Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

65

vintage steamer. The Müritzeum
(03991 633 680; http://www.mueritzeum.de),,)
at the east ern edge of the old town,
houses the nation’s largest fresh water
aquarium and has displays on ecology.
Return from the center to
locate brown signs for the Müritz-
Nationalpark on the B192. After half a
mile (1 km) turn right, following park-
ing signs on Meckleburger Strasse and
head to Federow. Visitors can pick up
maps from the park center in Federow

(May–Oct: open daily) and then con-
tinue to the hamlet of Speck on the
banks of the Specker See (Lake Speck);
it is possi ble to spot ospreys on a
1.5 mile (2.5 km) circuit of the lake.
Another walk ascends to a view ing
platform on the Käflingsberg Hill; the
trail head is just over half a mile (1 km)
from the end of the paved road.
For a long walk, continue walking
on the track beyond Speck, then turn
left at the cross roads to the farming
villages of Granzin and Dalmsdorf,
where resi dents sell smoked fish by

the road side. Canoes can be rented
(Kormoran Kanutouing Granzin 38, 17237
Kratzeburg-Granzin; http://www.kormoran-
kanutouring.de) between April and
early October to view the scenery
around the lake.

EAT AND DRINK

GÜSTROW

Café Küpper inexpensive

A few steps from the Schloss, the small

Café Küpper serves excellent soups,

snacks and gateau.

Domstrasse 15, 18273; 03843 68 24 85

BURG SCHLITZ

Rittersaal expensive

This restaurant is housed in the

spectacular Neo-Classical hall in Burg

Schlitz and specializes in French and

Italian cuisine with an Asian touch.

Schlosshotel Burg Schlitz, 17166; 03966

12 700; open daily; book in advance

AROUND

MÜRITZ-NATIONALPARK

Fischerhof inexpensive

Located behind the high street off the

main square, this small courtyard restau-

rant specializes in fresh Müritzsee fish.

Neuer Markt 19, 17192 Waren (2 miles/

3 km north of Müritz-Nationalpark);

03991 66 98 15

NEUSTRELITZ

Luisenstube moderate

Situated just off the Markt, this cozy

restaurant serves freshwater fish.

Seestrasse 8, 17235; 03981 20 07 77

Above Reed beds in the Muritzsee, renowned

for its birdlife Below Nymph fountain,

Burg Schlitz

DRIVE 4: Land of a Thousand Lakes

Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under €20; moderate, €20–€40; expensive, over €40

DAY TRIP OPTIONS

Schwerin and Waren are both good

bases for making day trips.

Historical romance

In Schwerin 2 , visit Staatliches

Museum, then drive east to Güstrow

4 for lunch. Explore the Dom and

Schloss, and head to Wismar 1 to

view more architectural wonders. End

the day on Zippendorf ‘s 3 beach.

Take the B104 northward from the

Schloss in Schwerin to Güstrow. Return

on the B104 to Prüzen, turn right to

Bützow, and head to Steinhagen,

Neukloster. Then turn right onto the

B192. Go left at Zurow to the B105 to

reach Wismar. Follow the driving

instructions to reach Zippendorf.

Outdoor escapes

Spend a day in Waren and explore the

Müritz-Nationalpark 6. Visit the park

center in Federow or go on a hike up

the Käflingsberg. Drive to Granzin to

go canoeing before strol ling around

the Schloss gardens of Neustrelitz 7.

Follow instructions to Neustrelitz. Retrace

the route to Waren.

7 Neustrelitz

Mecklenburg-Lower Pomerania; 17235

Designed in the 1730s as the

Residenzstadt, or resi dence town, of

a minor Mecklenburg duchy, the ori-

gins of Neustrelitz as a custom-built

capital are evident in its unique and

symmetrically designed Markt or

marketplace, with streets that radiate

like spokes from the corners. Visitors

can better appre ciate the square’s

perfect geometry from a viewing plat-

form in the Baroque town church and

then take the Schlosstrasse to the

Schloss. This ducal palace was

destroyed in World War II, but its gar-

dens retain their natu ralistic English

style as designed by Peter Josef Lenné,

the great Prussian garden designer of

the 19th century. The orangery also

remains intact and is now a restau-

rant. Its interiors were designed by the

19th-century master architect Karl

Schinkel and Prussian court sculptor

Christian Daniel Rauch.

ª Return to Waren and turn right onto

the B192. At Möllenhagen, turn right

again following signs to Ankershagen,

Peckatel, and Blumenholz. Turn right

onto the B96 and take the Neustrelitz/

Kiefernheide exit to Neustrelitz.