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Im Urlaub mit dem Hausboot den Fluß erkunden, Bild: Tyler Olson / shutterstock

Experience a dream holiday with a houseboat in Germany

There are a variety of different ways to make a holiday an unforgettable experience. In recent years, more and more people have decided to spend their holidays in their own country. This is not a big surprise, because Germany is beautiful and also very varied. When vacationing in Germany , many people opt for a city trip, a vacation in the mountains or a vacation by the sea, for example. But there are also many possibilities for a holiday on or even on one of the many lakes.

Because on more and more lakes in Germany, you can not only take part in an offered boat trip, but also rent a houseboat as a holiday home. In this way, you can make your next holiday on a lake a very special event. Interestingly, you can rent such houseboats on a number of lakes and then also drive on the water.

On some lakes you can steer a houseboat without a license

In Germany, you can even steer a houseboat on some lakes without having a corresponding boat license. At first glance, this sounds surprising when you think about how exactly many things are regulated in Germany.

Nevertheless, it is possible to steer a houseboat on a whole range of lakes without a boat license. This allows you to rent such a houseboat, even if you have never steered such a boat before. However, you have to find out in advance on which inland waters you are allowed to travel with a houseboat without a license.

Explore the Mecklenburg Lake District without a driver’s license

On the Mecklenburg Lake District, for example, you can also travel with a houseboat without a boat license. The only requirement for this is that you have a charter certificate.

Such a charter certificate is proof that you have taken part in a training course when you took over the rented houseboat. This training lasts about three hours and during this time you will get all the important traffic rules, signs and nautical maps explained even as an inexperienced boat driver without previous knowledge. After this theoretical part, there is a practical introduction by a technician on the houseboat before leaving for the houseboat holiday. The complete technical equipment is explained and mooring manoeuvres and casting off manoeuvres as well as the correct behaviour in locks are practiced.

Discover the Mecklenburg Lake District by houseboat

The Mecklenburg Lake District is simply breathtaking and inspires holidaymakers again and again with numerous lakes and additional connecting canals. Once you have spent a holiday in the Mecklenburg Lake District, you will probably automatically become a repeat offender. After all, this large lake district has incredibly beautiful nature to offer and invites you to relax and unwind during the holiday season.

By renting a houseboat, you can sail across the various lakes of the Mecklenburg Lake District in peace and quiet and actually enjoy almost the entire holiday on the water.

According to your own ideas and requirements, you can rent smaller or larger houseboats and then become a captain on the Mecklenburg Lake District with the houseboat even without previous knowledge and a boat license.

Conquer Berlin and Brandenburg by houseboat

It is certainly particularly attractive to explore the capital Berlin with a houseboat. After all, you have the opportunity to take a rented houseboat on the Spree and see some sights such as the Reichstag building from the water. However, it is not allowed to steer such a houseboat in Berlin without a corresponding boat license. So unfortunately there is no possibility to steer a houseboat in Berlin only with a charter certificate.

So if you are not in possession of such a boat license, then you either have to get the required license or decide on another holiday destination with the houseboat.

Alternatively, you can rent a houseboat in Brandenburg , for example on the Havel, even without an existing boat license and enjoy a wonderful trip on the water. With a houseboat, you also have the opportunity to anchor at many different harbors in this region and then continue your vacation on land for some time and make interesting excursions. So there are also a whole range of lakes and other inland waters in Germany that you can explore without a driver’s license after a short briefing with a rented houseboat.