Brandenburg: Lakes, Waterways and Culture
Accommodation in Brandenburg
Brandenburg combines vast natural landscapes and abundant water with distinctive cultural destinations. Around 3,000 lakes and more than 30,000 kilometres of waterways shape the region. There are also plenty of ways to make your trip active on the water, by bike or on foot—and sights that range from historic sites to film production. Which side of Brandenburg you want to focus on can therefore also guide your choice of destination and holiday apartment.
potsdam
Photo: Hans Jürgen Lenk
Lakes, waterways and trails through nature
The 15 National Natural Landscapes cover a third of the region and together represent all of Brandenburg’s habitats and landscapes. For nature lovers, this offers a wide range of scenic settings, without requiring you to limit your stay to just one kind of outdoor activity. If you want to experience the water, you can canoe on rivers or sail on lakes. More than 250 boat-hire companies and suitable excursion routes make water-based outings possible throughout the region.
Brandenburg can also be explored on foot or by bike. Its well-developed cycling network is more than 7,000 kilometres long. Hiking options include the 66 Lakes Trail, Brandenburg’s best-known hiking trail. It is marked with a blue dot on a white background. When planning an active holiday, you can choose different focuses: longer rides by bike or a hike along a well-known, waymarked trail.
Palaces, museums and film history
Potsdam has a strong focus on architecture and parkland. The complex of palaces and parks encompasses 500 hectares of parkland and 150 buildings constructed between 1730 and 1916. Sanssouci Park is part of the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin World Heritage Site. Those interested in historic buildings and landscaped parks will find a different reason to visit here than on a trip focused mainly on water or outdoor activities.
Other cultural destinations in Potsdam offer their own highlights: the Barberini Museum is an international art museum with outstanding exhibitions. Babelsberg Film Park offers three live shows and more than 20 attractions, with a look behind the scenes of film production. In Brandenburg an der Havel, the Archaeological State Museum at St. Paul’s Monastery provides a representative overview of Brandenburg’s cultural history up to the recent past. Art, film and archaeology thus offer different ways to explore the region’s culture.
Shape your trip around your interests
Chorin Monastery also combines a distinctive location with a spiritual connection: it lies directly on the Brandenburg Way of St James, Szczecin–Berlin, along the Via Imperii. Concerts, guided tours, markets and spiritual events for all ages take place there throughout the year. If you want to include these experiences in your trip, you can consider Chorin as a focus in its own right alongside nature, water or cultural activities.
The Spreewald gherkin, a particularly renowned regional product, is also part of the area’s character. It adds a culinary dimension to the major landscape and cultural themes. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can first weigh up what you want your stay to centre on: water activities, days spent cycling and hiking, museums and historic sites, or a mix of interests. This way, your personal travel plans can guide your search for a suitable destination.
More destinations in Brandenburg
For further inspiration, explore these destinations within Brandenburg: Oberhavel, Oberspreewald-Lausitz, Oder-Spree, Ostprignitz-Ruppin, Potsdam-Mittelmark, Prignitz, Spree-Neiße, Teltow-Fläming, Uckermark, Cottbus, Frankfurt an der Oder, Brandenburg an der Havel, Frankfurt / Oder, Barnim, Dahme-Spreewald, Elbe-Elster, Havelland and Märkisch-Oderland.
For the broader travel overview: Germany.
