Cee Cee Creative Newsletter Book Neighborhood Map Lessons
Stadtplan
Information
archive temp
loop temp
A LAKE FOR YOUR LIST: SABINENSEE NEAR GERSWALDE FOR YOUR NEXT WEEKEND SWIM

A LAKE FOR YOUR LIST: SABINENSEE NEAR GERSWALDE FOR YOUR NEXT WEEKEND SWIM

Changeable weather makes for perfect planning weather: organizing your hit list of lakes for days when Summer lives up to its name. On a recent trip to Gerswalde to visit Parg and Kombini, we were recommended a lake spot – Sabinensee – just a 15 minute drive from the center of town. We followed the main road out of the village for a dip. Hidden on most sides by thick reeds and greenery, the sandy entrance off the L42 makes for easy entry into the refreshing water. There’s a steeped green area to observe the lake, and a jetty for diving in on cooler days when a slow wade feels less feasible. The lake is about 400m wide, and on the partly cloudy day we visited, we swam out far enough to feel the sun on our faces before the drive home.

Text: Savannah van der Niet / Photos: Sophie Doering

Sabinensee, L42, 17268 Gerswalde; map

cee_cee_logo
PEAT, WATER LILIES AND EDIBLE BERRIES — A MOORLAND WALK ALONG THE BRIESE RIVER

PEAT, WATER LILIES AND EDIBLE BERRIES — A MOORLAND WALK ALONG THE BRIESE RIVER

People sometimes think of moorlands as unfriendly, gloomy places that hold nothing good. However, the opposite is true: their peat bogs are fundamental for ecosystems and must be protected. Most moorlands were formed after the last ice age when the lack of oxygen in meltwater prevented plants from decomposing. This led to the formation of peat, which is used as fuel. Today, peatlands are home to large numbers of protected plants and animals and help mitigate global warming by serving as reservoirs for greenhouse gases. With this in mind, a trip to the Briese, a small tributary of the Havel river in Brandenburg, is all the more enjoyable. The starting point is Birkenwerder, which can be reached in half an hour on the S1 from Gesundbrunnen.

As you make your way out of Birkenwerder and its well-kept front gardens, you are greeted by an unspoilt landscape of green that runs alongside the river. There’s a lot to see, including water lilies, beaver dams, alder groves, swans and an endless number of dragonflies in blue and green. There is no need for detailed directions: just follow the river before crossing the bridge to the other side where you can see the whole spectacle from another perspective. Don’t forget to bring mosquito spray and make sure you stop and for a snack of blueberries plucked from the surrounding bushes. The whole walk is about 10 km, but you can make it longer by continuing on to one of the bridges further down. 

Text & Photos: Laura Luisa Iriondo

Briesetal moor walk from Birkenwerder

cee_cee_logo
TEAM-BUILDING SESSIONS MODELED ON TV GAME SHOWS — YOUR SHOWDOWN

TEAM-BUILDING SESSIONS MODELED ON TV GAME SHOWS — YOUR SHOWDOWN

Fingers on buzzers for the starter question! What do you get when you mix 90s-era game shows with contemporary corporate team-building events? No idea? Well, alright: we’ll forgive you if Your Showdown wasn’t the first thing that entered your head. After all, this Berlin startup only began hosting its challenge-filled company days a few weeks ago (it launched in June 2023). Run by game-mad Maximilian Muhle and co-owner Philipp Dieckmann out of an airy industrial building in Tempelhof, this offsite concept puts a proverbial spin on the corporate event, pitting employees against each other for a series of challenges that put brains, bravery and strategy to the test. An all-powerful game master leads the sessions, which last 2.5 hours and can be booked for up to 100 people divided into teams of four. The idea: participants gain new skills vying for top place while polishing those all-important teamworking and leadership abilities. The precise nature of the games will be revealed on the day: the game master will pick activities depending on the group playing (more than 100 games are offered). You will collaborate to put together the pieces before ousting the weakest link and taking your chances on the wheel of fortune. If you’re a team leader and want to give your colleagues a challenge, this mini retreat might be just the thing to take them outside of the box. Or perhaps into it? (On top of it?!) The game master will reveal all…

Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Your Showdown

Your Showdown, Ringbahnstr.32–34, 12099 Berlin–Tempelhof; map

Sessions can be booked online.

@your.showdown

cee_cee_logo
A TOUCH OF THE BALTIC SEA IN BERLIN STRANDBAD LÜBARS

A TOUCH OF THE BALTIC SEA IN BERLIN STRANDBAD LÜBARS

Need a break from dusty city life but no time for a trip to the Baltic Sea? Then take a dip in the refreshing water at the lido in Lübars on the outskirts of Berlin. Whether you throw yourself in from one of the three elevated diving boards or slither into the water using the 5.5m slide, the bathing here is fresh and fun.  The charming lake has excellent water quality, which is tested every fortnight by the Technical University of Berlin. For a breather, you can rent one of the beach chairs: with their blue and white striped seats, white wickerwork and brown decorations, the loungers remind you a lot of the sunny strips lining the Baltic Sea coast. If chilling in a beach chair is not your thing, you can retreat to a shady spot under the various deciduous trees for some peace and quiet. Children and families, meanwhile, can head to the clearly demarcated non-swimmer area for a spot of paddling or splashing. So pack your swimwear and hop on the 222 bus to “Am Vierrutenberg”. From there it’s a short walk to the beach through the so-called “Berliner Dorf” (Berlin village) of Lübars, where time seems to have stood still…

Text: Mary Linh Tran / Photos: Rebecca Schatz

Strandbad Lübars, Am Freibad 9, 13469 Berlin–Lübars; map
Daily 9–13h (opening hours weather dependent)

@strandbadluebars

cee_cee_logo
ELDERFLOWER SHOWERS, NATURAL WINE & CHAMPAGNE BREAKFAST: GLAMPING IM GUTSPARK

ELDERFLOWER SHOWERS, NATURAL WINE & CHAMPAGNE BREAKFAST: GLAMPING IM GUTSPARK

Keeping it local this summer? Imagine immersing yourself in the serene beauty of sprawling old trees, charming clearings, and a tranquil pond just two hours outside Berlin. At the manor park you’ll find four romantic bell tents made of luxurious cotton and linen, adorned with high pointed gables and tasteful furnishings. From the moment you arrive, you’ll be charmed by the thoughtful details as the tent suites boast “real beds” and all the essentials, from bed linen to towels, bathrobes, and personal care products. Pack just a few items, check in, and instantly surrender to relaxation and tranquility. In the evening you can wind down by your own tent side fire and pop to the property’s own “Späti” which is filled with carefully selected goodies such as natural wine from Forever thirsty, local cheeses, cured meats and homemade snacks. If you fancy something a bit heartier you can also order a tart flambée. Come morning you’ll likely mourn your last day and be counting your remaining hours, however, a trip to the outdoor elderflower shower will surely cheer you up. If you book over the weekend then prepare one of the best breakfasts money can buy: A Champagne breakfast based on a painting from Guillaume Romain Fouace, painted in 1878. In the painting lays a golden, plump brioche loaf fresh from the oven on a porcelain plate, a bottle of bubbly and a flowery unfolding orange resting in its bowl. In addition fine French butter and homemade pear-vanilla-thyme jam.

If you have room you should also try ‘First the hen, then the egg’ a wonderfully experimental little breakfast dish created by host-and-owner Nina consisting of poached eggs, cream of fresh goat cheese, caramelized figs, plucked smoked catfish from the region and fresh herbs. For an adventurous spirit there is plenty of nature to explore nearby and you can take a sailing trip on one of the quietest lakes in Germany with your second host and captain Albrecht. There are still some spots left for the summer and come mid July a sauna will be installed overlooking the pond – it does not get much better than that. Take my advice and book two nights at least, just don’t forget the glamping must, bug spray.

Text: Kate Foran / Fotos: Glamping im Gutspark & Kate Foran

Glamping im Gutspark, Scharpzower Dorfstr.19, 17139 Malchin; map

@glamping_im_gutspark

cee_cee_logo