Burg Stargard: Hilltop Castle, Art and Active Excursions
Accommodation in Burg Stargard
Burg Stargard combines a striking hilltop castle with art history and excursions on foot or by bike. When planning your trip, you can choose between visiting the castle, seeing the exhibitions at the Marie Hager House and exploring various routes. Recurring events also give your stay a specific date to plan around.
Hilltop Castle and Art History
Stargard Hilltop Castle is considered the northernmost hilltop castle in Germany and the oldest secular building in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Its 38-metre-high keep offers views across the landscape shaped by the Ice Age. The hilltop castle also has a museum, an herb garden and a vineyard. The vineyard is reviving a winemaking tradition that is more than 400 years old; it is home to 1,200 vines.
The Marie Hager House is dedicated to the work and memory of the painter Marie Hager. The museum is in her former studio and home and has been a gallery and biographical museum since 1996. In addition to a permanent exhibition, special exhibitions are held there several times a year. When planning your trip, you can therefore take into account both the painter’s history and changing exhibition themes.
The architectural history of Burg Stargard also includes St. John’s Church, dating from the 13th century, and the former Hospital of the Holy Spirit, built in 1290.
Cycling and Hiking
Two cycling routes start in Burg Stargard. Cycling Route 1 starts and ends here, runs via Neubrandenburg and Fünfeichen, and is about 17 kilometres long. Cycling Route 2 also starts in Burg Stargard and is 23 kilometres long. If you value a stated route length or a route that returns to its starting point when making your choice, these are the precise ways in which the two options described differ.
The Castle Trail runs from Burg Stargard to the Old Castle in Penzlin and is about 27 kilometres long. Public bus and train services are available for the return trip to Burg Stargard. This lets you plan the hike as a route between the two castles without counting the return journey as part of the walk.
Another activity-based attraction is the Burg Stargard summer toboggan run. Its track is 720 metres long and has eight steep bends and two bridges. These specific track features give you an idea of how this activity differs from a cycling or hiking tour.
Events and Getting There
Several events are held annually at Burg Stargard: Walpurgis Night on 30 April, the Castle Festival on the second weekend in August, the Indian Summer Market on the last weekend in September and the Castle Christmas Market on the second Sunday of Advent. If an event date is important to your trip, you can plan your stay around these recurring dates.
Train connections can also play a role in choosing your route. A direct train connection between Berlin and Stralsund runs via Burg Stargard. Trains also run regularly from Neubrandenburg and Neustrelitz to Burg Stargard.
For further trip planning, you can also consider Pragsdorf, Groß Nemerow, Cammin, Cölpin, Lindetal and Holldorf.
For the broader travel overview: Amt Stargarder Land.
