The Teutoburg Forest gives Bielefeld’s townscape its unique character. Reaching to 446 metres, this range of hills was made famous by the so-called ”Battle of the Teutoburg Forest” between the Romans and German warriors in the year 9 AD.

One of the most scenic ridge walks in Germany – the Hermannsweg – runs along the top of the Teutoburg Forest straight through the centre of Bielefeld. A total of 4,800 hectares of forest and 620 km of walking trails create the highly varied framework of an attractive landscape.

Within the city boundaries, mainly in the Teutoburg Forest, there are numerous walking trails totalling c. 580 km. Stages of the 162 km "Hermann's" Way, a long-distance footpath from Rheine via Bielefeld to Horn-Bad Meinberg along the ridge of the Teutoburg Forest, and the 89 km "Wappen" Way leading in a circle around Bielefeld, make ideal walks. Day tours on a number of other walking circuits, educational trails, and historic paths let you find out more about Bielefeld and its surroundings.

The Teutoburg Forest, the Ravensberger Land and extensive greenbelts including the Obersee lake encourage Cycling day trips within Bielefeld. The NRW cycling network - white signs with red lettering - directs you reliably into all districts of Bielefeld, into nearby towns and to railway stations. Or you can make Bielefeld your starting point for a grand tour. Four well-signposted cycling trails pass right through Bielefeld: the three long-distance train/cycle routes Teuto-Senne (Osnabrück-Paderborn), Weser-Lippe (Bremen-Paderborn), and Hellweg-Weser (Soest-Hameln), and the Wellness Cycle Route.

The Tourist Information Centre can supply walking and cycling maps and brochures with detailed information.

The football club 'DSC Arminia Bielefeld' plays its at-home matches right in the centre of town, at the 'Schüco Arena' football ground. This modern venue has space for up to 26,100 spectators.

Information:
www.arminia-bielefeld.de

Close to the city centre, the new hall offers an almost unlimited choice of events. It can be used for ball games, athletics championships, or other large sporting events, as well as for concerts and meetings. The generous technical equipment with lowering track, extending stands, and spike-proof flooring guarantees ideal conditions for participants and audience alike.

Capacity: 3,600 seated, 1,400 standing, concerts in inner arena: 7,250 standing.

In the climbing park at Johannisberg, enthusiasts can master a wide variety of outdoor climbing and balancing skills. More than 40 climbing tasks within the trees are divided into three circuits of different grades and heights.

Visitors move around a safe world of ropes, beams and platforms. Physical activity, fun and team building are at the centre of this sporting experience in a natural environment.

The Japanese Garden in the district of Gadderbaum was opened in 2003. It was designed to be a viewing garden and laid out as a dry landscape according to "Kare san sui" principles. Visitors experience the garden with their eyes only, they do not walk through this idealised representation of the natural world. The wooden entrance gate – as in most Japanese gardens – is only opened very rarely, symbolising the gates to heaven.

The Botanical Garden has a delightful setting at Kahler Berg near the town centre and offers the visitor an ever changing picture through the seasons. Botanists and the general public alike admire the extensive plant collections and the wide variety of landscaped gardens. Special highlights include the rhododendron and azalea displays, and the presentation of different natural settings such as rock gardens, alpine beds, medicinal and herb plantings, heather gardens and beech wood flora.

The green recreational space around the Obersee lake is ideal for walking, jogging and cycling. From the highest points of the area, visitors can enjoy a breathtaking panorama over the district of Schildesche towards the Teutoburg Forest.

The railway line from Cologne to Berlin crosses a majestic bridge, the viaduct at Schildesche. It was constructed to connect Bielefeld to the Cologne-Minden railway in 1847.