North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany's most populous state, a chain of Rhine and Ruhr cities between the Dutch and Belgian borders and the hills of the Sauerland. Cologne is the obvious base, with its cathedral and Romanesque churches; Düsseldorf, Aachen and the old industrial cities of the Ruhr are all a short train ride away.
This hub links Cologne, which has its own page, and the Aachen Cathedral and Phantasialand entries from the Germany page, and adds the Zollverein mine and Düsseldorf's old town.
Walk the Zollverein coal mine, the Ruhr's World Heritage icon
Essen
Half a dayNo booking needed
A modernist coal mine in Essen, once the world's most powerful, now a free World Heritage site with the Ruhr Museum inside.
What it is
Shaft XII of the Zollverein coal mine was built from 1928 to 1932 by the architects Fritz Schupp and Martin Kremmer in pure functionalism. It produced 12,000 tonnes of coal a day and was for decades the world's most powerful underground mine. It closed in 1986 and in 2001 became a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with the Zollverein coking plant.
How to do it
The site is free to enter at any time. Start at the Ruhr.Visitorcenter Essen in the former Coal Washery, Gelsenkirchener Strasse 181, open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, where tours start and tickets are sold. The Ruhr Museum, in the same building, opens daily from 10:00 to 18:00; its permanent exhibition costs €10, or €7 reduced. Guided tours in English run at weekends.
Good to know
All Zollverein venues close on 24, 25 and 31 December.
Drink Altbier in Düsseldorf's old town, the longest bar in the world
Düsseldorf Altstadt
An eveningNo booking needed
Half a square kilometre of old town with more than 260 places to eat and drink, and the Altbier brewed in its brewery pubs.
What it is
Düsseldorf's Altstadt covers only half a square kilometre but is known as the longest bar in the world, with more than 260 places to eat and drink between the Heinrich-Heine-Allee, the Hofgarten and the Rhine promenade. Its drink is Altbier, brewed in the city's own brewery pubs and served, as in Cologne, by waiters called Köbes. Six Altbiers are brewed in Düsseldorf: Schumacher, Uerige, Kürzer, Füchschen, Schlüssel and Gulasch.
How to do it
There is nothing to book. Start at Uerige, Berger Strasse 1, near the Rhine, then try Zum Schlüssel on Bolkerstrasse and Füchschen on Ratinger Strasse. Trains from Cologne reach Düsseldorf in well under an hour, so it works as an evening trip.
Good to know
Between pubs, walk the Rhine promenade at the edge of the old town.
See Charlemagne's chapel and throne in Aachen Cathedral
Aachen
No booking needed
Stand in the octagon that was Charlemagne's palace chapel, where some 30 German kings were crowned, and see his throne on a tour.
What it is
The octagon at the heart of Aachen Cathedral was Charlemagne's palace chapel, and some 30 German kings were crowned here between 936 and 1531. The two best parts, the Gothic choir hall and the royal throne, are only shown on a guided tour. Next door, the Cathedral Treasury holds the bust of Charlemagne and the Cross of Lothair.
How to do it
Entry is free outside services: Monday to Thursday 11:00 to 18:00, Friday and Saturday to 19:00, Sunday 13:00 to 17:45. Tour tickets are sold at the Dominformation, and an English tour runs daily at 14:00. The Treasury opens 10:00 to 18:00, Mondays until 14:00.
Good to know
Weekday Masses at 7:00 and 10:00 close it to sightseers. Hours change at short notice for services and concerts, so check that day's times.
A full day, 9:00 to at least 18:00 in seasonBook ahead
Taron launches you through the rock village of Klugheim and Black Mamba, an inverted coaster, runs through Deep in Africa.
What it is
Phantasialand in Brühl, just south of Cologne, packs its themed areas into a compact site, and its headline coasters are Taron, a multi-launch ride through the rock village of Klugheim, and Black Mamba, an inverted coaster in the Deep in Africa area.
How to do it
In the 2026 season the gates open at 9:00 and the rides at 10:00, closing at 18:00 at the earliest, until 13 November. Use the hour between opening and the first rides to cross to Klugheim. Theme park tickets start at €49 and Wintertraum tickets at €30 for December.
Good to know
From 14 November 2026 to 24 January 2027 the park runs as Wintertraum, 11:00 to 20:00, with River Quest and the other water rides shut, and it closes completely on 24 and 25 December, 1 January and 12 and 13 January.
Time needed
A full day, 9:00 to at least 18:00 in season
Best time
From the 9:00 opening, before the rides start at 10:00
Hidden gems suggested by travellers. We check each one before it goes up; the words are theirs, not ours.
No traveller picks for North Rhine-Westphalia yet. Know a place most visitors miss?
Plan your trip
Which places for what
Cologne for the cathedral, museums, Kölsch and carnival. Aachen for Charlemagne's cathedral. Essen's Zollverein for the industrial Ruhr, and Düsseldorf for its old town, Altbier and the Rhine promenade. Phantasialand in Brühl, between Cologne and Bonn, is the family day out.
Combining them
In must30's view, base yourself in Cologne for three or four nights and take day trips: Aachen one day, Zollverein another, and Düsseldorf for an evening. The cities are close enough that you never need to change hotel.
Getting around
Regional and S-Bahn trains link Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen, Bonn and Aachen many times an hour, and the Deutschlandticket covers them. A car is rarely worth it between the cities.
When to go
Spring to autumn suits the Rhine and outdoor sights. Carnival, culminating on Rose Monday, is the region's biggest party, and Advent fills the old towns with Christmas markets.
Questions travellers ask
Is Cologne or Düsseldorf the better base?
In must30's view, Cologne: it has the cathedral and more sights, and Düsseldorf is a short train ride away for an evening in its old town.
Is Zollverein worth a visit?
Yes, if industrial heritage interests you. The World Heritage site is free to walk around at any time, and the Ruhr Museum inside tells the story of the Ruhr.
What is the difference between Kölsch and Altbier?
Kölsch is Cologne's beer, served in slim Stangen glasses; Altbier is Düsseldorf's beer, brewed in its own brewery pubs. Each city prefers its own.
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