Grafschaft Bentheim: Heath, Vechte and Culture

Grafschaft Bentheim offers a range of starting points for a trip: changing landscapes, art trails, collections on shipping and industry, and places connected with the Bronze Age, traditional crafts and milling technology. To plan your trip, you can first consider whether nature, a particular museum or several cultural attractions should be the focus.

Landscapes Between Heathland and the Vechte

In Grafschaft Bentheim, heathland, raised and lowland bogs, wooded ridges and the Vechte river valley alternate. The landscape is therefore not limited to a single form: open areas, wooded heights and a river valley all feature. Itterbecker Heide is a nature reserve covering around 85 hectares. It adds a specific, clearly defined natural attraction to the broader range of landscape types.

Art, Shipping and Regional History

Kunstwegen is an open-air museum of 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. The art trail brings together a range of subjects, while its considerable length offers a different scale of experience from a visit to a single museum.

In Nordhorn, the Shipping Museum focuses on maritime history. On 350 square metres, it displays historical ship models, nautical instruments, sea charts and information about shipbuilding, among other things. The Nordhorn City Museum uses three listed industrial buildings for its permanent and special exhibitions. The two museums differ both in subject matter and setting: one focuses on shipping and nautical collections, while the other presents exhibitions in historic industrial buildings.

The Packhaus in Wietmarschen now houses a permanent exhibition by the Wietmarschen Local History Association (Heimatverein Wietmarschen e. V.) on customs and traditions, traditional crafts, important documents and archaeological finds. In Uelsen, the reconstructed prehistoric Bronze Age farm offers insights into the lives of people in the Bronze Age at Riedberg. These two attractions offer different historical perspectives: the Packhaus brings together subjects related to local history and crafts, while the Bronze Age farm illustrates a reconstructed Bronze Age way of life.

The watermill in Lage also combines history with technology. The mill, which is nearly 750 years old, has two waterwheels: one is used to produce flour, the other to produce vegetable oil. Along with the museums, Packhaus and Bronze Age farm, it offers a selection of attractions ranging from historical collections to specific buildings and their functions.

Cycling Route and Wildlife Park

The main route of the Grafschafter Fietsentour is around 220 kilometres long and passes through all the municipalities in the district. The approximate distance helps you factor the tour into your travel plans; the route may change. So check the current route before planning your ride.

Another place to visit is Nordhorn Zoo. It 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 adds a dedicated wildlife park option alongside the art and history attractions.

Choosing a Hotel and Getting Around

When choosing a hotel location, it can help to first decide which attractions matter most for your trip. Kunstwegen, the museums in Nordhorn, the wildlife park and the cultural history attractions in Wietmarschen, Uelsen and Lage each offer a different focus. Your choices give you a concrete starting point for planning your stay.

Tourists staying overnight in Grafschaft Bentheim can use buses and trains throughout the district free of charge with the Grafschafter Guest Card. Check the applicable card conditions before travelling.

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

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