Germany Expands Lake Tourism with New Five‑Lake Waterway and Thuringia’s Largest Reservoir

On 29 June 2026, five former brown‑coal mining lakes in the Lausitzer Seenland—Senftenberger, Großräschener, Geierswalder, Partwitzer and Sedlitzer—were linked by navigable canals, creating a 5 300‑hectare water corridor across Brandenburg and Saxony. The project, part of a long‑term landscape transformation, aims to boost water‑based tourism; regional overnight stays have more than doubled since 2015, reaching 700 000 in 2025.

Germany’s largest reservoir, the Bleilochtalsperre in Thuringia, holds 215 million cubic metres of water—about 86 000 Olympic pools—and stretches over 28 km. It has become a popular summer destination offering swimming, sailing, canoeing and stand‑up paddling, with a 12 km/h speed limit for motorboats and restricted engine use on weekends. Visitors can also explore nearby attractions such as the historic Schloss Burgk and the colourful Feengrotten caves, making the area a quiet alternative to crowded lakes.