Berlin - Usedom 2023

In the heart of Berlin, you are awaited by the Hotel Bristol*****, offering all comfort and equipped with a swimming pool. Our first meeting will be in the lobby at 6 pm for an aperitif. You have the rest of the evening to your own disposal. Restaurants for everyone’s taste can be found in close proximity to the hotel.

After the handing-over and adjustments of your bikes, we will begin our journey by bike with a city tour of Berlin, an incomparable experience. Travelling on cycle paths mostly away from traffic, and partly on the Mauer cycle path, a path of cultural and historical interest, we will reach the historic centre of Berlin. We will see the Reichstag, Gendarmenmarkt, Potsdamer Platz and much more during our tour. After a short journey with the suburban railway, our cycling route then leads further on superb cycle paths in the direction of Potsdam. We will cycle along the Wannsee Lake and will also then cross the famous Glienicker Bridge. This bridge went down in history as the “agent bridge”, as exchanges of agents took place about 40 times during the cold war. At the end of our cycling day, we will be awaited by the MAXX Sanssouci Potsdam**** (two overnight stays), a modern establishment in an ideal location. We will end the day with an enjoyable dinner in the hotel restaurant.

We bid farewell to the awakening Potsdam on hidden trails, and will pass numerous stylish villas and castle complexes, bearing witness to the city’s former importance. Travelling along the Templiner See (lake), our route will lead us onto the Werder Island, where we will take a midday break, while enjoying lovely views of the Havel River. We will then travel back to Potsdam to our hotel. Before dinner, we will meet up for a guided city round tour, before enjoying our evening meal in a highly acclaimed restaurant in the heart of Potsdam.

After travelling for about one hour by bus, we will reach the Fontane city Neuruppin. Our morning route leads along numerous lakes into Ruppin Switzerland as well as through the Rheinsberg lake plateau. In his youth, Friedrich II spent the best years of his life in the former residential city of Rheinsberg, and had a remarkable castle and park constructed. In the Neustrelitz castle park, one of the loveliest garden complexes in Mecklenburg, baroque feeling for art is combined with English garden architecture. We will then be welcomed by the nearby Hotel Schlossgarten***, with its charming Biedermeier interior.

In the morning, we will explore the baroque gardens of Neustrelitz, follow the tracks of Luise von Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and cycle on flat paths in the Müritz National Park. We will travel along the Zierker See (lake) into the National Park. Once a protected state hunting area of the DDR, it is now an El Dorado for hikers and cyclists, who enjoy the nature and tranquillity. The route leads through the habitat of over 200 types of birds and hundreds of ferns and flowering plants. If we are lucky, we might see cranes as well as osprey and sea eagles. During our route, we will also pass the largest inland lake in Germany, the Müritz. After travelling by bus for approx. 1 ½ hours, we will be heartily welcomed in the Gutshaus Stolpe****, a nobly furnished building, which was formerly a country estate and is situated in a large park complex at the Peene (Relais & Château). We will meet up in the Fährkrug (over 350 years old) for a typical regional dinner. Fritz Reuter was a regular guest here for many years.

After a hearty breakfast in the Gutshof Stolpe, we will travel by bus for approx. 30 minutes onto the Usedom Island. While mostly following the shoreline of the Stettiner Haff, we will cycle through the charming southern part of the island over the border into the Polish health resort Swinemünde. This was opened for bathing for the first time in 1824. After cycling a short section on the newly constructed Europa cycle path, we will arrive in Ahlbeck, where we will be welcomed by the Seehotel Ahlbecker Hof*****, a stylish hotel with a long tradition. A successful symbiosis of nostalgic cosiness and luxurious comfort is hidden behind the classic facade in the style of spa architecture, including a large wellness area (two overnight stays). As lunch on Sunday is included in the travel price, you will have the evening to your own disposal.

The Usedom Island is not only the sunniest island in Germany, but is also a paradise for cyclists. We will travel on well-developed cycle paths along the former imperial baths Bansin and Heringsdorf up to Karlshagen. The well preserved and delicately restored villas, which were developed in the second half of the 19th century up to World War 1, still radiate a special flair. Whether in the architectural style of the French Renaissance, in the classical style or according to Italian archetype – the summer residences exceed one another in their design and brilliance. After lunch, we will board the Usedomer Bäderbahn and will travel back to Bansin. One of the loveliest and most diverse moraine landscapes of the island await us, which is lovingly called “Usedomer Switzerland”. We will then enjoy our closing dinner in the excellent hotel restaurant.

As there is nothing on today’s programme, you will able to arrange your departure individually. It is only a few minutes’ walk from the hotel to the train station Seebad Ahlbeck, from where all German metropolises can be reached by train (changing trains once).

We are happy to assist you with the booking in our partner hotels (depending on availability). All prices are on request. Please note that it might be cheaper if you book directly with the hotel.