Rietz-Neuendorf is a rural municipality covering 184.81 square kilometres and comprising 14 districts. Two distinct waterside settings offer an initial point of reference: the Spree flows through Neubrück; in Drahendorf, a holiday settlement with bungalows lies on the banks of the Spree among deciduous and coniferous trees.

Water, forests and protected landscapes

Neubrück is largely surrounded by water, and the Spree flows through the district. Along the road to Neubrück, carp ponds covering around 44 hectares lie on both sides of the main road. This gives the municipality several different connections to water: the river flowing through Neubrück, the settlement surrounded by water, and the ponds along the road. In Drahendorf, the Spree riverbank, with its bungalow settlement among deciduous and coniferous trees, shapes the local landscape.

The landscape near Buckow also has a specific protection status. Two landscape conservation areas lie along the road to Lindenberg, providing a habitat for protected small animals that are threatened with extinction. In Sauen, the focus is on forest development: a forest-ecological experiment transformed a sparse pine monoculture into a species-rich forest with a high degree of stability and resilience in a short time. Water, protected habitats and forest development offer different starting points for choosing your destinations.

Churches with different historical associations

The churches in several districts bring together historic objects, architectural history and heritage protection. Herzberg Church contains historically significant objects protected as monuments, including a silver-gilt chalice from the first half of the 16th century and a brass baptismal bowl dating from 1668.

The church in Neubrück was formally inaugurated on 15 May 1955. The half-timbered extension to the transept was renovated in 2018. In Buckow, both the church and the Slavic rampart near it are protected monuments. Birkholz Church has medieval origins; its entrance door, fitted with wrought-iron straps, is around 300 years old. The dates refer to different things: objects, an inauguration, a renovation and the approximate age of a door.

Wildlife watching and enclosure tours

In Birkholz, visitors can observe fallow deer, red deer and other animal species in an ecologically managed game enclosure. With its nature-park character, Gut Hirschaue in Birkholz is a local recreational destination and offers enclosure tours. Before visiting, check the current visitor arrangements and arrange an enclosure tour in advance.

Choose accommodation to suit your interests

If you are primarily interested in churches, waterside or forest landscapes, or wildlife watching, use the relevant locations as a guide for your search and compare the accommodation’s location with the places you plan to visit. This way, you can choose based on your travel interests rather than relying solely on the name of the municipality.

More destinations in the wider Oder-Spree travel region

The wider Oder-Spree travel region offers other destinations with their own distinct attractions. In Bad Saarow, the Lesser Promenade runs for around 1.5 kilometres along the lake shore, from Kurpark to Fontanepark. The five-hectare Baroque garden at Neuzelle was restored based on original plans in the 1758 monastery atlas; its features include Baroque path axes, water features and a terraced layout. The heritage-protected ensemble of Beeskow Castle brings together buildings dating from 1250 to 1550. The keep is 30 metres high and has an observation platform.

Discover more destinations: Glienicke, Langewahl, Wendisch Rietz, Beeskow, Spreenhagen, Bad Saarow, Eisenhüttenstadt, Schöneiche Bei Berlin

Back to the regional travel overview: Oder-Spree.