From Wikitravel

Aachen [1] is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, at the point where Germany borders on Belgium and the Netherlands. It has a population of 246,000. In French (including crossborder train services from Brussels and Paris), the city is known as Aix-la-Chapelle, whereas its Dutch name is Aken.

[edit] Understand

Aachen was the winter capital of Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor from 800 to 814 AD.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By train

[edit] from France and Belgium

The Thalys high-speed train (http://www.thalys.nl) connects Aachen with Brussels and Paris. There are also hourly local trains from Liege.

[edit] from elsewhere in Germany

Trains from Cologne and Düsseldorf run hourly; express trains take about an hour and local trains take 90 minutes.

[edit] By air

The nearest large airport is Düsseldorf. In addition to train connections, there is also a shuttle bus run by Taeter (http://www.taeter.de/) that will take you from the airport to the main bus station in Aachen. The trip takes a bit over an hour. Aachen and the nearby Dutch city of Maastricht have a smaller transfrontier airport (http://www.maa.nl/ ).

[edit] Get around

[edit][add listing] See

• Dom [2] This cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Rathaus

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit][add listing] Buy

• Adalbertstrasse Multiple shops and cafes in one of Aachen's most busy streets.

[edit][add listing] Eat

• Cafe Maredo - Delicious Argentinian food chain based in germany. Good food, not expensive. Located in Blondelstr 11. they're open late and offer late-night specials as well as lunch specials. 'www.maredo.de'
• Cafe Extrablatt - Sports bar style cafe offers food during the day and a place to hang out at night. They offer breakfast a buffet on a daily basis and a variety of lunch and dinner alternatives, especially the burgers! they're located in front of the Rathaus in the Market street (Markt str.) There's a Starbucks about 30 seconds walking on the other side of the fountain. ;)
• Estado Steakhaus - Great steakhouse with a salad bar and wide variety of dishes. Estado Steakhaus, is located on Seilgraben 39, 52062 Aachen.

[edit][add listing] Drink

• The Pontstraße begins at Markt facing the historic city hall and ends at the Ponttor, part of the medieval city walls. Pontstraße is the main student hangout and offers a large variety of restaurants and bars, from pizzerias to late night hangout spots and a cinema (Apollo). A special treat are public fiestas happening at Karneval and important football matches. Don't miss it if you get the chance! Reached by a number of bus lines from Bushof; park at the near University.
  • Molkerei - Pub suitable for younger crowd. Located near Ponttor.
  • Cafe Madrid - Pub/Bar better for an older crowd. Located near Ponttor.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Youth hostel Aachen (Jugendherberge Aachen - Euregionales Jugendgästehaus).[3] Maria Theresia Allee 260, 52074 Aachen; phone +49(0241)71101-0

[edit] Cope

Religious services

Overview of christian churches in downtown Aachen:[4]

Catholic churches:

• Hohe Domkirche, Domhof (15 min from central station).[5], [6] Sun: 07:00, 08:00, 10:00, 11:30; Mon-Sat: 07:00, 10:00; Sat: 08:00

• St. Foillan, Ursulinerstr. 1 (just behind Aachener Dom).[7] Sun: 10:00, 19:30; Mon-Fri: 08:30, 18:30; Sat: 18:30

• St. Marien, Wallstraße 48 (3 min from central station).[8] Sat: 18:30; Sun: 09:45, 11:15 (pol.), 16:00 (pol.); Tue, Thu: 18:30; Fri: 18:15 (pol.)

• St. Peter, Peterskirchhof 1 (20 min from HBf; near bus depot).[9] Sat: 15:00 (vietn.); Sun: 11:15; Mon-Fri: 12:15

• St. Michael, Michaelsbergstr. 6 (Burtscheid).[10] Sat: 18:15; Sun: 19:00; Wed, Fri: 18:00

For protestant churches in Aachen see also:[11]

• Annakirche, Annastraße 35 (15 min from central station).[12] Sun: 11 Uhr

• Auferstehungskirche, Am Kupferofen 19-21 (south from station Aachen-Rothe Erde).[13] Sun: 9:30 Uhr

• Jewish community Aachen, Synagogenplatz 23, 52062 Aachen; Tel. (0)241-47780-0.

• Bilal Mosque, Prof.-Pirlet-Str. 20 (near railway station Aachen-West); Tel. (0)241-88906.[14] Friday prayer: 13:45

[edit] Get out

• World War II Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial[15]: 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the city near Henri-Chapelle, Belgium. From Aachen, take N3 southwest toward Liege, Belgium. Turn right onto Rue du Mémorial Américain. Open daily except for December 25 and January 1; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The cemetery is the final resting place for 7,992 American military dead lost during the drive into Germany the Battle of the Bulge. A monument is inscribed with the names of 450 Americans whose remains were never found or identified. A museum and a chapel are located on the grounds. Free.

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