Aachen

Aachen

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!

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:
https://www.aachenerdom.de/en/cathedral-news/visitor-information/cathedral/opening-hours/

Aachen Cathedral
Domhof 1, 52062 Aachen, Germany
https://goo.gl/maps/38s1v7mEYyt2MzFd6

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

City Hall Aachen
Markt, 52062 Aachen, Germany
https://goo.gl/maps/hCGUKAfSKabtWKEb6

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.

Marktplatz am Rathaus
Markt, 52062 Aachen, Germany
https://goo.gl/maps/YWsBj8gytaSEgJoi8

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 Christmas atmosphere is there in December.

Katschhof
Katschhof, 52062 Aachen, Germany
https://goo.gl/maps/5BNKxRRNsA3fa4eX7

Elisenbrunnen

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

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 15 minutes drive from the city center

Aachener Tierpark Euregiozoo
Ob. Drimbornstraße 44, 52066 Aachen, Germany
https://goo.gl/maps/S98Fj7TTKPAm2vHi6

Where to eat

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

Hanswurst – Das Wurstrestaurant
Münsterpl. 6, 52062 Aachen, Germany
https://g.page/HanswurstAachen?share

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 in the park, where you can relax watching the kids play

Restaurant Elisenbrunnen
Friedrich-Wilhelm-Platz 14, 52062 Aachen, Germany
https://g.page/restaurant-elisenbrunnen?share

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
https://g.page/barbarella_cafe?share

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:
https://www.aachenseptemberspecial.de/

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

Aachen also has one of the best Christmas markets in Europe that we have visited. Check the post below to see which others are worth a visit!

Tip

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

*As always, all places mentioned above are also on the World Wild Schooling Map

Aachen is about 1.5 hour drive E of Schuman, Brussels (the same by public transport)

A parking near the Cathedral can be found here
Parkhaus Am Dom
Jesuitenstraße 12, 52062 Aachen, Germany
https://goo.gl/maps/zPM1TpKLtYFanU2n6

All places mentioned above are also gathered on the map: outdoor and indoor activities, kids friendly cafés/ restaurants and hotels under separate layers
*Tip: if you want to see a specific layer, you need to tap the upper left corner of the map and unselect the other layers
https://worldwildschooling.com/world-wild-schooling-map/

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