When you visit Essen for the first time, the locals would probably not recommend Essen Altendorf as a go to tourist destination. But against the common opinion, Essen Altendorf has actually a lot to offer!
From historical mining/colliery sites, to beautiful parks, and oriental cuisine. I’m sure there will be something interesting for you!
Here are my top 7 things to do in Essen Altendorf.
Outdoor Sports
If you are an active personality and want to get some exercise, you could visit the Krupp-Park (which is not exactly in Altendorf but right at the border).
Don’t forget to pack your water bottle and maybe a small towel though. The Krupp-Park has plenty of sport activities waiting for you: Basketball Court, Volleyball, Skate Park, and even a callisthenics area.
By the way. If you are staying in Essen Altendorf and didn’t bring any sport cloths, you could get some at Sport Duwe or Globus nearby.
P.S. There’s a variety of different activities here. During the summer months, there’s also a little model-building community that is sailing with their model boats on the Krupp Lake. Or this amazing Slack Lining guy who even let us take some pictures of him. Amazing to watch during an exercise break!
Go for a walk
In case you might not want to do some exercises, you can still visit the Krupp-Park for a relaxing walk. The Krupp Park is also directly connected to the central bike and walking lane RS1 (we’ll come to that later).
Joining the RS1, you can either go towards the city and stroll around the headquarters of Thyssen-Krupp (5 minute walk), which is Germanys biggest steel company (one of the biggest in Europe) and the namesake of the park.
Or you can go in the other direction towards the Niederfeldsee (5 minute walk), one of Essen’s latest hotspots for locals.
If you like it to be more busy (less nature), you could also have a walk along the Altendorfer Straße, which is filled with restaurants and cafes. Not the most beautiful architecture but definitely a must-go if you want to get the typical “Ruhrpott feeling”.
Visit the local markets
If you like fresh fruit and vegetables and plan to stay a few more days in Essen, you should definitely visit one of Essen’s markets.
Essen Altendorf has two different markets. The weekly Altendorf market that takes place every wednesday and Saturday from 8 AM to 1 PM.
And a flea market that opens once a month on a sunday.
Restaurant
I hope you like kebab! Or at least oriental/arabic cuisine.
Not far away, on the Altendorfer Straße there’s plenty of oriental restaurants and kebab shops. (Altendorf has probably the highest kebab-shop-to-inhabitant ratio 😉 )
Of course, if you are not a fan of the oriental cuisine, you will also find some pizza places and a steak house.
Cafe & Sweets
But maybe you are not that hungry, what about coffee and sweets? Altendorf has a variety of different cafes and some oriental bakeries where you can get some self-made cakes, Baklava, or other oriental sweets.
If you want it to be more international, you could also visit Cafe & Bar celona. Amazing Weekend breakfast where locals like to go with their families.
Not far away, you can also visit the Radmosphäre. Especially in the summer, it’s a real hot spot for locals.
Relax at Niederfeldsee
When visiting the Radmosphäre Cafe, you might notice a fairly new lake, which is called ‘Niederfeldsee’.
The Niederfeldsee and it’s vicinity was created only a few years ago (2016) while the last buildings have been finished in 2022. Even people in Essen might not now this little garden eden.
If you are here on a weekend during the summer months, the chances are good to also enjoy some live-music or watch some local events like the city marathon taking place here.
Bike Tour
While you are at the Niedefeldsee, you will notice some bikes next to the Radmosphäre. These bikes are actually for rent!
You can get them for a few Euros .
The Niederfeldsee is actually connected to the RS1, which is (planned to be) the longest consecutive bike road in North-Rhine Westphalia and it will connect the whole Ruhr-Area (~101 km). From Duisburg in the West to Hamm in the East.
Where to go next:
If you are already on the RS1, you will not have it far to your next destinations:
- Essen City in 10 Minutes
- Essen Borbeck in 10 Minutes
- RWE Stadium in 12 Minutes
- Mühlheim in 25 Minutes
Of course, you could also take a tram and visit other areas in Essen.
- Essen City
- Essen Rüttenscheid
- Gruga Park
So, the next time someone tries to tell you to skip Altendorf, just smile and enjoy! You are in on one of the insider tips and know about the secrets of this underrated neighborhood. Essen Altendorf definitely offers a much more authentic experience, than the typical tourist areas.
Trust me. Your instagram will thank you for these out-of-the-ordinary trips!