Did you miss my Date Day recaps? I sure did. But not having a date day in July, August and September didn’t give me much options for a recap. Those month were really busy and the husband needed all time at home to regroup after stressful weeks. So even date days were too much. In those months we did meet up with other couples but I personally don’t count them as dates. Anyways I put down dates in our calendar for upcoming date days as we all know what’s on the calendar is happening. And so last weekend we had our Date Day October.
This date was my to plan. I had a couple ideas and in the end decided it will be an outside date before winter comes. I really wanted to be in nature. And with the cool bloggers walking club going on I wanted to integrate that. So we went to an island.
Peacock Island – a short history
Peacock Island (Pfaueninsel) in the Havel River is a popular day trip destination. After a short ferry ride, an enchanted world opens up to visitors.
Originally, the 242-acre island was called Kaninchenwerder (Rabbit Island) because Frederick William I ran a rabbit farm on the island.
The gardening and architectural design Peacock Island began at the end of the 18th century under King Frederick William II and his mistress Wilhelmine Encke. They had the small summer palace and a dairy constructed in a picturesque building style resembling a monastery gone to ruin, based on English and French models, with references to an ancient Roman style as well.
Modeled on islands in the South Pacific discovered approximately 20 years before, exotic trees and plants gradually took root on this island – as did the colorful peacocks and menagerie completing the exoticism of Peacock Island. However, most of its animals were given to the zoological garden in Berlin in 1842, which led to the foundation of the current zoo.
Queen Luise and King Frederick Willhelm III had the island transformed into an aesthetically stylized ornamental mock farm, with farming practices intended to yield profits. Shortly afterwards, the garden artist Peter Joseph Lenné laid out one of his picturesque landscape parks here and the rose garden in 1821.
How to get to Peacock Island
As in most placed in Berlin you can get there by public transport. Take the S-Bahn to Wannsee and then switch to the bus to the stop “Pfaueninsel (Berlin)”.
Getting here by car you park at a public parking area and then walk to the water front for about 10 min downhill.
Another option would be to us a bike as the area is really great for biking.
Once you get to the water front you buy your ticket on the ticket machine or through this online website. The ferry price of 6€ per adult is also the entry fee for the island.
We headed out a little after 3pm and it took us about 45 min to get there from where we live. I had planned for a car breakfast (yes we are late eaters with no kids) but we had a bit time at home so the cinnamon rolls were eaten here and a coffee grabbed for the way.
What We Did on Peacock Island
Well first and foremost you stroll around the park like the royals. But before that we checked the map of course. And encountered the first peacock.
I already included the way we walked here.
Then we went to the bathroom before starting to walk clockwise around the island.
I had researched that a round trip will take about 50- 90 minutes. Which was well timed because the last very ferry ride back to the mainland was at 6pm so we only had 2 hours for the whole island. I was of course anxious that we will not see everything and have to speed through and was a bit hectic in the beginning.
The vistas were great and we could have easily spend many minutes just taking it all in.
Here you see the ferry station on the mainland. It is a really short ride. Like really short.
The above mentioned rose garden was already closed but since nothing was blooming we didn’t miss much. Then we came across this water fountain. It was such a great place. I can see myself reading there in the summer heat, the water cooling down the area, the white noise of the water killing all your thoughts.
We meandered further along and reached the Volière where a range of poultry was being held. The peacocks sitting on top and chilling in the sun. And flying off to get to their feeding place.
Unfortunately we missed the peacock corral. We strolled along the island and had a glimpse of the castle from a far.
After we encountered the “Jagdschirm”. The hunting blind. A “little” two story hut completely covered in tree bark. Apparently it was built so it could be moved. The first ever tine house?
We crossed the little bridge and were greeted with the view of this majestic tree. Isn’t that a great one?
We could see the water buffalos from afar towards our walk to the dairy. The castle and the dairy are currently under construction and closed. But we didn’t have time anyway.
The path run past the edge of the island so we saw a bit of water. And we saw the Kavalierhaus (cavalier house) from a far. We didn’t have time to get closer but I think it was the best spot to see it anyway.
Towards the end of our stroll we ended up at the signature castle of peacock island.
It is a fake and a mockup and mainly looks impressive from afar. I am wondering if you could go up to the little walkway once it is re-opened. That would be a great view.
Sun was already setting and it was just beautiful.
Eventually we were back at the ferry station 30 min early but did a little detour and encountered three peacocks. Unfortunately none of them showed off their feathers.
A little to six we took the ferry back and the plan was to go to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
Finding a dinner place
But that was not as easy as imaged. I knew one place was closing at 6pm but we stopped by anyway because who knows. It was closed. The next one with a wonderful view was open until 7.30 but a bit more fancy. When we got there (after checking google and the website) they told us (at 6.15pm) that they had already closed the kitchen. Sorry what? Sigh… I was getting hungry.
A lot of other places in the area were also closed or not what we were looking for. I just didn’t feel like a burger drive in. I had an inkling when planning that this might happen – ever since Covid all the restaurants are having such weird opening hours and are so unreliable – and had a back up closer to home. There was one other place we wanted to try that was listed at being open until 10pm. When we got there at a little to 7pm it was all board up and locked. Seriously?
So in the end we went to the pizza place. And while I am not a fan of pizza this was the best choice today. The restaurant was really cute, easy and stylishly decorated. The pizza was amazing.
And they served it with scissors! I have never seen that and it was fun to cut up your pizza that way. Also they served very tasty homemade lemonade.
We took our time having dinner, talked a bit and discussed our next anniversary trip.
We splurged and each gotten a tiramisu as dessert which as way too much. We loved the place and will go again.
We were back home by 9pm. The husband headed to the living room for some xbox and tv time while I went to my room to read and to bed rather soon.
Another date night and I loved it. So did the husband. He said we should go back to peacock island.
What has your last date night been? Ever seen a peacock in real life? Maybe eaten one? What do you think about spending a stroll on peacock island? What should we do next for date night in November?
10 comments
It sounds like a very lovely date with your hubby. I find it odd that some of the restaurants in Berlin aren’t open later than 7. I feel that they were open until much later when I was there, but then again that was well over 20 years ago.
I remember Peacock Island being a popular field trip place for American school children. I went there one time with my daughter for her field trip. Unfortunately, I don’t remember much about the trip (it was probably around 35 years ago or so). But I do have a couple of pictures of my daughter eating a snack on one of the little benches, another of the white castle, and even a peacock in full display.
Oh what a lovely memory. It’s a great day trip idea. My mom went there with her team too.
I am very surprised about the restaurant situation too. I mean ever since Covid lots of personal needed to find new jobs and they didn’t return after the pandemic so lots of restaurants have long breaks between lunch and dinner but not being open after 6 PM on Saturday is really strange.
What a beautiful island. Like you, I think that fountain would be perfect in warm weather.
My husband and I do weekly evenings at home that we call “Date Nights.” He cooks supper and we go downstairs and watch something (usually a documentary) together. We have fed the kids earlier. I LOVE it and look forward to this every week. We tend to do it on Friday AND Saturday nights now. We started before the pandemic and it stuck and is one of my all-time favourite things we’ve done in our marriage. Three cheers for date nights.
We cut our pizza with scissors (I don’t own a pizza cutter). That’s how my mom cut pizza and so I’ve carried on the tradition. It works SO well!
Really? I’ve never heard of anyone cutting pizza with scissors. Spaghetti yes but no pizza.
Well, if you count watching something together we do have a lot of date nights. But I wanted more. It’s hard to talk when watching something. And I am working from home all day everyday so I feel I miss out. But so happy your date nights are bringing you so much joy.
That island looks lovely, like a great place to get and spend a day. I hope you get to spend more time there sometime, but your date looks like a beautiful day, with stunning views.
When we were in Paris in 2022, we stayed in a town just outside of the city limits. We had a similar experience, we would walk to a restaurant that said open online and on their website, and it would be closed. I think maybe the safest bet would be to phone and see if they’re open. The pizza looks delicious though. I’m’ glad that you mentioned that this was your first time eating it with scissors, my first thought was, “Oh, do they eat pizza with scissors in Germany?”
I have seen peacocks showing off their tails several times, they are so beautiful . Did you hear any of their birdcalls? It’s kind of eerie.
Haha no it’s not common to eat pizza with this scissors here. The husband said it feels like someone told them to have a instagramable moment.
I guess I could have called but it was more or less on our way so stopping wasn’t much of a problem only that I started to get hungry.
Unfortunately we didn’t hear the bird calls either.
So pretty!!! What a delightful date night.
It was a really fun way to get back to it and the fall colors were gorgeous.
What a beautiful place for a walk! The white castle is so pretty, even if it’s just from afar. It does seem strange that the restaurants were closed. The pizza looks good, and cutting it with scissors is actually a great idea! Maybe I’ll try it next time I have pizza. My husband and I will do things if something interests us, but we don’t tend to seek out date ideas. It sounds like your date day was a lot of fun!
It is a wonderful place to stroll and spend time.
Let me know how your pizza cutting goes. I have never tried at home but I am no fan of the pizza rollers specially the cleaning of it.
It is the first year we are intentionally doing date days. I like it a lot. The husband sometimes thinks it is so much effort to plan. But I would be fine with just walking mourned the house…