Oder-Spree: Discover Lakes, Gardens and History
Accommodation in Oder-Spree
In Oder-Spree, you can tailor your stay to suit different interests: ScharmĂĽtzelsee is known for its water and lakeside paths, while Neuzelle offers garden and monastery history. Beeskow, Storkow and EisenhĂĽttenstadt each have their own historical focus. When comparing hotels in Oder-Spree, first consider which places and experiences you want to shape your trip.
Lakes, Lakeside Paths and Cycling Tours
ScharmĂĽtzelsee covers around 1,200 hectares and is about 30 metres deep. Its clear water has visibility of up to four metres; anglers, divers, sailors and swimmers are drawn to the region. Along the lakeshore, the Lesser-Promenade in Bad Saarow runs for about 1.5 kilometres, from Kurpark to Fontanepark. This offers a clearly defined way to combine a lakeside stay with a walk.
The Klosterteich pond in Neuzelle also offers a spot by the water: it is located in the heart of the resort, directly in front of Neuzelle Monastery. Seating by the pond affords views of the monastery complex. For cyclists, the approximately 35-kilometre circular route around the GroĂź Schauener Seenkette is another option. Its varied stops include natural features, places to swim and cultural sights. If you plan this tour, bear in mind that route conditions may change.
Gardens and Landscape
The five-hectare Baroque Garden at Neuzelle was restored based on original plans from the 1758 Stiftsatlas. Its design includes Baroque avenues, water features and a terraced layout. Each element offers a different perspective on the historic garden: the paths, water and changes in elevation all contribute to its Baroque appearance.
The inland dune at Waltersberge offers a different perspective on the landscape. It formed during the last ice age and is one of Germany’s largest inland dunes. Naturgut Köllnitz is located in the Groß Schauener Seenkette nature reserve. Visitors can hike, cycle and fish there. This selection appeals to travellers who would rather spend their time in the landscape than focus their stay primarily on buildings and exhibitions.
Castles, Monastery History and Museums
The listed ensemble of Beeskow Castle brings together buildings dating from 1250 to 1550. The 30-metre-high keep has an observation platform. Since the 1990s, the castle has also hosted theatre performances, concerts and festivals. Public guided tours of Beeskow’s historic old town are available; check the dates before your trip.
Storkow Castle is a Streleburg dating back more than 800 years. In Neuzelle, several different themes add to the picture of the monastery complex: the Strohhaus offers insights into the lives of the monastery’s former staff, and the monastery brewery is Brandenburg’s last operating monastery brewery. Those interested in urban history and architecture will find a different focus in Eisenhüttenstadt: designed as the GDR’s first socialist city, this planned city is now Germany’s largest contiguous listed heritage area.
Fürstenwalde Museum features an exhibition on the region’s prehistory and early history and houses one of Europe’s largest collections of erratic boulders. Nearby, an exhibition in the Ratskeller also brings Fürstenwalde’s former importance as a beer capital to life. Fürstenwalder beer, produced in the same cellar, is recommended for tasting. Check before your trip whether tastings are being offered.
The distances help put two different options by the water into perspective: the Lesser-Promenade is about 1.5 kilometres long, while the cycling loop around the GroĂź Schauener Seenkette covers around 35 kilometres. One is a lakeside path in Bad Saarow; the other is a circular tour with natural and cultural stops. When planning your trip, you can consider whether a walk along the lake or a longer cycling tour suits you better.
Discover more destinations: Woltersdorf, Berkenbrück, Erkner, Schöneiche Bei Berlin, Selchow, Spreenhagen, Storkow, Wendisch Rietz, Bad Saarow, Müllrose, Steinhöfel, Neuzelle, Eisenhüttenstadt, Beeskow, Rietz-Neuendorf, Vogelsang, Friedland, Münchehofe, Fürstenwalde/Spree, Werder, Grunow, Wulkow, Grünheide, Wilmersdorf, Herzberg, Diensdorf-Radlow, Reichenwalde, Briesen, Mixdorf, Rauen, Groß Lindow, Gosen-Neu Zittau, Jacobsdorf, Madlitz-Wilmersdorf, Tauche, Brieskow-Finkenheerd, Wiesenau, Siehdichum, Langewahl and Schlaubetal.
Go to the main travel overview: Brandenburg.
