Activities in and Around Paderborn

Outdoor Activities, Hiking Trails

Steinhorster Basin

The approx. 5 km long hiking trail around the Steinhorster basin leads directly along the mosaic of water surfaces, islands and wet grassland. The largest man-made biotope in North Rhine-Westphalia is home to rare waders and water birds.

Outdoor Activities, Hiking Trails

Experience Barefoot Path

The barefoot adventure trail, which is around 1 km long, extends around the paddle pond. The starting point is the Aatal House. A refreshing stream, warming bark mulch, fine and coarse pebbles, muddy clay or just lawn vitalize the feet and strengthen the muscles. A wooden boardwalk over 34 m long through the middle of the swampy landscape offers a beautiful view of the expansive Aatal.

Outdoor Activities, Hiking Trails

Old Pilgrim Path

The 20 km long “Old Pilgrim Path” follows in the footsteps of the pilgrims who made a pilgrimage to the Hilligen Seele via the “Via Regia”, an army and trade route that has existed since the Middle Ages. At ten "thought points" along the way, you can read quotes and texts thought-provoking and reflection during the hike.

In addition to the main route, there is a shortcut variant (15 km) as well as a north loop (11 km) and a south loop (14 km). All four options are marked with the signs of the old pilgrimage route.

Indoor Activities

QUEXIT - the live escape game

QUEXIT since 2014 is the original Live Escape or Escape Room mystery event, for private individuals, companies, bachelorette parties, schools or simply as leisure fun for the whole family from the young to the old. Over 100,000 visitors a year unravel mysteries in rooms, on tours, in the QUEXIT bar or in individual locations.

Indoor Activities, Swimming Pools & Lakes

Thermal bath Westfalen-Therme

The Westfalen-Therme is a wellness oasis with a thermal bath, a huge sauna area, swimming pool and adventure pool for young and old over an area of 18,000 sqm.

Indoor Activities, Swimming Pools & Lakes

Thermal Bath Driburg Therme

The Driburg Therme is a modern thermal bathing area with a large sauna area and state-approved medicinal water. The beneficial warmth and mineral composition of the water from the thermal mineral spring increases well-being and strengthens the natural defenses.

Indoor Activities, Amusement Parks

Pader-Bini-Land

The children's play paradise on over 3000m² with a large ninja course, climbing wall, climbing labyrinth, climbing volcano, many slides, soccer field, XL simulator and soft play area for toddlers.

Indoor Activities

Activity Park - Trampoline Park

3000m² jump and fun for young and old! There are 22 jumping and climbing worlds, with ninja or extreme courses you have to face a special sporting challenge. Courage, strength and body control are required there!

Indoor Activities

3D Black Light Mini Golf

On approx. 500m² you can really experience something in Höxter's 3D black light mini golf course, totally independent of the weather. There are 6 different worlds, some of which provide projections for an incredible gaming experience. The entire complex is designed from floor to wall in brightly colored pictures. Young and old can swing their golf clubs on 18 cool lanes. Without 3D glasses it's an experience, with 3D glasses it's crazy!

Outdoor Activities, Hiking Trails

Garden Show Bad Lippspringe

The Bad Lippspringe Garden Show, which emerged from the 2017 State Garden Show, presents a unique park landscape in the Kaiser-Karls-Park and the adjacent forest park. Imposing seas of blossom with alternating plantings in spring, summer and autumn, numerous play areas and the romantic Mersmann ponds make the experience in Bad Lippspringe perfect.

Outdoor Activities, Hiking Trails

Externsteine

The Externsteine are an impressive sandstone rock formation in the Teutoburg Forest. Their striking rock formation, which towers around 40 meters, is one of the most famous natural and cultural monuments in Germany.

Outdoor Activities, Hiking Trails

Monument Hermannsdenkmal

The monument Hermannsdenkmal is a colossal statue in the southern Teutoburg Forest. With a figure height of 26.57 meters and a total height of 53.46 meters, it is the tallest statue in Germany. In addition, the fantastic 360 degree view over Lippe is impressive.

Outdoor Activities, Hiking Trails

Pader Waterhead

In the middle of the city center is the Pader waterhead with its beautiful green spaces. It is an extremely popular place to relax after a nice city tour. With an impressive amount of water, the Pader springs are one of the strongest springs in Germany and yet the Pader is the shortest river in Germany with a length of 4 km.

Outdoor Activities, Hiking Trails

Schloß Neuhaus

Schloß Neuhaus, the former residence of the Paderborn prince-bishops, is considered the most important early work of the Weser Renaissance. The 42-hectare "Schloß und Auenpark", a popular excursion destination, adjoins the baroque garden.

Indoor Activities, Museums

UNESCO World Heritage Site Corvey Castle

The 1,200-year-old former Benedictine monastery Corvey has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014. Here is the oldest and only almost completely preserved Carolingian westwork in the world, as well as unique archaeological relics from the Carolingian era.

Indoor Activities

Cathedral

The 93 m high tower of Paderborn Cathedral St. Maria, St. Liborius and St. Kilian can be seen from afar and shapes the cityscape. Today's cathedral essentially dates from the 13th century. In the cloister (seen from the chapter cemetery) is the famous bunny window from the 16th century ("the bunny and the spoon three and yet every bunny has two").

Outdoor Activities, Indoor Activities

Benteler Arena

The Benteler-Arena is a football stadium and has a capacity of 15,000 viewers. It has been the home ground of the SC Paderborn 07 football club since 2008.

Outdoor Activities

PaderKletterPark

On 6 differently difficult courses between 3 and 12 meters in height. Whether high in the treetops or floating over the water of the fish ponds - fun is guaranteed! Also for children from a minimum height of 1 meter.

Outdoor Activities, Swimming Pools & Lakes

Water Ski Paderborn

The Paderborn water ski facility offers a wide range of options for all water ski and wakeboard enthusiasts. You can put your skills to the test on various jumping elements. Those who prefer to just watch can relax at the swimming lake. Two beach volleyball fields are also available for use.

Outdoor Activities

Golfplatz Haxterpark

The Haxterpark golf course with its atypical wavy dune topography and different wind influences is a playing experience for every golfer.

Indoor Activities, Museums

Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum

The Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum, the world's largest computer museum, looks back on 5,000 years of information technology history: from the beginning of writing, via the first calculating machines and typewriters, to the development of computer technology, and the latest technologies. Special exhibitions and series of lectures complement the main exhibition.

Outdoor Activities, Zoos, Amusement Parks

Safariland Stukenbrock

Safariland Stukenbrock is a wildlife zoo with 600 animals, over 30 fun rides in the theme park and the indoor play park “Kattas Welt”.

Outdoor Activities, Zoos, Amusement Parks

Bird park Heiligenkirchen

The Bird Park Heiligenkirchen, at the foot of the Hermannsdenkmal, offers a well-tended park and over 1000 birds and mammals of 300 species from all over the world in large aviaries and open-air enclosures. From the largest bird, the cassowary, to the smallest chicken in the world with chicks the size of a bumblebee, everything is represented. You can see pelicans, storks, cranes, peacocks and rare hornbills, but also monkeys, prairie dogs, kangaroos and the elephant's little brother.

Outdoor Activities, Museums

LWL Open-Air museum Detmold

In the LWL open-air museum in Detmold you can experience 500 years of everyday Westphalian culture on a spacious area with beautiful nature and historical buildings. Old plant species and varieties grow in the gardens, old and in some cases endangered breeds of domestic animals live on the pastures, such as the Senner horses.

Outdoor Activities, Museums

World of Warstein

The Warsteiner Welt is the visitor center of the Warsteiner Brewery in the forest park. The brand exhibition with over 200 exhibits brings brewery history to life. The visitor tram takes you across the company premises, past the brewhouse, the fermentation tanks and the bottling plants. After the brewery tour, there is a tasting, there are free drinks from the Warsteiner portfolio.

Outdoor Activities, Museums

German Tractor and Model Car Museum

The German Tractor and Model Car Museum shows over 100 tractors from major German manufacturers such as Lanz, Hanomag, Deutz, MAN, Porsche, Eicher and Schlüter. There are also more than 10,000 model cars, an originally furnished forge and a reconstructed Shell gas station from the 1920s.

Indoor Activities, Museums

The Archiepiscopal Diocesan Museum

The Archiepiscopal Diocesan Museum is directly adjacent to the cathedral. It presents sacral art works from between the 10th and the 20th century, including the Romanesque Imad Madonna and the Baroque Libori festive altar. The gilded St. Liborius shrine is kept in the treasury of the Museum.

Indoor Activities, Museums

Chocolate Museum Peters SchokoWelt

The chocolate museum offers an insight into the world of chocolate over four floors. In the fragrance laboratory, the sense of smell can be tested, in the glass factory the masters of the confectionery can be looked over the shoulders. Of course you can try chocolate before the tour ends in the coffee bar or in the praline shop (industrial selling).

Indoor Activities, Museums

LWL-Museum in der Kaiserpfalz

On the northern side of the cathedral, you will find the Museum in der Kaiserpfalz. In the reconstructed palace site, many excavation findings, e.g. remains of mural art, splendid glasses and jugs from Charlemagne's Carolingian palace are exhibited. Findings of current excavations are shown as well, and provide information on Paderborn's history.