Green oases in the middle of the city have long been more than just recreational areas - they are also cultural hubs, historical testimonies and tourist highlights. The current City Park Ranking 2026 from "Fit Reisen" shows which parks in Europe are particularly popular.

The tour operator has published its latest city park ranking for 2026 and evaluated the ratings of around 2,500 green spaces in 70 major European cities. The analysis was based on more than 7.5 million Google reviews, which paint a comprehensive picture of the continent's most popular parks. At the top of the ranking is the Retiro Park in Madrid. It was also the winner last year. This traditional resort impresses with an average rating of 4.8 stars from almost 210,000 reviews, which is also the highest rating volume in the entire comparison.

Cities from Eastern Europe are particularly well represented this year. Major cities such as Belgrade, Poznan, Prague, Zagreb, Vilnius, Wroclaw, Krakow and Warsaw account for a total of eight of the top 14 places. One of the biggest climbers is the Valea Morilor Park in Chișinău, which improved from 80th place last year to tenth place and now also has 4.8 stars with over 16,000 reviews. Poznan also stands out: the Polish city has three parks in the top 20, including the Citadel Park in seventh place.

In a national comparison, Hamburg maintains its leading role. With 4.8 stars and more than 25,000 ratings, Planten un Blomen Park remains the best-placed park in Germany and ranks sixth in Europe.

Many of the top-rated facilities combine scenic quality with historical significance. Both the Retiro Park in Madrid and Schönbrunn Palace Park in Vienna, which is in second place, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Greenwich Park in London, the oldest of the British capital's royal parks, also ranks highly. In contrast, Stavros Niarchos Park in Athens, which opened in 2016, sets modern accents, while Kalemegdan Park in Belgrade scores points with its location next to a historic fortress.

The evaluation also shows clear regional differences in user perception: while large parks such as Retiro Park stand out with an exceptionally high number of ratings, smaller parks such as Bernardinų sodas in Vilnius achieve top scores with a comparatively low number of ratings.

Top 10 city parks in Europe (2026)

1. Retiro Park, Madrid (Spain)
   Originally built in the 17th century as a royal garden for Philip IV, the park was opened to the public in the 19th century and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. Schönbrunn Palace Park, Vienna (Austria)
   The baroque complex was built in the 18th century under Empress Maria Theresa as a magnificent summer residence for the Habsburgs.
3. Greenwich Park, London (United Kingdom)
   The Royal Observatory, from which world time was once coordinated and through which the famous prime meridian runs, is enthroned in the oldest of London's eight royal parks.
4. Stavros Niarchos Park, Athens (Greece)
   On warm evenings, concerts and open-air events transform the park into one of the liveliest places in the Greek capital.
5. Kalemegdan Park, Belgrade (Serbia)
   Hardly any other park in Europe combines so many layers of history, nature and city life in one place as Kalemegdan in Belgrade.
6. Planten un Blomen, Hamburg (Germany)
   The evening water light concerts, which take place on the park lake from May to September 2026, are particularly popular here.
7. Citadel Park, Poznan (Poland)
   The hill where Napoleon once gathered his troops is now home to blooming rose gardens, well-tended flowerbeds and wide green spaces.
8. 8th place: Maksimir Park, Zagreb (Croatia)
   With an area of 316 hectares, Maksimir Park is the largest and one of the oldest parks in southern Europe.
9. Bernardinų sodas, Vilnius (Lithuania)
   Nestled between the historic Gediminas Hill, the Vilnia River and the traditional St. Bernardine monastery, the park is a jewel in Vilnius' Old Town.
10. Valea Morilor Park, Chișinău (Moldova)
    The park, which was created in 1950, has a large artificial lake that is considered the center of the complex.