Essen: Zollverein, Baldeneysee und die grüne Seite des Reviers
Essen debunks every Ruhr cliché by the hour: the Zollverein colliery, once "the most beautiful mine in the world", is now a UNESCO site with museums, an ice rink and a coal-washery pool; in the south the city goes sailing on Lake Baldeney; and the Gruga ranks among Germany's largest parks. Museum Folkwang adds world-class art – with free entry to the permanent collection.
Sleeping arrangements range from businesslike to green: the ATLANTIC Congress Hotel stands right by the trade fair, Hotel An der Gruga lives up to its park-side name, Art Hotel Körschen adds colour to Rüttenscheid, and houses like Am Brinkerplatz or the B&B hotels in the centre and north keep overnighting simple.
Evenings belong to Rüttenscheid's pubs, the Colosseum theatre or a sunset at the Korte Klippe above the lake. Book directly with your host to skip the portal commission – and learn when night tours of the Zollverein coking plant start again.