Welcome to Münster, the land of cheesy goodness and beer. It was another weekend with nothing planned, so we decided to take a drive to Germany. I looked at a list of the 10 best cities in Western Germany and landed on Münster. We booked a hotel in the old town area, hopped in the car, and made the quick 2 hour drive from Utrecht. After dropping off our bags at the hotel (H4 Hotel Münster, a very nice hotel that doesn’t cost much) we wandered out into the night on a schnitzel hunt. A quick Google search landed us at Grosser Kiepenkerl, a semi-posh restaurant with delicious classic German fare.
The schnitzel was amazing, and we tried two different kinds. Grosser Kiepenkerl is definitely a good spot to go if you ever make it to Münster. After dinner we walked over to St.-Paulus-Dom to see it lit up at night and headed for some drinks. We ended up at a beautiful old pub called Gaststätte Töddenhoek. There were delicious beers and plenty of locals sitting around large tables playing coin games. Overall it is a great German pub, covered in old wooden carvings and Christmas decorations. We didn’t know how to play the coin games, so we just made up our own and played with coasters! It was a great night.
Schnitzel with Mushroom Sauce from Grosser Kiepenkerl
Beautiful Churches are all over the city. These are just a few that we walked by.
The next morning we went out for our usual wanderings. We visited several churches, drank some really good coffee, and walked along the small streams and rivers. Münster has plenty of green paths that wander through the city center. One minute you could find yourself beside a row of stores and pubs, the next you are surrounded by trees and water. The city has a very relaxed, non-rushed vibe.
St.-Paulus-Dom cemetery
Of course we had to check out a few Catholic services in German. I have no idea what was being said, but people seemed to enjoy it. Afterwards, we took a tour of the cemetery and looked at the cool statues. After refueling with more coffee, we headed towards the water.
A dock on the much wider portion of the Münstersche Aa
If you go to Münster, make sure to stroll around the Münstersche Aa. Technically it is a river, but at one point it is large enough to be called a lake. There is a walking/biking path that goes all along the circumference, and its a great walk. And if you are looking for a peaceful German city to relax in, I would highly recommend Münster.