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Lakes, gherkins and Sorbs - 6 stages on the Spreeradweg

Schloss Beuchow

Lakes, gherkins and Sorbs - 6 stages on the Spreeradweg

Bike Touring Collection by Kristof

6

days

3-4 h

/ day

236 mi

4,750 ft

5,800 ft

Between Dresden and Zittau springs the Spree, the longest tributary of Germany. On her way to Berlin, she makes her way across the wild East and leads you past the Lusatian Lakes, through the Spreewald and over and over again into towns and villages, where you can experience authentic Sorbian culture.

Over 233 miles (375 kilometers) long, I have divided the full route from the source to Berlin into six intermediate stages, which are all between 35 and 43 miles (55 and 70 kilometers) long. Only the first day is truly hilly, as you are going up to the Spreequelle on the Kottmar. Day by day, the stages are flatter, but no less varied.

While the Spree in the upper reaches is a romantic brook, it branches out in the Spreewald Biosphere Reserve into a labyrinth of rivers and canals and flows proudly into the capital as a stately river. In between, you will find hundreds of lakes, ponds and pools. Many were created by human hands, the Spree is repeatedly dammed and the coal mines were flooded. This created beautiful recreational areas and perfect landscapes for a bike ride.

But also culturally, this Collection is varied and multifaceted. When you ride through the land of the Sorbs, you notice not only due to the bilingual place signs. In several museums or in a park you learn a lot about the Slavic population. In addition, interesting cities are always on your way, such as Bautzen, Cottbus and Fürstenwalde or medieval castles and villages.

The Spreeradweg is very popular, and the infrastructure is well developed. Nevertheless, off the route you will always find small lakes where you are completely alone. Many bike paths are paved or good gravel roads. Occasionally you will find the good old "Honecker parquet", ie concrete slab paths. Meals are provided by many inns and supermarkets in the cities and towns along the way. Similarly, you will find a variety of accommodation, from the campsite to the spa hotel. Good orientation offers you spreeradweg.de.

To get to the starting point in Ebersbach, you can easily travel from Dresden by train and the destination is connected to the Berlin S-Bahn. Once you reach the eastern edge of Berlin, the official Spreeradweg ends. If you ride for another 30 kilometers, you can ride along the European cycle route R1 once across Berlin to Spandau, where the Spree flows into the Havel. An exciting contrast to the lonely areas of Brandenburg and Saxony.

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Der Spreeradweg

227 mi

4,150 ft

5,650 ft

Last updated: January 17, 2023

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Tours & Highlights

  • Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

    Etappe 1: Von der Quelle nach Bautzen – Spreeradweg

    Intermediate
    03:38
    36.6 mi
    10.1 mph
    1,400 ft
    1,900 ft
    Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.

    In front of you is a beautiful and very varied cycle path along the Spree, the longest tributary in Germany. It starts in Ebersbach, which you can easily reach by train. You can also start a little closer to the source in Eibau, but not as many trains stop there.

    

    Since the Spree rises at the Kottmar at

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    by Kristof

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  • Intermediate
    04:14
    44.8 mi
    10.6 mph
    875 ft
    1,250 ft
    Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Today you have the longest stage of your journey ahead of you, but overall there are hardly any inclines. Let's go over the Friedensbrücke with a beautiful view of Bautzen, whose old town you walk around directly on the Spree.

    

    Today is marked by countless lakes and ponds. Many of them are artificial

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  • Intermediate
    03:26
    35.6 mi
    10.4 mph
    550 ft
    700 ft
    Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Today you can expect an extremely beautiful route with well-developed cycle paths and you will see the Spree in different facets, such as north of Spremberg, where it is dammed to form a large lake, or in the afternoon in the Spreewald, where the Spree turns into a river labyrinth.

    

    Almost exactly halfway

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  • Intermediate
    03:41
    38.9 mi
    10.6 mph
    375 ft
    425 ft
    Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

    The fourth stage of the Spree Cycle Path is all about the Spreewald. The Spreewald is famous for the delicious gherkins and the tourists who are taken by barge through the extensive system of canals.

    

    But the Spreewald can do more. It is also a UNESCO biosphere reserve, which aims to protect the unique

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  • Intermediate
    04:03
    43.2 mi
    10.7 mph
    825 ft
    850 ft
    Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

    You have left the Spreewald and are now driving through dense alluvial forests along the ever-widening Spree, which you often cross today. In Leißnitz, however, not over a bridge, but with the last hand-operated ferry in Brandenburg.

    

    Left or right of the Spree, which has formed several lakes and a few

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  • Intermediate
    03:28
    36.5 mi
    10.5 mph
    700 ft
    700 ft
    Ferry
    Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The Tour includes a crossing by ferry.

    At the end of your journey you follow the river Spree for 38 kilometers to Erkner. You have now officially arrived at the end of the Spree Cycle Path and can board the train towards Berlin here. But you can follow the Spree even further. I have extended this stage to Köpenick because there are many beautiful

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Collection Stats

  • Tours
    6
  • Distance
    236 mi
  • Duration
    22:31 h
  • Elevation
    4,750 ft5,800 ft

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