Voerde (Lower Rhine): River Delta, Floodplain and History

River Landscape and Floodplain

Voerde (Lower Rhine) offers different sides to a stay: river landscapes, open floodplains and traces of history. The Emscher estuary, where the river flows into the Rhine, is a naturally landscaped river delta created as part of the Emscher restoration project. The Emscher estuary was moved by just over 500 metres from the Dinslaken area to the municipality of Voerde. As part of the relocation, a floodplain covering just over 20 hectares was also prepared.

The Momm floodplain was once on the bank of the Rhine. It is a habitat for numerous rare plants and animals and is home to one of Germany’s largest populations of Eurasian scops owls. The focus here is on a habitat with exceptional biodiversity. For travellers who want to include nature and landscape in their plans, the floodplain is a destination in its own right, alongside the river delta and historic sites.

Explore Voerde by Bike

Cycling options in Voerde include a 10 km-long cycle path along the Rhine dike. You can also cycle through the Momm-Niederung nature reserve; this ride is considered an alternative to a route directly along the Rhine. These two options offer practical guidance for planning your day: you can focus on the Rhine dike or on cycling through the floodplain. This lets you experience two different landscape perspectives without requiring a particular route between them.

Gardens and History

Haus Voerde moated castle is a historic attraction in Voerde. The former kitchen garden at Haus Voerde is now used as a dye garden and school garden. Another point of historical interest is in Mehrum: the monument commemorating the 1945 Rhine crossing recalls the Allies’ crossing on the night of 23–24 March 1945. The garden, moated castle and monument offer different points of interest, from the garden’s use today to the commemoration of a specific event.

Choose Your Accommodation Based on Your Interests

If you’re looking for accommodation in Voerde, start by deciding what you want your stay to focus on: cycling, nature and habitats, or history. These interests offer a practical way to guide your search and help you plan your days around the experiences that matter to you.

In the Wider Wesel Destination

Within the wider Wesel destination, Xanten offers a distinctive Roman focus. The LVR Archaeological Park Xanten, Germany’s largest archaeological open-air museum, is located on the site of the Roman city of Colonia Ulpia Traiana. The LVR-RömerMuseum displays numerous original finds from the Roman city and the two legionary camps. They tell the story of the city’s founding, heyday and decline. The park and museum regularly host demonstrations, festivals and a wide range of activities to watch and take part in; dates and activities vary.

The Bislicher Insel in Xanten is also part of the wider Wesel destination. It is one of the last near-natural floodplain landscapes on the Lower Rhine, and large areas are protected. In winter, the nature reserve is home to several thousand Arctic geese, particularly greater white-fronted geese and barnacle geese. Three observation huts along the path offer views of the water; with a little luck, you can spot numerous bird species there. The nature experiences at the two places have different focal points: at Bislicher Insel, the emphasis is on geese stopping over for the winter, while the Momm floodplain in Voerde is known for its habitat for rare plants and animals.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Kamp-Lintfort, Schermbeck, Rheinberg, Moers, Alpen, Voshövel, Wesel, Sonsbeck.

Back to the wider travel guide: Wesel.