Nieuweschans: Thermal Baths and Local History

Nieuweschans combines a strong focus on thermal baths with a layered local history. When planning your trip, you can first decide whether a visit to the baths is the main draw or whether you would prefer to focus more on historic sites, memorials, and culture. Houwingaham Forest adds hiking and cycling trails, as well as a work of art amid nature. Nieuweschans therefore brings together different reasons to visit, each with its own focus.

Thermal Baths and Swimming

A reservation is required in advance to visit the baths at Thermen Bad Nieuweschans. The thermal baths have mineral baths with indoor and outdoor pools. Thermal water was discovered at a depth of 633 meters beneath Nieuweschans. This means there are two distinct aspects to the focus on thermal baths: visiting the baths and discovering the thermal water. If swimming is your main reason for visiting, make sure to factor the reservation into your plans.

Historic Traces on Voorstraat

The historic past of Bad Nieuweschans is still clearly visible, including on Voorstraat. The street is designated as a protected village scene. Hoofdwacht is located at Voorstraat 30; in the past, the guard was ceremonially changed there every day.

Memorials and Jewish History

The war memorial stands in the green space on Voorstraat. It commemorates fellow townspeople who lost their lives as a result of the war during the years of occupation. The memorial is a limestone sculpture of a kneeling, grieving female figure standing on a plinth.

Jewish history is also reflected in two dates: from 1630, Jews from Germany settled in the border town of Nieuweschans; in 1811, Jewish residents received a synagogue. Alongside the streetscape and the former changing of the guard, this adds a perspective on Jewish community life.

Guided Tours and Concerts

By arrangement, Vestingmuseum Bad Nieuweschans offers guided tours of the fortress. If you would like to include a tour in your plans, make arrangements in advance; arrangements may change. Concerts are held regularly at Hervormde kerk Bad Nieuweschans. If you would like to plan a concert visit, check the dates beforehand, as concert schedules may change. The two offerings differ in how they need to be planned: a tour requires an arrangement, while for a concert the specific date is what matters.

Walking Trails and Art in Houwingaham Forest

In nearby Houwingaham Forest, you can hike and cycle along trails above the site of a sunken village. The forest is also home to De Waterval, a work of art by Wim Boetze and Jan Waal. Set amid nature, it is an appealing destination for hikers. The trails offer hiking and cycling above the site of the village, while De Waterval adds an artistic destination for hikers to the natural surroundings. The historic lifting bridge over the Westerwoldse Aa is located near Bad Nieuweschans.

Discover more destinations: Nieuw Scheemda, Midwolda, Scheemda, Drieborg, Oostwold Gem Oldambt, Blauwestad, Reiderland, Westerlee

For the wider travel overview: Oldambt.