In Schwedt/Oder, nature experiences and city history go hand in hand: Lower Oder Valley National Park shapes the riverine landscape, while city walks, museums and historic buildings offer more to explore during your stay. Around 5,500 hectares of the national park lie within the municipal area of Schwedt/Oder. When planning your trip, you can first decide whether you want to focus on the landscape, culture or a mix of both.

Riverine Landscapes and Outdoor Experiences

The national park protects a distinctive riverine landscape with a rich variety of plant and animal life. It includes numerous wetland habitats, meadows and alluvial forests, hillside forests along the river floodplain, and dry grasslands. The park’s purposes include experiencing nature, environmentally friendly recreation close to nature, and environmental education. It is therefore not just one type of landscape, but a mosaic of different habitats.

Guided canoe tours through the national park’s floodplains depart from Schwedt/Oder. If a tour suits your travel plans, check the current providers in advance. River cruise ships also dock at the newly redesigned waterfront promenade; check current cruise options separately. For cycling trips, the Oder-Neiße Cycle Route is another point of reference: it passes by Schwedt/Oder.

City Walks and History

“Schwedt in Motion” is a tourist city walk that takes visitors to 20 industrial sites. At each of the 20 locations, an on-site QR code lets you join or leave the walk. The virtual version is available permanently, without time limits, and free of charge. Check the digital offering and QR codes before your visit. The walk offers a way to explore the city’s industrial history without requiring you to follow one set section.

The Schwedt/Oder City Museum displays parts of its extensive collection on local and regional history on the ground floor. One focus is the city’s “Golden Age,” when a cadet branch of the House of Hohenzollern resided at Schwedt Palace. Special exhibitions explore cultural history through art and theatre, religion and migration, crafts and the military, as well as industry and architecture. Lectures, activity days, museum education projects and storytelling cafés complement the exhibitions; the program’s availability may vary.

The Schwedt/Oder Jewish Museum also combines exhibitions with events: it presents changing exhibitions and offers lectures. In the SEMINARhaus, the historic synagogue floor has been visible and accessible to the public since 2021. As access may vary, it is advisable to check before visiting. This is separate from the Jewish ritual bath complex on Gartenstraße, which consists of a mikveh and a former temple attendant’s house.

Buildings and Other Things to Do

Monplaisir Park in the northwest of Schwedt/Oder was laid out around 1700 in the French style. It includes the former pleasure palace, the gardener’s house and the forester’s house, as well as the pheasantry. Other historic buildings offer a different perspective: the Berlischky Pavilion is a former French Reformed church commissioned by Berlischky and built in 1776–1777. The Protestant parish church of St. Catherine is a cruciform fieldstone building dating from the second half of the 13th century.

The Schwedt/Oder districts of Criewen and Kunow also feature traces of former estate complexes. Criewen Palace was the manor house of a former estate complex that included a farmyard, Lenné Park, and the gardener’s and equipment houses of the former estate nursery. The listed Kunow estate complex consists of an administrator’s house, an estate park, a granary and a stable. These places add to the picture of the city’s architectural and garden history; check current access arrangements before visiting.

For cultural events, the Uckermärkische Bühnen Schwedt offer plays and musicals, concerts, music theatre and cabaret. As schedules may change, it is worth checking the latest dates. AquariUM Schwedt has swimming pools, a leisure area with a giant slide, a sauna complex and wellness facilities; check current information on facilities and operations before visiting. Classic city tours, themed tours and private tours can also be booked in Schwedt. Check availability in advance.

For the broader travel overview: Uckermark.