Rinteln lies on the Weser, in the hills of Lower Saxony where the river cuts through a gap in the wooded ridges, and it has the look of a town that was prosperous in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and was then left in peace. Half-timbered houses with carved beams line the old market square, and the town hall and the Nikolai church stand among them. The architecture belongs to what is known as the Weser Renaissance, a decorative style with gables, bay windows and carved ornament that spread along the river in that period.
For about two hundred years, from 1621 until 1810, Rinteln had a university, one of the small German universities of the early modern period, and the scholarly tradition left its mark on the town. Today the old streets are pleasant to wander, with cafes and shops, and a weekly market fills the square. The Weser itself flows broad and green past the town, with a riverside path and a ferry in places, and the hills of the Weser Uplands rise on either side.
For a rider Rinteln is a convenient fuel gate. With nearly twenty-eight thousand people it has several stations and supermarkets, and it sits on the main route between Hannover and the hills. After a fill-up the best roads lie to the south and east, in the quiet lanes of the Extertal and the Lippe hills, with wooded slopes, curving valleys and light traffic. To the north the long wooded ridge of the Wesergebirge rises, with roads that climb through beech wood.
The Weser valley is also a landscape of legend. Not far downriver stands Hameln, where the Pied Piper is said to have led the children away in the thirteenth century, and the whole region is dotted with castles and half-timbered villages. The roads are well surfaced and mostly gentle, and weekends see many motorcyclists, so there is a friendly, busy atmosphere at cafes.
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with clear air and good light. In summer the valley can be hot, and in winter fog collects along the river. Whatever the season, Rinteln makes a comfortable, easy halt.