Goch is perhaps best known for a battle that took place here during the last days of the Second World War. The destruction was catastrophic, with about eighty percent of the town in ruins. These days, however, the atmosphere is much more focused on R and R rather than on WW2.
The beautiful green forests that surround Goch add to this sense of relaxation. To get the full experience, you must visit the cleverly-named GochNess. At GochNess, those in search of some tranquility can unwind in its baths, saunas, massage parlors, solarium, and even a water park (which is mostly for the kids, but adults may also partake).
While GochNess is a good bet for some much-needed recuperation, those with more energy will find plenty of other recreational activities. The town features indoor tennis courts, inline skating parks, a mini-golf course, paddle boats and bicycle rentals. The athletically-inclined will feel right at home in this physically-fit locale!
Those searching for more of a mental work-out can check out the Goch Museum. It concentrates on local history and art. Some of the highlights include a gramophone exhibit and the works of Goch’s Gothic woodcarver Ferdinand Langenberg. With eleven different exhibition areas, there’s surely something of interest for your inquiring mind. :-)
Goch is a manufacturing center for clothing and textiles, so it goes without saying that there must be some good shopping! Many of the famous European brand stores can be found here — C & A, Vögele, Engbers, Alexander, Müller, and Ernsting’s. One of the novelties of Goch is the proliferation of free parking lots; the only place you’ll pay for parking is in the marketplace.
And of course, a visit to any German city would be incomplete without some original German beer. A visit to The House of the Five Rings, which used to house a brewery in the eighteenth century, is essential. Another not-to-be-missed monument is Goch’s Stone Gate with its two imposing towers, a remnant of the old city walls.
