The city of Bielefeld is in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe, a region powered by high-tech manufacturing and where multinational corporations have their headquarters. One company most people will know is Dr. Oetker, which was founded in Bielefeld and has a museum all about the brand. Although Bielefeld isn’t on many tourist maps, there’s still plenty to discover in the city. Sparrenburg, on the first ridge of the Tutoburg Forest, is a fearsome castle with underground tunnels and a keep to discover in summer.
The three main medieval churches in the city center have valuable Gothic and Renaissance art, while the gabled 16th-century Burgher houses around Alter Markt set an idyllic scene for the Christmas market.