Sacrower See
It’s a hot, sunny Monday morning in July—the perfect day for a road trip to one of Potsdam’s most pristine bodies of water. For today’s lakeside adventure, we load refreshments and snacks into a cooler, pile our picnic blankets and towels into the back of a car, and make our way west from Neukölln via the A100. Taking the Funkturm exit, we get off the highway, head past Theodor Heuss Platz and continue down Heerstrasse which leads past Havel River, Pichelsee, and Grimnitzsee. Turning south toward Gatow, we delightedly recall that the B2 traces the border between Berlin and Brandenburg—the refreshing sight of dense, protected woodlands quickly replace the neat rows of boxy houses that line the roadside. Just a few kilometres further, Sacrower See’s pristine shores are tucked away in Königswald Nature Reserve. With a maximum depth of 35 metres, this lake prides itself in being one of the five deepest in Brandenburg.
We arrive at the northern entrance to the forest and decide to park our WeShare 900 metres from the lake* and walk the last stretch. The minute the paved path below our feet transforms into a coarse mix of pine cones and sand, we can sense that we’re just a few steps away from the water’s edge. A few metres further, we catch the sight of Sacrower See’s main beach beaming at us with open arms through gaps between trees.
It’s not even midday, but it’s already 24°C and the sun is beating down with fully fledged force. We choose to secure ourselves spot on the edge of the beach; close enough to a large tree so that we can move into the shade if it gets too hot while still near enough to the water to dip our feet in whenever the mood strikes us. Several devoured sandwiches and carefully applied layers of sunscreen later, we decide to make our way into the alluring green water for our first fully submerged swim of the day. We enjoy treading water to take in the expansive views, we let our thoughts drift to the rhythm of the clouds as we float on our backs. Sacrower See’s shorelines appear especially luminous and green if we compare them to some of the other more urbanised lakes close to the city.
We know that many of the smaller, more private patches of sand around the lake are tempting to visitors, but if you come here please keep in mind that Sacrower See is part of a nature conservation area. Thus, this lake and its shorelines are home to some of the region’s most precious flora and fauna, and we are lucky enough to be their guests. Hence, bathing is only permitted at two spots around its shores. The first is the sandy main beach located on the tip of Sacrower See’s northern shore, while the second is a 30-minute stroll (or 10-minute cycle) through the forest on its eastern shore.
*You’ll find a small public parking lot closer to the lake, and the beer garden by the water, Landleben Potsdam, also offers parking for guests, but these fill up fast in summer and it’s really only a ten minute walk from the main road.
The Region: Groß Glienicker See
Sacrower See and Groß Glienicker See are so close to each other one might consider them sisters, each with their unique personality and flair. While Sacrower See shows off her natural beauty with almost entirely untouched shorelines, Groß Glienicker See’s crystal clear waters outshine nearly every lake in the region. We recommend renting a SUP board or rowboat at the café on Groß Glienicker See’s western shore to take in the sight of its mesmerising depths from above.
Sacrower See (Berlin Edition, P. 177)
Car: 50 min. | Location: 30 km from Berlin city centre | 14476 Potsdam
