Hello!
Our family is going to visit Essen for a week while my husband teaches a course there. I will be with our 3, 8, and 11 year old kids. Any recommendations for interesting day trips out of Essen? We’d like to use trains and bikes to get around. Is this feasible?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Hi,
What is the subject of the course?
I saw Essen once , the Zentrum in 2007. Essen is in the Ruhrgebiet (the Ruhr area). I would suggest seeing in Essen Villa Hugel, which is one of its main attractions historically.
Other sites in the Ruhr , depending on how far you want to ride or travel by car/train are historical sites , eg, in Dortmund-Hohensyburg, up on a hill , the site of the large Bismarck - Kaiser Wilhelm Denkmal ( Monument)....a very nice panoramic view even though obstructed and cluttered by buildings. I first saw that in 1987 when tracking that Monument...nice view of the valley then uncluttered.
In 2007 I went back, a disappointment because of the development in the 20 years.
Keep in mind that cities in the Ruhr have that ugly 1960s reconstruction architecture style, such as in Hamm, Dortmund, Duisburg, Essen.
Posted by
Berlin
3008 posts
With kids? Travel back to our roots in Neaderthal museum.
Ruhr area tourism wevsite provide more inspirations.
Posted by
Germany
626 posts
You are halfway between Münster and Köln, not far from cute towns like Xanten.
In Köln, kids might enjoy the Bone Chapel.
Germany also has great playgrounds, so make time for those.
You might also try looking up Freilichtmuseum (Open Air Museum) and see if anything grabs you.
Posted by
Germany
193 posts
What we did in Bochum when we were in lastgrade Primary School
Not an Tourist thing but interesting Go underground in the
They do tours especially for kids;See link above
Go from Essen Central Station to Bochum Central Station by train then Subway U35 second stop Deutsches Bergbaumuseum
30 min ride