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Welcome to Essen! Germany’s third greenest city is located in the middle of the Ruhr Area – quite urban and yet with a lot of nature, with beautiful corners, shops and many places that want to be discovered. Whether in the city centre, in Rüttenscheid, on Lake Baldeney or on Zollverein – everyone will find their place to be in Essen – so let’s go urbanana!

Food: Cafés, Restaurants & Bars

Gin & Jagger

International crossover is on the menu in this mix of café, bar and brasserie: delicious slow and fast food as well as regional and international cuisine are served here in the middle of Rüttenscheid.

Rüttenscheider Straße 181, 45131 Essen | https://gin-jagger.de

Café Livres

The Büchercafe (Café for books) in Essen’s Moltke district invites you to a cosy atmosphere in French style: here you can get delicious cakes, coffee, breakfast and hearty daily specials as well as the best cultural programme – a unique concept in the Ruhr Area.

Moltkestraße 2a, 45128 Essen | https://cafe-livres.de

PANs Bebop

In a cosy living room atmosphere, you can enjoy homemade soul food at its best! Whether hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches or salads – there is something for everyone on the menu (including vegetarian and vegan options).

Alfredstraße 64, 45130 Essen | www.pansbebop.com

Casal – Die Eismacher

Milk ice cream, fruit ice cream, semi-frozen or yoghurt varieties? The traditional ice cream parlour is known beyond the city limits – and rightly so! Original Italian ice cream has been made here every day since 1950. (Note: Closed in winter)

Mülheimer Straße 62, 45145 Essen | https://casal1950.de

Café Goldbar

Not only during the day, but also in the evening and at night, people meet here for a beer, sit together or listen to concerts.

Rellinghauser Str 110, 45128 Essen | www.cafe-goldbar.de

Art, culture & leisure time

UNESCO-Welterbe Zollverein

There is a lot to see and many places to visit at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein. Whether it’s award-winning objects from the first Apple PC to furniture and cars at the Red Dot Design Museum, contemporary dance at PACT Zollverein or the history of the Ruhr Area at the Ruhr Museum – the World Heritage Site also has a hotel and several restaurants/cafés so you can spend a wonderful day (or days) there!

Gelsenkirchener Straße 181, 45309 Essen | www.zollverein.de

Museum Folkwang

The museum, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022, is today one of the most important museums for modern art in Germany. In addition to collections of 19th century painting and sculpture, classical modernism, art after 1945 and photography, the collection has also included the German Poster Museum with 350,000 objects since 2010. But the museum’s building is also special: architect David Chipperfield designed the museum’s impressive new building.

Museumsplatz 1, 45128 Essen | www.museum-folkwang.de

Lichtburg Esssen

The Lichtburg Essen in the city centre is “Germany’s largest film palace” – a historic cinema with 1250 seats today. Major premieres with international stars, directors and special programmes make the Lichtkunsttheater unique.

Kettwiger Straße 36, 45127 Essen | http://filmspiegel-essen.de

Seaside Beach

In summer, it’s time to go to Essen: Off to Seaside Beach on Lake Baldeney! On 65,000 square metres you can experience the purest beach feeling right on the water. Beach bars, stand-up paddling, good music and gastronomy round off the offer.

Freiherr-vom-Stein-Str. 384, 45133 Essen | https://seaside-beach.de

Nightlife & Clubbing

Goethebunker

The former air-raid shelter made of solid reinforced concrete creates a unique location in which electronic corridors enchant the visitors.

Goethestraße 67, 45130 Essen | www.goethebunker.net

Delta

A huge event location has been created on the former steelworks site: Here you can dance on 12 dance floors – and all styles of music are played here.

Frohnhauser Str. 75, 45143 Essen | www.delta-essen.de

Hotel Shanghai

The psychedelic club, which is only 5 minutes away from the main station, is known beyond the city limits. Electro, house and techno are on the agenda, but trashpop parties and other events also take place here.

Steeler Str. 33, 45127 Essen | https://hotelshanghai.de

Turock

Rock, metal, hard rock: fans of harder music are in the right place here! Right on Viehofer Platz, it’s a great place to party – often to live music. And at the annual Turock Open Air Festival things really get going.

Viehofer Platz 3, 45127 Essen | https://turock.de