Münsterland castle route | Round trip starting in Münster

The marketplace, the beautiful gabled houses, the old city hall and the former bishop's palace will give you plenty to see while in the city. 

Imagine you've just hopped on the bike and are already at the first of many sights: Take a worthwhile break on "Rüschhaus House" with the Droste-Hulshoff Museum and castle Hülshoff with extensive park system. Visit Havixbeck, the sandstone museum, climb the Longinus Tower, the highest elevation in the Münsterland and enjoy a fantastic view - a real highlight at this stage. Look forward to the Cathedral of Billerbeck in the medieval town, the water castle Darfeld and the flower-covered pilgrimage church Eggerode (2nd place "Unser Dorf soll schöner werden").

On small bike paths you cycle to Legden with its beautiful gardens. Enjoy the beautiful flowers and in the old town center the house of Hülst (built 1677). Then you cycle comfortably and past lonely farms to Ahaus. Visit the magnificent Baroque moated castle, a former hunting lodge of the Prince-Bishops of Münster. Today, the castle houses the Technical Academy Ahaus and in the gatehouse is the worth seeing school museum. After a rewarding break, you will cycle to the colorful, interesting town of Vreden with its multitude of art objects. Tonight you will stay or in Vreden or in the next village Zwillbrock. The nature reserve Zwillbrocker Venn on the Dutch border is quickly reached. Cycle in and marvel at black-headed gulls and flamingos!

So, you thought it couldn't get any better? Well, it can! Holland is perfect for bicyclists: In Holland you cycle through narrow alleys, on beautiful bike paths and on small rural roads to Winterswijk (Wednesday market day) and then to the "Antique City" Bredevoort. In the afternoon you leave the Netherlands and cycle to the lovely city of Bocholt. Bocholt has been chosen the most bike friendly city in 2019 for the 6th time.

Past the interesting textile museum in Bocholt you will cycle idyllically along the small river Aa. The well signposted Aa Cycle Path is part of the 460 km long route "Flusslandschaften". Look forward to the leisure facility PröbstingSee, to the water castle Gemen in Borken and in the evening to the adventure brewery Stephanus in Coesfeld.

Today you'll pass through Nottuln, a scenic town with a barock center. After a few kilometers of rolling hills, you'll be back on the flatland, following the bikepath via Senden and castle Kakesbeck to Lüdinghausen. While you're here, don't miss the medieval fortification of Vischering castle, with its drawbridge and museum of Münsterland's history.

And now for the Pièce de résistance: the palace at Nordkirchen, known as the "Versailles of Westphalia." Not stopping here is hardly an option, as the interior decoration of the palace is masterful! For the rest of the day you will continue along the road of 100 palaces, passing the Romberg and Byink houses, and the Davensberg castle on your way to your final stop in Münster.

All good things do, sadly, come to an end. After breakfast at the hotel, your tour is at an end.