Brandenburg Day Trips: 11 Beautiful Places to Visit in Brandenburg

Brandenburg Day Trip Destinations on a Map

For easier orientation, we’ve marked our favorite places to visit in Brandenburg on the map below.

Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam

Sanssouci Palace is the most famous attraction in Potsdam — and honestly, it’s seriously impressive.

Prussian kings and German emperors once resided here, and the palace is correspondingly grand. The vineyard terraces in Sanssouci Park are a real eye-catcher too.

Admission to Sanssouci Park is free, while touring the palace starts at 22 euros.

Make sure you set aside a little extra time for Potsdam itself. Strolling through the historic center is absolutely worth it, and a detour to Studio Babelsberg is a fun add-on.

Spreewald

The Spreewald is the most popular day trip destination in Brandenburg — and it can get pretty crowded, especially in summer.

Despite the tourism, the Spreewald has somehow managed to preserve its unspoiled character. Whether you take a punt ride or paddle through under your own steam by canoe, exploring the branching waterways is simply something special.

Good starting points for the Spreewald are the towns of Lübbenau, Lübben, or Burg.

The Spreewald is also really romantic in winter. It’s much quieter then, and you can bundle up on a punt tour and drift through wintry canals with a glass of mulled wine in hand. Seriously one of our favorite ways to experience it.

Chorin Monastery

Chorin Monastery is a former Cistercian abbey in the Schorfheide, north of Berlin. During the Middle Ages, up to 500 monks lived here at the same time.

What makes it so special: built in the 13th century and still completely intact today.

You can visit on your own or join a guided tour. Admission costs 7 euros.

Rheinsberg Palace

Rheinsberg Palace sits about 100 kilometers northwest of Berlin, right in the heart of the Ruppiner lake and forest district.

This magnificent palace was once considered the model for Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam — our top pick on this list.

At the Rheinsberg Palace Museum, you can view works of art from the 18th century. Admission costs 10 euros.

Not really into art? A walk along the shores of Lake Grienerick is a lovely alternative to the palace tour.

Beelitz Heilstätten Treetop Walk

The Beelitz Heilstätten were for many years a popular urban exploration site in Brandenburg.

To counter the deterioration of the former tuberculosis sanatorium, the site was developed for tourism in 2015.

The standout feature is a treetop walk that runs directly above the ruins, giving you a unique bird’s-eye view of the grounds.

Beyond the treetop walk, there are also guided tours through the sanatorium, playgrounds, and an observation tower.

Admission costs 13.50 euros. Guided tours cost between 10–15 euros.

Niederfinow Ship Lift

Since 1934, the Niederfinow ship lift has been raising and lowering vessels through the Oder-Havel Canal — basically an elevator for ships. It’s the oldest ship lift in Germany still in operation.

A second, newer lift was built right next to it to eventually replace the original. We think the old one is much more beautiful, but the new one is impressive in its own way.

On a sightseeing cruise, you can watch the lift in action — a really cool experience, especially if you’re traveling with kids.

F60 Visitor Mine

For many years, lignite was mined in Lusatia, and the region still bears the marks of that era.

After stepping back from lignite mining, Lusatia reinvented itself with some creative ideas — artificial swimming lakes were created and serious investment went into tourism.

A real highlight of any visit: the F60 Visitor Mine! Here you can tour a former overburden conveyor bridge.

Thanks to its steel construction, the F60 is nicknamed the lying Eiffel Tower of Lusatia. At 502 meters long, it’s actually 182 meters longer than the Eiffel Tower in Paris is tall.

Just a heads-up: to walk across the 80-meter-high conveyor bridge, you’ll need a head for heights.

Admission without a tour costs 2.50 euros. The conveyor bridge is only accessible on a guided tour, with tours starting from 8 euros.

Sielmann's Nature Reserve Kyritz-Ruppiner Heide

Sielmann’s Nature Reserve Kyritz-Ruppiner Heide is our under-the-radar pick among things to do in Brandenburg.

A foundation has cleared much of the former military training area of unexploded ordnance and reopened it to the public — the result is a nature reserve of roughly 4,000 hectares.

A 6-kilometer circular trail winds through the Ruppiner Heide, and from the 15-meter-high observation tower you get a sweeping view over the heathland.

Note: There is no cell reception in many parts of the reserve. Honestly, we think that’s a feature, not a bug — it’s a real chance to properly switch off.

Lake Scharmützel near Bad Saarow

Lake Scharmützel is located approximately 75 kilometers southeast of Berlin.

All around the lake you’ll find plenty of great swimming spots, including many official bathing areas. You can also rent a boat, ride a summer toboggan run, or go wakeboarding.

If you’re more in the mood for wellness, there are plenty of relaxation options nearby. There are several wellness hotels, the SaarowTherme in Bad Saarow, and the Satama Saunapark in Wendisch Rietz.

That makes Lake Scharmützel a solid Brandenburg day trip even on a rainy day or in winter.

Liepnitzsee

The Liepnitzsee is probably the most popular swimming lake among Berliners! The water is super clear and the lake is very deep, making it a favorite with divers too.

In summer, the shores get very crowded, but with a little patience you’ll always find a nice spot — you may just need to walk a bit.

Things are a bit quieter on the island of Großer Werder in the middle of the lake. In summer, a small passenger ferry runs from the northern shore to the island.

Our tip: Bring enough food and drinks! There are barely any options to buy something to eat or drink around the lake.

Stechlinsee

For us, the Stechlinsee is the most beautiful swimming lake in Brandenburg. The water is crystal clear, the surrounding nature is gorgeous, and there are shady spots to be found all around the shore.

At the lake you’ll also find a boat rental, restrooms, a snack stand, and even a fishery selling fresh fish.

From the Stechlinsee in northern Brandenburg, it’s also not far to Müritz National Park in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern — a side trip from the Stechlinsee to the Müritz is totally easy to combine.