Discovering new territory: great cycling tour on the German and Polish side of the Oder River

Start and finish: Küstrin-Kietz train station 
Length: 80 km, duration: approx. 5 - 6 h
Arrival and departure: RB26 from Berlin Ostkreuz to Küstrin-Kietz 

Your highlights:

• 
  Sheltered: Compared to other Central European rivers, the Oder presents itself to you particularly close to nature. In the protected areas along the route you will see rare water birds.
• 
  Contemplative: discover small towns on both sides of the river and learn exciting background information.
• 
  Well taken care of: stop at numerous and nice hosts

The divided Küstrin 

Your tour starts on the German side at Küstrin Kietz station. You will cross the Oder River into Poland. From the bridge you can already see the remains of the once mighty fortress of Küstrin, around which the beautiful old town was built before the Second World War. When you explore the area via the Berlin Gate, you will quickly notice that unfortunately not much is left of it. The ruins of the city, which was completely destroyed in the war in 1945, are overgrown by greenery and leave a lasting impression. The museum with two locations on the area tells the sad story. From the promenade above you have another beautiful view of the border river. 

Discovering new territory

Continue on the Warta, which flows into the Oder in Kostrzyn, on the Zilona Odra cycle path (ZiO). You leave the urban environment to the north and soon peace sets in. A beautiful avenue of trees flanks the country road along which you cycle. A rest area provides information about the mouth of the Warta River and the nearby national park. The view sweeps over the Oder floodplains and wide meadows, later it goes through shady forest. 

Arriving in the small town of Namyslin, the Novy Mlyn guesthouse on a wooden bridge invites cyclists and canoeists traveling on the small Mysla River to take a culinary break. Partially natural and gravel paths interrupt the asphalt tour route. Visible from afar, the dome of the neat fieldstone church in Czelin, which was rebuilt according to plans by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, greets you later. Need a break? There's a rest area right on the Oder River with displays on early excavations. A sand sculpture symbolizes a river burial of bygone times.

Odra crossing by paddlewheel

With slight hill climbs you continue on the easy road. In Gozdowice you will reach the peak of your tour. But before you cross the Odra River again, don't miss a fantastic view: continue on the ZiO for about 1 km and turn left at the memorial wall. At the end of the path, one of the best Oder panoramas on the edge of the flat Oderbruch opens up for you. Take a deep breath! Finally, the small ferry named "Ohne Grenzen" (Without Borders), which crosses the Oder every hour between May and October, brings you back to the Oder-Spree lake district. With difficulty, but skillfully, it overcomes the great river with two paddle wheels. 

Hidden places

From now on, we return along the Oder-Neisse Cycle Path in the direction of Küstrin. No cars, few houses, this is pure solitude and nature. At the top of the dike you will make rapid progress. If you like, the Radlers Hof invites you to refresh yourself. Insider tip: At Gieshof, it's worth taking a look to the left down to the Oder. Only in summer at low water the passage Ruschebuhne and to the island of this opens up. Where Berlin summer visitors used to bathe on the sandbanks on the Oder beach and a ferry crossed to Czelin on the opposite side, there is a magical place in the middle of the floodplain forests! 

Little gems along the Oder-Neisse Cycle Path

Inspired by so much space, freedom and nature, you roll to Groß Neuendorf. The tower of the former harbor immediately catches your eye. The striking landmark tells of the former harbor, from where grain was shipped from the Oderbruch region. The former Oderbruch railroad also had a stop here, as evidenced by the loading tower and four railroad cars. Both are spectacular places to spend the night. On weekends, the tower café serves coffee and cake. There's also a great view of the Oder River and the entire monument ensemble from the former pit bridge. 

A little later you come to the equally tranquil Kienitz. Horses stand in a paddock and graze relaxed, in the village greet small farms with squat houses. The Café Hafenmühle or the Gasthof zum Hafen invite you to stop for a bite to eat. Here you can recharge your e-bike if necessary and purchase repair kits in case of emergency. Also very nice: the church café. The Tante Emma Kienitz store sells cheese and yogurt from the Oderbruch sheep around the corner.

The nature and bird paradise behind the dike

The journey continues through magnificent nature. Endless expanses determine the picture. At the "Von Haerlem-Blick" rest area directly on the dike near Sophienthal, the work of the chief dike inspector Simon Leonard von Haerlem is honored. He provided the plan for draining the Oderbruch 250 years ago, whereupon the colonists came and many new villages were established. 

The Oder looked very different then than it does today. Its variable bed shifted frequently and always formed tributaries before straightening. You can see these old courses today in the Genschmarer Aue and in the Sophienthaler Polder. The floodplains and today's protected areas have a rich flora and fauna that you can only find in national parks: more than 500 species, including more than 180 different birds, have been counted. The Oder floodplain Kienitz and Genschmar with their floodplain forests and hute forest structures belong to the European bird sanctuary "Mittlere Oderniederung". A selection for your birdwatching calendar: white storks, lapwings, bluethroats, black terns, snipes and others in spring, ospreys and white-tailed eagles, red and black kites, black storks and others in summer, spectacular bird migration with cranes, gray and bean geese and great egrets in autumn.

Your tour finally ends back in Küstrin Kietz. If you haven't made a culinary stop yet, we can recommend a stop at Fischer Schneider. In Kuhbrücke, just before the finish line, you'll find delicious smoked fish and phenomenal fish rolls.

Tips for a stop: 

• 
  Kostrzyn nad Odrą: Restauracja Oder and other gastronomy in town.
• 
  Namyslin: Pension and restaurant Novy Mlyn
• 
  Zelliner Loose: Radlers Hof
• 
  Groß Neuendorf: Tower café
• 
  Kienitz: Café in the harbor mill, Gasthof zum Hafen, Kienitz church café
• 
  Kuhbrücke: Fischereihof Schneider 

Extra Tour Tip: 

• Due to varying trail conditions, we recommend tackling this challenging tour with a trekking bike, gravel bike, touring bike or e-bike. 
• Check ferry times online in advance.