Things to Do in Aachen: Insider Tips from a Local

One destination not enough for you? Then why not try three — all at the same time. Sounds crazy, but it’s actually a thing. Welcome to Aachen.

Aachen, at the far western edge of NRW, sits right next door to Belgium and the Netherlands.

That alone makes a short side trip totally worth it — but Aachen itself has plenty to offer too.

So let’s get going! In this article from our Heimatliebe series, Niklas answers all our questions about the best sights, restaurants, and more in his hometown of Aachen.

This isn’t his first guest post on our blog, by the way. He’s already written about his insider tips for Iceland.

Tips and Info for a Trip to Aachen

Before we get to our interview, here’s the most important info you’ll need before visiting Aachen.

Location

Aachen is located in the far west of Germany, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Cologne and Düsseldorf are about 45 miles northeast of Aachen. To the south, Trier is roughly two hours away by car.

Aachen sits right on the Belgian border — you can walk there in just a few minutes. And the Netherlands is just around the corner too.

Aachen also makes an excellent base for a day trip into the Volcanic Eifel region.

Our Hotel Recommendations

Here are our hotel picks in Aachen for every budget:

Interview with a Local: The Best Insider Tips for Aachen

Our Expert

I’m Niklas, a landscape photographer and founder of the landscape & travel photography blog Tripaphy. As a native of Aachen, I’ve lived in this city for 31 years — except when I’m off traveling.

Three years ago, I started a series of articles as an attempt to rediscover my home region through photography. Since then, I keep finding new and interesting places that you absolutely have to see.

Aachen in 3 Words

University city, three-country corner, imperial city

Why Visit!

Aachen has a wonderful, traffic-calmed old town with many historic buildings. Thanks to its hot springs, Charlemagne chose this city as his seat of power.

The historic center is full of parks and great vantage points with stunning views over the city. Since Aachen sits in a basin, you can look out over the whole city from spots like the tower at the three-country corner, the Lousberg, or the Haarener Kreuz.

Aachen sits on the border with Belgium and the Netherlands, making it a perfect base for day trips to either country — or to the High Fens national park in the border area between Germany and Belgium. A must for nature lovers, landscape photographers, and wildlife photographers alike.

Thanks to one of Germany’s best technical universities, RWTH, the city has a huge student population — and the leisure scene reflects that. For visitors in the mood to go out, a city of around 260,000 residents offers a surprisingly large number of options.

Most visitors, however, come to Aachen toward the end of the year, when the Aachen Christmas market opens its doors. Consistently ranked among the most beautiful Christmas markets in Germany, it’s a real highlight for any visitor during the winter season.

As you can see, there are many different ways to tailor a visit to Aachen to your own preferences. It’s no coincidence that I’ve been living here for over 31 years.

And that’s still not everything Aachen has to offer. I’ve certainly left a few things out.

Unique to Aachen

The Aachener Münster (also known as Aachen Cathedral).

It’s probably the only church where you can feel the devil’s thumb in the entrance door. You’ll want to find out what that’s all about for yourself when you visit.

Certain baked goods also seem to never make it beyond the city limits — Streuselbrötchen and Printen, for example. Why these only exist here is something I still don’t understand, because they’re absolutely worth trying. Everyone should give them a taste when visiting Aachen.

Things to Do in Aachen: Sights and Activities

Must-Sees

I hope no Aachen local holds it against me if I haven’t mentioned their favorite spot.

1. The Old Town

The historic architecture is concentrated in a traffic-calmed zone in the city center. The cathedral, the town hall, and the Elisenbrunnen are all just a few steps from each other — perfect for a stroll with your camera.

2. The Lousberg

From the viewing platforms at the top, you get a fabulous panorama — either at sunrise on one side of the Lousberg or at sunset on the other.

3. The Cathedral Treasury

Also located in the historic center. The Cathedral Treasury houses the treasure of Aachen Cathedral, including a bust and arm relic of Charlemagne.

When It Rains

What could be better than treating yourself to a thermal bath when the weather is miserable?

That’s why, on a rainy day, I’d take visitors to the Carolus Thermen.

The water comes from Aachen’s healing springs, though it doesn’t smell quite like the water that flows from the taps at the Elisenbrunnen. The separate sauna area gives you that extra dose of pampering.

If that sounds too relaxing for you, head to Pontstraße instead. That’s the bar and student street running from the market square all the way to the Ponttor. In the evenings, it’s packed with students looking for a break from studying.

A long pub crawl from one end of Pontstraße to the other is guaranteed to make everyone forget about the rain.

With Kids

The Labyrinth at the three-country corner has probably been visited by every Aachen local at least once during their school years. Afterward, you can reward yourself with the view from the tower.

The Aachen Zoo is also a treat for kids. I haven’t been there in a long time myself, so I can’t say much about it.

Best Day Trips

The High Fens south of Aachen is wonderful for getting out into nature.

Check ahead of time whether the nature reserve is open. If it’s closed, you can still use the regular footpaths — but you won’t be able to walk the wooden boardwalks through the wetlands, and those boardwalks are really what make the High Fens so special.

When it’s open, you can walk along the boardwalks straight through the bog. Those who want to venture out for longer can also do multi-day hikes through the Eifel region — for example, along the Eifelsteig trail.

Even though Aachen doesn’t have its own lake, there are several nice ones in the surrounding area. When the weather is nice, many Aachen locals head to the Blausteinsee, the Rursee, or the Dürener Badesee.

To Relax

I already mentioned the Lousberg. There’s also a spot up there with hammocks — perfect for relaxing and taking a deep breath.

As an alternative, any one of the many parks is a great option. The Elisengarten right behind the Elisenbrunnen, Westpark, Frankenberger Park, and Stadtpark are four of the best places to unwind. Somewhere in Aachen, one of these parks is always just a few minutes’ walk away.

Best Viewpoints

From the Lousberg, you get a seriously impressive view over the whole region. It’s really hard to find a better spot for a great vista.

On one of the rare days when you can visit the tower of Aachen Cathedral, you’ll get a great overlook of the old town and city center from up there.

Best Photo Spot

On my way home from the city, I always ride my bike across the Burtscheider Brücke — often at sunset. The atmosphere of the sun going down over the train tracks and rail yards is absolutely enchanting.

I’ve stopped there more than once to pull out my camera and take a few shots.

Craziest Activity

Even though it’s officially not drinkable, pretty much every Aachen local has probably tried the sulfurous water at the Elisenbrunnen at least once. Not only does it smell horribly of rotten eggs, it also comes out of pipes that make you seriously question whether you should be drinking it at all.

Also very popular in Aachen is Rudi Rockt, a running dinner party organized all across Germany. Since Aachen has so many students, this event is extremely popular, with several hundred to thousands of people taking part.

Best Event of the Year

I already mentioned the Christmas market — certainly one of the most popular events in Aachen. But depending on your taste, there are plenty of other events worth putting on your radar.

For equestrian fans, there’s the CHIO horse show, which will be familiar to any horse enthusiast. For music fans, two festivals stand out depending on your taste: Kurpark Classix or the September Special.

The latter takes place every year in September over four days and can be enjoyed for free throughout the city center.

Food and Drink in Aachen

Local Specialty

A special type of gingerbread found only in Aachen: the Aachener Printen — the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea, cocoa, or coffee. But be warned: they can sometimes be very hard, so don’t break a tooth. Especially if you let them sit for several days. So there’s no need to feel guilty if you polish them off in no time flat.

Your best bet is to stock up on a mixed selection of Printen during your visit. You can find them, for example, at Nobis Printen, right near Aachen Cathedral.

Best Burger

I’m a huge burger fan, though I haven’t managed to try every place yet. We have some really good burger joints.

For a true feast and a selection that leaves almost nothing to be desired, head to Homeburgers Aachen.

Best Ice Cream

Ohhh… this is a complicated and contentious topic in Aachen, because it divides the population.

For a long time, the camp was split between Delzepich fans and Del Negro fans. Since then, Oecher Eistreff has entered the competition, and Delzepich has unfortunately moved.

The Oecher Eistreff is a great alternative to Delzepich. In nice weather, the best place to enjoy your ice cream is at the foot of Frankenberger Burg in the park of the same name.

Best Breakfast

For buffet lovers, I can recommend Café Extrablatt. The selection is outstanding. On weekends especially, it gets very crowded, so you’ll often have to wait for a table — or not find one at all.

My tip: Most breakfast-goers arrive on the hour. Get there a few minutes earlier so you’re not stuck waiting in line behind them.

Favorite Restaurants

All these questions about food and drink are making me really hungry. If I were picking a restaurant right now for a delicious meal, it would be one of the following:

Akl: Located right at the start of Pontstraße, the place looks more like a snack bar, but the Lebanese food is outstanding.

My tip: Akl works together with Café Egmont right next door. You can enjoy the atmosphere at Egmont and have your food from Akl served to you there.

My recommendation: The shawarma plate!

Going Out at Night?

On Pontstraße, everyone will find a bar or pub that suits their taste. Outside of Pontstraße, here are my favorite spots:

Domkeller: What I’d still genuinely call a proper bar. There’s live music here every Monday.

LastExit: The website is pretty outdated. Located more on the edge of the city center, I’ve spent many hours at LastExit. While it has more of a café vibe during the day, at night it turns into a popular student bar.

Qutoqi Bar: This bar was opened by the owner of the former Jakobshof. In my opinion, it’s criminally underrated and deserves a lot more attention.

Best Midnight Snack

If you find yourself in Aachen at 2 AM and you’re hungry, you’re probably somewhere near Pontstraße. Your first stop should be Kathy’s Frietnesse.

Where to Stay in Aachen

Our Hotel Recommendation

I honestly don’t know much about hotels in Aachen, so I can’t say a whole lot. During an event in Aachen, a friend of mine and her boyfriend have stayed at the Novotel Aachen City twice. It seems to be a solid choice.

The hotel’s location is fairly central, so you can reach all the sights in the old town and the Lousberg on foot. The bus terminal, from which you can get to more distant parts of the city, is also just around the corner.

Budget Hotel Recommendation

The A&O Aachen Hauptbahnhof is the most popular option among budget travelers. This hostel chain now has locations in many cities across Germany. I haven’t stayed there myself in Aachen.

That said, Aachen also has an active Couchsurfing community. The chances of finding a spot outside of major events are very good.

Let’s explore together!

I think Aachen has something to offer everyone. The city and its surroundings have a lot going for them, both culturally and scenically.

Writing this article made me realize how little I’ve actually explored my own home region. That’s why I’d like to revive my series Fotogenes Dreiländereck.

If you’re coming to Aachen, feel free to get in touch with me for a joint photo tour. I always love meeting new people.