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 there. The Christmas market is also lovely! Here are practical tips on what to do with kids, kids-friendly restaurants and where to stay with the family in Aachen

How to Get to Aachen

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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.

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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

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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

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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 either online or at several points in the city. You can find more details in the official website here.

Where to Stay in Aachen

€€ Parkhotel Quellenhof Aachen is about 10 minutes walk from the center. Located next to the City Park of Aachen and with an indoor pool and spa it feels more like a vacation than a city break. Parking is available (extra charge). There is a playground in the park near the hotel.

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€ Novotel Aachen City is centrally located just a few minutes walk from the Cathedral. There is a play corner for kids near the reception and a fitness center with a sauna. There is parking right under the hotel (extra charge). This is one of the most convenient options to stay in Aachen with kids.

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What to See in Aachen

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.

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

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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

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.

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.

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

Fun for Kids in Aachen

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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Aachen Zoo

A lovely little park with animals and playgrounds just 10 minutes from the center of Aachen! This is a rather small zoo – which makes it perfect for younger kids

Carolus Thermen Spa

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

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

Where to Eat with Kids in Aachen

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

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, 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

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.

Where to Park in Aachen

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

September Special Event

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 Catehdral and the town hall. Usually there are concerts as well

You can find more details about the September Special here

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. We keep going every year, since it is so close to Brussels, that you can go just to spend the day

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Map

All places mentioned above are also gathered on the map!
Indoor and outdoor activities, kids friendly cafés/ restaurants, hotels and more all under separate layers

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Aachen with Kids | Best Things to Do | Where to Stay