If its lions, tigers, and bears you want, then visit the Wroclaw Zoo: it currently houses over 4000 animals representing almost 600 different species. That includes lions, and tigers, and bears. The Zoo opened in 1865, grew slowly over the next 40 years due to its remote location (at the time), and then in a burst of new century enthusiasm, expanded rapidly in the first decade of the 20th century.

But that growth spurt halted during both wars, and at the end of the second, the Zoo reopened yet again with only 150 animals. Having beautifully recovered since, today the Zoo offers you: a petting zoo, an African safari-like open range, bears, big cats, small mammals, elephants, birds, monkeys (the orangy orangutan picture courtesy of Wroclaw Zoological Garden Guide), deer, reptiles, and an aquarium. The Zoo not only takes care of these animals, but also runs a successful breeding program (over 100 species now breed in captivity here), research programs, and a number of activities intended to better acquaint the human animal with its cousins.