Rheine: Nature, Wildlife and Saltworks History

Rheine combines striking natural scenery with fascinating insights into technological and urban history. At the NaturZoo, you can encounter Barbary macaques living almost freely; at Waldhügel, rare plants grow alongside steep slopes and sweeping views. Other highlights include the renovated buildings of Gottesgabe Saltworks and the former Bentlage Monastery. The aspects that interest you most can give your trip to Rheine its own distinctive focus.

Nature among dunes, woodland and scenic viewpoints

South of Rheine, near Elte, lie the dune landscapes of Elter Sand and Wildes Weddenfeld. Until the 20th century, the dunes were still shifting; today, the area is covered with mixed pine forest. Open areas of nutrient-poor grassland and juniper heath are now rare. The landscape is well suited to hiking and walking. If you would like to include such trails in your stay, you will find a different natural setting here than at Waldhügel.

The Waldhügel nature reserve is a diverse mosaic. Its relatively natural, little-disturbed areas include woodruff and orchid beech forests. There are also limestone sites reclaimed by nature, as well as a former quarry lake. Rare flowers and plants, steep slopes, blue lakes and wide views across the Münsterland park landscape define the area. When planning your outings, you can choose whether you would rather experience the dunes near Elte or the varied habitats and views at Waldhügel.

Saltworks history and culture in Bentlage

Gottesgabe Saltworks is a distinctive site of technological history, with buildings that have survived to this day and been renovated. The complex is unique across the wider region and is among Westphalia’s oldest technical monuments from the pre-industrial era. Its historic character is evident in the surviving buildings, not just in stories about the past. If you are interested in historic monuments of this kind, you can add this focus to your trip to Rheine alongside experiences in nature.

The Falkenhof Museum is housed in a former aristocratic residence and brings together several themes under one roof: the history of Rheine, the history of the house and an extensive art collection. As a modern museum, it offers insights into the city’s development, the building’s past and art. The saltworks and the Falkenhof offer different perspectives: one is a pre-industrial technical monument, while the other is a museum of local, architectural and art history.

The former Kreuzherren monastery of Bentlage lies amid a protected landscape on the Ems. The cultural trail at the monastery explains its history, architecture and transformation over the centuries. The Bentlage recreation area also offers three routes on the themes of “Salt, Nature and Monastery.” These themes provide different ways to explore the surrounding area and its history, without requiring you to settle on just one focus.

Wildlife encounters and travel ideas to suit your interests

Rheine NaturZoo is home to Germany’s first monkey forest. There, visitors can encounter Barbary macaques living almost freely. Another way to experience nature is on the forest discovery trail at the NaturZoo, where you can examine animal tracks on the forest floor and identify different tree species. Wildlife watching and learning about tracks and trees are distinct experiences, each of which can be a reason to plan an outing.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Rheine, you can start by considering which experiences you want to shape your stay: observing nature, walking in the dune landscapes, visiting a museum, or exploring the history of the saltworks and monastery. These places appeal to different interests and can help you refine your travel plans. That way, your choice of accommodation reflects what you want to discover in Rheine, rather than a generic idea of the destination.

Other places to help you plan: Ladbergen, Westerkappeln, Neuenkirchen, Greven, Hopsten, Recke, Laer and Emsdetten.

For the overview of the wider area: Steinfurt.