The Hanse-Wendland Cycle Route passes through Salzwedel, combining cycling with landscapes and nature watching. Forests, green floodplain meadows, tree-lined avenues and villages are part of the route; along the way, there are opportunities to spot storks, wild geese and other wildlife. A compact city map and the historic city centre provide a distinct focus of their own: walking routes can be planned as another part of your stay.
Cycling and Walking Routes
The Hanse-Wendland Cycle Route is considered accessible by public transport; the relevant stations are in Salzwedel, Schnega, Wieren, Stederdorf, Uelzen and Bad Bodenteich. Check current connections and the route status before setting off. You should also check the signposting and infrastructure before starting your ride.
For finding your way around the centre, a compact city map covers 33 attractions and pleasant walking routes. The 80-kilometre Grenzerfahrung hiking route also runs near Salzwedel. It crosses around 20 different natural areas, including sand dunes, expansive meadows, lakes and wet alder forests. It also links memorial sites along the former border with abandoned villages; Salzwedel is one of the towns that can be visited along the route. The cycling route, town walk and hiking trail offer different perspectives, without needing to be planned as one combined route.
In the wider destination of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel
The Altmark Circuit offers a wide-ranging setting for cycling in Altmarkkreis Salzwedel: it is almost 500 kilometres long and passes through forests and meadows, by numerous brick and fieldstone churches. For much of its length, it runs close to the “Green Belt Germany” and brings together nature, history and culture. Its ten stages have varied surfaces: asphalt, concrete track slabs, paved farm and forest roads, sandy agricultural tracks and quiet roads. The surface and choice of stage are practical points to consider when planning; check current route conditions before setting off.
The Drömling UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is also part of the region’s nature offering. In Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, it includes areas within the municipalities of the town of Klötze and the Hanseatic City of Gardelegen. Drömling has well-developed cycling and hiking trails, observation towers, information centres and guided nature-watching tours. As facilities and tour offerings may change, check the availability of specific options before planning your visit.
Townscape and Regional Culture
In the wider destination of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, the centre of the Hanseatic City of Salzwedel is characterised by medieval architecture, half-timbered houses, picturesque cobbled lanes and magnificent brick churches. A walk along the 1,850-metre-long town wall reveals parts of the medieval castle complex, gates and towers. The city map, with its 33 attractions and walking routes, is another useful guide to the centre.
Salzwedel’s townscape also includes the “Fairytale Park and Fragrance Garden”. It features themed gardens such as the Elven Realm, fairytale scenes and figures, as well as event spaces. Other regional cultural attractions are located elsewhere in Altmarkkreis Salzwedel: Arendsee Abbey Church is considered the oldest fully vaulted brick building in northeastern Germany. At the Langobardenwerkstatt Zethlingen, visitors can experience everyday life among the Lombards and take part in hands-on activities such as baking, making pottery and using a bow and arrow.
The “Western Altmark Megalithic Route” is also part of the European cultural route “Megalithic Routes”. Of the more than 200 megalithic tombs that once stood in the Altmark, 40 remain in Altmarkkreis Salzwedel and eight in the district of Stendal. These regional themes complement the town’s history with archaeological heritage and a variety of cultural sites.
Discover more destinations: Steinitz, Arendsee, Rohrberg, Dähre, Beetzendorf, Kalbe, Gardelegen, Apenburg-Winterfeld.
Go to the overall travel overview: Altmarkkreis Salzwedel.
