Discover Osnabrück: Nature Trails, Museums and History

Experience nature and discover geological history

At the Bad Essen-Barkhausen dinosaur tracks, fossilized dinosaur footprints can be seen on a steep rock face. The visitor area complements them with two dinosaur replicas, detailed information boards and a circular trail. The signposted Dinosaur Trail is a 16-kilometer circular hiking route. It combines geological history with a longer hike, while the information boards and replicas also offer visitors points of interest in their own right.

In Bad Iburg, the treetop walk extends for almost 600 meters, offering an immersive forest experience. Its more than 30-meter-high entrance tower is accessible to people with disabilities and offers panoramic views of Iburg Castle and the Teutoburg Forest. The path and its accompanying exhibition pavilion also provide insights into the geological history of the Teutoburg Forest and are part of the UNESCO Global Geopark TERRA.vita. Iburg Castle is the only surviving hilltop castle in the Osnabrück region. Views, geological insights and a historic site are all on offer here as distinct themes for a visit.

Museums and regional history

At the Tuchmacher Museum Bramsche, fluffy wool blankets are made on working machines that are more than 100 years old. At the Museum and Park Kalkriese, exhibits about the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest are presented using multimedia and are open to visitors. The museum in the monastery in Bersenbrück tells the story of three eras through the history of how its building was used: as a monastery from the 13th to the 18th century, as administrative offices and a district administration in the 19th century, and as a museum in the 20th century. The subjects vary: one focuses on textile production, another on a historic battle or the changing use of a building.

At the Schnippenburg Museum, a public guided tour takes place at 2:30 p.m. on the first Sunday of every month throughout the year. In addition, themed tours and museum education activities can be booked at three locations: the museum, the archaeological site and the Iron Age house. If you want a guided tour to shape your excursion, check the date and availability of your chosen offering in advance.

Cycling and practical information

A longer cycling option is the 115-kilometer DiVa Tour between Bramsche and Bad Essen. It combines relaxed cycling along the Mittelland Canal with a route between these two towns. Compared with the 16-kilometer circular hiking trail at the dinosaur tracks, it is a very different scale for planning an excursion: one option is a clearly defined walking loop, the other a longer bike tour. The DiVa Tour is connected to public transport, including trains operated by WestfalenBahn, NordWestBahn and Deutsche Bahn, the Bremen tramway, and buses operated by Stadtwerke Osnabrück. Check connections again before setting out.

Bad Rothenfelde also offers a special place for a walk: In the historic Solegang, 50 meters can be walked on wooden walkways and grates without getting your feet wet. The two graduation tower structures date from 1777 and 1824 and together form a large open-air inhalatorium. When choosing a hotel, you can first consider whether excursions to Bad Essen or Bad Iburg, museum visits or the DiVa Tour are your priorities during your stay.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Menslage, Bippen, Alfhausen, Gehrde, Ankum, Bad Essen, Bad Iburg, Bad Rothenfelde, Belm, Bissendorf, Bramsche, Bad Laer, Georgsmarienhütte, Melle, Osnabrück, Quakenbrück, Rieste, Badbergen, Fürstenau, Bersenbrück, Hagen Am Teutoburger Wald, Hesepe, Glandorf, Atter, Wallenhorst, Eggermühlen, Hilter Am Teutoburger Wald, Hasbergen, Ostercappeln, Bohmte, Dissen Am Teutoburger Wald, Merzen, Nortrup.

To the main travel overview: Lower Saxony.