27 days in North Rhine-Westphalia Itinerary
27 days in North Rhine-Westphalia Itinerary
Created using Inspirock North Rhine-Westphalia trip itinerary maker
Start: Dusseldorf
Drive
1
Essen
— 5 nights
Drive
2
Bielefeld
— 5 nights
Drive
3
Schmallenberg
— 4 nights
Drive
4
Freudenberg
— 2 nights
Drive
5
Cologne
— 6 nights
Drive
6
Aachen
— 4 nights
Drive
End: Dusseldorf
Sat, Mar 20 - Thu, Apr 15
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See full calendar
Essen
— 5 nights
©
Shopping City
For centuries one of Germany's major coal and steel centers, Essen offers some of Germany's best shopping, religious sites, and historical atmosphere.You'll find plenty of places to visit near Essen: Dusseldorf (Kiefernstrasse Community, Altstadt, &more), Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal (in Wuppertal) and Muenster (LWL-Museum fur Kunst und Kultur, Wochenmarkt Muenster, &more). Next up on the itinerary: contemplate the long history of Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen, get into the urban bustle at Gasometer Oberhausen, admire the sheer force of Botanischer Garten Grugapark, and make a trip to Kruppsiedlung Margarethenhohe.
To find other places to visit, maps, and more tourist information, refer to the Essen tour planning app.
Dusseldorf to Essen is an approximately 1-hour car ride. You can also take a train; or take a bus. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 25th (Thu) so you can go by car to Bielefeld.
Things to do in Essen
Side Trips
Find places to stay Mar 20 — 25:
Highlights from your trip
Bielefeld
— 5 nights
©
Historically a center of Europe’s linen industry, Bielefeld today combines rich local culture with a tradition of innovation and commercial development.Venture out of the city with trips to Detmold (Palaisgarten Detmold, Hermannsdenkmal, &more), Hoxter town hall (in Hoxter) and Mohns Park (in Gutersloh). There's much more to do: get to know the resident critters at Heimat-Tierpark Olderdissen, head outdoors with Schnurstracks Kletterpark Rietberg, examine the collection at HNF MuseumsForum, and take in the spiritual surroundings of Sankt Antonius Basilika.
Plan my trip to Bielefeld with suggested itineraries provided by Inspirock.
You can drive from Essen to Bielefeld in 1.5 hours. Other options are to take a train; or take a bus. In March, daily temperatures in Bielefeld can reach 10°C, while at night they dip to 1°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 30th (Tue) to allow time to drive to Schmallenberg.
Things to do in Bielefeld
Side Trips
Find places to stay Mar 25 — 30:
Highlights from your trip
Schmallenberg
— 4 nights
©
Schmallenberg is a town and a climatic health resort in the High Sauerland District, Germany. Get out of town with these interesting Schmallenberg side-trips: Soest (St. Petri-Pauli in Soest, St. Patrokli, &more), Sauerlaender Kleinbahn (in Herscheid) and Winterberg (Skiliftkarussell Winterberg & Snow World). And it doesn't end there: head outdoors with Hochsauerlandkreis, get great views at Aussichtsplattform Biggeblick, go deep underground at Besucherbergwerk Ramsbeck, and hit the slopes at Skigebiet Boedefeld-Hunau-Lift.
To see ratings, maps, where to stay, and other tourist information, refer to the Schmallenberg visit planning site.
Traveling by car from Bielefeld to Schmallenberg takes 2 hours. Expect a daytime high around 9°C in March, and nighttime lows around 1°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 3rd (Sat) so you can travel to Freudenberg.
To see ratings, maps, where to stay, and other tourist information, refer to the Schmallenberg visit planning site.
Traveling by car from Bielefeld to Schmallenberg takes 2 hours. Expect a daytime high around 9°C in March, and nighttime lows around 1°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 3rd (Sat) so you can travel to Freudenberg.
Things to do in Schmallenberg
Side Trips
Find places to stay Mar 30 — Apr 3:
Highlights from your trip
Freudenberg
— 2 nights
©
Kick off your visit on the 4th (Sun): get curious at PHAENOMENTA Luedenscheid, don't miss a visit to Alter Flecken, and then test your team's savvy at MysteRiOOM. Keep things going the next day: enjoy breathtaking views from Aussichtsturm Unnenberg, take in the architecture and atmosphere at Kirche Lieberhausen, then see human ingenuity at work at Lingesetalsperre, and finally admire the landmark architecture of Stadtbucherei Ludenscheid.
To see maps, more things to do, where to stay, and tourist information, read Freudenberg trip itinerary maker site.
Traveling by car from Schmallenberg to Freudenberg takes 1.5 hours. In April in Freudenberg, expect temperatures between 13°C during the day and 5°C at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 5th (Mon) early enough to drive to Cologne.
To see maps, more things to do, where to stay, and tourist information, read Freudenberg trip itinerary maker site.
Traveling by car from Schmallenberg to Freudenberg takes 1.5 hours. In April in Freudenberg, expect temperatures between 13°C during the day and 5°C at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 5th (Mon) early enough to drive to Cologne.
Things to do in Freudenberg
Side Trips
Find places to stay Apr 3 — 5:
Highlights from your trip
Cologne
— 6 nights
©
City of Churches
Though Cologne famously contains 12 Romanesque churches, the city's top prize remains its landmark Gothic cathedral.Explore Cologne's surroundings by going to Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (in Bonn) and Dusseldorf (Pfarrkirche St Cacilia Benrath, Schloss Benrath, &more). There's lots more to do: admire the striking features of Cologne Cathedral, don't miss a visit to KolnTriangle, see the interesting displays at Chocolate Museum, and take in the views from Hohenzollern Bridge.
For traveler tips, photos, and other tourist information, read our Cologne day trip app.
Drive from Freudenberg to Cologne in 1.5 hours. While traveling from Freudenberg, expect a bit warmer days and about the same nights in Cologne, ranging from highs of 17°C to lows of 4°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 11th (Sun) so you can drive to Aachen.
Things to do in Cologne
Side Trips
Find places to stay Apr 5 — 11:
Highlights from your trip
Aachen
— 4 nights
©
City of Water
Aachen, a spa town, was once a prominent royal city where German kings were crowned and Charlemagne built his favorite residence.You'll find plenty of places to visit near Aachen: Eifeldom Monschau-Kalterherberg (in Monschau), Huertgenwald (Soldatenfriedhof Hurtgen & Museum Huertgenwald 1944 und im Frieden) and Nationalpark Eifel (in Schleiden). There's lots more to do: contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Aachen Cathedral, see the interesting displays at Stars of the Galaxy, have fun and explore at Energeticon, and admire the striking features of Aachener Rathaus.
To see other places to visit, reviews, photos, and tourist information, use the Aachen day trip planning site.
Traveling by car from Cologne to Aachen takes 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. April in Aachen sees daily highs of 17°C and lows of 6°C at night. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 15th (Thu) to allow time to drive back home.
Things to do in Aachen
Side Trips
Find places to stay Apr 11 — 15:
Highlights from your trip
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North Rhine-Westphalia travel guide
North Rhine-Westphalia is in many ways almost a country unto itself. It's noted for its dense concentration of museums, art galleries, theaters, concert halls, and opera houses. The most populous German state, North Rhine-Westphalia was created at the end of World War II. It joined two Prussian provinces and a small fiefdom. The region's landscapes include flat expanses, densely forested hills, mighty rivers, and rugged mountains. Known for more than a century as the land of coal and steel, this was one of Europe's most important industrial regions in the post-war recovery period. Facing new demands of the ever-changing European markets, the region shifted its energies in the second half of the 20th century. Now it focuses on high-tech industries, media, and culture. Your itinerary may include days sightseeing in the region's bustling metropolises, but don't miss a chance to drive out into the sprawling countryside. You'll find a trove of quiet villages virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages.
