Aachen with Kids | Best Things to Do | 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
Recommended Place to Stay
Located next to the City Park of Aachen 10 minutes walk from the center, and with an indoor pool and spa, this luxurious hotel feels more like a vacation than a city break. There is a playground in the park near the hotel.
Recommended Place to Stay
This centrally located hotel is great for budget travelers. There is a play corner for kids near the reception and a fitness center with a sauna.
- Best Family Hotels in Aachen
- Located next to the City Park of Aachen 10 minutes walk from the center, and with an indoor pool and spa, this luxurious hotel feels more like a vacation than a city break. There is a playground in the park near the hotel.
- This centrally located hotel is 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
- Stroll Around The Town Hall
- Realx at The Market Square
- Explore Katschhof
- Let the Kids Play at Elisenbrunnen and Elisengarten
- Visit the Aachen zoo
- Relax at Carolus Thermen Spa
- Where to Eat with Kids in Aachen
- Shopping in Aachen
- Where is Aachen
- How to Reach Aachen
- Where to Park in Aachen
- September Special Event
- Recommended
Best Things to Do in Aachen
Visit The Cathedral
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
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.
We compare all airlines with this search engine to get the lowest price possible for flights. You can also set ‘Everywhere’ as destination and it gives you the cheapest flight anywhere on any given day or find out when is the lowest price to fly to a specific destination.
Search for flights here
We always use this highly-rated pickup service with local English-speaking drivers. The ride costs a flat, pre-paid fee, they are monitoring for flight delays and they provide stellar 24/7 customer support
Book your airport pickup here
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.
We always use this search engine to find the best car rental deal. They compare all major companies, like Hertz, Sixt, Europcar, and more, and you get the lowest price. The earlier you book a car, the lower the price. You also get free cancelation up to 48 hours before pick up, which is great if anything happens
Search for rental car deals here
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 that 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, we went 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
Recommended
Aachen Christmas Market
The Christmas market in Aachen takes place around the town hall and the Cathedral. It is a lively Christmas market with lots of attractions. There are also several other Christmas markets nearby you can visit in this guide.
Read more: Aachen Christmas Market
Best Christmas Markets in Europe
Aachen also has one of the best European Christmas markets in Europe that we have visited. Check the post below to see which others are worth a visit!
Read more: Christmas Markets in Europe
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Indoor and outdoor activities, kids friendly cafés/ restaurants, hotels and more all under separate layers
Jo Koni (Georgia Konidari) is a nationally syndicated writer and the creator of World Wild Schooling, a digital platform dedicated to travel. She is on a mission to explore the globe and share her experiences with fellow travelers. She has been featured on MSN, the Associated Press Wire and more. You can follow Jo on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube.
