Münster travel guide
Prinzipalmarkt arcades, the Anabaptist cages and Germany's bicycle capital
Münster is the Westphalian university city where the Peace of Westphalia was signed in 1648, with a rebuilt gabled Prinzipalmarkt, a great cathedral and more bikes than residents. Cycling the Promenade and the Münsterland castles is best in the warmer months, May to September. Two or three days is right. Prices are high, and many passports need no visa.
Münster, the old capital of Westphalia, sits on the flat Münsterland plain in the north of North Rhine-Westphalia, an hour from the Dutch border. It began in 794 as a monastery founded by the missionary Liudger, which gave the city its name, and later grew rich in the Hanseatic League. Its best-known moment came in 1648, when envoys signed the treaty that helped end the Thirty Years' War in the town hall's panelled Friedenssaal.
Today it is a university town before anything else. Tens of thousands of students live here, and bicycles outnumber residents. The locals call a bike a Leeze, and the tree-lined Promenade on the line of the old walls is effectively a cycle ring road. Visitors come for the gabled arcades of the Prinzipalmarkt and the cathedral's astronomical clock. There is also a Picasso museum, and a lake on the edge of the centre. Two days is enough, and a third lets you cycle out to the moated castles of the Münsterland.
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The sights lie inside the old walls, with a lake, a zoo and Westphalian moated castles beyond.
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Best time to visit Münster
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
Highs of 19-24C; rain rises to 74-79 mm in July and August, mostly as showers, so carry a rain cape like the locals.
Around 15C by day; April is the driest month and the lime trees on the Promenade come into leaf, while October brings the autumn Send fair.
Damp and cool at 5-9C; the Christmas markets around the Lambertikirche and the Rathaus brighten December.
The Send funfair takes over the Schlossplatz three times a year, in spring, summer and autumn; parking near the Schloss vanishes and evenings are noisy.
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Getting there
FMO airport buses, IC trains and the line from Enschede
Münster Osnabrück Airport (FMO) lies in the countryside about 25 km north of the city. It mostly handles holiday and some European flights. Express buses S50 and R51 run to Münster Hauptbahnhof in roughly 30-40 minutes, most often during the day and less often in the evening and on Sundays. Taxis wait outside the terminal, but German taxis are metered and the ride costs many times the bus fare. For wider choice, fly into Düsseldorf (DUS): the hourly RE2 reaches Münster in about 1 hour 40 minutes. Dortmund Airport (DTM), used mainly by low-cost carriers such as Wizz Air and Eurowings, connects by bus to Dortmund Hbf, then train; allow about 1 hour 10 minutes in total. Münster Hauptbahnhof, listed as Münster(Westf)Hbf, has hourly IC and ICE services to Hamburg, the Ruhr and Cologne, two-hourly trains to Frankfurt and regional trains across the state. Regional trains also run to Enschede in the Netherlands. The station is on the east side of the centre, about 10 minutes on foot from the Prinzipalmarkt.
- FMO airport
- Buses S50 and R51 to the Hbf, about 40 minutes
- Düsseldorf Airport
- RE2 hourly, about 1 hour 40 minutes
- Enschede (Netherlands)
- Direct regional trains to Münster Hbf
- Hbf to Prinzipalmarkt
- About 10 minutes on foot
- Search for Münster(Westf)Hbf in booking systems; there is another Münster in Bavaria and another in Hesse.
- The Radstation in front of the Hauptbahnhof rents bikes; pick one up as soon as you arrive.
Where to stay
Altstadt, the Kuhviertel or the Kreativkai harbour
Stay inside the Promenade ring or just outside it, since almost every sight lies within the old walls. The Altstadt around the Prinzipalmarkt is closest to the cathedral and museums, the Kuhviertel suits nightlife, and the hotels opposite the Hauptbahnhof usually have space when graduation weeks or the Send fill the centre.
- Altstadt around the Prinzipalmarkt and Domplatz
- The cathedral, museums and market on foot; few cheap rooms
- Kuhviertel
- The student pub quarter west of the cathedral around Kreuzstraße and the Pinkus Müller brewery; lively at night, noisy at weekends
- Bahnhofsviertel
- Business hotels opposite the station, such as the Kaiserhof; convenient but not pretty
- Aasee
- The youth hostel and quiet streets by the lake, a pleasant ride or 20-minute walk into town
- Hafen (Kreativkai)
- Converted warehouses on the canal with restaurants and clubs; 15 minutes by bike from the centre
- Graduation weeks and the Send fair fill rooms early; the Hbf area usually has space when the Altstadt does not.
Getting around
Leezen, the Promenade ring and Stadtwerke buses
Münster is one of Germany's largest cities with no tram or metro, and that suits it: the centre is flat and compact, so walking and cycling cover almost everything. Bikes rule. The 4.5 km Promenade, laid out on the old walls, is a car-free cycle ring with paths that link to the Aasee and the Schloss. Pavements in the centre often carry a red-brick strip for cyclists; walk on it and you will hear bells. Rent a bike at the Radstation by the station or from hotels. City buses, run by the Stadtwerke, fan out from the Hauptbahnhof and the Ludgeriplatz area to the suburbs, the zoo and the airport, but they get stuck in traffic at rush hour. Tickets can be bought from the driver, at machines or through the app. Taxis wait at the station and on the Prinzipalmarkt side of the Altstadt.
- Promenade
- 4.5 km car-free ring for cycling and walking
- Radstation
- Bike rental and secure parking next to the Hauptbahnhof
- Buses
- Stadtwerke Münster lines from the Hbf to suburbs, the Allwetterzoo and FMO airport
- Solaaris
- Solar-powered boat on the Aasee from April to October, linking the Aaseeterrassen, the Mühlenhof and the zoo
- Lock your bike to a stand, not a railing; bike theft is the city's most common crime, and illegally parked bikes get removed.
Know before you go
Münster is a cycling city.
Why travelers love it
- The three iron cages on the Lambertikirche tower, which once held the bodies of the Anabaptist leaders and still hang there.
- The cathedral's astronomical clock, which plays its mechanical procession at noon (and on Sundays at 12:30).
- The tower keeper's horn sounding from St. Lambert's every half hour through the evening, a custom kept up for centuries.
Good to know
- Do not walk in the red bike lanes; cyclists move fast and expect a clear path.
- Most shops close on Sundays, though the Prinzipalmarkt arcades and the Aasee are busy with strollers.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Münster, month by month
Westphalian weather in Münster is mild and damp, so cycling the Promenade is most pleasant from May to September. Click a month to compare average temperature and rain.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for Münster (World Meteorological Organization, via Wikipedia).
Friedenssaal, the Lamberti cages and an Aasee evening in two days
Two days on a rented bike cover Münster. Start at the Prinzipalmarkt, the Friedenssaal where peace was sealed in 1648 and the Lambertikirche cages, see the cathedral clock at noon, then cycle the Promenade to the Schloss and the Aasee. Use day two for the Picasso museum, the zoo or the Kreativkai harbour.
Day one, morning. Pick up a bike, then begin at the Prinzipalmarkt. The gabled merchant houses and their arcades were destroyed in the war and rebuilt one by one, each different. Visit the Friedenssaal in the Gothic town hall, the carved wooden chamber where the Spanish-Dutch peace was sealed in 1648. Step outside and look up at the tower of the Lambertikirche for the three iron cages of the Anabaptist leaders, executed in 1536 after their "Kingdom of Zion".
Late morning. Walk to the St.-Paulus-Dom for the noon performance of the astronomical clock. On Wednesday and Saturday mornings the farmers' market fills the Domplatz outside. Across the square, the LWL-Museum für Kunst und Kultur covers Westphalian art from the Middle Ages to now.
Afternoon. Cycle the Promenade to the baroque Schloss, Johann Conrad Schlaun's last great work and now the university's seat, and the botanic garden behind it. Then continue to the Aasee to ride the Solaaris boat or sit on the lawns by the giant stone balls, a leftover of the city's Skulptur Projekte.
Day two. See the Kunstmuseum Pablo Picasso, the Allwetterzoo or the Mühlenhof open-air museum by the lake. In the evening, go to the Kreativkai on the old harbour, or drink in the Kuhviertel. On a third day, follow signs for the 100-Schlösser-Route to Burg Hülshoff, the moated birthplace of the poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff.
Töttchen, Pinkus Alt and Kuhviertel pubs
Münster's dish is Töttchen, a sweet-sour veal ragout in mustard sauce, and its beer is Pinkus Alt, brewed by the Pinkus Müller family on Kreuzstraße since 1816. Eat and drink in the Kuhviertel west of the cathedral, buy picnic food at the Domplatz market, and look for white asparagus on menus in spring.
Münsterland cooking is plain and filling. The dish to try is Töttchen, a sweet-sour ragout of veal (traditionally offal or head meat) in a mustard-vinegar sauce, served with bread or potatoes and a beer. Another winter staple is Pfefferpotthast, beef stewed with plenty of onions, pepper and bay leaves, with gherkins on the side. Westphalian ham and pumpernickel turn up on every cold platter, and in spring white asparagus from the sandy fields around the city goes on every menu.
The Kuhviertel, the old quarter west of the cathedral, is where to eat and drink like a student. Pinkus Müller, run by the same family on Kreuzstraße since 1816, makes Pinkus Alt, a light, pale, top-fermented beer often drunk as an Altbierbowle with fruit. The bars along Jüdefelderstraße keep the area busy every night.
For quicker food, the lanes behind the Prinzipalmarkt hold currywurst, pasta and burger counters, and the Stuhlmacher by the Rathaus is a long-running traditional restaurant. Wolbecker Straße in the Hansaviertel has the vegan places and student cafes. Buy cheese, bread and smoked sausage at the Domplatz market and picnic by the Aasee.
In December, the Christmas markets squeezed between the Altstadt churches sell potato pancakes and mulled wine until late.
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How we research our Münster travel guide
stadt-muenster.de is our source for Send fair dates and the cathedral's astronomical clock times, and Deutsche Bahn for Münster(Westf)Hbf. FMO airport bus changes also prompt a revision; the German National Tourist Board backs up the rest.
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Checked against trusted sources:
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Münster questions about bikes, the Peace Hall and getting from FMO, answered.
General
They held the bodies of the Anabaptist leaders, including Jan van Leiden, after their execution in 1536. The cages have hung there ever since, though the bodies are long gone.
Carved Renaissance wood panelling, portraits of the envoys of 1648 and the Goldener Hahn, a gilded cockerel drinking cup once offered to honoured guests. The room is open to visitors most days.
At the Radstation in front of the station, which also has secure parking for thousands of bikes.
The Münster dialect word for bicycle, taken from the local slang. You will see it on signs, shops and souvenirs.
A funfair held three times a year on the Schlossplatz, in spring, summer and autumn, with rides, food stalls and fireworks on some evenings.
A traditional Münster ragout of veal in a sweet-sour mustard sauce, eaten with bread and usually with a beer.
Münster is one of Germany's largest cities with no tram or metro, and that suits it: the centre is flat and compact, so walking and cycling cover almost everything. Bikes rule. The 4.5 km Promenade, laid out on the old walls, is a car-free cycle ring with paths that link to the Aasee and the Schloss.
Timing & weather
Every day at noon, and at 12:30 on Sundays and holidays, when a procession of figures and a little tune follow the hour.
The open-air sculpture show takes place every ten years and is due again in 2027. Several works from earlier editions remain around the city.
The best time to visit Münster is May to Sep. Highs of 19-24C for cycling the Promenade and the castle routes; April is the driest month at about 41 mm.
- Cycling season: May - September (Highs of 19-24C; rain rises to 74-79 mm in July and August, mostly as showers, so carry a rain cape like the locals)
- April and October: April, October (Around 15C by day; April is the driest month and the lime trees on the Promenade come into leaf, while October brings the autumn Send fair)
- Winter: November - March (Damp and cool at 5-9C; the Christmas markets around the Lambertikirche and the Rathaus brighten December)
Getting there
Take express bus S50 or R51 from outside the terminal; both finish at Münster Hauptbahnhof after a ride of half an hour or a little more.
Burg Hülshoff, the moated birthplace of Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, is a comfortable ride west of the city on the 100-Schlösser-Route.
Münster Osnabrück Airport (FMO) lies in the countryside about 25 km north of the city. It mostly handles holiday and some European flights. Express buses S50 and R51 run to Münster Hauptbahnhof in roughly 30-40 minutes, most often during the day and less often in the evening and on Sundays.
Visa & documents
As a Schengen member, Germany shares one set of entry rules with most of the EU. Citizens of the EU and of many other countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; other nationalities need a Schengen visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) records non-EU travelers' fingerprints and a photo at the border.
Health & safety
Pickpocketing at large stations, Christmas markets and on big-city public transport is the main risk in a very safe country. Carry ID and validate paper tickets where required. Call 110 for police and 112 for fire or ambulance.
