For the similarly named town in Northern Germany, see here

Lübbecke from the Wiehen Hills. In the foreground is the Old Town and St. Andrew's Church; in the background, the industrial estate and North German Plain

Lübbecke is a picturesque, little town in the northeast of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in north Germany at the foot of the Wiehen Hills (Wiehen or Wiehengebirge), the last ridge before you reach the North German Plain.

Understand

Lübbecke lies in the southwestern part of the district of Minden-Lübbecke and in the western part of the region of Minden Land. Most of the town itself lies on the lowlands of the North German Plain, but its southern quarters stretch up the northern hillside of the ridge known as the Wiehen Hills. Apart from the ridge and the main town, most of the borough is flat and rural in character. Its northern boundary is the Midland Canal (Mittelland Canal), whilst its southern boundary is the crest of the Wiehen Hills. To the northeast of the town is Großes Torfmoor, the largest moor in Westphalia.

The highest hill in Lübbecke's territory is the Heidbrink (320 m) on the Wiehen ridge. However the slightly lower Wurzelbrink to the north is probably better known as it is crowned by a small stone observation tower, the Wartburg, that is the turning point of the annual 14 kilometre race of the same name that starts and ends in Lübbecke.

Get in

By road

From the A 30 motorway, take junction 29, signed B 239, Lübbecke. The town lies on the B 239 about 15 kilometres north of the junction.

By rail

Lübbecke Station lies on the Ravensberg Railway (route no. 386), and has an hourly service (every 2 hours on Sundays) that works the Regionalbahn 71 route from Bielefeld via Herford and Bünde to Rahden.

See

• Gehrmker Hius. a 200-year old timber-framed farmhouse. 
• Renkhausen Manor House (Gut Renkhausen). 
• Barre Brewery Museum. 

Do

• Blasheimer Markt. Annual fair happening on the weekend of the first Friday in September, from Thursday to Sunday. Attracts crowds of more than 300.000 visitors, making it one of the largest fairs in the area. Its trademark feature is a 48m tall Ferris wheel, but it also offers a large amount of other attractions. From the city center of Lübbecke one can reach it most conveniently via bus starting at the central bus station ('ZOB'). Parking spots close to the fair can be scarce and/or expensive, parking in the nearby residential area without a proof of residence may result in a fine or worse. Note that pickpocketing may be an occurrence as it can get very crowded at some parts of the fair. 

Eat

• Cafe Janke, Lange Straße 32 (half way down the high street), ☏ +49 5741 310375. Good location in the pedestrianised high street of Lübbecke. Delicious cakes and good coffee; great place to relax outside in sunny weather and watch the world go by. mid. 

Drink

• Blue Mojo, Am Markt 20, ☏ +49 5741 - 234782, andybautz@t-online.de. Monday through Friday: 6PM till end, Saturday: 8PM till end, Sundays closed. Very nice traditional "Kneipe" (Bar). All the locals go there. Cozy atmosphere. Nice beer garden in the summer. (updated Aug 2017)

Sleep

• Hotel Borchard, Langekamp 26, ☏ +49 5741 319830. With restaurant and skittle/bowling alley (updated Feb 2016)
• The Rose, Wilhelmspl. 1, ☏ +49 5741 2333344. Bed and breakfast (updated Feb 2016)

Go next

• Osnabrück
• Bielefeld
• Wiedensahl