This day tour is a curated excerpt from the multi-day Brandenburg Castle Tour: estates, castles, and parkland condense into a vibrant narrative of Brandenburg's cultural history – with forests and lakes, the history of religious orders and nobility, sites of remembrance, and exciting transformations. An inspiring cycling break in rural tranquility, with plenty of time for breaks, views of the water, and many little stories along the way that will linger long after you leave.
Start / Finish: Briesen Station / Trebnitz Station
Length / Duration: 58 kilometers / approx. 4 - 4,5 hours
Logo / route sign: keyhole with crown
Character: The day trip runs mostly 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 thrives on breaks – park paths, small museums, short detours to the water.
Course: Briesen, Alt Madlitz, Falkenhagen, Lietzen, Diedersdorf, Seelow, Gusow, Neuhardenberg, Wulkow, Trebnitz (Mark)
Extra tip: The Lakeland guide “Parks & Gardens” provides in-depth insights into the stations and is the ideal companion for the tour.
Arrival/Departure:
Public transport:
- Arrival: RE1 to Briesen
- Check out: RB26 from Trebnitz
English landscape garden in Alt Madlitz
The RE1 train takes cyclists from Berlin to Briesen in about 45 minutes. From there, the route leads into the fragrant forest. A worthwhile first stop is Gut Klostermühle, a sprawling nature resort on Lake Madlitz. Where a secluded hunting ground once stood during the GDR era, there 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 Finck von Finckenstein family made Prussian cultural history with Brandenburg's first English landscape garden. In the 18th century, the castle became a center for the muses, where intellectuals such as the Humboldts, Brentano, and von Arnim sought inspiration in rural life. The special atmosphere of the romantic park, with its hills, artificial ravines, and vistas, is still palpable today.
Where the trains once ran: Nature experience on the old railway line
The route continues along quiet country roads to Falkenhagen. The almost oversized medieval church testifies to the village's former ambitions. Today, an ice cream parlor, benches by the old distillery, and small bathing spots invite visitors to take a break. A longer section follows the Oderbruch Railway Cycle Path. The path glides along the former railway line through the rolling landscape. In the Lietzener Mühlental nature reserve, expansive views open up to nestled lakes, accompanied by herons, reed warblers, and resting geese.
A quick visit to the Templars in a picture-perfect setting
The Lietzen Commandery is the last remaining Templar Order settlement in Brandenburg. This historic complex is picturesquely situated on the banks of the Küchensee lake and was originally built in the 13th century. It has been inhabited by the von Hardenberg family since 1814. The park, church, and lake invite visitors to pause and reflect. Additionally, the natural castle park in Diedersdorf, with its mature trees, offers a tranquil respite.
Historical vistas
The tour reaches Seelow, the "balcony of the Oderbruch". The atmosphere in the market square around St. Mary's Church is relaxed.
Tip: A visit to the Seelow Memorial and the Simon Gardens offers sweeping views across the Oderbruch region. The largest battlefield of the Second World War on German soil is documented here in a moving and respectful manner. The neighboring Swiss House and the Simon Gardens commemorate the banker Hugo Simon and the social life of the 1920s.
Finale of the Master Builders: from Schinkel to Lenné
The route winds its way down into the lowlands. In Gusow, the castle can at least be admired from the outside. In Neuhardenberg, a distinguished neoclassical ensemble awaits, comprising the castle, Schinkel church, and landscaped park. The influences of Schinkel, Lenné, and Pückler-Muskau are evident in this cultural center today.
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 provide a welcoming and harmonious conclusion to this journey through Brandenburg's cultural history.
Sights:
- Between Briesen and Alt Madlitz: Klostermühle Manor, Alt Madlitz Manor Park
- Lietzen Nature Reserve Lietzener Mühlental
- Lietzen: Lietzen Commandery
- Diedersdorf: Diedersdorf Castle
- Seelow: Seelow Heights Memorial Site, Swiss House with Simon's Gardens
- Neuhardenberg: Schinkel Church, castle and Neuhardenberg landscape park
- Wulkow: Wulkow Castle
- Trebnitz: Trebnitz Castle
- Between Briesen and Alt Madlitz: Monastery barn at the Klostermühle estate
- Falkenhagen: Buchholz Ice Garden, Swiss House
- Seelow: Natural food Nussschale
- Neuhardenberg: Country Inn Distillery
- Trebnitz: Coffee for happiness, Gasthaus zur Ostbahn
- Cycling brochure "Your bike. Your time out. Your flow.", Online shop Seenland Oder-Spree
