On foot or by bike via Branitz to the Cottbus Ostsee

The Cottbus Ostsee is being created from the former Cottbus-Nord mine. Flooding started in April 2019. The Cottbus Ostsee is located directly on the outskirts of the city, enabling Cottbus residents and visitors to experience at first hand how a coal mine is transformed into a recreation area.

A round trip is recommended for cyclists and hikers from CottbusService (Stadthalle Cottbus) through the Cottbus-Sandow district to Merzdorf. The final destination is the observation tower there. Directly by the lakeside there is a path to the inlet structure. For the way back we suggest the route from Lakoma to Saspow and then along the River Spree to the city centre. On the way, a stop at the Spreewehrmühle is recommended with its restaurant and museum.
And what is there to explore on the way?

• Cottbus park complex – Branitz Park, zoo* and Spreeauenpark
• Cottbus park railway*
• Brandburg State Museum of Modern Art at Amtsteich
• Cotttbus stagecoach memorial* at Lindenpforte
• St. Nicholas Oberkirche church including ascent to the church tower*
• Altmarkt with town houses, cafés and restaurants
• Monastery church with Klosterplatz surrounded by high trees
• Spreewehrmühle* 
• Spreemeile* – training equipment course of some 2 kilometres in length
• Observation tower by the lake
• MIA* wooden boat on the shore of the future lake
• The inlet structure by the lake

Our special tips for families are marked with an asterisk*.

The tour consists of asphalt and grit tracks.

Start/finish: CottbusService at Stadthalle Cottbus
Length of the tour: approximately 15 kilometres
Route signage: red-and-white intersection signposts
Directions to and from Cottbus:
Public transport: take the RE 2 from Berlin or the RB 65 from Zittau/Görlitz to Cottbus central station
Car: from Spreewald junction A15 as far as the exits Cottbus-West and Cottbus-Süd

Possible combinations:

• Spree Cycle Path
• Tour Brandenburg
• Gherkin Cycle Path