Active Route
"Wild Natural Landscapes and Gardens Fit for a Prince"
The theme of this route is the beauty of innovative technologies, from the Middle Ages to modern times. It takes you on day trips from Stuttgart, Essen, Hanover and Hamburg to 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites over 8 days.
You can find details of train connections at:
Cheap Train Tickets | Timetables for Germany & Europe - Deutsche Bahn
Route info
Recommended duration of trip: 8 days
Total distance: 829 km
Recommended modes of transport: Train, boat, bicycle, other public transport
Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites visited: 7
Industrial Culture Route
Energy and Beauty
Stuttgart (3 nights)
- Day 1: City centre and Weissenhofsiedlung with the Le Corbusier House (500 metres on foot or by bus from Killesberg underground station).
Tip:
Visit the modern observation tower on Killesberg with its beautiful over the city. - Day 2: Excursion to the Völklingen Ironworks (2.5 hours by train), in the evening enjoy one of the many wine bars in Stuttgart city centre.
- Day 3: Excursion to Augsburg (1.5 hours by train), enjoy an audio tour(in German and English) through the city centre, and discover the most important facets of the Augsburg Water Management System.
Tip:
Stay an extra day and discover the "Industrial Heritage Trail" in Filstal by bike (30 mins by train).
Essen (1 night)
- Day 4: Continue to Essen (2.5 hours by train), visit the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex (take the Kulturlinie 107 from Hauptbahnhof), then discover the heart of this European Green Capital 2017 on foot along the Essen Monument Trail.
Tip:
If you want to burn off some energy, stay an extra day and go climbing - or diving - in the industrial monument that is the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord (1 hour by train).
Hanover (3 nights)
- Day 5: Continue your journey to Hanover (2.5 hours by train), stroll through the Old Town or take an excursion to the architecturally fascinating Expo Park (30 mins from Hauptbahnhof by Underground).
- Day 6: Excursion to Alfeld to the Fagus Factory (30 mins by train).
- Day 7: Excursion to Goslar (1 hour by train), round trip on the World Heritage Shuttle to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Goslar Old Town and Rammelsberg mines, onwards to Clausthal-Zellerfeld (45 mins by bus) and enjoy a walking tour to the Upper Harz Water Regale.
Hamburg (1 night)
- Day 8: Continue to Hamburg (1.5 hours by train), stroll through the modern, sustainably designed HafenCity, enjoy evening boat trips through the canals of the illuminated Speicherstadt, followed by dinner in one of the many restaurants in the historic warehouse buildings, or find a concert in the nearby Elbphilharmonie.