Tall masts rising out of the flat Havelland meadows mark Nauen's claim to fame. The transmitting station here, founded in 1906, is considered the oldest radio station in the world still in operation, and in its early days it sent messages to German colonies and ships across the oceans. Its main building, designed by the architect Hermann Muthesius in the 1920s, is a fine example of brick modernism. Guided tours are offered occasionally.
Nauen itself is a small market town with a church and a pleasant old centre, set in the Havelland, a region of meadows, fields and wetlands west of Berlin. The landscape is flat and open, with big skies and wide views, and in spring and autumn, cranes and geese gather in huge numbers on the fields. To the west, the Havelländisches Luch is one of the last refuges of the great bustard, a heavy bird that struts across the fields, carefully protected by conservationists.
From the saddle it is relaxed. The roads are flat and straight, crossing the meadows and fields, with gentle curves through the villages. Traffic is light, apart from the main roads near the town and the motorway. The roads can be windy, and agricultural traffic is common. Some villages still have cobbled streets, and many roads are lined with old trees.
Nauen has pumps, groceries and restaurants, making it a convenient stop. A local bakery or café is a good place for a break. The Spreewald, with its canals and forests, lies to the south-east, a long ride around the edge of Berlin, so a full tank here is sensible.