Houseboat Tour: Potsdam – Rheinsberg

Discover Nature and Culture

157 km

5–7 days

Start: Potsdam | End: Rheinsberg

This houseboat tour takes you from Potsdam to Rheinsberg, combining historic sites with diverse water landscapes. As it winds its way along wide rivers and branching waterways, it passes castles and historic gardens, dense forests, expansive lakes, and charming old towns.

Along the way, shore excursions invite you to explore the surroundings: a stroll through Potsdam’s UNESCO World Heritage Site with its magnificent palaces and parks, a stop in Oranienburg to admire its Baroque architecture, or a bike ride along the tranquil waterways. In Mildenberg, the Ziegeleipark Brickworks Park tells the story of the region’s industrial past, while in the water town of Fürstenberg, historic buildings such as the castle, the Baroque palace, and the town church shape the townscape.

For those who’d like to continue their journey, there are options to extend the trip to Neuruppin, the “City of Fountains,” via Zehdenick to Himmelpfort, or from Rheinsberg to the Mecklenburg Lake District. Each leg of the journey offers new experiences.

Recommendations

TIPS FOR GOING ASHORE

Potsdam: UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Palace and Babelsberg Palace and Park, the New Garden, and the Glienicke Bridge
Oranienburg: A Baroque Town with a Castle and Park
Zehdenick: Boatmen's Museum, Cistercian Abbey with Abbey Barn
Mildenberg: Brickworks Park with a Historic Harbor
Fürstenberg/Havel: Old Town, Havelpark, Technisches Denkmal Eisenbahnfähre
Rheinsberg House and Park, Kurt Tucholsky Literature Museum

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HOUSEBOAT TOUR

Fishing Areas/Regions: Havel, Rheinsberg and Fürstenberg waters, the Ruppin Lake Chain/Havelland, the Ruppiner Seenland, and the Mecklenburg Lake District
Waterway Profile: The route winds through a diverse aquatic landscape featuring stretches of river, expansive lakes, and narrower canals.
Number of locks: There are a total of 13 locks to pass through
You can take this tour even if you don't have a boat license.

A Classic: A Houseboat Trip from Potsdam to Rheinsberg

A special highlight is the Ziegeleipark Mildenberg Brickworks Park, once one of the most important brickworks in Europe. As the boat glides quietly across the water, imposing chimneys appear along the shore—remnants of an era when millions of bricks were molded and shipped from here.

When you go ashore, an impressive picture of the region’s industrial past unfolds. In the Brickworks Park, historic machinery, massive kilns, and detailed exhibits illustrate how clay-rich soil was transformed into the bricks that continue to shape the region’s architecture to this day. The old mine car tracks, once indispensable for transportation, bring the industrial past to life.

Here, you can see just how closely waterways and industry were linked. Today, nature is slowly reclaiming the area—a fascinating contrast.

What’s it like to cruise across vast lakes and canals on a houseboat? This tour offers unforgettable moments surrounded by nature and culture—from magnificent castles to historic harbors.

P.S.: If you'd like to extend the tour, you can also join the Big round trip starting in Fürstenberg (Havel).

Independent. Free.
A houseboat vacation.

The view of the water is included—everywhere. What are you waiting for?

Houseboat

Vacation in Deutschlands Seenland

Experience the sense of peace and open space on the water. With a houseboat, you can explore the most beautiful lakes and rivers in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Berlin at your own pace. Anchoring in idyllic coves makes every trip a special experience.

Swimming

Swimming and Water Fun at Lakes

Clear water, fine sandy beaches, and lush green shores—swimming in Deutschlands Seenland is pure relaxation. Whether you want to take a dip in the cool water, splash around with your family, or simply soak up the sun. Here you’ll find your swimming paradise, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.