Alte Überfahrt
What to order: the menu of the day, which changes with what is harvested that week in the Petzow garden
geocalia
Day itinerary · 52.38° N · 12.94° E
Werder (Havel) from Berlin: half an hour by train and you are on an island in the Havel.
RE1 to Werder, a stroll round the island and its mill, an hour's gondola ride on the Havel, Sunday lunch at the Alte Überfahrt and an afternoon of thermal baths on the shore of the Zernsee.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Berlín fromBarcelona 2 h 45Bilbao 2 h 45Palma de Mallorca 2 h 45Valencia 3 hAlicante 3 h 15Madrid 3 h 15Málaga 3 h 45Sevilla 3 h 45Fuerteventura 5 h 15Lanzarote 5 h 15
Part of Werder (Havel)
Add to my trip
Total time9 h
By car45 min each way
Gondola1 h · €129 per boat
Thermal baths2–4 h · from €30 on Sunday
WalkingAbout 6 km over the day
DifficultyEasy
Best timeApril – October
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Berlin 30 min by train
RE1 from Berlin Hauptbahnhof; from the station to the island, about 20 minutes on foot
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1
Walk round Werder island
Church of the Holy Spirit, bridge and mill
- 5 min on foot
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2
Venetian gondola on the Havel
Gondelfox · 1 h · €129 per boat, up to 4 people; book ahead
+49 178 6177875
- 8 min on foot
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3
Alte Überfahrt
Michelin star · €€€€ · Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 to 15:00; book ahead
Fischerstraße 48b, 14542 Werder (Havel) · +49 3327 7313336
Restaurant €€€€Book - 30 min on foot2,8 km
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4
Havel-Therme, the Zernsee thermal baths
Thermal baths 2 h · €30 at weekends; buy online
+49 3327 724920
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Back home 30 min by train
From the Zernsee to the station, about 15 minutes on foot; RE1 to Berlin
Approximate cost
About €220–280 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Walk round Werder island
Werder is the shortest outing on this list: half an hour by train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof and you are on an island in the Havel. The plan brings together the best of the town in a Sunday: a stroll, a genuine Venetian gondola, a Michelin-starred lunch and an afternoon of hot water.
The day, hour by hour
9:30 · Train to Werder. The RE1 leaves Berlin Hauptbahnhof and stops at Potsdam; in about 30 minutes you are in Werder. Walk about 20 minutes to the island.
10:30 · The island. Fishermen's alleys, the Church of the Holy Spirit beside the water and the windmill on top. The QR-code stelae tell the story.
12:00 · Gondola. At the foot of the mill the Gondelfox gondola awaits: an hour around the island, just for you and up to three more, for €129 per boat. Book beforehand.
13:15 · Lunch at the Alte Überfahrt. Opposite the landing stage, Michelin-starred vegetable cooking from the Petzow kitchen garden. At midday it is only open on Saturdays and Sundays.
16:00 · Havel-Therme. Half an hour on foot to the shore of the Großer Zernsee. Two hours at the thermal baths cost €30 at weekends; buy online, as on Sunday it fills up.
18:30 · Back to Berlin.
And if you do not want to spend so much?
Swap the Alte Überfahrt for Zum Rittmeister, with its own beer, and split the gondola between four: the day comes down to about €70–100 per person.
With children
The thermal baths have a family pool from €9 per child, and the island is flat. For eating with children, the Rittmeister is better, with a play area beside the terrace.
Distance2.5 km
Time1 h 30
Change the route
If you prefer an informal lunch with house beer, in Kemnitz, by bike or by car:
Zum Rittmeister, restaurant and brewery
From Easter to mid-October, instead of the thermal baths: wine in the vineyard with a view of the Havel:
Wachtelberg vineyard and its seasonal tavern
With children and a car: 7 km of forest hills from Petzow:
Glindower Alpen circular walk
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Zum Rittmeister, restaurant and brewery
What to order: a dish from the seasonal menu with their house beer, the pils or the dark
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Werder (Havel)
Designed for a Saturday or Sunday, when the Alte Überfahrt is open at midday. The thermal baths are open every day until midnight, so the plan also works in winter.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the gondola and a table
Both days ahead.
- 2Buy the thermal baths online
On Sunday entry is closed when capacity is reached.
- 3Bring swimwear
It is compulsory at the thermal baths.
If it rains
Change the order: thermal baths in the morning and gondola in the afternoon; Gondelfox postpones at no cost if it rains.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Berlin to Werder?
About 30 minutes on the RE1 from Berlin Hauptbahnhof.
How much does the day cost?
With the Alte Überfahrt, between €120 and €220 per person; with the Rittmeister and the gondola split four ways, much less.
Can it be done on a weekday?
Yes, but the Alte Überfahrt is only open in the evening from Tuesday to Friday: eat at the Rittmeister.
Are the thermal baths open in winter?
Yes, every day until midnight.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/germany/brandenburg/werder-havel/itineraries/werder-gondola-and-thermal-baths-from-berlin
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.