Best Things To Do in Aachen with Kids & Where To Stay

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Aachen is one of our favorite cities in Germany. We love walking around the Cathedral, having a café at the Market Square in front of the Townhall, and visiting the zoo in Aachen with kids.

Read on for practical tips on what to do with kids, kids-friendly restaurants, and where to stay with the family in Aachen.

Best Family Hotels in Aachen

Parkhotel Quellenhof Aachen is located next to the City Park of Aachen 10 minutes walk from the center, and with an indoor pool and spa. There is a playground in the park near the hotel.
Novotel Aachen City is a centrally located hotel great for budget travelers. There is a play corner for kids near the reception and a fitness center with a sauna.

Best Things to Do in Aachen

Visit The Cathedral

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Emperor Charlemagne requested to have the Cathedral built in the 8th century and he was also buried there in 814. You can still see Charlemagne’s throne in the Cathedral. Coronations of over 30 German kings have taken place there. The history of the Cathedral includes a Viking raid in 881, becoming a draw for pilgrims after Charlemagne was declared a Saint in 1165 and suffering damages during World War II by the Allies

The Treasury of the Cathedral showcases objects about the era of Charlamegne, coronations of kings and pilgrimage.

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You can find details on opening times, services, guided tours and tours by kids for kids here.

Stroll Around The Town Hall

The Town Hall of the Imperial City of Aachen was built around 1350, a Gothic municipal palace on the foundations of the Charlemagne’s King’s Hall. The town hall is surrounded by a beautiful square with lots of cafés, the market square

Realx at The Market Square

This is a lively square right in front of the town hall. There is a 16th-century fountain with a bronze statue of Charlemagne

The square has many cafés and restaurants. There is a lot of space for kids to run around too. Every Tuesday and Thursday there is a market. This is also where the Christmas market in Aachen takes place.

Explore Katschhof

The Katschhof square lies between the Cathedral and the town hall. There are many events taking place there, like the September Special, and of course the Aachen Christmas market in December.

Let the Kids Play at Elisenbrunnen and Elisengarten

There is also a small park next to the Cathedral, Elisengarten, with the neoclassical pavilion Elisenbrunnen. The water fountain there (one of the many in Aachen) is called Kreislauf des Geldes (Money Cycle). There used to be a tiny playground at the street next to it, but not anymore.

There is also a café in the park, where you can relax watching the kids play

Visit the Aachen zoo

One of the most kids-friendly activities is the zoo in Aachen. This is a small zoo, perfect for little kids. There are also playgrounds scattered around the zoo. The zoo is about 10 minutes drive from the city center.

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Relax at Carolus Thermen Spa

Best Things To Do in Aachen with Kids & Where To Stay — Image courtesy of Carolus Thermen Spa

This spa with indoor and outdoor pools is perfect to enjoy the thermal baths. There is a restaurant and parking.

Jo’s Tip
This spa is accessible only to kids older than 6 years old!

Where to Eat with Kids in Aachen

Aachen is lovely with the pedestrian area around the Cathedral. It’s a great place to have lunch or a coffee while the kids run around.

We usually have a wurst at Hanswurst (you are in Germany, after all!). It is located right next to the Cathedral and the view while you are eating there is amazing. There are no cars, so kids can run around freely

Hanswurst – Das Wurstrestaurant
Münsterpl. 6, 52062 Aachen, Germany

A small park is next to the Cathedral, Elisengarten, with the neoclassical pavilion Elisenbrunnen. The water fountain there (one of the many in Aachen) is called Kreislauf des Geldes (Money Cycle). There used to be a tiny playground, but not anymore. There is also a café/restaurant in the park, where you can relax watching the kids play

Restaurant Elisenbrunnen
Friedrich-Wilhelm-Platz 14, 52062 Aachen, Germany

Aachener Brauhaus is a centrally located historic brewery. There is no play area, but there is a kids menu

Aachener Brauhaus
Kapuzinergraben 4, 52062 Aachen, Germany

Mayersche Aachen is a bookstore with a cafe/restaurant and a kids corner

Mayersche Aachen
Buchkremerstraße 1-7, 52062 Aachen, Germany

Then we usually walk around the Cathedral and the Treasury all the way to the town hall. There is a picturesque little street, where a place with great cupcakes and café is located, Barbarella!

Barbarella Café
Pontstraße 40-42, 52062 Aachen, Germany

Shopping in Aachen

Jo’s Tip
Shop baby related stuff (and anything else, really) at DM for very low prices!

Where is Aachen

Aachen is in the west of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany very close to the border with Belgium and the Netherlands.

How to Reach Aachen

By Plane

The closest airport to Aachen is the Maastricht/Aachen airport. The airports of Liège, Duesseldorf and Cologne (Köln/Bonn) are also relatively close.

By Train

High-speed Thalys trains, operating on the Paris-Cologne route, and ICE trains, linking Brussels to Frankfurt and offering connections to the Netherlands, serve the Aachen Hbf train station.

The Aachen train station is well connected with the major German cities, among which Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund and Frankfurt.

The train station is located about 15 minutes walk from the Aachen Cathedral.

By Car

Driving to Aachen gives you the flexibility to easily visit other cities around it, such as Cologne, Dusseldorf and Monschau.

Good to know
Aachen is a Low-Emission Zone, which means that older vehicles are not allowed to enter the city. You will need a green sticker on your car, which you can buy online here or at several points in the city.

Where to Park in Aachen

Private parking near the Cathedral can be found here
Parkhaus Am Dom
Jesuitenstraße 12, 52062 Aachen, Germany

September Special Event

The last time we visited was during the September Special event in Aachen. There is a Ferris wheel and several attractions for kids around the Cathedral and the town hall. Usually, there are concerts as well.

You can find more details about the September Special here

Best Things To Do in Aachen with Kids & Where To Stay

Best Family Hotels in Aachen