On the third day of our Euro roadtrip last summer, we drove from Germany to the Netherlands, visiting the Ahrensburg Palace and the German towns of Verden and Meppen, on the way. One could see the difference in the terrains already, although we stayed primarily on the major roads. Once we crossed the border, it was all flat lands and fields. 🙂
Here’s the route we took that summer, c/o Google Maps:
We stayed in Hof Viehbrook for the night, and this was my review of it: “Very spacious room, clean and comfortable, Easy check in and big parking space. Quiet and peaceful, rural, and you get a natural alarm clock by the chickens at around 5am. They also have goats, sheep and horses nearby.” The road to the accommodation was a bit narrow – very rural ambiance, which we liked.
We left the apartment at 7:17 am. Oh yes, now that I see the pictures, I remember how annoying it was (for me) to use this door knob. I have gotten used to the Scandinavian doorknob (which is not a knob, but a handle). LOL XD
Our first stop was the Ahrensburg Palace, museum and event space. The estate was first inherited by Peter Rantzau in the 1500s. Then, it was acquired by Count Heinrich Carl Schimmelmann in the 1700s. The castle was improved and stayed as a property of the Schimmelmann family for 6 generations. In 1938, it became a state property and turned into a museum in the succeeding years. More about its history here: https://www.schloss-ahrensburg.de/das-schloss/geschichte/. Unfortunately, it was not open yet during our visit (the Castle opens at 11am). So, we just enjoyed it from afar. It really looked like a cardboard castle, with the tower corners portruding sideways.
Afterwards, we grabbed some sandwich from a kiosk, and drove south, and then west. My husband really enjoyed driving in the autobahn.
With no specific attractions to visit on the way to Nunspeet, we just spontaneously decided which towns to visit. For instance, I thought that the town of Verden has a funny name. Verden in Norwegian is translated as “the world”. So, we took a detour and checked out what the town was about.
Verden is a town by the Aller river. It is nicknamed an “equestrian town” because it’s a center of horse-breeding and equestrian sports. However, we were not met with horses and the like, but by a nice old town with cobbled streets and traditional buildings. It also has a very nice cathedral. Creepy trivia: A massacre of Saxons happened in 782, under the order of Charlemagne! More about Verden here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verden_an_der_Aller. I also got some free postcards from the visitor center. How cool. 🙂
By 3pm, we were nearing the border to the Netherlands. We decided to make another stop. Meppen is another nice German town, about 20kms away from the Dutch border. It has 7 quarters, with Altstadt (“old town”) as the historical center. More about Meppen here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meppen.
In Meppen, we saw beautiful architecture and statues. The Rathaus (or “town hall”; 1st picture below), for example, was first constructed in the 1400s from glacial erratics. The Priory Church of St. Vitus, meanwhile, was also a product of the 1400s. It is a three-aisled late Gothic church with an amazing interior!
Priory Church of St. Vitus:
I remember a cathedral in Prague, also named after St. Vitus. I find interesting to know who St. Vitus was, so here we go: He was a martyr from Sicily, and died during a persecution in AD 303. He’s the patron saint of dancers and entertainers, and protector against lightning strikes, animal attacks and oversleeping. In Catholicism, patron saints are revered and asked for help according to what they’re interceding for.
Before leaving Meppen, we had some food, finally. This chicken salad was delicious. 🙂
A few more miles and were in Nunspeet, the Netherlands. We’re staying in Hotel de Hoeve van Nunspeet, surrounded by beautiful shady trees.
So, that’s how Day 3 basically went. We planned a long drive the next day, so, we just enjoyed the afternoon in and by the hotel. 🙂 Until then!
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PinayOdyssey 