An aerial view of the city of Münster- including the Altstadt and the city's church. This is the most cycling friendly city in the whole of Germany and is known not only for its beautiful architecture but also the green spaces and the number of bikes in the city.

Münster- the city in Germany with more bikes than people

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Did you know that there is a city in Germany with more bikes than people? In the city of Münster each person owns the equivalent of more than two bikes- who would have guessed it?

What’s more, the city is built up for cycling, with cycling and public transport being more popular than driving. Münster is one of the greenest cities in North-Rhein Westphalia and a great place to live for students, but also a great tourist destination. The city is full of history and you shouldn’t miss out on the following places when visiting:

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The best places to visit in Münster and Münsterland

It’s not only worth exploring the city itself, but also the surrounding region Münsterland. Here are some of my best recommendations.

Sankt Lamberti

The Sankt Lamberti stands proud and towers over the Alstadt. The church is the tallest building in the city and known in autumn and christmas for the illuminated ladder, which is fixated on the side of one of the spires of the church.

Only 10 minutes walk away from the Hauptbahnhof you’ll arrive at Münster’s most picturesque street.

The Sankt Lamberti is the huge church you will see, positioned in the centre of the main street. At Christmas time the church is lit up with an illuminated step ladder at the top.

Schloss Münster

The Schloss is one of the most iconic buildings in Münster.

Behind it the castle, you will find a free of charge Botanical Garden to explore, Explore the botanical gardens, including the glasshouses, or join a tour of the castle grounds in combination with the gardens.

Opening times:

  • Winter: 09:00-16:00, daily
  • Summer: 08:00-19:00, daily
An aerial view of Schloss Münster, an 18th century Baroque castle at the Schlossplatz in Münster. Behind the Schloss you will find a botanical garden with free entry and multiple glass houses.

Aasee

The Aasee is a lake which is the perfect destination to go for a walk or relax. There are opportunities for renting sailing and pedal boats . A bar is situated next to the water which comes to life in the evenings, and I absolutely love the way the lights and the buildings reflect into the water at night.

Freilichtmuseum Münster

The Freilichtmuseum is located next to the beautiful Aasee in Münster, where you can go sailing  or enjoy a drink or walk by the water. It makes the perfect day out and you can easily spend a few hours exploring the open air museum.

At the open-air museum, you can discover a range of buildings from between the 17th-20th century. You can explore the buildings from both the inside and outside, including an old school building from the 19th century and the famous windmill from 1748. There is also a building dating back to 1619, which is the OLDEST structure of the entire open-air museum.

Entry prices:

Adult: 6€

Reduced (student etc) : 4€

Arrival: from Münster Hbf – Bus 14 Direct to the museum

The Aasee is a beautiful lake, where you can rent sailing boats and walk down the riverside. It's located directly next to the Freilichtmuseum.
The Freilichtmuseum is especially known for the windmill, which dates back hundreds of years. Explore the open air museum and all of the old buildings whilst enjoying amazing views onto the Aasee.

Eiscafe Firenze

This is one of the most popular ice cafes in the city and the ice cream is very fairly priced. I enjoyed a scoop of watermelon sorbet and soy vanilla. Definitely a recommendation from me!

Münster- SEND

Münstersend takes place 3 times a year- spring, summer and autumn. The festival is located directly in front of the Schlossplatz. Enjoy a selection of different food stalls and attractions including a Wildwasserbahn (perfect for the hot weather), a ferris wheel and a ghost train. This event is a must-see if it’s taking place during your visit to the city.

The airwolf attraction is one of the wildest attractions on the Münster SEND on the Schlossplatz. Two arms, coloured in grey, yellow and red, flip upside down as the entire arm turns in a 360 degree motion. The SEND takes place in spring, summer and autumn and is one of the largest funfairs in North-Rhein Westphalia

Sommerrodelbahn Ibbenbüren

Located in the Märchenwald in Ibbenbüren, Germany’s oldest toboggan run has been entertaining thrill-seekers and families since 1926- this makes the toboggan run almost 100 years old in total. Until the end of 2023, the price was 0,50€ and since April 2024 the price was raised to €1,00 a ride.

At the Märchenwald you will also find other attractions such as an around the world  themed attraction and a train ride … the entry to the park itself is completely FREE 

Arrival to Märchenwald, Ibbenbüren: S50 (direct bus from Münster) to Sommerrodelbahn – connections to Düsseldorf / Köln and other cities

Lüdinghausen – a day-trip idea in North-Rhein Westphalia

In this secret medieval town in Münsterland, you can discover the following two castles:

Burg Vischering

A moated castle, which you can both explore the inside and the outside of. Enjoy fresh bread from the castle’s local bakery  and explore the inner rooms including projection mapping display of the castle, which has roots dating back to the 13th century .

Vischering castle dates back to the 13th century and is surrounded by a moat. The stone walls of the castle are lined with red and white shutters, and the red brick roof stands out in the surrounding backdrop of autumn leaves.

Burg Lüdinghausen

The renaissance castle is a landmark of the town Lüdinghausen and was built in the 12th century as a knights occupancy. A fire in the 16th century led to a rebuild in the 16th century in renaissance style. The castle is only open on weekends for guided tours, with free entry.

ARRIVAL: RB51 from Dortmund to Lüdinghausen. – links in Dortmund to the rest of North-Rhein Westphalia.

Burg Lüdinghausen is one of three moated castles in the town of Lüdinghausen - the red brick roof stands out prominently in the surrounding landscape. You can visit the inside of the moated castle on weekends, with free guided tours taking place. It has stone walls and a red brick roof.

Are you looking for more castles to visit in Germany? I’ve prepared a post with 8 secret castles for you to discover here.

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