Aachen
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Compact, is what I would say if I have to describe the charming city centre of Aachen in one single word. Short, is the word to sum up my visit. You don’t need much time to explore each corner and every alley of downtown Aachen, but you will enjoy every single minute of the process.
A joyful process that is free, if you want it to be. Or cheap, if you have a few spare euros left in your pocket. So let’s cut the small talk and move straight to the…
Aachen-Freebie-List
“What can I do and see in Aachen without spending a dime?”
A joyful process that is free, if you want it to be. Or cheap, if you have a few spare euros left in your pocket. So let’s cut the small talk and move straight to the…
Aachen-Freebie-List
“What can I do and see in Aachen without spending a dime?”
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- Roman Ruins: You can hardly escape them in Europe: the Romans. Caesar and his boys travelled far and wide, not excluding Aachen from their itinerary. After the Celts moved out, the presence of a cluster of hot springs ranked it as the ultimate hot-[haha]-spot to open a spa resort under the name of Aquae Granni (Latin for “Waters of Grannus” – a Celtic god who was worshipped at the springs in this area). Not only are these hot springs still present for you to enjoy, but also the remains of Roman times are still randomly scattered around the city of Aachen for anyone to admire… for free! [the various ‘thermen’ complexes do have an entry fee]
- Churches & Gold: Something else that’s hard to escape in any European city (I would if I could): Christianity… or more specifically, the capitalization of religion in the shape of churches. One ‘good’ thing that came out of all that gold-hoarding at the expense of the poor is that this is a material that doesn’t perish, so we can still appreciate it today. For free, in the Aachen Cathedral (hard to miss – one of the city’s highest buildings), or for a couple of Euros in the Domschatzkammer if you want to go all in (one of their gold-packed relics contains a piece of skull of Charlemagne, if that rocks your boat). Other churches: Citykirche St. Nikolaus, St. Foillan, St. Jacob, St. Josef, St. Kornelius, St. Gregorius, Christliche Apostolische Kirche, Antoniuskapelle & Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche.
- Museums: We get it, you’re a traveller not a tourist… an admirer of the arts and Culture with a capital C. Well, today is your time to walk the talk! An empty wallet won’t hold up as an excuse this time: Both the Kunsthaus NRW Kornelimünster and the CHIO Aachen Museum are entirely free of charge! On Thursdays you can also visit the Ludwig Forum without spending a dime.
- Markets: After 5 years of full-time travelling I came to the conclusion that the best expressions of local culture (with the small c) are to be found in markets. Food markets, if you’re curious to sample the true local cuisine, the daily plates of the ordinary civilian (in front of the Rathaus; Tue & Thu 7AM – 2PM). Flea markets, to witness the material side of cultural identity… in more-down-to-earth-terms: the shit that people value to acquire (check dates here). Or – as you’re in Germany after all – Christmas markets, showpiece of German identity (In November – December; check!).
- Practice Your Photography Skills: Lots of photogenic material to train on in Aachen! Snap daily scenes at the Markt and the Katschof squares, the architecture of the Rathaus (city hall) and the Grasshaus, or the Ponttor / Marschiertor / Granusturm towers, the dozens of statues spread over the downtown streets, or the modern design of the odd-shaped ‘Toaster’ building. Snap-snappedy-snap!
- Refresh! Aachen is a vibrant student city, and if there’s one thing I recall from my own university phase (in between alcohol-infiltrated episodes of haziness) it’s the tightness of the wallet… in order to (possibly but not certainly) pave the way for a future career, one has to live through poignant poverty induced by inflated tuition fees. But the Aachen students get one thing for free though: purified drinking water! Served from the most well-crafted fountains forming sightsee-stops on their own: the Elisenbrunnen, Karlsbrunnen, Spatzenbrunnen, Puppenbrunnen – takes a deep breath – Vinzenzbrunnen, Hühnerdiebbrunnen, Paradiesbrunnen, Fischpuddelchen and the Kreislauf des Geldes… hydrate in style! [If in doubt: I refilled my water bottle several times at these fountains, and did not experience explosive diarrhea as one of the consequences.]
- Geocaching: Sure, you can throw money into a guided city walk. What is entirely costless and - not unimportantly - mass-tourism-free is the concept of Geocaching: an underground global community of travel- and outdoor enthusiasts hiding physical boxes in all shapes and sizes for each other on remarkable and unusual locations, revealing different faces and layers of a destination which are usually skipped by mainstream tourist guides or websites (you could compare it to some old-school version of Pokemon Go, but with more profound intellectual foundation). The best news of all is: also in Aachen the Geocaching community is going strong. Download the app and catch the cache!
Alternatively, you can get more out of your Aachen visit with the Free Walking Tour Aachen. Check the link for the tour times!
- Hike ‘n Bike: Yes, you did your city walk, good boy/girl! Little did you know it’s only a warm-up… I mean, you can’t be this close to a handful of Germany’s significant natural treasures and entirely ignore them. I name an Aachener Wald, an Eifelsteig, a Vennbahn, a Grünmetropole, and definitely a ‘Dreilandereck’… the exact point where The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany hug each other, whooped up with a thrilling trail network. Fitness doesn’t have a price! […and if you’re really pressed for time: compensate with a stroll through the Frankenberger Park or a climb of the Lousberg Hill]
- Celebrate! There isn’t a better time to visit a city than when there’s something to party for. Luckily, that’s quite often the case in Aachen. I had a quick glance at the yearly festival calendar and a few main events immediately caught my eye… Weinsommer, combining two elements I think of quite highly: wine and summer… and Carnaval, generally my favourite time of the year, no matter in what country I am to celebrate (so far I threw up the confetti in Colombia, Paraguay, Argentina, Mexico and several spots in The Netherlands – I’m eager to add Germany to that list!)… Whatever ends up being your festival of choice, I don’t doubt it’s going to be a blast: If there’s one thing that all those evenings of watching German game shows with my grandmother taught me, it’s that the muffs can throw a proper party. Kings of glitter and entertainment! All events can be found here.
“Hmm… I might have a few euros to spare, what does that buy me in Aachen?”
You can enter a ton of museums (stretch your budget with the ‘Aufs in Museum’ or ‘6 for 6’ pass)… or chill your ass off in the numerous spa facilities spread over the entire region. Find links and details in the Free Budget Fact Sheet:
You can enter a ton of museums (stretch your budget with the ‘Aufs in Museum’ or ‘6 for 6’ pass)… or chill your ass off in the numerous spa facilities spread over the entire region. Find links and details in the Free Budget Fact Sheet:
| Download Steph's AACHEN Quick Budget Fact Sheet |
Location
Aachen is located in the south-west of Germany, a stones’ throw away from The Netherlands and Belgium. Bus 350 (Limburger) drives straight to Maastricht (NL), a recommended daytrip.
Aachen is located in the south-west of Germany, a stones’ throw away from The Netherlands and Belgium. Bus 350 (Limburger) drives straight to Maastricht (NL), a recommended daytrip.
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- The perfect daytrip from Aachen: Maastricht & Southern Limburg gems
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- Discover more Belgium: Antwerp & the most kick-ass Flanders itinerary!
- Europe's best skiing & hiking: Get your ass over to jaw-dropping Switzerland!
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