Lakes in Brandenburg - When you have a choice, it's a challenge

Nature idyll in Barnim

Liepnitzsee is a highly popular day trip destination for many Berliners and Brandenburg residents seeking a cool down on hot days. The lake, located about 8 km northeast of Berlin, captivates mainly due to its idyllic location in the Barnim Nature Park. Surrounding Liepnitzsee in Brandenburg is a beautiful beech forest that hikers and cyclists love to explore.

Swimming in Liepnitzsee

The Strandbad Liepnitzsee on the west shore is particularly popular for swimming. There is also a boat rental, so the lake can be explored by pedal or rowing boat. However, when spring and summer show their best side and the temperatures cry out for a dip in the cool water, the beach quickly fills up. There are also several swimming spots in untouched nature along the north shore.

Nature idyll instead of open-pit mining

Senftenberger See is one of the largest artificial lakes in Europe. It covers an area of around 1,300 hectares and is located on the border between Brandenburg and Saxony in the Lusatia region. Water sports enthusiasts, vacationers, and nature lovers need to travel about 100 km from Berlin and around 60 km from Dresden to reach Senftenberger See.

Lusatian Bathtub

Known as the 'Lusatian Bathtub', this lake in Brandenburg features excellent water quality and gently sloping sandy beaches, making the area around Senftenberg particularly popular with families.

Of the approximately 18 km of shore, about 7 km are occupied by beaches inviting visitors to swim and sunbathe in beautiful surroundings. In addition to the many wonderful beaches, vacationers have the opportunity to bike and boat, hike, or fish. Many different species of fish swim in Senftenberger See, including pike, carp, roaches, and whitefish.

Former open-pit mine

Where a vast, beautiful lake now stretches, the Niemtsch open-pit mining area existed until 1973, which has since been transformed into a beautiful natural landscape. Senftenberger See is thus an excellent example of successful recultivation of former mining landscapes and is one of the most sought-after lakes in Brandenburg.

The Mark Sea

Scharmützelsee in Brandenburg is a true natural paradise. Its expanse, idyllic location, and many picturesque views led Theodor Fontane to refer to the lake as the 'Mark Sea'. This fitting nickname has remained with the lake to this day. With its roughly 1,200 hectares, Scharmützelsee is one of the largest lakes in Brandenburg.

Cycling or water sports

Located southeast of Fürstenwalde/Spree, 60 km from Berlin's city limits, many Berliners willingly make this trip for a day at one of the most enchanting lakes in Brandenburg. The area around the spa town of Bad Saarow and the resort of Wendisch Rietz offers many opportunities for leisure activities. An extensive network of bike paths surrounds the lake, leading northwest through a whole lake region.

Connecting to Scharmützelsee are the Storkower See and the Groß Schauener Seenkette, leading cyclists through the gentle Saarower hilly landscape.

Many different water sports activities are possible on Scharmützelsee itself. In addition to swimming, you can sail and surf, rent a pedal or rowing boat, or take a steamboat across the lake.

The lake in the Biosphere Reserve

Werbellinsee in the Barnim district is located along with Grimnitzsee and Parsteiner See in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve. Its picturesque location among the woods makes it one of the most visited lakes in Brandenburg.

The approximately 50 km northeast of Berlin located Werbellinsee is around 13 km long and up to 1.3 km wide. Its deepest point measures up to 60 m. With 786 hectares, it is one of the largest lakes in Brandenburg.

Recreational opportunities at Werbellinsee

Its large surface area is popular for water sports. You can ski, row, surf, sail, dive, and of course swim here. For swimming, there are seven swimming areas with crystal clear water available for relaxation seekers.

Additionally, numerous hiking and biking trails surround the lake, allowing for excellent exploration of the idyllic landscape of the biosphere reserve.

The small Baltic Sea of Brandenburg

Helenesee is located about 8 km south of Frankfurt (Oder) amidst the Oder-Spree Lakes Nature Reserve.

It is known for its crystal clear water and high quality, so much so that it is considered one of the cleanest bodies of water in Brandenburg.

The approximately 250-hectare lake is affectionately referred to by locals as 'the Helene'. Surrounding 'Helene' is a Markian pine and mixed forest. The combination with the fine white sand on the beach creates a feeling reminiscent of the Baltic Sea, making the Helene one of the greenest lakes in Brandenburg.

Not much is left of the former coal open-pit mining visible around Helenesee today. The coal mine was flooded in 1958, giving rise to Helenesee, now a great place for swimming and relaxing.

A day at Helenesee

The sandy beach at the Strandbad is perfect for sunbathing. There are many small, secluded bays around Helenesee that can be accessed by car or bike.

The 56 m deep lake is also a paradise for water sports enthusiasts. There are rowboats and pedal boats for rent, as well as equipment for windsurfing and diving. It's not surprising that Helenesee is one of the most popular lakes in Brandenburg.

Tip: Some of the lakes are on the Berlin-Usedom bike path and can be visited as a stopover.

The lake in the green

Another beautiful lake in Brandenburg is Straussee. It is located about 30 km northeast of Berlin near Strausberg and spans an area of around 135 hectares.

Those looking to refresh themselves at Straussee in summer can look forward to wonderfully clear water and fine sandy beaches. During the warm summer months, you can easily see down to 7 meters deep due to the clarity of the water. By the way, its deepest point measures up to 20 meters.

The primary water source for Straussee is groundwater. Many fish also thrive in it, including pike, zander, eel, perch, and carp, attracting many enthusiastic anglers.

Swimming in Straussee

If you want to swim at Straussee near Berlin, you can use the historic outdoor pool. It was built in 1925 and primarily attracts families with children. Swimming is supervised by lifeguards, and there are designated areas for swimmers and non-swimmers. There is also a kiosk for delicious snacks and a grassy area next to the sandy beach. The slides of the outdoor pool are very popular as well.

In addition to the beach pool, there are many beautiful free swimming spots around Straussee, for example on the opposite shore of the outdoor pool. Here, the picturesque scenery of water and forest can be enjoyed just as beautifully - perhaps a bit quieter.

Tip: A real highlight is the ferry that takes people from one side of the lake to the other. The special feature: It is the only electrically operated passenger ferry in Europe.

See for yourself: Discover Brandenburg on a short vacation

Beautiful lakes with clear water, perfect for swimming or water sports, hide in Brandenburg. We have only presented a small selection of them and hopefully inspired you to take a trip to Brandenburg.