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The old town of Aachen is ideal for strolling. Exploring its narrow streets and its squares, and admiring its many fountains, you will discover the peace and tranquillity of this German city.

Then why not continue your visit in the Old Town Hall and the Cathedral? Both buildings are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and stand as monuments to the city’s glorious past: appreciating the thermal baths built by the Romans, Charlemagne chose Aachen as the capital of his empire.

The Cathedral grew up from Charlemagne’s former Palatine Chapel and is one of the finest in Western Europe. It is a work of architecture that left an indelible mark on its age, and was also the place where Germany’s kings were crowned. To this day it contains the shrine housing Charlemagne’s remains and is a major destination for pilgrims.

As the history of Aachen is so tightly bound up with its hot-water springs, the city boasts a wide range of places offering health treatments and pampering. And finally, do not leave the city without visiting its “Latin Quarter”, the Pontviertel. This is where students come to enjoy the café or restaurant terraces, sipping a beer in the sunshine or snacking on the typical 'Aachener Printen' (a sort of gingerbread), which are delicious with a cup of coffee or tea!

Aachen

The Carolus spa is a truly tranquil place to unwind and relax. The thermal spring water gushes out at 47 degrees, with the temperatures of the ten interior and exterior pools ranging from 18 to 38 degrees. As well as the baths and saunas, you can also have a massage, use the solarium or enjoy the “desert” – a hot sand area.

Address: Stadtgarten, Passstrasse 79, Aachen

More information: http://www.carolus-thermen.de

This museum plots the course of German and Dutch painting from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. A trip to the Suermondt Ludwig stands out because of its several first-rate paintings and its beautiful collection of craft objects.

Address: Wilhelmstraße 18, 52070 Aachen

More information: http://www.suermondt-ludwig-museum.de/

For lovers of architecture and beautiful objects, the Couven Museum is not to be missed. Housed in a fine 17th-century residence transformed in the 18th century by the architect Jakob Couven (whose baroque style had a wide influence in this region), the interior of the museum is an ensemble of neoclassical elements with white Doric columns, a rotunda, galleries and around twenty well-designed rooms. On display in these rooms are furniture, works of art and costumes, retracing the habits, customs and fashions of the bourgeoisie from the baroque era to the 19th century.

Address: Hühnermarkt 17, 52062 Aachen

More information: http://www.couven-museum.de/

This museum was built in celebration of the press! You will find more than 100,000 copies of newspapers from all different countries. You will learn about the pivotal events in the history of the international press and everything there is to know about the life of a periodical. It’s certainly worth a visit.

Address: Pontstrasse 13, Aachen

More information: http://www.izm.de/

Calling all art lovers! The Ludwigs were great collectors, and this former umbrella factory has been transformed into a superb museum of contemporary art. The exhibits encompass the last fifty years of international creativity, from Dubuffet to pop art, from Rauschenberg to Jones, via the great contemporary German artists (Penck, Baselitz).

Address: Jülicher Strasse 97-109, 52070 Aachen

More information: http://www.ludwigforum.de





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Travel time
Brussels Midi
Return from
*
Aachen 1h08 € 38
Cologne 1h47 € 38
Düsseldorf 2h20 € 38
Berlin 6h48 € 78
Bonn 2h30 € 38
Frankfurt 3h05 € 78
Frankfurt Airport 2h48 € 78
Munich 6h44 € 78
Hamburg 6h54 € 78
Nürnberg 5h34 € 78
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* Unless expressly stated otherwise, all fares quoted are per person (VAT included), based on a return journey in 2nd Class from Brussels and subject to availability.