Essen is always worth a visit! Not just because of the Essen Messe, with its 100-year tradition. Or because, with RWE, ThyssenKrupp, Aldi Nord, Hochtief and Schenker AG, five of the 50 companies with the highest turnover in Germany have their headquarters in Essen. Essen is worth a visit because it is a vibrant major city that is constantly reinventing itself. From culture capital of Europe to the Green Capital – the city in the heart of the Ruhr district combines raw mining charm with a blossoming cultural landscape and nature that has been given a new lease of life.
Culturally, Essen has a lot to offer for every taste: If you are looking to comprehend modern art in all its facets, you will be drawn to the Museum Folkwang. For opera lovers, Aalto Theater is a must. Acrobatics at its best is on display at the GOP Varieté-Theater, drama aficionados will flock to Grillo. Opera, ballet and classical music are on offer in the Philharmonie. Large musical productions are hosted at Colosseum.
The most unique cafés and bars can be found in Rüttenscheid, Essen’s trendy district. A visit to the Lichtburg is a must for cineastes. The historical cinema in the city centre is home to the largest cinema auditorium in Germany, and impresses above all with its unique charm. The city’s most popular restaurants include the gourmet restaurant at Schloss Hugenpoet and TV chef Nelson Müller’s Restaurant Schote. Beyond these, you will find numerous restaurants catering to every taste and budget. Those who wish to explore the nightlife will find plenty of opportunity to do so in the wide range of bars, clubs and discos.
More than 1000 shops in the city centre, 26 weekly markets, 5 shopping centres – Essen rightly bears the title of the shopping city. One of the largest inner-city shopping centres in Germany is the Limbecker Platz. If you are one who appreciates boutiques and owner-run stores, you cannot miss the opportunity to go for a stroll along Rüttenscheider Straße. The historical city centres in Werden and Kettwig are also home to beautiful stores waiting to be discovered.
The most popular and well-known natural adventure in Essen popular well beyond city borders is the Baldeneysee. In beautiful weather, the beach bar at the Baldeneysee gives you that holiday feeling with natural sand, loungers and the chance to partake in a number of recreational activities. Now there is even the opportunity to bathe in the largest of the six Ruhr artificial lakes again. The walking and cycling paths surrounding the lake are approx. 14 kilometres long and are a popular sports route. Essen’s green lung is the Grugapark, one of the largest inner-city parks in Germany. Whether alone or with family and friends: A visit is worthwhile at any time of the year.
If you want to experience old industrial culture up close, there is no way around paying a visit to the UNESCO world heritage site Zeche Zollverein. The area is now home to a museum, an outdoor swimming pool and gastronomy, amongst other attractions, but has lost nothing of its raw charm. Additionally, it is worth paying a visit to the Villa Hügel, the stately home of the industrial family Krupp, as well as the former workers’ housing estate Margarethenhöhe, which today is regarded as a jewel of urban development.
