Hagen, an urban district in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, witnessed its growth only in the starting of the 19th century when the mining of coal and the production of steel started in the Ruhr vicinity.

The city has the largest university of the state, the “FernUni Hagen,” with more than 50,000 students. I thought you’d actually find the most students in Münster, but here are a bunch more.

At the economic front, the city is not too far behind from the other German cities. Lake Hengsteysee paid a golden way to its economic triumph. Widespread exploit of water power along the rivers Ruhr, Lenne, Volme and Ennepe turned it into an economically viable place from all fronts.

Metal processing provided a major boost to the city’s economy in the past and even now playing a pivotal role in transformation of the city. In later parts, textile and steel industries along with the paper product provided it the requisite fame throughout the region.

As for sights, take a look at the Westfälisches Freilicht Museum, which is extremely renowned for its splendid past contents. The Westphalian Open-Air Museum is another city landmark. This museum is the compilation of significant industrial facilities where various trades are represented.

You might come very close to analyze the printing, brewing, smithing and milling. All these activities are signified not merely as stagnant displays; however as existing, working operations that visitors possibly will relate to their hearts.

Museum of the City and the Werdringen castle are other worth seeing sites here. You’ll find both of these attraction in the center of the city.

The cave Blätterhöhle is a marvelous place to watch for. It is suggested that at this particular place, fossils of contemporary people were found which are dating back its origin to some earlier Mesolithicum era.

Historisches Centrum is another significant site to look for as it coalesces amenities for diverse modes of artistic time right in the middle of the city district Eilpe. Or what about the celebrated Museum of Paleontology and Archaeology, which can be seen in the castle of Werdringen in the city district Vorhalle.

Either way, I hope you enjoy your time here in Hagen.

Dortmund is an urban district and the second largest city in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen).

Dortmund has a lot of things a superb city break should have… An inspiring trade culture, a huge selection of museums, first class music, thrilling theaters, international cuisine, world class football, and much more. Steel Manufacturing and removal were also frequent.

The city is well recognized for its breweries such as Brinkhoff’s, Kronen, DAB, Union, and Thier, the majority of which are at present obsolete or merged into other breweries.

In other words, it’s a very pleasant city to visit. :-)

It had seen tremendous changes over the years. Microchips replaced petroleum, shopping avenues instead of rolling mill, we can see many stations instead of blast furnace, performance halls instead of coke ovens…

Its international cookery will leave no gourmet unsatisfied. Whether you favor a down-to-earth eating place with homely Westphalian dishes, a costly restaurant or a traditional pub, you must attempt one of the famous locally brewed beers.

Hanging around, shopping, relaxation… that’s not at all a problem. We can find numerous departmental stores; tiny boutiques and dedicated shops offer everything that your mind might desire.

Afterwards, you can hang around in one of the numerous parks, woods, fields, and grasslands.

The citizens are proud of the innumerable of culture in their mother land. There are lots of museums with attractive collections. First rate exhibitions create a trip through time, trade history, and various types of art and civilization.

The city is also famous for the Westfalen Park, which has a well-known zoo, botanical gardens, the TV Tower, the Westfalenhallen, a Concert Hall, and many other things.

When you arrive here using Dortmund Airport [DTM], this one is home of several low-cost airlines and serves mainly national and European flights. There is no straight train or tram link to the airdrome. Still, there are shuttle buses between the airport and main train station. (A car service runs once per hour between 4:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.)

Krefeld (formerly Crefeld), an urban district in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, is also termed as the Velvet and Silk City since the textile industry is a strong factor here. 80% of all neckties come from Krefeld!

The origins of it were in Roman times, when the legions created the Castell Gelduba. The development of this city actually started in the 17th century. Several war times and fights could not stop its industrial growth.

Although lots of industries are hosted here, half of the city is covered by green areas and parks. Good enough to explore it by bike.

One of those green areas is its zoo park. It is not a very large zoo, but it sure deserves a visit. It contains nearly 1200 animals of 230 species and you will find some special ones among them.

Culturally, you’ll find some decent theaters here, like the City Theater. But one of the most cozy ones is the Wonzimmertheater (Living Room Theater) called PODIO. It offers only 60 seats which makes it a very precious theatre to visit.

As for museums, the most noticeable one probably is the German Textile Museum, which shows dry goods not only from here but from all over the world.

Another one is Burg Linn. Being also a castle, it shows exhibitions of historical pieces of the city and nearby towns. It further has some musical aspects, and it’s playing an hourly bell play in front of the building.

Brunswick is a fairly common town or district name in the U.S.A., and other countries have that, too. However, here I’m talking about the German city of Braunschweig, which is usually being called Brunswick by English speaking people as well as some citizens.

This city is located in the German federal state of Lower Saxony (German: Niedersachsen). It is, in German terms, with a quarter million inhabitants a fairly large city.

It has lots of historical buildings and medieval squares, and possesses a modern, creative and innovative side. Being the artistic and business hub of the region, the city is the seat of many well-known companies and offers the perfect environment for meetings and conferences.

The city’s olden times is conserved in the five “islands of tradition” that shapes the city center, providing an inspirational architectural backdrop for every kind of event.

You will find ample attractions here which are divided into five areas — each of which has its own unique character. You will hit upon some places in the form of St. Blasius’ Cathedral, the old Gothic town hall, and Castle Square with its lion statue; all of which are really well worth a visit.

Castle Square and Lion Statue are some majestic medieval constructs. The castle square is encircled by Dankwarderode Castle. Right in the middle of this historical square is a mock-up of the city’s most renowned memorial — the bronze lion statue which the Duke had erected as a symbol of his power and jurisdiction.

You may adore seeing the cathedral of St. Blasius which can be found in Castle Square. The tomb, which is adjacent to this structure, is made up of Triassic limestone and regarded as an extremely noteworthy works of medieval stone sculpture.

A further significant portion on display in the cathedral is the Romanesque wooden crucifix by Imervard, the master woodcarver.

At present, the cathedral is the site for numerous diverse concerts and actions.

You will realize that the Old Town Hall falls among the most stunning examples of medieval architecture. It contains two wings which were constructed at right angles to each other. In the interior of the building, you will find the “Brunswick yardstick” which was mostly used by drapers to measure cloth.

If you love to spend your time in the lap of nature, just a bit north of the city you’ll find the Lüneburg Heath while the south is surrounded by the Harz Mountains. Stunning landscapes and flourishing forests are just waiting to be explored in this region — by you! ;-)

Oh, and you certainly know the car company Volkswagen (“VW”), don’t you? Would like to watch them while they produce the cars? Then a voyage to the nearby VW Autostadt automotive exhibition complex in Wolfsburg could very well serve as an ideal day trip!

By the way, if you’re fascinated in exploring mills and learning about their history, the Lower Saxony Mills Route is a bless for you.

Mönchengladbach, an urban district in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany, is considered the “Rhenish Manchester” due to the fact that it served as a center of the cotton industry.

You will discover ancient churches to walk around and manor houses to visit. Here, you will not stumble on the customary jam-packed roads and repulsive industrial sites. Blends of city and countryside have been ingeniously pooled to make the city a pleasant place to spend a pleasurable time in.

You will surely find it’s a modern art city where you will come across many sculptures, wall reliefs, fountains, and plastic art situated in all areas of the city.

The foundation of this city was an abbey which was established in 974. The abbey along with neighboring villages became a city in the 14th century.

Borussia Mönchengladbach is its local football (soccer) club. And Formula One racer Nick Heidfeld and Heinz-Harald Frentzen, and the philosopher Hans Jonas were born here.

This city has enormous to offer to its visitors, and particularly it is home of many museums. If you love contemporary art, then Municipal Abteiberg Museum could be a viable option for you. Along with it, Municipal Museum Schloss Rheydt is characterized for fine art.

If you are pretty much interested in the relics of the Stone Age, then head towards the Museum im Wasserturm Rheindahlen.

Apart from all these, if you love carnival and/or ornithology, take a look at the Museum Altes Zeughaus and/or Museum Schloss Wickrath.

You will surely derive pleasure from Town Hall in the former abbey, which is located lower down in the city, south of the market. It contains a Baroque brick building of 1663.

Adjacent to this place, you’ll get to see the Late Romanesque Minster, the old abbey church of St. Vitus with a beautiful choir and an early 12th century crypt treasury.

If you love shopping (like I do), there are plenty of shopping arcades for you to browse and walk through.

And fans of classical music don’t need not to be worried as they could quench their craving by visiting Kaiser Friedrich Halle and enjoy its plays.

Münster, an urban district in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany, is considered the “Land of 100 Moated Castels.”

It serves as the Bicycle Capital of Germany due to the fact that there are mathematically two bikes per resident. You know what that means, don’t you? Bikes all over the place, really. You step out of the Hauptbahnhof (Main Station) and what do you get to see first? Bikes, bikes, and bikes.

Oh yeah, a few cars, too. ;-)

Countless bikes also means countless students. Yes, Münster is also a University City.

Münster has a rich past. The original medieval City Wall was replaced by a tree-lined bicycle highway (what else, huh?) called the Promenade, which still surrounds Old Town (Altstadt). Almost all important sights are within this area.

And nearly 60 major works of sculptures are scattered throughout the city, giving the city that extravagant and artistic touch. (Some folks also speak of the Sculptures’ Exhibition here.)

St-Paul’s Cathedral (St.-Paulus-Dom), which was started to built in the 13th century, is a must see. Its astronomical clock, a mechanical device from the late middle Ages, puts on a daily show at noon. This cathedral was seriously dented in World War II. There are photos of the ravaged building as it looked before it had been restored in the 1950s.

Münster has plenty of other very interesting spots. For example, the cobblestone streets are a unique blend of historic culture with modern art. And while you stroll through Old Town, a whole bunch of sidewalk cafés and restaurants give you quite enough chances to watch other people and enjoy your time here.

If you love water riding you must see the Lake Aa (Aasee), which is a narrow urban lake southwest of Old Town. It generally offers boat rides in summer; and a park along the lake contains the open-air museum, a natural history museum, and a Planetarium.

And visit the harbor, which is a warehouse district with clubs, restaurants, and trendy businesses such as publishing houses and advertising agencies.

Neumünster, a town in the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein, is rightly placed on both banks of the small river Schwale. It contains an Evangelical and a Roman Catholic Church and quite a lot of schools. After Altona, it is the most significant industrial town in the province.

The town boasts of a wide range of cloth-factories, as well as manufactures of leather, fiber, padding, carpets, paper, machinery, beer and sweetmeats.

Its trade significance started in the 17th century, as soon as the cloth-workers of Bad Segeberg (a town in the south-east) drifted here.

It is the fourth largest town in the state. The location between the North and the Baltic Sea has provided it a good platform for trading and growth. It is well placed as a market town at the junction of two trading routes. Even in Medieval times, the town was having the same significant place in terms of trade and business.

In 1870, Neumünster saw the approval of its charter and transformed into a municipal borough in 1901. Subsequently, through the growth of roads and a rail system, it got the opportunity to become the junction of seven lines. Having such an efficient rail system paved the way. It matured into one of the key centers of the German textile and leather industry.

Fortunately, the town escaped somehow in World War II and its majority of the buildings survived. After the War, it kept its growth momentum, attracting electrical, metal, and chemical fibre industries.

The town takes pride in its University. Apart from it, it also has a civic theater and exhibition hall. Scores of sports facilities together with ice-boat sailing can be enjoyed here.

And the zoo park and its own hydro-electric power station attract tourists as well.

All in all, it’s a nice, quiet sweet-spot town if you’re looking for a peaceful time in North Germany.

Bielefeld, an urban district in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, is considered a cultural and economical center, surrounded by the Teutoburg Forest.

There are names connnected with this city that you eventually know of… Dr. Oetker (baking ingredients, ice cream), Seidensticker (clothing), and Schüco (high-quality windows), to name a few…

Other key industries comprise food processing, home appliance manufactory, information technology, and various other heavy industries.

Along with the growing market, Bielefeld has plenty to offer for its visitors. You would surely like to take pleasure from the Sparrenburg, a castle that’s the most famous landmark of the city. You can go up to its top and enjoy an incredible view over the city!

Old City Hall (Altes Rathaus) is another favorite spot since you can discover a mixture of architectural styles, including elements of the Gothic style and of the Renaissance.

About the same style has the City Theater (Stadttheater). Its Jugendstil façade is quite astonishing…

Also interesting are the four churches of Bielefeld. Altstädter Nicolai-Kirche, one of them, is the city’s oldest church. The most precious wealth of this church is a carved altar from Antwerp, which is decked out with 250 figures.

Another one is the Süsterkirche. The blunder eggs in the church are remarkable, especially the typically reformed communion table. And the mosaic in the choir room inserts itself beautifully into the proportion and mass of the churches room.

Are you interested in museums? Bielefeld has six of them. The one that might interest you most is the Historisches Museum in the Ravensberger Park since it represents the history of the city and its region. Of the early suburban settlement into the present is documented how the persons worked and lived. Focal point is the industry age that stamped since the middle of the 19th century the city and its surrounding countryside most persistently.

For nature fans (like me) the city offers three parks, one of which is an animal park (Heimat-Tierpark Olderdissen, that is.) Over 430 animals in 100 different types can be observed. Some of them cannot be found in the free nature anymore.

Bottom line? Lot’s of things to discover in Germany’s 19th largest city. :-)

Schleswig-Holstein, the nothern-most state in Germany, lies on the pedestal of peninsula of Jutland among the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. Its capital is Kiel, whose energetic roads, dreamy courtyards, market squares and harbors really have an eternal, Nordic feeling.

Schleswig-Holstein Map

The eco-friendly region with gorgeous leisure time facilities is ideal for families. The uplifting sea air, sun, sand and seawater lift the spirits as well as boosting the immune system. The open sea, coast, marine view, nature reserves and national parks are quality of the state’s natural beauty.

You could, actually, say that it is among the most supreme destinations a traveler could ever find in Germany — especially those who love a flat country and the arctic sea.

Sandy seashore on the North and Baltic Sea, and the deep blue sky with its mighty, soaring clouds are just as typical to the Land among the seas as its quietly sloping, emerald scenery and its ponds bordered by forests.

The clear water of the Baltic Sea, its mild influence and white seaside mainly draws the concentration of families with children to the many bathing resorts along the whole eastern coast. Basket chairs giving protection against the wind and sun. Restaurants along the coast offering a view of breath-taking sunsets and walks along the beach followed by a hot tea — this makes it attractive in winter, too.

Historically seen, this state is clearly influenced by Danish traditions. After WWI, the Danish majority (lived in the northern part of the state) resoluted by plebiscite the return of that part of the province to Denmark. After World War II, it comprised as a state of West Germany.

Nowadays, five languages are being spoken here — more than in any other federal state!

And its citizens are in tune with natural environment. For example, the unique Wadden Sea National Park — one of 13 national parks in Germany — has the densest bird population in Central Europe.

And the state capital of Schleswig-Holstein offers a myriad of marine activities such as leisurely walk by the marinas, walking on vast coast, or observing the ocean-going liners in the Kiel Canal, as well as shopping in the town center.

Did you know, by the way, that every year, Kiel turns out to be a Mecca for all regatta sailors? This happens when the popular Kiel Week (German: Kieler Woche), the world’s principal yachting occasion, takes place here (end of June). Hundreds of boats from home and overseas visit the Kiel Firth and make Kieler Woche one of Europe’s chief celebrations.

And did you further know that Flensburg, the nothern most city in this state, is well-known for its beer Flensburger Pilsener (Flens), and interestingly, even well-known for its nationwide database of traffic violators!

And another large city, Lübeck has a medieval environment and many sites of cultural and historical interest. And its Brick Gothic architectural heritage made it onto UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.

Either way, make sure to include Schleswig-Holstein on your next Germany travel itinerary!

If you ever take a trip to Chemnitz, you will get to see its impressive art treasures, a variety of culture, magnificent Art Nouveau architecture, nostalgic industrial culture and idyllic scenery.

It is located in the state of Saxony (Sachsen), and named after the Chemnitz river.

From the time after World War II till reunification, the city was formally named as Karl-Marx-Stadt. It has changed significantly ever since. Most of its industry has gone, people too, and the core of the city has been rebuilt since it was destroyed.

Though, a lot of shopping centers had been built to maintain a quality life for both its citizens and visitors. And you still find good looking, historical buildings such as Old City Hall and a very small, cute castle.

The Red Tower is also worth a visit since it gives you an outstanding view over the city. Or what about the opera house, which has gained the status as the “Saxon Bayreuth” with its triumphant Wagner performances.

If you are interested in knowing the past of this city, then the 200 years of its record can be traced in the Industrial Museum.