The border area in the west of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania found itself in a deep sleep for a number of decades. Nature has been allowed to run wild here, making this an excellent stopping point for thousands of migratory birds every year.

The star of the show at the UNESCO Lake Schaalsee Biosphere Reserve located between Hamburg, Lübeck and Schwerin is the lake, spanning 24 square kilometres and complete with islands, peninsulas, bays and vast reedbeds. And the area surrounding the lake is just as diverse as the body of water itself. Here, 150 kilometres of hiking trails and cycle paths guide visitors through a mosaic of forests, moors and wetlands, pastures and fields, sleepy villages and idyllic little towns. The lake was the site of the border inside the country for 40 years. These days, soft tourism goes hand in hand with the protection of eagles, cranes, otters and kingfishers.

Explore the surroundings