Bad Bentheim
Bad Bentheim is a town in the state of Lower Saxony. It is a picturesque medieval town that sits in a hill close to the border with the Netherlands, and a popular regional destination due to its imposing castle and its sulphur springs (“Bad” means “Bath”).
Understand
The local sandstone is known as Bentheimer Gold. This stone was shipped throughout Europe between the 15th and 18th centuries. For example, the Royal Palace in Amsterdam and the theatre and the Church of Our Lady in Antwerp are made of Bentheimer Gold sandstone. It is claimed that the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty is made from Bentheim sandstone, though it is a disputed claim, other German towns also making the same claim.
Get in
By train
The rail station is on the IC line between Amsterdam and Szczecin with connections to Osnabrück, Hanover and Berlin.
Region rail connection from Bentheim, Rheine, Osnabrück, Herford and Bielefeld.
By car
The town is on the B403 with exits off the A 30 (Bad Oeynhausen – Osnabrück – Hengelo) and A 31 (Emden – Oberhausen). The A30 connects just passed the town to the Netherlands A1, forming part of the E30, which connects Amsterdam, Bad Bentheim, Osnabrück, Hannover, Magdeburg, Berlin, Warsaw, Minsk and Moscow.
Get around
The town is small enough to see on foot. Parts are quite hilly and have cobbled streets making cycling a “challenge”.
See
- 1 St. Johannes Baptist. A Gothic styled church built from 1670 to 1676 in Bentheim sandstone. The three altars are made of oak. A canvas on the main altar depicts the resurrection of Christ.
- 2 Burg Bentheim (Bentheim Castle). The main building was built in the 19th century. The castle chapel and the rose garden are open to the public
- 3 Sandsteinmuseum, Funkenstiege 5 (Schloßpark).
Do
- 1 Bentheimer Mineral-Therme, Am Bade 1, ☏ +49 5922 743800. with a large outdoor pool. Temperature reaches 29 °C
Hiking
- The scenic area around the town is good for hiking. There are 170 kilometers of marked hiking trails.
- The E11 hiking trail crosses Bad Bentheim. The section from Bad Bentheim to Osnabrück is called Töddenweg (Peddlers Way).
Buy
Eat
- 1 Löwen-Grill, Schloßstr. 11, ☏ +49 5922 5364. Schnellimbiss
- 2 Restaurant Keilings, Wilhelmstraße 9a, ☏ +49 5922 776633.
- 3 Steakhaus bei Mirko, Nordring 14, ☏ +49 5922 994429.
- 4 Der Grieche, Schlossstr. 1, ☏ +49 5922 4271.
Drink
Sleep
- 1 Jugendherberge Bad Bentheim, Am Wasserturm 34, ☏ +49 5922 2480.
- 2 Landhotel Waldseiter Hof, An der Waldseite 7, ☏ +49 59 24 78 550.
Camping
- 3 Camping Quendorfer See, Weiße Riete 3, 48465 Schüttorf (3½ miles ENE of Bad Bentheim), ☏ +49 5923 902939, info@camping-schuettorf.de. Office open 08:00-12:30 & 15:00-22:00. No Wi-Fi. Showers incl. in cost. Pay €10 deposit on entry keycard, which is refunded when you leave and paynthe bill (if leaving before office opens, return card & pay bill night before and don’t leave the site as you wont get back in without the card). 1 person/tent/night/bicycle, no electricity €11.