Photo by Bernhard Kils · license: CC BY-SA 3.0
North Rhine-Westphalia · Germany
Münster.
Castles
Münster is the cultural capital of Westphalia, a city with a magnificently rebuilt medieval core, an extraordinary concentration of churches and one of the highest rates of bicycle use of any city in Europe. The city's Prinzipalmarkt, a Gothic arcade of merchant houses surrounding the City Hall where the 1648 Peace of Westphalia was signed, is one of Germany's finest urban spaces. At the edge of the city, Hotel Schloss Wilkinghege occupies a historic moated castle in a landscape park, offering a peaceful base close to the centre. Münster is also the gateway to the Münsterland, a landscape of wide skies, windmills and an extraordinary concentration of moated castles — over 100 in total. The Mühlenhof open-air museum and the LWL Museum of Natural History add further depth.
What you'll do here
Things to do.
- 01Stay at Hotel Schloss Wilkinghege, a moated baroque castle hotel set in a park on the edge of Münster
- 02Walk the Prinzipalmarkt arcade and visit the City Hall where the 1648 Peace of Westphalia was signed
- 03Cycle the Münsterland castle routes — a network of signed routes linking over 100 moated castles in the surrounding landscape
- 04Visit the St. Paulus Cathedral and its famous astronomical clock, which performs daily at noon
- 05Explore the Mühlenhof Open-Air Museum, a heritage site recreating Westphalian rural life from past centuries
- 06Visit Burg Lüdinghausen and Burg Hülshoff, two of the finest moated castles in the Münsterland, a short cycle from the city
Within a short drive
Nearby attractions.
Burg Hülshoffthe birthplace of poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, a romantic moated castle 15 km west of Münster
Burg Vischeringone of the best-preserved medieval moated castles in Westphalia in Lüdinghausen, 25 km south
Wasserburg Anholta privately owned baroque castle with magnificent art collections in Isselburg, 60 km west
Osnabrücka city co-host of the Peace of Westphalia with a beautiful old town, 55 km north
Xantena Roman archaeological park with a reconstructed amphitheatre and Gothic cathedral town, 90 km southwest
A year in Münster
Monthly weather.
Best weatherLeast crowded
january4°/0°
Least crowded65mm
Cool and damp but the city is lively year-round.
february5°/0°
Least crowded55mm
Still cool. Good for museums and cathedral visits.
march9°/2°
60mm
Early spring. The cycling season begins.
april13°/5°
65mm
Fresh and green. The Münsterland castle routes are opening up.
may17°/8°
Best weather70mm
Excellent. Warm and ideal for cycling.
june20°/11°
Best weather75mm
One of the best months. Warm with long evenings.
july23°/13°
80mm
Warmest and most lively.
august22°/13°
80mm
Good despite some rain. The city is buzzing.
september18°/10°
Best weather70mm
Ideal. Mild, clear and excellent for cycling.
october13°/6°
65mm
Autumn colour. Good for castle visits.
november7°/2°
Least crowded70mm
Damp but the city's culture is thriving.
december4°/0°
65mm
Cool with a fine Christmas market on the Prinzipalmarkt.
Averages from the last decade · source: local weather records
Common questions
Asked & answered.
- In Münster, visitors can enjoy Stay at Hotel Schloss Wilkinghege, a moated baroque castle hotel set in a park on the edge of Münster, Walk the Prinzipalmarkt arcade and visit the City Hall where the 1648 Peace of Westphalia was signed, Cycle the Münsterland castle routes — a network of signed routes linking over 100 moated castles in the surrounding landscape and Visit the St. Paulus Cathedral and its famous astronomical clock, which performs daily at noon. Located in North Rhine-Westphalia, this destination is ideal for slow travellers seeking authentic, unhurried experiences.
- The best months to visit Münster include: May — Excellent. Warm and ideal for cycling.. July — Warmest and most lively.. June — One of the best months. Warm with long evenings.. Overall, spring is considered the best season.
- Münster offers castle stays and historic accommodations. Located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, it's ideal for travellers who prefer authentic, unhurried experiences over typical tourist itineraries.
- Near Münster, you can explore Burg Hülshoff — the birthplace of poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, a romantic moated castle 15 km west of Münster, Burg Vischering — one of the best-preserved medieval moated castles in Westphalia in Lüdinghausen, 25 km south, Wasserburg Anholt — a privately owned baroque castle with magnificent art collections in Isselburg, 60 km west and Osnabrück — a city co-host of the Peace of Westphalia with a beautiful old town, 55 km north. These nearby destinations complement a slow travel itinerary through North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.