Prince Pückler once resided in Cottbus, where he designed the famous Branitz Park in the English style. After the pond landscape of Preitz, you soon reach the Spreewald biosphere reserve with its river arms and shallow canals. The town walls and moated castle of Beeskow are well worth a stop, as is Fürstenwalde Cathedral. After more than 400 kilometres, the Spree Cycle Path reaches its destination in the capital city of Berlin.
Character:
The Spree Cycle Path runs for long stretches through floodplain landscapes and through the Spreewald forest, mostly on tarmac cycle paths and low-traffic side roads. Recommended for children aged twelve and over.
Route:
Eibau (source of the Spree) - Bautzen - Uhyst - Neustadt - Spremberg - Cottbus - Peitz - Lübbenau - Lübben - Leißnitz - Beeskow - Fürstenwalde - Erkner - Köpenick - Berlin
Recommended in 6 to 7 day stages.
Best time to travel: May to September
Journey:
By train to Eibau (on the Dresden-Zittau line) and back from Berlin. Cyclist hotline of the railway on 01805/99 66 33 (14 ct/min. from landlines, max. 42 ct/min. for mobile phones).
Bike service: Bike hire (including e-bikes) and repair facilities can be found in all the larger towns along the route.
Cycling hotels:
e.g. Dämeritzseehotel in Berlin-Köpenick, http://www.daemeritzseehotel.de
Cycling barn in Burg, http://www.radler-scheune.de
Further addresses for cycle-friendly hosts can be found at http://www.bettundbike.de
Organiser:
Cycling holiday offers e.g. at http://www.augustustours.de and http://www.kunathreisen.de
Maps/literature:
bikeline cycle tour book and map 1:75,000 "Spree-Radweg", 120 pages, 12.90 euros.
Information (general):
Tourismusverband Seenland Oder-Spree, Ulmenstraße 15, 15526 Bad Saarow, Tel. 033631/868 100, http://www.seenland-os.de
Internet: http://www.spreeradweg.de
