Discover Zarrentin am Schaalsee
Accommodation in Zarrentin am Schaalsee
Zarrentin am Schaalsee is located in the Schaalsee UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The PAHLHUUS, a protected calcareous fen, circular hiking trails and the former monastery offer different ways to discover the area’s natural environment and local history. You can tailor your stay around outdoor activities, culture or experiences on the water—and choose individual activities to suit your own pace of travel.
File:Klosterkirche in Zarrentin am Schaalsee.jpg
Photo: Der Prignitzer via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE
Discover nature at the PAHLHUUS
The PAHLHUUS at Wittenburger Chaussee 13 is the central information centre for the Schaalsee UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This modern, accessible building features an exhibition about the region’s unique natural environment, as well as additional tourist information. Bicycles can be hired during opening hours. The information centre therefore combines insights into nature with a place to find tourist information.
The approximately 1.2 km-long moorland nature trail begins directly behind the PAHLHUUS. This circular route passes through a protected calcareous fen and offers a distinctive way to explore the moorland. If you’re looking for another hiking option, the Kirchensee circular trail is an easy walk of about 3 km starting in Zarrentin. The route offers lovely views of Lake Schaalsee and Lake Kirchensee. The two trails therefore differ both in length and in the landscapes they offer.
Monastery history and circular hiking trails
Zarrentin Monastery is a former Cistercian nunnery called “Heaven’s Gate” on the southern shore of Lake Schaalsee. The monastery offers guided tours of the town of Zarrentin am Schaalsee and the former monastery throughout the year. During your stay, you can explore both the town and the monastery’s history.
The 8 km-long Monastery Route offers another perspective on the monastery’s history. This scenic circular hiking trail takes you past the remarkable flora and fauna of the Schaalsee Biosphere Reserve, as well as historic remains of the former 13th-century Cistercian nunnery. For your planning, this means that the Monastery Route combines experiences in nature with a specific historical connection, while the Kirchensee circular trail is described as an easy alternative of about 3 km.
The local history museum also adds to the picture of the town’s past. It was founded in 1988 and has been housed in the current monastery barn at Kirchplatz since 2000. The museum and the guided tours offer two different ways to explore Zarrentin’s history: a museum visit and a tour of the town and former monastery.
Lake Schaalsee and getting around locally
A boat tour on Lake Schaalsee passes islands and peninsulas, the Zarrentin promenade and the former inner-German border. It offers a different perspective on the region’s landscape and history than the hiking trails on land. Zarrentin outdoor swimming area is about 500 m from the PAHLHUUS. You’ll find it at Wittenburger Chaussee 98 in Zarrentin am Schaalsee.
The PAHLHUUS can be reached via the A 24, B 195 and L 04, as well as by buses operated by Verkehrsgesellschaft Ludwigslust-Parchim mbH. This travel information relates to the information centre. If you’re especially interested in the moorland or the information centre, you can make them the focus of your search for a holiday apartment. If history is more your interest, the monastery, guided tours and local history museum offer further reasons to include Zarrentin am Schaalsee in your travel plans.
Discover more places
More places to discover: Kogel, Gallin, Vellahn, Lüttow-Valluhn.
Back to the main travel overview: Amt Zarrentin.
