Five days out of Berlin!

„I’m coming to Berlin in April and I want five days out of Berlin!“ That’s the gist of what a guest asked me to set up and that was the basis for a five-day travel experience in Eastern Germany in April 2019.

A father from Singapore had contacted me via our guide portal. He wanted a mix of culture and adventure for both himself and for his teenage son. But there was a condition: None of this was to take place in Berlin! It turned out that after the tour we were to undertake, the guests would be in the German capital for yet another week, intent on discovering Berlin with friends they were to meet there.

„Well good,“ I thought. „Let’s put together some fun things you can do within a 200 kilometer radius of Berlin!” My guests agreed to my proposed itinerary through the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony with the all the relevant activities and overnight stays.

What should I say: I have experienced again how rich the states surrounding Berlin are in cultural as well as natural treasures. And I also know that it is a better idea to experience some places on a trip of several days rather than on a day trip from Berlin.

 

Take for example Colditz Castle. An architectural gem with more than a thousand years of history. A number of visitors from Great Britain and the USA are familiar with this castle for its role in WWII. The Wehrmacht, the German army, had set up a POW camp for Allied officers. Due to its location, it was thought to be particularly escape-proof. Today, on a two-hour guided tour, visitors can listen to fascinating stories of the countless successful and unsuccessful escape attempts.

 

Colditz is located about 90 minutes from Leipzig, half way down to Dresden. On a day tour from Berlin, one would need about 3 hours each way, so that visiting the castle would involve an eight-hour round-trip private tour from Berlin. Therefore, it makes more sense to include the visit in a multi-day tour.

Because there is so much more to see and experience. Cities like Wittenberg, Leipzig or Dresden probably ring a bell, but there is a lot more, especially for those seeking adventure. A climbing course in Saxony for example, in a landscape that is called -no joke!- the Saxon Switzerland (TOP picture), or a visit to the Gläserne Manufaktur, the transparent factory, in Dresden. How about riding lessons at one of the countless ranches, some in stunning locations. Prefer the water? Canoeing on the canals of the Spreewald might be your choice. If you just like to enjoy nature, without any further ado, a multi-day tour lets you delve into incredible natural landscapes such as the Brandenburg Elbe Biosphere Reserve.

 

This trip gave me many great impressions. The most beautiful happened on the last day, about 70 kilometers north of Berlin: Huskie Hiking. Never heard of it? Here’s how it works: Strap a Huskie to your belly with a leash and let the dog guide you for two hours through the Ruppiner Land forests. If you’re interested, just let me know. I’d only be too happy to accompany you!

 

Posted by our guide

Jochen Wiesenberg

 

 

 

Pictures: Jochen Wiesenberg