Castles Trail: four castles and one palace in the Hoher Fläming hills nature park

Pine forests, dry valleys and sleepy villages line the route of the Castles Trail in the Hoher Fläming hills nature park. Its eight stages join the dots between Wiesenburg Palace and castles Eisenhardt, Rabenstein and Ziesar.

Nature and history? Walkers will find an abundance of both on the Castles Trail through the Hoher Fläming hills nature park, around 70 kilometres south-west of Berlin. Called the Burgenwanderweg in German, this circular route owes its name to a trio of medieval castles (Eisenhardt in Belzig, Rabenstein near Raben and Ziesar Castle) and another burg – Wiesenburg Palace – with its famous country park. Along the way there are romantic stone churches to discover as well as some delightful towns and villages full of lovingly restored historical houses. Potters, fishmongers and candlemakers perform their traditional crafts in workshops. Fans of modern art can branch off on the Kunstwanderweg (arts trail) between Wiesenburg and Belzig, which displays sculptures and installations by ten artists from all over Germany. In restaurants and inns, walkers enjoy food made from a host of seasonal ingredients such as asparagus, strawberries, mushrooms, Teltow turnips and delicious game.

Tip

Wiesenburg Palace
Originally a medieval castle from the 12th century, Schloss Wiesenburg was converted into a neo-Renaissance palace between 1864 and 1880. The palace park, inspired by the great English parks, is unique in the region with its wonderful trees, terraced flowerbeds and ponds.

At a glance

• Starts and ends: Any town or village on the circular trail
• Length: 147km
• Number of stages: 8
• Altitude variation (approximate values): Ascent 2,000m, descent 2,000m
• Terrain: 75% unmade, 16% asphalt, 9% other, e.g. gravel