Leipzig – Tips & Suggestions

Leipzig back view

Leipzig is not just Bach and the St. Thomas Church and the Monument of the Battle of the Nations. Besides of many other interesting sights, Leipzig also has a largely unknown web of rivers and channels that offer many possibilities for recreation, leisure activities and sports.

By travelling the waterways of Leipzig you will see and experience the city on quite a different level than most other vistors in Leipzig.

If you travel to Leipzig you can rent a boat or canoe and enjoy the parks and forested scenery on the river Elster between Leipzig-Schleußig and the south of Leipzig. Or you can canoe on the channels (e.g. Karl-Heine-Kanal) in Leipzig's West, the former industrial heart, where the charm of old factories alternates with the new beauty of restored buildings.

Some of the restaurants and cafes along the channels and rivers have landing stages where you can rest, have a snack and watch other sportsmen.

For instance:
near Erich-Zeigner-Allee
near Weißenfelser Straße
Cafe Kanal28 at Am Kanal 28.
(At the maps choose "Hybrid"; the "Map" view alone doesn't show the channel.)

The cafe and restaurant Kanal28 (left picture) also has a club for concerts and is popular with young people and young families. The cafe opens Tuesday till Friday from 15:00 and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 (brunch).

Below is a list of boathouses where you can rent rowboats, kayaks and canoes. (For an overview map see our Boat and Canoe Rental Map.) The first on the list (at Klingerweg) is probably the most convenient located boat rental. From there you can canoe to the former industrial area in the West as well to the park landscapes in the South. And you can easily reach it by tram: In the city center take line 1 from Central Station or line 2 from Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz, direction ›Lausen‹, and get off at tram stop ›Clara-Zetkin-Park‹. Then walk the street Klingerweg for about 5 minutes till you reach the boat rental.

Bootsverleih Klingerweg (SC DHfK Leipzig e.V.)

Klingerweg 2
April till October: Daily 10:00 - 20:00
Available: rowboats (6-7 € per hour), kayaks (4-6 € per hour)
More Information (in German): www.kanu-leipzig.de; +49-341-4806545

Bootsverleih WABE e.V.

Am Kanal 28
Friday 16:00 - 20:00; Saturday and Sunday 10:00 - 21:00
Available: 2 rowboats, 6 kayaks (6 € per hour, 25 € for 5 hours)
Cafe/restaurant Kanal28 (see above) at same address.
More Information (in German): www.wabe-leipzig.de/site/service/service.html; +49-341-4972410

Bootsverleih Herold

Antonienstraße 2 (Leipzig-Schleußig)
May till September daily (at appropriate weather) 10:00 - 20:00,
April and October till 19:00
Available: rowboats, kayaks, canoes. Coffee and snacks offered at the terrace.
More Information (in German): www.bootsbau-herold.de; +49-341-4011059

Bootsverleih Leipziger Kanu-Club e.V.

Pistorisstraße 66 (Leipzig-Schleußig)
Saturday 13:00 - 18:00; Sunday 10:00 - 18:00;
Available: kayaks, canoes. Price example 2 h: 1 person 7 €, 2 persons 12 €.
More Information (in German): www.kc-leipzig.de; +49-341-4014961

Bootsverleih Leipziger Eck (SG LVB Leipzig, section Kanu)

Schleußiger Weg 2a [Bus 60: stop ›Südvorstadt‹]
April and October: Monday-Friday 14:00 - 18:00; Saturday, Sunday 10:00 - 18:00
May till September: Monday-Friday 14:00 - 20:00; Saturday, Sunday 10:00 - 20:00 Available: kayak for 2 persons (5-6 € per hour), canoes for 3 persons, solar boats for 1-3 persons (8-9 € per hour).
More Information (in German): www.kanu-lvb.de; +49-163-2642003 (mobile)