The park itself is located right in the city center, connecting the area of St. Pauli to the Alster over a range of 47 hectares. The name of the park comes from Plattdeutsch (Low German) and literally means “Plants and Flowers”, a big hint at what makes this park so special.

Beautiful Gardens

Inside the park you will find the largest Japanese garden in Europe. It was designed in 1988 by landscape architect Yoshikuni Araki according to the strict guidelines, making it a true authentic experience. At the center is a lake with a traditional Japanese teahouse, which hosts tea ceremonies from May to September. There are also workshops available on Japanese calligraphy, taiko drums and Japanese perfume ceremonies.

Another famous garden inside Planten un Blomen is the rose garden, which features over 300 varieties of roses including historic roses, shrub and wild roses, climbing roses and hybrid teas. The lay out follows a “classical style” with various arches and corner for sitting and enjoying the atmosphere. As well, during the summer season in the central pavilion you can learn about the different varieties of roses and their care.

Don’t forget to visit the botanical garden with a tropical greenhouse with an alpine garden with mountain flowers, mosses and lichens. The complex is divided into five separate areas by plant groups and habitats.

Water Light Show, Theatre, Ice-Skating and much more at Planten un Blomen!

Along with the many gardens, Planten un Blomen is also famous for a water light show with music that takes place every night at 10:00 pm from May to September.

If you’re visiting with children, there is also a daily program of shows from a puppet theatre to circus, all free of charge.

Recently, I visited one of the most famous winter attractions at Planten un Blomen, the outdoor ice skating rink. In the summer it serves as a roller and inline skating rink but when the cold weather rolls in it turns into one of the largest open-air artificial ice rinks in the world at over 4300 square meters.

There is an entrance fee of 3,90 for under 15 years and 5,50 for adults (plus 5,00 more to rent ice skates) but the atmosphere inside is really great. Each night is a live DJ playing music and there is drinks and food available for when you need to take a break.

Overall, I would definitely keep in mind Planten un Blomen as the perfect afternoon spent on a warm, relaxing day on a visit to Hamburg in summer and the perfect way to end a cold winter evening during the winter!

[Planten un Blomen.de]

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Tradition

Placed annually in the Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan, the tree is a symbol that the holiday season is in full swing. Every year since 1931 (officially since 1933), the tree has been put up between mid and late November and lit in early December to be kept up through early January. The lighting is a special occasion, broadcast live nationwide.

What Kind of Tree is Selected?

The tree is typically a Norway spruce, between 69 and 100 feet (20 to 30 meters) high. Now you may be asking yourself, “how many full grown spruce trees do you really find in a huge metropolitan area such as New York City?” In actuality, the trees are scouted via helicopter throughout the surrounding areas in Connecticut, New Jersey, upstate New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont and even as far north as Canada. You can also submit your tree for selection!

Once a tree is selected, it is cut and placed on a custom trailer, to be moved in through the busy streets of New York. You can imagine this must be a very interesting site! The tree is then secured in place and scaffolding is used to help workers hang the more than 45,000 multi-colored LED lights. A star is placed at the top of the tree, weighing 550 pounds (250 kg) and measuring 9.5 feet (2.9 meter) in diameter.

The Ice Skating Rink at Rockefeller Center

Below the iconic Christmas tree, you will find the world famous Ice Skating Rink at Rockefeller Center. Opened in 1936, you will find both New Yorkers and tourists (of all skating levels, from beginner to Olympian) lacing up their skates to get into the holiday spirit.

The general admission is on a first come, first serve basis, opening at 8:30 am and closing at midnight. The rink is quite small, with space for only 150 skaters, so you can imagine it gets busy during the holiday season. The best time to visit is during off peak hours.

The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall

Any trip to New York City during the holiday season wouldn’t be complete without a trip to see the world-famous Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall in the Christmas Spectacular. Check out the trailer for this year’s show here:

[Rockefeller Center], [Wikipedia]