Dear members,
It is that time again: the Bad Bentheim Classics will take place for the sixth time this last weekend of October. With participants from Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium, we look forward to once again experiencing the largest classic car event for the LGBTQ+ community in Germany.
Look forward to a weekend full of driving pleasure, fascinating engineering, good conversations, and reconnecting with old and new friends. Our route takes us through the County of Bentheim, the Emsland, and the Dutch province of Overijssel. This year, too, we have selected special destinations – by water, on land, and even floating.
When? From October 23rd to 25th, 2026
Where? Just like in previous years, we will be staying at a hotel in Bad Bentheim.
Available exclusively for our group are:
- Swimming pool and wellness are
- Private bowling alley
- Free parking
Dogs are very welcome and can stay for free.
What can you expect?
Friday, October 23rd
Check-in at the hotel is possible from 1:00 PM. To welcome you, we invite you for coffee, pastries, and a glass of sparkling wine between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM.
From 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM, beer, house wine, and soft drinks are included – the ideal opportunity to meet up again, either in front of the hotel or at the hotel bar.
At 7:00 PM: Extensive dinner buffet at the hotel.
At 8:45 PM: Joint evening walk with the night watchman through historic Bad Bentheim.
Afterwards, we will wrap up the evening pleasantly at the hotel bar or on the bowling alley reserved exclusively for our group.
Saturday, October 24
From 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM: Breakfast buffet.
At 9:00 AM: Gathering in front of the hotel for a short speech.
At 9:15 AM: Departure towards Papenburg. We will drive approximately 110 kilometers via the B70 through the Emsland. Because the route largely follows comfortable provincial and federal roads, we advise participants with multiple classic cars to bring a slightly more powerful vehicle.
We will arrive at the Meyer Werft, one of the most modern shipyards in Europe, around 11:00 AM.
During our visit, two cruise ships will be under construction:
Carnival Cruises – Festivale
Disney Cruise Line – Believe
Tours are offered in Dutch and German.
Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on the tour. The Meyer Werft works with a dog sitter for this purpose, such as Eve’s Pfotenbetreuung. This care must be booked by the dog owners themselves. Contact details can be obtained from the organizer. The email address can be found in the announcement email.
Afterwards, we will drive to the center of Papenburg, where we are allowed to present our classic cars along the historic main canal. The Municipality of Papenburg has granted permission for this until 3:00 PM.
Lunch
We will have lunch at Café Engels. Served are:
Two types of soup (including a vegetarian option)
Baguette
Pretzel rolls
Drinks are at your own expense.
After lunch, we will drive through idyllic villages past Clemenswerth Castle towards Lathen.
Around 3:30 PM, we reach the enthusiastically run Transrapid Visitor Center.
Traffic controllers will direct us to the parking spaces under the former magnetic levitation train track, directly behind the museum. Members of the association are ready to provide explanations and answer questions.
Afterwards, we ware driving back to Bad Bentheim.
Upon arrival, there is time to relax in the wellness area or in the sauna.
From 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM, beer, house wine, and soft drinks are included again.
At 7:00 PM: Joint extensive dinner buffet at the hotel.
We conclude the evening once again at the hotel bar or on the bowling alley reserved exclusively for us.
Please note! Winter time begins on the night of Saturday to Sunday, and the clock is set back one hour.
Sunday, October 25
From 7 AM – 9:30 AM: Breakfast and check-out.
At 9:30 AM: Gather in front of the hotel for a short speech.
At 9:45 AM: Departure to Hengelo.
We will arrive at S2 Classics around 10:30 AM.
Not only are classic cars sold here, but historic cars are also being prepared for the 2027 Mille Miglia, which celebrates its 100th anniversary next year.
We’ll get a tour of the workshop and showroom and meet André Schoenmakers and his daughter Emma. Our visit will last approximately one hour.
Next, we ‘re heading for Singraven Estate in Denekamp.
Our cars will be stylishly arranged on the historic driveway in front of the Singraven Estate. Together we visit:
Singraven House, the park, the vegetable garden- The historic beehive
- The impressive watermills, old and modern
Concluding lunch
At Restaurant Watermolen, we’ll enjoy a typical Dutch lunch, consisting of:
- A cup of soup (A vegetarian option is available here as well)
- Croquette sandwich
- ocaccia with Twente ham
- Coffee or tea
- Water
After lunch, it’s time to say goodbye and start the return journey.
What does it cost?
Accommodation and participation fees
€ 239 per person in a double room.
€ 239 for a Classic single room (while supplies last).
What does it cost?
Accommodation and participation fees:
€ 239 per person in a double room.
€ 239 for a Classic single room (while supplies last).
Included:
- Two nights
- Dinner buffet on Friday and Saturday
- Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday
- Coffee, pastries, and sparkling wine on Friday (1:00 PM–4:00 PM)
- Beer, house wine, and soft drinks from 5:30 PM–9:00 PM
- Use of wellness facilities, swimming pool, and bowling alley
- Free parking
- Dogs stay for free
A surcharge of € 50 applies for a luxury single room.
Just like last year, an extra night can be booked for € 99 per room per night, including breakfast.
An additional contribution of €80 per person is requested for the route book, organization, and all program components, including:
- Meyer Werft
- lunch at Café Engels
- Transrapid Visitor Centre
- S2 Classics
- Huis Singraven
- Watermills Singraven
- Lunch at restaurant Watermolen
Because we expect a lot of interest again this year, we ask participants to book a double room whenever possible and, if possible, to share a room. This allows us to enable as many enthusiasts as possible to participate in the Bad Bentheim Classics.
Registration
Registration is possible on Monday, August 10, 2026, from 7:00 PM via email and proceeds as follows:
- First, send an email to the organization. Please include the first and last name(s) of the driver and passenger(s).
- Your participation will then be confirmed, and you will receive a unique number. You can use this number to reserve your room. You are responsible for paying the hotel costs yourself upon check-out on Sunday. You can book your room by sending an email to the hotel.
- After receiving confirmation from the hotel, please register via the registration form. In the comments section, please also include the number you received. Registration is possible until Monday, August 31st at the latest.
The email addresses of the hotel and the organization are listed in the announcement email.
The participation fee of € 80 must be transferred no later than August 31st.
Your participation is only definitively confirmed upon receipt of this fee.
Cancellation
Participation fee (€ 80)
- Cancellation before August 31, 2026: free of charge.
- Cancellation up to and including September 18, 2026: 50% refund.
- Cancellation after September 18, 2026: no refund.
Hotel reservation
According to the hotel terms and conditions, hotel rooms can be cancelled free of charge until 6:00 PM on the day of arrival. Subsequently, 100% of the accommodation costs will be charged.
In the event of cancellation, we request that you inform both the hotel and the organization in a timely manner.
We are already looking forward to experiencing an unforgettable weekend full of driving pleasure, special experiences, and wonderful encounters together with you.
This ride has been registered under the event regulations.
When registering, you can now also indicate whether you wish to ride along with someone or if someone can ride along with you. If you choose this option, you agree that your contact details will be shared with other solo drivers, so that you can arrange in advance to ride together.
Disclaimer
The GCCC excludes any form of damage, in any form whatsoever. Damage to your own vehicle and/or damage to (possessions of) participant(s) and/or third parties is at your own expense or at the expense of your insurer.
An insurer may already classify a ride with a route description as a competition, in which case the policy conditions do not apply. This varies by insurance policy/insurer; please check your policy carefully regarding this!
Photos and videos will also be taken during the ride. If you do not wish for this, you are responsible for this yourself by politely asking the photographer or videographer not to take pictures of you or your car (license plate). The photos and videos are generally shared on the personal Facebook and Instagram pages of individual participants and the GCCC Facebook page.