Münsterland: Castles Beauties

Münsterland Castles Beauties

Along the route there are with castle Vischering and castle Nordkirchen two of the most famous water palaces of Münsterland. Discover many other imposing typical estates and mansions of the famous 100 palaces. Look forward to more amenities: due to two double nights in the beautiful places Billerbeck and Lüdinghausen you do not have to pack all bags everyday and so you can enjoy your stay twice. Just let yourself be carried along - that is this round trip, with its manageable daily stages in the heart of Münster region. You cycle without haste and have plenty of time for short and long tours and refreshments stops along the way.

1. day Münster arrival

Münster, a worthwhile starting point and destination of this tour lures with old gabled houses, art museums, the cathedral, the Peace Hall, the principal market, Lake Aa, with the castle and many traditional student pubs. Come early and take a tour by bike in the city center of Münster or just walk through the city center with its historical buildungs. On Saturdays you have the possibility to visit the market with a lot of regional products. (Parking spaces available at the hotel, arrival by train is possible.)

2. day Münster - Billerbeck 33 km

Walk around the old town of Münster on the famous promenade, past the castle before you cycle out of the city in the green Münsterland parkland. Take a worthwhile break on "Rüschhaus House" with the Droste-Hulshoff Museum and castle Hülshoff with extensive park system. Visit Havixbeck the interesting sandstone museum and make a stop in one of the lovely cafes and beer gardens along the way. The highest peak in the whole Münsterland is the Longinusturm, with its fantastic panoramic view - a real highlight at this stage. Then look forward to Billerbeck that is nestled in the mountain range of Baumberge and features medieval streets.

3. day Billerbeck round trip 45 km

Through lovely parkland of Westmünsterland you will cycle to the enchanting castle Darfeld and the chateau Varlar, which are both inhabited private. Sparse forests accompany you to the beautiful city of Coesfeld. Visit the worth seeing Lamberti church on the central square in the old core and take a break in the quaint local pub brewery Stephanus. In the afternoon you reach the foothills of the Baumberge, you pass lonely lying farms and finally you cycle along the Berkel back to Billerbeck.

4. day Billerbeck – Lüdinghausen 43 km

There is much to see on this day! Visit Equip the picturesque place Nottuln with its historic Baroque center, whose Stiftsplatz is considered one of the most beautiful places in the Münster region. Visit the oldest blue printing plant in Westphalia and watch the production of blankets and curtains. Then you continue the famous "Castle Route" and cycle through open fields and meadows to the castle Senden, passing castle Kakesbeck to Lüdinghausen with its medieval fortress 'Burg Vischering'. This belongs with its drawbridge, the castle and the worth seeing Münsterland Museum to the best preserved and most beautiful castles in Germany! Not only the associated Castle Cafe invites for an enjoyable stay, but also the remarkable facilities.

5. day Lüdinghausen round trip 44 km

Get excited for another highlight of your trip. After a few kilometers you will reach castle Nordkirchen that has the promising epithet "the Westphalian Versailles". Not only the precious interior with ornate plaster ceilings, the precious paintings, the tall columns, the black marble fireplaces are worth seeing, but also the extensive park with its beautiful gardens and the Orangery. Also the pheasant and the Oranienburg want to be discovered. Then you cycle to Selm, where the beach on Ternscher See lures with excellent water quality for swimming and sun terrace to linger. After refreshing you cycle in the afternoon on the "Castle Route" back to Lüdinghausen.

6. day Lüdinghausen - Münster 39 km

This morning, following the famous "Pättkes" through the typical parkland up to the small town Ottmarsbocholt, that proudly presents its historic grain windmill. On the "Castle Route" you cycle to the Dortmund-Ems Canal, that is the largest stretch of water through the Munsterland and leads you now to Münster. Enjoy the last few kilometers of the trip through the "Old Port" of the city, which in recent years become the most popular meeting places for students due to a multitude of restaurants. Have the cycling day come to an end and immerse yourself into the bustling life of the charming city.

7. day Münster departure

With many memories and impressions the bike tour through the heart of the Münsterland ends after breakfast at the hotel.

Worth knowing about the bike trip Münsterland: Castles Beauties

Below please find more information about the bike trip Münsterland: Castles Beauties. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us by phone: 0049 - (0)6421-886890.

Arrival by train

Münster is easily accessible from all major cities in Germany by train. We recommend to take a taxi from the trainstation to get to you hotel. Current schedule information and price information can be found at www.bahn.de 

Train Schedule

Parking facilities at the start hotel

The hotels have their own parking spaces, which are subject to a fee, or there are a limited number of public parking spaces nearby. The pitches cannot be reserved.
You will receive detailed information on the various parking options at the hotel you have booked with the detailed travel documents two weeks before the start of your trip.

Condition of the bike paths

You can ride a bike practically everywhere in the Münsterland: not only on the many specially created cycle paths, but also very well on the small streets, the partly gravel country lanes and also on many natural forest paths. On the natural round trip developed by VELOCIPED, you use all of these paths and thus almost always cycle away from traffic. You should not be afraid of a few kilometers of bumpy forest roads or narrow paths, because they are also typical of this region.
You will certainly find your way through the Münsterland park landscape by bike. The Münsterland is the first region in Europe to have uniformly signposted its cycle network with over 4,500 kilometers of cycle paths.

Available rental bikes

If you would like a Velociped rental bike for the tour, it will be ready for you at the hotel. You can choose between women's and men's bikes with either 7-speed hub gears and coaster brakes or 27-speed derailleur gears and freewheel, as well as electric bikes. All women's bikes have a low step-through and men's bikes are available in different frame sizes. The women's bikes are suitable for all cyclists from 150 cm tall and the men's bikes from 165 cm. If you would like an electric bike, we can provide you with a Velo de Ville unisex bike. Simply let us know what bike you want when you make your booking.
The Velociped Tourer Bikes

Extra costs which are not included in the price

A possibly applicable city tax is not part of the travel price and therefore has to be paid at the hotel locally.

7 day hotline service

Just in case the chain is broken, flooding makes it impossible to continue your tour or any other nasty suprise: You can reach us seven days a week and we will do anything to help as fast as possible.

Passport and visa requirements

For EU citizens, there are no special passport or visa requirements and no health formalities to be considered for this trip.

Travel insurance

The tour price already includes the statutory insolvency insurance. In addition, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.

Castle of Münster

The former residence of the prince-bishop with its rich figural ornamentation of the facades was constructed from 1767 to 1787 as a three-winged complex by Johann Conrad Schaun. After the war, the exterior aspect was reconstructed true to the original.

Today, the palace is used by the university administration. On the Schlossplatz in front of the palace, the great annual funfair - the Send -takes place thrice a year, attracting thousands of visitors. Right at the Schlossplatz, there is also the central lecture hall building of the university, which is frequently used for conventions and even concerts.

Castle of Münster

Historical Town Hall, Münster

With its high gable, Münster’s Town Hall, a gothic building from the mid-14th century, is second to none in Germany. The characteristic arch house was reconstructed true to the original in the 1950s.

In April 2015, the European Heritage Label has been awarded to the Town Halls of Münster and Osnabrück as the ‚Sites of the Peace of Westphalia‘ by the European Commission.

Historisches Rathaus Münster

Wasserburg Hülshoff, Droste-Museum

Castle Hülshoff is a typical water castle in the Münsterland. It is located between Havixbeck and Roxel and belongs to the town of Havixbeck since 1975. The family of Droste zu Hülshoff is the owner of the castle since 1417 and the house where the poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff was born.

Burg Hülshoff

Schloss Darfeld

The castle of Darfeld has been built from 1612 to 1616 by the builder and sculptor Gerhard Gröninger who brought the venecian style to Northern Germany with the arcades. The house was destroyed by a fire in 1899 and it wasn't rebuilt until 1904 according plans from Hermann Staedtler.

Schloss Darfeld

Schloss Varlar

The castle of Varlar is located south of die village of Osterwick on your way to Coesfeld. The documented history of this building goes back to the 11th century. In those times a woman called Reimod wanted to build a parish, but this plans were never realized. About 100 years later the dukes of Cappenberg buyed the castle.

Schloss Varlar

St. Lamberti Kirche, Coesfeld

The Lamberti Church with the baroque tower in Coesfeld is located at the market place. It has been build from 1686 to 1703.
The church has formerly been a romanic church, later it has been changed to a gothic church.

St. Lamberti Coesfeld

Burg Vischering, Lüdinghausen

The castle Vischering in Lüdinghausen in the Münsterland is a water castle preserved in essential parts. In spite of various rebuildings of the castle to make it more comfortable for the residents it is still a very typical castle which shows the former character of a well-fortified castle.

Burg Vischering

Burg Kakesbeck, Lüdinghausen

The castle of Kakesbeck is one of many water castles in Lüdinghausen. It is located about five kilometers north of the city center. You may visit the garden and the outside of the building. If you like to visit the whole castle, please call before to fix an appointment.

Burg Kakesbeck

Schloss Nordkirchen

The castle of Nordkirchen is called the "Westfälischer Versailles" because of its size and the design of the garden. It is the biggest water castle of Westfalia.

The palace premises are used for the state's Finance Academy, for cultural events and for adult education.

Most important is the training of officials for the tax offices. The academy needs lecture and seminar rooms, student and staff residences, a restaurant and a gymnasium. Administration offices and supply facilities are located in adjacent buildings.

The historical palace rooms are used for concerts and other cultural events and seminars. The Jupiter ball room and the main room of the Oranienburg (the pleasure palace) can be rented for formal dinners. Today there is a gourmet restaurant in the basement of the palace - where the kitchen was formerly located.

The chapel is used for weddings. The municipality of Nordkirchen uses one of the corner towers for civil weddings. The tourist office of the municipality is located in the south-east tower.

The orangery is privately owned. High-quality garden furniture can be viewed and bought there.

The gardens and park are the ideal background for open-air concerts and films. In the autumn of 2008 a film on the Krupp family was made there and broadcast in the spring of 2009.

Schloss Nordkirchen