Discover Grafschaft Bentheim: Heath, Vechte and Art

In Grafschaft Bentheim, heathland, raised and low moors, wooded ridges and the Vechte River valley alternate. There is also art along the way, museums and places with very different historical themes. If you are planning a trip with family, you can tailor your stay to whether landscapes, cycling or culture should take centre stage—or combine several of these interests.

Landscapes between heath, moor and the Vechte

The region’s varied landscapes give Grafschaft Bentheim its diverse character. One specific natural highlight is the Itterbecker Heide: this nature reserve covers around 85 hectares. Alongside the region’s wide-ranging landscapes, this clearly named protected area offers a distinct point of interest for planning your trip.

Art and museums with different focuses

Kunstwegen is an open-air museum for contemporary art, nature and history. It stretches for more than 180 kilometres through the Vechte Valley, with more than 80 sculpture projects along the route. The route also passes through Nordhorn. Here, art is not just an exhibition theme but part of a long trail that offers a distinct focus for planning your trip.

Two museums in Nordhorn offer different perspectives. The Shipping Museum covers 350 square metres and displays, among other things, historic ship models, nautical instruments and sea charts, as well as information about shipbuilding. The City Museum uses three listed industrial buildings for its permanent and special exhibitions. This lets you compare maritime objects and themes with a museum whose exhibitions are presented in historic industrial buildings.

Wietmarschen, Uelsen and Lage also offer different ways to explore history and traditional crafts. The Packhaus Wietmarschen now houses a permanent exhibition by the Wietmarschen Heritage Society (Heimatverein Wietmarschen e. V.) on customs, traditional crafts, important documents and archaeological finds. The Uelsen Bronze Age Farmstead is a reconstructed prehistoric farmstead that offers insight into the lives of people in the Bronze Age at Riedberg. The nearly 750-year-old watermill in Lage has two waterwheels: one for producing flour and one for producing vegetable oil. Local customs and finds, a reconstructed Bronze Age farmstead and historic milling technology each offer a different thematic approach.

The zoo, cycling route and choosing your accommodation

Nordhorn Zoo covers 12 hectares and is home to more than 2,500 animals from 100 different species. Many enclosures are designed to be entered by visitors, including two petting zoos. This offers a different focus from Kunstwegen or the museums: here, animal species and the layout of the enclosures shape your visit.

For cycling trips, the main route of the Grafschafter Fietsentour is a useful point of reference: it is about 220 kilometres long and passes through every municipality in the district. In contrast to individual museums and historical sights, this puts a longer route centre stage. How much you include it in your stay depends on whether cycling or a particular cultural or landscape focus will shape your trip.

When choosing accommodation, it is therefore worth first deciding which places and themes matter to you. You can then focus your search on your preferred interests without assuming a particular location or set of amenities. The Grafschafter Gästekarte (guest card) is a practical guide for tourists staying overnight: it lets them use buses and trains throughout the district for free. Before your trip, check the current conditions of the guest card and include it in your plans if it suits your itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Georgsdorf, Wietmarschen, Getelo, Uelsen, Schüttorf, Neuenhaus, Engden, Bad Bentheim, Nordhorn, Emlichheim, Laar, Hoogstede, Lage, Wilsum, Itterbeck, Wielen.

Go to the main travel overview: Lower Saxony.