Discover the imperial city of Aachen on a free personal walk with us
Come as a guest, leave as a friend! (Greeter core values)
Charlemagne resided here around 800 AD, and 32 German kings were crowned in Aachen Cathedral. Aachen was and is an international city where European history was written over many centuries.
We will stroll through the old town with its numerous small streets and alleys, historically grown and interwoven over two millennia. We will explore the Roman heritage, the imperial center with Charlemagne’s imperial palace, which surrounds the cathedral and town hall. It is worth discovering the rich details of the Carolingian, Gothic, Baroque, and Classicist buildings.
The cathedral and its treasury are a must for every visitor to Aachen. Aachen Cathedral, the burial place of Charlemagne and repository of valuable relics, was one of the most important pilgrimage churches in Europe for many centuries. The imperial throne, golden shrines, and other precious elements testify to the cathedral’s importance for the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.
We will pause for a while at the numerous fountains and monuments along the way and tell the stories and legends associated with them. Aachen’s long and eventful history accompanies us every step of the way.
Aachen is a city of water, which was important for its medieval development as a center of the textile and metal industries. Aachen is famous for its thermal springs, which were already visited by the Romans for healing and relaxation. During the Baroque period, the city was one of the most sought-after and glamorous health resorts in Central Europe. Several buildings, such as the Elisenbrunnen, the old spa house, and the city theater, bear witness to this era. Today, the Carolus Therme continues this tradition. Visitors can relax in warm mineral water in various indoor and outdoor pools.
Aachen is young and lively, full of students, and innovative thanks to the University of Aachen (RWTH) and its associated university hospital. Here you will find lively and atmospheric pubs, cafés, bistros, and small shops that invite you to linger.
Aachen is a city of horses: horse races were already taking place here in the 19th century, and the many riding stables in the surrounding area still bear witness to this tradition today. Every year in early summer, the world’s most important equestrian event, the CHIO (“Concours Hippique International Officiel”), takes place here.
Aachen is also a city of sweets, and not just at Christmas time! Factory outlets of chocolate manufacturers and a local specialty called “Printen” (a type of spicy gingerbread) await you. The Aachen Christmas market is undoubtedly an absolute highlight.
Aachen is Germany’s westernmost city, located in the border triangle of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany; it is worth exploring the surrounding area, which is characterized by large forest areas in the south and a gentle, open hilly landscape with meadows and beech hedges in the western extension (known as Limburg Switzerland) – always accompanied by pretty little villages and scattered half-timbered farms.