The Spreewald is about being on or near water. Punt boat tours and kayaking wind through the same network of 300 channels; the choice is whether you want someone else to do the work or not. The 13 km walk from Lübben to Lübbenau along the Hauptspree is the best introduction on foot.
Beyond the water, the Lehde Open-Air Museum preserves boat-access-only Sorbian farmsteads, and Sorbian culture — with its distinctive Easter egg tradition — is visible throughout the villages. The Gurkenmuseum in Lübbenau makes a convincing case for the pickle as a regional art form.