Location: Essen
Top Things to do in Essen
Top 10 Things to do in Essen, Germany
Essen began in the mid-9th century as home to a women's abbey, then during the Renaissance became an important coal mining town and later a major steel production center. The famed metal-working Krupp family opened their first foundry here in 1810. One of Essen's most interesting places is the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, once the largest colliery in the world. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it attracts 800,000 visitors a year, often hosting art exhibitions and performances.
Restaurants in Essen
1. Museum Folkwang
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 374 reviews
Reviewed By aberdeenjohn - Tring
Superb collection of modern art - as good as any other gallery in Europe. Well displayed in large halls. Free admission to all normal Exhibitions. Cafe and shop. Reception and cloakroom staff very friendly and helpful. Gallery attendants are appalling. The pictures are behind glass, but if you approach within 1 metre they bark at you to stand away from the paintings. Horrible. No wire on the floor to indicate you cannot approach within 1 metre, no notices about this either. These are the worst gallery attendants anywhere and the gallery needs to sort this out. We had been told they were horrible but didn't really appreciate how bad until we went!
2. Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By beachstone2c - Helsinki, Finland
I didn’t know what to expect from a visit to Zollverein Coal Mine. Arriving at the site was the first surprise; it is physically an amazingly big site. There are original industrial machinery still in place. These are huge engines and helps to understand how Germany as a economic powerhouse was created. The former industrial buildings are turned into museum, restaurants, shop etc. I was told the mines themselves are not open to the public due to safety reasons. I will definitely go back and reserve plenty of time to check out the number of different possibilities more thoroughly- like the ice rink in winter time.
3. GOP Variete-Theater Essen
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 238 reviews
Entziehen Sie sich mitten in der City einer Großstadt für einige Stunden dem alltäglichen Stress und gönnen Sie sich einen ganzen Abend voller Freude und Genuss mit Live-Unterhaltung in einem der schönsten Varieté-Theater Nordrhein-Westfalens: im GOP Varieté-Theater Essen. Unser Anspruch ist ebenso einfach wie maßlos: Ihnen einen unvergesslichen Abend zu bieten!
Reviewed By Chumahue - Essen, Germany
This is a cozy little variete theatre with lots of atmosphere, very well presented shows and really excellent artists performing. Usually showing different shows with new artists every month or so. This is an excellent place to entertain business partners, but also popular with local families. Try to book online it might be cheaper than booking otherwise. Steep discounts for last minute online tickets. If you are shy and don't want to take part in the show avoid the tables in the first two rows in front of the stage. They do have a special benefits card for customers called Variete Card which is good for a 10%discount. During the first year this card is free and after that they charge a fee of 25 Euro per year. Quite good bar and restaurant - ask for their combined ticket including some food (set menus of usually three courses) which is then served DURING the show, right at your table. Parking is a bit difficult sometimes as this in a central location. If you stay at the bar for one or two drinks after an evening show, you might recognize some of the artists in the crowd. Go and see for yourself - and enjoy the show.
4. Grugapark Essen
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 483 reviews
Reviewed By aria_o_ - Leeds, United Kingdom
visited many times this lovely park- is huge and I dont think I ever walked throughout the whole park. There is even a small zoo in it and an outdoor swimming pool, great for summer. What is a must is their lights exhibition in January.
5. Kruppsiedlung Margarethenhohe
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 113 reviews
Reviewed By Juergen F - Essen, Germany
A witness of a different era. Every squaremeter transports you back in time - more than 100 years of history. Margarethenhöhe is the first German "Gartenstadt". Go there in the evening after nightfall and enjoy a drink in the Hotel at the central square.
6. Villa Huegel
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 466 reviews
Reviewed By Dirk S
A must see when in the area. The Krupp mansion does not only showcase the splendor really rich people can afford. Much more you can learn first hand how they operated their business, how disciplined they lived their lives, how groundbreaking their understanding of the importance of their employees was. A visit to nearby Magarethenhöhe, a part of town that the Krupp family designed and built so their workers could enjoy state of the art back when housing, perfectly rounds off the experience.
7. Old Town Kettwig
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 139 reviews
Reviewed By anonymousruhr - Essen, Germany
Worth a stroll through the cobble stone streets and down the steep stair and along the water, with a large choice of restaurants and cafes
8. Ruhr Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 146 reviews
Reviewed By Kozma T - Budapest, Hungary
You can spend a lot of time here.
Shows many things about the history of the surrounding area about the Ruhr. Furthermore everything is shown in a mine factory and you see how big and how incredible was the work here.
Lot of interactive parts, several sights in one place.
It is a must to visit place!!
9. Einkaufszentrum Limbecker Platz
Overall Ratings
4 based on 219 reviews
Reviewed By Martin G - Essen, Germany
New shopping complex (about two years old) in the centre of Essen. Very close to a big cinema and the theater area. Good for a Visite before an evening out. parking is cheap and very close. The food court offers many different food places at reasonable prizes. A hard competition to the the Centro in Oberhausen.
10. Red Dot Design Museum
Overall Ratings
4 based on 156 reviews
Reviewed By Rudy950 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Red Dot Design Museum with design prize winning objects in huge 'rusty' factory hall restyled by Norman Foster is a unique eclectical experience. While you are there, absolutely walk around terrains of Unesco World Heritage Industrial Landmark Zeche Zollverein (separately reviewed on Tripadvisor) for great experience how fossil industry must have been and looked like.
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