Lübbenau: my top tips for slowing down in the Spreewald

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In the south-east of the federal state of Brandenburg – just an hour away from the hustle and bustle of Berlin – a water labyrinth that is unique in Europe is waiting to be discovered; the Spreewald. Recognized as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1991, the Spreewald is today not only known for its special cultural and natural landscape, but also a real region of pleasure. We were able to convince ourselves of this during our two-day stay in Lübbenau at the end of our Brandenburg trip.

Lübbenau/Spreewald at a glance

But let’s start with a brief geographical classification: Where exactly is the Spreewald located and from which place is the best place to explore the region? The Spreewald stretches from Alt-Schadow on Lake Neuendorf to Vetschau, not far from Cottbus, over an area of around 3,000 square kilometres. 475 square kilometres of it have been classified as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1991. The special landscape of the Spreewald, like that of the Uckermark, was formed during the Vistula Ice Age.

In addition, the following detail should be mentioned at this point: Anyone who deals with the Spreewald as a travel destination will come across the terms “Unterspreewald” and “Oberspreewald“. The Unterspreewald encompasses the more northerly areas, closer to Berlin, up to the level of “Lübben”. The Oberspreewald stretches from “Lübben” in a southerly direction to “Burg”. Lübbenau/Spreewald offers a particularly “easy” entry into the biosphere reserve. Thanks to its good transport connections, the village can be reached quickly from Berlin and offers guests with little time a “best-of Spreewald” in just a few hours.

In my opinion, however, it is worth planning a little more than just one day for the detour to the Spreewald. Below are our impressions of two wonderfully decelerating days in and around Spreewald/Lübbenau.

1. Stroll through the charming old town of Lübbenau

Conveniently located, Lübbenau is located on the Wismar – Berlin – Cottbus railway line and consists of a new and a historic district. This, together with the local barge harbour – one of the largest in the Spreewald – make Lübbenau a popular starting point for exploring the biosphere reserve.

To get from the train station to the old town centre, you follow the dead straight Poststrasse for a good kilometre. This leads you directly to the pretty, cobblestone street of Ehm-Welk-Strasse in the center. The Spreewald Museum is also located here, which offers Spreewald newcomers, like us, a good first overview of local culture. Sooner or later you will come to the harbour of Lübbenau while strolling through the alleys of the old town. Before you sit down in one of the barges waiting for guests, I recommend a short detour to the castle park next to it.

Admission to the Spreewald Museum costs 6 euros (like all admissions to museums in the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district). On the website of the museum explorers you will find all the latest information about the exhibitions and opening hours of the Spreewald Museum.

2. Let yourself be staked through winding rivers with the Spreewald barge

Hardly any visitor to the Spreewald misses a boat trip. Most of the boat trips are designed as round trips and allow you to experience the biosphere reserve without the hustle and bustle and engine noise as you did 100 years ago. At that time, the flat-bottomed Spreewald barge was the main means of transport. As in the past, the barges are staked forward by an experienced ferryman or ferrywoman by means of a 4-metre-long “pack”. Of the approximately 550-kilometre-long water system, motorised traffic is excluded for around 510 kilometres.

During the high season from the end of March to the end of November, the first barges of the day depart daily from about 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. for the Lehde round trip (time required three or two hours, depending on the length of stay in Lehde). The following barges depart throughout the day without fixed departure times. As a rule, the ferrymen and ferrywomen wait until the barge is more or less fully occupied. Depending on the weather, day of the week, and holiday season, this may take over half an hour.

In both summer and winter, there are other tours in addition to the round trip to Lehde, for which no reservation is required; e.g. the traditional Wotschofska trip or the 3-place tour, which leads to Leipe. Other special trips are also offered as part of the winter timetable from November to March.

I can definitely recommend the Lehde tour to anyone who wants to get a first impression of the Spreewald. The entertaining stories of the barge ferries also contribute to this. But it’s also worth letting your gaze wander over the water from time to time – maybe you’ll be lucky enough to spot a nutria like we did.

By the way: Even in winter, boat trips take place in the Spreewald! With a bit of luck in the weather, you can glide through the freshly snow-covered Spreewald between November and March, wrapped up in a warming woollen blanket and equipped with a cup of steaming hot mulled wine.

A good overview of the various offers and the seasonal extra trips can be found on the website of the Great Port of Lübbenau.

3. Discover the Spreewald Biosphere Reserve by canoe

In addition to the traditional boat trips, canoe tours are among the most popular activities in the Spreewald. The spectrum ranges from guided canoe tours to individual paddling fun to multi-day tours (including as far as Berlin). On the second day, we rented a 2-person canoe for three hours at the Richter boat rental a few meters next to the Great Spreewald Harbor and made another detour to Lehde on our own.

For orientation, you will receive a water hiking map along the way. A look at it reveals to us what exciting and varied tours you could undertake through the branching water arms. However, navigation is surprisingly easy thanks to appropriate signposting.

My tip: Plan your canoe trip in the morning hours. In the summer months, the Richter boat rental opens at 09:00 a.m., a little earlier than the first boat trips depart. So you have this wonderful natural paradise practically to yourself and dive deeper into the enchanting Spreewald paddle stroke by paddle stroke. Pure deceleration!

So early in the morning, the chances of observing one or the other swiftly passing kingfisher are also intact. We spotted two on our tour (instead of reaching directly for the camera, we enjoyed these special moments – true to the motto “deceleration” – but without any distractions).

The paddle boats can be booked by the hour or for a full day (or several days). On the website of the boat rental Richter you will find the current price information. It is also possible to reserve the desired boat in advance using the online reservation tool.

4. Make a stopover in Lehde

The three-hour paddling tour takes us following the route recommendation of the Richter boat rental via the southern flood over narrow canals to the main Spree and from there on to Lehde. With its picturesque, listed town centre, Lehde is considered one of the prettiest villages in the Spreewald. Fun fact: To this day, letters and parcels are delivered here from spring to autumn by traditional barge.

The local open-air museum is also a magnet for visitors. This can be reached either by boat from Lübbenau or individually by paddle boat. In front of the open-air museum there is a dock for canoes. The open-air museum consists of four old farmsteads scattered around the site, which offer an insight into life in the Spreewald in the 19th century. If you want to take a look inside all the buildings and read the information boards, you should plan around 1.5 to 2 hours for the visit. Alternatively, you can also “just” walk through and let the impressions sink in.

Here, too, the early start with the canoe in Lübbenau is an advantage. In the second half of the day, it can get rather “crowded” here, especially during the high season.

Admission to the open-air museum costs 6 euros for adults. For more information click here: Freilandmuseum Lehde

5. Stop at Gasthaus Kaupen 6

On the way back from Lehde to Lübbenau, the waterway leads us past the pretty Kaupen 6 inn. The word “Kaupe” comes from the Sorbian word “kupa” for island. At Gasthaus Kaupen 6 you can also moor directly by canoe or walk there on a meadow path with three bridges (from Lübbenau about 30 minutes).

Kaupen 6 has dedicated itself body and soul to Spreewald cuisine. Cooking is primarily done with regional and seasonal products, which are sourced from long-standing partner businesses. For me, it’s definitely the culinary highlight in the Spreewald.

It is advisable to make a reservation at Kaupen 6 in advance. Click here for contact information, opening hours and the menu: Kaupen 6

6. Hike to the Wotschofska Inn

Another traditional excursion destination in the Spreewald is the Gasthaus Wotschofska. This can also be reached by water. Alternatively, you can combine a detour to the Wotschofska inn with an entertaining hike starting in the Lübbenau castle park. The distance is about 3.5 kilometers (or about 7 kilometers for the round trip) and there are a total of 14 bridges to overcome.

At the finish line, however, you definitely deserve a delicious refreshment in the form of another Spreewald speciality – the Plinsen with apple sauce (and if you like, also with cream).

The path is well signposted and, thanks to the shady trees, pleasant to walk even in summer. The route description with map for the hike Lübbenau – Gasthaus Wotschofska and back can be found here: Wotschofska hike

7. Taste your way through the Spreewald specialties

Either way, for a thoroughly decelerating stay in the Spreewald, be sure to plan enough time to try the local specialties. In addition to the already mentioned plins, this of course includes the traditional Spreewald cucumbers. You can taste them, for example, in a wide variety of variations at the so-called “Cucumber Mile” at the Great Spreewald Harbour in Lübbenau.

Other specialities include Spreewald horseradish (which is also available at Kaupen 6) and regional linseed oil, which is traditionally served with jacket potatoes and quark. A simple but very tasty dish that I tried at the Restaurant & Café at the mill weir.

My first impression of the Spreewald was consistently positive. And judging by your feedback on my survey on which of the three Brandenburg destinations presented made you the most “happy”, you feel the same way.

Practical tips for your trip to the Spreewald

• With the RE2 train of ODEG (Wismar – Wittenberge – Berlin – Lübbenau – Cottbus) you can reach Lübbenau/Spreewald from Berlin comfortably and without changing trains in just over an hour (1:05 min). Trains run every hour during the day.
• We stayed at the Pension Spreewelten right next to Lübbenau train station. If you are looking for an inexpensive, simple accommodation in a convenient location, you should take a look at this accommodation. A place to stay in the city centre steeped in history is Lübbenau Castle.
• The Spreewelten Bad in Lübbenau is another attraction of Lübbenau (and a great bad weather tip). If you stay at the Pension Spreewelten, you will receive free access to the Spreewelten Bad as well as a 2-hour boat trip as an inclusive service for two nights or more.
• The Spreewald can be explored not only by paddling, but also by trampling on the cucumber cycle path. To complete the entire 260 km round trip, it is recommended to plan five days. Alternatively, you can also take beautiful day trips from Lübbenau in the direction of the castle. Another promising-sounding tour is the so-called “farm shop tour”, where you pass various farm shops where the regional specialities can not only be bought, but some can also be tasted on site.
• Also worth seeing is the Slavic castle Raddusch, built in the 9th/10th century. This detour can also be made by bike.
• During our detour to the Spreewald, we concentrated on the activities in and around Lübbenau/Lehde. You can find even more tips, impressions and an answer to the question of where it is most beautiful in the Spreewald in the comprehensive Spreewald guide by Inka (Blickgewinkelt). On the Spreewald.de website, you will also find a comprehensive list of bookable accommodations (from holiday apartments to 5-star hotels) that can be searched according to personal preferences.