The Schweriner See is one of the largest lakes in Germany — 24 kilometres long and up to four kilometres wide — and it wraps around the southern and eastern edges of the city in a way that makes Schwerin feel like it is floating on water. The castle sits on its own island in the lake's northern arm, which is the defining view of the city.
The lakeside path from the castle gardens south to the Zippendorf beach district is one of the best walks in the region: wooded in parts, open in others, with the castle's turrets visible across the water for most of the route. In summer, Zippendorf has a proper beach with an outdoor pool, sailing, and windsurfing. Boat trips depart from the landing stage near the castle gardens and cross to the Kaninchenwerder island nature reserve — a small wooded island where the cormorant colony is worth seeing.