Nowhere in Germany do the contrasts arrive quicker than in the region on its capital's doorstep. Brandenburg is like an extended belt of unspoilt countryside around buzzing Berlin. Just under an hour's drive from the city centre and you're there. Views stretching to the horizon, World Cultural Heritage and a multitude of lakes and rivers. So close. So far. So varied. Sparsely populated Uckermark is like a Tuscany of the north. The Spree Forest could be a little Venice with its network of rivers and canals. And you'll find the Arcadia of Brandenburg in Potsdam– a city boasting magnificent palaces, huge landscaped parks and more than 1,000 years of history.

Wherever your Brandenburg holiday takes you, you’ll never be far from nature! The Lower Oder Valley Riverside National Park, three UNESCO biosphere reserves and eleven nature parks – around a third of the region is protected natural scenery. So it’s great for getting out and about in unspoilt nature. Explore the narrow waterways of the Spree Forest in traditional wooden boats or more energetically by canoe. The heaths and woodland of the Schorfheide offer endless opportunities for walking. There are also more than 7,000km of cycle routes that criss-cross the region. Roll along the Havel, Oder and Spree rivers. Travel as far as Copenhagen or the Polish border. And then relax. Linseed oil, crystal stones, apricot kernels and aromatic soaks in wooden tubs are just some of the wellness wonders used in thermal spas such as Bad Belzig, Templin and Bad Saarow.

Culture on the doorstep of Berlin. This means more than 500 palaces and stately homes. Prussian gardens and architecture. Open-air festivals against historical backdrops. The music festival at Potsdam's Sanssouci Palace and the Brandenburg Summer Concerts. The history of the two Germanys and Brandenburg's industrial heritage. Cycle along the Berlin Wall Trail, stroll across Glienicke bridge and visit historic Cecilienhof House.

More than 3,000 crystal-clear lakes and 30,000 kilometres of rivers make Brandenburg the German federal state with the most inland waterways. Take it easy on a boat trip or get active on the water with a wakeboard, canoe or hydrobike. See Rheinsberg Palace from a houseboat, or go sailing on Scharmützel Lake. The region around Berlin is a paradise in blue, the largest water sports region in Europe. So close. So secluded.

© TMB Tourismus-Marketing Brandenburg GmbH