Nordhorn combines textile and urban history with trips on the Vechte, cycling routes, and a nature trail in the zoo. When planning your visit, it is worth noting the different scales involved: the “Vechte-Ranger” discovery trip lasts about two hours, while designated cycling routes cover 30.27 and 54.40 kilometres. There are also activities with their own timing, such as the summer guided tours at the Alte Kirche am Markt. You can then decide whether to focus on a museum visit, a boat trip, or time on the trails.
Museums, Textile History, and City Views
The Industrial Museum in the NINO Hochbau building explores Nordhorn’s textile and fashion history. The permanent exhibition covers more than 1,200 square metres and features a rotating selection from the museum collection. This includes more than 100,000 photographs, fashion magazines, original garments made from NINO, Povel, and Rawe fabrics, hundreds of sample books and fabric swatches, as well as collection catalogues and promotional materials from the history of these companies.
At the “Dressing Room,” visitors can try on historical clothing. The Town Museum in the Povelturm focuses on a different subject: the city’s history, particularly Nordhorn’s development as a border town in northwestern Germany. From the top gallery, visitors can enjoy views over Nordhorn. The Povelturm brings together the town’s history and its cityscape in one place.
The Alte Kirche am Markt also offers a historical highlight: it was built in the 15th century in the Late Gothic style. Guided tours that include a climb up the tower are offered during the summer months. A weekly market featuring regional specialties takes place directly in front of the church on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Two different timing considerations are important when planning your visit: the church tours are seasonal, while the market takes place on set days of the week.
Nordhorn from the Water
Boat trips vary in route and duration. The approximately two-hour “Vechte-Ranger” discovery trip goes around Nordhorn’s city centre and the Vechtesee. On board, participants use binoculars and nets to explore the animal and plant life in and around the water. The Vechte City Cruise goes around the city-centre island, past the Alte Kirche am Markt, and continues through Nordhorn’s waterways.
The “Nordhorn on Foot and by Water” tour combines a walk through the city centre with a trip on a Vechte boat. It includes both a route through the city and a boat trip. A longer route along the Vechte, “Kunstwegen” covers more than 180 kilometres from Ohne via Nordhorn to Zwolle in the Netherlands.
Cycling Routes of Different Lengths
If you would like to explore Nordhorn by bike, you can choose from routes with clearly different lengths. The 54.40-kilometre “Along Towpaths and Church Paths between the Vechte and Ems” cycling route starts and ends at the VVV tower in Nordhorn. The easy, 30.27-kilometre “Border Adventure for Families” family cycling route starts and ends at VVV Nordhorn and passes the historic lock on the Vechtesee and Klukkerthafen harbour. The routes therefore differ both in length and in their stated difficulty level and listed points along the way.
VVV guided cycling tours pass through the city and by significant historic buildings. In addition to the named routes, they offer a guided way to discover Nordhorn’s historic buildings by bike.
Nature Trail and Vechtehof
At Nordhorn Zoo, the Vechteaue Nature Trail leads along boardwalks through a floodplain forest biotope beside an old branch of the Vechte and on to the historic Vechtehof. Educational games and information boards teach children and young people about animals and nature. The Vechtehof also has a petting zoo with piglets of the Bunte Bentheimer breed.
At the “De Malle Jan” inn at the Vechtehof, visitors can enjoy homemade cakes and tarts. The nature trail, petting zoo, and refreshments are three different aspects of the Vechtehof: the path through the biotope, the animals, and the inn’s offerings.
Discover more destinations: Uelsen, Bad Bentheim, Emlichheim, Neuenhaus, SchĂĽttorf, Wielen, Wietmarschen, Getelo.
View the main travel overview: Grafschaft Bentheim.
