Experience Lübben (Spreewald)

Lübben (Spreewald) offers a range of highlights for a stay: water, trails, city history and regional culture. When planning your hotel stay, you can consider which of these interests you most—for example, a trip along the waterways, a walk past historic buildings or a bike ride between meadows and forests.

Castle Island, Water and Trails

The almost 6-hectare Castle Island is an urban green space and a destination for families and visitors. Its water playground includes an artificial waterfall, a slide, wooden rafts, streams, locks and an excavator. This gives visitors to the island a variety of water-themed play features to enjoy.

The SpreeLagune also focuses on waterside activities: the natural bathing area has a beach, a landing and rest area for waterway travelers, a climbing-net bridge and a raft crossing. You can take a traditional Spreewald punt boat along the waterways of the Spreewald Biosphere Reserve and explore Lübben from the water.

For exercise on land, a 9-kilometer Nordic walking route starts and ends on Castle Island. Another option for cyclists is the flat, 16-kilometer Fish Tour from Lübben to Schlepzig. It follows the main branch of the Spree between meadows and forests. If you prefer hiking, a route runs from Lübben via Barzlin to Lübbenau. In Lübben, it passes the Lübbener Hain, the Brückenplatz with the historic remains of the city wall, the market square with Paul Gerhardt Church, Gerichtsstraße, Lübben Castle and Castle Island; it then leaves Lübben’s last district. Check current route conditions before setting out.

City History and Paul Gerhardt

Lübben’s history can be traced at several sites. The Slavic rampart castle “Burglehn” is an archaeological monument and was in use until the 13th century. The Late Gothic Paul Gerhardt Church in the city center was built after the city fire of 1494. Two sections remain of Lübben’s 14th-century city wall: one near Reutergasse, known as the “Napoleondurchbruch,” and the larger section at Brückenplatz by the Spree. The wall is made of a fieldstone base and brick; the section at Brückenplatz is now considered a landmark.

The Museum Schloss Lübben tells the story of Lübben as a former royal seat in a medieval defensive tower, a Renaissance castle and a Baroque heraldic hall. The Paul-Gerhardt-Zentrum is dedicated to the life and work of the hymn writer and the international spread of his songs. The activities offered there include guided tours, readings, concerts, talks, listening stations and exhibitions.

The 140-kilometer Paul Gerhardt Trail connects important stages in the hymn writer’s life, including Lübben, Mittenwalde and St. Nicholas Church in Berlin-Mitte. The newly designed and signposted trail runs from central Berlin through the Dahme-Seenland region to the Spreewald. In Lübben, guided walks are also offered from the perspective of the night watchman and the tower keeper, as well as tours led by local guides.

Green Spaces, Orientation and Everyday Life in Lübben

The Lübbener Hain lies in the heart of the city and impresses visitors with its rare vegetation and pedunculate oaks reaching up to 30 meters tall. A tactile city model helps visitors feel the layout of the city center and is especially useful for accessible orientation.

Markets and events are also part of local life. More than 40 vendors offer a wide selection of regional products at the Lübbener weekly market, where you can buy directly from producers. The number of vendors and the range of products may change. Every two years, the Quark-Leinöl-Meile invites visitors to sample and enjoy local food. It is organized by the Lübben and Surrounding Area Tourism Association, the region’s hospitality businesses and craftspeople.

The Lübbener Spreewaldfest takes place once a year in the city center on the third weekend of September. It features artisan crafts, regional specialties, music and sporting competitions; the specific program varies. The festival is regarded as a celebration of regional culture and living traditions. This mix of recurring events, historic sites and waterside activities offers a variety of ways to shape your stay in Lübben around your own interests.

Discover more destinations: Rietzneuendorf-Staakow, Alt Zauche-Wußwerk, Märkisch-Buchholz, Steinreich, Unterspreewald, Wildau, Schwerin, Krausnick-Groß Wasserburg.

Back to the broader travel overview: Dahme-Spreewald.