Cycling from Dresden to Berlin – lakes, nature and Sorbian culture
Bike Touring Collection by Kristof
11
Tours
35:45 h
355 mi
6,625 ft
There weren’t many opportunities to travel in 2020. So why not explore the area on your own doorstep? We thought this sounded like a good idea and set off to cycle from Dresden to Berlin. As taking the most direct route can be boring, we wound our way through the regions of Saxony and Brandenburg on our way to the capital.
In this Collection, I present our bike Tour from Dresden to Berlin. You can ride the 11 stages at once, select individual Tours or follow the route in the opposite direction and cycle from the capital to Dresden. Either way, you’ll have a great time.
From Dresden, the state capital of Saxony, we cycle through beautiful nature towards the town of Kamenz. Here, you can learn more about the Sorbian population, a West Slavic ethnic group with their own language, culture and traditions. You then ride to Bautzen and continue through the Upper Lusatian heath. Over the next few days, you cycle from lake to lake. Don’t forget to pack your swimwear to take a dip or just sit on the lakeshore and enjoy the calm nature.
The town of Cottbus is a surprisingly lively city en route which is worth spending some time exploring. Afterwards, you ride into the Spreewald. To get to know the original Spreewald, you should avoid the larger towns and rent a canoe if you can. The forest then gives way to Berlin’s city outskirts. This vast and versatile capital, with its unique neighbourhoods and great cycling infrastructure, is perfect to discover by bike.
We were surprised how good the cycle paths are in many regions, aside from a few exceptions. It was also great to see how the coal mining areas have transformed into paradisiacal natural landscapes. On this Tour you can see a variety of mining history, from active mines to beautiful reclaimed beaches. This adventure was a journey through breathtaking lake landscapes, lonely countryside, and warm hospitality. It was a journey through time.
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Last updated: November 4, 2021
Tours & Highlights
- Difficult04:5444.5 mi9.1 mph1,275 ft1,050 ftExpert bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.
You start your journey in the middle of the Saxon state capital with a view of the impressive baroque buildings. The first stage is also one of the hardest, but somehow you have to leave the Elbe Valley and then you have left a big chunk behind you. And it is so rich in great impressions that you will…
by Kristof
- Intermediate02:1322.2 mi10.0 mph850 ft700 ftIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The second day is much more relaxed with a good 35 kilometers. You mostly ride on back roads, rarely on bike paths, but through very authentic Sorbian villages. Here there are Sorbian sayings on the house facades and in many front gardens there is a crucifix with a Sorbian prayer. At the end of the day…
by Kristof
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- Intermediate04:2742.8 mi9.6 mph650 ft975 ftIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
Today's stage is extremely watery, so you should have your bathing suit ready to hand. From the old town of Bautzen you drive through the Gesundbrunnen district, an extensive prefabricated housing estate. After a short bumpy slope, a wonderful descent leads you to the Bautzen dam. The wide sandy beach…
by Kristof
- Intermediate02:4024.9 mi9.4 mph350 ft375 ftIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Today's stage is again a little shorter and one of the most interesting of the whole tour. You start with a small tour through the old town of Hoyerswerda. If you haven't had breakfast yet, I would like to recommend Café Rosali on Kirchstrasse to you. In the warm and kitschy dining room you get the best…
by Kristof
- Easy01:4718.3 mi10.2 mph250 ft250 ftEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
On our day in Senftenberg we could choose between many options. We finally decided to visit a friend in Großräschen who showed us the very special Großräschener See. Alternatively, you can spend the day relaxing on Lake Senftenberg or drive over the Lausitzring to the F60 conveyor bridge, the huge lignite…
by Kristof
- Intermediate03:4640.2 mi10.7 mph725 ft825 ftIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Today you have a slightly longer journey ahead of you and this time it is full to the brim with different impressions. You leave Senftenberg via the north shore of the Senftenberger See and will soon come to your first highlight, the “Rusty Nail”. From this impressive observation tower you overlook two…
by Kristof
- Intermediate04:2745.1 mi10.1 mph325 ft400 ftIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Before this, again, quite long stage, you should strengthen yourself, preferably with breakfast in Café Lucie right on the Altmarkt. There are exceptionally good breakfast menus here! After you've had your fill, you cycle along the Spree out of Cottbus. The bike path is wonderfully idyllic!
After a while…
by Kristof
- Intermediate03:2235.1 mi10.4 mph600 ft625 ftIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Today's stage is particularly beautiful and leads you through quiet pond landscapes and a lot along small rivers. Even the exit from Lübben is wonderful and you will soon reach countless fish ponds. There is a nice little café at the entrance to the village of Schlepzig and from here you can also go…
by Kristof
- Easy01:3616.8 mi10.5 mph375 ft375 ftFerryEasy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The Tour includes a crossing by ferry.
No matter where you stay at the Schwielochsee, you can go on great tours on and around the lake from anywhere. We treated ourselves to a leisurely stage and cycled to Beeskow. The last hand cable ferry in Brandenburg is particularly impressive. The ferryman and bike will take you to the other bank for…
by Kristof
- Difficult04:3046.1 mi10.2 mph925 ft925 ftExpert bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.
Today the landscape is changing significantly. The pine forests are becoming less and you are driving more across wide fields. On the way you pass small, quiet villages. The first break is at the Scharmützelsee, a natural paradise.
The Storkower See begins right behind it. It doesn't matter whether you…
by Kristof
- Intermediate02:0418.9 mi9.2 mph300 ft350 ftFerryIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride. The Tour includes a crossing by ferry.
The last stage of the journey is an intoxicating contrast to the lonely expanses of Brandenburg. From the city limits you get closer and closer to the city center and the districts and neighborhoods change almost by the minute. The 30 kilometers lead you through unknown corners of Treptow-Köpenick.
In…
by Kristof
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Collection Stats
- Tours11
- Distance355 mi
- Duration35:45 h
- Elevation6,625 ft
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