Oberspreewald-Lausitz: Lake District, Cycling Routes and Historic Old Town

Water landscapes in regional contrast

In the south of the district, the flooding of former open-cast mines is creating a water landscape with more than 20 artificial lakes: the Lusatian Lake District. The Spreewald, a river floodplain landscape with numerous waterways, meadows and ancient mixed forests, is also part of the wider region. Since 1991, the Spreewald has been protected by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve. This gives trip planning a choice of distinct landscapes: the waterways and floodplains of the Spreewald on one hand, and the lake district in the south of the district, shaped by former open-cast mines, on the other. If you are considering which surroundings interest you most, you can use these differences as a guide when making your choice.

Hiking and cycling as different ways to travel

The district has hiking routes between 4 and 32 km long. This range offers a practical reference point for planning your day. If you are travelling with children, you can use the route length as a shared planning point and discuss how long you would like your day’s hike to be. This lets you start your selection with a tangible criterion.

Cycling distances are different: the district has cycling routes from 40 km in length, including individual or guided multi-day tours with good places to stop and eat. More than 580 km of signposted cycling routes connect the regions between the Spreewald and the Kmehlener Berge; at a regional level, they link southern Brandenburg with Saxony and northern Brandenburg. This puts individual longer tours and an extensive cycling network side by side as different scales for planning. When looking for a holiday apartment, first consider whether you would prefer to focus on individual hikes or a cycling trip lasting several days.

Two longer cycling tours in the wider region offer different thematic focuses. A 50 km tour passes along a lake landscape, castles, manor houses, and historic parks and gardens. A 53 km cycling tour explores the history of the Spreewald region. Comparing the two helps with choosing a theme in advance: the first tour focuses on the lake landscape and historic estates, while the second explores the history of the Spreewald region. This way, you can consider not only the distance but also what interests you most on a cycling tour.

Historic townscape and choosing where to stay

In Lübbenau/Spreewald, the historic old town includes a classicist palace ensemble. This adds an architectural theme to your trip planning alongside landscapes and outdoor activities. If you would like to include historic townscapes in your selection, this ensemble is a distinctive cultural highlight in the district.

When choosing a holiday apartment, it can help to first decide what you would like to focus on during your holiday: hiking within the stated route lengths, multi-day cycling, the emerging lake district or a historic townscape. You can then check which places fit your specific route plans.

More places in the district

Discover more places in the district: Luckaitztal, Senftenberg, Schwarzheide, Lübbenau/Spreewald, Schwarzbach, Gosda, Vetschau/Spreewald, Laasow, Raddusch, Lauchhammer, Großräschen, Hohenbocka, Altdöbern, Calau, Schipkau, Hermsdorf, Großkmehlen, Kroppen, Ruhland.

For the broader travel overview: Brandenburg.