A walking tour of Northeim’s Old Town that takes about an hour is a clearly defined introduction to the town. The Tourist Information office recommends this route as a way to get your bearings. When looking for a hotel in Northeim, you can consider whether your stay will focus mainly on historic sites, museum collections, cycling or nature.
Old Town and historic sites
The Reddersen House is Northeim’s oldest half-timbered building and is located in the Old Town. The Old Cemetery offers a different historical perspective: it features funerary monuments and an imposing 18th-century mausoleum. The Catholic Church of St. Mary is also part of Northeim’s cityscape; it dates from 1886. The open tower known as “Tillyloch” is another sight in Northeim.
These sites represent different aspects of the town’s history: half-timbered architecture, historic funerary monuments, a 19th-century church and an open tower. If you would like to include several of them in your stay, keep the approximate duration of the recommended walking tour in mind as a point of reference. It gives an indication of how long the tour takes, not how long a visit to each individual site will take.
Archaeology and railway history at the local history museum
The archaeological section of the Northeim Local History Museum is part of the permanent exhibition and spans the period from the Stone Age through the Middle Ages to modern times. Examples include a mammoth tooth, the Edesheim cult drum, Roman coins and 16th-century tile fragments. This selection brings together different periods in one section, offering a different perspective on Northeim from the buildings and funerary monuments around town.
A large section on railway history explains Northeim’s importance as a transport hub since it was connected to the railway network in 1854. The Local History Museum also displays the Northeim-Höckelheim coin hoard, which contains more than 17,000 medieval silver coins. It is described as the largest surviving coin hoard in northern Germany. Archaeological finds, railway history and the coin hoard offer different focuses within the same museum, ranging from the earliest periods to the development of transport.
Cycle route, sculpture trail and guided tours
The Leine-Heide Cycle Route passes through Northeim and stretches for around 410 kilometres along the River Leine. It starts in the Eichsfeld region, passes through Northeim and the heathland, and ends in Hamburg. Northeim is therefore part of a longer cycling route, while the recommended Old Town walking tour, at about an hour, takes considerably less time. These two figures help distinguish between a walk around the town and Northeim’s place on a long-distance cycling trip.
Visitors who would like to explore Northeim independently can discover the Skulpt(o)urenpfad sculpture trail on their own. Northeim Touristik also offers guided tours of the town, museums and forests. If you would like to include a guided tour in your plans, check the latest dates and booking conditions beforehand. This lets you choose between exploring independently and taking a guided tour, without assuming that both require the same kind of orientation.
Forest and nature nearby
The Northeim Forest Stage is an open-air venue on the eastern edge of town, set in the middle of the forest. Its location and character differ from the historic sites and collections in town. Nature lovers visiting the area around Northeim can also discover the Northeimer Seenplatte Waterbird Reserve. It is a protected habitat for wildlife and plants. The cycle route and natural surroundings thus complement the cultural and historical themes without being equated with them.
Discover more destinations: Moringen, Hardegsen, Nörten-Hardenberg, Katlenburg-Lindau, Uslar, Bodenfelde, Dassel, Bad Gandersheim.
Go to the main travel overview: Northeim.
