an easy bus trip to nearby Burg with a romantic gondola ride along the romantic canals that flow out of the River Spree. From Bahnhofstrasse west of the city centre, take Bus 47 which travels north towards Burg. Once here, walk along signposted streets towards the Spree canals. On your way you go past the Tourist Office where you can ask for brochures and information. Once near the water, you can opt for a trip on a gondola propelled by a Spreewald ferryman who takes you along a stretch of canals through overgrown forests. Those more adventurous can hire a canoe and paddle on their own along a labyrinth of water channels that meander through unique landscape.