The epitome of tranquility? Retreating from the world for half an hour with a good book and a hot drink! 
With its literary atmosphere and delicious hot drinks, the Literaturcafé Vers at the Barockfabrik is a real winner: Here you can feast (cake, quiche and, of course, excellent coffee and good tea) and read, because browsing the constantly growing reference library with books made in Aachen is expressly encouraged. On many evenings, a variety of literary events attract visitors, from author readings to book clubs.
📖 Kissed by the muse? If you write an ode to tranquility in the café during the day, for example, you can read it aloud at the poetry meeting on the third Wednesday evening of the month.

If you'd rather take the book you've been reading while drinking coffee home with you, you can browse the Artemis bookstore (see photos), whose assortment consists mainly of queer novels and feminist nonfiction books in English, but which also has a well-curated German-language selection. The lovingly designed little bookstore itself is reminiscent of the setting of a cozy novel—you can browse extensively while seated, and hot drinks are also available here. 

The hot springs are not the only European record held by Aachen: Lousberg, located north of the city center, is Europe's first landscape park initiated by citizens. In 1806, the 264-meter-high mountain was planted as a park. Its name probably comes from “lugen,” meaning to look, because the numerous secluded walking paths offer wonderful panoramic views. For example, of the sunrise: the bluestone obelisk at the southeastern end of the mountain offers early risers the most beautiful view of the sunrise in the city.
🌇 If you are looking for a good view of the sunset, you will find it at the Haarberg viewpoint, but you should take the bus there from the city center!
 

If you want to escape the city for a while, you can take the bus to the Waldfriedhof (forest cemetery) (bus stop of the same name) and walk between the Bismarck Tower and the Aachen Forest – perhaps finishing off with a hot drink at the Forsthaus Schöntal or the Bismarck Tower restaurant on cold days? If the peace and quiet becomes too much, you can use the newly installed “Mullebank”, which was created by the Senior Citizens' Council and the City of Aachen as a meeting place (there are several in Aachen, one of which is located in the middle of the park). Taking a seat on one of these benches, marked with a brass plaque, signals: “Sit down with me, let's chat.”

The quietest places there are: churches! Whether you are religious or not, churches offer peace and quiet for anyone seeking it. Although quiet is maintained in Aachen Cathedral, the hustle and bustle of the city center also finds its way into the Octagon in the form of streams of visitors – which is not to say, of course, that those seeking peace and quiet are not in good hands in the cathedral. But if you want fewer people around you when you listen to your inner voice, you can visit St. Foillan's Church on the other side of Münsterplatz – incidentally, the only church in Germany named after the early medieval saint from Ireland (or Scotland) who died in Belgium. Also noteworthy about St. Foillan's: The church suffered extensive damage during World War II and now consists of older architecture on one side and post-war architecture on the other. 
🧘The Protestant parish of Aachen offered a yoga service in the Church of Reconciliation for the first time in early 2025 – however, I have not yet been able to find out whether this concept will be continued. 

The hidden gem in the city center teased in the introduction is actually tucked away behind monastery walls: diagonally opposite the Elisabethhalle is the monastery of the Arme-Schwestern of St. Francis, also known as the Schervier Sisters after the founder of their order. The sisters' field of activity is social and charitable work, for example, they provide regular meals with and for homeless people. The small chapel of the convent is open to the public, but if you want to visit the convent garden with its wonderfully peaceful seating area around the apple tree, you have to register or attend one of the events offered by the sisters – such as bread baking seminars, film days, and bookbinding courses.