Day trip on the Märkische Castle Tour

This day trip is a curated excerpt from the multi-day Märkische Schlössertour (Markish Castle Tour): estates, castles and parklands come together to form a vivid narrative of Brandenburg's cultural history – with forests and lakes, the history of orders and nobility, places of remembrance and exciting transformation. An inspiring cycling break in rural tranquillity, with plenty of time for breaks, views of the water and many little stories along the way that will linger in your memory for a long time to come.

Start/  finish: Briesen railway station/Trebnitz railway station

Length / duration: 58 kilometres/approx. 4–4.5 hours

Logo / route sign: Keyhole with crown

Character: The day tour runs mainly on separate cycle paths, partly also on moderately busy country roads. Except for the hills around Seelow, the terrain is flat. This day's stage is all about breaks – park paths, small museums, short detours to the water.

Route: Briesen, Alt Madlitz, Falkenhagen, Lietzen, Diedersdorf, Seelow, Gusow, Neuhardenberg, Wulkow, Trebnitz (Mark)

Extra tip: The Seenland guide ‘Parks & Gardens’ provides in-depth insights into the stops and is the ideal companion for the tour.

Arrival / departure:

Public transport:

• 
  Arrival: RE1 to Briesen
• 
  Departure: RB26 from Trebnitz 

Directions

English landscape garden in Alt Madlitz

The RE1 takes cyclists from Berlin to Briesen in around 45 minutes. From here, the route winds its way through the fragrant forest. The first worthwhile stop is Gut Klostermühle, a sprawling nature resort on Lake Madlitz. What was once a secluded hunting ground in the GDR era is now a harmonious place of relaxation – ideal for a break by the water. A little later, you reach the Alt Madlitz estate park. Here, the noble family Finck von Finckenstein wrote Prussian cultural history with Brandenburg's first English landscape garden. In the 18th century, the castle became a court of muses, where intellectuals such as the Humboldts, Brentano and von Arnim sought inspiration in country life. The special atmosphere of the romantic park with its hills, artificial gorges and sightlines can still be felt today.

Where trains once ran: nature experience on the old railway line

The route continues along quiet country roads to Falkenhagen. The almost oversized medieval church bears witness to the former ambitions of the village. Today, an ice cream garden, benches at the old local distillery and small bathing spots invite you to take a break. A longer section follows the Oderbruchbahn cycle path. The path glides through the rolling landscape on the former railway line. In the Lietzener Mühlental nature reserve, wide views open up onto nestled lakes, accompanied by herons, reed warblers and resting geese.

A flying visit to the Knights Templar in picturesque surroundings

The Lietzen Commandery is the last remaining settlement of the Knights Templar in Brandenburg. The historic complex is picturesquely situated on the banks of Lake Küchensee and was built in the 13th century. It has been inhabited by the von Hardenberg family since 1814. The park, church and lake invite you to pause and reflect. In addition, the natural castle park in Diedersdorf with its old trees offers a peaceful stopover.

Historic views

The tour reaches Seelow, the ‘balcony of the Oderbruch’. The market around St. Mary's Church is a peaceful place.

Tip: A detour to the Seelow Memorial and the Simonschen Anlagen opens up wide views over the Oderbruch. The largest battlefield of the Second World War on German soil is impressively and reverently documented here. The neighbouring Schweizerhaus and the Simonschen Anlagen commemorate the banker Hugo Simon and the social life of the 1920s.

Finale of the master builders: from Schinkel to Lenné

The route leads energetically into the lowlands. In Gusow, the castle can be integrated into the tour, at least from the outside. In Neuhardenberg, a classicist ensemble of distinction awaits with its castle, Schinkel church and landscape park. The signatures of Schinkel, Lenné and Pückler-Muskau characterise today's cultural location.

The route leads back to Trebnitz via Wulkow with its neo-baroque castle and late Gothic fieldstone church. The castle park, campus, Gustav Seitz Museum, café and village shop form an open and harmonious conclusion to this journey through Brandenburg's cultural history.

Sights:

• Between Briesen and Alt Madlitz: Klostermühle estate, Alt Madlitz estate park
• Near Lietzen: Lietzener Mühlental nature reserve
• Lietzen: Lietzen Commandery
• Diedersdorf: Diedersdorf Castle
• Seelow: Seelow Heights Memorial, Swiss House with Simonschen Anlagen
• Neuhardenberg: Schinkel Church, Neuhardenberg Castle and Landscape Park
• Wulkow: Wulkow Castle
• Trebnitz: Trebnitz Castle

Refreshment tips:

• Between Briesen and Alt Madlitz: Klosterscheune at Klostermühle estate
• Falkenhagen: Eisgarten Buchholz, Schweizer Haus
• Seelow: Naturkost Nußschale
• Neuhardenberg: Landgasthaus Brennerei
• Trebnitz: Kaffee zum Glück, Gasthaus zur Ostbahn

Maps/literature:

• Cycling brochure ‘Dein Rad. Deine Auszeit. Dein Flow.’ (Your bike. Your break. Your flow.), Seenland Oder-Spree online shop (available in German and Polish)