spreewald day trip from berlin

Spreewald Day Trip From Berlin: How to Visit Lübbenau (Updated 2024)

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Ali Garland, Berlin expert & long term resident What to Do

If you’re looking for a day trip from Berlin that will take you into nature, look no further than Spreewald. Spreewald is the forest region south of Berlin, and it’s a great place to go to see a different side of Germany. The most popular town to visit is Lübbenau, and it makes for the perfect Spreewald day trip from Berlin .

This is a place for relaxing, enjoying outdoor activities, and taking a break from the city. In this article you’ll find lots of practical tips for how to get from Berlin to Spreewald and what to do in Spreewald in a day .

What you'll find here

Why should you take a Lübbenau Spreewald day trip?

Germany is many things, and you won’t get the full picture by only visiting Berlin. Germans love nature and the outdoors, and the forested area of Spreewald is perfect for experiencing a bit of nature.

The Spreewald was declared a biosphere reserve in 1990 and was given UNESCO status in 1991. This means there is great effort to protect and preserve the area, from the landscape to the animals that live there and even the culture of the Spreewald.

You’ll find lots of outdoor activities here, such as renting a kayak or canoe. You can also take a tour on a local punt boat to explore the river and forest. Boating on this section of the Spree is a lot different from a Spree River boat tour in central Berlin!

Lübbenau is also a great place for some local German traditions, such a pickles. This is an area famously known for producing pickles, and you will find them everywhere here.

This town also has a cute old town section with pedestrian-friendly areas, a picturesque church, a few interesting museums, and even a castle. There’s plenty of things to do in Spreewald in one day.

And if you’re interested in spending a little more time in the Spreewald, you could also turn it into a weekend trip .

Hotels in Spreewald

At roughly one hour from Berlin, it’s easy to visit the Spreewald as a day trip.

But if you want to take things a little slower and stay overnight, that’s a great option too. There are quite a few hotels and guesthouses in Lübbenau’s old town that give you easy access to restaurants and activities.

Just keep in mind that, despite the abundance of hotels, this is more of a day trip town. Most of the organized tourist activities don’t start earlier than 9am, and most of the restaurants close by about 9pm.

By late afternoon/early evening, the town starts to feel a bit dead. But this also means you get a little extra quiet once everyone leaves at the end of the day.

Where to stay in Spreewald Lübbenau

Here are some hotels in Spreewald Lübbenau we recommend checking out. For a quirky budget option, why not stay in a giant barrel at Hotel Mini Übernachten im Gurkenfass? Or for a splurge, stay in a castle at Hotel Schloss Lübbenau.

How to get from Berlin to Spreewald by train

Getting around in Germany is pretty simple using Deutsche Bahn , and getting from Berlin to the Spreewald is no exception.

Lübbenau is about 100km (62 miles) from the center of Berlin. To get to Spreewald by train, it only takes a little over an hour. Plus there are several stations where you can catch the train and get all the way to Lübbenau without having to switch, which makes it a super easy day trip.

Currently you can take the RE2 or the RE7 to get to Spreewald, and both start at Berlin Hbf. Both trains take about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, and both trains run once an hour. The train also stops at Friedrichstrasse, Alexanderplatz, and Ostbahnhof, so those are other good options to start your journey.

Depending on where you’re staying in Berlin , you will need to take one of several Sbahn or Ubahn lines to one of the stations I listed above before leaving the city on the RE2 or RE7.

Be aware that there is another town called Lübben. The train stops here just before arriving in Lübbenau, so don’t get out there.

It’s another good option for seeing the Spreewald, but this guide will be more focused on things to do in Lübbenau.

>>Check prices and train schedules on the Deutsche Bahn website .

Which train ticket do you need?

As I update this, the ticket costs 14.10 euros one way per person with a point-to-point ticket. Kids aged 6 through 14 can get a reduced ticket for 10.60, and kids under age 6 travel for free.

Another option is the Berlin-Brandenburg ticket . The ticket costs 33 euros, and it allows for a group of up to five adults and three children aged 6 to 14 to travel on one ticket. You can travel on this ticket back and forth in the same day.

However, it can only be used starting at 9am on weekdays! So this option only works if you’re getting a later start to your day trip, or if you’re going on a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday.

If you want to leave Berlin earlier than 9am, and you probably should if you want to spend the whole day in Spreewald, you should get the point-to-point tickets.

Read more about how to use the Brandenburg-Berlin day ticket to save money on regional trains in Germany .

How to get from Berlin to Spreewald by bus

Update: FlixBus no longer shows Lübbenau on its destination map. Since routes come and go, it’s worth checking their site, but the bus is currently not an option to get to the Spreewald.

As cheap as those train tickets are to get to the Spreewald from Berlin, if you’re traveling on a budget, the bus can be even cheaper.

FlixBus is a comfortable and affordable option if you’re looking to save a few euros. The bus stops in front of the Lübbenau train station, so it’s just as convenient as the train.

In Berlin, the buses leave from the central bus station (ZOB) and in front of the Südkreuz Sbahn station. Chances are Südkreuz is closer to where you’re staying and will be an easier option. From Südkreuz, the bus takes about 1 hour 20 minutes, so it’s not too much longer than the train.

The timing is pretty convenient for a day trip to the Spreewald since the buses leave Berlin in the morning and come back in the evening. You’ll have plenty of time to explore Lübbenau and the Spreewald plus have lunch and dinner there.

When planning your day trip, be sure to compare FlixBus with Deutsche Bahn to see which works best for you.

How to get from the Lübbenau train station to the old town

Luckily it’s very easy to get from the Lübbenau train station into the old town on foot. When you exit the train station, cross the street and look for Poststr. This street pretty much goes straight out from the station.

It’s about 1km (0.6 mile) from the train station to the Lübbenau tourism office, which is in the center of the old town.

It should take you 10 to 15 minutes to walk this distance, and it’s all along one road until you reach a big square where Poststrasse dead ends. Most of what you want is towards the right from here.

>>Looking for a charming city that’s a little bigger than Lübbenau? Consider taking a day trip from Berlin to Cottbus .

What to do in Spreewald

Lübbenau is the perfect town in Spreewald to relax and get back in touch with nature after spending a few days in Berlin . There are plenty of things to do in Spreewald on a day trip from Berlin.

Here’s what to do in Spreewald so you can choose which activities interest you.

Join our Facebook group!

Have questions about planning your trip to Berlin?

Join the Facebook group here to chat with Ali (she runs this site) and other people who have been to Berlin for tips.

Take a punt boat tour

Punt boats are a popular way to see Lübbenau and the Spreewald. These are flat bottomed boats with benches set up for you to sit on. The guide leads the boat along the waterways through the forest to show you the area.

There’s a two hour option where you stay on the boat the whole time, or a three hour option where you can get out at a small village called Lehde. You can take an even longer tour, but I suggest one of the shorter options to give you time for other activities.

Rent a boat

Not interested in a guided tour? You can rent a kayak or canoe and paddle around on your own. Make sure you have some decent arm strength to do this option, and hang on to your map so you don’t get lost.

This option gives you a little more freedom to explore at your own pace.

>>Read: 101 Fun and Essential Things to do in Berlin

This is a fairly flat region of Germany, so it’s not so hard to go cycling during a Spreewald day trip. If you have your own bike, great!

But if not, don’t fear. There are several places around town, including right at the train station, where you can rent a bike for the day. Grab a map, and make sure you know what time the bike has to be back at the shop.

Eat a lot of pickles

The Spreewald is famous for its pickles. You’ll see pickles on menus and at gift shops in all forms. Pickle key chains and other trinkets. Even pickle beer.

There’s a little section of town called Gherkin Mile, which is admittedly an exaggeration since it’s only about 4 to 8 stalls.

But you can try different varieties from different stalls (usually for free, though one did charge me 50 cents for a few chunks) and the buy your favorites to take home. I personally enjoyed the chili pickles, sweet chili pickles, and garlic pickles. But there are tons more!

You can even take a cycling pickle tour offered by the Lübbenau Spreewald tourism office. It’s an all day tour that shows you around the region and teaches you about the history and production of pickles in the Spreewald.

Take a hike

This is the forest, after all. Check with the tourism office for suggested routes and maps, but there are hiking trails to the village of Lehde and other parts of the forest.

We even saw a sign pointing towards a 3.5km (about 2.2 miles) trail to a guest house where you can get a good German beer before hiking back.

Visit a museum

Lübbenau and the nearby areas have a few museums if you want to learn more about the area. The Spreewald Museum is on the edge of the Lübbenau old town, and here you can learn about the local history of the town and the Spreewald.

If you make it to Lehde, the village on the punt boat tour, check out the Freilandmuseum Lehde, and open air museum about what life was like in the area during the 19th century.

You can also stop by the Gherkin Museum in the hotel complex Starick if you haven’t gotten enough about pickles.

See the Lübbenau Castle

Schloss Lübbenau sits on the edge of the old town with the forest as a backdrop. The castle is now a hotel, but they have a restaurant so you could take a break for lunch or a snack.

The palace is a really pretty building, so be sure to snap some photos.

Wander the old town

Lübbenau has a cute old town, and it’s worth taking a stroll through to soak up the atmosphere. St Nikolai Church sits in the center near some cafes. Nearby is the quirky Sagenhafter Fountain.

Keep walking and you’ll cross a few small bridges over different branches of the Spree River. Colorful shops line the streets. And there are a couple of small harbors where you can rent a boat or hop on a boat tour.

Book a tour for your trip to Berlin

• Third Reich Berlin Walking Tour – Hitler and WWII
• Berlin TV Tower Skip-the-Line Ticket
• Discover Berlin Half-Day Walking Tour

Berlin Travel Resources

I want you to have the best trip to Berlin, and hopefully this information for how to take a Berlin to Spreewald day trip is helpful. But there are lots more tips on the site!

• 101 Best Things to do in Berlin
• 23 Impressive Castles in Berlin (And Nearby)
• 27 Best World War II & Cold War Sights in Berlin
• 29 Fun Day Trips From Berlin
• 75 Things to Know Before Visiting Berlin: Essential Berlin Travel Tips
• What to Wear & What to Pack for Berlin, Germany: Your Ultimate Berlin Packing List
• How to Get Around in Berlin: An Easy Guide to Berlin Public Transportation

Check out my favorite travel planning sites and resources

These are the sites I like for travel planning, plus items I like to travel with.

Planning Booking.com : Find a Berlin hotel here.

Rick Steves and Lonely Planet : My favorite guidebook resources.

Tours, Activities, Tickets Viator : Great site for finding tours and other activities.

GetYourGuide : Another good option for tours and activities.

Transport Welcome Pickups : No stress option for airport pickups.

Discover Cars : Find a rental car for Germany road trips.

Deutsche Bahn and FlixBus : Best options for getting around Germany.

Packing Orange SIM & eSIM : Great option for SIM & eSIM cards for German & EU.

Collapsible water bottle , plug adapter , and stuff bag : Small things that will make your trip a little easier.

Packing Orange SIM & eSIM : Great option for SIM & eSIM cards for Germany & EU.

Book a local photographer Flytographer : Hire an amazing local photographer anywhere in the world. Use code BERLINTRAVEL to get $25 off your first photo shoot.

Related Posts

What to do in Berlin on Monday: 25+ Museums & More

What to do in Berlin on Sunday: 15+ Ideas

Best Berlin Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours

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BEST Spreewald Day Trip From Berlin (+ How To Get There)

Spreewald is the perfect nature getaway and makes a wonderful day trip from Berlin.

If you are looking to experience a different side of Germany on your Berlin holiday, then this is the destination for you!

You can jump on a train direct from Berlin and take a day trip to Lubbeanau and explore beautiful Spreewald. It’s a wonderful day out and worth adding Spreewald into your Berlin itinerary.

Spreewald From Berlin

Where is spreewald.

Spreewald is situated in the state of Brandenburg, a place called Lubbenau.

You can escape the busy city of Berlin for a day trip and immerse yourself in Germany’s beautiful nature and wildlife in Spreewald’s natural environment .

jump on a train and take a day trip from Berlin city to Lubbeanau and explore Spreewald

In 1991, Spreewald was named a UNESCO biosphere reserve, over 400 km of natural and man-made waterways.

Since then the plants and wildlife have grown and it’s become an idyllic place to visit by both local and foreign tourists from Berlin as a day trip and further afield.

Not only do you get to enjoy the natural beauty and calm of the Spreewald area but you can  experience some great German traditions.

From the trying the famous Spreewald pickles (they are delicious) to the local boat postal service that delivers mail to the islands in Lubbenau. How cool would that be to get your post delivered by boat!

Read about my Spreewald day trip from Berlin to Lubbenau, including the best things to see and do,  top tips + how to get to Spreewald from Berlin.

Ask me any more questions about the day trip in the comments below.

Day Trip from Berlin to Spreewald Lubbenau 

How to get there?

Arriving at Lubbenau Station

Best Things to do in Spreewald

Spreewald Local Market

Punting trip

Ledhe Village

Canoeing adventure

Wildlife spotting in Spreewald

Try Spreewald Pickles + Beer

How to get to Spreewald from Berlin (Lubbenau)?

The easiest way to visit Spreewald for a day trip from Berlin is via public transport is the catch the train.

The RE2 takes you from Berlin-Lichtenberg station to Lubbenau/Spreewald stop in about 52 minutes . There is also another stop called Lubben (one stop before Lubbenau so don’t confuse the two!)

Berlin-Lichtenberg is east of the city centre depending on where you are staying it might be easier to travel to Königs Wusterhausen  (you can see where it is on the map below) if you are staying west or south of the centre.

The train to Spreewald takes 30 minutes and leaves from 7.11 am (then every hour).

I stayed south of Berlin city centre at Huttenpalast caravan hotel , it was easier to catch a train S-Bahn to Königs Wusterhausen.

I used my  Berlin Welcome Card which includes travel within zones A, B and C so I didn’t need to buy a ticket for that part of the journey.

My return ticket from Königs Wusterhausen (outside Berlin city centre) to Lubbenau/Spreewald cost 17 EUR*.

How to book your Spreewald tickets?

You can book your day tickets online here  but I found it easier buying straight from the ticket office when I arrived at the station. Königs Wusterhausen is a small station but Berlin’s main station is much busier.

Arriving in Spreewald at Lubbenau Station

Distance to Spreewald: 1 km walk

Once off the train, follow the welcome sign and  multicoloured walls out of the station. You start feeling the love for Lubbenau. 

Cross the road (there’s a Netto/Vodafone shop on the corner) and follow Poststraße for about 10-12 minutes. Down this street, you’ll walk past a green open space with gorgeous wood carvings on each side of the road .

you already start feeling the love for Lubbenau

At the end of the road turn right into Ehm-Welk-Straße. You’re now in the main square of Spreewald with a beautiful church, a few cafes and the famous Spreewald metal statues which make for a perfect selfie!

Lubbenau is a beautiful small town in Europe that you might not have thought about visiting before!

To reach the river Spree you simply turn right after the church onto Dammstraße, you’ll see lots of cute little shops and the main marina area is on your left near the main market area (and all the Spreewald pickle stalls!)

On a day trip from Berlin it’s hard to fit all the best things to see and do in Spreewald but here are my recommendations on how you can spend your visit.

From relaxing on a punting trip to exploring the local shops in Lubbenau, there’s plenty of things to do on your day trip from Berlin. Plan your visit now and don’t miss out on the top attractions.

Visit Spreewald Market + Local Shops

Start your trip by visiting the local Spreewald market and shops in the village. From different local food and drinks to traditional German gifts you can buy as souvenirs on your holiday there are lots to see.

These are close to where the punting tours go from the centre of the village.

Go Punting in Spreewald (a perfect day trip activity)

There are a few different options for punting tour on your day trip . The one you book will depend on your budget and how long you have to spend in Lubbenau, Spreewald. Here are the choices:

• 2-hour punting trip
• 3-hour punting trip (with 1-hour stop at Lehde village)
• 8-hour full-day option

I went for the 3-hour punting tour, a leisurely trip to the village Lehde, an hour stop off and then return journey. 

All the punting boats have little benches with tables. Plus I spotted a few umbrellas so don’t let a bad weather day stop you from exploring!

Climbing aboard is a delicate operation, it’s a little wobbly but take your time and you’ll stay dry. Passengers are strategically placed to ensure even weight distribution.

I ended up sitting in the middle seat between a German couple with their son and daughter-in-law opposite on a day trip to Spreewald.

Sharing my boat with local German tourists was wonderful, they were so friendly and even chatted in English with me. I confess my German is not great so it was very kind of them to make me feel so welcome.

English tour guides are available; however, as I was travelling solo I was happy to jump aboard with the German guide.

Top Spreewald punting tip

• The punting tours stop off on the route at little stalls along the waterside.
• You can buy traditional local pickles and wait for it, pickle beer! I promise it tastes amazing on a hot day.
• Be sure to take some Euros with you as they don’t accept card payments.

Visit Lehde Village in Spreewald

If you have the chance to visit Lehde village in Spreewald on your punting trip then you are in for a treat.

The small village has restaurants or you can simply have a refreshing drink right on the waterfront. You can sit back, enjoy the sunshine, watching the skilled stand-up paddleboarders , canoeists gliding past you or even the local ducks!

My favourite place was the open-air museum at Lehde .

They have wonderfully captured the detail of traditional German village life, including the Sorbs, who have their own Sorbian language and it was so interesting to learn about. There is information in both German and English, plus you might spot a few of the staff dressed in traditional outfits. 

Top tip for the Punting Trip

• If you are on a punting tour, check where your boat leaves from .
• You might need to retrace your steps and go back out the entrance of the museum (I don’t want you stranded!)

Try a Spreewald Canoeing Adventure

After my punting trip and some food from one of the many Lubbenau restaurants. I decided that I was ready to explore the waterways of Spreewald on my own.

My train was at 6.30 pm so I had two options to spend my time. 1. Hire a bike for a few hours, or 2. Head back on the water in a canoe.  I opted for the canoe.

Arriving at canoe rental place I asked if they had any canoes for me, at first he showed me a super sporty slimline canoe, great for getting up some good speed. Then when I said I was a total beginner he pointed me toward this larger (and more sturdy model) .

Perfect for beginners and meant both my camera and I would stay dry!

I was given a laminated, hand-drawn map (the official one was on the other side but the hand-drawn one was much easier to follow). I only had a couple of hours so the tour company gave me a route that would take about an hour and a half.

Steering the large canoe took me a minute to work out what I was doing but then I was on my way.

Hiring a canoe later in the day means the waterways were quieter than the morning. I had also been recommended less-popular routes to paddle down away from the punting boats.

Top tip for your Kayaking trip

• Take a dry bag with you to keep your camera and phone dry from the paddle splash water!
• These can be hired if you don’t have your own

Wildlife Spotting in Spreewald

Spreewald Biosphere Reserve is a haven for wildlife and nature.

The area is famous for kingfishers, although I didn’t spot any on my trip. I saw lots of snakes, both in the water and on land, they were really cool to see both basking in the sun and gliding through the water.

I saw lots of snakes, both in the water and on land

My favourite wildlife encounter of the day trip was seeing my very first beaver. I was enjoying the peace and quiet in my canoe, then I spotted two floating logs, or were they!

I adjusted my eyes and wondered if they were otters but then I realised they were two beavers.

Of course, I had to stop paddling to take a quick photo, although my canoe kept gliding in the water and seemed to be heading straight for them. A speedy reaction and the crisis was averted, phew!

Try the Local Favourites – Spreewald Pickles!

One thing that I had been told to try on my Spreewald trip was the famous Spreewald pickles. If you go on a punting trip then you can have a chance to try them if you stop on the journey.

They might offer you a Spreewald Pickle Beer to go with it. The pickles and pickle beer was delicious, worth trying some on your trip!

If you don’t get a chance to try them on your punting trip then look out for the pickle stalls at the local market. I promise you won’t ever see that many in one place!

My day trip to Lubbenau/Spreewald from Berlin was recommended to me by  Susanna at Wandering Chocobo  (including the Spreewald pickle beer!) I liked it so much that now I’d love to recommend it to more people visit.

I hope you like my tips, especially the Spreewald pickle beer!  Let me know if you try it too.

More Things to do in Spreewald

On a day trip from Berlin, I didn’t have time to do everything in Lubbenau.

Here are some more suggestions for things to do on your visit to Spreewald.

• Explore the historic town centre of Spreewald – you walk through here on the way to the punting trip
• Visit the Spreewald Museum – Check whether this is available in English, the website is all in German
• Go on one of the many nature trails in the area .
• Hire a bike and explore more of Spreewald
• Feeling brave? Why not try stand-up paddleboarding on the River Spree

More things to do in Berlin

• 2 or 3-day itinerary in Berlin
• Top cool and unusual things to do in Berlin
• Top 5 quicky places to stay in Berlin

Are you planning a day trip to Lubbenau Spreewald from Berlin?

Let me know if you have any questions about Spreewald or more things to do on your Berlin holiday in the comments below.

Save to your Berlin Trip Pinterest board

*Prices correct at time of writing

**My day trip from Berlin to Spreewald in Lubbenau was arranged by Tourism Brandenburg. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Becky the Traveller participates in the Amazon Services Associates Programme, as well as other affiliate programmes. If you make a purchase through these, I earn from the qualifying links. This is at no extra cost to you. Read more here .

Becky the Traveller

10 thoughts on “ best spreewald day trip from berlin (+ how to get there) ”.

This looks lovely Becky. My husband has done a lot of work in Germany and has promised to show me around some day… might have to put Spreewald on the request list! Thanks for sharing!

Ah thanks, Cheryl, that great to know. I loved Spreewald, it was so peaceful and for someone who loves nature, it was a great contrast to Berlin. Have a wonderful time 🙂

Hi Becky! Do you know if our dog can stay with us during the punting tour? We want to go there in a few weeks. Thank you for all the details. Best regards.

Ah, that’s wonderful, I’m not too sure but I know a lady I can check with so will drop her an email 🙂 I would say as long as the dog is happy sitting relatively still then it would be ok, it needs to be stable so if he or she is jumping around then that might not be allowed!! 🙂

Hey, amazingly detailed blog. I really want to know if I can travel with a 11 month old baby, is the boat safe? Is it advisable to travel to spreewald from Berlin with a baby?

Thank you Lata, apologies for the delay I was on a 2-month hike, without my laptop! I’m sorry I wouldn’t like to say, it felt safe to me and I’m not aware of any incidents but I also don’t have children myself so it’s a little difficult to answer.

Hi Becky! I’m in the UK and I’m visiting Berlin later this month. I’d love to take a day trip to Spreewald (and go punting in particular) – can I ask how you booked your trip? I’m having a bit of trouble navigating the Tourism Brandenburg website – it’s giving me lots of options for overnight trips (which I don’t want) or punt trips (which directs me to external websites in German!)

Hi, I caught the train and booked it when I arrived, so nothing was booked in advance. I hope you enjoy your trip 🙂

Hi Becky, thank you for the detailed blog! Would you say the place felt safe for a female solo traveler? I also don’t know German like you mentioned. Thanks!

Hi Saps, ah yes, I felt very comfortable, it’s a very small place. Hope you have a lovely time. 🙂

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Spreewald Day Trip Guide — The Perfect Nature Escape 1 Hour Away From Berlin

An hour away from Berlin lies a sleepy town characterised by meadows and waterways that’s a quiet escape from the city — Lübbenau in Spreewald.

Comedy trio The Lonely Island made people sing about being on a boat with their song “I’m on a Boat”, but sorry, the OG people of Lübbenau in Southern Brandenburg have been doing it for centuries.

To solve agricultural challenges due to these natural wetlands, farmers since the sixth century dug these shallow canals to the Spree river, giving rise to their main mode of transportation — by punts, a flat-bottomed boat.

Today, the UNESCO Spreewald Biosphere Reserve is filled with such tranquil lakes and unspoilt forests that are charismatic, quiet and calming.

Urban dwellers seeking some respite from the city must pay a visit to Spreewald!

Also read: Budget Berlin Guide — <S$1,500 incl. round trip flights from Singapore

Getting from Berlin to Spreewald

From Berlin, you have to purchase the  Brandenburg-Berlin Ticket  that costs €29 (~$47) for up to 5 travellers. We recommend purchasing it online, as the ticketing machines can be confusing. Note that the elderly may not be proficient in English if you need to ask for help.

If you’re travelling solo, a similar day ticket costs €23.40 (~S$37.80).

From Berlin Central Station, take the RE2 train that leaves hourly towards Cottbus and alight at Lübbenau (Spreewald) station; the ride is about an hour long. Don’t confuse the stop with Lübben, which comes before it.

Things to do in Spreewald

1) explore the historic town centre.

Easily identified by the St. Nicholas Church (Sankt-Nikolai-Kirche), check in at the Tourist Information Centre nearby to grab a map and some informational brochures. You can also purchase interesting souvenirs like their famous gherkins in a can, or liquor made from it.

In the area, you can walk around and visit many small shops and cafes, with the famous Lübbenau Castle (now converted into a hotel) about 600m away.

Tourist Information Centre Opening Hours: 10AM – 4PM (Closed on weekends) Address:  Spreewald-Touristinformation, Lübbenau e. V., Ehm-Welk-Strasse 15, 03222 Lübbenau/ Spreewald How to get there: 1km walk from Lübbenau (Spreewald) Station

2) Visit their Museums

Spreewald Museum: Built like a traditional department store that houses artefacts, here’s where you can learn about the everyday lives of people in 19th century Spreewald. Explanations are only in German but still worth checking out!

Spreewald Museum Entrance Fee: €5 (~S$8) Opening Hours: 12PM – 4PM (10AM – 6PM from April to Oct). Closed on Mondays. Address: Topfmarkt 12, 03222 Lübbenau/Spreewald, Germany 10AM – 6PM, closed Mondays

House of Man and Nature Museum:  Learn how Spreewald plays its part as one of 669 biosphere reserves, protecting its forests and animals (including endangered ones) and championing sustainable development.

House of Man and Nature Entrance Fee: Free Opening Hours: 10AM – 5PM (Closes 3PM from Nov – Mar). Closed on Mondays. Address: Schulstrasse 9, 03222 Lübbenau/Spreewald, Germany

3) Hop on a Guided Punt Boat Tour

An absolute must-go for every visitor to Spreewald. For €11 (SS$17.80) you can get on a 2-hour punt tour with an English-speaking guide , or opt for longer tours that go up to 9 hours long (with stops).

Alternatively, explore on your own by  renting a kayak/canoe and exploring over 300 rivers and canals, with cafes you can stop in between for a drink or two. You won’t have to worry about getting lost, as you’ll be equipped with a laminated map.

There are multiple companies you can get on boat tours from. Ours by Dirk’s Guided Punt Trips was located at the Great Spreewald Port with a Gherkin market (Gerkenmeile) where you can buy and sample the Spreewald delicacy.

Dirk’s Guided Punt Trips Price: Varies depending on duration Opening Hours: 9:30AM – Dark Address:  Grosser Spreewaldhafen, Dammstrasse 77A, 03222 Lübbenau/Spreewald, Germany How to get there: Walk 650m from Tourist Information Centre

4) Hike Along a Nature Trail

We recommend beginning your journey from the  Lübbenau Castle Hotel where you will see a distinctly marked dirt path. Mostly flat ground, you can reach the district of Lehde in 1.7km (Point 6).

Address (Lübbenau Castle Hotel):  Schloss Hotel Lübbenau, Schlossbezirk 6, 03222 Lübbenau/Spreewald How to get there: 650m walk from Tourist Information Centre

5) Try their Famous Gherkins

Ubiquitous in Spreewald (they account for 50% of sales across Germany), you can try all 3 variants of the pickled cucumber at the gherkin mile (Gerkenmeile), at the Great Spreewald Port. A Spreewald specialty, you can also sample these at restaurants all around town.

Otherwise, just look for any jar of pickles in your German supermarkt with “Spreewälder” written on it — they are seals to verify they came from Spreewald!

6) Explore the Lehde District

One of the oldest villages housing only 130 residents, visit the open-air  Freilandmuseum and be transported back to the 19th century to see how the residents of Spreewald ate, slept and played. In fact, you might even see people wearing their traditional Sorbian clothes here! In the area, there are also cafes to grab a drink and chill out at.

Freilandmuseum Entrance Fee: €5 (~S$8) Opening Hours: 9AM – 6PM Address: Freilandmuseum Lehde, An der Giglitza 1a, 03222 Lübbenau / Spreewald OT Lehde How to get there: You may refer to this 5km walking round tour route , or choose a punt tour that takes you there.

Depending on the season, there’s a side of Spreewald for everyone — in the summer, it gets busier with festivals and tourists, whereas in the winter when it’s off-peak, it’s much quieter with mistier vibes.

For other day trips from Berlin, you can also check out our Potsdam Day Trip Guide . For a full itinerary, check out our Berlin Budget Guide — S$1,500 including round trip flights from Singapore .

Did we miss a spot in Spreewald? Let us know in the comments!

Featured image credit to:  Spreewald — Tourist Information Lübbenau

For more travel inspiration, follow us on Facebook , Instagram , and YouTube . 

A post shared by The Travel Intern (@thetravelintern) on Apr 1, 2018 at 8:50pm PDT

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hello, I don’t really get why you are advising a 23euros ticket to go there from Berlin for a solo traveler. As it is is in zone B , still Berlin. You can go there with S3 and then tram m88, it will only cost you 2,80euro one way, so 5,60euros both way… Just saying! Cheers!

Thanks for the information! This is helpful

Could you please tell exact from berlin through which stop you reached spreewald? would be helpful for all

Hi Rajkumar, it’s mentioned but you may have missed it. To get to Spreewald from Berlin, take the RE2 train from Berlin Central Station (direction: towards Cottbus) and alight at Lübbenau (Spreewald) station.

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Guide to a fun Day Trip from Berlin to Spreewald (Lübbenau)

A day trip from Berlin to Spreewald isn’t your typical German travel experience. Instead of the usual scenes of tourists glugging huge beer steins at Oktoberfest, the crazy Berlin nightlife or hiking in the Alps, you’ll find yourself gliding along idyllic canals as you weave through serene forest.

Sometimes called the ‘Venice of Germany’, the fairytale-esque Spreewald biosphere attracts people who want to explore its waterways, nature and hamlets. It’s an adventurous yet relaxing day trip from the capital that allows you to see a different side of Germany.

In this guide, I’ll break down how to get to the must-visit destination, the canal route I took to  explore the natural reserve, where to rent a kayak from and some of the other activities you can do here as part of your day trip from Berlin to Spreewald. 

Table of contents

What is spreewald.

• Walking from the town of Lübbenau to Spreewald   

The best way to explore Spreewald: kayaking

Where to rent a kayak in lübbenau, lehde (district of lübbenau), wotschofska, high season in spreewald, top tips for a day trip from berlin to spreewald, stroll through lübbenau old town, check out lübbenau castle, walk in the unesco spreewald biosphere, cycle in spreewald, guided spreewald boat tour (‘punt’ tour).

• Lehde Open-Air Museum        

Is Spreewald worth visiting?

More adventure travel tips on a world over.

Spreewald (Spree Forest in English) is a UNESCO biosphere reserve in Brandenburg state roughly 100 km southeast of Berlin. The forest area covers 475 km² and contains meadows, fens (peat-accumulating wetland) and plenty of wildlife.

What makes Spreewald such an interesting place are the roughly 276 km² of navigable canals and channels fed by the River Spree.

These canals snake their way throughout the forest and are the most scenic transport route connecting the towns and hamlets that sit within the biosphere. Some of the largest towns in UNESCO Spreewald Biosphere include Lübben, Lübbenau and Burg (a scattered hamlet).

Spreewald is one of the most enchanting places I’ve visited. Journeying along its waters is a serene experience thanks to the tree-lined canals, quaint hamlets and the sounds of nature.

How to get to Spreewald from Berlin

The best way to get to Spreewald is to take a train from Berlin to Lübbenau. Currently there are 2 trains you can take. These are the RE2 and RE7 services.

Train tickets cost roughly €30 for a return and both leave from Berlin Hbf train station. If you’re not staying near Hbf, then you might need to take a U-Bahn or S-Bahn train to get there.

The train journey from Berlin to Lübbenau is direct with a travel time of just over 1 h. My train was comfortable, so I just sat back and relaxed without having to worry about any connections.

The train will stop at Lübben before you get to Lübbenau, but you want to stay on until Lübbenau. Although you can explore Spreewald from Lübben, this day trip guide is for starting out at Lübbenau.

Walking from the town of Lübbenau to Spreewald

It’s a short walk from Lübbenau train station to the canals. Once you’re off the train, it should take you about 15 minutes to walk to where you can rent kayaks. I’ve outlined the walk and kayak rental locations on the map lower down.

I think that the best way to explore the Spreewald canals is to rent your own kayak and follow your own route. This way you can go at your own pace and explore the areas which interest you most.

Renting your own kayak is also the best choice if you want to save money. Per hour it works out to be the cheapest option to get on the water.  

There is also the option to pay for a guided boat tour, which I’ll talk about later on. But first I’ll explain where you can rent kayaks from and outline areas I explored during my day trip from Berlin to Spreewald.

There are several different options for kayak rental in Lübbenau. Luckily they are all a stone’s throw from each other. I’ve marked them in Google maps for you here.

I rented a single-person kayak from Bootsverleih Franke . They are the oldest bootsverleih (boat rental) in Lübbenau and are run by the local Franke family. I chose them because I looked at prices online beforehand and saw that they were one of the cheapest options.

If you want to rent a kayak from Bootsverleih Franke, bring cash because they currently don’t accept card payment. The more people you are, the bigger the kayak you’ll need, and the more expensive per hour it gets.

At some of the kayak rentals you can pay for a waterproof storage bin to take on the canoe and keep your things in. I didn’t do this, but I did bring plastic bags which I recommend you do too.

Whichever rental you go to, you should get a laminated map of the canals to help you navigate them.

My kayak route

Now I’ll explain my kayak route, the places I stopped to get out at and timings. I got as far as Wotschofska, stopping in Lehde along the way and was kayaking for roughly 5 h in total.

From Bootsverligh Franke I headed east to a crossroads of canals where Schleuse (river lock) Lübbenau is located. This is one of several river locks in the Spreewald.

At this crossroads I joined Hauptspree canal, which is kind of like a ‘main road’. It’s a wide, long canal and you’re bound to cross quite a few other boaters on it.

There are lots of little canals sprawling off Hauptspree which I explored too. Although, you have to kayak carefully along these. They have shallow waters, and logs and other natural debris can build up in them.

After kayaking down Hauptspree I turned back on myself and headed towards Lehde.

This is a small town named after the Lehde district of Lübbenau. Lehde town is a great place to stop for a coffee and a bite to eat—which is what I did.

Lehde has some small shops, restaurants and accommodation. There’s also a museum about the Spreewald’s heritage (more on that lower down). The locals in Lehde (and this area of Germany in general) don’t speak much English. So, it’ll be handy if you know a few phrases in German.

After Lehde I paddled northeast to Wotschofska. This is a small hamlet right in the heart of the UNESCO Spreewald biosphere reserve. It’s a bit of a trek from Lehde and there isn’t too much to see here.

However, the journey is fun and the surroundings are beautiful. Upon arrival you’re greeted by a picturesque footbridge crossing the canal with a ‘welcome’ sign on it.

I headed back to Lübbenau from Wotschofska and the return journey took roughly 1 h 30 m. Give yourself plenty of time to paddle back. I took a wrong turn at one point and had to go back on myself.

To be safe, I recommend  at least a couple of hours to return to Lübbenau. You don’t want to risk it taking too much time and miss your train back to Berlin.

When is a good time to do a day trip from Berlin to Spreewald?

You can visit the biosphere all year round and some kayak rentals/boat tours operate 365 days a year. I did my day trip from Berlin to Spreewald in mid September. Despite the hottest months of the year already having gone, it was still warm.

July and August tend to be the hottest months in Germany, so visit Spreewald then if you want to kayak in shorts and t-shirt. The autumn months bring the changing colours of leaves, which is arguably the prettiest time to visit.

The winter frost in Spreewald can be equally picturesque, if you don’t mind the cold, that is. Your best chance of experiencing the biosphere as a winter wonderland, though, is to visit in December or January. This is when snowfall is most likely in Brandenburg.

The high season in Spreewald runs from March – October. This is when tourist numbers peak and prices are highest. Although these are drawbacks, I think this is the best time to do a day trip. You’ll have the most chance of good weather and the longer days mean more time exploring the canals.

To make the most of your day trip to Spreewald from Berlin I recommend:

• Bringing cash . To be safe, I’d say at least €100 because some kayak rentals don’t accept card and card machine signal can be bad
• Arriving early . The earlier you arrive the more hours you’ll have on the water
• Bringing enough food and drinking water . Kayaking is tiring so have enough calories and water to keep you going. Also, you’ll save money by bringing your own
• Wearing layers . If you get too hot when paddling, then you can easily cool off by removing a layer. And if you get cold, then you can pop another layer on. Make sure to bring a waterproof layer in case it rains
• Giving yourself at least 2 h to kayak back to Lübbenau. T owards the end of the day you’ll be tired and will want to paddle more slowly

Other activities for your day trip from Berlin to Spreewald

Although the main draw of the area is its canals, you don’t have to make it the main activity of your day. You don’t even have to head out on the water if you really don’t want to. There are other activities and ways you can explore the biosphere.

The old town of Lübbenau is paved with cobbled streets that are lined with quaint and colourful shops and houses. You’ll also find Stadtkirche St. Nikolai (St Nicholas’ Church) in the centre. 

Nestled among the forest just a 5-minute walk the old town is Lübbenau castle (Schloss Lübbenau). The castle now operates as a high-end hotel and restaurant, but you can walk around the grounds for free.

You can explore Spreewald by foot as well as by canoe. There are plenty of walking trails in the nature reserve ranging from 5 km – 25 km. Walking tours are also available with park rangers if you want to explore and learn about the biosphere at the same time.

Here’s an article that lists some the top walking routes with maps.

If you don’t fancy exploring Spreewald on foot or sitting in a canoe, then you can rent a bike. Here are a few of the bike rental locations in Lübbenau:

• Fahrradverleih Spreewald (multiple rental locations in Lübbenau)
• Fahrrad Vogi
• Fahrrad  Goyn

The easiest way to enjoy the Spreewald waterways is on a guided boat trip. Also called a punt trip, you’ll ride in a traditional flat-bottomed barge. A punt ferryman will navigate you and your group through the canal network for around 3 h.

During high season punt trips usually leave Lübbenau every hour. You’ll typically be treated to traditional local foods such as Spreewald gherkins and bread while aboard.

During the winter season (November – March), punt trips run less frequently and from less harbours. However, there are special winter and mulled wine punt trips.

Although I personally don’t find punt trips appealing, they are a good option if you want to explore the Spreewald canals without doing any exercise.

Lehde Open-Air Museum

If you fancy learning about the local history of the Spreewald, then head to Freilandmuseum Lehde (Lehde Open Air Museum). This is the oldest open-air museum in Brandenburg and it sheds light on the lives of Spreewald residents over 100 years ago. 

The museum is located in the town of Lehde and you can get to it on foot or by canal. Note that Freilandmuseum Lehde is closed from November to March.

A day trip to Spreewald from Berlin is definitely worth it. The plethora of nature and activities means that the biosphere is great for outdoorsy travel. It’s such a beautiful area and the option to explore it by canal makes it a unique experience too.

I hope you use my guide to plan your day trip from Berlin to Spreewald and have the best time in the UNESCO biosphere. Let me know in the comments if you found it helpful and also about your day trip experience.

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The Perfect Spreewald Day Trip From Berlin

Published: October 2, 2023

Modified: December 27, 2023

by Lori Mullen

• Plan Your Trip

Introduction

Located just 90 kilometers southeast of Berlin, Spreewald is a mesmerizing natural paradise that offers an idyllic escape from the bustling city life. This enchanting region, known as the “Green Venice” of Germany, is characterized by a network of canals and picturesque waterways that weave through lush forests, meadows, and charming villages.

With its rich cultural heritage, diverse flora and fauna, and array of outdoor activities, Spreewald has something to offer for everyone. Whether you are seeking a peaceful retreat, a culinary adventure, or a glimpse into the region’s history and traditions, Spreewald is a destination that will captivate your senses and leave you longing for more.

Embarking on a day trip from Berlin to Spreewald is a popular choice among both locals and tourists. In just a short journey, you can immerse yourself in a world of natural beauty and cultural heritage. From exploring the historic town of Lübbenau to taking a traditional canal cruise, and from indulging in local culinary delights to discovering the unique flora and fauna, there is no shortage of experiences to enjoy during your visit.

Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast, a history buff, or simply seeking tranquility, Spreewald has plenty to offer. So grab your camera, put on your hiking shoes, and get ready to embark on a memorable adventure in the heart of Spreewald.

How to Get to Spreewald from Berlin

Getting to Spreewald from Berlin is fairly straightforward and can be done by various modes of transportation.

By Car: The easiest and most convenient way to reach Spreewald is by car. The journey typically takes around 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on traffic conditions. Simply take the A113 highway southbound from Berlin and continue onto the A13 towards Dresden. Take the exit for Lübbenau or the Spreewaldhafen and follow the signs to your desired destination within Spreewald.

By Public Transport: If you prefer to use public transport, there are several options available. One option is to take a regional train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof (central station) to Lübbenau. The journey takes approximately 1 hour and trains depart regularly throughout the day. Once you arrive in Lübbenau, you can easily explore Spreewald by foot, bike, or boat.

By Boat: For a unique and scenic experience, you can also travel to Spreewald by boat. From Berlin, you can take a boat tour along the Spree River, which will take you directly to Spreewald. This leisurely journey allows you to enjoy the picturesque landscapes and arrive in style.

Once you have arrived in Spreewald, it is advisable to have a mode of transport to explore the region at your own pace. Renting a bike is a popular option, as Spreewald has an extensive network of bike paths that connect the different towns and attractions. Alternatively, you can also rent a kayak or canoe to navigate the enchanting canals and waterways.

Overall, reaching Spreewald from Berlin is convenient and offers a variety of options. Whether you prefer to drive, take public transport, or embark on a scenic boat journey, getting to Spreewald is the first step in discovering the wonders of this enchanting region.

Exploring the Historic Town of Lübbenau

One of the must-visit destinations in Spreewald is the charming and historic town of Lübbenau. This picturesque town, located on the banks of the River Spree, is a gateway to the stunning natural beauty and cultural heritage of the region.

As you wander through the cobblestone streets of Lübbenau, you’ll be transported back in time. The town is dotted with well-preserved traditional houses, adorned with vibrant flowers and ornate balconies. Take a leisurely stroll and soak in the quaint atmosphere as you admire the architectural charm of the buildings.

A highlight of Lübbenau is the magnificent Schloss Lübbenau, a beautiful castle that dates back to the 16th century. This grand structure is a testament to the rich history and heritage of the town. Explore the castle grounds, admire the stunning architecture, and even visit the museum housed within its walls to learn more about the town’s past.

No visit to Lübbenau is complete without a stop at the Markt, the town’s vibrant marketplace. Here, you’ll find a variety of locally produced goods, including fresh fruits, vegetables, and handmade crafts. Take the opportunity to taste some of the region’s delicious specialties, such as the famous Spreewald pickles, a local delicacy that comes in a variety of flavors.

For those interested in the cultural and historical aspects of the region, the Spreewald Museum is a must-visit. Located in the heart of Lübbenau, this museum showcases the unique traditions, customs, and folklore of Spreewald. Explore the exhibits that depict the daily life of the local community, learn about traditional crafts such as boat-building and woodcarving, and gain insights into the rich cultural heritage of the region.

As you walk along the riverbank, you’ll notice the presence of punts, traditional flat-bottomed boats used for transportation in the canals. Consider renting a punt and take a leisurely cruise through the winding waterways of Spreewald. This allows you to explore the region’s tranquil canals, surrounded by lush greenery and abundant wildlife. It’s a perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the serenity and natural beauty of the area, while navigating at your own pace.

Exploring the historic town of Lübbenau is a delightful experience that offers a glimpse into the past while providing a starting point for further adventures in Spreewald. From its well-preserved architecture and fascinating museum to the opportunity for a leisurely boat ride along the canals, Lübbenau is a destination that will captivate travelers with its charm and rich cultural heritage.

Taking a Traditional Canal Cruise

When visiting Spreewald, one of the most iconic experiences is taking a traditional canal cruise. This is not only a great way to explore the region’s enchanting waterways, but it also allows you to immerse yourself in the unique culture and heritage of Spreewald.

As you step aboard one of the traditional flat-bottomed boats called “Kahn,” you’ll feel a sense of tranquility wash over you. The knowledgeable boatmen, often dressed in traditional attire, will skillfully navigate the canals while sharing fascinating stories and insights about the region’s history, wildlife, and customs.

As you gently glide along the winding waterways, you’ll be surrounded by a picturesque landscape of lush greenery, willow trees, and blooming flowers. The narrow canals lined with traditional houses and gardens create a serene atmosphere, transporting you to a different world. Keep an eye out for the abundant wildlife that calls Spreewald home, including ducks, swans, herons, and even otters.

The canal cruises typically offer different routes and durations, allowing you to choose the experience that suits your preferences. A shorter tour may take you through the heart of the town, giving you a glimpse of the historic buildings and landmarks of Spreewald. On the other hand, a longer cruise may take you deeper into the countryside, offering a more immersive experience in the natural beauty of the region.

During the cruise, you’ll have the opportunity to witness the age-old tradition of Spreewald’s canal irrigation system. This unique network of channels, which was developed by the local community, helps distribute water to the agricultural fields and adds to the enchanting atmosphere of the canals. Watch as the boatman skillfully manipulates wooden levers to control the flow of water, ensuring the fields are adequately irrigated.

While enjoying the serene setting, you can also indulge in a picnic lunch or savor local specialties on board. Many tours offer the option to pre-order a picnic basket filled with delicious regional treats, allowing you to savor the flavors of Spreewald as you relax and take in the scenery.

Taking a traditional canal cruise in Spreewald is more than just a boat ride. It’s an opportunity to immerse yourself in the region’s unique culture, history, and natural beauty. So sit back, relax, and let the gentle sway of the boat and the soothing sounds of nature transport you on an unforgettable journey through the enchanting waterways of Spreewald.

Discovering Spreewald’s Unique Flora and Fauna

Spreewald is renowned for its diverse and abundant flora and fauna, making it a haven for nature enthusiasts and wildlife lovers. Exploring the region’s natural landscapes offers a unique opportunity to connect with the surrounding environment and observe the rich biodiversity that thrives in this enchanting region.

One of the best ways to discover Spreewald’s unique flora and fauna is by embarking on a hiking or biking adventure. The region boasts an extensive network of well-marked trails that meander through lush forests, meadows, and wetlands. As you explore these scenic trails, you’ll have the chance to encounter a variety of plant species, including rare orchids, water lilies, and carnivorous plants like the bladderwort.

The wetlands and canals of Spreewald are teeming with wildlife, offering ample opportunities for birdwatching. Grab your binoculars and keep an eye out for the vibrant kingfishers, graceful herons, and elegant swans that frequent the waterways. Lucky visitors may even spot the elusive otters, deer, or wild boars that roam freely in the region.

A visit to Spreewald’s Biosphere Reserve is a must for those interested in conservation and environmental beauty. This protected area encompasses a diverse range of habitats, including meadows, floodplains, and forests. The Biosphere Reserve is not only home to rare plant and animal species but also plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of the region.

To gain a deeper understanding of Spreewald’s flora and fauna, consider joining a guided nature tour led by experts. These knowledgeable guides will share insights about the unique ecosystems found in Spreewald, from the intricacies of the canal system to the importance of maintaining the natural habitats for the various species that call it home.

If you’re feeling adventurous, renting a kayak or canoe is an excellent way to explore the waterways at your own pace. Paddle through the serene canals, surrounded by the beauty of the landscapes and the calls of the wild. Keep your eyes peeled for water snakes, dragonflies, and other aquatic creatures that inhabit the marshy areas.

Remember to maintain a respectful distance from the wildlife and follow local guidelines for responsible nature observation. This ensures that future generations can continue to enjoy the natural wonders of Spreewald.

Whether you’re a nature lover, an avid birdwatcher, or simply seeking a peaceful retreat in the midst of stunning landscapes, Spreewald’s unique flora and fauna are sure to captivate your senses and leave you with a profound appreciation for the natural world.

Enjoying Outdoor Activities: Biking, Hiking, and Kayaking

Spreewald offers a plethora of outdoor activities for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike. Whether you prefer to explore on two wheels, on foot, or by paddle, there are endless opportunities to immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscapes and immerse yourself in the region’s natural beauty.

Biking is a popular way to explore Spreewald, thanks to its well-maintained network of cycling paths that traverse the region. Rent a bike from one of the numerous rental shops and embark on a cycling adventure through picturesque villages, meadows, and forests. The flat terrain and scenic routes make it suitable for all fitness levels. You can choose from shorter loops to full-day excursions, depending on your preferences and time constraints. Feel the wind in your hair as you pedal along the canals, taking in the serene surroundings and enjoying the freedom of the open road.

For those who prefer to explore at a slower pace and truly immerse themselves in nature, hiking is an excellent choice. Spreewald boasts a variety of well-marked trails that wind through ancient forests, meandering canals, and peaceful wetlands. Lace up your hiking boots and wander along the scenic paths, listening to the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling underfoot. The trails cater to different experience levels, offering options for leisurely strolls or more challenging hikes with picturesque viewpoints. As you wander, keep an eye out for the region’s unique flora and fauna, from blooming wildflowers to rare bird species.

Another fantastic way to experience the natural beauty of Spreewald is by kayaking or canoeing along its enchanting waterways. Rent a kayak or canoe from one of the local outfitters and set off on an adventure, paddling through the tranquil canals that meander through the lush greenery. Drift along the water, marveling at the reflection of the trees on the surface and observing the diverse wildlife that calls Spreewald home. The calm waters are suitable for both beginners and experienced paddlers, allowing everyone to enjoy this serene and immersive experience.

Regardless of the outdoor activity you choose, it is essential to respect the natural environment and follow guidelines to preserve the delicate ecosystems. Stay on designated trails, pack out any trash, and minimize your impact on the surroundings. By doing so, you contribute to the preservation of Spreewald’s pristine beauty for future generations to enjoy.

So whether you choose to hop on a bike, lace up your hiking boots, or paddle through the canals, Spreewald offers endless opportunities for outdoor adventure. Embrace the fresh air, soak in the stunning landscapes, and create unforgettable memories as you engage in these exhilarating activities.

Indulging in Spreewald’s Culinary Delights

When visiting Spreewald, one cannot miss the opportunity to indulge in the region’s culinary delights. Known for its fresh and flavorful produce, Spreewald offers a diverse range of gastronomic experiences that will delight food lovers.

The highlight of Spreewald’s culinary scene is undoubtedly its famous pickles. Spreewald pickles are renowned for their crispiness and unique flavors, thanks to the traditional methods of cultivation and preservation. Take a stroll through the local markets and discover an array of pickle varieties, from classic dill pickles to spicy gherkins and even pickled mushrooms. Don’t forget to taste a few samples and bring home some jars as souvenirs.

Another must-try delicacy in Spreewald is the hearty and comforting potato dish known as Spreewälder Pellkartoffel. These boiled potatoes are typically served with a variety of toppings, such as quark (a creamy cheese), linseed oil, and various herbs. The combination of flavors and textures creates a satisfying and delicious meal that showcases the region’s agricultural heritage.

If you have a sweet tooth, be sure to try the iconic Spreewaldkuchen, a traditional layered cake made with sour cream and a hint of lemon. This indulgent treat is incredibly moist and flavorful, making it the perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee or tea. Many local bakeries and cafes offer their own variations of Spreewaldkuchen, so make it a point to indulge in a slice during your visit.

For a unique dining experience, consider enjoying a traditional Spreewald meal at one of the local restaurants or Gaststätten. These establishments pride themselves on using locally sourced ingredients to create authentic and flavorful dishes. Treat your taste buds to dishes like Spreewald fish soup, smoked eel, or hearty meat stews that highlight the region’s culinary traditions.

To sample a variety of Spreewald’s flavors in one place, visit the numerous food stalls and stands at the local markets. Here, you can taste an assortment of regional delicacies, including homemade jams, honey, sausages, and freshly baked bread. Engage in conversations with the friendly vendors, who often share stories and insights about the traditional preparation methods and the significance of these foods in the local culture.

Don’t forget to pair your culinary adventures with a glass of locally brewed Bierspezialitäten (specialty beer) or Spreewald Gurkenwasser (cucumber liqueur), both of which perfectly complement the flavors of the region.

Indulging in Spreewald’s culinary delights is not only a feast for the taste buds but also an opportunity to discover the unique flavors and traditions of the region. So come hungry and savor the diverse and delicious offerings that Spreewald has to offer.

Visiting the Spreewald Museum and Cultural Heritage Sites

Immersing yourself in the rich cultural heritage of Spreewald is a must-do during your visit to this enchanting region. One of the best ways to do so is by visiting the Spreewald Museum, a fascinating institution that showcases the history, traditions, and customs of the area.

The Spreewald Museum, located in the town of Lübbenau, offers a comprehensive insight into the region’s past and present. Explore the diverse exhibits that highlight the unique way of life in Spreewald, including the traditional customs, costumes, agricultural practices, and architectural styles. From the replica of a traditional Spreewald house to the displays of traditional crafts and agricultural tools, the museum provides a captivating glimpse into the cultural heritage of the region.

Take your time to stroll through the museum’s galleries, which are filled with informative displays, historical artifacts, and interactive exhibits. Learn about the centuries-old tradition of boat-building, which played a crucial role in the transportation and livelihood of the local community. Marvel at the intricate woodcarvings and handicrafts that showcase the region’s skilled artisans. Through the museum’s engaging presentations, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the unique customs and traditions that have shaped the identity of Spreewald over the years.

In addition to the Spreewald Museum, the region is dotted with cultural heritage sites that are worth exploring. These sites provide a glimpse into Spreewald’s historical significance and offer a chance to learn more about its rich past. The traditional houses and architecture in towns like Lübbenau, Lübben, and Burg will transport you to a bygone era, with their charming facades and ornate balconies. Visit the historic churches, such as the St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Göritz, which dates back to the 13th century and showcases magnificent frescoes and architectural details.

Don’t miss the opportunity to attend traditional festivals and events that celebrate the cultural heritage of Spreewald. The famous Spreewaldgurkentag (Spreewald Pickle Festival) is a lively event that takes place annually and features various activities, including pickle tastings, regional food stalls, and live music performances. The event is a true celebration of the region’s gastronomy and traditions, allowing you to immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere and connect with the local community.

Visiting the Spreewald Museum and exploring the cultural heritage sites of the region offers a deeper understanding of the traditions, customs, and way of life in Spreewald. It’s an opportunity to connect with the rich history and immerse yourself in the vibrant cultural tapestry of this enchanting region.

Shopping for Local Crafts and Souvenirs

No trip is complete without bringing home a piece of the destination, and Spreewald offers a wide array of local crafts and souvenirs that make for perfect mementos of your visit. From handcrafted goods to traditional delicacies, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to shopping.

One of the most iconic souvenirs to bring back from Spreewald is a jar of the famous Spreewald pickles. These crispy and flavorful pickles are locally produced using traditional methods and are available in a variety of flavors. Visit one of the many specialty shops or local markets to browse the assortment of pickles and select your favorites to take home. These jars not only make delicious and unique gifts but also serve as a reminder of the region’s culinary heritage.

For those who appreciate craftsmanship, Spreewald offers an array of handcrafted items that showcase the skills and traditions of local artisans. Look out for wooden crafts, such as intricately carved figurines, toys, and utensils, crafted with precision and attention to detail. These items are often made using wood from the region’s forests, adding a special connection to the natural surroundings of Spreewald.

Textile crafts are also well-represented in Spreewald. Look for embroidered items, such as table runners, napkins, and traditional clothing, adorned with intricate patterns and designs. These textiles showcase the region’s rich textile heritage and make for beautiful and unique souvenirs to adorn your home or gift to loved ones.

Another popular local craft to consider is ceramics. Spreewald is known for its beautifully hand-painted pottery, including plates, bowls, mugs, and decorative items. These vibrant and colorful pieces add a touch of German craftsmanship and charm to any home and serve as a lasting memento of your visit to Spreewald.

If you’re a fan of natural products, Spreewald offers a variety of herbal and cosmetic items made with ingredients found in the region. Look for handmade soaps, lotions, and creams that incorporate local herbs and botanicals known for their nourishing and healing properties. These natural products make for great gifts or personal indulgences.

When shopping for crafts and souvenirs in Spreewald, consider visiting local markets and boutiques, where you can interact with artisans and learn more about the inspiration and techniques behind their creations. These places often offer a more intimate and authentic shopping experience, allowing you to connect with the local culture.

Shopping for local crafts and souvenirs in Spreewald not only allows you to bring home a piece of the region’s heritage but also supports local artisans and businesses. Whether it’s a jar of pickles, a hand-carved figurine, or a beautiful piece of pottery, these items will serve as tangible reminders of your time in Spreewald and the unique experiences you had during your visit.

Relaxing at Spreewald’s Wellness and Spa Centers

After exploring the enchanting landscapes and immersing yourself in the cultural delights of Spreewald, take some time to indulge in relaxation and rejuvenation at one of the region’s wellness and spa centers. Spreewald offers a range of options to pamper yourself and unwind, ensuring a truly holistic and immersive experience.

Enter a world of tranquility as you step into the serene spa centers of Spreewald. These wellness retreats offer a variety of treatments and therapies designed to promote relaxation and enhance well-being. From soothing massages and invigorating body scrubs to refreshing facials and aromatherapy sessions, the experienced therapists will help you melt away any stress or tension, leaving you feeling rejuvenated and renewed.

Many of the wellness centers in Spreewald draw inspiration from the region’s natural surroundings, incorporating botanical ingredients and traditional techniques into their treatments. Some spas feature outdoor wellness areas, allowing you to connect with nature while enjoying a relaxing soak in thermal pools or lounging in saunas that overlook the picturesque landscapes.

For a unique and truly Spreewald-inspired experience, try the mud and peat treatments that the region is famous for. Spreewald mud and peat are rich in minerals, and the treatments derived from them are known to have therapeutic and healing properties. Indulge in a mud bath or a peat wrap, allowing the natural ingredients to nourish your skin and promote relaxation.

In addition to the indulgent spa treatments, many wellness centers in Spreewald offer yoga and meditation classes to further enhance your well-being. Engage in gentle stretching and find inner peace as you connect with your body and mind. These classes are often held in serene outdoor spaces, allowing you to embrace the tranquility and beauty of the region.

After your spa experience, take time to explore the other amenities offered by these wellness centers. Relax in cozy lounges, enjoy a cup of herbal tea, or take a soak in relaxation pools. Some spa centers also have fitness facilities, allowing you to maintain your exercise routine or engage in wellness activities such as tai chi or pilates.

Ultimately, Spreewald’s wellness and spa centers provide the perfect opportunity to unwind and reconnect with yourself amidst the natural beauty of the region. Whether you spend an entire day indulging in treatments or simply take a few hours to relax, these wellness retreats offer a blissful respite from the outside world, leaving you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

A visit to Spreewald is a journey into a world of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and unforgettable experiences. From the enchanting canals and luscious landscapes to the charming towns and immersive activities, Spreewald has something for every traveler.

Whether you choose to explore the historic town of Lübbenau, take a traditional canal cruise, or discover the region’s unique flora and fauna, Spreewald offers a diverse range of experiences that will captivate your senses and create lasting memories.

Indulge in Spreewald’s culinary delights by tasting the famous pickles, savoring traditional dishes, and exploring the local markets for unique treats to take home. Immerse yourself in the region’s cultural heritage by visiting the Spreewald Museum, exploring the architectural gems, and experiencing traditional festivals and events.

For outdoor enthusiasts, Spreewald offers a paradise of biking and hiking trails, as well as the opportunity to paddle along tranquil canals and explore the diverse flora and fauna. Engage in these activities at your own pace and take in the beauty of the surroundings.

After days of exploration, relax and rejuvenate at Spreewald’s wellness and spa centers, where you can indulge in soothing treatments and connect with nature’s healing powers.

As your time in Spreewald comes to an end, you’ll find yourself enriched by the region’s natural wonders, cultural treasures, and the warmth and hospitality of its people. The memories and experiences you’ve gathered will linger long after you’ve left, beckoning you to return and discover even more of what this remarkable destination has to offer.

So, pack your bags, embark on an adventure, and let Spreewald’s beauty and charm captivate your heart. Your journey awaits in this idyllic oasis, where nature, history, and culture intertwine to create an unforgettable travel experience.

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Spreewald: The Perfect Day Trip from Berlin

10/22/2017 by Kristin Addis 4 Comments

I love Berlin. I love the city life and the street art, but even though this city is full of big and gorgeous parks, sometimes I still yearn for real nature, uninterrupted by frisbee games and the occasional noble individual offering me street pharmaceuticals. Luckily when it comes to Berlin, it doesn’t take long to get out of the city and into the middle of nowhere.

The area surrounding Berlin, Brandenburg, is quite rural, heavily forested and gorgeous. Spreewald is a local favorite for its intense greenery, pickles (for real), and little canals to canoe and boat on.

I’d seen images of its incredible greenery and water so calm it looked like a mirror, so when the weather turned nice this October I decided to take a chance and see if it might be even better with fall foliage.

Is it worth taking a day trip to Spreewald? At first I thought nah , but as I spent more time I realized, Absolutely:

How to do it right

There are a few different ways to enjoy the waterways in Spreewald; by an organized group boat tour, by private boat tour, or by taking your own kayak or canoe.

One of the biggest reasons that I wanted to go was to get some exercise in the wilderness, so I rented a little one-person kayak for a couple of hours and explored. This was much better than an organized tour because it gave me ultimate flexibility.

I just wish I had arrived much earlier and spent the whole day out there. Once you get away from the main tourist areas it is quiet, more wild, and relaxing, but you need a bit more time to paddle out there. I arrived at around 3pm, but next time I’ll aim for 9am to get the full day experience.

How to avoid other tourists

Most tourists will opt for a boat tour so that they can sit there and let someone else paddle. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but you can get away from most of the people if you just rent your own canoe or kayak.

Most people also stick to Ledhe, the quaint little village next to Lübbenau where I rented my kayak. They usually disembark and get a coffee or a beer at one of the restaurants on the water and don’t explore beyond that.

When I rented my kayak, the little map suggestion that the guy made was incredibly short so it seems to me that most people are probably not looking to explore very far and would rather just relax. By going beyond Ledhe, you’re pretty much guaranteed much smaller crowds and by going in the off-season and not on the weekend, you absolutely will have plenty of time and space to yourself. It just gets better the farther out you go.

The scenery in the quaint little towns – the lakefront houses with wells, little boats, quaint bridges and flowers – is lovely. You can still see these as you progress onwards, though it will be more natural and less residential as you go.

Make sure that you’re consulting the map, though, as it would be easy to get lost, especially if you’re me.

How to get there

I don’t have a car here in Germany so I had to access a part of Spreewald that I could get to by train from Berlin. After a bit of research, it looked like Lübbenau was my best bet. I decided against spending the night because the hotels are a bit expensive and I like to sleep in my own bed when I can.

It takes about an hour to get there from Berlin, and my ticket cost me just under €12 one way, which I bought directly at the station before boarding the train. From the train station it was about a 10 minute walk to the town center and another five minutes to where I rented the kayak from Bootsverleih Richter . I paid €10 for two hours.

Trains leave the city half hour early, some from Lichtenberg and some from the main central station, Hauptbahnhof, and passing through Alexanderplatz, Friedrichstraße, and Ostbahnhof every hour. Check timetables here .

Spreewald is the perfect contrast to Berlin – calm, quiet, quaint, and relaxed. The more I paddled, the more I appreciated it. In the beginning of my kayak adventure, I was thinking that I didn’t get the hype about Spreewald and that it was bit too touristy for me, but as I progressed I found that I actually really enjoyed the trip and was able to get some solitude. I’m already thinking of going back in the winter just to see it in different seasons, grateful to have an easily accessible nature escape so close to Berlin.

The town of Lübbenau also has cafes, ice cream shops, places to buy pickles (natürlich!), some shops with fashion from, I’d say the early ’00s, and a lovely little church.

Spreewald, I’m glad I discovered you. I’ll be back – but only in the off season!

READ NEXT: 10 Alternative Things to Do in Berlin

About kristin addis.

Kristin Addis is the founder and CEO of Be My Travel Muse, a resource for female travelers all around the world since 2012. She's traveled solo to over 65 countries and has brought over 150 women on her all-female adventure tours from Botswana to the Alaskan tundra.

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Kristin says

10/23/2017 at 12:49 am

Gosh there’s so much to the city itself – I’m sure you still had a totally full trip here! You’ll just have to come back 🙂

Angela says

10/23/2017 at 2:40 pm

I’ll be in Berlin for about 5 days in December, and want to be around nature, so I am very much enjoying your posts!

Did you notice if there are walking trails/paths here in Spreewald?

10/24/2017 at 12:33 am

I believe that there are, though it would be gorgeous to paddle through with some snow on the ground!

11/03/2017 at 9:19 pm

Wow! Berlin is truly beautiful. I ought to get out there one day and maybe kayak, but do other stuff as well. I hear Germany has a lot to offer!

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Explore Spreewald: The Perfect Day Trip from Berlin

• October 14, 2023 March 21, 2024

Nestled just an hour away from the bustling streets of Berlin lies a hidden gem – and one of my favorite places in Germany – the Spreewald. This unique and enchanting region is a haven for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and culture enthusiasts alike. Let’s delve into what makes the Spreewald so special and discover why it’s the perfect day trip from Berlin, Germany’s vibrant capital.

Table of Contents

What Makes Spreewald Special?

The Spreewald, also known as the “Spree Forest,” is a natural wonderland characterized by its intricate network of canals, waterways, and lush landscapes. Its unique ecosystem, often referred to as the “Venice of Germany,” sets it apart from any other destination. Here, the river Spree splits into numerous streams, creating a labyrinthine waterworld that beckons exploration.

Activities Galore:

One of the most popular activities in Spreewald is canoeing. Gliding through the narrow canals, surrounded by overhanging trees and the gentle murmur of water, is an unforgettable experience. You can rent canoes and embark on self-guided journeys or join guided tours to discover the hidden secrets of this pristine environment.

For those who prefer to stay on dry land, cycling is another fantastic way to explore Spreewald’s natural beauty. The region boasts a network of well-maintained cycling paths that meander through meadows, dense forests, and charming villages. Pedal at your own pace, stopping to appreciate the picturesque scenery or enjoy a picnic along the way.

Attractions Abound:

While the natural beauty of Spreewald is undoubtedly its highlight, there are plenty of attractions to explore in the area. The Spreewald Museum, located in the town of Lübbenau, offers a fascinating glimpse into the history, culture, and traditions of the region. Explore exhibits showcasing traditional Spreewald clothing, crafts, and folklore, providing a deeper understanding of the area’s rich heritage.

Speaking of towns, Lübbenau and Lübben are two charming settlements within Spreewald that are worth a visit. Wander through their cobbled streets, admire historic architecture, and indulge in local cuisine at quaint restaurants and cafes. Don’t forget to try Spreewald’s famous pickles and traditional fish dishes.

Plan Your Visit:

The Spreewald is a year-round destination, with each season offering its unique charm. In spring, witness the awakening of nature with vibrant blossoms. Summer brings lush greenery and ideal weather for outdoor activities. Autumn is a tapestry of red and gold foliage, while winter transforms Spreewald into a peaceful wonderland.

To make the most of your day trip from Berlin, consider starting early in the morning to maximize your exploration time. Whether you’re seeking adventure, cultural immersion, or simply a tranquil escape from the city, the Spreewald has something to offer every traveler.

How to get there:

It’s quick and easy to get to the Spreewald from Berlin. You can take the regional train RE2 or RE7 from Berlin to Lübben or Lübbenau, for instance. The journey will take only a bit over an hour. You can buy a 24-hour ticket, which will take you there an back and cost you 22,60€. Check the Deutsche Bahn website to find out when the trains are leaving.

Alternatively, you could drive there by car. The journey should also take only a bit more than an hour. Of course, the car will give you the freedom to explore more the Spreewald region.

Are you looking for some tips on what to do in Berlin? Click here for some inspiration!

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Visiting the Spreewald – The best day trip from Berlin

Spreewald forest is more than just gherkins and boat tours. The ancient nature reserve is also family friendly and home to ancient culture.

Endless waterways, forests so green it will hurt your eyes, and pickled food you will never forget in your life. The Spree forest ( Spreewald ) follows an extended river system of the same name, roughly from Dresden ( check out my guide ) to Berlin. I have been to both cities numerous times, so I really can’t explain why it took me 34 years to finally stop by. Especially considering that the area is just so utterly beautiful. Ah well, this is no time for regrets but rather a good opportunity to list some reasons why you shouldn’t wait as long to visit. And believe me, there are just so many things to do in Spreewald, making it one of the best day trips from Berlin.

On a Spreewald boat tour

The very first thing I did after dropping my luggage into one corner of my hotel room was booking a boat tour. If you visit the Spreewald there really is no way around exploring it on one of the famous Spreewald boats. In fact, it is the whole point of it! (well almost)

The flat-bottomed river boats work on skill and sweat instead of a motor. A very long pole called ‘ Rudel’ , which double serves as a rudder, is used to navigate the unspoiled river system. The maybe most peculiar thing: They basically consist of nothing but benches and tables. Most boats serve alcoholic and (to a lesser degree :P) non-alcoholic drinks, sometimes even small snacks.

You’ll find marinas in almost all towns and Lübben has even four of them. The smallest Spreewald boat tours will take one hour, but there are also tours taking as much as 6 or 8 hours. Longer tours will usually stop for lunch and at museums and the like (so you actually leave the boat). All boat tours will take you around the town, where some the most scenic spots can be found. Ancient, overgrown houses, lots of trees offering shade and cute little bridges spanning the channels ever so often. Add a cold beer and gherkins and you really feel like part of a fairytale. _____________ Planning to visit the Spreewald on a day trip from Berlin? Here’s an excellent 3-day guide to Germany’s capital .

It is also possible to hire a private boat and this is what I decided for. The unique advantage: Instead of driving along the standard tourist channels, I told my driver to explore the lesser known parts of the Spreewald. For me, it was all about backwaters and unspoiled nature.

I cannot stress enough what a wonderful decision that was. First of all, we avoided all the crowded places (believe it or not, but in the high season there can be traffic jams along the smaller channels). Also, I am quite an introvert, which means I am having a hard time around crowded places. But more to the point, we saw things the other people really didn’t encounter on their trip.

You see, the Spreewald is not just pretty water channels, pretty boats and pretty little houses (even though there is a lot of that!). Above all, it is a nature reserve. It was designated a biosphere reserve by the UNESCO in 1991 and it looks every bit of it. 18.000 different plants and animals find their home along the extended river system. It really felt wrong not exploring that part of the Spreewald as well.

And when I say I saw things the other tourist boats didn’t see, I mean this quite literal. The backwaters of the Spree can be very narrow and shallow. 25 to 30 people fit into one boat, which obviously will have a huge impact on navigability and the draft. Our driver told us that he simply couldn’t and wouldn’t explore these small distributaries with a big group, as there would be a high risk to be stuck on a sandbank. It’s also hard to stop a boat loading 2 or 3 tons (depending on the size of the passengers).

So is it worth going on a private tour? Absolutely! First of all, we did see a lot of waterfowl. But we also did see a beaver and even a kingfisher! But one experience really topped it all. You see, the water in the distributaries of the Spree runs really slow. So slow in fact, that you won’t see it moving. This also means that dead leaves and other organic material won’t be carried away by the current. So there are quite a few places where pockets of natural manure gas hide below the sand banks. And what did our driver do? He poked his long pole beyond the bottom of the Spree and then lit the evading gas with a lighter. Seeing the whole water surface ablaze was really cool (and a bit smelly, I admit it  :P)

Exploring Lübben

After my boat tour, I felt like exploring the town where I was staying: Lübben. There are many such small towns in the Spreewald and most of them will be able to offer you excellent access to the unique nature reserve. It really boils down to personal preferences in terms of hotels. I chose Lübben as the wonderful Strandhotel is located there. The charming little luxury hotel has its own spa and a very modern (almost Scandinavian) look to it. Totally loved it! (more below)

But there were other reasons to choose Lübben as well. At the very end of the high seasons (usually in the 2 nd  or 3 rd weekend of September), there is a big festival in Lübben. Apart from a lovely market and some cultural highlights (like a gherkins workshop!), a grand boat parade is held on the channels of Lübben. That certainly was an event I didn’t want to miss, though I wasn’t able to see in the end. Only went to the fair, which was still nice. Bought some Sorbian Easter eggs!

Lübben also has a wonderful little castle and, moms harken, about the best public paths I have ever seen. You know, when you look at the pictures you would never assume you were able to path in the Spree river. But believe it or not, the water quality is actually so high in and around Lübben that you can drink it. The channels of Lübben are home to a couple of excellent public baths and water playgrounds even some adults might enjoy more than they’d willingly admit!

Spree Forest in Lübbenau & Lehde

Despite staying in Lübben, I also had to see Lübbenau and its romantic little suburb Ledhe. In Lehde it is still possible to experience the life of the Sorbian people the way it was hundreds of years ago. For those who didn’t know it: the people in the Spreewald don’t actually speak German (well most do now). Instead, they speak a Slavic language called Sorbian and the people are an acknowledged minority in Germany, with their own culture and traditions.

Anyways, Ledhe is a museum village and beautiful beyond belief. Ancient half-timbered houses line the moss covered channels and if you are lucky you can spot a girl or two wearing the traditional dresses of the Sorbs.

The museum is quite extensive. They even relocated a couple of ancient farmhouses to the place. Video installation, as well as locals, really help to produce a memorable experience, not in the last dusty or old fashioned.

Definitely, consider stopping at one of the restaurants in town to sample the traditional food. Even if you are not hungry after a day on the boats & exploring the old town, ordering a serving of the famous Spreewald gherkins is a must! You might not believe me yet, but these fresh gherkins are seriously the best you can have in the world. There is something about the soil and climate in the Spreewald that leads to ideal conditions for growing cucumbers. The Spreewald gherkins also make for a perfect souvenir, though you’d have to buy the pickled version in glasses. I certainly couldn’t resist!

Spreewald canoe tour

Probably the best way to explore the Spreewald is by canoe. You can rent them almost everywhere for a couple of euros. These will give you absolute freedom to explore the whole river system at your own pace.

I am not sure if there are guided Spreewald canoe tours, but I’d recommend you to grab a map and go exploring on your own anyway. There are signs along the waterways (much like street signs), so getting lost would actually be quite hard. But do know, that few other tourists will come to the more secluded areas.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t bring your own picnic and drop out at one of the many moorings along the waterway. In summer you can even bring your bathing suit and jump in the river to cool off a bit (just remember to moor your canoe first!).

Where to stay in Spreewald

Note: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. There are many little guest houses and hotels in the Spreewald. Most of them will be rather simple but will get you in direct contact with the locals. Burg, Lübbenau, and Lübben are the most popular towns. It really doesn’t matter a lot which one you pick. All three are pretty and not far away from each other anyway, so it’s really all down to your choice of hotels.

Luxury hotels, on the other hand, are rather scarce. So if you are looking for a little bit of pampering, I’d really recommend you to stay at the Strandhotel in Lübben . It is, in my opinion, the best hotel in the Spreewald, and not just because the hotel has its own marina. They also got a private beach and a very lovely little spa. If you pick the spa suite (like I did), you will even have your own private sauna in the room. So how cool is that?

As the hotel is frequently booked out, you could also pick the Castle hotel Fürstlich Drehna . This ancient water castle certainly looks like the perfect hotel. I didn’t personally stay there because there were no vacancies during that time. As room rates are pretty fair, this almost looks like a no-brainer for anyone who wants to see the Spreewald AND stay at a German castle!

How to get to the Spreewald

Germany has a very good public transport network. From Berlin to Spreewald there are multiple trains leaving each day. You can look up train schedules here . There are also a couple of overland buses leaving from Dresden and Berlin, usually a bit cheaper but taking longer. Either way, it will probably take no longer than an hour or maximum two, which makes the Spreewald one of the best day trips from Berlin ( here’s what to do in 4 days in Berlin  in case you are looking for a good guide)

You might also consider renting a car, as this will afford you with a little more flexibility. While you can, theoretically speaking, take a canoe or a boat to get from one town to the other, it’s a bit cumbersome and will obviously take longer. Germany might not be as famous for its frequent rains as England, but it’s not the Sahara either. So having your own car really pays off! Plus, you can explore the rest of Saxonia later on.

Phew. This post got longer than intended. Ah well, the beauty of the Spreewald carried me away. So, how about you? Would you want to visit this unique part of Germany? Tell me in the comments below! And don’t forget to pin this for later!

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I have to say Spreewald looks absolutely lovely, especially the boat tour. I wish I had known of it when I lived in Germany. Whenever I visit Berlin again, I’ll have to schedule this as a day trip. Thanks for the idea!

Hi there, do you know if you need to book the boat tours ahead of time or you can just show up and book? I can’t find much searching in English…Thanks!

there really is no need to book in advance, except you want a private boat tour. This website might help: https://www.grosser-kahnhafen.de/service/sprache/english

I love Spreewald! I’ve been there many times and always a have a chance (and the weather is beautiful) I go there. For me it’s a very special place – so peaceful, idyllic.

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Explore The Spreewald Biosphere and Lübbenau: Day Trip from Berlin

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Last updated on October 20th, 2023 at 05:13 pm

A re you curious about nature-based day trips from Berlin? Lübbenau and Spreewald are both just a quick day trip from Berlin. The serene and peaceful waterways are perfect for kakaying or leisure boating, providing a much-needed break from the stimulation of the hip city of Berlin. Not to mention, there are more pickles here than you could ever hope to consume. I traveled to the Spreewald Biosphere with a group of friends based on a hostel front desk employee tip, and I am so glad we took the time to visit. Slowly paddling through the sprawling rivers of the Spreewald Natural Reserve was a liberating and unique nature-based adventure. This reserve is a UNESCO-recognized natural biosphere , and there is also much to do for the outgoing adventurer or cultural connoisseur.

Ecology of Spreewald Natural Biosphere

The vast waterways of Spreewald are considered a biodiversity hot spot. That means the plants and animals here are unique to the region and vital to a healthy environment in Germany. The area has more than 270km of navigable waterways surrounded by meadows, forests, and fens shaped by the last Ice Age. About 6,000 species call this stunning place home, including rare and protected animals such as fire-bellied toads, sea eagles, green hawkers, and otters.

The area is of great cultural significance as well. As you paddle the waterways, you’ll notice numerous old cottages, docks, and farmland in the distance. Many of the residents who live here engage in a traditional lifestyle that relies on healthy waterways. It is common to see people going about daily life, fishing, or commuting via boat.

Sustainable Travel in Spreewald

The natural habitat of Spreewald is delicate and easily disturbed, so engaging in responsible tourism as you visit is vital. Do not throw trash in the waterways; collect, pick, or harvest any plant species. If you see wildlife, observe from a distance and do not harass or disturb animals.

Take time to learn about this UNESCO biosphere reserve’s natural and cultural heritage and its importance to Germany’s culture and environment.

Getting from Berlin to Lübbenau

Getting from Berlin to Lübbenau is relatively straightforward. From the Berlin Ostbahnhof, you can take the S5 towards Strausberg Bhf for nine stops or 20 min. Here, you will change to the RE2 heading towards Cottbus, Hauptbahnhof, for 1 hour and 4 minutes or 11 stops. You will disembark at the Lübbenau stop. This transit option will set you back about €21 for the round trip, and you can buy your tickets from the Hauptbahnhof. Don’t forget to validate your tickets.

Sit back and relax with a guided tour that takes you from Berlin to Spreewald . These tours are only bookable from April onward but include all the best highlights of Spreewald without the hassle of planning your adventures.

Things to do In Spreewald and Lübbenau

Rent kayaks and explore the waterways.

After departing the Lübbenau station, it will be a 15-minute walk into the central part of town, where the adventure awaits! You have several options for adventure rentals, and they’re all somewhat comparable. We used Bootsverleih Franke. They were wonderful! An attendant gave us all the needed gear, handed over a well-marked map, and sent us on our way. He reassured us that he would find us if we were too long. Perhaps the dreamy idea of having this young German find us caused us to wander off course and get entirely lost.

Thankfully, we managed to find our way back to the kayak rental dock, and in hindsight, we were thankful we got a bit lost. It all added to the adventure. Once in the water, you enter a world unlike any other. Lush grasses towering over your head sway in the breeze, and sunlight trickles in where it can. At first, we were joined by large punt groups, other kayakers, and canoers, but the farther we traveled, the quieter it got. In the peaceful wilderness, we bathed in the golden sunlight of late afternoon.

Join a Cultural Punt Tour

However, be warned that kayaking simultaneously while trying to navigate with a map is difficult.  If you prefer to do this with a guide, book a guided punt tour to accommodate larger groups. These tours even stop for a cheeky beer at one of the many bars along the waterways. This is a great way to sit back and relax as a local takes you along the canals, navigating with expertise as you can enjoy the natural surroundings. We saw plenty of these boats while in the water; they seemed like an excellent way to learn about the cultural and natural heritage of the region.

Grab a Local Beer Along the Water

On the return trip, we paddled through a quaint village with bars and shops adorning the shore. Most of these areas are only accessible by boat. Since we got a bit lost, we had to paddle past them in case our boat provider came out looking for us, only to find us drinking beer after our boat rental had expired.  If you stay on course or visit with a punt tour, take the time to stop and enjoy a tasty beer at the water’s edge.

Enjoy Gherkins (pickles)

Once you are back on land, you can venture into the main town square of Lübbenau. This is a charming traditional German town where English is not widely spoken, but there are plenty of pickles and ice cream for a hot day. The town is known for its pickling, and you can find plenty of street vendors selling a variety of pickles. Try their spicy chili ones, or go for something sweet. My friends and I joked this town was perfect to satiate oneself with the endless jams and ice cream.

I would LOVE to head back there for the gherkin tour that runs every Saturday and Monday starting at 10 am and is a 7-hour walking tour tasking all the succulent picks in the area!

Go for a Bike Ride!

The Spreewald biosphere is a beautiful place for bicycling as well. The Gherkin Rundweg, or the pickle circuit tour, traverses the Spreewald region on a relatively easy bike trail that covers 260km. You can rent bicycles and do part of it or book a guided tour. Don’t worry. There will be plenty of Gherkins along the way!

Visit Museums

You should visit one of the museums to learn more about Spreewald’s cultural and natural environment. The Spreewald Museums explores the cultural and historical heritage of the region. The Haus für Mensch und Natur is a cultural and ecological museum that educates you the ecology of the region and how the people have used the waterways for centuries.

Of course, there is also a Gherkin Museum that covers the importance of the pickle to the region.

Spend Several Days in Spreewald

If you want to spend several days in the Lübbenau Spree area, several multi-day tours are operating in the region . You can choose from kayaking and canoeing options, bicycle tours, walking tours, horseback riding, and fishing tours. These packages can be booked directly from the Spreewald tourism website.

Tips for Visiting Spreewald from Berlin

Traveling from Berlin to Lübbenau for kayaking in the Spreewald biosphere is about an 8-hour day trip.

There is something in Lübben for everyone, including a rural cultural experience in the small town. However, kayaking is for more independent and active travelers who are confident navigating waterways by the map and can spend 4+ hours paddling.

When to Visit?

Most Spreewald Activities operate from April to October. You can visit in winter, but you will find a sleepy town with most kayaking and boating excursions closed for the winter. If you visit during the shoulder seasons in spring or autumn, be prepared for chilly weather and possible rain.

What to Pack?

• Good active shoes- Keens or something good in water is preferred
• Light jacket for summer, as you will be in the shade most of the time
• Longer breathable/active pants
• Waterproof bag
• Easy-to-pack snacks
• Plenty of water or camelback

Curiosity Saves’ Sustainable Travel Resources & Tips

Accommodation: I primarily use Booking.com to find sustainable accommodation. Not only do you get a Genius Discount for being a loyal customer, but their new feature allows you to filter based on sustainability. When available, I will always choose a sustainable 3+ property, which means the hotel has significantly reduced its environmental impact and has a vested interest in the community. You can read about each hotel’s efforts at the bottom of the page. 

Packing Essentials: Before buying, first consider if you need new items. If you do, invest in quality and long-lasting technical clothing from your local Co-Op like REI . REI is also great for getting your reusable water bottle and cutlery set . 

Patagonia , has clothing created with regenerative practices . Patagonia will always repair or swap items and recycle them at the end of their line. 

Farm to Fee t for socks made with regenerative practices that keep you stink and sweat-free and great for travel! Pistil Designs for cold-weather essentials.

Osprey travel bags have lasted me 10+ years, making them a great sustainable investment. Whether a day bag I take hiking  or my favorite carry-on.

eSIM:   Swapping out SIM cards in every country you travel to is wasteful and confusing, so I recommend Airalo eSIM . Airalo is a game changer for travel, as I can purchase a local or regional SIM with a pre-determined amount of data and download an eSIM directly on my phone.

Buses and Trains: To find and book the best train and bus transportation in Europe, Canada, and the United States, I use Omio . Omio is a fantastic resource for quickly comparing train and bus routes with English search results and easy-to-use QR codes.

Of course, you might need to book a flight when trains and buses aren’t an option, and you’ve first considered reducing or altering your trip to avoid flying as much as possible. I use Google Flights for their easy-to-understand carbon comparison tool.  

Car Rental:   Discover Cars  lets you shop for the best rate in English and keeps all your details in one place. Ganesh and I drove a Polestar EV at home and typically aim to book electric zero-emission or hybrid cars when we travel. Discover Cars has a filter that makes it easy to find hybrid and fully electric cars. They also offer resources on how to find charging stations best – but for that, I recommend the Plugshare app. 

Tours and Excursions:   GetYourGuide  has an extensive collection of tours, excursions, and admission tickets for activities worldwide. When booking, you can look for the eco-certified badge, stay away from tours that promise wildlife encounters or direct contact, look for local tour guides, and quickly search the tour operator to ensure you support ethical operators.

While GetYourGuide is excellent for most locations, Viator by Trip Advisor has better activities for some of my favorite destinations, like my home state of Alaska.

About the Author: Susanna Kelly-Shankar

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Awesome trip guide! I look forward to go to these locations. I love kayaking and canoeing, I hope to be able to visit some day. Thanks for sharing!

This guide is really helpful to get a sense of the location ! I’d love to take some recommendation to visit there. Thank you!

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Your Trip to Berlin: The Complete Guide

Weather & Climate

Berlin's Airports

Neighborhoods to Know

Public Transportation

Top Things to Do

Free Things to Do

Things to Do With Kids

Lakes & Beaches in Berlin

Berlin's Tiergarten Park

Top Museums in Berlin

Day Trips From Berlin

Food to Try in Berlin

Berlin's Best Restaurants

The Best Bars in Berlin

Breweries in Berlin

What to Do in the Spreewald Near Berlin

Getty Images/Konrad Wothe

This UNESCO protected forest region is the ideal day trip from Berlin . Take a break from civilization to get back to nature and enjoy country life in northern Germany .

Settled by the Sorbs and Wends in the sixth century AD, Spreewald  was a farming region with a problem. The area's wetlands made agriculture difficult, so the farmers resolved the issue by digging channels ( fließen ) to the river Spree for irrigation and drainage.

Over 800 miles of the waterway are the ideal way to tour the region. And with 18,000 species of animals and plants, there is plenty to see besides the water. The Spreewald is a major tourist destination just outside Berlin .

Boat the Canals

The canals are the major attraction of the area and the best way to move around the Spreewald. Book a tour on one of the many guided boat tours that slowly glide along the canals by punting, similar to Venice or Cambridge . Relax as your guide does the hard work while you absorb information about your surroundings.

While there are tours in almost every town, your best chance of finding an English-speaking boat is in Lübben or Lübbenau. Book a place on a public tour for 10 euro per person or bring some friends and rent the whole boat.

If you prefer to move along the canals yourself, there are boat rentals of rowboats, kayaks, and canoes (oddly called kanadier ). Your boat rental comes with a laminated map of routes determined by length (in 1, 2, and 3-hour increments) and costs about 12 euros for 2 hours.

Canals are marked with wooden signs so look for ironically named passages like the “Suez Canal.” Be aware that the 2-person Kanadier comes with a peddle/rudder system that can be tricky to figure out. And your journey can take much longer depending on your energy. It's a canal, not a river, so all motion is your own.

Although the Spreewald is often thought of as a summer destination, the canals are also an attraction in winter. Once the shallow waters freeze solid, residents take to the waterways by ice skate. Kids play pick-up hockey games and touring the Spreewald in winter white is an added dimension of charm. Stay warm with warm mugs of Glühwein and treats from local vendors.

If you prefer to stay on land, forest walks are also an option. The tourist office in Lubben sells trail maps. Or simply walk from Lubben to Lubbenau (13 km or 8 miles). Want to get there faster? Take a mountain bike on the well-equipped paths.

Fishing is another way to enjoy the waterways. Pike, zander, carp, eel, tench and other freshwater fish can be caught in the canals.

Note that a valid fishing permit is required and there are specific requirements to protect the biosphere.

It wouldn't be a relaxing break in the countryside without a spa. One of the best spas near Berlin is the Spreewald Therme. It utilizes the unique mineral water in the saltwater thermal baths and its brine is credited with improving skin, the respiratory system, and the entire musculoskeletal system.

Museums and Sites

• Freilandmuseum Lehde - Visit Lehde near Lübbenau, a 700-year-old preserved Spreewald village which consists of many small islands connected by pedestrian bridges. This protected heritage site was only reachable by boat until 1929 and even today relies on Germany's only post ferrywoman to distribute the mail. The fire brigade and garbage service also have their own boats.
• Walk the quaint town and bridges observing the typical Spreewald houses. Built of wood with roofs of reeds, note the Sorbian/Wendian snake symbols on the gables. People in traditional dress work on crafts for visitors.
• Slavic Fort at Raddusch – This rebuilt fort is just 15 km south of Burg (Spreewald). Built around 850 A.D., there are paths with information boards throughout the area and playground and picnic sites.
• Spreewald Therme – The Thermal Spa in Burg (Spreewald) is the ideal way to unwind after a day of boating, hiking, and biking. This modern facility offers the best in relaxation techniques, saunas, and overnight accommodations.
• Arznei- und Gewürzpflanzengarten Burg Spreewald – To take some nature home with you , this cutting garden is available for tours.
• Gurken- und Bauernhausmuseum - Taste the famous Spreewald pickle and track its history and development.
• Spreewald Aquarium – The aquarium focuses on the different types of fish that live in the Spree.

Guide to the Spreewald

The Top 11 Day Trips From Berlin

Germany's Best Pickle: Spreewaldgurken

Day Trips From Berlin for the Germany Lover

Best Berlin Day Trips

The Best Places to See Fall Colors in Germany

The Best UNESCO Sites in Germany

The Best Small Town in Every State

The Best Beach in Every State

The 17 Best Countries to Visit in Europe

Germany's Best Sausages, and Where to Eat Them

The Top 9 Day Trips From Frankfurt

Berlin's Potsdamer Platz: The Complete Guide

The Best Staycation in Every State

10 Top Things to Do in Bariloche, Argentina

• Contrast Contrast

Spreewald Biosphere Reserve (Biosphärenreservat Spreewald)

Like a quaint Venice in the middle of the forest

Although the Spreewald may be less known to foreigners, Berliners think of linseed oil, Sorbian costumes with sumptuous headdresses, and delicious pickles when someone mentions this region to the south of Berlin. The Spreewald is also home to fire-bellied toads, frogs, snipes, and otters. This may be due to the fact that the largely natural landscape of the Spreewald with its wetlands, streams, forests, and moors is hospitable to many plant and animal species not seen elsewhere.

Species and cultural protection in one

Conservationists in the former GDR had begun trying to protect the Spreewald in the 1980s, which culminated in the recognition of the region by UNESCO in 1991. Since then, the Spreewald Forest has been protected as a biosphere reserve covering 475 km² (184 sq. mi.). The reserve’s tasks include not only the conservation of species such as otters and white storks, but also the preservation of the historic, small-scale cultural landscape and traditional skills.

Having fun in this special region

At the same time, the Spreewald offers lots of fun things to do. If you would like to explore the many aspects of the Spreewald biosphere reserve, you can opt for a boat trip or a cycling tour along the “Pickles Cycling Trail”. Hiking enthusiasts will also enjoy the Spreewald. The Lehde Open-Air Musuem and the Museum of Agrarian History in Schlepzig are good choices for excursions, too.

Archaeological finds in the Spreewald

In the protected cultural landscape of the biosphere reserve, evidence of a Bronze Age civilisation has been found. Berlin physician and anthropologist Rudolph Virchow was particularly enthusiastic about these findings. In the town of Burg, two religious carts made of bronze dating from the time between 2300 and 800 BCE were found in the late 19th century. At Raddusch Castle, thepermanent exhibition “Archaeology in Lower Lusatia”, you can marvel at a replica of one of these carts as well as additional artefacts from the Bronze Age.

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Berlin & Around

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19 Best Day Trips from Berlin: Hidden Gems & Popular Routes

What Are the Best Day Trips from Berlin?

Day trips from Berlin can be a total lifesaver! Sometimes, all we need to refuel is a quick trip to another city. Or even another part of the city. I’m a huge fan of such short trips, as there is so much to discover just around the corner. In the blog post, you’ll discover 19 of the best day trips from Berlin easily accessible by train. Conveniently, all destinations are within 35 minutes to 3.5 hours of the Central Station. 

Save The Best Berlin Day Trips for Later

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Best Berlin Day Trips An Hour Away Or Less

Brandenburg an der havel.

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 45 minutes by IC or 55 minutes with the RE1.

Why you should visit . There is lots of history in Brandenburg, the capital city of its eponymous region until Berlin took over in 1417. Today, you can get lost in the cobblestone lanes of the old town, with half-timbered houses left and right.

Although 70% of Brandenburg was bombed during the Second World War, some of the original fortifications, a stately cathedral, and many beautiful homes remain intact. What’s more, Brandenburg is set on the Havel River, where locals like to stroll or relax.

Königs Wusterhausen

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 35 minutes with the RE2.

Why you should visit.  This town is home to a 14th-century castle (remodelled in the 18th century as a hunting lodge) on the Notte Canal, only a few 100 meters from the Dahme River and several swimming lakes.

Königs Wusterhausen has a Tiergarten of its own, with waterways, walking trails and 250-year-old oak trees. This town was a favourite of several Prussian Kings.

Lübbenau (Spreewald)

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station:  1h05 with the RE2.

Why you should visit. Imagine Venice in Germany and you’ll have a good idea of what to expect in Lübbenau. Day trips from Berlin to the Spreewald typically include leisurely gondola rides along pristine canals – or kayak tours, if you’d rather be more active. The Spreewald’s canals do not look man-made, even if they are. When you get off the water, don’t forget to try a local delicacy: Spreewälder Gurken, or Spreewald Gherkins.

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 54 minutes (take the S3 to Friedrichshagen, then catch Tram 61 for 3 stops or walk 1.8 km.

Why you should visit.  Müggelsee is to East Berlin what Wannsee is to the West: a large lake surrounded by forested walking trails. Locals love spending the day here for the expansive beach and water sport offerings in the summer, and hiking year-round.

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 30 minutes with the RE1 or RE7.

Why you should visit.  Potsdam is officially referred to as “the city of castles and gardens”. Isn’t that a promising start? If you love history, culture or simply taking breathtaking pictures , do not skip out on this destination! And being so close, you can actually go on multiple day trips from Berlin to Potsdam, if you so choose.

Day Trips from Berlin to Other German Cities & Towns

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 3h05 hours with the ICE.

Why you should visit. It may take a bit longer to reach Bamberg, but the 3.5 hours train journey is well worth it. Bamberg is a stunning medieval town, designed over the centuries to resemble both Venice and Rome.

Like Rome, Bamberg has 7 hills providing sweeping views over the 13th century old town. Like Venice, you’ll find yourself crossing ornate bridges as you explore the Altstadt ‘s intricate laneways. Make sure you stop at at least one cafe to refuel – Bamberg arguably has the best selection between Munich and Berlin. And don’t forget a relaxing boat ride along the river!

With ICE trains running every hour, you can leave as early as you wish and return quite late to get up to a good 12 hours in the city. Of course, this applies to summer day trips. As we all know, the sun likes to disappear around 4 pm in the winter.

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 2 hours by train or 2.5 hours by bus.

Why you should visit.  Once the seat of Saxon royalty, the Dresden of today is one of Germany’s most visited destinations. Although much of the city was destroyed during World War II, Dresden was rebuilt to exactly replicate its former glory.

As you wander around the Old Dresden, you’ll have stunning cathedrals and palaces at every turn. Dresden is as captivating during the day as it is at night, with all the monuments and heritage buildings lit up after dark. 

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 2h40 with the ICE.

Why you should visit.  Erfurt is a great place to experience more “traditional Germany”. Day trips from Berlin to Erfurt consist of strolling alongside  rows and rows of half-timbered houses. In fact, Erfurt boasts the oldest merchant bridge in Europe, entirely covered by half-timbered homes. Today, people still live and work in the houses on the bridge. This instantly makes Erfurt one of my top day trips from Berlin!

The first time I visited Erfurt, I arrived at around 11 in the morning and the bridge was already crawling with tourists. The second time, I was able to get to the Old Town by 8 AM and had the medieval squares and Krämerbrücke all to myself.

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 3.5 hours

Why you should visit.  Freiberg is a great option if you’re looking for day trips from Berlin that change from the pace of big city life. The university town has existed for over 800 years, and today, the centre is a UNESCO heritage site. Freiberg has many cafes, a colourful, tidy town square and cobble stone streets, as well as a palace and several museums.

While you’re there, don’t miss the Tierpark Freiberg. This zoo is home to over 170 animals, ranging from local farm animals and pets to more exotic species. All the animals have plenty of space to roam. Entry and parking are free.

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 2h40 with the RE2, followed by the RB65.

Why you should visit. Görlitz will leave you dreaming! The old town is in perfect movie set condition, with ornate residences, a cathedral with white steeples and one of the most beautiful – and complete – libraries in the world. In fact, many famous movies were filmed in Görlitz: The Book Thie f and The Grand Budapest Hotel among them.

Plus, you can simply walk across a bridge and be in the Polish town of Zgorzelec. 

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 1h40 by ICE.

Why you should visit. The closest big city to Berlin, Hamburg has much for visitors to see. The famous Elbphilarmonie , Hamburg’s futuristic philharmonic orchestra, watches over water’s edge. Some of the world’s largest cargo and cruise ships dock in the port.

Plenty of lovely cafes and restaurants are tucked away off the main boulevards. And while you’re here, don’t forget to buy some fish and chips at eat them at the marina to soak up the Portside atmosphere.

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 2h30 with the ICE and local S-Bahn.

Why you should visit. This one is for lovers of the great outdoors. The village of Königstein is nestled in the mountains of Saxon Switzerland. You can easily combine a day of exploring the village with a hike up Pfaffenstein .

At the same time, you’ll be transported out of Germany to the Swiss Alps. This part of Saxony is aptly named; it really does feel as though you could run into Heidi at any moment.

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 2h20 via ICE and local S-Bahn.

Why you should visit.  Pirna is a lovely town on the Elbe River and the gateway to Saxon Switzerland and a local wine region. Visit the charming old town’s ivy clad buildings or make your way up to the Landschloss Zuschendorf – a palace surrounded by botanical gardens.

Quedlinburg

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 3h15 hours with the RE1, followed by the RE11.

Why you should visit.  Quedlinburg is another one of those day trips from Berlin that is well worth the 3-hour journey. All you have to do is see one photo of Quedlinburg, and you’ll most likely want to visit ASAP.  Or at least, that was my case!

The UNESCO World Heritage site is half-timbered heaven: a perfect introduction to this architectural style, especially for non-European visitors. You’ll find half-timbered homes from 5 different centuries here. The oldest building in town (and one of the oldest in Germany) dates back to the 1300s.

Escape to the Sea for the Day

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 2h40 via ICE

Why you should visit.  I was pleasantly surprised to discover this coastal suburb of Rostock. Warnemünde is a traditional German holiday destination and gateway to 15 km of sandy beaches.

If you’re ever in the mood for a beach day but cannot leave Germany (Corona, I’m looking at you), grab your sunscreen and hop aboard the ICE to Warnemünde. You’ll get all the coastal atmosphere you can absorb.

Now you know that day trips from Berlin include getting some Vitamin Sea!

International Day Trips from Berlin

Szczecin, poland.

Travel time from Berlin’s Gesundbrunnen Station: 1h50 with the RE66

Why you should visit.  If you love pretty squares, palaces that look a little bit like wedding cakes and delicious food, you should go to Szczecin. Even visiting on a cold February day did not dampen my joy at being in this lovely city.

For the perfect Instagram snap, do not miss Stare Miasto. In all fairness, you’ll likely stumble upon it as you amble around the old town.

Zgorzelec, Poland

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 3.5 hours transiting through Görlitz, where you can catch a local train for the rest of the journey. But you can also get off the train in Görlitz, walk through the Old Town and cross the border on foot (it takes about 20 minutes to walk from Görlitz’s train station to Zgorzelec).

Why you should visit.  If you’re looking for offbeat day trips from Berlin, I highly recommend Zgorzelec. Grittier than Szczecin but wielding its own charm. In fact, if you like the grungier side of Berlin, you’ll like Zgorzelec. The architecture is gorgeous and there are plenty of hideaways along the Neisse River where you can relax and unwind in nature. Not to mention cafes tucked away in basements serving delicious home-made pierogis. 

I wandered around a lot in areas where people did not speak German and loved every minute of truly being in a foreign country, even if I was just across the border.

Poznań, Poland

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: just under 3 hours via direct train (EC 59)

Why you should visit. The grand city of Poznań is one of the oldest in Poland, with a splendid Renaissance old town and a thriving business district. The sights are endless, with the Imperial Castle, the vibrant Old Market Square and a Gothic cathedral figuring prominently among them. While you can knock off the top sights in a day, it might be even better to spend the weekend in Poznań .

Děčín, Czech Republic

Travel time from Berlin’s Central Station: 2h40 via direct train (EC 379).

Why you should visit. Děčín’s castle on the cliffs is enough to get me on a train. If you’re an architecture lover, you’ll also appreciate the beauty of the Old Synagogue, or simply strolling around town. Undoubtedly one of the most romantic day trips from Berlin, Děčín is set on the Elbe River and surrounded by hills,.

Save Money on Day Trips from Berlin by Train

Best of all, day trips from Berlin do not have to be expensive! If you book a one-day train pass courtesy of Deutsche Bahn, you can travel all across Germany with up to 5 friends. Each additional person (up to 5) will only cost a fraction more of the price of a single ticket. Please note that the Quer-Durchs-Land-Ticket is only valid aboard region trains, however.

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Which Day Trips from Berlin Are Your Top Picks?

As you can see, there are so many day trips from Berlin easily accessible by train. There truly is something for every taste! From beautiful old cities to nature retreats, you’ll quickly be able to escape Berlin – even if you’re only free for the day. Let me know in the comments which excursion you’ll be going on first!

22 thoughts on “ 19 Best Day Trips from Berlin: Hidden Gems & Popular Routes ”

I am planning to visit Germany, France, and the UK in 2021. Hopefully, the pandemic will be over by then. Saving this informative post for the future. Thank you.

These are all beautiful countries! I hope you do make it over here post-pandemic and plan enough time in the Berlin area 🙂 So glad you found this post helpful!

Great list of day trips! I really wanted to visit Dresden, but just didn’t make it. Now I am really bummed I didn’t. Poznan is one of my favorite villages in Poland. Thanks for sharing!

I love Germany so much! Next time I’m there, I definitely want to get to Berlin and explore the surrounding area. All of these towns look so beautiful! 🙂

I was hoping to plan a trip to Berlin next year and was going to research some unique day trips. So this post has come in handy and I’ll be taking your tips on board!

I have been to Berlin 3 times but the only other cities I visited in this list is Hamburg. I really loved this city! Glad you shared a ton of inspiration!

I love all these day trip suggestions! Each place is so charming! You’ve given me so much inspiration for my Europe bucket list!

Great post. Will definitely come in handy when I get to Germany. Bamberg looks particularly beautiful. I’d love to visit Hamburg as we’ll pinned!

I love the details you put into this! I am from Berlin and these are some great tips. Thanks for sharing 🙂

Great post! Dresden looks stunning. Adding it to my bucket list ASAP!!

Super useful article for us as my boyfriend is from Berlin (we live in Paris) so we spend a lot of time there. We have done a few of your recommendations but it gives ideas for the next trips it’s great!

Great list, I loved the international ideas too. I’ve been to Berlin twice but I only did Potsdam as a day trip. I need to go back and do more.

I love Freiburg! I need to visit Germany again so I can visit some of these places! Thanks for all of these great ideas 🙂

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Wow so many things I wouldn’t have thought to do or go see! Thanks for all the great info!

• Pingback: 19 Top Bamberg Activities: Discover a Fairytale Town | Berlin & Around

Quedlinburg can really be recommended 🙂

You shared some great day trips! I really like how you structured this post btw, it’s super easy to find day trips based on how much time you have. Hamburg and Potsdam are my two faves on this list!

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Your vivid descriptions and insightful tips make each place come alive, making it easier for readers like me to plan unforgettable day getaways. From charming castles to picturesque lakeshores, your suggestions offer a perfect blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. Your passion for travel and exploration shines through in every word, inspiring us all to embark on these exciting journeys. Thank you for sharing these hidden gems and for giving us the ultimate guide to making the most of our time around Berlin!

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19 Incredible Day Trips from Berlin, Germany (2024)

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Planning a trip to Berlin? Keep reading for a guide to 19 of the best day trips from Berlin, Germany!

Berlin is an incredible city full of historic sights, insane street art, delicious food, and world-class nightlife.

It’s easy to spend a few days in Berlin without getting bored. However, when I’m visiting a city, I like to spend at least one day taking a day trip to a surrounding city to explore a bit further afield.

A few years ago, I spent a full week in Berlin and made sure to take advantage of a couple of the wonderful day trips in the area.

And thanks to the help of some of my fellow travelers, I put together this guide with all of the best day trips from Berlin!

In this post, you’ll find everything from cities, historic sites, and some of the most idyllic small towns in Germany. You can even take a day trip from Berlin to a different country – there are day trips from Berlin to Poland!

Most of the day trips in this guide can be accessed by public transportation and all of the trips take less than 3 hours to reach from Berlin, making them perfect to visit on a day trip.

Many of the spots are also accessible via a guided tour, which makes taking a day trip from Berlin super easy if you’re not yet comfortable navigating the train and bus system.

If you’d prefer to rent a car, I recommend checking Discover Cars for the best price on Berlin car rentals.

Are you ready to plan an incredible day trip from Berlin? Keep reading for a guide to 19 of the best day trips from Berlin, including how to get there, what to do, where to eat, and more!

Table of Contents

Berlin Day Trips: How to Get to Your Day Trip Destination from Berlin

Below each day trip destination, you’ll find helpful information on the distance of the destination from Berlin, the approximate travel time, and the best way to get there (usually public transportation or a guided tour).

You’ll also find some general directions from popular Berlin city center stations to the destination and suggestions for highly-rated guided tours, if available.

There are several options for day trips from Berlin by train or bus, as well as some that are better to take by car.

Traveling to your day trip destination from Berlin is often easiest and cheapest when taking public transportation. For closer destinations, you might be able to take the S Bahn , which is Berlin’s rapid transit railway system. The S Bahn website is helpful when planning your route.

For day trip destinations further afield, you may take a Deutsche Bahn InterCity train or a similar long-distance train. These trains are more comfortable than the S Bahn but they cost a bit more.

Rail Europe is a great resource to check train times and book affordable train tickets between Berlin and other destinations.

Note: In Germany, the word for central/main train stations is Hauptbahnhof , abbreviated “Hbf” – you’ll see this abbreviation a lot in this post as well as when you’re traveling throughout Germany.

Some Berlin day trips are best reached by car. If you’re planning on renting a car during your Berlin trip, I highly recommend using Discover Cars to search for the best price and to book your rental.

Keep in mind that while all of the directions given in this post have been verified, routes can change at a moment’s notice. Make sure to check directions on Google Maps or another map app before heading out on your day trip.

Map of the Day Trips from Berlin

In the map above, you can see the distance of the various day trip locations (numbered with the numbers matching the location’s number in this post) from Berlin (the orange star).

For an interactive version of this map, click on the map above or on this link .

Best Day Trips from Berlin

1. sachsenhausen memorial & museum.

• Distance from Berlin: 24.4 miles (36 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: 1 hour via train, 33 minutes via car
• Best Way to Get There: Train or Guided Tour

Located just 45 minutes from Berlin in Oranienburg is Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum , a haunting reminder of the horrors that occurred during the Holocaust.

Sachsenhausen was a Nazi Concentration Camp that was used to hold more than 200,000 prisoners from 1936 to May 1945, the end of the Third Reich.

Visiting Sachsenhausen is an extremely sobering experience. During your visit, you will see and learn about the horrific acts committed by the Nazis within the walls of the camp.

Remember that you are walking in an area where innocent prisoners were tortured and murdered. Be respectful during your visit – avoid speaking loudly, taking disrespectful photos, or behaving otherwise inappropriately.

At Sachsenhausen, there are numerous exhibits detailing the history of the camp and the horrors that occurred, including exhibits on the camp’s origins, the lives of camp prisoners, the “everyday life” of the prisoners in the camp, medical experiments that were conducted at the camp, and more. There is also a memorial dedicated to the political prisoners held at the camp.

Admission to Sachsenhausen is free; guided tours and audio guides are also available for a small fee. I highly recommend taking a guided tour of the site so that you can learn as much as possible about the history of the camp during your visit.

Getting to Sachsenhausen from Berlin

Take the S Bahn S1 Line from Berlin to Oranienburg Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) (30 minutes, runs hourly). You can board the train from several different stations in Berlin including Potsdamer Platz and Brandenburger Tor. Once you arrive in Oranienburg, you can either take the bus (Bus #804 or #821; 8 minutes) or a taxi (taxis can be found outside the train station) to the memorial.

Alternatively, you can take the Deutsche Bahn Intercity train from Berlin Hbf to Oranienburg Hbf. You can check departure times and book your tickets via Rail Europe.

You can also take a guided tour of Sachsenhausen from Berlin . You’ll meet the guide in Berlin, and they’ll help you navigate to Sachsenhausen via public transportation and then take you around the site, teaching you about the history and telling stories about the former prisoners.

This is the best educational Sachsenhausen guided tour from Berlin

2. Potsdam and Sansoucci Palace

Contributed by Soumya Gayatri from Stories by Soumya

• Distance from Berlin: 21.8 miles (35.1 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: around 30 minutes via train, bus, or car

The beautiful historical city of Potsdam is one of the best day trips from Berlin.

Potsdam is not only the capital and the largest city of Brandenburg but is also home to some of the most fascinating historical buildings in Europe.

For starters, the city houses the gorgeous Palaces and Parks of Potsdam that have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This includes over 150 historical buildings that were constructed between the 18th and 19th centuries and lots of beautiful, landscaped gardens that cover almost 1200 acres.

The most magnificent among them is the Sanssouci Palace with the huge Sanssouci Park.

Sanssouci Palace was the summer retreat of King Friedrich. It was here that the stunning Friedrichian Rococo architecture was born. You can view this style in abundance inside the palace.

Once done, I would suggest taking a walk through the carefully manicured lawns of Sanssouci Park . Also, spend some time at the Neues Palais , another impressive Rococo mansion.

Apart from Sanssouci Palace, Potsdam also houses an old market square , the remarkable St. Nicholas Church , and a Film Museum . The red brick houses of Potsdam’s Dutch Quarter and a quaint Russian village called Alexandrowka right in the middle of the city are equally appealing.

You can even take a Potsdam hop-on hop-off tour that takes you around the city to all of the top sights.

There is so much to do here that you will want to spend more than just one day in Potsdam .

Potsdam is located just about 22 miles away from Berlin. You can either drive or take a bus and it takes less than an hour to get there, making it one of the best day trips from Berlin.

The best time to visit Potsdam is between April and October when the weather is warm and you can enjoy the gardens.

Getting to Potsdam from Berlin

From Berlin, you can either take the S-Bahn or the Deutsche Bahn Regional or InterCity train from Berlin Hbf to Potsdam Hbf.

You can also take a guided tour of Potsdam from Berlin .

⭐️ This is the best guided tour of Potsdam and Sansoucci Palace from Berlin !

3. Teufelsberg

Contributed by Hanna Thomas from Solar Powered Blonde

• Distance from Berlin: 8.5 miles (13.7 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: 15 minutes via train + around 30 minutes walking to Teufelsberg

Berlin is an incredible city, but if you like hidden gems venture over to Teufelsberg to experience another side of history.

Teufelsberg, German for “Devil’s Mountain,” is a huge old listening station in the Grunewald forest, a short train ride away from Berlin. It isn’t the easiest place to find, so make sure to have Google Maps on your phone.

This American listening station from the Cold War is now home to artists and creatives. The entire place has been transformed into one huge piece of art. As you wander through the various levels, there are huge murals, sculptures, and graffiti along the way.

There is a small fee to pay for entry, and there is also the option of a guided tour, which is led by one of the people that reside here.

It doesn’t look very inviting on the way in due to all the fencing, but don’t be shy! Also, remember that you may not be allowed to take photos – just double-check as you enter.

Another amazing thing about Teufelsberg is the view. From the top of the listening tower, there is the most incredible view over Berlin.

In the evening, this is also a great spot to see the sunset, but remember you then still have to walk around 30 minutes through the forest back to the train station.

The closest train station to Teufelsberg is Grunewald and the journey from the center of Berlin takes around 30 minutes. After visiting Teufelsberg, head to the restaurant right by the station for dinner. It is delicious and very cheap – make sure to try the apple strudel!

Getting to Teufelsberg from Berlin

Teufelsberg is located in Berlin, making it a very easy day trip. Simply take the S-Bahn (S5 or S7 when coming from Central Berlin) to Grunewald.

From there, you will need to walk through the forest to get to Teufelsberg.

Make sure to have Google Maps downloaded and ready to help you navigate, and grab an Airalo eSIM so that you have phone service during your trip!

There’s also a guided tour of Teufelsberg from Berlin that includes round-trip transportation from Berlin to Teufelsberg and a guide who knows all about the site’s history.

⭐️ Learn more about Teufelsberg on this guided tour from Berlin

Contributed by Sydney from Sydney to Anywhere

• Distance from Berlin: 13.4 miles (21.7 kilometers)
• Best Way to Get There: Public Transportation

Wannsee is an easy and unique day trip from Berlin.

Germany isn’t really known for its beaches, but Lake Wannsee is the country’s exception. The Strandbad Wannsee is actually Europe’s largest inland swimming area!

This sandy beach area is a great spot where locals and tourists alike love to enjoy the beautiful scenery at the edge of the Grunewald Forest.

Come enjoy a relaxing day of sunbathing and swimming in calm waters. Or you can rent a paddleboat or take a boat tour to explore more of the lake.

The sandy shoreline, crystal-clear waters, and scenic surroundings offer the perfect place to decompress from the hustle and bustle of Berlin.

There are plenty of interesting historical sights in Wannsee as well.

One of the most notable attractions is the House of the Wannsee Conference .

This historic villa played a significant role in World War II as the site of the infamous Wannsee Conference. This 1942 conference is where high-ranking Nazi officials came up with their “Final Solution.”

While in Wannsee, you can also check out Peacock Island , easily reachable by ferry .

Once a royal playground, today this small island in the Havel River is a gorgeous park surrounded by lush forests, meadows, and a fairytale-like palace.

Stroll along the island’s paths to meet the peacocks who roam the island freely. Make sure you pay a visit to the beautiful Palace of Pfaueninsel to admire its neoclassical architecture.

Getting to Wannsee

To get to Wannsee, take the S-Bahn from Berlin. The journey is an easy 30 minutes with frequent trains going between the two locations.

⭐️ This boat tour is a must-do when visiting Wannsee!

Contributed by Elle from Only in Germany

• Distance from Berlin: 34 miles (55 kilometers) 
• Travel time from Berlin: 1 hour by train
• Best way to get there: Train or Car

After visiting  the best places in Berlin , escape to Beelitz, a captivating town just under one hour away from Berlin, known for its haunting sanatoriums and dark tourism experiences.

The Beelitz Heilstätten , a former sanatorium complex, is the main attraction.

Originally built to treat tuberculosis patients en masse, it later served as a military hospital during World War II, treating Nazis, and Soviet soldiers until the 1990s.

Beelitz Sanatorium has also left an indelible mark on popular culture. It served as the backdrop for World War II-era scenes in the renowned film The Pianist and even made a memorable appearance in a music video by the acclaimed band Rammstein.

Whether you are drawn to abandoned places and their historical significance or simply captivated by the allure of the treetop walk, Beelitz holds a mysterious charm waiting to be explored.

Today, guided tours take visitors through its historic buildings, including the intriguing “Alpenhaus.” Don’t miss the Baumkronenpfad, a treetop walkway offering stunning forest views and a unique perspective on the sanatorium.

While the sanatorium steals the spotlight, there is more to explore in Beelitz.

Take a leisurely stroll through the charming old town with its beautiful brick houses and elegant mansions. Indulge in a delightful breakfast at Café Alte Wache 1903 , a former fire station turned café, offering homemade cakes and a recommended breakfast menu.

For a taste of Beelitz’s culinary specialties, visit during the asparagus season.

Local farms like Spargelhof Klaistow, Spargelhof Karl-Ludwig Syring, and Josef Jakobs Spargelhöfe offer fresh and delectable asparagus.

Immerse yourself in Beelitz’s history and culture by exploring its museums. The Alte Posthalterei showcases the city’s postal service history, while the Spargelmuseum provides insights into the region’s asparagus heritage.

Beelitz’s dark allure and captivating sanatoriums make it a must-visit destination for dark tourism enthusiasts. Uncover the secrets of the Beelitz Heilstätten, walk the treetop path, and delve into the town’s intriguing past.

Getting to Beelitz from Berlin

Typically, you can take the Deutsche Bahn Regional Express (RE) train from Alexanderplatz directly to Beelitz-Heilstätten Bahnhof in about 45 minutes.

However, as of June 2023, that route isn’t running due to station construction. So, the easiest way to get to Beelitz from Berlin via train is to take the S Bahn to Berlin-Wannsee.

From there, get on the Deutsche Bahn RE which will take you to Beelitz-Heilstätten.

This journey takes around an hour. You can book tickets from Berlin-Wannsee to Beelitz on Rail Europe .

6. Spreewald

Contributed by Astrid Thornton from Seek Scandinavia

• Distance from Berlin: 60 miles (97 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: 1 hour 10 minutes via train

Spreewald, also known as ‘Green Venice’ to locals, is a UNESCO-protected reserve that’s just over an hour from Berlin by train. Who knew we could swap concrete for canals so quickly, right?

And once you’re there, Spreewald’s labyrinth of streams and canals is best explored by punting boat.

Channel your inner gondolier and paddle through the winding waterways, or, better yet, let a seasoned Spreewald punt guide do the work while you feast your eyes on the lush surroundings.

Whichever you choose, keep an eye out for those fabulous white storks as you make your way around!

Once you’re done, there’s plenty to satisfy those hunger pangs. The biosphere’s unique marshy landscape gives birth to local specialties like the Spreewald gherkin, so make sure you get your fill at the Gurkenmeile, a row of stalls selling pickles in every conceivable way.

For a heartier meal, tuck into a plate of traditional Sorbian potato pancakes at the Restaurant Zum Grünen Strand der Spree. The cozy setting perfectly matches the warm, rustic flavors of their food.

To wrap up your day, why not take a gentle hike or bike ride along the Gurkenradweg, a trail themed around the famous Spreewald gherkin? Because if you’re going to dedicate a trail to something, why not make it a local specialty like this?!

Getting to Spreewald from Berlin

The quickest way to get to Spreewald from Berlin is by taking a Deutsche Bahn Regional train from Alexanderplatz to Lübbenau (Spreewald). Trains depart every 30 minutes and the trip takes a little over an hour.

The easiest way to get to Spreewald is by taking a guided tour. This Spreewald tour from Berlin includes bus transportation to and from Spreewald, a local snack (including gherkins, of course!), a punting tour, and more.

⭐️ This is the best Spreewald tour from Berlin !

7. Brandenburg

Contributed by Jakub from tymrazem.pl

• Distance from Berlin: 56 miles (90 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: 50 minutes via train
• Best Way to Get There: Train

Brandenburg is an amazing city that is perfect for a day trip from Berlin.

A lot of interesting objects and over 1000 years of history await you in Brandenburg. The easiest way to get to Brandenburg from Berlin is by train, and you can use public transport or walk around the city itself.

Brandenburg has an interesting old town, actually two. There you will also find the remains of the city walls and interesting churches.

You’ll also find interesting sculptures of wild forest pugs (a cross between a pug and an elk), which you will find in various locations in the center.

Brandenburg is a city inextricably linked to water. It lies on the Havel River, but there are many more water reservoirs in the area.

If you have enough energy, you can even sail to Berlin from Brandenburg. Or, if you’re looking for something different to do, you can rent a floating barge on the spot and organize a picnic or a party.

On the way to or from Berlin, you can also visit Potsdam, where you will find Cecilienhof Palace .

A 50-minute train ride separates Brandenburg from Berlin and this distance is enough to find yourself in a completely different world.

Getting to Brandenburg from Berlin

Brandenburg is an easy train ride away from Berlin. You can take the Intercity train from Berlin Hbf to Brandenburg in about an hour, or the DPN train from Berlin-Charlottenburg to Brandenburg in about 45 minutes.

Rail Europe can help with planning your travel and booking tickets to Brandenburg from Berlin.

Contributed by Inma from A World to Travel

• Distance from Berlin: 118 miles (190 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: 1 hour 15 minutes via train, around 2 hours via car

Less than two hours from Berlin, Leipzig is one of the most interesting cities surrounding the German capital and is perfect to visit on a day trip from Berlin.

Along with Hamburg , Leipzig is one of the cities that architecture lovers will enjoy the most in Germany.

Some of the highlights of Leipzig that you can’t miss during your day trip to Leipzig include:

Monument to the Battle of the Nations: If you can, start the day by visiting this memorial. It will make you see the city with different eyes. The monument commemorates Napoleon’s defeat at Leipzig, an important part of the country’s history.

Paulinum : Standing at the site of the old university church, the Paulinerkirche, destroyed during East Germany’s communist regime in 1968, the Paulinum is an interesting piece of architecture that belongs to the University of Leipzig.

Gewandhaus : After undergoing numerous renovations, this concert hall – which mainly hosts classical music – has perfected its acoustics in such a way that it well deserves to enjoy a show inside.

Panorama Restaurant : There is no better place to have lunch and enjoy Leipzig from above. With a daily menu at a good price, this place is a winner. It is located next to the Gewandhaus.

Förderverein Versöhnungskirche: Architecture aficionados will enjoy a visit to this quiet church, away from the hustle and bustle of the city center.

Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei: One of the most ‘edgy’ areas of the city. Here, artists have taken industrial warehouses and filled them with galleries and craft workshops.

Auerbachs Keller : Considered the second oldest restaurant in Leipzig, this restaurant’s extensive menu will delight everyone in the mood for properly tasting some of Saxony cuisine’s best dishes.

To easily see the best of Leipzig in one day, book the Leipzig Hop-On Hop Off bus which takes you all over the city.

Getting to Leipzig from Berlin

Take the Deutsche Bahn Intercity-Express train from Berlin Hbf to Leipzig Hbf. Several different lines will take you direct from Berlin to Leipzig. You can check departure times and book tickets on Rail Europe .

The journey should take around 1 hour and 15 minutes; trains depart hourly from Berlin.

⭐️ See all of Leipzig on a Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

9. Saxon Switzerland National Park

Contributed by Soujanya from The Spicy Journey

• Distance from Berlin: 150 miles (240 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: around 3 hours
• Best Way to Get There: Car

Saxon Switzerland, also known as the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, is a picturesque region located in Germany near the border with the Czech Republic.

It is renowned for its dramatic rock formations, deep canyons, and stunning landscapes along with many impressive sights to see.

Saxon Switzerland is a bit further than some of the other day trip spots, but the area’s beauty makes it one of the most popular day trips from Berlin. Visiting and enjoying the nature is a great way to escape the city for a day.

Paying a visit to the Bastei Bridge is one of the top activities to do in this region. The bridge is located about 150 miles (240 kilometers) from Berlin, making it a feasible day trip by car or by public transport.

While the stone bridge, overlooking a canyon and the Elbe River, is impressive by itself, the hike around the enormous and humbling rock formations is worth doing and a nice way to get great shots of the bridge from afar.

In fact, the hike from the nearby town of Rathen to Bastei is both mildly challenging as well as a great way to discover the forests of Saxon Switzerland.

While you’re in the region, embark on a languid boat ride on the Elbe River or indulge in rejuvenating treatments at one of the wellness centers or spas in the region. Better yet, discover the hot springs hidden in the forests of Saxon Switzerland.

Another top thing to do here is to walk along the fortified walls of the nearby Königstein historical fortress, enjoy the panoramic views from the top and learn more of its fascinating history.

Getting to Saxon Switzerland from Berlin

The easiest way to get to Saxon Switzerland from Berlin is by car. If you’re going to be renting a car, I recommend using Discover Cars to search and book as it searches several car rentals at once.

You can take the train from Berlin to Saxon Switzerland, but the route is a bit complicated. Because of that, I recommend taking the train to Dresden and then taking a guided tour from there if you’re unable to rent a car.

First, you’ll have to take the train from Berlin to Dresden , which takes about 2 hours. Then, you can take this guided Saxon Switzerland tour that picks up in Dresden .

The tour starts at 8 AM, so you’ll need to arrive in Dresden very early.

If you don’t have access to a rental car for this day trip, it might be better as an overnight trip so that you can see everything in and around Saxon Switzerland on your own time.

10. Hamburg

Contributed by Wendy Werneth of The Nomadic Vegan

• Distance from Berlin: 179.6 miles (289.1 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: 2 hours via train

Hamburg is a surprising city of contrasts, full of industrial history and beautiful nature. Sometimes you even get both at once, like the rows of red brick warehouses lining peaceful canals in the Speicherstadt district.

As Europe’s second-largest port, many of Hamburg’s attractions are centered around the water. But if you get unlucky with the weather, there are some good indoor attractions too that will keep you occupied.

One must-see is the Miniatur Wunderland , which is the largest model railway system in the world. It’s actually much more than just a model train.

Divided into various countries and continents, it includes miniature recreations of all kinds of landscapes and cityscapes from around the world, with incredible attention to detail.

Miniatur Wunderland is very popular and can get crowded, so check the website for expected wait times and go outside of peak hours.

Walking around the Inner Alster Lake or, better yet, exploring the lake on the St. Georg steamship , is the perfect way to round out your explorations of Hamburg.

Hamburg has some fantastic dining choices for all budgets and taste buds, including lots of great vegan and vegetarian restaurants . Try the burgers at Happenpappen (order the “bowl” version of any burger if you want something a bit healthier) and the Mad Mexican loaded fries at Fried Club .

Getting to Hamburg from Berlin

The quickest way to get from Berlin to Hamburg is by train, and this is definitely the most convenient option for a day trip. Take the Deutsche Bahn Intercity or Intercity Express from Berlin Hbf to Hamburg Hbf.

Buy train tickets well in advance to get the best price. You can check departure times and book tickets via Rail Europe .

Traveling by bus is cheaper but takes more than three hours each way, so it’s not so suitable for a day trip.

⭐️ Check out the best tours and activities in Hamburg !

11. Rostock

Contributed by Lee and Stacey from One Trip at a Time

• Distance from Berlin: 145.2 miles (233.7 kilometers)

Rostock in Northern Germany is a Hanseatic city that can be reached by ICE train in around two hours.

Many cruise passengers do the opposite trip, skipping past Rostock to go and see Berlin, but in so doing miss the many delights that Rostock has to offer.

A great place to start exploring is the Rostock Cultural History Museum , just a short walk from the picturesque Universitätsplatz. Here you can learn about the history and culture of Rostock within the setting of the 13th-century monastery of the Holy Cross.

The wealth of artifacts on display belies the initial impression of the museum and you can easily spend an hour or more learning a little about Rostock. Admission to the museum is free.

For a view across the city, you have Kröpeliner Tor to the east, a 13th-century gothic-style tower that also houses history exhibits. Or you can visit Sankt-Petri-Kirche to the west, a 14th-century Gothic brick church.

Both options provide great views across the town and best of all, you can get to the top of either by elevator.

Rostock was once a walled city, but only a small portion of the wall remains today, together with a few defensive towers that were built within it.

The section between Rostock Steintor and Kuhtor, also passing Stadtmauer, is a short but well-preserved section of the walls. A longer section, though without the towers can be found curving south-east of the Kropeliner Tor.

Finally, one of the best attractions to visit, especially if you can visit around noon, is Marienkirche . Just once a day, the astronomical clock within shows the apostles circling Jesus.

As well as the clock, the church contains a wealth of impressive things to see, including one of the largest stained-glass windows in Europe, the high altar, and the Baptismal font.

Getting to Rostock from Berlin

Take the Deutsche Bahn Intercity train (2 hours; runs every 4 hours) or the Deutsche Bahn Regional Express Train (2.5 hours; runs hourly) from Berlin Hbf towards Rostock Hbf, getting off at Rostock Hbf. Use Rail Europe to plan your trip and to book your tickets.

⭐️ This Rostock walking tour is a great way to see the city in a day.

12. Schwerin

Contributed by Ali from Berlin Travel Tips

• Distance from Berlin: 128 miles (207 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: 2 to 2.5 hours via train

If you’re interested in visiting a fairy tale castle on a day trip from Berlin, Schwerin should be high on your list.

This town in northern Germany has a fantastic castle and several other attractions worth seeing.

Schwerin Castle has existed in some form for more than 1000 years, although it has been rebuilt several times. The palace you see today dates back to the mid-1800s and incorporates pieces from many time periods as far back as the Renaissance.

The regional parliament of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern meets at the castle. But it also has a museum you can visit for 8.50 euros. The surrounding gardens are gorgeous and open 24/7.

The castle is not open on Mondays, so if you want to go inside, plan your day trip for another day. But if you only want to see the outside, Monday is a good choice since there won’t be many people around.

Aside from the castle, check out the old town where you’ll see many charming buildings that are hundreds of years old.

In Marktplatz, the main square, you can see the old Rathaus (town hall) building and the infamous Lion Monument. This monument depicts the day Henry of Lion, founder of Schwerin, arrived and was greeted by residents who had dropped their pants. Clearly, they didn’t like him.

The Schwerin Cathedral is another pretty building worth seeing, and you can climb the tower’s 200 stairs for fantastic views of Schwerin.

Another great way to see Schwerin is to take a boat tour. It’s a fun way to experience some of the lakes that shape Schwerin. You can also take a guided Schwerin city tour to see the city’s highlights in a couple of hours.

Many restaurants in the old town are closed on Mondays. But for delicious food and locally brewed beer any day of the week, have a meal at Altstadtbrauhaus Zum Stadtkrug .

Getting to Schwerin from Berlin

Schwerin is easy to reach by train from Berlin. You can get there in 1 hour and 50 minutes using an IC train plus a regional train.

If switching makes you nervous, the direct regional train takes about 2 hours and 35 minutes.

You can check times and book train tickets to Schwerin on Rail Europe .

⭐️ This guided Schwerin city tour hits all the highlights in a few hours.

13. Szczecin, Poland

Contributed by Kami from Kami & the Rest of the World

• Distance from Berlin: 93.2 miles (150 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: around 2 hours

Located right on the border with Germany, Szczecin is one of the most underrated places to visit in Poland.

Szczecin is among the oldest cities in the area, first mentioned in the 1st century.

Unfortunately, due to the troublesome history and large destruction in World War II, you won’t find a beautiful Old Town there. But, Szczecin is still packed with attractions and is worth visiting on a day trip from Berlin.

Szczecin has a strong maritime vibe thanks to its location near the Baltic Sea, but it also has a very pleasant center designed by the same architect who created the look of Paris’s boulevards.

Some of the highlights of Szczecin that you can’t miss include Pomeranian Dukes Castle (with a nice viewpoint from one of the towers), Wały Chrobrego promenade, or the Philharmonic – an interesting modern building that was recently voted the best one in Poland.

Don’t miss the underground too, which is conveniently located next to the train station. You can also hop across the Odra River to Łasztownia – an up-and-coming area with an amusement park, numerous food trucks, and great views of Szczecin’s skyline.

A trip to Szczecin can be a good chance to try Polish food. In the city center, you’ll find numerous restaurants serving pierogi and more.

Getting to Szczecin from Berlin

Getting from Berlin to Szczecin is very easy, as there are plenty of train and bus connections. The one-way journey should take around 2 hours.

One of the easiest routes is taking the Regional Express train from Berlin Gesundbrunnen station to Szczecin Glowny, which will get you to Szczecin in under 2 hours.

When planning your day trip to Szczecin from Berlin, you can check train timetables and book tickets via Rail Europe .

14. Dresden

Contributed by Stephanie Craig from History Fangirl

• Distance from Berlin: 120 miles (193 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: 2 hours and 15 minutes via train, 2.5 hours via bus

Dresden is an easy bus ride from Berlin, with multiple pick-up and drop-off locations throughout the city.

If you can only choose one day trip from Berlin I highly suggest you head to this charming city nicknamed the “Florence of the North.”

Once here, you can explore the gorgeous reconstructed Altstadt , which was painstakingly rebuilt after the Allies bombed the city during World War II.

If you want to explore this part of the city’s history, you can go on a Kurt Vonnegut “Slaughterhouse-Five” tour of Dresden where you’ll learn all about the bombing campaign and Vonnegut’s experiences during the war and see the site of the former Slaughter House where he was held as a prisoner by the Nazis.

If you want to see some gorgeous baroque architecture and modern street art, head across the Elbe River to Dresden Neustadt . Here, you’ll find original architecture since this part of the city wasn’t affected by the bombs.

Other options for Dresden tours to make the most out of your day include going on a pub crawl to learn about the city’s nightlife (if you can take a late bus back to Berlin) or a river cruise on the Elbe to see the gorgeous city views from the water.

Don’t miss a visit to the Dresden Semperoper , the city’s gorgeous opera house. You can go on a tour of the interior if you won’t have time to see a live performance yourself. Otherwise, just set aside time to appreciate the building from the square in front.

Getting to Dresden from Berlin

You can get to Dresden on a day trip from Berlin either by bus or train. Taking the bus is the cheapest option while taking the train is the quickest.

To get to Dresden from Berlin by bus, take a FlixBus from Berlin Central Bus Station to Dresden Central Station. Buses depart hourly and the journey takes about 2.5 hours.

To get to Dresden from Berlin by train, take the Deutsche Bahn Eurocity train from Berlin Hbf to Dresden Hbf ( check times or book tickets on Rail Europe ). Trains depart hourly and the trip takes just under 2 hours. Direct trains run every 3 hours.

⭐️ Check out the best tours and activities in Dresden !

15. Göttingen

Contributed by Anna & Anne from Germany Things to Do

• Distance from Berlin: 212 miles (341 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: 2 hour 15 minutes via train

Göttingen is a charming university city in Lower Saxony. The city offers a blend of history, a vibrant ambiance, and cute narrow streets with cobblestones.

One of the top attractions in Göttingen is its well-preserved half-timbered houses. Despite World War II, only 2% of the city got destroyed.

Nowadays, you can stroll through the cobblestone streets and admire the buildings dating back to the 13th century. Some houses even date back to the 11th century, like the Old Town Hall.

Even if architecture is not your thing, the Junkernschänke, the Börner Viertel, and the ceiling of the Old Town Hall will captivate you.

Directly in front of the Old Town Hall stands one of the most popular tourist attractions: The Gänseliesel. It is an ongoing tradition for freshly graduated female doctoral students to kiss the Gänseliesel.

The city’s university status gives it a lively atmosphere. One in four citizens in the city is a student at Georg August University. Don’t miss the chance to explore the university’s public botanical garden for a tranquil stroll through nature.

The restaurant Le Feu is known for its specialties from the Alsace region, such as the famous flammkuchen . The flammkuchen is a like a pizza with a thin layer of pastry topped with sour cream, onions, and bacon.

If you’re looking for a cozy café with pastries, Kaffeehus is a good choice. Their lovely backyard provides a charming setting to enjoy their renowned coffee and wide selection of cakes.

In all, Göttingen is an excellent day trip from Berlin. Its preserved historic charm, lively university ambiance, and enticing dining options make it a destination worth exploring.

Set aside a day to discover this charming city and create lasting memories.

Getting to Göttingen from Berlin

You can reach Göttingen from Berlin via the Deutsche Bahn high-speed ICE train.

Direct trains from Berlin to Göttingen depart every two hours and the trip takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes. You can check train times and book tickets to Göttingen on Rail Europe .

16. Poznan, Poland

Contributed by Karolina from Lazy Travel Blog

• Distance from Berlin: 169 miles (271.9 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: 2 hours 30 minutes via train

A few hours away from Berlin, across the border of Germany and Poland, is the best day trip destination. Poznan, the first capital of Poland, can be reached by train for under 20 Euros.

An old town filled with architectural marvels, a walk through the Old Market Square brings you to a colorful small town that seems to have sprouted out of a storybook.

Rows of whimsically painted houses of different shades surround the grey cobblestone square and at its center, an old fountain completes the look.

Providing a contrast to the brightly colored houses is the towering Gothic structure of the Town Hall, which also houses the history museum of Poznan.

Not far away is Ostrów Tumski , Cathedral Island, which marks the exact spot where Poznan was founded. Easily accessible by taking trams 4, 8, and 17, the cathedral is open to visitors every day from 8 AM to 4 or 7 PM.

The perfect introduction to Polish cuisine , art, and culture, the small streets surrounding Old Market Square are filled with secret destinations waiting to be discovered. From small art museums to book shops, this small town has a lot of wonders to offer.

One art center that you should not miss is the Świetlica , which literally translates to a children’s playgroup in English. Do not be deceived by the name though; this was once a palace built under German rule and its uniquely-decorated interior will leave you awestruck.

It is also within these alleys that one can find the locals’ favorite Tylko U Nas, a dish made up of pork chops, potatoes, and cabbage salad, at U Dziadka for just a few Euros.

Not far, just opposite the Okrąglak building is Lodziarnia Kolorowa , which serves the best ice cream in Poland. From the usual favorites to more exotic flavors, it is here that the black currant and mascarpone ice reign supreme.

Getting to Poznan from Berlin

Poznan can be easily reached from Berlin via train. Direct Deutsche Bahn Eurocity trains depart from Berlin Hbf and arrive at Poznan Glowny after about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Use Rail Europe to check timetables and to book your trip.

⭐️ Check out the best tours and activities in Poznan !

17. Görlitz

Contributed by Jenoa from The Travel Folk

• Distance from Berlin: 134 miles (216 kilometers)

Görlitz is located in eastern Germany near the Polish border. This quaint old town is one of the most well-preserved towns in Germany as it was spared from the bombing during WWII.

With  one day in Görlitz , you will have plenty of time to explore the entire town and even stop for a nice lunch in between.

The train ride from Berlin takes about 2.5 hours, but the town is small enough that you won’t feel rushed during your day trip.

Görlitz is often used as a filming location for big Hollywood movies, such as Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel .

If you’re a fan of blockbusters, then you should start your day off by going on a little film tour. Head to the tourist office and they’ll give you a map of the locations and names of all the movies filmed in the city that you can visit yourself.

Spend the rest of the day wandering through the charming streets and visiting some of the main sights, such as St. Peter and Paul’s Church along the river and the Holy Trinity Church in the center of town.

Additionally, make sure to stop by Untermarkt for a bite to eat at one of the many cafes and restaurants in the area. Ratscafe is a fantastic German restaurant in the square!

If you still have time during your day trip from Berlin, you can walk across the bridge and explore the Polish side of the city.

Even though they are just separated by a river, the Polish and German sides of Görlitz feel completely different and it’s worth a wander to experience the two different cultures.

Getting to Görlitz from Berlin

The train from Berlin to Görlitz takes around 2.5 hours and requires one transfer.

First, take the Regional Express train from Berlin Ostbahnhof to Cottbus. There, you’ll switch to the Regionalbahn which you’ll take to Görlitz.

You can check times and routes and book tickets to Görlitz on Rail Europe .

Contributed by Elisa from World in Paris

• Distance from Berlin: 236 miles (380 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: 2 hours 45 minutes via train

People looking for an offbeat destination for a day trip from Berlin can visit Kassel, in the state of Hessen.

Located by the river Fulda and right in the center of Germany, Kassel is a 2-hour and 40-minute ride from Berlin by train.

There’s not much left of the historic Kassel. Most of the old town was destroyed during World War II, but some historic buildings around the market hall survived and give a picturesque touch to the city.

The city was once home to the Grimm Brothers, and fans of their fables will want to visit Grimmwelt Kassel , the new museum dedicated to the Grimm Brothers and their works.

In Kassel, there are also two beautiful parks worth exploring. The Karlsaue , with a beautiful Orangerie on one of its sides, is very similar to the park that surrounds the Gardens of Versailles in Paris.

The Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe is more hilly and best known for its Wasserspiele , a water cascade that comes to life every Wednesday and Sunday at 2:30 PM from May to October.

Kassel is a must for contemporary art lovers thanks to documenta , an internationally-renowned contemporary art show that takes place every five years from June to August. The documenta showcases the work of the world’s most famous contemporary artists inside the museums but also around the city.

Day-trippers in Kassel will want to enjoy a meal in one of the restaurants by the river or, if the weather is good, a quick eat in one of the city’s Biergartens. Kassel has 2 or 3 interesting Biergartens, perfect for meeting friends during spring and summer.

Among them, Rondell is the locals’ favorite, with a large garden terrace overlooking the Fulda River.

Getting to Kassel from Berlin

Take the Deutsche Bahn Intercity Express train from Berlin Hbf to Kassel-Wilhelmshoehe. The trip takes approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes – you can check departure times and book your tickets on Rail Europe .

Make sure you select the arrival station as Kassel-Wilhelmshoehe – otherwise, you could require a transfer and add over an hour to your trip!

From Kassel-Wilhelmshoehe, you can explore the city via the tram system .

19. Quedlinburg

Contributed by Lyubomira from Bulgarian on the Go

• Distance from Berlin: 136.8 miles (220.2 kilometers)
• Travel Time from Berlin: 3 hours via train, 2 hours via car
• Best Way to Get There: Train or Rental Car

Nestled at the foot of the Harz mountains, Quedlinburg is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque day trips from Berlin.

If you’re looking for a fairy-like place with a medieval vibe – Quedlinburg is the place for you. The Old Town is considered to be an example of some of the oldest and best-preserved half-timbered houses, which are common in Germany.

In 1994, parts of Quedlinburg, including the whole Old Town, were even added as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Located only about 3 hours away from Berlin, you can easily reach Quedlinburg either by train or by car.

Keep in mind that there is no direct train between Berlin and Quedlinburg; in most cases, you’d have to change trains in Magdeburg.

Once you arrive, the town can be explored in just a day, which makes it the perfect excursion for history and culture lovers with little time on their hands.

The tourist information center is a great starting point for your walk around Quedlinburg – make sure you grab yourself a free map of the town.

Some of the most important attractions, apart from the charming typical houses, include the town hall and its square , the numerous churches , the castle mount with the Stiftskirche , and the Fachwerkmuseum – one of the oldest half-timbered houses in the whole country. Check out more things to do in Qu edlinbur g here .

Even though quite small and compact, Quedlinburg has a lot of charm and history to offer to its visitors, so be sure to put it on your list.

Getting to Quedlinburg from Berlin

Getting to Quedlinburg via bus used to be easy and cheap; however, there are no longer any direct bus routes from Berlin to Quedlinburg.

Now, the best way to travel to Quedlinburg is either via train or by renting a car . Most trains will require two transfers, so check Rail Europe to plan the best route and check ticket prices..

Berlin Day Trips: Wrap-Up

As you can see, there are tons of incredible day trips from Berlin that will satisfy every traveler. Whether you’re looking to visit a historical site, a charming town, or an exciting city, there’s a day trip here for you!

No matter which day trip from Berlin you choose, you will have an incredible time full of culture, food, and lots of exploring.

Have you taken any day trips from Berlin? If so, which one is your favorite?

Planning a trip to Berlin? Check out these posts next:

• How to Spend 4 Perfect Days in Berlin, Germany
• The Best Informative Tours of Sachsenhausen from Berlin

After traveling outside of the US for the first time while studying abroad, I quickly developed a love for travel and an obsession for exploring as much of the world as possible. Now, I'm on a mission to teach college students, young adults, and anyone else who wants to see the world how to travel while minimizing their expenses and maximizing their experiences.

Home » Travel Guides » Germany » 15 Best Day Trips from Berlin

15 Best Day Trips from Berlin

Berlin is a cosmopolitan, hipster-cool capital, with historic sites and modern attractions in equal measure. Here lies the Berlin Wall, with its epic street art; here stand some of the most exclusive and elusive clubs in Europe; here is World War II history in the Reichstag and Checkpoint Charlie; here is modern art and spectacular art galleries.

Berlin is a great place to spend some time on a European adventure, if you’re looking for a place with diverse appeal, great food and epic nightlife.

But if you want to explore further afield, then there’s plenty to do in its surrounds as well.

Here are fifteen fantastic day trips that you should make from the German capital.

1. Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

A visit to Sachsenhausen is certainly a worthwhile, if sobering, addition to your Berlin itinerary.

The closest camp to the capital, at Sachsenhausen you can take a tour of the premises, and learn more about the horrific reality of life at a Nazi concentration camp.

It might leave you feeling sad rather than uplifted, but this day trip certainly provides a worthwhile history lesson, and the poignant memorial displays are well worth a visit.

‘Arbeit macht frei’ (work will set you free) still hangs imposingly above the entrance.

Just a short hop from Berlin lies pretty Potsdam, with its intriguing Dutch Quarter, the Russian-influenced Alexandrovka, and the main attraction: Sanssouci palace.

The city as a whole is beautiful, but the palace really takes the biscuit, with its beautiful Chinese teahouse, extensive gardens, and the New Palace in pride of place.

Sanssouci certainly gives the Palace of Versailles in France a run for its money.

Spend as much time as possible wandering round and soaking up the atmosphere, before heading back on a coach to Berlin.

Just two hours from Berlin sits the pretty riverside city of Dresden.

Theatres, castles, and beautiful buildings a-plenty characterise this southwest German gem.

Take some time to stroll through the main squares – Theaterplatz and Schlossplatz – and cross the Augustus Bridge to get a view out along the river.

A visit to the Old Town won’t go amiss, either: don’t neglect to visit the old market square and the new market.

Dresden is eminently walkable, so make sure you’ve grabbed your comfiest trainers for this fantastic day trip.

4. Lehnitz Sea

From Tegel, you can take a boat trip all the way out to Lehnitz Sea, passing through the calm waters of Berlin’s surrounds.

You’ll float on down through the Tegel Sea, the Oberhavel and pass through the Lehnitz Lock on the Oder-Havel Canal.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride as you explore Berlin’s extensive waterways, finally getting a glimpse of Friedrichsthal and Malz at the trip’s furthest point before making your way back to the capital.

It’s a great choice if you need a break: the calm waters of the canals will soothe your soul.

5. Rüdersdorf

By boat, you can make it all the way to Rüdersdorf from Berlin in a day – a great chance to explore its famous Museum Park.

En route you could also choose to stop off at the cute historic towns of Köpenick and Friedrichshagen, whose rustic buildings and laid back pace of life are sure to appeal.

The riverside journey is a fantastic way to discover more of rural Germany, from the extensive waterways of the Müggelsee to the quaint habitations that fringe the water.

Get your camera out and keep it handy, for you’ll certainly want to get snap-happy on this cruise.

Wannsee often finds itself a spot on lists of best day trips from Berlin, and it’s easy to see why.

The largest European inland beach is ever-popular among tourists and locals alike, and sometimes it can be hard to find yourself a spot to lay your towel.

Even still, it’s a great day trip – especially in summer when you can soak up the sunshine, swim and simply relax.

Insider tip: just a little distance from Wannsee is the quieter spot of Kladow.

Just hop on a ferry and you’ll escape the crowds but still score the benefits of the sandy-shored lakes and tranquil grasslands.

Under two hours by train from the capital, if you feel like a change of scenery but don’t want to stray beyond the city life, perhaps Hamburg is a good option for you.

It’s very different from Berlin, as a port city, but it’s got more than enough to field an entertaining trip out from the capital.

Hamburg certainly has atmosphere to be soaked up as you meander among the boats tied up in the harbour, or explore the famous fish market.

The UNESCO World Heritage status earned by Germany’s second-largest city in 2015 is well-deserved.

And, for something more thrilling, you can check out Heide Park to experience the twists and turns of its rollercoasters – both wooden and steel.

Saxony’s largest city is surprisingly cool: more chilled out and much cheaper than the capital, it has begun to attract Germany’s young creatives, and this certainly shows.

The Altstadt (old town) is well worth a look round, with its impressive Saxon architecture.

Leipzig also holds a lot of cultural appeal in its museum offerings: with options from Bach to fine art, most will be able to find something to tempt them.

There are also lots of great restaurants in the city, and some excellent street art.

9. Pfaueninsel

Pfaueninsel, or Peacock Island, provides something a little different for a diverting day trip.

Just 1.5km in length, and a mere 0.5km wide, Peacock Island makes for easy exploration, yet it still provides plenty to do.

Spend time marvelling at its historic buildings such as the Kavaliershaus, and of course, pointing out the island’s many peacocks.

Peacock Island Castle is another key draw, built in the late 18th century by Frederick William II. It’s amazing how much is packed into this tiny stretch of land.

10. Spreewald

This picturesque forest is a real steal of a day trip – you’ll likely encounter more locals than tourists among the trees.

There’s hardly a better place to get back to nature so close to Berlin, and Spreewald has trails a-plenty for walking, cycling and exploring by water.

Hiring kayaks is a fun, unusual option for discovering the UNESCO-protected nature reserve, if you feel like a change from endless wandering by foot.

Stop off at the lagoon village of Lehde, or the cute fishing village of Leipe, for a peek at rural German life at its most peaceful.

11. Tropical islands resort

A strange concept for a resort, perhaps, but Tropical Islands is a fantastic place to spend the day with the family, once you’ve exhausted all the manifold cultural attractions around the capital.

Make this a day to relax, and splash about in the largest indoor pool in Europe.

Housed inside an old aircraft hangar, the Tropical Islands resort has plenty to keep kids and adults alike occupied for the day – waterfalls, lagoons and a tempting array of waterslides.

12. Wandlitzsee

The lido in Wandlitzsee is a bit of a hidden spot – but it’s so close to Berlin that you wouldn’t believe it.

It’s certainly a relaxing place to spend a day out: simply pack a picnic and soak in the tranquillity of the lakeside area.

If you feel like doing something more active, there are rowing boats available for hire, and of course there are plenty of swimming options – as well as diving boards if that floats your boat.

There are different areas to set up camp, so if you’d prefer a bit more of an escape, you can head further round the lake for more peace and quiet.

13. Brandenburg an der Havel

Brandenburg an der Havel is just the thing for outdoor lovers, with its lakes, nature and myriad walkable attractions.

The town centre is worth having a look around, and for a thrilling ride visitors should hop on the small tram that hurtles around the streets.

Check out the old market square, marvel at the stilted constructions on the riverside – and if you’re still looking for things to do, then browse the local wine shop, Belmondo.

Take yourself up to the highest point of the city for spectacular views of greenery interspersed with red roofs peeking through.

14. Saxon Switzerland National Park

On the fringes of the Elbe River lies Saxon Switzerland National Park – a popular spot for German locals, but lesser known by the tourist masses.

Densely forested paths trickle throughout the park, but one of the key highlights of the place is the Bastei Bridge.

Crafted among the limestone pillars that the park is famous for, the bridge forms an imposing and impressive mark on the landscape.

There are great views from the bridge itself, too: panoramic vistas of the tree-carpeted Elbe Valley.

15. Devil’s Bridge

As the name might suggest, the Devil’s bridge (Rackotzbrücke in German) is another place where the main attraction is a bridge.

Arching attractively over the water, if you see it from just the right spot in calm waters you can get a great picture of a perfectly circular reflection – and in autumn, the red and gold of the trees show the place in a gorgeous backdrop.

It’s housed in the Azalea and Rhododendron park, was commissioned in 1860 – and has been delighting visitors ever since.

15 Best Day Trips from Berlin:

• Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
• Lehnitz Sea
• Pfaueninsel
• Tropical islands resort
• Wandlitzsee
• Brandenburg an der Havel
• Saxon Switzerland National Park
• Devil’s Bridge

The 8 best day trips from Berlin

Jul 24, 2023 • 6 min read

You won’t leave the city limits on a day trip that includes a stop at Treptower Park, but it'll feel like you did © Bojan Brecelj / Getty Images

Berlin is surrounded by the forest-filled, lake-spotted state of Brandenburg , which offers year-round respite from the streets of the capital. Forest walks, cycling routes, dips in the lake, historic sites and much more are all within easy reach, sometimes still within the city’s boundaries.

Just know that you’re unlikely to be exploring alone – Berliners themselves love nothing more than a day out, especially when the weather is schön , and booking ahead for popular sights or tours is often your only option.

1. Paddle along the canals of Spreewald

Travel time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

Spreewald is a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, occasionally referred to as Germany’s Little Venice. Well, forget about that, and instead go for the chance to take a peaceful paddle along the extensive network of forest-lined waterways. The gentle waters are easy to navigate, even for paddling novices, and you might be able to pull up at a little snack stop, restaurant (where excellent Spreewald gherkins are guaranteed) or beer garden along your chosen watery route. All stops are delightfully quaint and wholesome. 

Lübbenau is one of the best towns from which to explore Spreewald. From Lübbenau’s Altstadt, it’s a short walk to Bootshaus Kaupen , where you can hire wooden kayaks and canoes and get information on suggested routes of up to 20km (12.4 miles). The old town itself is worthy of a wander, with a small market (for more Spreewald gherkin sampling), Brauhaus Babben (for post-paddling brews) and plenty of gherkin-inspired kitsch around town.

How to get to Spreewald from Berlin:  Spreewald Biosphere Reserve is located approximately 100km (62 miles) southeast of Berlin in the state of Brandenburg. It’s easily reached by taking the RE2 train from Berlin to Lübbenau. You can also hire boats in nearby Lübben, for a similar experience.

2. Admire the grandeur of Potsdam

Travel time: less than 1 hour

The classic day-trip destination from Berlin is Potsdam , the capital of Brandenburg, Berlin’s surrounding state.

Nothing in Potsdam screams for your attention more than yellow-hued Schloss Sanssouci  – the rococo summer palace of the Prussian King Frederick the Great, today a Unesco World Heritage Site. The palace grounds are also wonderfully impressive, and you'll find a number of other ornate buildings, such as the Chinese House and the New Palace, to gawk over. Book tour tickets in advance, lest you miss out. 

If the palace and its grounds don’t keep you all day, Museum Barberini is another fixed Potsdam highlight, featuring international art exhibitions with a focus on impressionism. Since opening in 2017, headline exhibits have featured the likes of Monet and Van Gogh.

Before or after undertaking your sightseeing itinerary, take a wander around the historic Dutch Quarter and stop for a coffee at the locally beloved Buena Vida Coffee Roasters – it just might end up being one of your favorite coffee stops on your trip. 

How to get to Potsdam from Berlin:  Potsdam is approximately 35km (22 miles) southwest of Berlin. It can be reached in less than an hour from central Berlin, on the S-Bahn (S1 or S7). The city lies within Berlin’s C fare zone, so you’ll need an ABC ticket.

3. Swim in the clear waters of Liepnitzsee

Travel time: 1 hour and 50 minutes

Plenty of swimmable lakes lie within easy enough reach of the city – there are approximately 3000 in Berlin and Brandenburg, after all – but Liepnitzsee is a standout for its clean, clear water and lush forest surroundings.

Hardly a secret among Berliners, the banks of Liepnitzsee are filled with city escapees on warm summer weekends, and you may have to search a while to find the perfect spot to lay down your towel, either on a secluded spot nestled between trees or on one of several sandy beaches. 

Pack a picnic and spend your day dipping in and out of the refreshing water that appears, from a distance, to be a mesmerising emerald green. If that’s too sedate for you, hire a paddle boat, walk or ride around the lake, or ferry to the island plonk in the middle, Großer Werder.

Not swimming weather? Go anyway. The lake and surrounding forest is picturesque at any time of year, even when covered in snow, and you may still see people swimming when others wouldn’t dare take off their scarves. 

How to get to Liepnitzsee from Berlin: Driving the 40km (25 miles) northeast from Berlin to Liepnitzsee is your easiest option, but getting there with a combination of train and bike is the most fun. Take the S2 to Bernau and then ride the final 12km leg through the forest. If you don’t want to cycle, take the regional train all the way to Wandlitz; you'll need to walk from there.

4. Celebrate asparagus season in Beelitz

Travel time: 45 minutes

Germans are serious devotees of seasonal produce, whether it’s bärlauch (wild garlic), strawberries or Federweißer (a young, bubbly wine).

An absolute favorite arrives in Berlin in early spring : spargelzeit (asparagus season). During the short season, starting in mid-April and ending, punctually, on 24 June (St John the Baptist Day), Spargel is celebrated on menus across city, both the white and green varieties, and you won’t have to look long to find Spargel served as soup, with hollandaise sauce or something more inventive.

Deepen your own appreciation of this vegetable with cult status by heading to the regional center of production, Beelitz, where you can visit local farms to see how the regional variety is grown and, if you time it right, attend the annual Spargelfest.

While you’re in the area, you should dedicate part of your day to the Baumkronenpfad Beelitz-Heilstätten , a treetop walkway above the sprawling grounds of an abandoned (and crumbling) sanitarium, once used to treat tuberculosis patients and later soldiers (including Adolf Hitler) in both World Wars. You must join a guided tour to visit the buildings.

How to get to Beelitz from Berlin:  Beelitz is approximately 50km (TK miles) southwest of Berlin. Beelitz-Heilstätten train station is connected to Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Berlin Central Station) by the RE3. From the train station, you can reach the town by bus.

5. Cycle along the Spree in Treptower Park and Plänterwald

Travel time: 30 minutes

You won’t leave the city limits on this day trip – but it will feel like you have. From the Treptower Park S-Bahn station, it’s just a hop, skip and a jump to the Treptower Hafen, from where you can ride (or walk) along the shared bike and pedestrian path as it follows the Spree. The riverside path will take you through Treptower Park and then Plänterwald, passing the Zenner beer garden , Insel der Jugend, playgrounds, the infamous Spreepark and the newly opened Zum Anleger beer garden along the way – all worthy stops if you have the time or are in need of a drink, bratwurst or an ice cream. 

Otherwise, keep on riding until you reach a tiny ferry dock. From here you can take the Fähre F11 across to the other side of the river in just one or two throttles of the engine (you will need a BGV ticket for you and your bike). Once on the other bank, find your way to the Funkhaus Berlin , a former East German broadcasting complex which now hosts curated concerts and music festivals. Here you can grab a coffee or eat a wood-fired pizza from Zola while looking out over the water and summoning the energy for your return journey. It’s the perfect day out and a good one with kids.

How to get to Treptower Park: Treptower Park is easily reached by S-Bahn or bus from almost anywhere in Berlin.

This article was first published Jun 19, 2019 and updated Jul 24, 2023.

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15 Coolest Day Trips from Berlin in 2024

Who else is guilty of making the same New Years Resolutions every year? My resolutions come down to just a few things in essence: try to like running, consume less cheese, and finally become a grown-up. The fact that none of these things seem to ever happen is somehow reassuring (#foreveryoung).

This year I did try another resolution though: travel more within Germany .

For the past three years I’ve been feasting on this European buffet of fantastic countries, going to every place I had ever imagined. I’ve hit the big ones: France, Spain, Italy, England. I’ve hit some smaller ones too: Croatia, Denmark, Czech Republic. But the number of cities I’ve been to in Germany? I could count those on one lonely hand.

Luckily for anyone coming to Berlin and perusing this list, I didn’t get too ambitious with my Germany travel and instead have a bunch of amazing day trips from Berlin – most of which are within 2-3 hours of the city where you can go to unwind and take a break from the pervasive smell of Döner kebap.

You’ll find both Berlin excursions that get you into nature, as well as cities close to Berlin you can just enjoy for a different pace. I absolutely recommend adding a few day trips to your Berlin itinerary .

Are you sold? Let’s get started.

Best Berlin day trips

The easiest way to reach all of these places is by renting a car. Driving in Germany is much more straightforward than a lot of other European countries.

If you’re able to drive in Germany, I highly recommend DiscoverCars as someone who takes a lot of road trips in Europe.

Without further ado, here are the absolute best Berlin day trips I personally recommend, based on my experience living in the city for nearly 7 years.

1. Potsdam and Sanssouci Palace (The Versailles of Germany)

• Distance: 36 kilometers (22 miles)
• Travel time: 1 hour each way
• Reach by: Tour or public transit

Potsdam is a posh town right outside of Berlin, charming and worth strolling through, however the main draw is undoubtedly the Schloss Sanssouci (Sanssouci Palace).

If you’ve been to Versailles during a trip to Paris, you might notice some similarities right away. Sanssouci has large, dedicated gardens, as well as smaller buildings along the grounds that you can go up into. The interior isn’t as vast, but the design of the palace rooms is just as elaborate and showy.

A stop in Potsdam and Sanssouci is easily the most popular Berlin day trip for first-time visitors to the city, and for a good reason. It’s beautiful, affordable, and easy to reach.

Especially if you’ve been to Versailles you’ll appreciate when I say this: comparatively few tourists visit Sanssouci. You don’t have to push your way through to see everything or fight people for a photo. Instead, it’s possible to just walk through, do some reading, and learn some history!

That said, buying tickets in advance is highly recommend during the high Summer tourism season to avoid waiting in a long line. Tips on that below.

How to reach Potsdam from Berlin

To reach Potsdam, take the S-Bahn (S7) to the Potsdam Hauptbahnhof (Postdam Main Station). Directly in front of the stations are busses that will connect you to the palace.

But as with most historical areas, it can be 10x more interesting when you have someone to explain the history to you. Personally, I’m so much more likely to actually remember things from a tour as opposed to passively reading signs inside the palace. This particular Potsdam + Sanssouci tour includes an English-speaking guide, tickets to the palace, and 1,000+ positive reviews.

2. Harz Mountains

• Distance: 239 kilometers to Wernigerode (142 miles)
• Travel time: 2.5 hours each way
• Reach by: Car

Germany’s Harz Mountains is a stunning forest region located 2.5-3 hours west of Berlin. Here you’ll find some of the best-preserved medieval towns in the entire country. But if you love nature, then waterfalls, forest hikes, traditional German food, and blissfully poor cell phone reception all await you in Harz .

But there’s something even more incredible about Harz you might not expect…

The absolute lack of foreign tourists. German travelers flock to Harz to get a taste of traditional Germany, see famous locations from Goethe’s Faust , and to fulfill the stereotype of being obsessed with hiking.

But apart from a healthy dose of Danes, Harz has completely flown under the international tourism radar. Which is a little surprising given how Instagram-worthy its towns full of Fachwerkhäuser (half-timbered houses) are.

Take, for example, a look at this sinister-looking Rathaus (town hall) in Wernigerode .

We spent an entire week in Harz and still ran out of time to do everything. In a leisurely day trip, you could definitely make it to Wernigerode to see the town hall (above), hike to the castle (first photo), and visit a traditional brewery. If you wake up early with a car, you could probably also add Goslar and Quedlinburg to your trip and visit all three major in a super packed day.

Read my dedicated Harz Mountains guide for details on the Harz National Park, the best towns to visit, where to stay in Harz, and how to extend your trip for a week or weekend.

The Harz Mountains in Germany are a gorgeous highland area famous for forests, medieval towns, and witches of yore. Find out the best things to in Harz in this detailed travel guide.

How to get to Harz from Berlin

It’s best and fastest to get to Harz by car, which will shave 45 minutes off your arrival and departure trips. Plus, trains and busses in this region leave infrequently so this gives you much more flexibility.

It is possible to reach some of the main towns in Harz like Wernigerode , Goslar , and Quedlinburg by train in roughly 3 hours.

3. Saxon Switzerland

• Distance: 230 kilometers (142 miles)
• Travel time: 3 hours each way

Saxon Switzerland is a stunning national park and hilly region near the Elbe Valley, located about 230 kilometers southeast of Berlin. It’s one of the most beautiful places in East Germany, especially overlooking the Bastion Bridge ( Basteibrücke , shown above).

From Saxon Switzerland, you can also get sweeping views of the River Elbe . The most popular things to do in Saxon Switzerland include hiking, climbing, cycling, and visiting rock formations and vantage points beloved by landscape photographers. Perfect for either a single day or a weekend escape.

If you want to experience nature in Germany and take a break from the city, this is the best day trip from Berlin I can recommend to you. Here’s how to get there from Berlin.

How to reach Saxon Switzerland from Berlin

Reaching Saxon Switzerland from Berlin takes about 3 hours of travel each way, and is best done by car. Again, my recommended car rental company for Europe roadtrips is DiscoverCars .

Since Saxon Switzerland is a popular day trip for Berlin locals (especially during school holidays and weekends) visit during the week when possible.

4. Spreewald

• Distance: 100 kilometers (62 miles)
• Travel time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Reach by: Car or train

Spreewald is a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve located just 100 kilometers outside of Berlin in the state of Brandenburg. It features over 200 canals you can navigate by kayak, canoe, or a traditional punting boat (called Spreewaldkahn ) for a total of 276 kilometers.

Besides being able to paddle around, you’ll also get a glimpse into the traditional Sorbian village of Lehde . This region was originally settled by the Sorbs and Wends, who came here over 1,400 years ago from the Carpathian mountains. In fact, the word “Berlin” originally comes from the Slavic word for “swamp”!

Spreewald is a gorgeous day trip from Berlin in any season, but Summer and Autumn are especially beautiful. It’s also a great example of local tourism, as you’ll find very few other foreigners here.

How to reach Spreewald from Berlin

The most efficient way to reach Spreewald from Berlin is by renting a car. Again, DiscoverCars is my go-to. Otherwise, it is possible to reach Spreewald by train from Berlin by disembarking at the Lübbenau/Spreewald stop.

Read my dedicated guide to Spreewald, Germany for more details on visiting this gorgeous forest in Brandenburg, and things to do in the area.

• Distance: 55 kilometers (34 miles)
• Travel time: 1 hour by car or train

Are you into so-called “Dark Tourism”? Beelitz is a former Sanatorium, now completely dilapidated and overgrown with trees. Today, you can walk through the canopy on a treetop walk, called the Beelitz Baumkronenpfad (“Beelitz Canopy Path”).

Some say the hospital ruins are haunted, and when you take a tour through the parts of it that are still accessible, you might get an idea why. It was originally built to treat tuberculosis patients en mass , before being repurposed as a military hospital to treat Nazis during World War II and Soviet soldiers until the 1990s. You can go inside some parts of the former hospital today on a guided tour:

Most famously, some World War II-era scenes from The Pianist were shot at Beelitz. It was also featured in a Rammstein music video. If you like visiting abandoned places and learning about their history — or just think the treetop walk looks awesome — make your way to Beelitz.

How to reach Beelitz Sanatorium

The easiest way to reach Beelitz is by car, and takes just one hour of driving. There’s a lot of parking at Beelitz, as the Sanatorium and Treetop Walk has been converted into a proper attraction with tours (including in English) and food stalls. Car is how we reached Beelitz ourselves.

It’s also possible to reach Beelitz by train, as there is a train station right at Beelitz-Heilstätten . From Alexanderplatz, it takes about 1 hour to get there.

• Distance: 190 kilometers (118 miles)
• Travel time: 90 minutes by express train, 2.5 hours by car
• Best reached by: Car or train, but bus is also possible

Looking for an off-beat city trip? Leipzig is your answer. Just a 90-minute train ride from Berlin, and you’re in a place that the New York Times won’t stop calling “The New Berlin”.

As someone who used to live in Leipzig, I disagree. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a great city.

Leipzig is hip, it’s cheap, and it’s a little bit like what Berlin must’ve been like 15-20 years ago. Leipzig used to be one of the biggest cities in East Germany before the wall came down, but saw a mass exodus of people when the country was reunited. That’s why real estate prices are low, there are a lot of abandoned buildings, and the city has struggled to recover to its former glory.

That said, Leipzig has a lot to offer in a small, concentrated package, so it makes for a wonderful Berlin day trip.

What makes Leipzig unique? Leipzig, in some ways, is like a time capsule. Although the city is modernizing, demolishing, and rebuilding, the city’s architecture is distinctly East German. Combine that with the youth and university culture, Leipzig is a place where you can have a good time on little money without having to go far.

Best things to do in Leipzig

Of course I have to turn this into a blog post at some point, but here’s a quick rundown of the things I would say are essential for having a city trip in Leipzig.

• Visit the Christmas market – Leipzig has one of the most charming Christmas markets I’ve ever visited, and it happens right in the middle of the car-free city center.
• Go for a walk through Clara-Zetkin Park – If you look on a map, you might be shocked to see exactly what the relative size of this park is to the rest of the city. In the summer, people gather on the Sachsenbrücke to drink beer al fresco and create live music.
• Check if you’re in town for the Bier Börse , an annual beer festival. You’ll get to try a variety of German beers (and beers from the Czech Republic, Belgium, pretty much anywhere in Europe that’s known for beer).
• Take a walk through the city center and absorb the main sights : Augustusplatz, Leipzig Opera, Thomaskirche (where Bach is NOT buried, but they say he is). There’s a local brewery near the Thomaskirche which always has a different seasonal beer on tap.
• Spend an afternoon in trendy Plagwitz, a neighborhood west of the center. Here you’ll find the Baumwollespinnerei , a former textile factory turned into art exhibits. There’s a lovely beer garden, as well as an fabulous art store (where only university students and “unknowing tourists” can shop), great for gifts.
• Visit the Völkerschlachtdenkmal (Monument to the Battle of Nations), which is pictured above. It celebrates the fact that Napoleon was defeated at Leipzig in a big way. Fun fact: This is where the Backstreet Boys performed when they visited Leipzig.
• Go for a beer my favorite beer garden in all of Germany : Substanz in Reudnitz, the district best known for student life. The best time to go is when the beer garden is open from late Spring through early Autumn. If you can’t make it, there’s still the piano bar. The burgers are divine.

Restaurant recommendation in the city center: Imperii

How to reach Leipzig from Berlin

There’s a train between the two cities that runs every hour between main stations – you can decide between a fast train and a slow train. 1 hour 45 minutes). These trains are possible to book directly in the station, although you will save some money by booking in advance. Booking the same day means the trip costs about 50 EUR, and in advance can bring it down to half that.

Besides trains, you can take a bus between Berlin and Leipzig , which will run you between 10-20 EUR. The most comfortable option of all would be booking the express train (ICE) far enough in advance.

7. Bad Muskau

• Distance: 163 kilometers (101 miles)
• Travel time: 2 hours by car

Bad Muskau is home to the Muskau Park, officially called the Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau . It’s one Central Europe’s largest and most famous gardens. This town is right on the border to Poland if you want to easily add another country to your own personal count. The Muskau Park was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2004.

Today you can go to the Museum, walk around the gardens, go to the cafe, and have a picnic. Bad Muskau is just down the street from Kromlau Park (listed below) so if you’re going to one, it makes sense to combine them for a day trip.

How to reach Bad Muskau

Drive southeast from Berlin for about 2 hours along the A13 and then the A15. You’ll basically follow the signs to Cottbus for most of the way, and will drive right through Spreewald as you do. Trying to do this trip by train would take 12+ hours, so if you want to see this area, coming by car is virtually your only option.

8. Germany’s Devil’s Bridge in Kromlau

Kromlau is a small town on the border between Germany and Poland, and Kromlauer Park is a hidden gem, visited by a very small number of foreign tourists.

This 200-acre park is home to the Rakotzbrücke, also called Germany’s Devil’s Bridge for the legend behind it that the devil helped build it in exchange for the first living soul to cross it once completed. In Autumn, this park is absolutely breathtaking, although lacking a lot of the flowers and ponds that would otherwise be there in Spring.

What makes Kromlau unique? It’s not a city, it’s not on any major tourism website – it’s a local sanctuary that few find out about. If you want to see something in Germany that few others have, Kromlau is waiting for you!

How to reach Germany’s Devil’s Bridge from Berlin

The trip can be a half-day trip if you’re going by car, but will most likely require a full day if you’re going to take public transit. By car, you’ll start driving towards Dresden, and then towards Cottbus as soon as you see signs for it. By public transit, you’ll take the train to Cottbus and then transfer to an old steam train to make it into Kromlau.

This legendary bridge in Saxony, Germany will make you feel like you've fallen into a fairytale. It's one of those places where it's just as magical in photos as it is in real life.

• Distance: 26 kilometers (16 miles)
• Travel time: 50 minutes
• Reach by: Car or S-Bahn

Wannsee has a dark history behind it, but nonetheless is a beautiful area to visit from Berlin. Nowadays, people mostly come to Wannsee to visit the lake, which is one of the most popular sandy beaches surrounding the city. On a hot day it can get crowded, but there’s plenty of beer and beach food to keep you comfortable.

Wannsee is most famous for being the site of the Wannsee Conference, where senior Nazi officials met to plan the Final Solution to the “Jewish Question”. The location of this meeting, the Wannsee Villa, has been converted into a free exhibition where you can read real clipping from the newspapers and internal documents alike, demonstrating how the Jews were targeted and blamed for Germany’s problems. Honestly it’s unsettling to be in the same building where this happened, but seeing the original words of the people involved is eye-opening nonetheless.

What makes Wannsee unique? I’d say the fact that you can have a really balance day of learning about history, and then relaxing on the lake. Neither has to be a full-day activity, so there’s some real variety to this day trip.

Quick tips for visiting Wannsee:

• The Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz (House of the Wannsee Conference) is a free exhibit, where you’ll pass through several rooms, all overlooking the beautiful Wannsee .
• Another villa, the Liebermann Villa , hosts artist Max Libermann’s paintings of his home and garden. Unlike the Wannsee villa, it is not free to enter.
• Pfaueninsel is a nearby nature reserve, which tops numerous other lists of best day trips from Berlin. I went last Summer and it was a really nice trip to enjoy some of the nature around Berlin.

Pfaueninsel, as it's called in German, is home to a charming Prussian castle and only a short S-bahn ride outside of Berlin. Here are things to do on Pfaueninsel and how to get here!

How to reach Wannsee

You’ll take the S-Bahn S1 line, which passes through major stations throughout Berlin such as Potsdamer Platz, Brandenburger Tor, and Friedrichstraße. The S7 line is also an option, which passes through Alexanderplatz, Hackescher Markt, and Hauptbahnhof (Berlin main station).

10. Britzer Garten (in Spring)

• Distance: 12 kilometers (7.4 miles)
• Travel time: 45-60 minutes

Germans love nature, and nature loves the Germans – nowhere is it clearer than Britzer Garten, a large park featuring a lake, rose, tulip, and dahlia gardens, a functioning windmill, and a Liebesinsel (Love Island). Both dogs and bicycles are banned in this park, so it’s guaranteed to be peaceful. There’s a cafe overlooking the lake, as well as convenient spot for ice cream.

Come here if you’re looking for an early taste of Spring – when everything else is still waking up from their winter’s sleep, the cherry blossoms at Britzer Garten are already showing off how pretty they are.

You don't have to go to Japan to experience cherry blossom season. Berlin has over two kilometers of cherry blossoms waiting to be wandered through, admired, and photographed! Here are the best places in Berlin to enjoy cherry blossoms.

When we came to Britzer Garten, we packed for a picnic and ate right across from the Love Island. Everything was fine and dandy until a swan decided he wanted to share our meal! I pretty much thought he was going to fight us, but somehow we managed to defend our food.

What makes Britzer Garten unique? Like Kromlauer Park, Britzer Garten is a place enjoyed mostly by locals who are looking for some time out of the city. You’re unlikely to get stuck behind hoards of tourists trying to snap an identical photo – you can just come here to wind down in the middle of a busy tour through Germany.

How to get to Britzer Garten. You can take the U6 U-Bahn south in the direction of Alt-Mariendorf. From there, transfer to the 179 Bus towards Gerlinger Str. and disembark at Sangerhauser Weg. A short walk (6 min, 550 meter) down the same road and you’re there!

11. Müggelsee

• Distance: 21 kilometers (13 miles)
• Travel time: 50 minutes by S-bahn from Alexanderplatz
• Reach by: S-bahn

Berlin is surrounded by countless lakes, and if you come in Summer on a weekend, you’ll see the public transit full of people who are clearly heading for a day at the beach. Müggelsee is one of the most popular lakes in Berlin, given its shallow waters make it one of the warmer options. You can bring your family or set up solo. There are some snacks available at the lake (for a premium) or bring your own food and drinks.

How to get to Müggelsee. The easiest way to get to Müggelsee is to take the S-bahn (S3) to Köpenick and then ride your bicycle around the lake. Otherwise at Köpenick you can connect to a bus that will take you closer to the lake. All in all the trip takes between 50-80 minutes depending on where you’re starting in the city.

12. Wittenberg

• Distance: 112 kilometers (69 miles)
• Travel time: 90 minutes by car, 1 hour 40 minutes by train

If you learned about the Protestant Reformation in school, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with Wittenberg’s most famous resident: Martin Luther. It was in Wittenberg that he nailed the 95 theses to the door of the church, and if you come here you can see the exact door that he nailed it on.

The city isn’t huge but you can come by and explore some small shops, get an ice cream, and give yourself a small historical tour. Near the church there is also a museum about Martin Luther and the protestant reformation.

How to get to Wittenberg

You can simply book a train directly from Berlin to Wittenberg, or opt for renting a car if you prefer. You can book a train on the Deutsche Bahn English website .

• Distance: 349 kilometers (216 miles)
• Travel time: 4 hours by car, 4.5 hours by train

It’s arguably a stretch to call Prague a day trip, but if you really want to see Prague from Berlin it’s doable. You need to get up early, and you need to come back late, but it can be done! I’ve done it as a day trip from Leipzig before.

Plus, the Czech Republic is probably the easiest of all the countries near Berlin, Germany to visit.

Prague may be one of the most popular cities with tourists coming to Europe and it’s no surprise why – the architecture is beautiful, the prices are still rather low, and there is a ton of things to do in this historic city.

How to reach Prague from Berlin

In the interest of time, the best way to get here is by car. It’s also possible to take a train which will add an hour on to your travel time, or even to take a six hour bus. At six hours I would argue it’s easier (and probably costs just as much) to take a plane!

14. Hamburg

• Distance: 289 kilometers (179 miles)
• Travel time: 2 hours by express train, 4 hours by car

I’ve only been to Hamburg once in the dead of Winter and it was cold and dreadful. But in the Summer, Hamburg is known to be one of the prettiest cities to visit in Germany. It’s a port town, with nautical vibes up and down. You can take a walk along the sea, participate in its famous nightclub scene, or infamous Reeperbahn.

How to get to Hamburg. Trains run regularly from Berlin to Hamburg, so you’ll have no issue booking one with Deutsche Bahn. If you prefer you can also go by bus via Flixbus, but it will take much longer.

15. Dresden

• Distance: 193 kilometers (119 miles)
• Travel time: 2 hours 25 minutes by car or train

I have to admit – I’ve never been to Dresden! I’ve always wanted to go but never quite made the time. Which is a shame because it’s so close to Berlin and is meant to be very beautiful. You can spend a weekend here and enjoy the history of the city, which came under heavy fire during the second world war. Today you can visit the reconstructed version of Dresden’s most famous sight, the Frauenkirche (Church of our Dear Lady).

How to get to Dresden. Similarly to Hamburg, there are plenty of regular trains at your disposal as well as bus service. Dresden is close to Saxon Switzerland so if you’d like, you can combine these trips into one.

Have you ever been to these cities and towns outside of Berlin?

What’s your favorite daytrip you’ve even taken outside of a major city? For me, Kromlau is my absolute favorite out of Berlin (although Leipzig might contend if I were truly a first-time visitor). Versailles was also cool, but way too crowded! Let me know what your favorites are in the comments!

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About the author

Hi there! I'm Monica, an American expat living in Germany for over six years and using every opportunity to explore the world from my homebase in Berlin. My goal is to capture my memories in photos and posts that show how easy it is to start from scratch and travel the world by working abroad.

Follow along on Instagram , Twitter , Bloglovin , & Facebook .

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Full-Day Excursion to Spreewald Forest from Berlin

• Pickles, bread and lard on arrival
• Traditional punting tour through meandering labyrinth of waterways
• Live commentary on barge by bargeman in German - audio guide in English available on barge
• Entry/Admission - Burg (Spreewald)
• Food and drinks
• Kurfürstendamm 216, 10719 Berlin, Germany Start your excursion at Kurfürstendamm 216, 10719 Berlin
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
• Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
• This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• You'll start at Kurfürstendamm 216 Kurfürstendamm 216, 10719 Berlin, Germany Start your excursion at Kurfürstendamm 216, 10719 Berlin See address & details
• 1 Hafen Waldschlösschen Kahnfahrten im Herzen des Spreewaldes Stop: 2 hours - Admission included See details
• 2 Burg (Spreewald) Stop: 30 minutes See details Pass by Spreewald
• You'll return to the starting point

• Roam07116083043 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Beautiful and not an all day long tour The Sanssouci Palace really beautiful, a lot of history, the guide really nice, comfortable bus, the bus was right on time, tour right to the point Read more Written January 6, 2024
• G9403ZKroberth 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Worst hop on hop off ever Worst experience ever. The driver was rude. Didnt give out headsets or ask if we wanted one. Sisnt validaye our tickets. We got off once and never saw them again. The Red bus driver saw we were stranded and let all 4 of us ride back free. She never asked for a dime. Called City and they told us tough luck. Im going to cost them a lot more than we paid. I will review them on every single site I can locate and report them to the german tourism board. They were awful!! Read more Written December 8, 2023
• thebrightstuffdotcom 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Avoid at all costs! Incompetent driver of City Circle bus # 4 Myself and my disabled elderly mother were waiting at the Brandenburg Gate to rejoin the bus. At 15.05 on Friday 01 December. There was a red bus in front at the stop and the yellow City Circle bus (number 4) waited in the middle of the road. Then he just drove off without coming closer to the bus stop where we were waiting patiently!!! He must have seen us. Or is blind. You should ensure all your drivers are competent! There is no way he was thinking it would be ok to walk into the middle lane of a 3 lane road in order to get on the bus! It's -7 degrees today. My mother is in a wheelchair! Read more Written December 1, 2023
• scottry 0 contributions 3.0 of 5 bubbles It's okay We did the tour around and got off at certain stops, the audio struggled Alot, and was off and on. Be aware that the bus stops at 5pm and it stops at whatever stop number it comes to at that time. We was miles away from our number stop, so we had to get a taxi back as it was to far to walk. Read more Written November 12, 2023
• christiansY9792NM 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Disaster service Audio not working 90% of the time even changing headphones, places we were sitting or bus. Paid EUR28 for each person to see Berlin and understand nearly nothing because audio not connecting well in 4 different languages that we speak ( English, French, Portuguese and Spanish). Totally disappointed, don't recommend this sightseeing to anyone at all! Read more Written October 24, 2023
• BrianC3948 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles The sights of Potsdam. We spent a week in Berlin to see the Berlin marathon and spend the other days sightseeing. On one of those days we travelled out to Potsdam and did the Hop on/Hop off bus tour. We are an older couple so the bus tour was a good way to see Potsdam's sights which are quite spread out. It was superb to be able to hop off at our chosen locations, have a wander round and then get back on the next bus. Potsdam is beautiful and the parks and palaces very scenic. The bus tour was, for us, the perfect way to see a lot of Potsdam. Read more Written September 29, 2023
• gcb67 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent half-day in Potsdam! I was too late to book the walking tour I wanted, but this was an excellent alternative. I only had half a day in Potsdam, and the Hop On Ho Off was exactly what I needed. My priority was the WWII history at Cecelienhoff Palace, so I spent most my time there. But on the bus, I got a full tour of the city with interesting recorded narration. The driver was friendly, and the English -speaking official who sold me the ticket at the first stop gave me helpful tips for what to see after the bus route ended in the early evening. Plenty of seats with great views on the top deck. Read more Written September 14, 2023
• Jeffrey H 0 contributions 3.0 of 5 bubbles Poor Hop On Hop Off Experience Not one of the best Hop On Hop off experiences. We had a great experience in London with a Hop On Hop Off Bus Company, but not with this company in Berlin. Poor commentary, with long stretches with only music. At some of the stops, the buses did not reliably pick up on time. One of our biggest complaints was the fact that you are not reminded to look both ways before exiting the bus at some stops where literally your first step off the bus was onto a busy bike lane. London did a good job of reminding passengers of this issue, but not at all in Berlin. After a long tiring day, this fact almost resulted in a tragedy as my Wife came within an inch of being crushed by an overly aggressive bicyclist. Read more Written August 17, 2023
• 354adventurer123 0 contributions 3.0 of 5 bubbles Served it’s purpose This was okay. It served its purpose of getting us to and from the sites during a rainy day. Worth taking but only for 24 hours. Read more Written August 9, 2023
• PetJo 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A Basic Well Done Tour I had a few questions before I left for Berlin that their website did not cover. So I contacted them and was pleasantly surprised to get an answer within a day. This gave me a good feeling about the tour and my daughter and I were not disappointed. What it boils down to is this: my expectations of a Hop On Hop Off tour do not cover a range of specifics relating to each sight. What I want is basic: a wide range of sights that will give me an overview of Berlin with a general comment about each sight. And the ability to hop off to see a sight in greater detail and then hop on again within a reasonable time frame. And this expectation was fully met. Hence my 5 star review. Read more Written July 31, 2023
• chaaba2001 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Time saving, convenient, cumfortable and instructive Some comments here are reviewing another tour. It costs €54 and includes the journey to Potsdam from Berlin (Kurfürstendamm) by a Deutsche Bahn bus with a visit of the small Sans Souci Castle (audioguides provided) and a tour of the city (still by bus with very few stops). This is the most convenient way to visit Potsdam as there are no direct public transports from Berlin to the Potsdam Sans Souci Castle. Even thought we stayed mainly inside the bus during the tour of the city, that was also practical occasion to see other sites of Potsdam. The comments in German and in English during the whole trip in the bus were very instructive. The guide did ask us at first if there were English speakers so she would know in which languages she had to speak. I totally recommend this tour. Read more Written July 29, 2023
• MHHCape 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Would do it again Outstanding tour guide and great bus driver. Takes this trip it is amazing, you will learn a lot about now and the old days Read more Written July 13, 2023
• veronikamariaannab 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Horrible. Rude. No info. Waste of time and money. Horrible. Rude. No info. Very stressful. The audio guide is a compilation of boring hiatoric facts about street names, statues and fountains. Little to nothing about the wall, culture or anything from this century. Neithet the driver nor the ticket seller sknow anything about the boat tour we booked, they just point in a vague direction and refuse to give out details they keep saying "just go, just go" As a result we missed the boat. It only goes from 11-4pm and there are several boats you have to run around and ask to find the right one. Everyone is very rude, little to no English but they are just as unhappy to talk to customers in German. Horrible. Not worth the money. Waste of time. Book your own boat and ride the tram or book with someone else. Read more Written July 5, 2023
• Lawrence S 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great trip Very interesting and informative. Good transport provided. Guide was good fun and knowledgeable. Not too much walking involved for those that don’t want to! Read more Written June 27, 2023
• Juliet H 0 contributions 3.0 of 5 bubbles Disappointing We were English, with no German. The tour guide spoke entirely in German, with full volume, which drowned out the English language audio tour. We were not instructed on the use of the audio-guide, but eventually figured it out, but could not increase the volume. We visited all we wanted to see, but would have liked more information about it. Read more Written May 10, 2023

More to explore in Berlin

Full-Day Excursion to Spreewald Forest from Berlin provided by City Circle by BEX

Arrival & Tourist Information

The tourist information offices in the Spreewald are a very helpful contact point for anyone who wants to learn more about the region. Here you will be advised by friendly and competent staff. The staff not only know the region very well, but also speak several languages. So you can be sure that you will always be well informed here.

If you have already planned your holiday, you can find out here how best to get to us. Whether you prefer to travel by car or in an environmentally friendly way by bus or train, many roads lead to the Spreewald.

Your tourist information in the Spreewald

Arrival by car.

The Spreewald area, located between Berlin and Dresden, is very easy to reach by car. The Spreewald motorway triangle is a junction in Brandenburg that connects the federal motorway 13 with the federal motorway 15.

Directly at the Spreewald triangle is the Lübbenau junction of the A13 motorway coming from Berlin - Luckauer Straße - Berliner Straße.

Visitors and holidaymakers who want to travel further south change to the A 15 at the Spreewalddreieck, where they leave the motorway for the Spreewald in Vetschau or Cottbus.

Here you will also find a convenient link to Google Maps. Depending on whether you have activated or confirmed location sharing, a route by car to the Spreewald Tourist Association will be displayed directly: Click here .

Arrival by train

The ODEG RE2 (Ostdeutsche Eisenbahn GmbH) runs hourly from Berlin to Cottbus with stops in Lübben, Lübbenau and Vetschau. It is also possible to travel to Cottbus by train from Dresden (RE 18) or Leipzig (RE 10). If you are planning a day trip from Berlin or Brandenburg to the Spreewald, it is a good idea to use a Brandenburg-Berlin ticket. It can be used by up to five people and is valid daily from 9:00 a.m. (weekdays) or 0:00 a.m. (weekends and public holidays) until 3:00 a.m. the following day. This way, you don't need an extra return ticket to Berlin for a day trip.

Arrival by bus

The lines 500 (Lübben-Burg) and 472 (Luckau-Lübben) of the Regionale Verkehrsgesellschaft Dahme-Spreewald mbH (RVS ) operate under the name PlusBus Spreewald . They combine hourly intervals, an optimal connection to the train and an attractive weekend range of trips. The PlusBus line 500 takes you from Lübben (Spreewald) to Radensdorf, Briesensee, Neu Zauche, Straupitz and Byhleguhre to Burg (Spreewald) and back. Stops on PlusBus line 472 are located in Luckau, Duben, Neuendorf and Lübben (Spreewald). In Lübben (Spreewald), you can connect to trains to Cottbus and Senftenberg (continuing to Dresden and Leipzig) as well as to Berlin.

If you want to travel by long-distance bus, you can take the Flixbus to Cottbus, starting from Berlin ZOB, Südkreuz or Schönefeld and from Dresden Hauptbahnhof or Neustadt. Afterwards, you can change to numerous public transport and train services in Cottbus and start exploring the travel area.

Tourism Association Spreewald Raddusch, Lindenstraße 1 03226 Vetschau / Spreewald

(Service hours Mon-Fri 9-12, 13-17 hrs)

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12 Awesome Day Trips from Berlin, Germany

This post contains product affiliate links. These are mainly on items/hotels/tours that I personally endorse & love. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, but at no extra cost to you.

From walking over Rakotzbrücke Bridge to exploring Potsdam, these are some of the best day trips from Berlin for your next trip to Germany!

Berlin is an awesome city. The art, food, history, nightlife and overall cool urban vibes makes it one of my favourite cities in Europe. For a travel blogger that’s quite a big claim!

But with loads of cool day trips from Berlin on offer, it’s also a great idea getting out of the city and seeing some more of Germany . Getting a taste of other towns like Potsdam and Dresden is a sometimes welcome break from Berlin’s edgy culture and gritty character.

There’s a real mix of experiences available too.From hiking in Saxony to wandering around the streets of Lipzig to relaxing at the Tropical Islands Resort, there really is something for everyone here.

These places can all be reached within a few hours of Berlin, so they are proper day trips. You can be back in Berlin in time for dinner in Kreuzberg and a night out at the techno clubs, no problem.

So, here are my recommendations for the best Berlin day tours, ready for whenever you’re next in the city. Go on one of these and I guarantee you’re in for an amazing time.

If you’re planning a trip to Berlin, then make sure you check out my Berlin itinerary , my guide to Berlin in spring , and the coolest hotels in Berlin . All of these should help plan that amazing weekend away.

Are you planning an amazing weekend in Berlin? If so, you may want to book your hotels and tours asap to ensure availability. Here are some links to quickly help plan your trip!

Best hotels and apartments in Berlin:

• The Mandala Hotel (top rated 5* hotel)
• Urban Loft Berlin (top rated 4* hotel)
• Motel One Berlin-Alexanderplatz (top rated 3* hotel)

Best activities and tours in Berlin :

• Discover Berlin Walking Tour (top rated tour!)
• 3-Hour Secret Food Tour (this one is super yummy)
• TV Tower Fast View Ticket (best views in the city)

Berlin Day Trips

You might hear Leipzig described as Berlin’s little brother. While it’s true that it shares a similar carefree spirit, don’t write off a visit to Leipzig thinking it’s just a smaller, quieter Berlin. I promise you it’s not.

I was stunned at how beautiful the architecture is here. Just go for a stroll around Altsandt, the Old Town, and you’ll see what I mean. It’s lined with buildings in Saxon style and it’s more classical than other cities in Germany.

There’s a stand-out art scene in Leipzig too. Happy browsing galleries and sniffing out your next coffee in cosy cafes all day long? If that’s a yes, then out of all the Berlin day trips, this might be the one for you.

A 2 and a half hour tour of Leipzig costs £16/US$20 taking in the best sights around the city.

2. Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

Berlin itself is packed full of ways to learn about the country’s World War II history. None of it really compares, or prepares you, for visiting Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp .

The former Nazi concentration camp stands in Oranienburg, just outside of Berlin. Here, over 30,000 inmates died in the horrendous conditions, subjected to all kinds of evil. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and share the story of Sachsenhausen, as well as giving you wider context.

I understand why people might be reluctant to visit. However, choosing to learn about what happened and remember the people who lost their lives is an important act. I always feel that learning about man’s inhumanity to man is one of the best ways of atrocities like this ever occurring again. I would really encourage you to think about taking a Berlin tour here. 

A 6-hour tour of Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp from Berlin costs £16/US$20 and goes into the history of the area. This tour includes a train ride through the forests too.

3. Saxon Switzerland National Park

One word comes to mind when I think of hiking in the Saxon Switzerland National Park: magical. This rock national park is made up of sandstone cliffs, valleys and gorges, and some amazing wildlife.

Among the atmospheric forest lies the Bastei Bridge – the park’s star attraction. Almost blending into the sandstone rock towers, it feels like it’s come straight from a forgotten fairy-tale.

I was amazed to find out that the bridge, as we see it today, was rebuilt for tourists in 1851. Travellers like me have been walking the same steps for over 160 years – so cool!

By the way, despite confusingly having Switzerland in its name, Saxon Switzerland is definitely in Germany and a doable distance from Berlin. It takes roughly three hours by car or train to deliver you from the bustle of the city into this natural paradise.

You can learn more about the hiking the Bastei Bridge in my blog post. It’s up there with my of the best things I’ve done in Germany!

4. Rakotzbrücke Bridge (The Devil’s Bridge)

Speaking of bridges, this one is an absolute showstopper. Rakotzbrücke gets its nickname ‘The Devil’s Bridge’ because its precarious stone structure was seen as so dangerous, people thought it must have been the work of Satan.

What actually makes this 19th-century bridge special though is its reflection. When the light hits the river, it forms a perfect circle.

I’ve always been bowled over by how beautiful this bridge is – I mean, just look at it!? The best time to visit is in autumn when the surrounding trees and colours make it all the more stunning.

You can’t walk across it but that really doesn’t matter. The experience is all about admiring it from afar. Just don’t forget your camera.

Visiting Rakotzbrücke Bridge is without a doubt one of the most popular day trips from Berlin so make sure you add it to your list.

Since Potsdam can be reached in as little as 25 minutes from Berlin, it’s a top a choice if you’re short on time. Best of all, its a really spectacular place well worth visiting on any trip to Germany.

You’ve got the striking architecture in the Old Dutch Quarter, which is one-of-a-kind in Europe. Then there’s the Sanssouci Park, where you can see not one but three major palaces. This is everyone’s favourite spot in the city.

Film and history buffs like me should come here just to see Filmpark Babelsberg . It’s one of the oldest and largest film studios in the world, with a massive place in the movie history of Germany. 

A full-day tour of Potsdam from Berlin costs £42/US$53 and includes transport with live commentary on the history of the city, a beautiful tour of Sanssouci’s garden and discovering more of the city.

You might wonder whether another big city should be one of your Berlin day tours. Well, I can’t decide for you but I can tell you Hamburg’s character feels a million miles from the capital’s.

With limited time, I’d suggest sticking to a handful of highlights instead of rushing around trying to cram more in. See the historic Speicherstadt district, tuck into some food at the Fish Market and wander down the infamous red light district (it’s a major tourist attraction today).

You can ride the city’s RiverBus too – this is one of the most unique modes of transport I’ve ever come across. When you see it you’ll understand.

One of the most famous tours in Hamburg is a sex and crime tour where you learn all about the history of the red light district (where the Beatles first made a name for themselves). This is genuinely such a good tour.

Hamburg is one of those places where you’ve just got to soak up the atmosphere – it is such a cool city and I always recommend it to people.

7. Tropical Islands Resort

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t totally convinced by the idea of a Berlin day trip to a semi-summer resort. Then I heard it housed Europe’s largest indoor pool and I started to come around to the idea.

The setting is super cool – it’s inside a converted aircraft hangar which makes it feel like you’re in the middle on a film set. And the tropical theme makes it a fun place to chill out for the afternoon. Think artificial waterfalls and waterslides galore. I mean, who doesn’t like the sound of that?

It can be just what you need after a jam-packed schedule of sightseeing and travelling. This is definitely one of the best family friendly activities from Berlin.

8. Spreewald

Spreewald in summer is bliss. This forest is a UNESCO protected nature reserve, which serves as a picturesque and peaceful escape from the city.

The reserve is best explored by bike, on foot or actually on the river Spree. There are canoes and kayaks to rent in Lübbenau or Burg. I chose to kayak and enjoyed a little leisurely adventure after a lot of eating, drinking and indoor activities in Berlin.

If you’re sticking on solid ground, there are nice trails that you can follow to Lehde or Leipe. The first is a lagoon village, while the second is a quaint fishing village. The hiking is really nice here and it’s well worth spending an afternoon exploring the area.

Another great place for kicking back in summer and one of the most popular day trips from Berlin is Wannsee. The suburb is most famous for its lakeside lido. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly a well-kept secret and any sunny day will be busy. But that’s part of the fun, right?

If you do manage to save yourself and your beach towel a spot on Strandbad then you’ll be sorted for a day. Swim, sunbathe, repeat. It’s amazing how popular this place is during summer, but it does quieten down during week days.

There is more to Wannsee than the lido, though. I checked out the House of the Wannsee Conference, which anyone who’s interested in WWII history will find interesting. 

A 2-hour tour of the idyllic Havel Lakes costs £12/US$15 per person and takes you to some of the most beautiful places in the area.

10. Dresden

Dresden was one of the Berlin tours that won me over immediately, thanks to its awesome architecture. Everywhere from The Church of our Lady to the Stallhof, where they once hosted jousting tournaments, is spellbinding to look at.

It’s hard to believe that that this city was flattened by Allied bombings in 1945. Thankfully, the blueprints of the city and the buildings remained, and ever since the war Dresden has been meticulously rebuilt to its former glory.

Dresden was immortalised as a ‘Florence on the Elbe’ by the Italian master Canaletto and I think that tagline is still fitting today. I really hope I can squeeze in a return visit soon. You can find out more about Dresden and why I love it some much in this blog post .

One of the best tours of Dresden is the Taste of Dresden food tour . Then you get to eat your way around the city while learning all about it’s history too.

11. Peacock Island

One of the most popular day tours from Berlin is to Peacock Island.

Called Pfaueninsel in German, Peacock Island is a compact little nature reserve covering an area of just 1.5km by 0.5km.

True to its name, plenty of magnificent peacocks call the island home. I spent a good deal of my time here just watching them strut their stuff and admiring those opulent feathers. They’re kind of mesmerising!

When you do pull yourself away from the birdwatching, there are some nice walks to do and historic architecture to look at. The neo-gothic Kavalierhaus is probably the most photographed. That’s not surprising as the white design is particularly striking.

12. Britzer Garten

Britzer Garden is a beauty of a green space near Berlin. It’s a modern landscape park where you can stumble across a host of themed gardens, all boasting eye-catching flowers and designs.

And it doesn’t stop at pretty flowers. Check out Europe’s largest sundial, ride on the park train, spot the sculptures that are dotted around and more.

The garden was founded as a place to enjoy the outdoors by inhabitants of West Berlin, who were cut off from countryside at the time. I love the idea that it remains a place for locals and travellers alike to enjoy a piece of nature close to the city. This is just another of those Germany day tours that’ll surprise you – this is why I love travelling here so much!

Will you be heading on any of these tours from Berlin? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

If you’re travelling around Germany, then make sure you check out my guides to Dresden , Dusseldorf , Munich , Nuremberg and Stuttgart .

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About the Author

Macca Sherifi is the founder of the multiple award-winning blogs An Adventurous World and the Great British Bucket List. Every month he inspires over 200,000 avid readers to travel the world.

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4 thoughts on “12 Awesome Day Trips from Berlin, Germany”

Great post and collection of quirky places to see in Berlin!

Thank you so much! I have so much time for Berlin – love that city so much.

Wow!! So many great things and amazing pictures. Thanks for sharing this.

No worries! There are so many amazing things to do in Berlin!

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