Bad Bentheim: Stairs, Sandstone and Thermal Brine

Bad Bentheim is characterised by an unusual combination of rocky paths, nature and warm water. The historic stairs shape the old town, while sandstone paths and Bentheimer Forest offer opportunities for walks. The Bentheimer Mineral Therme adds thermal brine and swimming in the open air to the picture. This gives you specific themes to consider when planning your holiday: hiking routes of varying lengths, cultural visits and year-round swimming.

The stairs tell the story of paths along the ridge

The historic stairs are a hallmark of Bad Bentheim’s old town. Their origins are closely linked to the settlement that grew along the Bentheim ridge: paths between neighbours and to the nearest well were hewn into the rock. Routes to meadows, fields and gardens at the foot of the hill were also part of this network. The stairs therefore represent not only a distinctive type of path, but also everyday connections that supported life on the hillside. If you are interested in local history and well-established routes, they offer a different way to experience the town than a visit to a museum.

Hiking routes of different lengths

There are several stated distances for walks and hikes, which can help you plan your day. The “Through Bentheim’s Stairs” route is 3.07 kilometres long. The Sandstone Trail consists of two larger sections: the western section is about 18.2 kilometres long, and the eastern section about 17.3 kilometres. The two sections are therefore considerably longer than the route through the stairs. If you choose your outings by distance, you can use these figures as a guide when planning, without treating the routes as equivalent.

North of Bad Bentheim, Bentheimer Forest invites you to enjoy longer walks. It stretches around the spa centre as far as the open-air theatre area. The forest offers a distinct natural attraction alongside the stairs hewn into the rock and sections of the Sandstone Trail. If you enjoy spending time in green surroundings on holiday, you can include Bentheimer Forest among your reasons for staying in Bad Bentheim.

Museums and pottery classes

The Bad Bentheim Sandstone Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, as well as throughout January. These specific opening times can help you fit a museum visit into your day. Another cultural venue is the Otto Pankok Museum in Gildehaus, which presents three to four exhibitions each year.

If you would like to get creative yourself, you can make pottery at the Tonfuchs ceramics workshop with Kathi Bosink. Bosink is a ceramic artist and coach; a range of classes have been offered there since 2018. All classes are suitable for beginners. So, alongside visiting exhibitions and exploring historic paths, you can also choose to work with clay as a holiday activity.

Thermal brine in the open air

The Bentheimer Mineral Therme uses thermal brine from a depth of 1,200 metres. It allows year-round swimming in the open air at a water temperature of 29°C. The depth, brine and temperature give the swimming facilities a distinctive character and make them a separate attraction alongside hiking and culture. When choosing your holiday apartment in Bad Bentheim, you can consider which of these interests you want to shape your stay: walking the trails, local history, exhibitions, pottery or swimming outdoors. These options represent different holiday themes, and they do not all require the same kind of daily itinerary.

More town pages: Wietmarschen, Lage, Wilsum, Neuenhaus, Nordhorn, Schüttorf, Wielen and Uelsen.

For the higher-level travel overview: Grafschaft Bentheim.