Stage 2: “Paul-Gerhardt Path” from Wuhlheide – Köpenick - Grünau

If all you associate Berlin with are urban jungles, cultural monuments and busy parks, you will be surprised at the many green spaces and wooded areas that extend right into the densely populated urban area. This stage brings you a great mix of history, such as the incredible story of Captain von Köpenick, nature and forest.
Length (duration): 13 kilometres (about 3 hours)
Route sign: Signets and hiking signs of the Paul-Gerhardt path
Route:

The beginning of the second stage takes you through the city area, mostly away from residential and industrial areas and through green corridors and wooded areas, then along the Spree, through Köpenick’s parks on the banks of the Spree and finally along the Dahme to Grünau.
Trail conditions: 

Typical park paths, pavements in built-up areas, and some cobblestoned areas in Köpenick. For most of the route, cycle paths and footpaths are separate.
Points of interest along the route:
Nature: Wuhlheide park, parks and paths along the Spree, private gardens in Köpenick.
Culture: FEZ Wuhlheide, Köpenick Old Town, Köpenick town hall with Hauptmann- und Rathaus museum, Köpenick Palace, monuments in the Palace Park.

By public transport:
Start: Berlin Rummelsburger Strasse/Edisonstrasse tram stop, from there trams to the S-Bahn stations Karlshorst and Schöneweide.
Finish: Grünau-Wendenschloss ferry. Tram stops on both sides of the Dahme to S-Bahn station Köpenick and to S-Bahn station Berlin-Grünau, walking distance to S-Bahn station Berlin-Grünau is 700 metres.

All locations are within the Berlin-AB tariff zone.

How to get there by car:

Not recommended for this stage, because there are not many parking spaces in the city and the parking fees are often high. However, there is some free parking in Grünau.
Recommended maps/Literature:

• Stadtpläne von Berlin

• Reschke, Manfred: Paul-Gerhardt-Weg “Natur und Kultur zwischen Berlin und Spreewald”, Trescher-Verlag; 1. Auflage 2017, 168 Seiten, 80 Fotos, 25 Karten und Stadtpläne, farbige Klappkarten, ISBN 978-3-89794-354-4

Find inspiration in the diary specifically published for this trail. The tourist information centres along the way give you hiking stickers for each completed stage, which you can stick in your diary. They also give you song sheets of the poet’s most famous songs.

You can find all souvenirs of the Paul-Gerhardt path www.dahme-seenland.de/service/souvenirs/