Uslar Travel Guide

Rathaus
[ source: Wikipedia]

Uslar Overview

Uslar is a town and a municipality in southern Lower Saxony, Germany, in the south—western part of the district of Northeim (Northeim vacation rentals | Northeim travel guide), and in the south of the hills of Solling forest which are part of the Weser Uplands. It is certainly no metropolis or holiday hotspot but a great destination for a relaxing vacation. With its quaint city centre, great restaurants, several museums and interesting landscape, this town of only about 15,000 inhabitants has much more to offer than one might expect.

The existence of Uslar dates back to 1006/1007, and the town has kept its medieval flair until today. The landmarks of Uslar are certainly the town hall as well as the St. Johannes Church, which were both built in the Late Middle Ages in the Gothic style. Walking through the picturesque city centre on red cobblestone streets and lined with timber—framed houses makes you feel like the past is still alive and is a joy for every historian. The town is not plastered with the usual high—street shops you can find in any bigger city, but has a number of small shops and boutiques where you can buy anything for your everyday needs.

There is no great holiday without great food, and in Uslar you can enjoy plenty of it. Despite its relatively small size, it is the home of many fabulous restaurants that satisfy whatever tastes you might have.

More on the sophisticated side is the Hotel Menzhausen, which is not only a restaurant but also a four—star hotel. It is located one of Uslar’s oldest and most charming buildings directly across the town hall. The kitchen offers both regional dishes and international cuisine. A vaulted wine cellar provides guests with a cozy, candlelit wine tasting experience. Guests can relax in the modern spa oasis, overlooking a beautiful park with its romantic lake.

This small town has more to offer than the typical German food. You can enjoy authentic Italian cuisine at Bella Napoli, a rustic pizzeria in the town centre, and get an idea of what the less known Baltic cuisine is all about at Baku—Caspian Café—Restaurant.

If you are more of a sweet tooth, then you should pay a visit to Gasthaus Collart Landcafe, which offers delicious cakes and hand—brewed coffee. Guests enjoy a cozy, personable atmosphere with family pictures from the last two centuries, lace doilies and fresh flowers on the tables. There is also an outdoor area with a fantastic view. Located only 2.5 miles from Uslar in the village of Kammerborn, visitors can embark on a walk from the town to the café, and later reward themselves with a large piece of cake without feeling guilty.

If you feel the need for some cultural stimulation, Uslar and its neighboring towns have plenty to offer.

First of all, there is the Museum Uslar, an urban and regional history museum featuring 1,000 square meters of exhibits detailing the history of everyday life in the town of Uslar and the Solling region. Visitors will encounter displays featuring pipe and cigar makers, lathe operators, spinners, market women, coal miners, glassmakers, carpenters and casters. Additional exhibits cover contemporary political history in the region, including Jewish life, the history of National Socialism and the aftereffects of the Second World War on the people of the region.

In Volpriehausen, a neighboring town, you can find the Kali-Bergbaumuseum, which documents the history of stone and salt mining. Exhibits include photo displays and many of the original tools, lamps, and machines used by regional workers in the mines. Colorful salts from around the world are available for purchase as mementos.

Uslar is quite close to the former inner-German border. More than 20 years after the Fall of the Wall, the borderland is hardly recognizable as such anymore, but there is a highly informative museum in Eichsfeld, only about 30 miles from Uslar, where you can get a grasp of what it meant to live so close to the former DDR.

A much happier place certainly is the Alaris Schmetterlingspark, a butterfly reserve featuring over 120 beautiful species of butterflies. Visitors can observe all stages of a butterfly’s life, from egg to caterpillar, and pupa to butterfly — all in a lush, tropical garden with thousands of exotic plants and flowers.

Finally, some more practical but nonetheless equally important information: Uslar might be a small town but it still is home to a modern hospital and three pharmacies, where all potential injuries and diseases can be taken care of. The nearest airports are Hanover, Paderborn—Lippstadt and Kassel—Calden and the town is accessible via interstate highway A7 and A44. Of course, Uslar also has a train station. Should you want to hire a car to explore the surrounding area, you should contact Autohaus Siebrecht at www.Autohaus-Siebrecht.de or call 0 55 71/ 92 30 0.