Start / Finish: Hönow or Strausberg underground station (S-Bahn) / Bad Freienwalde train station
Length / Duration: 96 km / 5,5 h
Logo / route sign: red Brandenburg eagle on a white background
Character: A challenging day tour that, with its length and surprising elevation gain, demands a bit of athletic effort. It runs almost entirely on dedicated, well-maintained asphalt cycle paths and only occasionally on quiet side roads.
Course: Hönow, Altlandsberg, Strausberg, Prädikow, Reichenow, Möglin, Kunersdorf, Wriezen, Hohenwutzen, Bad Freienwalde
Extra tip: This tour can be planned flexibly. Those who prefer a shorter trip can end the tour after 60 km in Wriezen and return comfortably by regional train.
Arrival/Departure:
Public transport:
- Departure: U5 to Hönow station
- Check out: RB60 from Bad Freienwalde to Eberswalde, then on to Berlin
From the outskirts to pretty old town centers
The countryside tour starts on the outskirts of Berlin in Hönow (U5 subway) or, alternatively, a little later in Strausberg (S-Bahn). The ZR1 cycle path leads quickly out of the city and into nature on car-free asphalt. A worthwhile first stop is Altlandsberg with its completely preserved town center and magnificent townhouses. The expansive park of the castle estate, where the young Prince Frederick once strolled, is a perfect place for a first break.
The route continues through the Strausberg and Blumenthal forest and lake district. Sweeping curves and perfect asphalt ensure a relaxed ride through the fragrant woods. In Strausberg, expansive views across Lake Straussee open up from the shore. Passing the landing stage for Brandenburg's only electric ferry and the historic lakeside bathing establishment, the route leads into the old town and the charming fishing quarter.
Up to the Hohen Barnim – sweeping views of the fieldstone landscape
The route leads along the Straussee lake into the countryside; the traffic dies down, and the paths become quieter. As the altitude increases, a wide panoramic view opens up across the hills and fields of the High Barnim, which later drops steeply to the Oderbruch. In the distance, the wooded gorges of the Märkische Schweiz Nature Park come into view.
The landscape here is characterized by glacial erratics. This is particularly evident in the village of Prädikow with its church, manor house, and old distillery – a vibrant chapter of Brandenburg's architectural heritage. On weekends, the "Schwarzer Storch" café invites visitors to take a break. Reichenow Castle, built in the Tudor style, with its park and bathing area on the lake, offers a charming contrast.
Long descent with poets and thinkers past
From the highest point of the Barnim Plateau, a gently descending section of about 15 kilometers leads into the Oderbruch region. The route winds downhill through forests and open countryside. A stop is worthwhile in the village of Möglin, where an exhibition commemorates the agricultural reformer Albrecht Daniel Thaer, whose crop rotation theory had a lasting impact on agriculture.
After a further descent, Kunersdorf, with its unusual round church, becomes a striking sight. The former court of the muses is dedicated to Adelbert von Chamisso, who created world literature here. Museum, church, palace park, and burial colonnade form an impressive neoclassical ensemble.
Arrival in Bruch – Wriezen and the loop to the Oder
Wriezen, once an important trading center in the Oderbruch region, marks a significant milestone. Before the river was drained, the town lay directly on the river; today, the pike in its coat of arms is a reminder of the former fishing guild. St. Mary's Church, with its reconstructed tower, dominates the townscape, while the modern market fountain adds a contemporary touch.
Here you have a choice: a comfortable return journey by regional train or the additional loop to the Oder River. The perfectly straight Oderbruch Railway cycle path leads through the vast floodplain landscape directly to the mighty river.
Natural paradise on the Oder River
A tranquil, impressive expanse unfolds along the Oder River. The river flows gently through the landscape.
Tip: The Europa Bridge is a highlight of the tour. This nearly 900-meter-long former railway bridge now connects Germany and Poland. Its viewing platform offers a panoramic view across the river valley.
For a stretch, the route follows the Oder-Neisse Cycle Path along the dike. Bird sanctuaries line both banks, and ospreys, geese, and herons are frequently spotted. In Hohenwutzen, the route rejoins the Brandenburg Tour and turns inland. At the edge of the Gabow hillside, a final view across the Oderbruch region rewards cyclists before the tour concludes in Bad Freienwalde on the wooded slopes of the High Barnim. A break at the market or the return journey by train via Eberswalde to Berlin brings this varied day of cycling to a close.
Sights:
- Altlandsberg: Altlandsberg Castle Estate
- Strausberg: Strausberg Old Town with Fishermen's Quarter
- Prädikow: View of the Märkische Schweiz region, Prädikow fieldstone ensemble
- Reichenow: Reichenow Castle and Park
- Möglin: Thaer Exhibition Möglin with Park
- Kunersdorf: Chamisso Museum Kunersdorf
- Wriezen: Wriezen town center with St. Mary's Church
- Europabrücke
- Near Hohenwutzen: Gabower Hang viewpoint
- Bad Freienwalde: Old Town
- Altlandsberg: Restaurant in the brewery and distillery, Restaurant Armenhaus
- Strausberg: Country house by the lake
- Prädikow: Café Schwarzer Storch
- Reichenow: Hotel Schloss Reichenow
- Kunersdorf: Cham Café in the Chamisso Museum
- Wriezen: Ristorante Juani, Ristorante Due Amici
- Europabrücke: Oderglück Café (seasonal)
- Hohenwutzen: Fuchsbau Inn, Country Inn Bahnhof No. 1
- Bad Freienwalde: Restaurant Stadtmitte
- "Tour Brandenburg: Around Berlin through all of Brandenburg", scale 1:75.000, ISBN 978-3850002141, Esterbauer, 3rd edition (2014)
- Cycling brochure "Your bike. Your time out. Your flow.", Online shop Seenland Oder-Spree
