It was love at first sight, or rather, love at first sight: when Hannah and Silke set off on a sunny autumn day through Bielefeld, everything was just right: the sun was shining and spreading warmth once again, the people in the streets were in a relaxed and friendly mood and the city itself, with its mixture of urban contemplation and being right next to the Teutoburg Forest, was quite something. This combination of city life and nature experience won our hearts in no time. The ideal place for urban hiking. And so we set off and let ourselves drift - into the old town and up to Sparrenburg Castle, onto a vineyard, into a café right by a stream and into the heart of the city centre. A day full of discoveries and warmth. Liebefeld? We feel it!
The Sparrenburg castle in view
Next stop: Bielefeld. The autumn sun shines down from the sky and into the small, almost cosy-looking station. It seems as if the city in the Teutoburg Forest wants to show its best side - that's fine with us and we set off.
We pass the Kesselbrink skate park, "one of the largest inner-city skate parks in Europe", we are told, and continue through Ravensberger Park, which surrounds a former spinning mill. This is no longer a place for manual labour, but for learning, relaxing and partying. The historic buildings house event rooms, an adult education centre and the city's historical museum.
We have already noticed that Bielefeld is full of street art. Again and again we discover small and large works of art on the facades of buildings.
A few streets further on, there is a quiet murmur. In the Dürrkop district, the Lutter, a stream that has long been diverted underground, is now enjoying daylight and a new dose of attention. We stroll along Ravensberger Straße, jumping from bank to bank and briefly consider dipping our feet in - but it's too fresh for us. Instead, we discover a café that has taken the name of the stream and stop for a bite to eat. At Café Lutter we have a second breakfast with a view of the water - wonderful, such a beautiful place.
And even if we could sit here for hours, we still have a lot to do: the old town, Sparrenburg Castle, Johannisberg ... the city's classics are still waiting for us.
Great classic
The next detour takes us to the market square. Sun and clouds alternate. A beautiful light surrounds the restored patrician houses and the fountain on the Old Market Square. Cafés and restaurants make it a lively place from morning to night. Once a year, in September, the Bielefeld Wine Festival takes place here. Then the square at the Alter Markt is transformed into a cosy wine village. Although wine does not grow on the hill around Sparrenburg Castle, we are still drawn to the hill.
Panoramic views, roses and wine
After a short climb past a massive and extremely impressive castle wall, we find ourselves in the castle courtyard with the best view of the town. But there's more, we want to go even higher and climb the castle tower. We are all alone up here and enjoy the panoramic view: Can you see the Hermann monument back there...? Could be. In any case, it's very green around the town, which is clear to see.
And there we can already recognise our next stopover, the Winzer'sche Garten am Johannisberg. A vineyard in the city, that's where we want to go. So we walk back down the castle tower, through the park, over the Johannisbrücke bridge ... Wait a minute! With a view of the Dr Oetker world, a sweetish odour suddenly hits our nostrils. Is this vanilla imagination or reality?
Arriving at Johannisberg, we stroll through roses and vineyards, this time with a view of Sparrenburg Castle opposite. Incidentally, the Winzer'sche Garten is named after the Villa Winzer, which the textile entrepreneur Carl W. Winzer had built in 1869 on a plot of land below the Johannisberg with a view of Bielefeld city centre.
Finish on the "Siggi"
Bielefeld's Botanical Gardens are located on the southern slope of the Teutoburg Forest. We really want to see it too, so we walk back down the hill, past St John's Cemetery and towards the Teutoburg Forest.
The centrepiece of the botanical garden is a typical Westphalian half-timbered house dating back to 1823 - a beautiful eye-catcher and photo opportunity. We take a break on a bench next to the half-timbered house - the location of the garden, right next to the forest, is fantastic. On the one hand, we would like to hike deeper into the Teutoburg Forest, towards the Olderdissen Wildlife Park, which is very close by.
On the other hand, our feet are getting tired and we want to get back to the city. Perhaps we could treat ourselves to a cool drink there? It's a tempting idea, so we set off on a long walk to Siegfriedplatz, also known simply as "Siggi". We get drinks at a former tram, the "Tram". The square slowly fills up and everyone enjoys the last rays of sunshine of the day. We look back on the day and have to admit that we are completely in love - with the friendly, nature-loving Bielefeld.
Hiking hacks for Bielefeld
Our tips for your experience
- Discover graffiti... Take a look in the side streets or around the corner - graffiti and street art can be found on every corner in Bielefeld. If you like, you can choose one of four street art routes and explore the art by bike or on foot.
- Wear hiking boots... Depending on the route, you can quickly find yourself in the middle of the (Teutoburg) Forest in Bielefeld. Our recommendation: simply set off in hiking boots.
- See the little things... Have you spotted the amorous traffic light men? In Bielefeld you will often find lovely little things. Keep an eye out!
