Discover Schleife: Sorbian culture and cycling

Schleife combines Sorbian culture with two cycling routes described in detail. You can choose from several options when planning your trip: exhibitions at the Sorbian Cultural Centre, a guided group visit in Rohne, or a cycling route of one of two approximate lengths.

Sorbian culture in Schleife

Schleife is considered a centre of Sorbian culture. The Schleife region is shaped by bilingualism and Sorbian customs. Permanent exhibitions at the Sorbian Cultural Centre in Schleife feature Sorbian legendary figures, Schleife costume dolls and decorated Easter eggs. These permanent displays are complemented by changing exhibitions. The permanent exhibitions cover storybook figures, traditional costumes and artistically crafted objects—various forms of expression within this cultural focus.

Decorating Easter eggs with Sorbian motifs is also a well-known and popular custom in the Schleife area. Wax, colours and a feather are used for this. These materials offer a concrete insight into how the eggs are decorated and complement the exhibition content with a craft tradition. This gives you two aspects to distinguish: the themes on permanent display at the cultural centre, and a custom that brings materials and motifs together.

Two cycling routes of different lengths

The Wassermann Route is a cycling tour of about 10 kilometres. It leads from the Sorbian Cultural Centre in Schleife via Borstelweg and Großteich, around Halbendorfer See, and back to Schleife’s village pond. At about 30 kilometres, the Park and Lakes Tour is significantly longer and connects Schleife with Halbendorfer See, Kromlauer Park and Bad Muskau Park.

The routes differ both in approximate length and in the route described: the Wassermann Route leads back to Schleife’s village pond, while the Park and Lakes Tour connects several named destinations. Check the conditions for each route before setting off; the distance figures are approximate. Borstelweg is associated with Schleife and forms part of the Wassermann Route.

Group visits and regional destinations

In Rohne, Njepila-Hof offers guided group tours about rural life, Sorbian customs and the Sorbian language. The farm also displays traditional tools used in agriculture, forestry and flax processing. Unlike the Sorbian Cultural Centre in Schleife, this site also focuses on working areas and tools. This can help you distinguish the themes of the two places when choosing cultural experiences for your stay. Groups may need to make arrangements in advance; check the details of your visit beforehand.

On request, you can have farmhouse cake, coffee, farmer-style open sandwiches and drinks at Njepila-Hof. Arrangements may also be required in advance for these. Nearby Kromlauer Rhododendron Park is known for the Rakotz Bridge and adds another destination to the cultural and cycling themes mentioned above. If you are planning a visit, check the park’s current access conditions, as they may change.

Görlitz: historic architecture

In the wider destination of Görlitz, historic urban architecture adds a distinct character. The old town has around 4,000 listed buildings and is one of the best-preserved historic ensembles in Central Europe. Untermarkt is the historic heart of the city, surrounded by townhouses dating from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Schönhof is the main building of the Silesian Museum in Görlitz and is one of the oldest Renaissance buildings north of the Alps. After a city fire, it was rebuilt in the Renaissance style from 1526 onwards. Görlitz owes its still-visible wealth and exceptional splendour to its location on the historic Via Regia trade route. This once connected trading regions between Thuringia and Saxony in the west and Silesia, Bohemia and Poland in the east.

Discover more destinations: Gablenz, Schöpstal, Rietschen, Leutersdorf, Boxberg/Oberlausitz, Hähnichen, Hohendubrau, Schönau-Berzdorf Auf Dem Eigen.

Back to the main travel overview: Görlitz.