Top excursion destinations in NRWWild nature and world culture

Whether in the centre of a metropolis or further out in the countryside: outstanding culture of international importance can be found everywhere in North Rhine-Westphalia. The six Unesco World Heritage Sites in NRW are representative of this: Aachen Cathedral, founded by Charlemagne, Cologne Cathedral, the most popular sight in Germany and the former world's largest coal mine Zollverein in Essen are historical eye-catchers in the city. The two castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust in Brühl and the former Benedictine monastery and present-day Corvey Castle in Höxter are located away from the hustle and bustle of the city and offer idyllic surroundings in the countryside. The Lower Germanic Limes is the nucleus of urban centres in the Rhineland and separated the Roman province of Lower Germania from free Germania for over 450 years from around 15 BC. Countless traces of Roman life can still be seen along the river border today.

For the locals, it is a means of transport, for the rest of the world it is a very unique means of transport: the Wuppertal suspension railway gives passengers the feeling of flying. At a height of eight to twelve metres, it travels through the Bergisch city from station to station, in large parts above the Wupper. Passengers get an authentic impression of the early years on a ride in the Kaiserwagen: the replica is a reminder of how Kaiser Wilhelm II and his wife went on a test drive in 1900. Coffee rides, morning pint rides and evening light rides are offered all year round.

The forests of Siegen-Wittgenstein are home to Europe's only wild herd of bison. With a lot of luck, visitors can observe them there, but the chances are greater in the bison wilderness on the Rothaarsteig near Bad Berleburg, where a small group of bison roam a fenced-in area of around 20 hectares. The northernmost flamingo breeding colony in Europe, Arctic wild geese and the Dülmen wild horses are further examples of pristine nature in North Rhine-Westphalia that are well worth seeing.

The Sauerland impresses with its highs and lows: the "Land of 1000 Mountains" not only has the highest low mountain peaks in North Rhine-Westphalia to offer, but also a few particularly remarkable elevations. Rare plant and animal species, an exciting geological history and ramparts from the Iron Age make the Bruchhauser Steine a National Natural Monument. And a unique vantage point with a fantastic view over the Sauerland. Deep underground, the subterranean passages of stalactite caves such as the Atta Cave, which has the largest interconnected cave system in Germany, or the Dechen Cave, which also has a cave museum, are sure to impress.

Imposing beech forests have remained untouched here since 2004 and are gradually transforming into a primeval forest, providing a home for rare plants and animals such as the shy wildcat. The Vogelsang IP Forum offers an overview of the special features of the flora and fauna: an adventure exhibition presents natural highlights on the grounds of Vogelsang Castle, which was once intended as a Nazi cadre centre and towers high above the Urftsee lake. A second permanent exhibition focuses on the Nazi history of the site. The huge site also offers a café with an extraordinary view of the landscape and a historic tower with a viewing platform.

Incidentally, the Eifel National Park even has attractions worth seeing after dark: There is hardly any other place in Europe where the stars twinkle as brightly and clearly as in the International Star Park Eifel National Park.

Fans of ball sports will find their happiness in North Rhine-Westphalia: Not only is it home to first-class teams, around a third of the clubs in the first Bundesliga come from NRW, and the leisure sector also has more clubs and members than any other federal state. The German Football Museum in Dortmund is also a place of pilgrimage for fans in NRW outside of match times. The interactive permanent exhibition is all about titles, goals and triumphs, but also about the internationalising aspects of the turf sport.

Why did the owner have the magnificent Drachenburg Castle built - and then never lived in the magnificent rooms and halls? Nobody knows today. One thing is certain: The fairytale castle, which towers over the Rhine near Bonn halfway up the Drachenfels, is a real sight to behold and, like many other palaces and castles in NRW, is full of history. The carefully restored parlours and private chambers of Drachenburg Castle convey the atmosphere and lifestyle of the late 19th century.

Further up on the summit plateau of Drachenfels, there are the remains of a 12th-century castle and a panoramic restaurant as well as a breathtaking view. If you don't want to walk up or down, you can take the historic cog railway.

A very special highlight is the Christmas market with its castle lights, which takes place every year on the first three weekends of Advent at Drachenbrug Castle. The castle lights up in different colours - just like in a fairy tale.

Mining has left its mark on North Rhine-Westphalia - and provided it with special excursion destinations: No other federal state has such an abundance and variety of industrial monuments, including collieries, gasometers and smelting works. The Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park shows just how high the fun factor can be at such a former industrial site: the former ironworks, which is now one of the most important industrial monuments in Europe, offers a high ropes course and climbing walls in the ore storage bunker, the largest indoor diving pool in Europe in the flooded gasometer and an extinct blast furnace as a viewing tower.

The special mountains of the Ruhr region also offer marvellous views: The slag heaps, artificial elevations up to 140 metres high, which were created using waste products from mining, provide extraordinary views of the surrounding area and are often real eye-catchers themselves with (accessible) works of art visible from afar at the top.

The Romans left their mark in many places in NRW, and many relics from this period can still be found today, especially along the Rhine. Xanten on the Lower Rhine, for example, today a tranquil little town in the countryside, was once one of the largest metropolises in the Germanic provinces of Rome. On the site of the Roman city, the Xanten Archaeological Park, Germany's largest open-air archaeological museum, invites visitors on an excursion into 400 years of Roman history. Harbour temple, amphitheatre and the LVR Roman Museum with over 2500 exhibits.

In Cologne, various city tours take you past evidence of this era, such as the Praetorium, the governor's palace under the town hall or a section of Roman sewer. A huge relic of Roman architecture can be found between Nettersheim in the Eifel region and Cologne: the Roman Canal Hiking Trail follows the route of an ancient water pipe for around 100 kilometres, which has been preserved in many places to this day.