The trip is confirmed and will take place as planned
At the intersection of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany lies the city of Aachen. Although is not the oldest city in Germany — which is Trier, followed by Cologne, which were both continuously inhabited since a few years before Christ — Aachen has a history that goes back over 5,000 years.
Humans were attracted by the hot sulphur springs in this area that originated from the volcanic system of the Eifel, a region that directly neighbours the Eastern part of the Belgian Ardennes. The city is therefore also known as Bad Aachen, or Aquae Granni in Roman times. Nowadays it is home to about 240,000 people and a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Cathedral.
Today travel by luxury 4* coach with extra leg space, AC, on-board toilet and DVD system. It’s a relatively short drive (1h45) compared to our other trips, so we depart only at 12h00. Of course we will give you some drinks and snacks, so you can enjoy the ride.
Upon arrival we will be greeted by official Aachen tour guides who will show us the Old Town. They will tell us all about the city’s extremely long history. In particular they will speak about the roman times and the age of the mighty Charlemagne who reigned over vast parts of the European continent around the turn of the 9th century. They will take us of course along the major sights, such as the Elisenbrunnen (see above), the Theater and the Rathaus (city hall).
The Cathedral was built in 796-798 by orders of Charlemagne and was the largest cathedral North of the Alps. Compared to other cathedrals in this part of Europe, it is much older (e.g. Cologne, Metz, Reims) so the style is also different, namely Carolingian instead of Gothic.  It is also smaller, even though it consists of three visually separate parts. Yet, it has played an important role in history as 30 Kings and 12 Queens were crowned here between 936 and 1531.
Inside you can see beautiful mosaic inlays and marble covered walls, as well the sarcophagus with the remains of Charlemagne and his successor Otto III. There is much to say about this UNESCO protected Cathedral, and even more to see than you would as a regular tourist. Expat Club has namely arranged a guided tour by an official Dom guide. You can join us for this optional tour of 45 minutes (€7,50) and see amongst other things the original Charlemagne throne. Note that we only have 25 spots available. Finally, you are also able to visit the Treasury under the Dom. You can do so by yourself and pre-order your tickets upon checkout.
The famous Aachen Christmas markets are consistently ranked as one of the very best in Germany. Regardless of the fascinating history and all the beautiful things that you can see, the Christmas Markets are our ultimate reason for traveling to Aachen.
The city has actually three markets, all within a few minutes walking from each other. The largest is between and around the Dom and Rathaus. Stroll around searching for the loveliest Christmas ornaments, tasty German delicacies and beautiful handcraft artefacts. Needless to say that it won’t be difficult to find some Glühwein, and rest assured that Expat Club will “take over” one of the stands for some great Christmas socialising.
The trip is confirmed and will take place as planned
At the intersection of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany lies the city of Aachen. Although is not the oldest city in Germany — which is Trier, followed by Cologne, which were both continuously inhabited since a few years before Christ — Aachen has a history that goes back over 5,000 years.
Humans were attracted by the hot sulphur springs in this area that originated from the volcanic system of the Eifel, a region that directly neighbours the Eastern part of the Belgian Ardennes. The city is therefore also known as Bad Aachen, or Aquae Granni in Roman times. Nowadays it is home to about 240,000 people and a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Cathedral.
Today travel by luxury 4* coach with extra leg space, AC, on-board toilet and DVD system. It’s a relatively short drive (1h45) compared to our other trips, so we depart only at 12h00. Of course we will give you some drinks and snacks, so you can enjoy the ride.
Upon arrival we will be greeted by official Aachen tour guides who will show us the Old Town. They will tell us all about the city’s extremely long history. In particular they will speak about the roman times and the age of the mighty Charlemagne who reigned over vast parts of the European continent around the turn of the 9th century. They will take us of course along the major sights, such as the Elisenbrunnen (see above), the Theater and the Rathaus (city hall).
The Cathedral was built in 796-798 by orders of Charlemagne and was the largest cathedral North of the Alps. Compared to other cathedrals in this part of Europe, it is much older (e.g. Cologne, Metz, Reims) so the style is also different, namely Carolingian instead of Gothic.  It is also smaller, even though it consists of three visually separate parts. Yet, it has played an important role in history as 30 Kings and 12 Queens were crowned here between 936 and 1531.
Inside you can see beautiful mosaic inlays and marble covered walls, as well the sarcophagus with the remains of Charlemagne and his successor Otto III. There is much to say about this UNESCO protected Cathedral, and even more to see than you would as a regular tourist. Expat Club has namely arranged a guided tour by an official Dom guide. You can join us for this optional tour of 45 minutes (€7,50) and see amongst other things the original Charlemagne throne. Note that we only have 25 spots available. Finally, you are also able to visit the Treasury under the Dom. You can do so by yourself and pre-order your tickets upon checkout.
The famous Aachen Christmas markets are consistently ranked as one of the very best in Germany. Regardless of the fascinating history and all the beautiful things that you can see, the Christmas Markets are our ultimate reason for traveling to Aachen.
The city has actually three markets, all within a few minutes walking from each other. The largest is between and around the Dom and Rathaus. Stroll around searching for the loveliest Christmas ornaments, tasty German delicacies and beautiful handcraft artefacts. Needless to say that it won’t be difficult to find some Glühwein, and rest assured that Expat Club will “take over” one of the stands for some great Christmas socialising.
