Not far from Berlin, in the south-east of Brandenburg, lies the Spreewald holiday region. Here in the lowland area is a unique biosphere reserve and interesting cultural area.
The Spreewald is divided into the two main regions of Upper and Lower Spreewald, which are located in the Brandenburg districts of Spree-Neiße, Dahme-Spreewald and Oberspreewald-Lausitz. The Lower Spree Forest between the towns of Lübben and Schlepzig is characterised by a lake landscape. The Upper Spree Forest is better known to holidaymakers. Here the Spree branches out into numerous small water arms that run through the landscape. In this area of the Spreewald holiday region, the well-known boat trips are also offered.
The Spreewald is a paradise for nature lovers. Extensive hikes, cycling tours, paddling tours or horseback riding excursions offer the perfect relaxation.
Spreewald holiday region – excursion tips
Two days in the Spreewald - for us that meant two days of feasting and enjoying. We tried a few delicacies in the Spreewald and are thrilled with the diverse food in the Spreewald.
I spent two days in the Spreewald. I visited 5 towns and was shown interesting places everywhere. Now I realise that the Spreewald offers exciting excursion destinations worth discovering at any time of the year and I will definitely go there again and discover more!
Travel information about the Spreewald
Arrival
By plane
The nearest international airports are Berlin-Brandenburg (BER) and Dresden. From there you can travel to the region by train.
By train
From Berlin, the RE 2 regional train runs through the Spreewald. You can get off at Vetschau station and take a bus to the region from there. Lines 35-38 run during the week to Burg, the central town in the Spreewald.
It is also possible to travel by train to Cottbus. From there, bus lines 15-47 travel to Burg. There is an hourly service during the week and a two-hour service at weekends.
It is also possible to get off the train in Lübben and discover the Spreewald.
By bus
From Berlin and Dresden, you can reach Cottbus by long-distance bus and then travel further into the region from there.
By car
The A 13 motorway runs west of the Spreewald from Berlin to Dresden. South of the region, the A 15 motorway provides access to the Spreewald.
On the way in …
with the PlusBus Spreewald
The PlusBus Spreewald is a public transport service. Line 500 runs from Lübben to Burg and line 472 from Luckau to Lübben as a PlusBus through the region. Regular services (from 6 am to 8 pm) are offered throughout the week on these lines, which also provide an optimal connection to the train.
Best time to travel
The Spreewald is worth seeing at any time of year. The main season is in the summer half-year.
If you arrive very early in spring, you can avoid the mosquito season.
Language
The Spreewald is characterised by the culture of the Wends. The Wendish language, also known as Lower Sorbian, is only spoken sporadically, but customs are very much cultivated. Street signs, place names and even hotels are signposted in two languages.
Tourist tax
Anyone staying overnight in the municipalities of Burg (Spreewald), Lübben and Lübenau must pay a tourist tax for persons aged 18 and over. A fee of €2 is charged per overnight stay. In return, the guest receives the Spreewald GuestCard, which offers a number of discounted offers in the region.
Spreewald gherkins
Gherkins from the Spreewald are known worldwide.
Every year, up to 40,000 tonnes of gherkins are harvested in the region and pickled with spices. Only a gherkin that has been processed in the Spreewald can call itself a Spreewälder Gurke (protected geographical indication).