Introduction to Aachen: Home to about 250,000 people, Aachen was the favorite residence of Charlemagne and the site for coronations of emperors for over 600 years. It is an easy town to walk, an easy town to get to and has countless restaurants and pubs. A spa town since Roman times, the historic sights in the city, its great location, and many cultural events and festivals make Aachen a great place to spend a few days either for a "cure" or for sightseeing in Charlemagne's playground.
Aachen Location : Aachen is Germany's westernmost city, located on the border of Belgium and the Netherlands. Part of North Rhineland-Westphalia, it is only 65 km to the west of Cologne and is located in at the foot of the densely wooded Eifel Hills. It is a short trip to the Belgian Ardennes hills and the green pastures of Limburg in the Netherlands.
Getting to Aachen and Getting Around in Aachen: Aachen is located on the European motorway to Brussels, Paris and Antwerp from Germany. It can be reached easily by car or train and is a major hub for the European trains. Driving in the city can be a bit harrowing so leave your car at the hotel or Park N Ride.
Accessing Aachen by train is easy.
- Cologne (Köln) - 1 hour
- Düsseldorf- 1.20 hours
- Herleen, Holland-45 mins.
- Brussels, Belgium-2 hours You can fly into the Maachstricht - Aachen Airport and be in Aachen in less than an hour.
Where to Stay in Aachen : Other than the major chains, Aachen's
hotels are generally small and privately owned, for a truly unique experience, try one of the spa cures at one of the many Cure Resorts in the area.
Aachen Food and Drink - Restaurants : Aachen is famous for the Aachener Printe a very hard gingerbread style cookie that people seem to love - try one at the Al Aachener Kaffeestuben, an 180 year old restaurant in the heart of the city. For great views, try the Restaurant Kohlibri and if you are going to the Carolus Spa, make sure you include Restaurant Mediterraneo on your itinerary. There are a few hundred restaurants to choose from in the city - ranging from fast food to gourmet so there is plenty to choose from.
Aachen Nightlife: A must for Aachen at night is the the Aachen Casino, located in former "Neues Kurhaus" (New Spa House). In the middle of a park, the setting is lovely and the gaming, entertainment, food and drink are all very enjoyable. With 45,000 college students and the highest numnber of pubs per capita in Germany, there are plenty of pubs and nightclubs to choose from. One of the most popular is The Guinness which serves countless scotches is huge-spanning 4 historic houses.
Shopping in Aachen: The pedestrian streets in old town around the marktplatz and town hall have a lot of unique shops and the Adalbertstrasse and Grosskölnstrasse pedestrian streets offer department stores, boutiques and speciality shops.
Aachen Festivals and Events: Aachen hosts dozens of events each year. The Aachen Wine Festival is a popular event in August, and the Christmas Markets draw thousands of visitors. Twice a year (the last 2 weeks of April and the 2nd and 3rd week of August), the Ocher Bend festival is in full swing with rides, food and entertainment. The Aachen Carnival starts in November up to the grand finale before lent with events every week. Bottomline, there is plenty to do with festivals year-round and special events year-round.
Tips on Visiting Aachen: Aachen prides itself on being friendly and accomodating. They go so far as to offer an award every year "The Medal for Combating Deadly Seriousness". A truly international city, most of the people speak English and are truly friendly and relaxed - no typical German stuffiness here! If somebody raises their fist to you, don't worry, a typical greeting here is a raised fist with the little finger extended.
Things to Do in Aachen: The Aachen Fountains
Aachen's cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built by Charlemagne in 800 as a palace chapel,the site was the coronation site for German kings between 936 and 1531. The cathedral treasury is one of Europe's foremost church treasuries, and includes a unique collection of precious objects.
Aachen's Town Hall
The town hall was built in the 14th century on the site of the throne room of the Carolingian imperial palace. Charlemagne frescoes decorate the walls, and several antiquities can be viewed.
The Aachen Granusturm (Tower of Granus)
Built in 788, this is the oldest building in city and is just a short walk from the marktplatz.
The Aachen Carolin Thermal Bad
Experience the Aachen springs and thermal waters in the tradition of the Romans at the Carolus Thermen Bad.
The Ludwig Forum for International Art and the Suermondt Ludwig Museum
The Ludwig Forum houses over 3,000 works of modern and contemporary art. The Suermondt Ludwig Museum has been recently renovated to uncover rich wall paintings and the art collection is extensive from medieval times to present.
The Couven Museum
The Couven is a great place to see how people lived in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The International Newspaper Museum
This is a must for journalism fans - 170,000 newspapers in virtually every language. It was also the home of the first "World Press Office", founded in 1850 when Julius Reuter opened a carrier pigeon station for sending press briefs.
The biggest attaction in Aachen is the town itself-enjoy!
- The Elisebrunnen, a former thermal pumproom and colonade was built in 1822, the water smells of rotten eggs but is supposedly very therapeutic. You are welcome to try a sip.
- The Kreislauf des Geldes Fountain.
- The Puppenbrunnen.
- The Charlemagne Fountainwith its statue of the Charlemagne was cast in 1620 and sits in the middle of the marktplatz - you won't be able to miss it.
Aachen's cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built by Charlemagne in 800 as a palace chapel,the site was the coronation site for German kings between 936 and 1531. The cathedral treasury is one of Europe's foremost church treasuries, and includes a unique collection of precious objects.
Aachen's Town Hall
The town hall was built in the 14th century on the site of the throne room of the Carolingian imperial palace. Charlemagne frescoes decorate the walls, and several antiquities can be viewed.
The Aachen Granusturm (Tower of Granus)
Built in 788, this is the oldest building in city and is just a short walk from the marktplatz.
The Aachen Carolin Thermal Bad
Experience the Aachen springs and thermal waters in the tradition of the Romans at the Carolus Thermen Bad.
The Ludwig Forum for International Art and the Suermondt Ludwig Museum
The Ludwig Forum houses over 3,000 works of modern and contemporary art. The Suermondt Ludwig Museum has been recently renovated to uncover rich wall paintings and the art collection is extensive from medieval times to present.
The Couven Museum
The Couven is a great place to see how people lived in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The International Newspaper Museum
This is a must for journalism fans - 170,000 newspapers in virtually every language. It was also the home of the first "World Press Office", founded in 1850 when Julius Reuter opened a carrier pigeon station for sending press briefs.
The biggest attaction in Aachen is the town itself-enjoy!