Even if you’ve never heard of Weserbergland, you’ve heard of its most famous city. Weserbergland is the home of Hamelin, where the famous Pied Piper sought revenge in 1284 after having had some money stolen. He used his magical flute to entice the town’s children away from their homes and families, never to return.
A great place to begin your vacation in Weserbergland, if you’re taking it between May and September, is in Hamelin at the Wedding House. Each Sunday, the Pied Piper and the 130 children who follow them into oblivion reappear like magic in an open-air play, which you can enjoy at no cost.
Hamlin, however, has made charms, including its streets of delightful half timbered homes and Renaissance buildings. St. Boniface Minster dates back to the ninth century. The Bungelosenstraße, where the Pied Piper led those children to their doom, is a street along which music will never again sound.
The atmosphere of the Weserbergland Hills lends itself to flights of fancy. Here you’ll find the Sababurg Castle, where Sleeping Beauty waited for her prince. The Weser River winds through the fairytale landscape of the Solling Hills, where wild boar, stags, deer, and sheep roam freely in the 53,000 hectares (131,000 acres) of the Solling-Vogler Nature Reserve. Perhaps you’ll glimpse some of them as you hike or bike along the Nature Reserves many paths and cycling trails.
Weserbergland, in fact, is the site of the immensely popular Weser Cycle Route. Its 500 km or 310 mi length parallels the Weser River from Hannoversch Münden to the North Sea. At several points along the way, you can take advantage of one of the many ferries which cross the river.
Alternatively, you can simply book passage on one of the river steamers and save your energy! While the Weser Cycle Route will eventually lead you to Hamelin, along the way you will also encounter Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel! ;-)
Weserbergland has its underground attractions as well, with one of the most remarkable being the Schillathöhle (English: Schillat Cave), the northernmost dripstone cave in Germany. At Bad Pyrmont, you can enjoy a healing session of gas therapy from the Dunsthöhle (steam cave) or a mineral water bath in the springs of Brunnensplatz Square. The Hufeland thermal bath’s sea salt grotto is unique in Germany.
If you’re traveling with the kids, make a side trip to Rasti-Land, where pirates, T-Rex, and six water slides are waiting!
One thing seems certain in today’s Weserbergland: the Pied Piper would never be able to lure anyone who lives here away! ;-)
