Detmold – “City of Culture in the Teutoburg Forest“
Categories: Family and Kids
Detmold is a true gem hidden in the Teutoburg Forest in North Rhine—Westphalia. This relatively small city with a population of around 75,000 inhabitants offers a great variety of attractions for young and old. No matter if you are culturally interested, are into sports and outdoor activities, want to spend a fun holiday with your children or just relax in a picturesque town, Detmold (Detmold vacation rentals | Detmold travel guide) is a fantastic place to be.
If you are a history buff, the Lippische Landesmuseum should be on top of your to—do list. It was founded in 1835 as a natural-history museum and today houses an abundance of objects evolving around the topics prehistory, ethnology, regional history as well as interior architecture in general and furniture design in particular. This museum is just opposite Detmold Castle, which is a true fairy tale castle and can still be visited today. As old charters show, parts of Detmold Castle were already built by 1366. Originally this building was more of a fortress than the beautiful castle you can admire today. All through the Middle Ages the fortress was expanded but only as recently as in the 18th century the former fortress was renovated according to Baroque style and with this turned into a luxurious castle.
The city of Detmold is amidst scenic and highly diverse landscape, which is great for extensive hikes and cycle tours. Furthermore, there is Aqualip, a huge water park with various indoor as well as outdoor pools, whirlpools, a wellness area, several kinds of saunas, and — probably most interesting for kids — and almost 300ft long slide.
At least half a day should be taken aside to visit the LWL—Open—Air—Museum, which is a surreal experience for most people and usually great, wholesome fun for kids. On one square kilometer of cultural landscape you can get an intense impression of what life was like in the country in the past. The rural environment and more than 100 historical buildings trace more than 500 years of Westphalian history. Walking through these grounds and taking part in everyday activities of these relived past times, makes you truly feel like you have stepped into a lost world.
After so much activity, good food is always welcome. From breakfast to dinner, Detmold has great restaurants for every occasion. If you like to start the day slowly and enjoy an extended brunch, go to Hotel Elisabeth (Elisabeth Strasse 5—7). Should you prefer to stay at home to eat, the best pastries can be bought at Bäcker Meffert (Krumme Strasse 2). The tasties lunch is served at Fischhaus Wörmann (Krumme Strasse 50) and if you want to eat flavorful local food in rustic atmosphere, just go to Lange Strasse in the town center. Here you can find the restaurants Weinstube and Strate`s Brauhaus, which are both located in quaint half—timbered houses and known for local beer and cuisine.
Finally, foodies are advised to visit Detmold in August when Lippe Kulinarisch takes place. At this festival various chefs from the region showcase their cooking and baking skills, and of course every visitor is encouraged to taste and enjoy.
People from more than 120 different nations live, work or study in Detmold. Additionally, tourism flourishes and especially Americans, whose ancestors have emigrated to the US in the 19th century, love visiting Detmold to get and idea of their German roots and spend an unforgettable holiday. So, come on over and join the fun!
[ source: stadtdetmold.de ]
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About this Article
This travel guide has been written by Kathrin Wagner.
She grew up in a small town in Bavaria and then studied Media studies, Literature and History in Erlangen and Munich. As a student she already spent half a year in London and moved back there after graduation in 2006. She is still living in London, where she works in publishing.
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