Mecklenburg Lakes - land of a thousand lakes

Visit the north-east of Germany and the Mecklenburg Lakes. The largest area of lakeland in Europe is a true paradise, and not just for water sports enthusiasts. Enjoy this remarkable landscape with its meandering canals and stretches of water, wide open fields and the "little sea" or Lake Müritz, the largest lake in Germany. With their North German brick Gothic architecture, lovingly restored centres, baroque parkland and beautiful churches, the towns and villages in the region are ideal places to spend a few hours.

Sporting events on and around the water
With more than 1,000 connected lakes, both large and small, the Mecklenburg Lakes is a paradise for sports enthusiasts. Water sports enthusiasts, in particular, can give free rein to their enthusiasm here. In addition to canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, swimming, water skiing, rafting and motorboating, visitors can also explore the lakes by houseboat. Due to a special regulation, you don't even need a licence to enjoy this pleasure. With their clear, clean water, the lakes are a slice of heaven for anglers and divers. Lake Müritz, covering a total area of 112 m², is especially popular. Passenger boats are also a great way to explore the region, with boat cruises, romantic moonlight cruises and tours lasting several days rounding off the extensive programme of activities in and on the water. With historical old quarters, atmospheric harbours and many museums, the Mecklenburg Lakes are also interesting for landlubbers.
There are plenty of gentle, clearly marked walks and cycling paths through the wide open fields, riverbank woods and Müritz National Park in the surrounding region, which was formed after the last Ice Age.

Neubrandenburg - the town with four gates
Neubrandenburg's historical fortified wall runs for a total length of 2.3 kilometres, making it one of the longest intact town walls in Germany. It encircles the town's historic heart at an average height of around seven metres. You can walk along the almost entirely preserved wall and enjoy views of the twenty-five keeps and 100-year-old oak trees that form a green belt around the town centre.

Müritzeum visitors' centre in Waren
The new visitors' and information centre in Waren (Lake Müritz), an impressive building standing partly in the water, houses the Mecklenburg-Western Pomeranian Regional Natural History Collections. Another section of the Müritzeum is dedicated to an exhibition on the theme of nature, history and many other different facets of the region.
The exhibition also includes the largest Seawater Aquarium which holds 100,000 litres of water. Afterwards, you can enjoy a guided tour of Waren's old quarter and explore the cultural riches of this small town. The tour takes you to 31 sites including the Old Fire Station, the market and a number of historical gabled houses and sculptures. The Müritz Museum dating from 1856 is also well worth visiting. It presents a wealth of fascinating information about the region, nature conservation and the environment, as well as a large insect collection.

Neustrelitz - a small, late-baroque town
Founded as the seat of the Dukes of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in 1733, today the town offers an interesting blend of the baroque and the modern. It has a very diverse cultural scene with a theatre, a museum and a wealth of art and architecture. Enjoy the stunning scenery around the port of Neustrelitz in Müritz National Park and the Feldberg Lakes nature reserve. One of the town's highlights is its star-shaped layout. Neustrelitz is also an ideal base for excursions to Müritz National Park.

Traditional Speckreiten (ham riding) festival
The Speckreiten is a traditional festival held every year since 1887 on the second day of Whitsun in Röbel/Müritz. The event consists of a string of fun little games such as pinata bashing or ring throwing. The name derives from the fact that competition winners used to receive a piece of ham as their prize.

Mecklenburg - the land of organic produce
Fans of organic produce will find a great selection on offer in the towns and villages around the Mecklenburg Lakes. There are a number of farm shops selling organicallygrown produce straight from the field. The local Alter Kalmüser makes a nice souvenir. Not only does this herb-flavoured liqueur taste good. You can also buy it in a gift bottle with a personalised label. Sample it for yourself and find out why they say, "One Kalmüser helps a lot, two Kalmüsers make things even better."