Bad Lippspringe: Spring, Parks and Wellness

Bad Lippspringe combines a striking spring with park and woodland attractions, activities, wellness and history. The source of the Lippe rises from a depth of around 8 metres and carries approximately 740 litres of water per second. This makes it one of Germany’s most powerful river springs. The garden show, themed trails and exhibitions reveal different sides of the town.

Garden show and trails for a range of interests

The Bad Lippspringe Garden Show is a year-round destination for families and nature lovers. The 30-hectare site has ten different playgrounds, with floral displays and tranquil woodland as its main attractions. Seasonal highlights include the Sparkassen Forest Lights in spring, the Sand Worlds in summer, the Pumpkin Festival in autumn and numerous after-work concerts during the summer months. The Park Festival takes place every year at Whitsun in Arminius Park and attracts several thousand visitors to Bad Lippspringe. As individual event dates may change, it is worth checking the latest dates before your trip.

Those interested in climate and landscapes can follow the KlimaErlebnisRoute in Lippspringer Forest: the 7.5-kilometre circular trail is marked with a red “K” sign. You can start at the Noaks Pumpe hiking car park or, alternatively, at Prinzenpalais in Arminius Park. Along the way, you’ll learn about the climate of the past, different aspects of today’s climate, the future climate and its effects.

Other trails have their own themes and vary in length. The Planet Trail has ten stops, starting at the Sun Central Station in Arminius Park and ending there again after around 7 kilometres. The “ZUTRAUEN – Kleine Kurwaldrunde” route is about 4 kilometres long. The shorter, 1.5-kilometre “Genussweg – wild & lecker” circular trail passes through Arminius Park and Jordan Park in the town centre, introducing edible wild plants at 14 stops. The options range from a short themed walk to the longer KlimaErlebnisRoute.

Water, wellness and family activities

The Westfalen Therme’s sauna and wellness areas cover 6,000 m² and offer up to 20 infusions using pure essential oils. Family attractions include water slides measuring 75 and 125 metres, a pirate land, a toddlers’ area with water play features, and 1- and 3-metre diving boards. At the Salinarium, facilities include a saltwater floating pool, a salt sauna and a relaxation area with its own saltworks. Check the current entry requirements before visiting.

This makes it easy to weigh up different interests for a shared outing: playgrounds and water attractions sit alongside trails focused on climate, planets or edible wild plants. If you’re looking for accommodation in Bad Lippspringe, these attractions can help you choose a destination that suits your family’s interests.

Castle, museum and special views

Lippspringe Castle is considered the spa town’s oldest landmark and a stone testament to its past. It was probably built by the Paderborn cathedral chapter in the early 14th century; its first documented mention dates to 1312. The local history museum also explores the town’s past, dividing it into five periods: from the geological history of the Lippspringe area and evidence of settlement from the Stone Age to the present, through the Middle Ages and more recent history, to the history of the spa.

At the NABU Senne Nature Information Centre, the “Fascination Senne” exhibition explores the Senne’s geological formation, settlement and cultivation, its current uses and future prospects. The Peace Chapel offers a different kind of quiet: it is a place for silence, prayer, meditation and meeting others. From there, views extend across a dune valley to the Mersmann ponds and a woodland backdrop. These different places make cultural history and observing nature distinct themes for a stay.

In the wider Paderborn destination

The wider Paderborn destination offers further cultural attractions. Neuhaus Castle is in the Paderborn district of the same name and is an example of early Weser Renaissance architecture. The Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum in Paderborn offers a journey through 5,000 years of information technology: from the first written characters and historical writing and calculating machines to early computers, modern robots and artificial intelligence.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Borchen, Herbram, Altenbeken, Salzkotten, Paderborn, Delbrück, Barkhausen, Büren.

Back to the main travel overview: Paderborn.