Goslar is one of those towns where history is not a museum but the architecture itself. It sits on the northern edge of the Harz mountains, with a perfectly preserved old town of half-timbered houses, slate roofs, and cobbled lanes, and in 1992 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list, together with the old Rammelsberg mine above it. Silver, copper, and lead were mined at the Rammelsberg for roughly a thousand years, until the mine closed in 1988, and that wealth built the town.
The riches also attracted emperors. In the eleventh century, the German kings made Goslar a favourite residence, and the Imperial Palace, or Kaiserpfalz, a huge restored hall of the Salian dynasty, still stands above the old town, with large paintings of imperial history inside. In the market square, a clock with figures that come out to perform several times a day draws a small crowd, and the Kaiserworth, a guildhall that is now a hotel, shows a row of statues of emperors above its door. The streets are narrow, and cobbles can be slippery when wet, so take care walking in motorcycle boots.
Goslar makes a good base for the Harz. From here, roads lead up into the mountains, toward Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Torfhaus, and the Brocken, a high peak that was once behind the Iron Curtain. The roads are good, with long curves, spruce forests, and good views, and in summer they are popular with riders, so weekends can be busy. In winter, snow comes early to the high Harz. The surrounding hills are heavily forested, though the forest has suffered badly in recent dry years.
Fuel is straightforward, with several stations around the edges of town, and Langelsheim, about seven kilometres to the north-west, is a smaller place for supplies. The town has a wide range of cafes and restaurants, serving everything from Harz sausage and mushrooms to cake and strong coffee. Park on the edge and walk in, because the old town is largely pedestrianised. The best seasons are spring and autumn, when the crowds are thinner, and a stop in the late afternoon, when the slate roofs glow, is a pleasant way to end a day.