City park
Nature & Leisure
City of Aachen / Jonas Hellmann
Hiking
Walking, hiking, running, walking for miles: the Aachen Forest, affectionately known by the locals as the "Oecher Bösch", stretches to the south of the city. From the foothills of the Voreifel to the edge of the Netherlands and Belgium - and very quickly beyond: unlimited exercise and recreation on an excellently developed and signposted network of paths.
City of Aachen / Jonas Hellmann
Riding
The happiness of the earth: a well-developed network of bridleways takes you on horseback through the Aachen forest and meadow landscapes. The informative riding trail map helps you find your way around.
More
© City of Aachen / Andreas Steindl
Cycling
There are more than 330 kilometers of cycle paths in Aachen. And we are working on increasing this number. In the future, ten priority cycle routes will connect the outer districts with the city center.
More
City of Aachen / Jonas Hellmann
Swimming
Swim a few laps or splash around: Both are possible in Aachen's five indoor swimming pools - four of which are municipal. And in summer, the Hangeweiher outdoor pool invites you to cool off and linger under the shade of the trees.
More
Aachen Forest
Aachen's green lung in the south of the city: The Aachen Forest stretches between Belgium, the Netherlands and the foothills of the Voreifel. The more than 30 square kilometers, made accessible by miles of riding and hiking trails, are the most important local recreation area for the people of Aachen.
Natural monuments
These are extraordinary and natural landscape elements that become natural monuments. In Aachen, these are above all very special trees such as the Forster lime tree, the giant sequoia in the city garden or the impressive plane tree on Abteiplatz in Burtscheid. But prominent groups of trees also have this status, such as the hornbeam group in the Schildchensweg cemetery in Kornelimünster, popularly known as the "homage throne". One extraordinary tree in Aachen has not only become a natural monument, but even a national heritage tree: a sweet chestnut in Vaalserquartier, which is estimated to be around 450 years old.
Barbecue areas
Barbecuing and eating with friends and family, in the middle of nature and quite legally: this is possible at a total of 17 barbecue areas in Aachen's parks, the Aachen Forest and in the city districts.
BorderRoutes
On the BorderRoutes you can experience the landscape, culture and history of the three-country region - whether through the wide hedgerow landscape of East Belgium, along gnarled rows of beech trees along the historic Landgraben, through the charming Göhl Valley or over the gentle hills of the Limburg Heuvelland.
Parks & Cemeteries
Play & Sport
skynesher, © iStock.com / skynesher
Playgrounds
Playing, climbing, sliding: On over 220 public playgrounds, more than 50 football pitches and skate parks, children - even in densely built-up urban areas - have the opportunity to really let off steam with their friends or mom and dad.
More
HEIKE_LACHMANN, © City of Aachen / Heike Lachmann
Sports activities
Aachen is a sporting hotspot. This not only applies to Alemannia, the Ladies in Black and the CHIO. Almost 64,000 athletes keep fit in around 230 sports clubs. Then there are the many people who pursue their hobby of sport independently of clubs.
More
Carnival
FG Trade, © iStock.com / FG Trade
Aachen is a stronghold of the Rhenish carnival. Just in time for 11.11., princes, prince couples, triumvirates and Carnival friends from numerous clubs and societies take over the reigns every year and contribute to the cultural events in the city with balls, events and street parades.
Children & teenagers
© iStock.com / mediaphotos
Vacation games
Many parents are anxious about their children's vacations. Especially during the summer vacations, it can be difficult to reconcile work and childcare. Not so in Aachen! The city and its partners have been putting together a huge range of vacation activities for years. Many of the activities are free of charge.
Youth facilities
Meet friends, have fun: There are around 30 facilities for young people in Aachen with many different offers - from open meetings, personal advice and help to sports activities, a youth art school and a cultural workshop. Boredom is not an option!
Music school
The Aachen Music School is an educational institution of the City of Aachen for children, young people and adults. Its mission is to awaken an interest in music, to develop musical skills and abilities and to promote musical creativity.
City library
Over 460,000 books, CDs, films, games, sheet music, magazines, audio books and e-media are part of the Aachen City Library's media collection and are available to users in the central library, the two district libraries, the five branch libraries and the book bus. Aachen City Library promotes information, reading and media literacy. As a politically and ideologically neutral venue for events, learning and recreation, it cooperates with a wide range of educational, cultural, social and leisure facilities.
Culture
Aachen's culture crosses borders
Culture is: children's voices at Katschhof, garden art in Lufo Park, Shakespeare at Theater Aachen. Culture is alive and well in Aachen. Indoors and outdoors, loud and quiet, with enjoyment and sophistication. Aachen makes culture, across borders: choral singing in churches, Kurpark Classix in the summer city park, alternative theater in the cellar, rock, jazz and electro at the open-air September Special. The Ludwig Forum shows contemporary art - and invites you to cinema, readings, workshops and much more. The SuermondtLudwigMuseum takes visitors on a journey into the pictorial world of earlier centuries. At the iconic Schrittmacher Festival, avant-garde dancers perform in an old factory. The symphony orchestra is one of the top ensembles in NRW.