If you find yourself with a rare extra day in your German travels just sitting around twiddling your thumbs, I highly recommend visiting the quaint town of Aachen. This little place sits peacefully near the border of three countries; Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium (with the first claiming it as their own).

The highlight of our day I unfortunately do not have any pictures from, and that was the Carolus Thermen spa. The natural mineral waters and eucalyptus saunas melt alway the stresses of traveling as if it were simply a passing wave. The staff are kind and the bathes are warm. Simply just take my word and visit, and then come back and thank me later.

A lovely lunch spot for a true German experience is the Aachener Brauhaus. Here we finally tried “currywurst” with our pints of Radler while people-watching along the street.

The Old Town is something out of a classic German fairytale. The cobblestone streets are lined with pillars of old containing businesses of new. Simply strolling here makes you imagine the Grimm Brothers are writing their stories just over your shoulder.

As the air turns cool and the sun dips low, find yourself strolling towards the park at the edge of the Old Town. Here locals are running and laughing, lounging in the golden evening light. The Elisenbrunnen Cafe welcomes you for a light bite to eat or a refreshing drink, and perhaps a small scoop at the Eiscafe.

While the locals are not truly that accustomed to tourists, the little English they speak they will use to guide you on your way back to the train station at the end of this storybook tale.

Thank you for being a fantasy made real Aachen.

xoxox julia