15 Best Things to Do in Aachen

One of the greatest rulers known in Europe, with an empire stretching from the Pyrenees to the Elbe River, and from the North Sea to Central Italy, chose to spend the last years of his life in a city that today remains a bit off-the-beaten path for the average traveler. Can you guess which city it is? Yep, Aachen – the city of Charlemagne, aka Carolus Magnus in Latin, or Karl der Große in German, or Charles the Great in English.

Charlemagne, King of the Franks and the Lombards, and a Holy Roman Emperor, lived between 747 and 814. He was a great diplomat and a ruler with a vision. His ideas and reforms are still fundamental for shaping nation’s identities across Europe from the Middle Ages to the present day: a common currency, a standardized script, and a common faith with a standardized liturgy.

Today, we can’t think Charlemagne away from Aachen, and everything in the city revolves around his prominent figure. There’s a special Charlemagne Route that covers a few attractions in Aachen connected with him or dedicated to him. But Aachen is not only Charlemagne and the city is quite vibrant offering lots to do and see. So, let’s have a look at the best things to do in Aachen.

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How to get to Aachen

Although Aachen is the westernmost city in Germany, it’s quite well connected with the other major German cities. Its location at the border with the Netherlands and the Belgium makes it also an easy stop on any itinerary if you are travelling in these two countries.

The nearest international airports to Aachen are Cologne-Bonn International Airport (85 km), Dusseldorf Airport (95 km) in Germany, and Eindhoven International Airport in the Netherlands (115 km).

Aachen shares one airport with Maastricht in the Netherlands – Maastricht-Aachen International Airport (35 km), but it serves mostly low-cost holiday lines in the summer.

What to do and see in Aachen

Aachen or Aix-la-Cappelle is the perfect destination for a city trip, as it is just an hour drive from Cologne-Bonn International Airport, or for a day trip if you are staying in Cologne, the Eifel Region, Maastricht, or Liege. The most famous attraction of Aachen is its Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but there’s also a number of good art museums and a lovely Old Town. The best kept secret of Aachen is however its thermal baths.

Tip: If you are visiting Aachen in December, do not miss the Christmas Market that is held in the Old Town 4 weeks before Christmas. Read here my post about the Christmas Market in Aachen.

So, here are the best things to do in Aachen. You can save the map to your Google maps, so that you have all locations marked when you are walking around.

1. Marvel the amazing Aachen Cathedral

Charlemagne built St. Mary’s Church, today’s Cathedral, as an expression of his power and embodiment of his views for a common faith. The church was finished at the end of the 8th century and became the largest domed structure to the north of the Alps.

After his death, Charlemagne was laid to rest in the church. The importance of the church grew with the years and since 916 all German kings were crowned there.

The church became also one of the 3 most important pilgrimage destinations in Europe, together with Rome and Santiago de Compostela. The Aachen Pilgrimage (Heiligtumsfahrt) takes place every 7 years since 1349. The next pilgrimage will take place between 9-19 June 2023.

The interior of the church is simply mesmerizing with the 19th-century mosaics on the vaulted ceiling, inspired by the famous mosaics in Ravenna (Italy). The chandelier (1165) that hangs in the middle of the octagon, was gifted by the Emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa.

Because of its significance and architectural beauty, the Cathedral was the first German site to be inscribed in 1978 on the list with UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

2. Dive into medieval times at the Aachen Cathedral Treasury

The Cathedral Treasury (Domschatzkammer) is housed in the cloister that connects the Cathedral to the monastery. It’s the most important collection of medieval church artworks in the western Christianity. It includes sacred gold and silver items, like chalices, reliquaries and altarpieces, as well as objects that belonged to Charlemagne himself.

The most famous objects exhibited in the Cathedral Treasury include a hunting horn from the 11th century, the hunting knife of Charlemagne from the 8th century, the Cross of Lothair, the Aachen Alter, and the Carolingian Treasury Gospels. The Treasury is together with the Cathedral a UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

3. Visit the imposing Aachen Town Hall

Another must-see in Aachen is the Town Hall (Rathaus). The Town Hall was built in the first half of the 14th century on the ruins of the palace of Charlemagne. Part of the Aula regia (royal hall) and the Granus Tower are incorporated in the building. The Town Hall survived a couple of fires and many wars and its today’s appearance is the overhaul in Gothic Revival style, carried out in the 19th century, which preserved many of the original Gothic elements.

Today, the Town Hall is open for the public and is part of the Charlemagne Route. Quite interesting is the so-called Red Room – the Peace Hall which was inaugurated in 1748 for the ceremonial signing of the peace treaty of Aachen, which put an end to the Austrian War of Succession. Another important chamber in the Town Hall is the White Room, which dates back to the Baroque period of the Town Hall. It was initially the seat of the panel that controlled the quality of the cloth, produced in the city, and later on became the main office of the mayor of Aachen.

An amazing staircase with a beautiful view of the Cathedral leads to the coronation hall, where the banquets were held of the newly crowned kings of the Holy Roman Empire. We can see there a copy of the Imperial Regalia, the originals of which are kept in the Vienna Imperial Treasury.

4. Visit Aachen’s City Museum – Centre Charlemagne

All the history of Aachen, from the Neolithic to the present day is gathered at one place – the New City’s Museum, known as Charlemagne Centre. Of course in the focal point of the museum is Charlemagne, the ruler, the person and the legend.

The Centre is located on the square between the Cathedral and the Town Hall. At the Centre there is a museum shop and a café. The museum is quite fun as the exhibitions are interactive.

5. Take a sneak peak at a 17-18th-century home at the Couven Museum

Another famous Aachen tourist attraction is the Couven Museum. The building on Chicken Market Square (Hühnermarkt), where the museum is housed, once was the city’s weigh house. The house was built in 1662 and initially served as a pharmacy. In 1786 the house was completely renovated in Rococo style by the then city architect – Jakob Couven.

In 1958 the house became a museum showing how an upper-middle class family used to live. The interior and the furnishings follow the trends of the last 4 centuries: from Rococo to Classicism, from Napoleonic style to Biedermeier.

6. Appreciate fine art at Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum

Although not very famous, Aachen’s art museum Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum is absolutely worth the visit. The collection of the museum includes 15th- and 16th-century paintings from Southern German and early Dutch artists, as well as of Italian and Spanish artists.

There are also masterpieces of a number of Rembrandt’s disciples: Anthonis van Dyck, Joseph de Bray, and Frans Hals. Quite interesting is also the 19th- and 20th-century collection, which includes German Impressionists, Classical Modernists, and Expressionists.

The museum is housed in the beautiful Villa Cassalette – the town house in Renaissance Revival style of the rich manufacturer from Aachen, Eduard Cassalette. Well, Villa Cassalette is more a palace than a house, inspired by the grand Venetian palaces, and decorated in Pompeian style.

7. Educate yourself at the Ludwig Forum for International Art

The Ludwig Forum for International Art (Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst) is the museum for modern art of Aachen. It all started in 1968 with a Pop Art exhibition organized by Peter and Irene Ludwig. The exhibition was an enormous success and laid the foundations of an exquisite collection of contemporary art works from all over the world. An intriguing part of the collection consists of art works from the Eastern Bloc, China and Cuba.

The museum is housed since 1991 in the former umbrella factory Schirmfabrik Emil Brauer, a beautiful industrial building in Bauhaus style built in 1928.

8. Admire the pure beauty of Elisenbrunnen

Another popular landmark in Aachen is the Elisenbrunnen (Elise’s Fountain) – a beautiful building in Neo-Classical style with two hot spring fountains. Besides being famous as the city of Charlemagne, Aachen has also been an important bath place since the Middle Ages. The building with the Doric columns was initially built in 1827 but completely destroyed during WWII. In 1953 Elisenbrunnen was rebuilt, so what we see today is actually a replica of the original building.

The water that comes from the mineral spring is at 53°C. Although in the past it was potable, today there’s a sign which says that it is not for drinking.

Behind the Elisenbrunnen there is lovely park – Elisengarten (Elise’s Garden), where locals love to hang out.

9. Uncover the layers of history at the Archeological Showcase

Almost in the middle of Elisengarten (Elise’s Garden) there is a pavilion, which is an open-air archeological site covered with a glass structure, where archeological finds are exhibited just like in a museum vitrine. This is also how they call it in German – Archeologisches Vitrine.

Archeological excavations in the city, performed between 2007 and 2010, uncovered more than 70000 objects of archeological significance from the Neolithic through the late Middle Ages. Some of these objects are displayed in the exhibition pavilion in Elisengarten.

There are also other smaller archeological ‘windows’ across the city: at the Town Hall, on Ursulinerstraße, on Buchkremerstraße, and in the cathedral.

10. Find the remnants of the old city walls

Once Aachen was surrounded by two city walls – an inner and an outer circle. The inner circle was finished around 1172 and the outer – at the beginning of the 14^th century. There were numerous gates and towers on both city walls, but there aren’t many of them left today.

From the 11 gates on the outer wall there have survived till the present day only two: the Ponttor and the Marschiertor. None of the gates from the inner wall are to be seen today. Ponttor can be mistaken for a small castle and it is quite lovely to see it in the evening when it’s beautifully lit up.

The most famous tower that has remained from the old city bulwark is the Marienturm (St Mary’s Tower) on the outer wall. There are also three smaller towers: Lavenstein, Pfaffenturm, and Adalbertsturm.

11. Spot the Roman Porticoes and enjoy a beer

At the lovely Hof Square, you can not only admire the Roman Porticoes, but you can also get a beer or two, just like the locals. This is where the Roman baths and temples were long before Charlemagne put Aachen on the map.

Today, on Hof Square there are numerous cafes and restaurants and both tourists and locals love to hang out there. Well, the porticoes we see today are a replica, and the original ones can be seen in the Federal State Museum in Bonn.

12. Go in search of the city’s fountains

There are more than 40 fountains in Aachen, starting with Elisenbrunnen, which is more than a fountain. The oldest and the largest, and of course the 2nd most famous fountain in Aachen is Karlsbrunnen (Charles’ Fountain) on Market Square (Markt), just in front of the Town Hall. It was built in 1620 and is crowned by a statue of Charlemagne.

My favorite fountain is though Puppenbrunnen (Puppets Fountain) on Krämerstraße, built in 1975. I love the allegories of the different puppets that symbolize important parts of Aachen’s history and everyday life, like the horse and knight stand for the famous CHIO Aachen – a popular horse show, and the masks – for carnival, an important festivity for the Aacheners.

Other famous fountains in Aachen are the Fischpuddelchen on Fischmarkt (Fish Market) and the Möschenbrunnen on Münsterplatz (Münster Square).

13. Indulge in a spa treatment at Carolus Thermen

Aachen has a long-standing tradition as a spa town but today this is only known to the locals. If you are staying longer in the city, a visit to the Carolus Thermen (Aachen’s Spa Centre) is among one of the best things to do in Aachen.

Whether you are up to for a dip in the thermal bath, or for a massage or a sauna, Carolus Thermen will be the perfect place to relax and recharge your batteries, as it offers the ultimate wellness experience.

14. Visit the unusual International Newspaper Museum

We can’t image the world today without digital media, but how was it before? How was the era of the paper newspaper? Is everything true what they say in the media? Where ends the truth and begins the lie? The International Newspaper Museum in Aachen follows the history of the newspaper from the 16th century to the present day.

The museum collection was established in 1886 and it numbers today more than 300 000 items. The museum is housed since 1931 in a beautiful 15th-century house.

15. Don’t miss to try Printen

When visiting Aachen there’s one thing you should try – the typical gingerbread cookies, called printen. This type of cookies arrived somewhere in the 15th century from Dinant in Belgium, but it wasn’t before 1820 when the Aachner Printe were born, the way we know them today. Although we mostly associate gingerbread cookies with Christmas, the printen are available the whole year round.

When you walk the streets of Aachen the window shops of the printen bakeries are one of the most beautiful ones in the city. Let them seduce you and try a printen. They also make a great gift for family and friends.

Some places to try printen are the Bakery Nobis Printen (est. 1858) with 37 shops in Aachen, the Printen Bakery Klein, Alois Roderburg Printen House, Konditorei Leo van den Daele. The last one is also the oldest café in Aachen. In front of it you can find a statue of a girl holding a printen – the famous Printenmädchen (the Gingerbread Girl).