Bad Malente-Gremsmühlen combines the lake landscape of Holstein Switzerland with striking reminders of the town’s history. The town lies on a ridge between Kellersee and Dieksee. You can experience this interconnected landscape by paddling, hiking, cycling or taking a trip on an excursion boat. Other attractions include a historic smokehouse with a museum, a church with roots in the 13th century and events in the spa gardens. This gives you the freedom to focus your stay on the water, trails or culture.
Lake Landscape and Waterways
The Schwentine connects Kellersee and Dieksee, runs through Malente town centre and passes the spa gardens. Another way to experience the lake landscape is the White Fleet’s 5-Lakes Cruise. The excursion boats cover a twelve-kilometre route across Dieksee, Langensee, Behlersee, Höftsee and Edebergsee. The tour therefore passes five named lakes; if you plan to take it on a particular day, check the timetable in advance.
The interconnected lake landscape can also be explored by paddling, hiking and cycling. If you prefer to plan around a specific route, there are several options: the 23-kilometre On the Trail of the Boulders cycling loop passes through the hilly landscape of eastern Holstein around Malente. The 11.1-kilometre Dieksee Circular Trail also passes through Malente-Gremsmühlen. As route lengths may be updated, it is worth checking the latest information if you want to plan your distance precisely.
Cycling Routes and Distinctive Trail Details
On the Trail of the Boulders is notable for more than just its length. The route includes eight large boulders, each with a sign providing information about the history of the site, the landscape view or directions. These signs combine guidance along the route with information about the boulders and their surroundings.
Smokehouse, Church and Mill
Tews-Kate is a thatched former smokehouse dating from the Thirty Years’ War. Today, it houses Malente’s local history museum, with a permanent exhibition of agricultural equipment, household furnishings and tools. An entry in the Schleswig-Holstein state monument database dated 4 June 2026 describes it as the oldest preserved smokehouse in eastern Holstein.
The Maria Magdalenen Church offers another focus on local history: its roots go back to the 13th century, and the nave and chancel have been preserved in their original form. The interior features carvings on the Renaissance pulpit, the altar and the wall panelling. The Gremsmühle adds to the town’s history as a water-powered grain mill. Together, these buildings offer different insights into local history and architectural heritage.
Spa Gardens and WunderWeltWasser
Concerts, readings and other events take place throughout the year at the spa centre, the open-air stage and the music pavilion in the spa gardens. If you want to plan your trip around a particular event, check the dates. This lets you include cultural activities in your plans rather than relying on a general event listing.
Another landscape highlight is the 13-hectare WunderWeltWasser. Wooden walkways connect the different habitats and areas, making the site accessible to older visitors too. This information about accessibility describes the specific benefit of the walkways and does not make any claims about other forms of accessibility. With lakes, cycling routes, local history and events in the spa gardens, Bad Malente-Gremsmühlen offers a range of different themes to shape your explorations around.
Discover more destinations: Nüchel, Sieversdorf, Malkwitz, Timmdorf, Benz.
Return to the main travel overview: Malente.
