The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Heideseen

Tropical Islands in the Spreewald is a tropical bathing and leisure paradise, located in the former airship hangar Brand-Neuendorf near Berlin. The facility was opened in 2004 and offers a holiday feeling under palm trees all year round – regardless of the outside weather or season. The central location is a gigantic tropical world where temperatures are constantly around 26 to 28 degrees Celsius. Visitors will find a variety of water and sauna landscapes here: warm indoor and outdoor pools, slides, current channels, lagoons, as well as spacious sauna areas with various infusion and wellness offers. For relaxation, there are quiet loungers, tropical plants, and a calming atmosphere that conveys a holiday mood. In addition to the main area, there are theme gardens, palm groves, and decorative watercourses that enhance the feeling of an exotic holiday. Gastronomically, Tropical Islands offers various restaurants and snack bars that serve food and drinks in a suitable tropical ambiance.

At the Leibsch lock group, you can launch into the Spree (upstream and downstream) as well as into the Dahme diversion canal. You can drive directly up to the lock, and parking is also possible to a limited extent.

Anyone paddling on the Spree will sooner or later reach the weir and lock system in Leibsch – and then face a choice: lock or tow. The self-service lock works surprisingly reliably, but requires some time, strength, and technical understanding. Large levers, clear indicators – those who dare will be rewarded with a piece of true hydraulic engineering practice. Alternatively, a portage route leads over several sturdy concrete steps, which, while easy to navigate, are quite challenging with heavy luggage or a loaded boat. You're rarely alone here – whether you're a local walker or other paddlers, a quick chat is almost guaranteed. The surroundings are well-maintained, and getting back into the water is easy with a little caution. If you want to take a break, there's a small, honest restaurant with a terrace right on the river nearby: self-service drinks, food is brought to you, all paid in cash. No tourist crowds, just real local charm and solid home cooking. Particularly recommended: jacket potatoes with linseed oil and quark, served with a cold wheat beer.

Anyone paddling near Leibsch should rest their paddles for a moment – because here lies a rare piece of technical history: the Leippsch Needle Lock, a technical monument with a roller gate and boat lane. The lock, originally part of the Hermsdorf Mill weir system, was built at the beginning of the 20th century to regulate the water level on the Dahme River and consists of a roller gate and a double gate – constructed of riveted steel. Since 1999, the historic lock has been dismantled and rebuilt as a technical demonstration object directly at the old lock site. Anyone interested in historical hydraulic structures or simply wanting to see how water was controlled in the past will find what they are looking for here: rusty, powerful, and rich in detail. The location is easily accessible for canoeists, even though the lock itself is no longer in operation. Those approaching from the Spree can rest at a suitable spot and look at the monument – an information board explains the technical data (e.g. dam height 1.8m, flow width up to 7m).

Anyone paddling on the Spree from Leibsch towards Schlepzig will pass through one of the region's most beautiful and at the same time most tranquil stretches near Groß Wasserburg. Here, the river meanders through the Wasserburger Spreewald nature reserve – a place where the landscape breathes a sigh of relief. The Spree is narrow, shallow, and crystal-clear in this section. The river meanders through meadows and floodplain forest, past dense reed beds, willows, and small oxbow lakes. In summer, dragonflies flutter above the water, and in autumn, colorful treetops reflect on the surface – a picture-perfect stretch for nature lovers. Water hikers benefit from the tranquility: there are no motorboats here, the current is gentle, and orientation is usually clear. Those who wish can briefly land – flat meadows along the banks are ideal for a rest. However, there is no infrastructure – no jetty, no trash can, no kiosk. Instead, there is all the more peace, birds, and a picture-perfect landscape.

Beautiful little lake with a weather shelter where you can spontaneously spend the night

Pichersee - small, idyllic heath lake near Köthen

Beautiful fishing area