Experience cities with a distinctive Ruhr area flair on the RuhrtalRadweg
From its source in Winterberg to its confluence with the Rhine near Duisburg, the Ruhr Valley Cycle Route runs for over 240 kilometers through a total of 23 exciting cities and municipalities with a multitude of sights. Along the Ruhr River in the Sauerland, you'll pass idyllic villages and picturesque old towns such as Arnsberg, Fröndenberg, and Hattingen. The Ruhr region, which follows, is now considered a metropolis made up of many cities, with its unmistakable Ruhr flair. Dortmund, the home of Borussia Dortmund (BVB), is one of the greenest cities in Germany and, with its parks, offers a wide variety of opportunities for relaxation. The leisure activities on offer are also impressive: Casino Hohensyburg, Westfalenpark, the KletterMAX climbing center, and the German Occupational Safety and Health Exhibition are just a few examples of the diverse destinations on your cycle tour.
World heritage, shopping opportunities and promenades
Continuing west, you pass the city of Essen, which was chosen by UNESCO as European Capital of Culture in 2010. Here, you'll find not only impressive sights such as the UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, whose double-trestle headframe is known as the "Eifel Tower of the Ruhr," but also a wide variety of shopping opportunities and recreational areas. In Duisburg, the destination of the Ruhr Valley Cycle Route, the variety of experiences continues. Whether it's Duisburg Zoo, the Six-Lakes Plateau recreation area, or Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park, Duisburg is a city of contrasts. One of the top day-trip destinations is Duisburg's inner harbor, with its restaurants, cafés, and bars that invite you to linger.
