Balve
Nestled in the wild and romantic landscape of the Hönnetal lies Balve, home to the largest open cultural cave in Europe. Whether nature, history or rustic half-timbered house flair - the modern small town offers a variety of leisure activities and an excellent quality of life.
Around 12,000 inhabitants call Balve and the surrounding villages their home. Visitors will find a wide range of accommodation and restaurants as well as charming shopping opportunities, such as farm stores. The historic town center captivates with pretty half-timbered houses and the parish church of St. Blasius is always worth a visit.
The heart of the town is the Balver Höhle cave, where the third largest mammoth tusk in the world was found. The Fantastischen Vier have already recorded their MTV Unplugged in the impressive cultural cave. Today, a wide variety of events take place here, often featuring international artists. Things also get culturally interesting at the Luisenhütte Adventure Museum, the oldest preserved blast furnace in Germany. In the immediate vicinity, the Museum of Early and Prehistory takes visitors on a journey through 400 million years of Balve's history.
The Wasserschloß Wocklum enchants its guests with a very special atmosphere. Every year, the who's who of the equestrian scene take the reins at the Balve Optimum horse show. The castle is also the picturesque venue for the varied Landpartie event with around 150 exhibitors. Fancy pure nature? Then the Hönnetal valley right on the doorstep beckons with beautiful nature and views, for example on a hike on the Sauerland-Waldroute quality hiking trail. The nearby Sorpesee offers refreshment with numerous leisure and water sports activities for young and old.
