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.