#liegewiese

What do Germans do in the summer? Some travel, some hike, some swim - and others simply lounge on a Liegewiese.

The German word Liegewiese has no English equivalent. It comes from liegen ("to lie down") and Wiese ("field"). Directly translated, Liegewiese means "lying-down-field". It defines a place that Germans like to go when they want to relax - a grassy field.

A Liegewiese is simply just a lawn - often next to a swimming area - where people go to sunbathe. It's essentially not more than a large patch of grass, but this grassy area is unique because it attracts sunbathers. If you visit an outdoor swimming pool in Germany, you'll probably notice a large area next to it where people lounge on their beach-towels in the grass. Some may have umbrellas and chairs; others lie on just a towel. Clearly Germans appreciate the simple pleasures of life; a Liegewiese has few features to it aside from mowed grass.