Bad Oldesloe: Old Town, Salt History and Nature

Bad Oldesloe combines old-town history and salt traditions with walking paths, nature watching and an outdoor swimming pool for the summer season. If you’re looking for accommodation, these themes can help you plan your stay around the city’s history, parks and nature.

City history in the museum and old town center

The local history museum in Bad Oldesloe traces the city’s history from the Stone Age through the Middle Ages to the present day. Local tradition links the Mennokate with Menno Simons’s printing press; visits are possible by request. The restored Wenzel Hablik Color Room is open to the public.

Around Platz Hude in the Heiligengeist Quarter, you can experience medieval Oldesloe and see some of the city’s oldest buildings. While the local history museum spans the period from the Stone Age to today, this area focuses on the historic cityscape. Waterways continue to shape the old town center. Side streets branching off from the pedestrian zone offer further routes with views of the historic surroundings.

Spa park, salt pond and Old Cemetery

The spa park was created for spa guests. Information boards there explain the history of salt production and spa operations. The salt pond is a destination for walks through the park; it complements the historical perspective with a specific place to explore.

The Old Cemetery is a historic garden dating from 1824 and is now a public city park. It lies on a plateau with an elevation difference of up to 40 meters; visitors are almost above the rooftops of the city. Its elevated location sets this park apart from the walking paths in the spa park.

Salt springs, nature watching and summer swimming

At the Salt Path, you can visit a renaturalized salt spring and sample its salty water. In the Brenner Moor nature reserve, ten observation stations, each accessible to visitors, provide opportunities to observe nature. Information covers rare inland salt springs as well as local habitats and species.

For outdoor swimming, Poggensee outdoor pool is an option during the summer season. Opening hours and operating details can change; check the latest information before your visit. The boules courts in the city center are free to use. Check the condition of the facility before your visit, too.

Routes and railway history

A 27-kilometer route between Bad Oldesloe and Henstedt-Ulzburg follows a former EBOE railway line and highlights both railway history and local flora. Signposting and route conditions can change; check both before setting out.

Oldesloe’s railway history also goes back a long way: the Lübeck–Oldesloe–Hamburg Railway began operating in 1865 and connected Oldesloe to the railway network. This offers a different perspective on railways from today’s route along a former railway line.

In the wider Stormarn destination

The wider Stormarn destination also has a history of castles: Ahrensburg Castle was completed in 1585 and has served continuously as a museum since 1955. This regional connection complements Bad Oldesloe’s local themes without replacing them.

Discover more destinations: Grabau, Witzhave, Hamfelde, Heilshoop, Rausdorf, Lasbek, Bargteheide, Barsbüttel

Back to the regional travel overview: Stormarn.