The Havel Tour

The Havel flows slowly. Very slowly. And that is exactly the concept. This tour is the opposite of Berlin stress: orchards (blossoms in May!), stork nests on every church tower, fishing villages with smoked fish. From Potsdam, you head west – across the Schwielowsee, the Brandenburg Havel lakes, and finally to Brandenburg an der Havel. The city has a 1,000-year-old cathedral, a Slavic castle complex, and suspiciously good fish restaurants. The Havelland is famous for its Fontane Loop: the writer Theodor Fontane hiked here in the 19th century and wrote 'Wanderings through the March of Brandenburg'. Today you can follow in his footsteps – by boat. Hard Facts: No license required • 3 locks • Fruit blossoms in May! • Stork season April-August • Best time: May-June or September