--- title: "Burtscheid – Aachen's spa district with charm and urban spirit" url: "https://charlie.aachen-tourismus.de/en/blog/burtscheid-aachens-spa-district-with-charm-and-urban-spirit" language: "en" breadcrumb: "Root > Aachen > Blog > Burtscheid – Aachen's spa district with charm and urban spirit" --- Burtscheid – Aachen's spa district with charm and urban spirit Kurpark in Burtscheid mit grünen Wiesen und Bäumen. “Curiosity is my compass in the city – and beyond.” That's the feeling I set out with. Who knows it? The feeling of being at home and yet a stranger. It's a **feeling of strangeness with a wonderfully positive nuance**, shrouded in **curiosity**, with a touch of **wonder**. This brilliant mixture led me, as a native of Aachen, through with my eyes wide open on a Saturday afternoon. Finally, I sat alone – but not lonely – in the sunshine, enjoying a coffee, my travel spirit **full of beautiful impressions**. Burtscheid. A district outside the city center... …and yet so very much at the **heart of life**. If you want to get to know Aachen from a different angle, you should definitely take a stroll through —only about a **ten-minute walk from the city center**. Like the , this district has its own spirit: it is a mix of several attractive things. **Hot healing water meets cold water**. Coffee culture meets **stylish urban café culture**, **history meets modernity, baroque meets spa history, nature meets architecture**. Sounds interesting? It is. O'FRÀ Pizzabar Außenansicht eines Restaurants, vor dem mehrere Personen an Tischen speisen, umrahmt von Bäumen. I start my walk coming from the train station, passing one of my favorite bars. It's not a classic bar for a drink, no, it's a **pizza bar**. invites you to linger and enjoy, because **pizza is love, according to their philosophy**. Antipasti and drinks are also a treat! Kurpark Kurpark mit zwei großen grünen Bäumen. Springbrunnen mit mehreren Fontänen inmitten eines teilweise gepflasterten Parks mit Bäumen. I stroll into the . Not a spa garden from a bygone era, no, is still a spa town today. is bubbling with life – in the truest sense of the word. Beneath the district lie **some of the hottest thermal springs in Central Europe**, which the Romans used for their bathhouses. The water reaches the surface at **up to 74 degrees** (Celsius) – perfect for spa treatments, your back, and so much more. I am fascinated by the **beautifully landscaped nature** of the , which harmoniously incorporate a **fountain, benches, walking paths, flower beds, meadows, and the Rosenquelle**. There is still a hint of the **Belle Époque** in the air. Fascinating buildings Bäume umrahmen eine Kirche aus rötlichem und weißem Stein, zu der Treppen hinaufführen. Treppenstufen führen zwischen grünen Bäumen hinauf zu einer Kirche. Am Fuße der Stufen steht ein Straßenschild, auf dem "Michaelstreppe" steht. I am magically drawn to **'s Church**, not least because the path up the hill is a staircase, and staircases have always fascinated me. The church towers above , and the **view down to the houses from different eras is fascinating**. My path to leads from the main portal of the church down an **ancient staircase**, and I wonder what these stones have seen over the years. Graue Häuserfassaden, an der ein Stierkopf aus Bronze angebracht ist. Eckiger Toreingang mit Bildern an der Wand und einem gepflastertem Weg. My curiosity leads me slightly to the side of the . I am fascinated by **impressive facades and gateways**. Schmale Gasse zwischen Steinfassaden und einem Straßenschild "Kaltbachstraße". Rötlicher Brunnen mit drei Quellen vor eine weißen Haus. I am drawn to an **incredibly narrow street**. Built in the same style as those found in old towns in the deep south, designed to let in as little sun as possible. My curiosity stops me in my tracks and I discover the street sign “**Kaltbachgässchen**”, named after a cold stream (around 11 degrees Celsius) that **runs underground** there and ends in the valley outside . What a **contrast to the hot springs** bubbling up in , **just a few meters away in a fountain**. Urban flair meets picture-book atmosphere Großer Platz auf dem Burtscheider Markt mit einem Spielgerät für Kinder, Häusern und Bäumen ringsherum. The – a square and pedestrian zone **where life pulsates**. Children, spa guests, business people, pensioners, students, shoppers and people milling around are all present. Really present – they don't just “walk through,” they **consciously shop, consciously enjoy a coffee, consciously talk**. I can sense a refined aura. Innenraum eines Cafés mit mehreren Sitzgruppen, herabhängenden Deckenleuchten und einer Theke. **Urban coffee culture** attracts me everywhere, and so I am drawn to . A café with **its own roastery** and correspondingly **delicious coffee specialties**, offering treats such as **breakfast and cake**, but also **selling coffee beans and stylish cups** from its own label. Innenraum eines Cafés mit Verkaufstheke und verschiedenen Warenregalen. A few meters further on is the **traditional** **pastry shop**, which serves as both **a store and a café** with a beautiful outdoor terrace, delicious gingerbread cookies, pralines, cakes, and savory dishes. A treat for the taste buds, also available to take away, because **Öcher Printe** gingerbread cookies are known to taste good all year round. Stände des Wochenmarktes zwischen Beeten und Bäumen auf einem gepflasterten Platz.. Blumenverkauf des Wochenmarktes zwischen Bäumen auf einem gepflasterten Platz.. On Fridays, you can **stroll through the weekly market with all your senses**. Vegetables, fruit, bread, cheese, coffee, flowers. Simply a colorful mix for everyday needs, and yet it is a luxury to be able to shop in such a **beautiful setting** at the . “Stay a while, moment” – a quote that is so wonderfully fitting for me. Strolling along the facades Hellgraue Häuserfassaden von hohen Reihenhäusern. Bunte Häuserfassaden von hohen Reihenhäusern. **Urban flair always has so many facets**. Cafés, small green spaces, benches, and beautiful shops are part of it for me. And has a lot to offer in this regard. But there is also the **facet of local life**, which for me is **reflected in the facades of the houses**. And so I stroll through the side streets of , look up, and can't get enough. Burtscheid—a place to fall in love with and stay in. The mix of urban flair and an almost village-like atmosphere exudes a **special charm**. **“Every new place is a page in a book I'm writing”**, I think to myself, sitting at the with my coffee in hand. \- Katja Esser