From Görlitz to the Spree springs

04:30 h
684 m
479 m
182 m
474 m
292 m
56.03 km
Start: Old Town Bridge (Altstadtbrücke), Görlitz
Destination: Spree source (Spreequelle), Ebersbach-Neugersdorf

This moderately heavy tour takes you from Görlitz via Löbau to Ebersbach-Neugersdorf to the sources of the Spree River. You will find them in Kottmar, in Neugersdorf and in Ebersbach.

The tour starts at the Old Town Bridge (Altstadtbrücke) in Görlitz and takes you along the Saxon city route (Sächsische Stadteroute) nach Löbau. On the way to Löbau you will pass three lookout towers. The first one is located right at the beginning of the tour, on the Landeskrone, which is the local mountain of Görlitz. The second lookout tower is called Neuberzdorfer Höhe and it is located at Berzdorf Lake. The structural monument on Löbauer Berg is the third lookout tower and definitely the most beautiful. The König-Friedrich-August-Turm was built in 8854 and is the only preserved cast-iron lookout tower in Europe.

From Löbau continue cycling to the three sources of the Spree River. The first one on the Kottmar rises at a height of 478 metres from the "Blue Stones" (basalt rocks). The water-richest of the three sources - the source of the Spree River in Neugersdorf - is situated at the entrance to the Neugersdorf baths. The last one and at the same time a "Spreeborn" in Ebersbach - is considered the oldest historically documented of the three sources of the Spree River. The octagonal pavilion was built in 1896.

Best to visit

suitable

Depends on weather

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Directions

From Görlitz cycle via Promenadenstraße and follow Saxon city route (Sächsische Städteroute). Past the Landeskrone, Pfaffendorf and Friedersdorf continue cycling along the Saxon city route to Schönau-Berzdorf auf dem Eigen. Follow the signs with the red S to Bernstadt auf dem Eigen, Herwigsdorf and Löbau. You have already completed half of the route.

From Löbau follow the cycle path "Oberlausitzer Umgebindehäuser" to Niedercunnersdorf, Obercunnersdorf and to Kottmar, where you will find the first source of the Spree River. Via the cycle path "Spreeradweg" you will reach Neugersdorf and the second source. Finally the most beautiful source, the Spreeborn, is waiting for you in Ebersbach.

Tour information

Stop at an Inn
Summit

Equipment

Roadworthy trecking bike or e-bike, bicycle helmet, saddlebags or trecking backpack (approx. 35 litres) with rain cover, weatherproof and hard-wearing clothing, bicycle tyre, cycle tools, sun and rain protection, provisions and drinking water, map material

Directions & Parking facilities

from Wrocław via motorway E40 and motorway A4 taking the gateway 94 to Görlitz and following the B6 and B99 towards Zentrum/Altstadt

from Dresden via Bautzen via motorway A4 taking the gateway 94 following B6 and B99

from Berlin via Cottbus via B115, then B6 and B99 to Görlitz

from Zittau via B99 to Görlitz towards Zentrum/Altsstadt

Parking is possible at Obermarkt, in the CityCenter next to the Frauenkirche or in Elisabethstraße.

Arrival by train:

from Leipzig and Chemnitz to Dresden by local trains

from Dresden Central Station to Görlitz Central Station via Bautzen by local trains

from Hoyerswerda by local trains of ODEG

from Wrocław by "Trilex-Express" trains or by train of the polish railways KD (Koleje Dolnośląskie) to Görlitz Central Station

Arrival by bus:

from Wrocław to Görlitz

from Dresden via Bautzen to Görlitz

from Berlin via Cottbus to Görlitz

from Prague via Dresden (switchover) to Görlitz

Additional information

Source of Spree River in Ebersbach: http://spreeborn.de/spreeborn/

Author

Europastadt GörlitzZgorzelec GmbH

Organization

Das Landschaftswunderland Oberlausitz

Website

Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author

To visit the König-Friedrich-August-Turm, which is located in the middle of the tour, is highly recommended. It is possible to make a stop on the mountain, too.

Safety guidelines

Drive carefully on the main streets.

Place of interest

Tours