Surroundings

A unique landscape is waiting to be discovered by you

Those who travel through the Barnim countryside will discover the last Ice Age was particularly kind to this region. Deep forests, dreamy lakes, peaceful rivers and gently rolling hills offer the finest environment for a holiday that is undisturbed and close to nature as well as being full of life and activity. In many places it is hard to believe that the metropolis of Berlin is less than 50 kilometres away. Especially walking, cycling and boating in the Barnim promises even more than a simple nature experience. Old buildings of red brick, glacial boulders and timber framed are scattered along the ways, individual churches, monasteries and country manors as well as monuments to industry all bear witness to the rich and varied history of this age old settlement region.

The Schorfheide Heathland: The Schorfheide Heathland is a part of the UNESCO-protected biosphere reserve "Schorfheide-Chorin". It is the largest close forest area in Germany.

Chorin-Oderberg: Transquil places like Oderberg, Stolzenhagen und Brodowin harmonically fit in with the typical hilly forest landscape of the terminal moraine. Tourists enjoying this idyllic scenery can track down interesting traces of human culture. The Cistercian Monastery of Chorin is one of the most beautiful as well as most important historic monuments of German Gothic-style brick architecture. Every year thousands of visitors are attracted to this sight to enjoy the Chorin Summer Festival of Classical Music as well as a variety of other concerts against the unique backdrop of monastery. The Niederfinow Boat Lift is just a few kilometres away. It takes the caisson just five minutes to overcome a difference in altitude of 118 ft.

The Finow Canal: When travelling on the Finow Canal, allow for sufficient time to pass 12 manually operated locks. Built in 1605, the Finow Canal is not only the oldest navigable artifical waterway in Germany but it was also a major factor for the industrial development of the Finow Valley before 1914. It served as one of the most important inland waterways in Germany. Nowadays holiday-makers and tourists are by themselves, taking their time to enjoy peaceful canal and its charming banks. If active relaxation like canoeing is not for you, why not going boating on board of a historic Finow barge or a theme raft. The well-developed towpath alongside the Finow Canal tempts hikers and cyclists to go exploring. The Finowfurt Raftsmen Festival has received old traditions connected with the canal.

(TEXT: WITO Wirtschafts- und Tourismusentwicklungsgesellschaft mbH des Landkreises Barnim - Alfred-Nobel-Straße 1 - D-16225 Eberswalde - Tel. 0049 3334/59233)