After I recently introduced you to my absolute favorite places, the best restaurants and cafés, as well as the most beautiful sights in the old town of Görlitz, I don’t want to deprive you of a very special place in the vicinity of the film city. We are talking about the picturesque Berzdorfer See, which as an excursion destination represents a wonderfully relaxing counterpoint to the lively atmosphere of Görlitz’s old town and only about 6 kilometers from the train station in the middle of the most beautiful nature glittering in the sun.
At the sight of the beautifully shimmering body of water, it is almost hard to believe today, but the Berzdorfer See used to be a huge lignite pit of the former Berzdorf opencast lignite mine. Between 2002 and 2013, the pit was flooded with around 330 million cubic meters of water and, as one of the largest lakes in all of Saxony in Upper Lusatia, now invites you to swim and relax. If you are interested in the history of the Berzdorf opencast mine, then you should definitely visit the monstrous one Schaufelradbagger 1452which even has a small museum, pay a visit!
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Explore the Berzdorfer See by bike
A varied tour takes you by bike from the old town of Görlitz to Lake Berzdorf and – if you like and have brought enough time – completely around the water. The BEACH BAR Görlitz You can reach the fine north-east beach in about 25 minutes by bike.
The Berzdorfer See circular trail then takes you around the lake for an entertaining 17 kilometers, almost always right along the shore, wonderful panoramas guaranteed. Please don’t be surprised by my relatively gray pictures, unfortunately I had really bad luck with the weather during my visit. When the sun is shining, it is just fantastically beautiful around the Berzdorfer See.
During the entire bike tour you have a wonderful view of the distinctively shaped Landeskrone, the local mountain of the city of Görlitz!
Almost a kilometer after the STRANDBAR Görlitz you pass the area around German Ossig, a former village that had to make way for opencast lignite mining. Various street food restaurants and bars such as the Milk bar Görlitz or that Run away settled. I found the atmosphere there really unique and especially when the weather is nice, Deutsch Ossig would definitely be one of my favorite places on the lake.
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Only a little later you will reach the highly recommended Hotel Insel der Sinne (more on that below) and immediately after that Port of Hagenwerder with the small harbor café, as well as the historic one Wasserschloss Tauchritz. If you like lost places that look enchanted, then make sure to stop here at the moated castle and stroll through the large property, which also houses the beautifully prepared estate on the lake.
A perfect place for a swim stop at Berzdorfer See is definitely the Blue Lagoon, where you can relax and enjoy the refreshment in the clear water on the beautifully landscaped white sandy beach. So don’t forget to pack your bathing suit, a towel and enough sun protection in your daypack. The Fresh & Sea café and restaurant, located directly on the Blue Lagoon, provides a little refreshment in between. Directly behind the beach, the climbing park and high ropes course promise little moments of adventure at dizzy heights.
On the west side of the Berzdorfer See, after your bathing break, there are still a few recommended vantage points with great panoramas. Among them, for example, the 21 meter high observation tower Neuberzdorfer height.
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The island of the senses: a very special hotel on Lake Berzdorf
I admit that the title of the post is perhaps a bit misleading, because in fact there is no island in Berzdorfer See. The island of the senses is a hotel, and by far the best hotel in the entire area. Not for nothing was it recently voted one of the 100 best hotels in Europe by the travel magazine GEO Saison. A title that the 4-star superior hotel can rightly be proud of!
To explore the old town of Görlitz there is a hotel directly on site (das Hotel Emmerich I can really recommend it to you) maybe more recommendable, but why not add a few days of vacation at the lake to your city trip, like I did? I can only recommend it to you with all my heart because it is the absolutely perfect combination! First you actively experience the liveliness of the city and afterwards you can recharge your batteries in this beautiful oasis of calm and consciously and relaxedly review all your experiences.
The island of the senses enjoys a fantastic secluded location right on the lake shore and is a real place of power at any time of the year, which will quickly recharge your batteries, which have been drained from everyday life!
Wellness dreams & saunas with direct access to the lake
For me, the huge highlight of the island is the fantastically beautifully designed wellness and sauna area with the white sandy beach right on the lake shore and the fragrant, colorful garden paradise, where you can cuddle in cozy hammocks and comfortable seating. Or you can swim a few laps in the outdoor pool, heated to a pleasant 30 degrees, from which you can enjoy a really beautiful view of the panorama of Lake Berzdorf.
Various relaxation rooms with evocative names such as the water room, the earth room and the air room invite you to breathe freely and let go after sweating in the sauna or herbal steam bath. The floor-to-ceiling windows always lure your gaze out into nature, which provides additional relaxation. After the sauna, you can cool off directly in the lake, which I absolutely loved at Tegernsee back then. There’s just no ice-cold shower or plunge pool that can match that feeling, don’t you think?
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Live wonderfully, sleep & just feel good
The various rooms, suites and junior suites enchant either with a beautiful view of the lovely hinterland and great light at sunrise in the morning or with an unbeatable panorama of the lake including unforgettable sunsets in the evening.
A very special oasis is the Wellenschlag Junior Suite with direct, private access to the lake from the beautiful 12 square meter terrace. Even when you’re standing under the walk-in rain shower in the bathroom, you can catch a glimpse of the lake.
The overnight price automatically includes introductory courses in yoga and Qi Gong, so that you can actively do something good for your body!
In all rooms, underfloor heating ensures a pleasant feel-good warmth. Cozy fleece blankets are also available if you still want to sit outside on your terrace when the temperatures are cooler.
So it’s best to grab a book from the small island library or the magical fantasy novel you brought from home that you’ve wanted to read for so long, and snuggle up with it on your balcony or terrace. I can hardly imagine a more perfect afternoon here at Lake Berzdorf!
Pamper your taste buds at the Hotel Insel der Sinne
You can enjoy your breakfast in the stylish and elegantly designed island restaurant, where you can choose from the colorful buffet of high-quality, mainly regional and seasonal delicacies. If you book your stay including the new pleasure package, you will be served a great 3-course menu every evening, as well as coffee and tea with sweet and savory delicacies in the afternoon.
My advice: Even without one room booking you are very welcome in the island restaurant – if time does not allow you to stay longer, but you still want to experience the beautiful atmosphere of the island for a few hours. Incidentally, it is particularly nice to sit on the large lakeside terrace. A great champagne brunch is also held here every Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Hotel Island of the Senses at Lake Berzdorf: alkaline fasting according to Wacker®
Maybe you’ve already browsed my Body & Soul section. Then you know I’m a big fan of giving yourself a break for your mind, body and spirit from time to time. Of course, it doesn’t always have to be an Ayurveda cure in Sri Lanka or a yoga retreat in Bali. In our beautiful Europe, too, there are many great offers that have an equally positive effect on our health.
For example, base fasting: You consciously avoid all acid-forming foods for a few days and only eat what are known as base images. Base fasting deacidifies your body wonderfully, you will feel fitter, healthier afterwards and you will probably even lose a few extra pounds.
I myself have often practiced alkaline fasting at home and am actually very familiar with the principles and food classifications. For someone who has never come into contact with it, this type of fasting can seem complicated at first and involve increased effort. That’s exactly why I can highly recommend an alkaline fasting week according to Wacker® on the island of the senses, because there you don’t have to do anything but relax.
While you are detoxifying your body by sweating in the sauna and getting your metabolism going by jumping into the cold water of Lake Berzdorf, the hard-working kitchen team is already preparing the next super delicious meal for you from regional and seasonal ingredients – of course perfect coordinated with the alkaline fasting program according to the Wacker® method.
In the extensive base fasting package The island also includes a detoxifying liver wrap, two foot baths, as well as some great spa treatments and a breathing meditation, among other things!
Sustainability & regionality on the island of the senses
What I think is particularly great: The hotel is very concerned about the topics of sustainability and regionality. Most of the ingredients for breakfast and the delicious dishes in the restaurant come from producers in the immediate vicinity. In order to save paper, the guest folders in the rooms only exist digitally and the care products are made exclusively from natural ingredients.
Furthermore, all roofs of the island are green and offer both insects and birds a newly created habitat. Attention was also paid to bee-friendly planting in the gardens. If you book a minimum of two nights, the hotel will also donate 3 euros to an organization that protects the environment.
And finally, a real highlight: do you travel by train instead of by car? German train to the island, then you get a free rental bike for a whole day as part of the “Travel Green Program”. Very cool, isn’t it!?
Well, could I use this article to make you want to go on a trip to Lake Berzdorf and maybe even take a little magical holiday at Hotel Insel der Sinne?
Read also:
West Bengal – The 5 Senses Trip
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The Kamalaya Koh Samui: the most beautiful wellness retreat in Thailand
