7 reasons for a short vacation in North Rhine-Westphalia

A mixed-reality tour of the city of Essen in 1887, a special museum dedicated to a suspension train in Wuppertal - unique in the world - or multi-day tours on excellent hiking trails. Whether you are a culture or nature lover, these seven highlights are excellent reasons for a short vacation in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and should definitely be on your bucket list in 2024. By the way, did you know that North Rhine-Westphalia is located in western Germany, right on the border with the Netherlands? Hop in the car or on the train and let NRW enchant you.

Tip 1: Bergian hiking weeks

Do you like to hike? Then head to the Bergisch Land. To mark the 10th anniversary, two Bergisch Hiking Weeks will be organized in 2024! One in spring, from April 27 to May 5, and one in autumn. During these weeks you can experience the varied landscape, history and culture of the Bergisch Land with a varied program. Whether short tours or day trips, expert hiking guides accompany you on mushroom excursions, pilgrimages or even canoe trips. The highlight of the opening event "Bergisch 50" is to hike 50 kilometers in up to 12 hours. Put on your hiking boots and come to the Bergisch Wanderland!

Tip 2: The Schwebedrom - a museum for the suspension train

Paris has the Eiffel Tower, New York has the Statue of Liberty, and Wuppertal is known worldwide for its suspension train. Since the end of 2023, the floating monorail has also had its own museum: the Schwebodrom. The highlight of this new suspension train museum is the VR tour in the original suspension train car from 1900. And for those who have never traveled by suspension train, in addition to the virtual journey to Wuppertal of 1929, a similar journey through the city of today should also be on the program.

Tip 3: A trip back in time to the Essen of 1887

In the center of Essen, located in the heart of the Ruhr region, visitors have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the year 1887 on a mixed-reality city tour. Carriages, animals, buildings and people are depicted so realistically that it seems as if they are right in front of you. This is a globally unique experience that combines the present with virtual reality.

Tip 4: Excellent hiking adventures

Varied and scenic hiking trails in natural surroundings, reliable signage and good infrastructure make hiking in Kreis Lippe in the Teutoburg Forest an excellent experience. This region carries the "Wanderbares Deutschland" quality label. For hikers who prefer longer tours during a short stay, it is advisable to choose one of the multi-day routes. An example is the Hansaweg, which leads past three Hanseatic towns - Herford, Lemgo and Hamelin - and is divided into a total of six stages. This route enchants with the beauty of the landscape and the medieval half-timbered towns.

Tip 5: "Planet ozean" - the fascinating beauty of the world's oceans

Starting March 15, 2024, visitors can be transported to the unknown depths of the ocean's complex ecosystem with the new exhibition "Planet Ozean" at the Gasometer Oberhausen. Thanks to state-of-the-art technologies, visitors will be immersed in a vivid sea world. Large format photographs and films, an "Ocean Sound Room" and the immersive staging of "Die Welle" are installed in the gasometer's impressive high air space. This spectacular show promises to be a revolutionary installation on a grand scale.

Tip 6: Fairground at Liboriberg

For nine days, Paderborn is all about church, culture and carnival during the festival Libori, also called the "fifth season" in the region. From July 27 to Aug. 4, visitors can enjoy a colorful carnival experience along a 400-meter stretch on Libori Mountain, with numerous booths providing entertainment. In addition, a traditional pot market will take place at Paderborn Cathedral. The festival is rounded off with a varied cultural program, including concerts and cabaret performances. Libori, by the way, is one of the largest and oldest folk festivals in Germany.

Tip 7: A work of art dedicated to art

The Musiktheater im Revier is perhaps the most beautiful opera house in the Ruhr region. Not only does it impress with its varied program, but it is itself an architectural gem. It is considered one of the most important theater buildings of the postwar period in Germany. Even Yves Klein, who began his international career here, enthusiastically predicted, "This will be the foyer of the century." Visitors can now experience for themselves that his prediction was right.