Summer, sun, bathing fun ... Leipzig New Lakeland

When you hear Lake Markkleeberg, the first thing you probably think of is the white water rafting at Kanupark Markkleeberg. In fact, the canoe park is THE attraction here. Why? It is regarded as one of the most modern whitewater facilities in Europe and therefore meets the requirements to host official competitions such as world championships. As one of only two artificial whitewater facilities in the whole of Germany, the canoe park is even comparable with Olympic courses. Awesome!

But what can you experience here outside of competitive sports? Mainly whitewater rafting, of course. And in a wide variety of designs: Whether in a whitewater kayak, DUO rafting, bodyboarding, hydrospeed or professional wave surfing - (water) sports enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies will definitely get their money's worth here. You plunge into the "floods" as a team in an inflatable boat and try to conquer the rapids and rollers of the canoe park. More action is not possible!

And speaking of wave surfing: the Surfspot Kanupark has two artificially created waves where you can even try your hand at surfing. As part of a beginner, advanced or day course, you will learn how to hold on to a surfboard and move around in the water.

Experienced surfers can let off steam on the more challenging wave 2.0.

But if that's too exciting for you, you can also book taster courses in stand-up paddling, sailing or windsurfing at the nearby water sports school . The passenger boat  departs from the lake promenade, which is lined with cafés, for round trips  across the lake - at this point you will also find one of the three beaches. Whether swimming, water sports or cycling around the lake - Lake Markkleeberg has so much to offer.

And if you still haven't had enough after all the action on and off the water, it's worth taking a look at what the town of Markkleeberg itself has to offer: Close to Lake Markkleeberg, you can hike along the nature trail in the Weinteichsenke and learn all kinds of interesting facts about the local bird, insect and plant species. Those interested in culture should definitely visit the White House - located in the beautiful agra Park - : Changing exhibitions (often with artists from the Leipzig School), top-class concerts in the salon and interesting lectures await you here. The church ruins of Wachau offer an extraordinary ambience - yoga sessions, readings and concerts are regularly held here.

If you visit Markkleeberg at the right time, you can visit the city festival in May and the Festival of Lights and Kunstwinkelfest in September. You can find all the dates in the town's calendar of events. It's well worth exploring the region with its diverse offerings!

If you want to find out more, we recommend taking a look at our Lake Markkleeberg blog.

The Lake Störmthal was officially opened for swimming in 2014. If you fancy discovering the lake in an active way, we recommend taking a paddle tour. You can also discover a floating church, as the art project "VINETA" was realized in 2010 as part of the "Art instead of coal" initiative. The offers on Lake Störmthal are diverse: they range from discovery tours to VINETA, tours with the amphibious vehicle and the water-jet-powered jet backpackVINETA-Fly, through to concerts and readings on the VINETA itself. If you're hungry, the VINETA bistro on the Magdeborn peninsula is the place to go.

Good to know: Every year in mid-August, the popular and nationally renowned HIGHFIELD festival takes place here. If you like live music from the fields of indie rock and (German) rap, you should definitely put this event on your to-do list! 

By the way: You can find lots more exciting information on our blog about Lake Störmthal.

Our tip: Why not combine your trip with a detour to Lake Hain, which is just a few kilometers further south. At just under 600 hectares, it is one of the largest in Leipzig's New Lake District. You can either relax on the sandy beach in the Kahnsdorf lagoon, play beach volleyball or hire a boat . If you fancy banana boating, you will definitely get your money's worth at Lake Hain.

Zwenkau is a small town and is located approx. 12 km from the southern city gates of Leipzig in the Leipzig Neuseenland. The circular route around the lake is a whole 22 kilometers long   - so you've got quite a way to go. At KAP Zwenkau there is a public bathing beach where you can stroll through the beautiful sand or simply relax. The entrance to the water is very shallow at this point, making it ideal for your kids to create their next sand castle with a sand bucket and shovel. Water sports fans can also really let off steam at Lake Zwenkau. Stand-up paddling, windsurfing, diving- there are lots of great options open to you. But watch out: Kitesurfing is unfortunately not permitted here.

You can catch a special view of the lake from the exhibition pavilion KAP Zwenkau. From there, you have a great overview and get an idea of how the landscape of the former mining region has changed in recent years. From the harbor, you also have the opportunity to take a tour on the MS Santa Barbara. The approx. 1.5-hour tour takes you across the lake and reveals lots of interesting facts about the history and planned projects around the lake. You can find out everything else you need to know in the Lake Zwenkau blog.

Why not combine your excursion with a nice bike ride? And for all those who don't like sports - don't worry, you can do part of the tour by bus. So pack your picnic basket, put on your helmets and off you go! The tour starts with the journey to the bus stop "Probstheida, Wendestelle". After loading the bikes and boarding the 141 bus, it's time to sit back and relax and enjoy the foretaste of the tour through the bus window. Then get off at "Gestewitz, Ort", unload your bikes and head west towards Haubitzer and Hainer See&nbsp. Along the southern shores of Haubitzer See and Hainer See, you will make rapid progress to Kahnsdorfer See. It's worth taking a break at the most beautiful spot for a picnic and a view of the lake. Refreshed, head north to Lake Störmthal to explore its eastern shore and stop for a swim at a suitable spot. Then saddle up again and continue the tour along the northern shore of Lake Störmthal. Once you arrive in Auenhain, turn onto Bornaer Chaussee. After around 30 km, this road takes you back to the starting point in Probstheida. You can find out more about taking bikes on the Leipzig regional bus, including an overview map and the exact timetables here.

We hope you were able to gain a brief overview and that you re keen to go on a journey of discovery in Leipzig's New Lake District.