Discover the Aachen Region
Accommodation in Aachen
In Germany’s far west, close to the Netherlands and Belgium, the Aachen Region brings together diverse natural landscapes and historic town centres. It also has an extensive network of cycling and hiking routes. This gives you a variety of options when planning your holiday: you can focus your stay on urban culture, explore nature trails or combine active days with water-based activities. The places you choose to focus on may also influence your choice of holiday apartment.
City history and architecture
Aachen has a long history: its historic Old Town, with narrow lanes and historic squares, invites you to explore almost 2,000 years of city history. Aachen Cathedral is an important part of the city’s cultural identity. Charlemagne’s Palatine Chapel forms its core; the cathedral has also retained its role as a church and as the most important pilgrimage site north of the Alps. The Cathedral Treasury is considered one of the most important ecclesiastical treasuries in Northern Europe.
The Centre Charlemagne – New City Museum Aachen traces the city’s history from its earliest settlement to the present day. The Büchel Museum in the Rote Burg offers a different perspective: it presents an art collection featuring works by Emil Orlik and is housed in one of Aachen’s oldest town houses. Its vaulted cellar dates back to 1450. The Elisenbrunnen also tells a story of the city: this Neoclassical colonnade was built to designs by Johann Peter Cremer and Karl Friedrich Schinkel and reflects Aachen’s long tradition as a spa town.
Beyond Aachen’s city centre, other places have their own distinctive appeal. The medieval Stolberg Castle is the town of Stolberg’s landmark, visible from far away. In Lammersdorf, the Farming Museum tells the story of life in the Eifel around the turn of the century. The historic Frankenberg moated castle was built in the 13th century and is a defining feature of Aachen’s Frankenberg district. Those wishing to include culture and a variety of townscapes in their trip will find more than just a single city to explore.
Forests, valleys and trails
The landscape offers plenty of reasons to explore the region, too. Aachen Forest is a recreational area with an extensive network of trails and a wide range of leisure activities. In Aachen City Forest, you can hike, jog, ride or stroll past boundary stones and cross almost seamlessly into Belgium and the Netherlands. There is also a specific public transport option for one route: the “Augustinerweg” stop, the closest stop to the starting point of Route 2 in Aachen City Forest, is served by bus line 14.
The Wurm Valley lies between Herzogenrath and Aachen. It is characterised by unspoilt nature, diverse flora and fauna, and the Wurm River, which has shaped the valley. In the Hohes Venn – Eifel Nature Park, which spans Germany and Belgium, you can experience raised bogs, limestone hollows and other natural beauty. These landscapes offer a contrast to the historic town centres and can be a focus of your holiday planning in their own right.
Active days and a special time of year
The Blausteinsee lake offers two different ways to enjoy an outing. The Blausteinsee Water Trail is a themed 5.2-kilometre circular route; it starts and ends at the Dürwiß-Blausteinsee car park. The Blausteinsee Leisure Centre offers diving, sailing, surfing and a beach for swimming. If you prefer to get around by bike, the Aachen Region has seven established gravel cycling routes. They range from 26 to over 40 kilometres and can be ridden at a leisurely or sporty pace. The routes are not signposted; navigation is via GPX tracks or the Aachen Region tour app, Outdooractive or Komoot.
A special seasonal nature experience awaits you near Monschau-Höfen in April: millions of wild daffodils turn the meadows in the Perlenbach and Fuhrtsbach valleys into a sea of yellow blooms. At this time of year, you can join a guided hike or explore the area on your own. Monschau’s historic Old Town lies right on the River Rur. Nature experiences and historic townscapes therefore offer different ways to enjoy your trip, without requiring you to settle on just one style of holiday.
Places in the Aachen Region
Other places to help you explore the Aachen Region include MonschauMonschau, AachenAachen, WürselenWürselen, SimmerathSimmerath, RoetgenRoetgen, HerzogenrathHerzogenrath, HahnHahn, EschweilerEschweiler, BaesweilerBaesweiler, AlsdorfAlsdorf, StolbergStolberg, LammersdorfLammersdorf, ErkensruhrErkensruhr and RurbergRurberg.
For an overview of the wider region: North Rhine-Westphalia.
