I adore its weird mosaics, spooky fairyland houses and dramatic “market” area. Touring the park gives visitors a more in-depth look at Gaudí’s genius.

While it’s a bit of a drag getting up to the park, it’s worth it, especially on a sunny, clear day when you will be able to see the entire city spread out before you like an apron tied around the tummy of the mountain.

It’s a spectacular vista indeed from the park’s 3,000 sq. meter mosaic patio, with the Mediterranean in the distance. This is where you will want to get a couple choice photos to put up on Facebook immediately. All your friends will be jealous of your fabulous Barcelona vacation.

So here are a few tips for making the most of your trip up to Gaudí’s wonderland:

Hydrate!

First of all, bring H2O or some other beverage. If not you’ll be forced to buy from the cafe on-site which is really pricey. They sell sangria at this cafe. Do yourself a favor and don’t buy it, because it’s not of good quality (most sangria is not, and most Spaniards don’t drink it, go figure).

If you’re going up to the park for the day, pack a lunch and then have a picnic off one of the trails.

Stay alert

As you’re strolling along the paths that wind through the vast park, be alert and keep an eye on your stuff.

It’s sad to say, but Barcelona has a ton of petty crime. Where there are tourists, there are thieves. Don’t wander the upper trails with your $900 camera around your neck and you should be fine.

As a woman, I don’t think I would walk those upper trails sola. That was my impression on my last visit a couple months ago, due to the men I saw lurking in the bushes and running off into the forest. However, please don’t think that Park Güell is dangerous, it’s not. Just be aware, that’s all.

Go home with Gaudi

Gaudí’s home is open to visitors and should definitely be on your “to do” list. The house was built in 1903 and the famous architect lived there for about 20 years. Many of his belongings are still exhibited in the house, and it’s an interesting look into what life was like in the early 20th century.

Go to market

Afterward, hear music by local guitarists while you admire the intricate rosette ceiling in the covered market place. The covered area is held up by 90 columns and is a sweet spot to get out of the sun and chill for a bit while hearing some, usually, very talented buskers.

Walking to and from the Metro

Walk up and back from the park from the Lesseps Metro stop. You need to be in shape to do this jaunt as it is uphill for a good 15 to 20 minutes. Coming back is easier.

Or take buses 24 – 31 – 32 – 74 – 92 which will get you close to the main gate. If there are four of you, split a cab up to the parkby far the easies way to get there.

Admission: The park was free to visit until 2013, when the city announced that they will start charging €8 to visit in October 2013.

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Here are a few of my favorite ‘tropical’ getaways in this Czech Republic city. Have your own green oasis in the city? Tell us in the comment section below.

Petrín

Across from Prague Castle, Petrin Park is a place to take your lover! Besides offering some of the city’s best views, this hilltop park is home to a statue of the famous Czech romantic poet Karel Hynek Mácha that locals flock to on May 1 in celebration of May Day (a holiday dedicated to love and spring merriment). Find a perfect patch of grass in the lower part of the park, or head up top via a funicular or woodsy foot path.

At the summit, have a beer at Petrinske Terasy Pub, laugh at your distorted image in the mirror maze or climb Petrín Tower (sometimes deemed Prague’s Eiffel tower) for an even more incredible view of the city. Don’t miss the rose garden in summer or Stefanik’s Observatory.

Letna

There are two things this park combines that make it one of Prague’s most exceptional spots: an excellent beer garden and one of (if not the) city’s best views. Perched above Prague, you’ll feel like you’re floating on this embankment above the world. Take in that breathtaking vista over Vltava River, notice its succession of bridges, the castle on the hill and all that stunning architecture.

Letna offers a great walking and roller blading terrain too. Be sure to check out the Park’s Neo-Baroque pavilion too. Be sure to check out the park’s Neo-Baroque pavilion – built in 1891 – and also the former site of Stalin’s Monument (destroyed in 1962), which today is home to a giant metronome (built in 1991). This park is also a paradise to skate boarders who daily take over the former monuments, remaining marble stairs and metal railings.

Stromovka

The mother of all Prague parks in terms of its size, Stromovka truly lives up to its name, place of trees. Dating back to the year 1268, the park was first used as private hunting ground for Czech king Premysl Otakar II. In 1804 it was opened to the public. Today, full of paths, meadows, ponds and of course trees, it’s a quiet, dreamy oasis in which to get lost and while away the day.

Riegrovy Sady Park, Prague. Photo by fuxoft

Riegrovy Sady

Located in Prague’s lovely Vinohrady neighborhood, Riegrovy Sady is home to a large beer garden that’s popular with Czechs and expats alike. The pub offers fantastic beer and a big screen TV that shows sporting events daily. In warmer months, sunbathers can pull up a towel in the front section of the park. Further in, an expansive lawn offers a special view—framed by trees— and a lovely drinking spot. It’s also a great place to dogwatch, as Praguer’s love their dogs. Along with the beer garden, there is a smaller pub that’s hidden in between the trees and has a rooftop terrace offering even more expansive views.

Grébovka

Officially called Havlíckovy Sady, Grébovka Park is one of Prague’s largest green venues and certainly one of its most beautiful. Along with Villa Grébovka—a Neo-Renaissance structure originally used as a summer home for industrialist Moritz Grobe (c. 1870s)—the park is distinguished by its functioning vineyard and a beautiful wooden gazebo where you can sip the results of the harvest.

As well as being an excellent place to stroll among the trees or stare out at the city from its highest point, Grébovka is also home to the recently opened Pavilion Grébovka, a unique structure that was once a 19th century bowling alley, but today houses a glassed café and is used for private functions.

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1. The High Line
L, A, C or E Train to 14th Street & 8th Avenue (see Web site for other access points)

The High Line is a true New York success story. The elevated train tracks, a 1930’s answer to freight train accidents, were under threat of demolition until the non-profit group Friends of the High Line turned them into an oasis in the sky in 2009. Its wild patches of green are overgrown on purpose, spilling out onto concrete walkways and, of course, the rails themselves. Enjoy views of the Hudson River and the Meatpacking District, or check out one of their free events.

Governors Island. Photo by jonmeyer.

2. Fort Tryon Park
A Train to 190th Street

If the High Line is an urban playground, Fort Tryon Park at Manhattan’s northern tip is anything but. In fact, if it weren’t for views of the George Washington Bridge, you might even forget you were in New York City. Picture massive boulders, lush vegetation and one of the largest heather gardens on the East Coast. Oh, and then there’s that museum that looks like a French monastery…

3. Governors Island
Free ferry from Battery Maritime Building (10 South Street;adjacent to Staten Island Ferry)

This little island is a Cheapo happy place. The blissful feeling starts on the free ferry ride over and builds when you’re welcomed by historic buildings (including a castle), unbelievable views of the Statue of Liberty and, um, a “beach.”

4. Coney Island
D, Q, N or F Train to Stillwell Avenue

Once the playground of New York’s elite, then later an entertainment destination for the masses, today this boardwalk/beach at Brooklyn’s southern edge is trying to fight its way off the list of New York’s endangered treasures. We advise visiting Coney Island while you still can. Take in its beach, its historic, rickety (and exhilarating!) Cyclone and the amazing (and disturbing) Shoot the Freak carnival game.

Sunset Park. Photo by Lorianne DiSabato.

5. Conservatory Garden in Central Park
4 or 6 Train to 103rd Street (Enter at Fifth Avenue and 105th Street)

We know, we know! Central Park is a terribly obvious pick for New York’s best outdoor spaces, but the idyllic Conservatory Garden at its northeastern end is all too often overlooked. And its manicured hedges, fragrant flowerbeds and Secret Garden-esque fountains will not disappoint.

6. Sunset Park
N or R Train to 45th Street, Brooklyn

The neighborhood of Sunset Park, Brooklyn is a miniature United Nations built up around its namesake park, which offers views that rival those from the top of the Empire State Building. Only here you can also see said building—and the views are free. While you’re in the area, stop at Greenwood Cemetery, a Civil War battle site and final resting place of Boss Tweed, Samuel Morse and other New York elite.

7. Stargazing

Believe it or not, it’s possible to see stars from the city. And no, we’re not talking about the artificial kind. The Amateur Astronomy Association of New York hosts “observing sessions” at parks throughout the city. Try Inwood Hill Park at the northern tip of Manhattan, said to be the best place see stars since it has no streetlamps. The AAA takes groups there every Saturday. Bring comfortable shoes, a flashlight and your sense of wonder.

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Today Kari visited Retiro Park. Part of Madrid’s Jeronimos district, Retiro Park was originally part of Real Sitio del Buen Retiro, a palace complex for Felipe IV (1621–1665). In the 17th century, the park grounds provided a private playground for the royal family. By 1869, it was fully open to the public. Welcome to Retiro Park!

Entering from Calle de Alfonso II and el Cason del Buen Retiro.

View of el Cason del Buen Retiro

Yes, those are magnolias you see, imported from the southeastern United States. How exotic!

Inside los Jardines de Cecilo Rodriguez

Built in 1887 by architect Ricardo Velázquez Bosco, Palacio de Cristal was inspired by the structure of the same name, en ingles, in London. The glass and steel structure was originally designed to stage an exhibition of tropical plants during the Philipinne Islands Exhibition.

Che, pavito real! Peacocks are friendly inside los Jardines de Cecilo Rodriguez.

School children tracing tree bark along Paseo Parterre

Thanks for the photos, Kari. We look forward to hearing and seeing more from Madrid!

All photos by Kari Hoerchler

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The Parque Eduardo

Named after King Edward VII of Britain (following his 1903 visit to Portugal), the park boasts two greenhouses (“estufas”) filled with tropical plants. These beauties sit atop a hill on the park’s west side garden, also known as the “Estufa Fria.” While entrance to the greenhouses isn’t free, the view is. Feast your eyes on the city panorama, stretching out to the River Tagus! (If you don’t mind shelling out a little cash, the greenhouses only charges €1.20 for admission.)

The rest of the park is filled with neatly-trimmed hedges, winding paths, plentiful flowers, and a pretty lake. Some scattered statues and pillars celebrate Portugal’s 1974 Revolution, and a sports pavilion on the park’s eastern side hosts concerts, as well as Lisbon’s annual book fair.

Visiting the park

The Parque Eduardo VII is open daily from dawn till dusk. Take either the Marquês de Pombal or the Parque metro. We also have enjoyed walking to the park from downtown Lisbon, strolling up the tree-lined Avenida da Liberdade and taking in the town.

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