Spree River Cruise to Koepenick & Lake Mueggelsee Berlin

The Spree through Treptow-Köpenick

The first part of this Spree river cruise runs through Treptow-Köpenick, Berlin's greenest and largest district. The river is lined with reeds, trees, water-sports clubs, small marinas and old industrial buildings that have been given new lives as studios and offices. It is a very different picture from the city centre, and it shows how Berliners use the river for rowing, sailing and quiet weekend walks.

You do not need to follow a map, because the boat handles the route and locks along the way. This stretch is good for photographs of the water and for anyone curious about how the eastern districts have changed since the 1990s. If you are searching for what to do in Berlin beyond the main sights, a boat trip on the Spree is a relaxed answer.

Köpenick old town, town hall and palace

Köpenick is one of the oldest settlements in Berlin, set where the Spree meets the Dahme. From the water you see the red-brick town hall, built in the early 1900s and famous for the story of the Captain of Köpenick, a shoemaker who in 1906 put on a captain's uniform, took charge of a squad of soldiers and seized the town's treasury. The tale is still one of Berlin's best-loved.

Nearby stands Köpenick Palace on its own island, a baroque building from the late 17th century that now houses a museum of decorative arts. A Köpenick boat tour gives you a good view of both landmarks together with the old town's roofs and church towers. If you would like to visit the palace afterwards, plan a separate stop, as the cruise itself does not include entry.

Lake Müggelsee and the Müggelberge

Müggelsee is the largest lake inside Berlin's boundaries, with a wide, open surface and forested shores. To one side rise the Müggelberge, the highest natural hills in the city, and the lake is a favourite with swimmers, sailors and walkers in summer. The boat crosses the open water so that you can enjoy the sense of space, the skyline of trees and the colours of the sky.

A Müggelsee cruise is worth doing if you want to see how Berliners spend their weekends. The best time to visit is from late spring to early autumn, when the light is long and the shores are busy. Many people combine this trip with a walk in Friedrichshagen or a visit to a lakeside beach after they disembark.