Rheinsberg is where a prince became a king, or at least learned to think like one. Frederick, the Prussian crown prince later called the Great, spent four happy years here, from 1736 to 1740, in a palace on the shore of the Grienericksee, away from his violent father, with books, flute music, friends and the philosophers he corresponded with. He had the architect Knobelsdorff remodel the building, and the result is a pale, graceful Baroque and early rococo palace, with a double-winged courtyard facing the water. Later he spoke of this period as the happiest of his life.
The palace was also the setting for a famous light novel. In 1912, the young journalist Kurt Tucholsky published Rheinsberg, a Picture Book for Lovers, a little comedy about a weekend away that became a classic. Today the palace houses a museum with its restored interiors, and the park has lawns, trees, a long terrace by the lake and a number of small buildings and sculptures. The little town, with a population of about nine thousand, has a cobbled centre and a few pretty streets.
For riders, Rheinsberg is the highlight of a gentle lakes ride. The roads from Neuruppin and Lindow run through avenues of old trees, beside lakes with swans and reeds, and through quiet villages. The surface is generally good, with some rough patches near the village edges, and the bends are mild. Traffic is light except on summer weekends, when cyclists and day trippers arrive. In spring, the avenues are dusted with blossom, and in autumn the woods turn gold. Mist often lies on the water in the early morning.
Practically, the town has a fuel station, supermarkets, bakeries and cafes, and several restaurants near the palace serve fish from the lakes and traditional Brandenburg dishes. Parking for motorbikes is easy near the palace entrance, and a stroll through the park is a pleasant way to take a break. Lindow, with about three thousand people, is the next town in one direction and has a small fuel station, but check hours. An afternoon here, with a coffee in the park and the lake shining, is worth the detour.