Discover Ratingen

Art, Industrial History and the Old Town

Two perspectives come together at the Ratingen Museum: the city’s collection of modern art sits alongside a cultural history exhibition on the history and development of the city. The permanent displays are complemented by changing special exhibitions. A visit to the museum lets you explore both art and Ratingen’s past.

Cromford Cotton Mill is one of Germany’s oldest surviving industrial sites and is regarded as the first fully mechanised cotton mill on the European continent. At the LVR Industrial Museum Cromford Textile Factory, you can see 18th-century spinning technology in action and learn about what working life was like at the time. This offers a concrete insight into how early textile production worked.

Ratingen’s old town also tells the story of the city’s past. Its town walls and impressive towers are well worth a visit. St. Peter and Paul’s Church stands in the market square and is one of the oldest surviving Gothic hall churches in the Rhineland. Haus zum Haus moated castle is considered the most significant castle in the history of Ratingen. Those interested in historic sites will find a range of buildings and landmarks, each reflecting a different aspect of the city’s history.

Among the city’s green cultural attractions is the listed Poensgen Park, one of the Rhineland’s greatest cultural treasures. The park at Schloss Landsberg has been largely restored to its original form. Visitors can explore the park and the surrounding woodland.

Hiking, Cycling and Enjoying the Water

Ratingen offers a variety of landscapes for walks and bike rides: forests, meadows, fields, lakes and rivers cover around 70 percent of the city’s area. An extensive, well-developed network of cycling paths connects natural areas and attractions with the different districts. You can plan your cycling exploration around both the scenery and interesting destinations.

Ratingen has more than 200 kilometres of various circular hiking trails. The “Ratingen pur” and “Industriepfad & Kunstweg” discovery loops add to the trail network within the city. Their names point to different themes: one focuses on Ratingen, while the other combines an industrial trail with an art trail. You can choose your route according to whether you would rather explore the city or focus on art and industrial history.

On the edge of the city, the Blue Lake lies in a wooded landscape conservation area. The lakeside leisure grounds include a fairytale zoo, mini golf and boat rides. There are various activities to enjoy in one place. Volkardey Recreation Park, with its Green Lake and the protected Silbersee, attracts water lovers, walkers and cyclists. For families, classic children’s entertainment is also among the offerings associated with the open-air stage by the lake.

Choose a Focus for Your Stay

The Ratingen after-work market offers another change of pace: it takes place on the market square on the third Friday of every month from May to October, with numerous food trucks and drinks. If you would like to include a market visit in your trip, you can plan around this date.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Ratingen, it helps to decide first what you would like to focus on during your stay: would you like to make time for museums and historic sites, explore hiking and cycling routes, or enjoy waterside leisure activities? The city brings together these varied themes, so you can plan your trip around the experiences that matter most to you.

More local guides: Velbert, Heiligenhaus, Hilden, Haan, Monheim am Rhein, Erkrath, Mettmann, Langenfeld.

Back to the main travel overview: Mettmann.