Family holidays on the Havel River
Rent a houseboat for exciting family holidays. You can choose from a wide range of options including a simple adventure raft or even a fully furnished 'floating' holiday house with fireplace and/or a sauna. Most boats can be operated without a skipper’s licence or only require a brief training session to obtain a Charter Permit ('Charterschein').
Potsdam–Havelberg
In recent years houseboats and rafts have become more popular on the Havel River between Potsdam and Havelberg. The perfect family holiday – a holiday house on water. There is a lot to be discovered between shoving off and arrival. Look here for a selection of highlights along your route.
Potsdam
Historic architecture meets modern art, exhibition on art in the GDR and international art after 1989, as well as special exhibitions
Mon., Wed. – Sun., 11am – 7pm, 1st Thu. of the month until 9pm
€14 adults, €10 reduced rate, free admission for children and youth under 18
Contact:
Alter Markt· Humboldtstraße 5-6 · 14467 Potsdam · Phone: (+49-331) 23 60 14 499
Enjoy pretending to conquer historic places during guided tours with the ferocious castle dragon or the chambermaid or take part in a creative children’s workshop.
Contact:
The theme park about cinema and TV with numerous attractions including scenery, props, costumes, special effects and technical equipment
Apr. to Sept., 10am – 6pm
Oct. to beginning of Nov., 10am – 5pm
(Closed on various days. Please note!)
€22 adults, €15 children (aged 4–16), €65 family ticket
ContaCt:
Großbeerenstraße 200· 14482 Potsdam-Babelsberg · Phone: (+49-331) 72 123 45
Challenging high rope course offering 12 levels (low to high) and a 200m zipline just a ten-minute walk from the main station
Business Hours/Admission:
Apr. to Oct., daily from 10am to 5pm/7pm depending on the season
€22 adults, €16 children up to 12 years, €19 youth, students, trainees
Contact:
Albert-Einstein-Straße 49 · 14473 Potsdam · Phone: (+49-331) 626 47 83
Schwielowsee
Baroque castle of the time of the Elector Frederick William picturesquely situated on the Havel River, guided tours for children on request
May to Oct., Tue. – Sun., 10am – 6pm
Apr., Sat./Sun., 10am – 6pm
Nov. to Mar., Sat./Sun., 10pm – 5pm
€6 adults, €5 reduced rate, €12 family ticket
Kontakt:
Straße der Einheit 2 · 14548 Schwielowsee OT Caputh · TPhone: (+49-33209)70345
Exhibition on the physicist Albert Einstein with computer simulations, GPS exhibit and hands-on models
Apr. to Oct., Tue. – Sun. and public holidays 11am – 5pm
Nov. to Mar., Sat./Sun. and on holidays 11am – 5pm
Contact:
Straße der Einheit 3 · 14548 Schwielowsee OT Caputh · Phone: (+49-33209) 217 772
Fantastic view of the Havel Lakes and the landscape around Schwielowsee Lake (follow the signs from 'Strandbad Ferch')
open year-round · free admission
Werder (Havel)
Fancy picking your own sweet berries? A number of fruit farms let you pick you own delicious fruit.
Contact:
At the 'Sea for Kids' indoor playground children can romp and climb – rain or shine.
Business hours/Admission:
Tue. – Fri., 2pm – 7pm, Sat., Sun., 10:30am – 7pm
during the holidays and public holidays 10:30am – 7pm
€6 children, €3 adults, €16 family ticket
Contact:
Mielestraße 2 · 14542 Werder (Havel)· Phone: (+49-3327) 669 48 03
Time to stretch your legs! Why not head to the 'Stadtwald' of Werder (Havel) for a nature walk?
Ketzin/Havel
On steles throughout the Old Town you will find interesting stories told by Fishermens’ princess Julia and her friend Jakob (more information at the Tourist Office).
Contact:
Tourist Office and Museum of the town Ketzin/Havel
Rathausstraße 18 · 14669 Ketzin/Havel · Phone: (+49-33233) 720 112
Swimming in the Havel River, and on the banks hot-dog stall, table tennis, volleyball and canoe and rowboot rental
Mid-May to middle of Sept., 10am – 8pm, depending on the weather
€3 adults, €1 children aged 4–16, €1.50 reduced rate, €7 family ticket
Contact:
Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn Weg 31 · 14669 Ketzin/Havel · Phone: (+49-171) 971 15 47
Kloster Lehnin
Imposing Cistercian monastery with Romanesque-Gothic brick abbey amidst wonderful old trees, numerous concerts in summer
Apr. to Oct., Mon. – Fri., 10am – 4pm, Sat., 10am – 5pm, Sun., 1pm – 5pm
Nov. to Mar., Mon. – Sat., 10:30am – 3:30pm, Sun., 1pm – 4pm
Free admission
Contact:
Klosterkirchplatz 1-19 · 14797 Kloster Lehnin OT Lehnin · Phone: (+49 178) 61 871 38
Swimming for the whole family at Klostersee Lake with big jungle gym playground, beach volleyball, table tennis, boat rental and café
Business hours/admission:
During the season depending on the weather
€2 adults, €1 children aged 6+
Contact:
Am Klostersee 12 b · 14797 Kloster Lehnin OT Lehnin · Phone: (+49-3382) 734100
Two towers for observing water birds in the Special Protection Area designated by the EU, in Rietz and on the Emster Kanal (including a nature trail on Emster Kanal)
Brandenburg an der Havel
Experience history up close on a journey through time back to the ancient Germans and Slavs with period games, audio-guided tour and a rustic tavern.
Business hours/admission:
Apr. to Oct., Mon. – Sun., 10am – 12am and 2pm – 6pm
€3 adults, €2 reduced rate, €10 family ticket
Contact:
Plauer Straße · 14770 Brandenburg an der Havel · Phone: (+49-3381) 2087 4033
Indoor swimming and adventure pool with numerous saunas, 25m and 50m pool (with retractable roof), outdoor pool, 3m diving platform, whirlpool, toddler pool etc.
Business hours/admission:
Daily from 9am, Mon. from 10am, closes at 8pm/9:30pm
Pool and outdoor pool: rates from €3.40, reduced rate €2
Leisure pool: rates from €4.80, reduced rate from €3.60
Sauna: rates from €13.50, reduced rate from €12.50
Contact:
Sprengelstraße 1 · 14770 Brandenburg an der Havel · Phone: (+49-3381) 322-780
Interesting exhibition with more than 10,000 exhibits on 130,000 years of cultural history of Brandenburg and vicinity
Business hours/admission:
Tue. – Sun., 10am – 5pm
€5 adults, €3.50 reduced rate, €10 family ticket
Contact:
Neustädtische Heidestraße 28· 14776 Brandenburg an der Havel · Phone: (+49-3381) 410 41 12
Interesting exhibition with more than 10,000 exhibits on 130,000 years of cultural history of Brandenburg and vicinity
Business hours/admission:
Apr. to Oct., Mon. – Sat., 10am – 5pm, Sun., 12am – 5pm
Nov. to Mar., Mon. – Sat., 11am – 4pm Sun., 12am – 4pm
Free admission
Contact:
Burghof· 14776 Brandenburg an der Havel · Phone: (+49-3381) 211 2223
Pritzerbe
Wherever you look, reeds everywhere. Visitors can try their hand at weaving this renewable raw material on hand-looms.
Business hours/admission:
Artisanal crafts, shop and museum, Mon. – Fri., 8am – 4pm
In Apr. to Oct., museum also Sat., Sun., 10am – 5pm
Marzahner Chaussee 6 · 14798 Havelsee OT Pritzerbe · Phone: (+49-33834) 50236
Bahnitz
Fitness trail at the Kneipp Aquatic Therapy station in the quaint artists’ village Bahnitz
Milow
Interactive exhibition on the unique nature of the Havelland region with a diorama of the river renaturalization project and the stars adventure room and more.
Apr. to Oct., daily 10am – 5pm, closed Wed.
Nov. to Mar., Thurs. – Sun., 10am – 4pm
€3 adults, €1–2 reduced rate
Contact:
Stremmestraße 10 · 14715 Milower Land · Phone: (+49-3386) 211227
Premnitz
Explore the riverfront walk on the Havel, enjoy the view from the observation platform that extends over the Havel River, or stop at the nice water playground. Everywhere the eye can see, there’s water.
Rathenow
Visitors can reach the neo-Gothic observation tower on Weinberg mountain via the Weinberg bridge, which is an architectural highlight.
This park features landscaped gardens, cultural amenities, gorgeous raft tours and above all a lot of interesting information on eyewear.
End of Apr. to beginning of Oct., 10am – 9pm
€5 admission, €2.50 reduced rate, free admission for children and youth aged 17 and under
Contact:
Schwedendamm 1· 14712 Rathenow · Phone: (+49-3385) 49850
Exhibition on the history and development of the eyewear industry in Rathenow, which is the cradle of the eyewear industry
Tue. – Sun., 11am – 5pm
€3 adults, €1.50 reduced rate, €7 family ticket
Contact:
Märkischer Platz 3· 14712 Rathenow · Phone: (+49-3386) 5190 40
Hohennauen
Popular swimming beach with excellent water quality, a playground and an adjacent restaurant including an ice-cream parlour
Strodehne
Natural swimming area with a wide and shallow sandy beach and nice spots for a picnic
Havelberg
Multimedia exhibition on the fluvial system formed by the Havel and Elbe, a water playground and environmental education stations in the 'House of the rivers'.
Business hours/admission:
Apr. to Oct., daily 10am – 6pm, Nov. to Mar., Tue. – Sun. and public holidays 10am – 5pm
Free admission
Contact:
Schönberger Weg 6 · 39539 Havelberg · Phone: (+49-39387) 595 151
Havelberg’s Cathedral towers imposingly over the town’s island. This pier basilica was built in Romanesque style and later Gothicized.
Business hours/admission:
Apr. to Oct., daily 10am – 6pm, Nov. to Mar., Tue. – Sun. and public holidays 10am – 5pm
Free admission
Contact:
Dom zu Havelberg· Domplatz · 39539 Havelberg · Phone: (+49-39387) 791 04
Lively town centres
Historic town centres with a medieval spirit, splendid castles and gardens on the banks of the Havel River, cathedrals and cloisters creating an impressive skyline.
Waterside cafés and restaurants
Numerous restaurants tempt visitors to enjoy meals with a waterside view and can be reached directly by boat.
Activities on the water and at the waterside
You are closest to the water when canoeing, surfing, water skiing or standup paddle boarding (SUP). Check our » Wasserwanderkarte (water touring map) for canoe/kayak, SUP and surfing outfitters.
'Naturpark Westhavelland' nature reserve
It is not uncommon to spot beavers, European otters or sea eagles when floating past the pristine nature of the Havelland region.
Spectacular night sky
he particularly dark nights in the Westhavelland region offer glorious views of the Milky Way. Due to this feature the region was declared to be Germany’s first dark-sky park.
Swimming in the Havel River
here are flat, sandy beaches for bathing all along the Havel River and the many lakes, with secluded places to drop anchor in pristine nature or attractive swimming areas near towns. However, please bear in mind that you are not allowed to enter swimming areas by boat.
Fishing made easy
For those who love catching their own meals, there are numerous promising fishing grounds along the lakes, rivers and former clay pits. » Click here for more information on fishing.