Lower Saxony

We start our tour through Lower Saxony in Lingen, the largest town in the Emsland region. Lingen is known as a bicycle-friendly, horse-friendly and family-friendly city and you notice this immediately. With more than 220 km of signposted hiking and cycling routes, this is the ideal city to start our immersion into the Lower Saxon countryside. Lingen's golden age dates back to the 17th century. Did you know that Lingen was then part of the Netherlands? Between 1597 and 1648 the city was owned by the House of Orange. Lingen owes its historic Town Hall, university buildings, stately mansions and the Dankelman-Oranje Palace to the Dutch. The most beautiful house in all of Emsland is the Hellmann House (1641). It is the second oldest building in Lingen. In the idyllic rolling landscape of Naturpark Hümmling, you will be surprised by the mythical appearance of the numerous dolmens next to ancient gnarled oaks.

Lüneburg is the easternmost point of our journey. This medieval, more than 1050-year-old Hanseatic city is located between Hamburg and Hanover and is a very fascinating and lively city. Cultural sights and historical architecture in the style of the brick gothic are in contrast to the young city life. Lüneburg, for example, has the highest density of pubs in Europe! So finding a cosy pub should not be a problem. Besides being a historic Hanseatic city, Lüneburg is also a university town with modern shops, authentic cafés and restaurants. Tips for a visit: Don't miss the town hall, the old harbour and the St. Nicolai Church. A bike ride along the Elbe is also a must. Between Lüneburg and Soltau lies the Lüneburger Heide, an impressive heath landscape that attracts many amateur photographers and nature lovers every year. You can expect spectacular landscapes and endless expanses. Europe's largest continuous heathland is completely surrounded by dense forests, lush green meadows and flat sandy paths. It doesn't matter what season you take this road trip, the Lüneburg Heath is a wonderful place any day of the year.

Above Celle lies Bergen-Belsen, a former prisoner of war and concentration camp from World War II. It is best known because Anne Frank died here of typhoid fever in 1945. Little is left of the concentration camp, but the remnants have enough effect; the horrors that took place here still hang threateningly in the air. This charming city effortlessly manages to bridge the gap between tradition and modernity. It is easy to get bored here. First and foremost, there are no less than 500 restored half-timbered houses that attract some 2 million visitors to the city every year. Celle started out as a small fishing village, but in the 14th century, construction of Celle Castle began. In the castle, you can admire the architecture with Baroque and Renaissance elements. A walk through the landscape garden of the palace is also recommended. By the way, did you know that the castle houses the oldest theatre in Germany? Duke Georg Wilhelm had it built for his wife in the 17th century. The theatre is still in use today. In the chapel from 1480, there are 24 colourful paintings by Maarten de Vos that give the chapel a Flemish touch.

In the Italienischer Garten, you will find the so-called colourful Bauhaus buildings. The cube houses were designed by Otto Haesler and built in 1923.

Another great city is Hildesheim, half an hour's drive from Goslar. Hildesheim is especially known for its unique churches, including St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Michael's Cathedral, and its cultural and historical monuments. St. Michael's Church and the Cathedral are both on the Unesco World Heritage List as witnesses to religious art in the Romanesque style. Almost as well known as the cathedral is the legendary millennial rose bush that grows next to it. It goes without saying that the rosebush is surrounded by many sagas and legends. The "Rose Trail" takes you along the most important sights of the city. Especially around the market square, you will find some beautiful buildings such as the Gothic town hall. The Knochenhauer-Amtshaus - the former guildhall of the butchers - houses the Stadtmuseum where you can see exhibitions about the history of Hildesheim and the region. Not far from Hildesheim is Marienburg Castle, one of the most impressive monuments in Germany. The castle was intended as the love nest of Queen Marie and Georg V, the last King of Hanover. He had the castle built for her majesty, but even before the construction of the castle was completed, King Georg was exiled to Austria in 1866. However, the castle and its rooms have been preserved almost entirely in the original style.

Hamelen is known from the fairy tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The story goes that in 1284 some 130 children from Hamelen mysteriously disappeared. Legend has it that the capricious rat-catcher lured the children out of the city in revenge. This unusual figure can be found everywhere in the city. Hamelin is located in the rolling hills of the Weserbergland, some 45 km from Hanover. The city enchants with fascinating architecture, mysterious history and picturesque scenes. Architecture enthusiasts call the beautiful Old Town "a jewel of the Weser Renaissance" for good reason. Every year, from May to September, the open-air play Pied Piper and the musical Rats take place in the town centre. The rat catcher's house from 1602 bears witness to the history with its inscription of the children's exodus.

Sunny day? Then it might be fun to take a boat trip on the Weser or visit Hamelin's glassworks.