The Altmark is an agricultural region in the north of Saxony-Anhalt. The sky is wide, the air is clean, and on especially clear nights the stars of the Milky Way and its many constellations, such as the Great Bear, shine and sparkle in competition with each other. Thanks to very low air and light pollution, the night sky over the Altmark then shows itself in all its glory and never fails to impress. Above all, though, the many varied natural landscapes, large and small, right on the doorstep make it easy to forget everyday life. The Elbe and the Havel flow through the eastern Altmark. Smaller rivers such as the Milde, the Biese, the Aland, the Jeetze or the Purnitz rise in the Altmark and flow north – or into the Elbe, like the Milde-Biese-Aland system near Schnackenburg in Lower Saxony. Lake Arendsee, the only larger natural lake in the Altmark, was formed when an underground salt dome collapsed. Forest, meadows and farmland flow into one another. Avenues of old lime and fruit trees line the smaller roads of the Altmark. You will see lots of storks and swallows in summer, and cranes and wild geese in autumn. In spring, nature awakens in an incredible display of green and blossom. Small and larger Hanseatic towns, venerable churches, historic monasteries, palaces and castles, a wide variety of gardens and parks and new, flourishing art scenes – such as the artists’ town of Kalbe right next door – are the salt in the soup. Speaking of soup: there is a lot to discover in the Altmark when it comes to food, too. On your visit to the Altmark you should definitely try the typical Altmark wedding soup (Altmärkische Hochzeitssuppe) – it is the classic among regional specialities! But there are many other regional specialities worth trying, such as the Salzwedel Baumkuchen (“tree cake”), Tangermünde Nährstangen (a traditional pastry), freshly smoked whitefish from fisherman Kagel at Lake Arendsee or the typical Altmark sheet cake baked in a wood-fired oven at Café Friedenseck in Kalbe, and much more. If you want to experience the Altmark in a few days or over a weekend, Kalbe is the right place for you. Whichever direction you choose, the old Hanseatic towns such as Salzwedel, Gardelegen, Stendal or Tangermünde are quickly reached from here – and Lake Arendsee, the Drömling or the Volkswagen city of Wolfsburg are not too far away either. Our central location in the Altmark means excellent connections in every direction.

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There is a wide range of ways to get to know the Altmark. What you can experience, where a detour is worthwhile and what you really must see: