Drink coffee on a trip in the imperial carriage
Drink coffee on a trip in the imperial carriageBuses and trains are for ordinary people. In Wuppertal, you can travel like Kaiser Wilhelm II in a suspension railway. During a cosy trip with coffee and cake or an atmospheric tour of the city lights, you can experience Wuppertal from above and can be sure to avoid the traffic jams. The historic, stylish imperial carriage from 1900 travels between the 20 stops on the line, which are worth a visit in themselves. Hop on, hop off in a rather different way.
Cathedrals in a green setting
The largest Gothic church window in Europe is not in Cologne, as you might think. The impressive depiction of heavenly Jerusalem from the 14th century adorns the Altenberger Dom cathedral in the rural Bergisches Land region. After a guided tour through the monastery grounds, which are surrounded by meadows and woods, and the historic town centre of Altenberg (also available in English), it’s worth stopping in one of the cosy restaurants.
Following in Charlemagne’s footsteps
Aachen is one of the most historically important cities in the country – and is also a vibrant, cosmopolitan place where the sun (nearly) always shines. You can follow in Charlemagne’s footsteps in the old city centre. It is here that he ordered one of the highest churches north of the Alps to be built. Already on entering the imposing choir of Aachen Cathedral with its Gothic stained glass windows, your breath will be taken away. You can gain an impression of the 1,200-year-old history of the city in the cathedral treasury of this first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Germany.
From your bike onto a boat
Many motorway bridges lead over the Rhine. But how about taking a boat from Cologne to Bonn? The best way is to combine the journey with a bike tour. Along the Rhine cycle path, there are not only numerous attractions such as the legendary “Drachenfels” (“Dragon’s Rock”) in Königswinter and the impressive Augustusburg and Falkenlust palaces near Brühl. There are also numerous tourist boats anchored on the banks, which will conveniently take you to the other side of the Rhine.
Picturesque Monschau
It is as though time has stood still. Wander through the narrow, romantic cobblestone streets in the medieval town of Monschau in the Eifel region. Around 300 picturesque half-timbered houses are lined up in rows, and the Rur river burbles gently through the old town. Enjoy the romantic atmosphere in cosy pubs, stylish restaurants and cafés, and immerse yourself in the heyday of the clothmaking industry during the 18th century.
A sea of lights
The view from the former colliery slag heat on the Lower Rhine is already impressive by day. But when the lights are switched on during the evening on the Millicher Halde heap and the “Sleeping Beauty” is brought to life, you won’t be able to tear yourself away from the magical beauty of this industrial backdrop. At the “Haldenzauber” festival from 23 November 2019 to 5 January 2020, you can wander through a course of light installations, art objects and interactive figures, accompanied by music.
Sports, of course
Liverpool has Jürgen Klopp, and we have Borussia Dortmund, Schalke 04 and the best fans in the Bundesliga football league. Experience the legendary “yellow wall” live on Europe’s largest standing stadium gallery, or take a look at football history legends in the German Football Museum. Not interested in football? Then simply lace up your hiking boots and discover the particular beauty of the Sauerland region on the 119th German hiking day in July. Or come to Duisburg and give your support to the young people and top athletes competing in canoe polo, climbing or skateboard racing at the 2019 Ruhr Games.
Like a world champion in the winter
NRW doesn’t just play Champions League football. We’re also not bad at winter sports, either. On 23 and 24 March, you can be there live when the best snowboarders compete against each other for important world cup points in the parallel slalom at the FIS Snowboard World Cup in Winterberg. In January, there’s even a world championship for toboggan racing on the toboggan track in Winterberg. And the best ski jumpers in the world can be seen every year in the Sauerland region. While they fly high up through the air from the Mühlenkopfschanze ski jump in Willingen, they are cheered on enthusiastically by their supporters on the ground.
Forest bathing in the Sauerland region
Rustling leaves, gentle breeze, warming rays of the sun. Can you feel it already? These are the forests in the Sauerland region. And it’s been scientifically proven that forest air is good for the health! Get away from everyday stress and city life, and relax in NRW. The Japanese tradition of “Shinrin-yoku”, or as we say, forest bathing, is brought wonderfully alive here and will recharge your batteries. (387 characters)
Music summer
During the summer, the music plays in Siegen-Wittgenstein. At the KulturPur culture festival in June, you can enjoy the performances on the green field with tens of thousands of other guests. For five days, top acts from the German music scene, theatre, poetry slam and cabaret create a relaxed and happy atmosphere on the Ginsberger Heide heath in Hilchenbach. You can hear classical music at the International Music Festival Week in Bad Berleburg. The baroque Corps de Logis from the palace forms the impressive backdrop to concerts with international artists.
Celebrating Bauhaus
The 100-year anniversary of the founding of the state Bauhaus will also be celebrated in NRW. Around 35 exhibitions, an international dance festival and other events and conferences are on the agenda. As well as current exhibitions, there are also other destinations that are worth visiting all year round here. Whether it’s in Krefeld, Hagen, Essen or Oberhausen, there are buildings with a connection to modern architecture to be found in many places.
