In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
Roughly 375 kilometres from the palace island in Lake Schwerin via Güstrow and Plau to the Müritz, through the national park and the small lakes to the Feldberg lake country and the four gates of Neubrandenburg: a slow route along tree-lined roads, with harbour towns, beech forest and, in autumn, thousands of cranes.
The spirit of the route
The Mecklenburg Lake District is not a destination with one big sight but a landscape of water, forest and open sky. More than a thousand lakes lie behind the terminal moraine; the largest, the Müritz, covers a good 110 square kilometres and is the largest lake lying entirely within Germany. Between the lakes run country roads, often lined with limes, chestnuts and maples, cobbled in the villages; they are pretty and narrow, and anyone driving a tall camper watches for low branches. Schwerin with its palace on the island and Güstrow with its Renaissance palace and Barlach angel are towns best seen on foot; after that the route grows quieter: harbours at Plau, Malchow and Waren, the Müritz National Park with beech forest, bogs and cranes, Mirow's palace on its island, Neustrelitz laid out as a star around its market square, and finally the moraine lakes around Feldberg and Carwitz, where Hans Fallada lived. Summer here means swimming weather, cyclists, canoes and houseboats on the waterways; in early autumn the cranes arrive, from late summer to late October, usually most numerous in October. Anyone travelling in July and August should book pitches in the harbour towns; anyone travelling in May or October will find much closed, and night frost. Mosquitoes and ticks are around from spring to autumn, and weather and wind on the lakes change quickly. The network of campsites and motorhome pitches is dense, but opening times differ from place to place – it pays to check.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Schwerin to Güstrow (approx. 70 km)
- The drive
- From Schwerin north-east via Warin and Bützow to Güstrow: country roads with tree-lined stretches, 30 km/h limits and cobbles through the villages, little oncoming traffic outside the holidays. A good hour of pure driving; if you want to see the palace in Schwerin, allow half a day for it.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Schwerin Palace on its island (UNESCO World Heritage since July 2024 as the “Schwerin Residence Ensemble”), today the seat of the state parliament, with palace museum and gardens; also the cathedral, whose tower, at about 117 m, is the tallest church tower in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
- Old town and Schelfstadt in Schwerin: the Pfaffenteich, a sheet of water in the middle of the city, the Marstall and the State Museum at the Alter Garten.
- Güstrow: Renaissance palace, cathedral with Ernst Barlach’s “Hovering Angel” (Güstrow memorial) and St. Mary’s parish church – easily covered on foot in one afternoon.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Schwerin has several campsites on Lake Schwerin; the city lists, among others, Ferienpark Seehof (Seehof), Seecamping Flessenow, Campingplatz Retgendorf and Campingplatz “Süduferperle” (Raben Steinfeld). We could not confirm a “Campingplatz Zippendorf” – Zippendorf is a city beach with a promenade. The city also lists motorhome pitches at the Jägerweg/Schlossgarten car park (near the palace), Hangar 19, the Kaspelwerder leisure site and the Sportbootzentrum Ziegelsee (1 April to 31 October); opening times and prices change, so check with the operator. In Güstrow there is the Caravanplatz “Am Tierpark” at the Hotel Am Tierpark (about 30 pitches; ask about operating dates) and a small pitch at Gleviner Platz (only a few spaces, reportedly now with a pay machine, no power or water). We could not confirm a campsite on the Inselsee; campsites lie on Lake Krakow and the Garder See.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Overnighting to “restore fitness to drive” in a public car park is tolerated once in Germany where it is not prohibited – in both towns, car parks at the palace, cathedral and lake are often time-limited or signed. Around Lake Schwerin and the Inselsee lie landscape and nature reserves: lakeside tracks are closed to motor vehicles and camping on the shore is forbidden.
- Insider tip for campers
- Schwerin Palace is parliament and museum at once: check opening times, tickets and closed areas (for example on sitting days) beforehand on the palace museum’s site. The city centre is no place for the camper; car parks with height limits are found especially at the palace and Marstall – take a bike or bus from the campsite. Before driving to Güstrow, empty and fill up in Schwerin; in Güstrow the weekly market on the Marktplatz is worth a visit, check dates beforehand.
2Stage 2: Güstrow to Plau am See (approx. 50 km)
- The drive
- From Güstrow south via Krakow am See to Plau am See: winding tree-lined roads at the edge of the Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heide nature park, cobbles in the villages. A stop at the lake in Krakow is worthwhile. A good hour without stops.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Krakow am See: Lake Krakow with bathing spot and cycle path, a good place for a lunch break in the nature park.
- Naturparkzentrum Karower Meiler near Plau am See (Ziegenhorn): exhibition on the landscape, nature and dark-sky park of the Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heide nature park, with café and regional products; according to the nature park, open daily 10:00–17:00 from May to September, 10:00–16:00 in April, Monday to Friday 10:00–16:00 in March and October, closed November to February – check beforehand.
- Plau am See: the lift bridge over the Elde (in service since 1916), the castle tower with museum and the promenade on Lake Plau.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Plau am See has the Campingpark Zuruf in the Plötzenhöhe district (about 3.5 km from the centre; according to a pitch directory early March to late October, about 15 motorhome pitches with power, service point and sanitary facilities); further campsite and pitch options on Lake Plau and near the harbour – check opening times and prices with each operator and book in high season. Krakow am See has the Campingplatz am Krakower See (Am Windfang 1).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Lake Plau and the Elde are waterways with shore protection; parking on the shore and wild pitching are forbidden, and short-stay car parks at the harbour charge a fee in season. In the Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heide nature park forest tracks are closed to motor vehicles and overnighting at the forest edge is not intended; retreating to the walkers’ car park makes sense only by day.
- Insider tip for campers
- Plau am See is a health resort with a visitor’s tax (Kurabgabe): it is charged per person and night, sometimes included in the camping or pitch price, sometimes separate – ask at check-in. The lift bridge opens for boat traffic; road traffic then stands still, so allow time. Houseboats can be hired in Plau; small boats in the designated area need no licence, but the charter company must give you an introduction; clarify conditions with the provider beforehand.
3Stage 3: Plau am See to Waren (Müritz) (approx. 45 km)
- The drive
- From Plau via Alt Schwerin and Malchow to Waren: country road with tree-lined stretches, a narrow village street in Malchow and the swing bridge to the island town. Traffic towards Waren builds up on summer weekends. About an hour without a stop.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Malchow, the “island town” between Lake Fleesen and Lake Malchow: swing bridge, monastery complex and organ museum – walkable in an hour.
- At more than 110 km², the Müritz is the largest lake lying entirely within Germany; in Waren the town harbour and the old fishermen’s quarter lie right on the water.
- Waren: the Müritzeum with aquariums of freshwater fish and the national park theme, plus Neuer Markt, St. Nicholas’ and St. George’s churches.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Waren has the CampingPlatz Ecktannen right on the Müritz shore at the entrance to the national park; according to the operator it is open all year, with 17 motorhome pitches in front of the barrier plus marked plots and free choice of pitch – check booking rules beforehand. Further pitches and campsites on the edge of town and in Malchow; check facilities, prices and opening times in a current pitch app.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Waren is a tourist town: the harbour area has time-limited parking, and you should overnight there only on explicitly designated pitches. In the forests around Waren the state forest law applies: forest tracks are closed to motor vehicles, and open fires are forbidden in and near the forest.
- Insider tip for campers
- According to the museum, the Müritzeum is open daily 10:00–19:00 from April to October and 10:00–18:00 from November to March (admission until one hour before closing; adults about 14 euros) – check times and prices beforehand; good for rainy days. The waterways (Müritz-Havel Waterway, Müritz-Elde Waterway) are federal waterways with locks; licence-free charter boats are allowed in certain areas with an introduction, so ask the charter company about rules and speed limits. Waren charges the visitor’s tax; weekly market on Neuer Markt, check dates.
4Stage 4: Waren (Müritz) to Boek (Müritz-Nationalpark) (approx. 40 km)
- The drive
- From Waren along the eastern shore of the Müritz south to Federow and on through the national park section to Boek and Rechlin. National park roads are narrow, partly cobbled, and wildlife crossings are frequent, especially at dusk. For 40 km allow the whole day: stops at Federow, Speck and Boek, walks and, in autumn, crane watching.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Nationalpark-Information Federow (Damerower Straße 6, a good 7 km south-east of Waren): crane watching in autumn, exhibitions on bogs, forest and water and a live camera at an osprey nest – check opening times (most recently daily about 10:00–18:00 in season, until 17:00 in October) and guided tours beforehand.
- Beech forests and bogs in the Müritz part of the national park (about 322 km² in total, roughly 260 km² in the Müritz part and 62 km² in the Serrahn part), walking trails to viewpoints on the shore.
- Boek on the south-eastern shore of the Müritz: starting point for walks along the water; check the offers and opening times of the national park information beforehand, heavy traffic on the access roads in high season.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: There are no pitches in the national park itself. Stay in Waren (for example CampingPlatz Ecktannen), at Campingplatz Boek on the Müritz shore (according to a pitch directory roughly mid-April to late October, with motorhome pitches) or at further sites in Rechlin; check offers, opening times and prices beforehand and book in season.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the Müritz National Park the rule is to stay on the paths; camping, pitching a tent and overnighting outside designated sites are forbidden, as are dogs off the lead (leads compulsory; observe the national park’s rules). Park only in designated car parks, by day. According to the national park, mushrooms and berries may be collected only in small amounts for personal use and never in the core zones; motor vehicles on paths and parking outside designated spaces are fined. Strict bans on drones and fires apply in protected areas – ask at the information centre.
- Insider tip for campers
- From late summer to late October thousands of cranes rest on the Müritz and the fields, usually most numerous in October; the best times for watching are dusk in the evening and the morning, with binoculars and warm clothing. The crane season depends on weather and harvest; guided crane tours start from Federow (Kranich-Ticket, roughly 17 August to 31 October in season) and must be booked; ask the national park information about dates and viewing places. If you stay in the vehicle at night, keep lights and engine off so as not to disturb the animals. Ticks and mosquitoes are common in the national park: long clothing and repellent.
5Stage 5: Boek to Mirow (approx. 30 km)
- The drive
- From Boek via Rechlin to Mirow: country roads with tree-lined stretches, cobbles in the villages and narrow bridges between the lakes. Canoeists often cross the road at the locks. About 45 minutes without stops.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Rechlin on the Müritz shore: harbour, beach and the volunteer-run Luftfahrttechnisches Museum (aviation technology museum) on the former test site – check opening times beforehand.
- Mirow: palace on the palace island, birthplace of Sophie Charlotte (1744), later Queen of Great Britain; also the palace church and a small museum in the palace.
- Mirow as a starting point for canoe and boat trips on the small lakes, for example on Lake Mirow and Lake Vilz.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Mirow has, among others, the pitch at the Strandhotel Mirow (Strandstraße 20, six pitches according to a directory, May to October), the Schlossparkplatz and the campsite of the Kanustation Mirow; check opening times and prices beforehand. On the Müritz shore at Boek lies Campingplatz Boek, with further sites in Rechlin, some seasonal.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Around Mirow and Rechlin lie landscape and nature reserves: access tracks on the shore are closed, and wild pitching and fires on the shore are forbidden. Harbour car parks charge a fee in high season and are partly not intended for overnighting.
- Insider tip for campers
- Mirow is a base for houseboats and canoes: canoe hire firms offer day trips. Motorboats in the designated area need no licence if engine power stays under the current limit; check the exact limits and charter certificates with the charter company. Visitor’s tax per person and night is possible; ask about prices beforehand. Empty and fill up before driving on.
6Stage 6: Mirow to Neustrelitz (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- From Mirow via Wesenberg to Neustrelitz: country roads with tree-lined stretches, a narrow village street in Wesenberg. The Havel cycle route crosses the road several times; cyclists in early summer. About 50 minutes.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Wesenberg: castle above the Havel and Lake Woblitz, small harbour and plenty of water sports.
- Neustrelitz: the residence town laid out from 1733 in a star shape around the market square, with town church, palace church, palace garden with orangery and harbour on Lake Zierker; the palace itself was destroyed in 1945.
- Neustrelitz zoo and Lake Zierker – an outing for an afternoon.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping- und Ferienpark Havelberge lies on Lake Woblitz near Userin (Groß Quassow district), not far from Wesenberg, with a motorhome park (26 pitches); according to the operator, the Havel bridge to the site will be rebuilt from 1 October 2026 to mid-April 2027 – ask about the detour and opening times beforehand. In Wesenberg itself there is the Campingplatz am Weißen See. Neustrelitz has the Reisemobilstellplatz am Zierker See (Am Stadthafen 11, 25 pitches according to a directory, 1 April to 31 October); check prices and facilities beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At Lake Zierker and in the palace garden the rule is parking, not camping. Forest tracks are closed under the state forest law. A single night in ordinary car parks without a prohibition sign is possible, but not on the shore or in protected areas.
- Insider tip for campers
- The market square of Neustrelitz is only a few minutes’ walk from the town harbour; leave the camper at the pitch, as the centre has little parking. Wesenberg is quieter in the evening, when the excursion boats have gone. Gas bottles and shopping in Neustrelitz (supermarkets on the edge of town with large car parks).
7Stage 7: Neustrelitz to Feldberg (Feldberger Seenlandschaft) (approx. 50 km)
- The drive
- From Neustrelitz north-east towards Hohenzieritz and Carpin, on to Feldberg and Carwitz. Tree-lined roads, cobbles and the rises of the terminal moraine; height differences are small, but the roads are narrow. About an hour without a stop, a day with stops.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Serrahn beech forest in the Müritz National Park (Serrahn part, part of the UNESCO World Heritage “Ancient Beech Forests”), with walking trails and the national park information in the Forsthaus Serrahn (reportedly daily about 10:00–15:30 from May to October; reachable only on foot or by bike, car parks at Zinow and Dianenhof – check times beforehand).
- Hohenzieritz: palace and memorial to Queen Louise of Prussia, who died here in 1810 – check opening times.
- Feldberg and Carwitz: Lake Haussee, Lake Schmaler Luzin and Lake Breiter Luzin, the Hans Fallada House in Carwitz with museum and garden.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Around Feldberg and Carwitz there are, among others, Campingplatz Feldberg on Lake Breiter Luzin, Camping am Bauernhof (Feldberg, also on Breiter Luzin) and Campingplatz am Carwitzer See, as well as pitches; check offers and opening times and book in season. Alternatively go back to Neustrelitz or on from Neubrandenburg.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Feldberg Lakeland nature park: shores and beech forests are protected, overnighting on the shore is forbidden, access tracks are closed. Serrahn part of the national park: stay on the paths, no camping. Walkers’ car parks by day only.
- Insider tip for campers
- A walking trail runs round Lake Schmaler Luzin (check length and signposting beforehand); check the Fallada House’s opening times beforehand (seasonal). The Feldberg lake country is a starting point for paddling trips; canoe hire in the village. Feldberg charges the visitor’s tax. After rain forest tracks are muddy; in dry summers the wildfire risk is high – no fires in or near the forest.
8Stage 8: Feldberg to Neubrandenburg (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- From Feldberg via Woldegk and Burg Stargard to Neubrandenburg: country roads with tree-lined stretches and windmills near Woldegk, a narrow village centre below the castle in Burg Stargard. About 1¼ hours without a stop.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Woldegk: the “windmill town” with several preserved mills.
- Burg Stargard: one of the oldest castle complexes in Mecklenburg, above the village, with keep and museum.
- Neubrandenburg: the town wall with four gates (Treptower, Friedländer, Neues and Stargarder Tor), numerous surviving Wiekhäuser in the wall, St. Mary’s church as a concert hall, Lake Tollense.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: On Lake Tollense there is, among others, the Stellplatz am Tollensesee in Klein Nemerow (Am Damm, six lakeside pitches according to a directory) and a pitch at the Wassersportzentrum Neubrandenburg. We could not confirm a “Campingplatz Nemerower Holz” – the Nemerower Holz is a woodland by Lake Tollense. Check season, prices and booking rules beforehand; further pitches lie near the centre and the lake.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Neubrandenburg is a town with a wall and a lake; parking on the shore and in the old town is restricted, and overnighting in car parks without a prohibition sign is possible only once, without camping equipment. Shore and nature protection rules apply at Lake Tollense.
- Insider tip for campers
- The circuit of the town wall, about 2.3 km, starts at the Treptower Tor; the gates are lit in the evening. Lake Tollense is good for cycling (circular route) and swimming. Back to Schwerin it is a good two hours’ drive; empty and fill up before leaving.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- In Germany a motorhome on public roads and car parks counts as a parked vehicle if it stands only to “restore fitness to drive” – in practice one night, without camping behaviour (no chairs, tables, awning, levelling legs or wedges, no grey water on the ground).
- “No overnighting” signs or a crossed-out motorhome sign take precedence; harbour car parks, lakeshores and walkers’ car parks in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are often signed this way. In forest, nature reserves and national park, driving and overnighting with motor vehicles off the roads is prohibited; the state forest law and nature conservation ordinances set the fines.
- In the Müritz National Park and the nature parks (Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heide, Feldberg Lakeland) the rules are: stay on the paths, dogs on leads, no fires, and quiet periods for cranes and sea eagles; ask at the information centre beforehand.
- The region has a dense network of campsites and pitches at harbours and on the edges of villages; on private land a few farms offer pitches. Useful aids: park4night, Campercontact, the ADAC pitch guide; users’ details on fees and opening times are often out of date.
- Visitor’s tax (Kurabgabe) is charged per person and night in resorts such as Plau am See, Malchow, Waren and Feldberg; it is sometimes included in the pitch price, sometimes charged separately – ask about the amount and exemptions (children, severely disabled) at registration.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Service points stand at many pitches and campsites; many take coins or card. Fresh water is usually sold in portions; in harbours and small towns, empty and fill up before driving on.
- Empty grey water only at the service point and the chemical toilet only into the marked inlets – not into drains, lakes or public toilets. For the waters on this route the rule is explicit: no grey water into lakes or canals.
- Tap water in Germany is drinkable throughout; heed “not drinking water” signs at cemeteries and fountains.
- Gas: grey 11 kg and 5 kg exchange bottles are available at many filling stations, DIY stores and campsites; LPG stations use ACME connectors. Larger towns (Schwerin, Neubrandenburg, Neustrelitz) have supermarkets and DIY stores on the outskirts; shops in the lake district are small, so stock up in Waren.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits: motorhomes up to 3.5 t drive like cars – 50 km/h in built-up areas, 100 outside, no general limit on motorways (recommended 130 km/h). Motorhomes over 3.5 t up to 7.5 t: 80 km/h outside built-up areas, 100 km/h on motorways; over 7.5 t: 60 km/h outside, 80 km/h on motorways. Caravan combinations: 80 km/h, 100 km/h on motorways only with a 100 km/h approval.
- Low-emission zone sticker: to current knowledge no low-emission zone exists on this route; check with the Federal Environment Agency whether zones have changed.
- Tolls: there is no vignette for cars and motorhomes. The lorry toll applies to goods vehicles over 3.5 t; according to the operator Toll Collect, motorhomes are generally not liable. For vehicles over 7.5 t with lorry registration, clarify the classification beforehand.
- The Sunday and public-holiday driving ban and the holiday-travel ban on July and August Saturdays apply to lorries over 7.5 t; motorhomes registered as motorhomes are generally not affected – check the registration document.
- Winter tyres apply situationally: in black ice, snow, slush or frost, tyres with the Alpine symbol are compulsory; M+S alone is no longer enough. In the lake district there is often ice on tree-lined roads and shaded stretches under trees in winter – take care in spring and autumn.
- Rear carriers: number plate and rear lights must stay visible (otherwise a light bar with plate). Alcohol: 0.5 per mille, 0.0 for novice drivers and under-21s. Phone at the wheel only hands-free – fine and a point in Flensburg. Wildlife crossings at dusk are frequent on the tree-lined roads.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Tick and mosquito protection: long clothing, repellent, tick tweezers; check tick-borne encephalitis (FSME) risk areas with the Robert Koch Institute and clarify vaccination with your doctor.
- Supply of euro coins: many pitch machines for power, water and fees take no card.
- Long power cable (at least 25 m) with CEE plug and adapter to Schuko – the posts at pitches are often far apart.
- Bicycle or e-bike: cycle paths around the Müritz, Lake Tollense and the small lakes link pitches with villages and national park entrances.
- Binoculars and warm clothing for crane watching at dusk; waterproof jacket, swimwear, sun protection.
- Comfortable non-slip shoes for cobbles, palace islands and forest paths in the national park; canoe kit or water shoes if you hire a boat.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
