The Müritz offers pure holiday feeling, especially in summer, it almost feels like being at the sea. TRAVELBOOK has the best tips for the famous Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania region.
“Little Sea” is the Slavic name for the Müritz, and anyone who has ever been on the shore knows why. After all, the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania body of water is the largest lake in Germany. To be more precise: the largest lake that lies entirely on German territory. By the way, second place is taken by the Steinhuder Meer, but that’s what we’ll do elsewhere.
Location of the Müritz
The Müritz, located between Waren (Müritz) Rechlin, Röbel (Müritz) and the Müritz National Park, is up to 31 meters deep, about 28 kilometers long at its longest point and about 13 kilometers wide at its widest point. But the lake is “only” one of many lakes in the Mecklenburg Lake District. The area is also known as the ‘Land of 1000 Lakes’ for good reason. No wonder that water sports play an important role here.
By the way, that’s actually the name of the Müritz – if you call it Müritzsee, you’ll confuse it with another nearby lake. It is close to Buchholz and is connected to the Kleine Müritz via the Müritz arm, which in turn has access to the Müritz itself.
Boating and paddling holidays
Boat owners are particularly attracted to the Marina Müritz with the port village of the same name on the east bank, just north of Rechlin. The marina is located on the Classee, which is connected to the Müritz by a 170m long branch canal.
There are floating docks with electricity and water connections, WiFi hotspots, toilets, a laundry room and other things in the port house, grocery stores and restaurants. Right next door is the harbor village with holiday homes, houseboats, boat rentals and more. The Müritz is suitable for motor boats, sailboats and houseboats.
There are also many great areas for canoeists in the Mecklenburg Lake District, mainly because there is little or no current. If you want to paddle on the Müritz, you should stay in the shore area, because in summer there are many boats on the large lake and there is a risk of collisions. Canoe rental: Mirow canoe base.
Bike tour around the Müritz
Cyclists can even circumnavigate the Müritz. The trail leads from Waren on the east bank through the national park to Rechlin, from there to Röbel and back to Waren. There are different paths. The red course is approximately 88 kilometers long, while the red and blue course is approximately 112 kilometers long. As the trail is solid and flat, it is also suitable for families with children. There are enough places to stay, from holiday parks to campsites and hotels.
Hiking in the Müritz National Park
There is also a huge choice for walkers. Particularly attractive is the path of the Müritz National Park marked with a blue “M”. It is almost 177 kilometers long and can be covered in nine or ten stages. You can of course also limit yourself to individual sections. The most beautiful starting point is Waren’s old town.
The most beautiful beaches
The Müritz area is also suitable for a family holiday with many days at the beach and some adventures in nature. There are several beaches directly on the lake:
- Röbel: lido (Seebadstraße, with snack bar, toilets, playground)
- Assets: public swimming pool (guarded, family-friendly, with beach volleyball courts, playground, waterslide, non-bathing areas, changing rooms, toilets, gastronomy)
- Ecktannen (on the campsite of the same name; guarded, child-friendly, with playground, barbecue area, sanitary facilities and gastronomy); Natural shores of the Feisnecksee, supervised bathing area with jetty)
- Rechlin: Mili bathing beach (large meadow, beach volleyball court
Popular excursion destinations on the Müritz
Excursions to Barenwald Müritz – a facility where poorly cared for bears can find an animal-friendly home. According to its own information, it is the largest bear sanctuary in Western Europe, currently home to 13 brown bears which can no longer be released into the wild because they are too dependent on humans. Admission is EUR 12.00 for adults and EUR 6.00 for children aged 5 to 14. Dogs can be brought on a leash, but cost a supplement of EUR 2.00.
Also worthwhile as an alternative: the Fleesensee alpaca farm, the Damerower Werder bison reserve or the Müritzeum in Waren. Behind the latter is Germany’s largest freshwater aquarium for native fish.
The best travel time
If you want to take a beach holiday at the Müritz, you should of course come in the summer at the latest. Spring and autumn are also suitable for hiking and cycling. And even in winter it is worth a visit, because many hotels have their own wellness area, there are holiday homes with saunas and whirlpools, and in Röbel the Müritz thermal baths are tempting.
