The town of Hamelin is located southwest of Hanover in Lower Saxony, on the border to North Rhine-Westphalia, and is known, above all, for the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The town is situated at the heart of the Weser Uplands Schaumburg-Hamelin national park, and is surrounded by parts of the Weser Uplands in the west and the Leine Uplands in the east. The river Weser flows through the middle of the town. With its sandstone and timber-framed houses from the 16^th to 18^th century, Hamelin's Old Quarter (Altstadt) is one of the most beautiful in Germany, and numerous cafés, bars and restaurants invite visitors to stay a while. Thousands of rats engraved in the ground (the Rat Trail) guide you through Hamelin to the main places of interest.

Bad Pyrmont is located in the Hamelin-Pyrmont district and has a 500-year-old history. It was ranked the second-best spa town by the "Zeit" newspaper and among the Top 20 by "Merian" travel magazine. It is situated in the Weser Uplands between Hamelin (about 20 kilometers away) and Paderborn about (60 kilometers away). The German-Dutch Oranier-Route tourist route runs through the town. It connects towns and regions that have been linked to the House of Orange-Nassau for centuries.

Since 25 October 2013, the small town of Bodenwerder in the district of Holzminden in Lower Saxony has had the right to bear the official additional name of "Münchhausen", because it is the birthplace and long-time residence of the "Baron of Lies" Karl Friedrich Hieronymus von Münchhausen. The town is also the seat of the collective municipality of Bodenwerder-Polle. Until the end of 2010 the town was an officially recognized fresh air spa town, and since 2011 it has held the status of a state-approved health resort. It is situated on the Upper Weser between the towns of Hamelin and Holzminden.

Rinteln is a town and separate municipality in the Weser Uplands, on the River Weser in the Schaumburg district of Lower Saxony. Today, its Old Quarter is still home to numerous timber-framed houses. A city wall encircled the town in the Middle Ages, which was extended during the Renaissance to create the fortress of Rinteln. Rinteln was also a university town from 1619 to 1810. It nestles between the heights of the Lippe Uplands in the south, the Weser Mountains in the north, and the Süntel and Fischbecker Mountains in the east. The town is part of the Weser Uplands Schaumburg-Hamelin national park. Glacial Lake Rinteln ("Rintelner Becken") defines the landscape and is visible from faraway Schaumburg Castle on the 225-m-high Nesselberg (southernmost edge of the Weser Mountains). About 12.5 km northwest of the Weser Bridge in Rinteln, further downstream, the Weser cuts through the Westphalian Gap at Porta Westfalica and runs onto the North German Plain. You can gaze at this striking contrast between the Weser Mountains in the east and the Wiehen Hills in the west from the Weser Bridge in Rinteln, as well as Schaumburg Castle and the entire Weser mountain chain all the way to the Süntel.

The district of Lippe is situated in the administrative region of Detmold (East Westphalia-Lippe) in the northeast of North Rhine-Westphalia. The principal city in the region is Detmold. The district largely encompasses the same area as the former state of Lippe. Lippe, Westphalia and the northern part of the Rhineland make up the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Rasti-Land in Salzhemmendorf is a medium-sized theme park covering approx. 160,000 m² in the south of Lower Saxony, on the margins of the Weser Uplands. The park has been family-run ever since it first opened in July 1973. Rasti-Land is open eight months of the year, on average, and currently (as of 2016) boasts 50 attractions, which appeal particularly to families. The park's main attractions are rafting in the Realm of the T-Rex, the Rapid River, the Blizzard Bobsleigh, Kids Dinoworld and the roller coaster. Rasti-Land's popularity stands out in its interactive nature: there are many attractions inviting visitors to get involved, such as water battles in the Realm of the T-Rex, Blizzard, the Go-Karts and – new in 2015 – the Africa Photo Safari and Laser Planet.

potts park is a leisure and adventure park in the Dützen quarter of the town of Minden, in North Rhine-Westphalia. The owner, Heinrich Pott KG, deliberately doesn't focus on spectacular, ultra-fast rides but instead aims to stand out from the giants in this sector through originality and visitor interaction. So unlike most theme parks, in potts park visitors have to use their own muscle power to move most of the rides. The majority of attractions in potts park are suitable for children aged 2 and up. The park's main appeal is to families with children up to age 11 and classes of primary school children from the region.

The adventure park was originally designed as a traffic theme park for adults, reflecting the most important modes of transport of the 20^th century. Since most visitors brought their children with them, a play area rose up alongside the theme park, which was gradually expanded until it finally took over the traffic exhibits completely.

In Hessisch Oldendorf, you can wear yourself out playing paintball in an area covering 2,300 m², then relax and recover in an area of around 400 m². There is a heated hall so that play can also continue in the winter. The field is large enough for approx. 40 players.

If you enjoy carting, the Racedome in Stadthagen is the place for you! In this hall, both adults and children can ride karts to their hearts' content.

The Springe Wisentgehege is a wildlife park in the south of the Hanover region close to the town of Springe in Lower Saxony. This terrain covering 90 hectares between Eldagsen and Springe in the Saupark Springe is home to 109 species of animals. Here, visitors can see animals typical of this region in their natural habitat of the northern Mittelgebirgsschwelle Highlands, a landscape characterized by forests of oak and beech, alder swamps, ponds, meadows and brooks. The park grew out of a bison conservation project and evolved into a site for the conservation breeding of other endangered species as well. Today, with various facilities such as a falconry center and wolf enclosure, its primary purpose is to teach people about the environment.

Hanover Zoo is a zoo in a part of Hanover that also bears the same name. It was founded on May 4^th, 1865, and is therefore Germany's fifth-oldest zoo. It covers an area of 22 hectares. It currently accommodates around 2200 animals of 211 species. The business employs just over 400 employees at the height of the season. Most of these workers are responsible for looking after visitors. The area of the zoo with animals on display in the conventional way was considerably further developed, particularly at the start of the new millennium. This resulted in seven theme worlds based on the animals' natural habitat or way of life, which offer them the chance to withdraw from view, while simultaneously giving visitors the opportunity of encounters without bars.

Sea Life Hanover is the first almost fully tropical center, established in the former Rainforest House in the Berggarten botanical gardens. The rainforest has been preserved. The deep-sea basin holds 300,000 liters of water. The most JAWS-dropping highlight is the big ocean pool full of sharks and sea turtles. This basin is 4 m deep and can be fully appreciated by visitors thanks to an 8-m-long acrylic glass tunnel. Since 2012, visitors have been able to spot two Cuban crocodiles, which come from the Sea Life Center in Speyer. This now makes Hanover the second Sea Life Center in Germany to have the Cuban crocodile. A Crocodile Walk provides a glass bridge for visitors above the crocodile pond.

Schillat-Höhle is a show cave with stalactites and stalagmites in the Süntel mountains in the Weser Uplands in Lower Saxony. To be specific, the cave is situated in Hessisch Oldendorf south of the Langenfeld quarter on the north side of the Süntel, in a former quarry on the Riesenberg mountain. The Schillat-Höhle cave was discovered in 1992, is around 180 meters long and lies at a depth of 45 meters. Half of this once 400-meter-long cave fell victim to quarrying. It is a dried-up river cave with traces of water erosion and a few stalactites and stalagmites. It was converted into a show cave and opened to visitors in August 2004. The entrance to the cave lies 36 meters below the face of the quarry and is accessed via a glass elevator.

Inside the cave, in addition to variously formed stalactites and stalagmites, visitors will see numerous finds displayed in showcases. These contain various types of stone, minerals, stalactites and stalagmites, fossils from the Jurassic period, sinter nuggets and rare calcite crystals, known as corals. In addition, the cave is home to the German Archive for Sinter Chronology. Copies of cave paintings are exhibited in an artificial tunnel connecting two cave sections. Visitors can take guided tours. These include a 3D slide show of the now closed Riesenberg Cave and its geological treasures.

The Pyrmonter Welle water park offers fun, sports and relaxation. Its wide range of facilities includes an outdoor pool, indoor pool with waves, 106-m-long giant water slide, a large sauna center, wellness, fitness and a bistro, offering local visitors a vacation right on their doorstep.

The Tierpark Bad Pyrmont zoo has around 70 different species of animals over an area of 3 hectares. It is privately owned and the only zoo to have Madagascar velvet geckos. Moreover, it is just one of four sites in Germany where visitors can see a South Brazilian coati.

The Besucherbergwerk Kleinenbremen visitor mine was opened in May 1988 and is located in the Kleinenbremen quarter of Porta Westfalica. It was established in part of the abandoned Wohlverwahrt iron ore mine in the Weser Mountains. Iron ore was still being mined here by the Barbara Erzbergbau company until the 1960s. The Wohlverwahrt iron ore mine was officially named a National Geotope in 2006, and is now on the list of Germany's most important geotopes. Visitors enter the show mine in a diesel railcar belonging to the local Minden railway. The mine train takes visitors on guided tours to the most interesting spots, which are then explained in more detail. Visitors also learn about the miners' harsh working conditions. A large lake has formed underground that is known as the "Blue Lagoon", and has been open to use by sports divers since 2009. The "Museum für Bergbau und Erdgeschichte" (Museum of Mining and Geology), which belongs to the Besucherbergwerk Kleinenbremen, shows how mining and the miners' working conditions changed over time.

A recent newcomer to Hamelin is Lasertag. Laser tag is a game in which two or more players attempt to complete various tasks on a special course or in several rooms. Harmless laser guns are there to assist visitors in these tasks. In the same building in Hamelin, pool, darts, air hockey and foosball are also available.

Hiking

Hamelin and its idyllic streets nestle among some of the most densely wooded areas of the picturesque Weser Uplands. The diverse landscape offers an ever-changing vista.

Almost one third of the town is planted with trees. This makes Hamelin one of the most wooded towns in Northern Germany. The 1,300-hectare Hamelin municipal forest with its well-kept and signposted network of paths invites visitors to stroll, hike and jog in the woods. The slightly hilly landscape offers interesting routes and plenty of lovely views. Popular destinations include the tower on Klüt Hill, the Heisenküche (restaurant and nature trail) and the Süntel Tower. The Süntel is located between Hamelin and Bad Münder and reaches a height of 440 m above sea level.

The blooming of the spring snowflake on the Schweineberg hill in Hamelin in February/March is a unique display of nature. The approx. 170-hectare Schweineberg nature reserve is home to Northern Germany's largest population of this early-blossoming flower.

Weserradwanderweg biking trail

Bikers will find ideal conditions in the Weser Uplands. The Weserradwanderweg biking trail is one of the most beautiful riverside biking trails in Germany, and was named Germany's second most popular long-distance biking route by the ADFC German Cyclist’s Association in its 2016 biking trip survey.

Its routes wind gently through the valleys, such as the popular Weser biking trail of Hann. Münden to the North Sea, or along the idyllic Emmer biking path to Bad Pyrmont.

From the Weser biking trail, several routes are recommended which take bikers into the environs of Hamelin. Here you can experience the river, the mountains and architectural gems in the heart of an ancient settlement with a long tradition.

Connoisseurs can discover the Weser Uplands on a leisurely boat ride. The boats of the Weser fleet take visitors on round trips and A to B trips from Hamelin. Or you could have fun with the numerous special rides. For a sportier trip, try a canoe tour on the Weser. Transport and picnics can be organized by Hameln Marketing Tourismus GmbH.

In the center of Hamelin you will find the Sportbox. As Lower Saxony's first fitness studio, Hamelner Sportbox GmbH boasts the DAkkS-accredited "Zert-Fit" seal of quality in accordance with DIN 33961. In addition to classic fitness studio facilities, the Sportbox also offers numerous other activities, such as mountain biking, aqua-gym, tennis, squash and badminton. After your session, you have the opportunity to relax mind and body with autogenic training or a hot stone massage.

In Hamelin's Klüt forest, opposite the Finkenborn restaurant, you will find the Kletterwald Hameln aerial adventure park. Every Saturday and Sunday from April to October, starting at 10 a.m., you can climb among naturally growing trees to your heart's content, on two levels made of 34 elements at a height of up to 14 meters, with a choice of two climbing courses. Instructors are always nearby. Visitors climb in groups of 2 or 3.

The Hamelin Golfclub invites you to Schloss Schwöbber palace and its two 18-hole golf courses over 80 hectares, which have plenty of appeal for both seasoned players and beginners.

The Südbad outdoor swimming pool is situated directly in Hamelin next to the Weserbergland Stadium near the Töneböns Teiche lakes. It has a 50-meter swimming pool (24° C), an adult non-swimmer pool (27° C), a children's non-swimmer pool (23° C) with giant slide and mini-slide, and a family area with paddling pool and varied play equipment. An enormous relaxation area offers ample space to wind down. Sportier visitors can also make use of the beach volleyball court, a basketball hoop and a small soccer field.

The Waldbad Sünteltal outdoor swimming pool is in an idyllic spot right on the edge of the forest in Unsen (approx. 5 km from Hamelin). This pool is especially popular with parents and children. The little ones can enjoy a paddling pool and a choice of play equipment. If the parents also need to cool off, they can swim a few laps in the 25-meter pool, or refresh themselves in the non-swimmer pool.

The Hallenbad Einsiedlerbach indoor swimming pool also has a few things to offer its guests. Of course, swimming is the main focus. But if swimming laps is not really your thing, there are other attractions. Next to the large 25-meter swimming pool (27° C) with massage jets, there is also a non-swimmer pool (29° C) with bubble jets and cascade showers. Various fitness activities give you the also chance to look after your health and your figure. Sun-lovers are also catered for: for an extra fee, visitors can use modern tanning beds to lend their skin a vacation hue.

Relaxation, sport and fun for the whole family is what you can expect from the Naturerlebnisbad in Lauenstein am Ith natural water park. At the heart of this outdoor park is a non-chemical swimming pool with diving rocks and water slides. A play area, a stream and a paddling pool invite younger visitors to play both with and without water. This natural water park was awarded the "Kinderland Niedersachsen" (Lower Saxony Children's Park) certificate in 2014. If you like to get active – apart from swimming, of course – boccia, boules, badminton, beach volleyball, football and ping-pong should see you right.

The Ith-Sole-Therme thermal bath and spa in Salzhemmendorf is recognized and certified as the second-highest fluoride sulfur-brine spa in the whole of Germany. As well as boosting the immune system, the brine has a very positive effect on allergies, and helps with regeneration following injury or muscle tension. The brine is also extremely effective against skin problems and respiratory disorders. Besides a sauna, steam room, salt cave and large exercise pool, the spa also has two open-air pools. The Vitalbad "Vitality" pool invites you to swim, while the neighboring lagoon with hot tubs, whirl temples, neck and massage jets entice visitors to dwell awhile in these pleasant temperatures, even in winter.

In the Hufeland Therme spa in Bad Pyrmont, you will find state-of-the-art wellness and fitness facilities to the very highest standards. In a pleasant atmosphere, you can enjoy a superlative range of regeneration, therapeutic and rehabilitation attractions. In addition to water-based activities, the center offers an extensive sauna paradise, including an earth sauna, Finnish kelo sauna, log cabin sauna, floral steam room, women's sauna and more. Wellness and Relaxation are on offer in the salt hut, massage treatments, rhassoul mud, water shiatsu or the tanning booth. Beauty treatments are also available.

At the Bali Therme spa center in Bad Oeynhausen you can look forward to a relaxing atmosphere filled with beauty, peace and Asian serenity. Get away from the everyday, treat yourself to a few hours of vacation, and enjoy the magic of an Indonesian island paradise – in the middle of East Westphalia-Lippe. Located in the foothills of the Weser Mountains, Bali Therme directly adjoins the Bad Oeynhausen spa gardens. The heart of the thermal baths is the Balinese water park, where you can relax and enjoy the warmth in the thatched pavilions, lounge terraces and bamboo groves. The water park offers further watery attractions such as a flow channel, whirlpool and grotto. For children, the subtropical thermal baths also provide a large water play park. Other pools, such as the exercise pool, the relaxing-sound pool and the circular outdoor pool offer those seeking relaxation a wide range of opportunities to feel sublime. And if a change of scene is needed, there is also a non-nude sauna, a steam room, the drinking fountain, tanning booths and a Kneipp water-treading basin. At the sauna center in Bali Therme, Far Eastern creativity meets North Rhine-Westphalian expertise in a harmonious mix. Here, blissful relaxation is achieved with Wenik sauna infusion sessions that stimulate the circulation, healing chalk applications that pamper the skin and tingling vanilla sugar scrubs. But in the hot air baths themselves, sauna enthusiasts can enter fragrant worlds of heat and enjoy a colorful array of themed saunas. From the romantic Lotus Flower sauna to the amazing views of the Panorama sauna and to the Event sauna, the indoor sauna center also has many other surprises up its sleeve, with pool, steam room and tanning booths. The outdoor sauna area is a picturesque setting, where visitors can swim in the curving Relax pool, sweat in the earth, pagoda and log cabin saunas, and relax and unwind in the massage pavilion. The third sauna area, directly next to the outdoor section, is the Sauna Rotunda. Here, heat lovers can discover four different themes: Finnish, lounge and herb infusion saunas, and a steam room. After all this, the fireside area and sleeping gallery allow for a little nap in stylish surroundings. Bali Therme offers its guests a bistro restaurant with a varying choice of dishes, both in the spa and sauna center and in the entrance hall. In addition to eating well, seekers of relaxation can also spoil themselves with a massage or beauty treatment. The Bali Wellness Lounge offers an imaginative range of wellness treatments, including partner, full- and partial-body massages, whole-day well-being sessions and skin therapies. A Physio Center and the Fitness Studio perfectly round off the fantastic health offers at Bali Therme.

As a land that was home to important dynasties for centuries, the Leine-Weser region allows visitors to discover numerous royal and aristocratic elements of historical heritage. Particularly the distinctive architectural features of the Baroque age, the Weser Renaissance and the Neo-Gothic period offer an unforgettable journey into the past. The highlights among the region's countless castles and palaces are the fairytale Schloss Marienburg, built between 1858 and 1867 and one of the most significant Neo-Gothic monuments, the Schloss Hämelschenburg, a major work of the Weser Renaissance and one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in Germany with its art collections, gardens, watermill, farm buildings and church, the Schloss Pyrmont Renaissance fortress, and the three-wing Wasserschloss Schwöbber (www.schlosshotel-muenchhausen.com), built in 1570.

The theatre in Hamelin puts on around 150 performances a year, from traditional plays to musicals, from comedies to dance productions, not to mention operas, operettas, classical music concerts, and children and youth theatre.

Next to the theatre, the – alternative – Sumpfblume on the Weser also invites visitors to concerts, performances and more.

If Hollywood is your preference, you will be sure to like the modern Maxx-Kino cinema in Hamelin.

The very best in variety shows are on offer at the GOP in Bad Oeynhausen and Hanover. Marvel at the world's best artistes, and laugh at lovable comedians and outlandish characters. Combine a performance with an exclusive dinner in one of the theatre's restaurants, and make your evening an unforgettable experience.

All over Hamelin you will find numerous museums, some specializing in certain aspects, e.g. farming and agricultural engineering in Börry.

The Hamelin Christmas Market is among the Top 10 in Germany, and is well worth a visit during the holiday season.

Laid-back shopping, numerous sales, culinary delights: The Stadt-Galerie Hameln shopping center has a great deal to offer. Enjoy a modern shopping experience in the charming ambience of the Hamlin Old Quarter in over 100 shops from a huge variety of branches, such as fashion, leather goods, food, accessories and gastronomy. If you are looking for shops with that something special, you are sure to get lucky in Hamelin's Old Quarter.

From the railway station in Hamelin, you can travel to the Hauptbahnhof central station in the center of Hanover in 40 minutes on S-Bahn train line 5. Here, you will find several large shopping centers, including the Ernst-August-Galerie with traditional shops immediately next to the station, and the Galerie Luise with small but exclusive shopping opportunities.

Here is just a small selection of special places to eat and drink:

Open since 2015, the Monopol on the top floor of Hamelin's former cinema welcomes you! Here you can enjoy international cuisine either in the modern restaurant or on the roof terrace with wonderful views.

After a strenuous time at the Kletterwald aerial adventure park, why not regain some energy at the Forsthaus Finkenborn?

And in the Forsthaus Heisenküche you can wind down after a walk in the woods with coffee and cake or a hearty seasonal dish.

In the Melounge, enjoy an undisturbed view of the River Weser and Weser Promenade from the ample outdoor terrace.

Numerous other bars and pubs invite you to eat and drink in Hamelin.

As the place where the B 1, B 83 and B 217 main roads intersect, Hamelin benefits from the excellent traffic connections of Hanover, a real European transport hub. It lies roughly 20 km from the nearest junction of the A2 highway (west-east direction, Ruhr-Hanover-Berlin), and approx. 45 km from the A7 junction (north-south direction, Hamburg-Hanover-Kassel).

Hanover, the capital of Lower Saxony, can be reached by car in about forty-five minutes. In addition, S-Bahn train line 5 hops between Hamelin and Hanover central station in a 30-minute rhythm, also providing a direct connection to Hanover-Langenhagen airport. The Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport, popular with chartered vacation flights, is approx. 80 km away.