The Weser Cycle Route, some 500 kilometers from Hannoversch Münden to the Weser estuary on the North Sea coast,  is among the most popular long-distance cycling routes in Germany. Its advantage is that it runs along the river, so it's mainly on flat terrain. The stretch between Höxter and Hamelin is especially lovely. One of the best reasons to cycle here is to admire the Weser Renaissance architecture. From palaces to town houses, new buildings went up all along the Weser between 1520 and1620. Their builders were inspired by the Italian Renaissance. What emerged was a northern German variation of the style that has left its mark on the region to this day.