Müggelspree, Protected river landscape in Berlin, Germany

Müggelspree is the name for a stretch of the Spree between Brandenburg and Berlin. The Brandenburg part begins at the Große Tränke weir, four kilometres west of Fürstenwalde, and runs to the Dämeritzsee; from there the 11.85-kilometre Berlin section, a class III federal waterway, passes Hessenwinkel, Neu-Venedig and Rahnsdorf, forms the Kleiner Müggelsee and crosses the 3.5-kilometre Großer Müggelsee before reaching Köpenick.

The waterway changed meaning in 1891 when a weir at Große Tränke was built during the opening of the Oder-Spree Canal, cutting off larger boats and leaving mostly small craft passing. Since then, this stretch has shifted from a trade route to a mostly natural and recreational space.

In summer, visitors near Kruggasse and Spreewiesen can still see a hand-pulled rowing ferry crossing the water, the only service of its kind in Germany. Fishermen and small boaters share the river quietly, giving the area a slow rhythm that feels far from the city center.

Walking or cycling along the southern bank gives access to quiet paths where the water remains visible for long stretches. Because the banks can be soft and uneven, solid shoes help when leaving the main trails.

A little-known detail is that the same river forms both a short section called Kleiner Müggelsee and then flows through the entire length of Großer Müggelsee. Just south of it, the Gosener Kanal cuts through a European bird protection area on its way to the Seddinsee.