Discover North Rhine-Westphalia: Culture, Nature and Trails

Architecture and Industrial Heritage

Cologne Cathedral is a Gothic masterpiece. Construction began in 1248 and was completed in 1880; the building bears witness to the strength and endurance of European Christianity. Brühl offers a different perspective on architectural history: Augustusburg Palace and Falkenlust Hunting Lodge are among the earliest and most significant examples of 18th-century Rococo architecture in Germany. In Essen, Zollverein XII represents another chapter: the complex is an important example of European primary industry in the 19th and 20th centuries. Architecture and industrial history thus offer distinct cultural focuses.

Wilderness, Exhibitions and Starry Skies

In Eifel National Park, extensive forests and open landscapes are returning to a wild state. Black storks, eagle owls and wildcats find important refuges there. The National Park Centre Eifel is located at the Forum Vogelsang IP in the national park and features the 2,000-square-metre interactive exhibition “Wildnis(t)räume.” It is interactive, multisensory, accessible and multilingual. Check the latest operating details before your visit.

Eifel National Park and its surroundings are recognised as an International Dark Sky Park. Group options include bookable stargazing tours for a maximum of 15 people; there are also designated stargazing points for independent observation. Dates and availability may change, so check in advance. This means you can choose between daytime nature experiences and looking up at the night sky.

Hiking Through History and Landscapes

Each hiking trail has its own focus. The Roman Canal Hiking Trail follows a Roman aqueduct and runs in seven stages from Nettersheim to Cologne. In the Sauerland, the more than 190-kilometre Sauerland-Höhenflug crosses Sauerland Rothaargebirge Nature Park from Altena to Korbach in Hesse. At 16 kilometres, the Stolberg Copper Route is considerably shorter and combines industrial heritage with nature; historical copper courtyards and Stolberg Castle lie along the way. The roughly 30-kilometre Three Valleys Tour follows several waterways and passes remnants of a working past, including mills and smithies.

Other trails explore distinctive landscapes: the Medebach Mountain Trail links nine half-timbered villages in a scenic circular route, with sweeping views across the Sauerland. The Velmerstot Route leads to the highest elevation in the Egge Hills and then descends through the Silberbach Valley. The Bestwig Panorama Trail runs mainly along the Sauerland ridges and passes North Rhine-Westphalia’s only natural waterfall. The Bruchhauser Steine are the state’s first National Natural Monument. The different route lengths, destinations and landscapes give you concrete ways to choose the kind of hiking you want to focus on.

Cycling Routes with Changing Perspectives

In North Rhine-Westphalia, the Rhine Cycle Route follows the Rhine for more than 226 kilometres, offering changing panoramas and access to the natural and cultural diversity on both sides of the river. The route is mostly well developed, cycle-friendly and consistently signposted; bridges and ferries provide ways to cross the river. Check local conditions before setting out. The 64-kilometre Sieg Cycle Route runs from Windeck-Rosbach to the Sieg’s confluence with the Rhine, crossing dykes, following natural river floodplains and passing through forests; numerous sights lie along the way.

The Ruhr Valley Cycle Route runs from the Sauerland through the Ruhr region, linking industrial heritage, half-timbered villages, cities and nature experiences. On the Lenne Route, cyclists experience the Sauerland landscape as they approach the Ruhr region. Former railway lines make cycling the Möhne Valley Cycle Route through the Sauerland less strenuous. The “NRW Skulptur” project brings art and cycling together: it links public sculptures in North Rhine-Westphalia with cycling routes and includes, among other things, eleven tips for art-filled bike tours. The differences between riverside routes, cultural offerings and former railway lines can help you decide what kind of cycling trip should shape your stay.

A Regional Tradition at the Table

In the Bergisches Land, many hosts serve the Bergische coffee table in cosy restaurants. It includes fresh coffee from a Dröppelmina coffee pot, yeast cake, dark bread and rye bread, sweet spreads, savoury toppings, and Bergische waffles with hot cherries or rice pudding. Whether an individual host serves the coffee table and whether a reservation is needed varies. If you would like to include this regional tradition in your trip, you can consider it as a focus in its own right alongside architecture, nature and tours when choosing a suitable holiday apartment.

Discover More Destinations

Mülheim an der Ruhr, Essen, Ruhr Region, Oberhausen, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Aachen, Borken, Coesfeld, Düren, Ennepe-Ruhr District, Rhein-Erft District, Euskirchen, Gütersloh, Heinsberg, Herford, Hochsauerland District, Höxter, Kleve, Lippe, Märkischer District, Mettmann, Minden-Lübbecke, Neuss District, Oberbergischer District, Olpe, Paderborn, Recklinghausen, Rheinisch-Bergischer District, Rhein-Sieg District, Soest, Steinfurt, Unna, Viersen, Warendorf, Wesel, Cologne, Krefeld, Hamm, Wuppertal, Solingen, Mönchengladbach, Herne, Gelsenkirchen, Bottrop, Bonn, Bochum, Duisburg, Remscheid, Dortmund, Leverkusen, Düsseldorf, Bielefeld, Bonn, Hagen, Oberhausen, Münster

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