Leer combines urban history, museums and experiences by the water with paths through a green recreational landscape nearby. You can choose different focuses for your stay: historic buildings and exhibitions, a guided tour through the city, the harbour or outdoor activities. You can also plan your journey according to the available rail and road connections.
Urban history and museums
The Former Jewish School Leer is a memorial and meeting place run by the district of Leer. Evenburg Castle is a cultural monument of more than regional significance. The combination of castle, park and outer bailey gives the site its distinctive character. Since May 2014, the castle has been open with a permanent exhibition on the life and livelihood of an aristocratic family in the 19th century, and it also serves as a centre for garden culture.
In the old town, the Amsterdam-style gabled House Samson has been part of the cityscape since 1643. The Leer Local History Museum focuses on East Frisian domestic culture and local shipping. Those interested in technology and its history will find 150 years of communications history at the Leer Telecommunications Museum, with rare exhibits and working equipment.
Tea, harbour and guided city tours
Spread over two floors, the Bünting Tea Museum covers the cultivation, production and preparation of tea, as well as the history of East Frisia’s favourite drink. The subject is not limited to the finished beverage: its processing and preparation are also explored.
Public guided city tours include sights such as the old town hall, the historic weigh house and House Samson. The 1.5-hour tour brings together several aspects of the city’s history in a single guided walk. If you are planning around a specific date, check the current tour schedule in advance.
The museum harbour is freely accessible year-round and is run and maintained by the Schipperklottje. Another way to explore Leer harbour from the water is to take a harbour cruise on the “Koralle” canal boat.
Routes and outdoor activities
The Westerhammrich recreational area lies in the northwest of Leer, covers around 1 km² and has a lake of about 15 hectares at its centre. Walking and cycling paths, places to stop and observation points offer different ways to spend time outdoors. A well-signposted network of cycle paths makes it possible to explore Leer and the surrounding area by bike.
On the guided cycling tour “Around the City by Bike”, you will learn interesting facts about Leer and why the city looks the way it does today. The tour does not always follow familiar, official cycle routes—a key difference if you are navigating using the signposted network. In and around Leer, you can also explore the East Frisian rivers and canals at your own pace with “Paddel und Pedal”.
Getting there and choosing a hotel
By car, you can reach Leer via the A 28 from Bremen and Hamburg, the A 31 from the Ruhr area, or the Dutch A 7 from the Netherlands. By train, Leer is accessible from Oldenburg and Bremen, as well as from the Ruhr area. These travel routes provide a basis for planning your journey to suit your starting point.
If you are looking for a hotel in Leer, it may help to decide first what you want to focus on during your stay: would you like to explore urban history and museums, include the harbour, or set aside time for outdoor routes and activities?
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Rhauderfehn, Jemgum, Holtland, Leer, Neukamperfehn, Brinkum, Bunde, Hesel, Nortmoor, Weener, Westoverledingen, Detern, Filsum, Firrel, Ostrhauderfehn, Bingum, Moormerland, Uplengen.
Go to the regional travel overview: Lower Saxony.
