Hof der Heidmark, a typical Lower Saxon farm near Bad Fallingbostel

Bad Fallingbostel is the county town (Kreisstadt) of Soltau-Fallingbostel in the state of Lower Saxony. It is a recognised state-recognised spa town, hence the prefix "Bad".

The moorlands of the Lüneburg Heath are a beautiful place to visit. It offers some of the most beautiful places to hike, walk, or cycle around Lower Saxony, a brilliant way to see the Lüneburg Health. Bad Fallingbostel also has the old German farmhouse known as Hof der Heidmark and many of the town's timber framed houses are still here.

Understand

Bad Fallingbostel lies within the Lüneburg Heath region, a popular holiday and excursion area for the great North German cities of Hanover, Hamburg and Bremen. It has close ties to Walsrode, a few miles to the west. There is a British Army base in Bad Fallingbostel. In 2020, it was home to 12,000 people.

During World War II it was the site of two POW camps, Stalag XIB and Stalag 357.

History

Bad Fallingbostel is an interesting town with quite a bit of history. The old church of St. Dionysis is an interesting site to see, as is the monument to Heinrich von Quintus Icilius; a 19th-century politician who helped create one of the first savings banks in Hanover. The villages are over a thousand years old, although documented mentioning occurred only at later times. The main town Fallingbostel celebrated its 1000th anniversary in 1993. In the year 993 Fallingbostel was mentioned in writing for the first time. Kaiser Otto III. set the border between the bishoprics Hildesheim and Minden. In this document Fallingbostel is referred to as "Vastulingeburstalle". This name means "place to live of Vastulo or of the Vastulingers". Dorfmark was first mentioned in documents which are dated to the time around 968. In one of those documents from the year 1006 these place is called "Thormarca". That name is interpreted: Thor = to the, marca = border, forest-cooperative, market-cooperative

In World War II, Bad Fallingbostel was the site of POW camps Stalag XIB, XID, and 357 (Stalag XIC was the Bergen Belsen camp only about a half hour away). More than 30,000 Soviet prisoners were buried here before the camp was liberated in 1945. After the war, the camp was used as an internment camp for National Socialists; it's now all part of the Fallingbostel Military Museum. World War II history has found its way in town in another way, it's the final resting place of Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, a high ranking general who served four years in prison for war crimes before going off to become a military advisor for the British. Interestingly enough, the 19th century writer (journalist, conservationist, historian) Hermann Löns is also buried here. He died long before the start of the 2nd World War, but his nationalistic writings caught the attention of the Nazis and Adolf Hitler ordered his body exhumed and reburied here.

Bad Fallingbostel is a small beautiful town with a lot of history. But if history is not your thing then there are plenty of sites and attractions around Fallingbostel that would be of interest.

Geography

Bad Fallingbostel lies on the Böhme river in the southern part of the Lüneburg Heath between Soltau and Walsrode in the Heidmark. In the vicinity is the large military training area of Bergen-Hohne, which is utilised by the Bundeswehr and by NATO forces, as well as Fallingbostel Station, a large barracks for the British Forces in Germany.

Get in

By car

Bad Fallingbostel lies next to the A7 motorway between Hamburg and Hanover and has its own motorway exit.

By plane

Bad Fallingbostel is central to the main airports in the region, Bremen, Hannover and Hamburg. All of these airports have flights from the main cities in the UK (Such as the London airports, Birmingham, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Manchester) and also from the main cities in Europe (Such as Paris, Venice and Moscow)

• Bremen Airport, near Bremen is about 82km from Fallingbostel and estimated time travel is 50 minutes (depending on traffic). From Bremen Airport, head southeast on Flughafenallee and onto Flughafendamm. Follow it left to where it becomes Cornelius-Edzard-Straße and turn right onto B6 (Neuenlander Str.). Take the A1 exit toward Osnabrück/Oldenburg and keep left until you can merge onto the A1. Take exit 53 (Bremer Kreuz) and merge onto A27 toward Hannover/Achim, then take exit 27 for B209 toward Walsrode/Rethem and stay on B209, following the signs for Bad Fallingbostel. Continue onto Düshorner Str./L163 and follow it into town.
• Hanover Airport, near Hanover is only a short trip to Bad Fallingbostel. To drive from Hannover airport to Bad Fallingbostel will take you about 30 minutes (depending on traffic). If driving from there, head northeast toward and turn right onto Flughafenstraße/K324, then turn left onto Wagenzeller Str./L190. Turn left to merge onto A352, keep left, and take the exit toward A7. Take exit 47 (Bad Fallingbostel) toward Oerbke. Keep right at the fork and merge onto B209. Then turn right onto Düshorner Str./L163, and follow it into town.
• Hamburg Airport, near Hamburg is another main airport not too far from Fallingbostel. To drive from Hamburg Airport to Bad Fallingbostel will take you around 1 hour 15 minutes (depending on traffic). If driving, head south and take the left exit onto Zeppelinstraße/B433, and from there, a slight right to merge onto Krohnstieg/B433. Continue to follow B433 and then take Oldesloer Str./B432 and merge onto A7 via the ramp to Hannover/Bremen/Husum/Heide. Take exit 47 and turn right onto Deiler Weg/B209 (signs for Nienburg/Walsrode/Bad Fallingbostel), continue to follow B209. Turn right onto Düshorner Str./L163 and follow it into town.

Get around

By train

Bad Fallingbostel has two railway stations - Bad Fallingbostel and Dorfmark - on the Heath Railway from Hanover to Soltau, from both stations you can travel to a number of destinations, these include Soltau, Walsrode, Bremen, Hamburg and Hannover. There are ticket offers available. The Lander-Ticket offers unlimited travel for a whole day within a certain region. Travel can be on any day of the week within one of the German states. The ticket can be used on all local trains (Regional Express, Regional Bahn, S-Bahn) and several other transport systems. The package price starts from €29 for up to 5 people travelling together or for parents (or one parent) travelling with any number of children under the age of 15.

If your looking for savings for weekend travelling then get the Schönes Wochenende Ticket. It is one of the best ticket offers for tourists of all ages. The ticket is valid for up to 5 people travelling together and for parents travelling with their children aged 14 or younger. The ticket is only valid on either Saturday or Sunday (one day only) between midnight and 03:00 the following day. Tickets are €39.(Oct 2011)

You can purchase tickets on DB website or at the station from the ticket machine which is by the platform. The machine can be translated into English.

By bus

There are several bus routes that travel in and around Bad Fallingbostel.

By taxi

There is a taxi rank at the Bad Fallingbostel train station. There are a few taxi companies in Fallingbostel and their prices vary, but are not overall expensive. Here are some useful taxi telephone numbers and information: -

• Eddy's Taxi. +49 5051 6655. They provide a 24-hour service and have transport for up to 6 passengers.
• Taxi abs. +49 5051 66 66. They provide a 24-hour service. Airport transportation and have transport that seats up to 8 people.

See

• Fallingbostel Military Museum, St Barbara's Barracks, ☏ +49 1734391864. The museum was the brain child of Captain Dave Curry 2Bn REME who in 2006, asked Kevin Greenhalgh to help put on a small display of relics from the PoW camps. It soon started to fill up first the room with PoW relics then the corridor, a museum was born. You will need an ID card or passport to enter the camp. 
• Hof der Heidmark (at the entrance to the Liethwald woods), ☏ +49 5162-3600. Apr-Oct: Thursdays from 15:30 to 18:00; otherwise phone for an appointment. This monument to a typical Lower Saxon farm stands at the edge of a large beech wood that drops steeply to the River Böhme. The "Hof der Heidmark" has a 1642 timber-framed farmhouse and old Treppenspeicher barns. It commemorates the villages that were cleared in the mid-1930s to make way for the Bergen-Hohne military training area. One of the barns houses a small cafe, the Heimatstube Rummelsburg. 

Do

• Historical Walks There are a number of informative walks in and around Bad Fallingbostel with a varied distances.
• Lieth outdoor pool, Soltauer Straße 26, ☏ +49 5162 622226. The heated "Lieth-Freibad" has a charming location in the forest near the Böhme river. The season for the "Lieth-Freibades" begins, depending on weather, in May and ends in September. Adult €3.5, child €1.50. 
• Golf Club Tielingen, Tietlingen 6c, ☏ +49 5162 38 89. Enjoy the spirit of the game at the Gold Club Tielingen. Play one of the most scenic and challenging golf courses in North Germany. Low cost memberships with monthly payment options. For prices please call. (updated Oct 2020)
• The Park, Bad Fallingbostel, In the centre of town opposite the ice cream parlour (long=). Fallingbostel has a beautiful large park area. There is he duck pond feeding area, a great place to take the children on a summers day. Also situated next to the park is the Boot Station. They serve food & drinks, they have mini golf and boat hire. At the bottom end of the park there is an adventure playground area for children. 
• Reitschule for Freizeitreiter - Horse Riding, Görlitzer Straße 17 (take the B163 from Fallingbostel to Soltau, between the villages of Vierde and Dorfmark, near the lay-by on the right hand side is a sign URLAUB AUF DEM BAUERNHOF (Holiday on the farm) follow this sign down to the riding school), ☏ +49 5163 290 414. This riding school offers lessons in English. They offer a mini club for children from 3 years old. They also offer riding lessons for adults - Beginners and Experienced. They also do children's birthday parties. Adult lesson €20, child lesson €12. 

Events

Join in the fun at the annual Wine Festival at Whitsun weekend or the Beach Festival in August in Dorfmark!

Buy

• Fallingbostel Farmers Market. This takes place every Thursday morning and sells fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers. 
• Glasspeicher Bennien, Scharnhorststraße 4a, ☏ +49 5162 7521. M-F 09:30-12:30 and 14:30-18:00; Su 09:30-13:00. They offer hand blown glass crystal such as carafes, bowls and glasses. They also stock the complete range of Bunzlauer Ceramic in various designs including the famous "Peacock Eye". You will also find a small selection of antique pine and French polished furniture. They can also engrave any design, e.g., regimental crests onto carafe, Glasses. Various prices. 
• Supermarkets, in the centre of town. M-Sa 08:00 - 21:00, Su closed. Bad Fallingbostel has 6 supermarkets all in the centre of town: Lidl, Netto, Penny Markt, Rewe, E-Centre and Aldi. 
• TOOM, Bockhorner Weg 9 (next to McDonald's, just off the Bad Fallingbostel exit on the A7), ☏ +49 5162 9895-0. TOOM is a hardware/DIY shop. They sell paints, tools, plants, lighting etc etc. 
• Bruno Renz - Bike Shop, Von-Linsingen-Str. 9, ☏ +49 51623977. 

Eat

Budget

• Zio Seba, Vogteistraße 2, ☏ +49 5162 91091. 11:00-22:00. Pavement café in the centre of Bad Fallingbostel where they serve Italian ice-cream. 

Mid-range

• Mediteran, Kirchplatz 1, ☏ +49 5162 2305. 11:30-14:30 & 18:00-23:00. Also known as the Yugoslavian, serves Mediterranean food in a comfortable environment within the town centre. 
• La Trattoria, Düshorner Straße 1, ☏ +49 5162 3820. 12:00-14:30 & 17:30-23:30. An Italian restaurant with an indoor and outdoor seating area. This is situated in the centre of town. 
• Beckmann's Hof, Adolphsheider Straße 43, ☏ +49 5162 98160. A traditional German restaurant on the outskirts of Bad Fallingbostel town where you are made to feel welcome. There is also the opportunity to use the Kegelbahn, the German equivalent of skittles. 
• Wangs, Soltauer Straße 21, ☏ +49 5162 6666. 12:00-15:00 & 17:00-22:00. Is a Chinese restaurant (and Take-Away) situated close to Bad Fallingbostel town centre. It offers a varied menu with a buffet on W F Sa and Su evening. Adult buffet €15, child buffet €8.50. 

Splurge

• Drei Tageszeiten, Kirchplatz 6, ☏ +49 5162 902513. 12:00-14:30 & 17:30-22:00. Has an outside terrace area overlooking the River Böhme and park, perfect for those summer evenings. They serve international cuisine and cater for that special occasion. Also many seasonal specialities like wild mushrooms in September and pumpkins in October. €10-16 for a main course. 
• Alexis Sorbas, 4 Vogeti Str, ☏ +49 5162 7408. 12:00-14:30 & 17:00-23:30. Specialises in Greek food with an outside eating area right in the centre of Bad Fallingbostel. As well as Greek food they also provide a few international alternatives 
• Akropolis, Am Rooksberg 1, ☏ +49 5162 1811. A Greek restaurant set in a cosy environment, with very helpful staff. 
• Utspann, Quintusstraße 13, ☏ +49 5162 2114. Daily 12:00-21:30. It is an original restaurant with a variety of choices for the exquisite taste. There is an opportunity for small or large groups to have horse and cart rides around the town. 
• Binenkorb, Düshorner Straße 54, ☏ +49 5162 2782. 11:00-23:00. Serves traditional German and international food always freshly prepared with the option of eating indoors or outside. It is situated on the road towards Walsrode. 

Take Away

• Deluxe Döner, Hauptstr.4 - Dorfmark, ☏ +49 5163 29 110 66. Tu-Su 11:00-14:30 & 17:00-23:00 (closed Mondays). This is a donner kebab takeaway establishment in Dorfmark. They also do other foods such as pizza, wraps, baguettes and side orders. €2-6. 
• Chinese Take Away - Orchidee, Walsrode Str. 4, ☏ +49 5162 1011. Daily from 17:00-00:00, F Sa 17:00-1:00. This Chinese take-away offers a wide range of Chinese food, from soups & starters to main dishes of pork, beef, duck & chicken. €2-12.50 (€2 delivery charge). 
• City Pizza, Vogteistraße 33, ☏ +49 5162 904 666. Su-Th 16:00-23:00, F Sa 16:00-00:00. City Pizza offer a takeaway and delivery service. This pizza establishment also offers foods such as pasta, gyros, salads, burgers and side orders. €2-10. 

Drink

• Bootstation, Soltauer Straße 6, ☏ +49 5162 909793. an outside bar with live music next to the river and park. Crazy golf, pedalo hire, live music. €6.50 - 42. 
• Die Taverne, Vogteistraße 11, ☏ +49 5162 900256. It is a traditional German pub situated in the centre of Bad Fallingbostel. 
• Flavourz, Dushorner Str. It is a lively bar in the centre of town, with a take-away attached to the bar. 
• Paradise, Vogtenistraße 33, ☏ +49 174-6227152. Paradise is a cocktail and lounge bar off from the centre of town, next to City Pizza. Pop along for a fun night filled with cocktails and dancing! 
• Big Ben, Vogteistraße (by the railway tracks). A German bar which also does food and takeaway. 
• La Trattoria, Dushorner Straße. Pizza, steak house open daily. 
• Flic Flac's, Vogetistraße (next to the train station). Small disco/dance club. 

There are more bars and clubs are in Walsrode, the next town from Bad Fallingbostel, about 10-15 minute drive away.

Sleep

Budget

• Kurparkblick, Soltauer Straße 6, ☏ +49 5162 91535, [email protected]. €30-40. 
• Haus Meyne, Fahrenholzer Weg 11, ☏ +49 1562 6804, [email protected]. €25. 
• Hotel Deutsches Haus, Hauptstraße 26, Dorfmark, ☏ +49 5163 902000, fax: +49 5163-902001, [email protected]. 

Mid-range

• Hotel Berlin, Düshorner Straße 7, ☏ +49 5162 900060. Check-in: 13:00, check-out: 07:00-11:00. This hotel enjoys a green setting and is between the Walsrode bird sanctuary and Heide-Park Soltau leisure park. The town centre is a 5-minute walk from the Park Hotel Berlin, it is also possible to rent a bike to explore your surroundings.There is an onsite restaurant called the Leonard restaurant and serves Mediterranean cuisine. €99. 
• Hotel Haus am Walde, Soltauer Str. 14/16, ☏ +49 5162 97480. Check-in: 12:00-21:30, check-out: 10:00-11:00. This hotel enjoys a tranquil location beside the Böhme River and the park. It offers a daily buffet breakfast and free parking.The hotel rooms at the Haus am Walde feature cabled internet access and a private bathroom. There is a spa area available at Haus am Walde which includes a sauna, solarium, jacuzzi, and aromatherapy baths. Fasting cures and Thai massages are also available. 
• Hotel Hof Idinger Heide, Idingen 3, ☏ +49 5162 2238. Check-in: 12:00-22:30, check-out: 07:00-10:30. This time-honoured farm complex offers relaxing holidays amid extensive gardens and characteristic timber-framed buildings. This is one of Fallingbostel’s oldest properties, the hotel is a comfortable base for a wide range of sports and leisure activities in the heart of the reserve. The old barns, tractor sheds and stables join forces with the 100-year-old trees to create a soothing ambience. €50-90. 

Splurge

• Hotel Haus Petersen, Schluter Berg 1, ☏ +49 5162 5966. Check-in: 15:00-22:00, check-out: 07:00-11:00. This hotel has great facilities, such as a pool and sauna, and has 15 comfortable, well kept, non smoking rooms. It is situated between Hannover and Hamburg, and centrally between the main theme parks in the region, such as The Bird Park in Walsrode, Heide Park and Serengeti Park Hodenhagen. €60-120. 

Connect

• Telefiji Dushorner Str. An internet/telephone shop with a number of computers and telephones which the public can use. They also have printers, so if you need to print boarding passes etc., it's a great place to go.
• Dorfmark Touristik e.V. (tourist information office), Marktstraße 1, Dorfmark, ☏ +49 5162 400400, fax: +49 5162 400500, [email protected]. (updated Mar 2017)

Go next

• Serengeti Park, Am Safaripark 1, Hodenhagen, ☏ +49 5164 97990. Daily 09:00-18:00. A little piece of Africa in Germany. Serengeti allows you to drive your vehicle through the park and see the wild animals up close. After seeing the animals there is an amusement park which will keep you entertained for the rest of the day. The park situated in the neighbouring town of Hodenhagen, about 15km from Bad Fallingbostel. 
• Wild park, Am Wildpark - Nindorf-Hanstedt (exit Garlstorf on the A7, then in the direction of Nindorf, signposted), ☏ +49 4184 89390. Summer 08:00-19:00, winter 09:00-16:30. Surrounded in 60 acres of land with over 120 different types of animals. There is a large free car park available. Adult €9, child (3-14) €7. 
• Walsrode
• Soltau
• Hamburg
• Bremen
• Hanover