Celle is among the best-preserved old towns in Germany, and a stop here is rarely wasted. More than four hundred half-timbered houses stand in the old centre, many of them with carved beams and painted inscriptions, and the streets, unlike in many German towns, escaped the wartime bombing. On a sunny afternoon, the market square, the ducal castle, and the cobbled lanes make a very pleasant place to wander.
The castle was the seat of the Welf dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg for centuries, and it has a Baroque theatre, one of the oldest in Europe still in use. It was also the place of exile for Caroline Matilda, Queen of Denmark, banished here in 1772 after a scandal at the Copenhagen court, who died in Celle three years later at the age of twenty-three. The town also has a famous stud, where Hanoverian horses are bred, and its stallion parade each autumn draws large crowds. The Aller river flows through the town, and canals and boat trips on the water add to the charm.
For a rider, the river roads along the Aller are a gentle pleasure. Flat, quiet, and tree-lined, they follow the river past meadows, small villages, and farm stalls. The surface is generally good, with the occasional bump, and the bends are open and easy. A swim in the river is possible in summer at certain spots, though the current can be strong, and signs should be read carefully. Traffic in the old town is heavy at weekends, with one-way streets and busy car parks, so use the parking on the edge and walk in.
Celle is a town of seventy thousand, so fuel, food, and anything else you need are close at hand. Adelheidsdorf, a smaller village about seven kilometres away, has limited services. The cafes on the squares are a good place for a long lunch, and the asparagus season in spring, with local white asparagus served with ham and potatoes, is a regional treat. Spring and autumn are the best times, with mild weather and fewer crowds, and winter brings frost and a quiet beauty.