The people of Essen love the way their city links urban living with green recreational spaces. Gruga Park is one of Germany's largest and most delightful municipal parks. Baldeneysee Lake is popular with anglers, rowers and sailors. Every year, the German sailing elite meets here for Essen Week. The beer gardens around the lake and along the river Ruhr are popular meeting places.Gruga Park
Gruga Park is one of Germany's largest and most delightful municipal parks with a variety of attractions including botanical gardens, flower terraces, animal enclosures, tropical greenhouses, play areas, tennis courts, restaurants and a music pavilion.Nienhausen Park
Nienhausen Park is on the boundary between Essen and Gelsenkirchen. As well as outdoor sports facilities and playgrounds, the park also has a leisure centre for various indoor activities. There is also an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, and the "activarium" sauna and pool complex.Lake Baldeneysee
To the south of Essen is Lake Baldeneysee. It is surrounded by wooded hills where there are two bird sanctuaries, and on the south side is the now silent Pörtingsiepen colliery. Villa Hügel perches on the heights above the lake. A piece of beautiful countryside in the city, Baldeneysee is a popular recreation and leisure area, where a range of activities can be enjoyed.