Highlights 2026

Urban Trails - forays through the Ruhr region

Genuine and unadulterated. From spring 2026, new Urban.trails will invite you to discover the Ruhr region on foot in a completely new way. Instead of going from sight to sight, the routes, which are between seven and 15 kilometres long, will take you through districts and neighbourhoods that have so far been little developed for tourism. Four routes in Oberhausen, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Hagen and Dortmund are the first, with a total of 15 innovative city routes to be opened by 2027 - and 
https://presse.ruhr-tourismus.de

Droste worlds open up in Münsterland

Nature and literature come closer together once again in Münsterland. Around Burg Hülshoff in Havixbeck, the birthplace of the poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, the Droste Worlds are opening, linking the poet's life and work with the surrounding landscape. Among other things, the exhibition in the moated castle is being redesigned to be barrier-free, there are new routes through the park and a digital space for literature. In various workshops, guests can create new paths to literature together with artists. In the nearby Haus Rüschhaus, where Annette von Droste-Hülshoff lived and worked for 20 years and which is connected to the castle via a poetry trail around seven kilometres long, a kitchen garden is also to be created where people can sow, plant and harvest together. 
www.burg-huelshoff.de

New leisure park for Oberhausen

NRW is getting another amusement park: "Karl's Adventure Village" is set to open next to CentrO Oberhausen in summer 2026, aimed particularly at families and children. There are already various adventure villages in northern and eastern Germany. In addition to family rides, a themed world centred around currywurst with regional references is planned for the location in Oberhausen.
https://karls.de/oberhausen/

Althoff Dom Hotel Cologne in new splendour

Box seat with a view of the cathedral. One of Cologne's most traditional hostels, the 5-star Althoff Dom Hotel on Roncalliplatz, will shine in new splendour in 2026. Its history dates back to the Middle Ages and has hosted numerous prominent guests from the worlds of politics, business and entertainment. Following extensive refurbishment, during which the historic exterior façade was preserved, 130 luxurious rooms and suites, five first-class restaurants and bars as well as a spacious spa area will soon invite guests to relax against a unique backdrop. Guests can enjoy the best view of the city's landmark from the roof terrace of the exclusive Signature Restaurant.
www.althoffcollection.com

New DinoXperience planned

Dinosaurs are expected on the Rhine: The "DinoXperience", an interactive journey back in time, is set to open in Königswinter at Easter 2026. The adventure world is to be created in the former Sea Life Aquarium Königswinter, which closed in 2022. According to the creators, an expedition is planned for the 2,000 square metres of space, ranging from fictitious excavation finds to a futuristic research centre and encounters with prehistoric giants in the wild. The Drachenfels legend is also set to play a role. 
https://explorado.de

New Detmold Open-Air Museum

New name, even more programme. From June 2026, the LWL Open-Air Museum Detmold will become the LWL Museum Hellerlecht. At the same time, a new entrance and exhibition building will be opened, which - unlike the outdoor area - will be open all year round. In future, objects from the extensive collection and works of art will be presented here in special exhibitions on Westphalian-Lippe everyday culture and history. Incidentally, the term "Hellerlecht" comes from the Low German of the Tetuoburg Forest region and means "bright" or "hellicht" and is a reference to the term "open air".
www.lwl-museum-hellerlecht.de

Slide tower in the Panorama Park Kirchhundem

You'll soon be going up high - and down even faster - at Panorama Park Kirchhundem. The adventure and wildlife park in the Sauerland region of North Rhine-Westphalia is set to open its tallest slide tower in late summer 2026. The plan is for a facility at least 30 metres high with nine or ten slides.

Bergisch Cycling Week

Anyone who likes cycling will love this new event: In the Bergisches Land region, a whole week is centred around two-wheelers - and the region's special features. From 22 to 30 August 2026, the Bergische Radwoche offers guided tours, themed experiences as well as gastronomy, nature and culture.
www.dasbergische.de

200 years of KD

Shipping history(s). Köln-Düsseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt is celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2026 with an anniversary weekend at the beginning of August, free school trips and a creative competition. The anniversary season will be opened on 25 April by the paddlewheel ship RMS Goethe. Following the traditional fireworks spectacle of the Cologne Lights, the KD invites you to an "Open Deck Day" and special cruises in Cologne on 2 August. Similar events are also planned in Düsseldorf. 
www.k-d.com/200-jahre-kd

200 years of Warendorf State Stud

Tradition meets modernity. The highlight of the anniversary celebrations at the NRW State Stud in Warendorf will be traditional stallion parades as well as a large parade at night. As darkness falls, illuminated stables and the parade ground lined with market stalls provide the backdrop for the performances of spruced-up horses and historic carriages. The state stud in Münsterland was founded in 1826 at the request of the horse breeders of Westphalia and the Rhine province and is now also the centre of German professional riding - and a popular destination for horse fans.
www.landgestuet.nrw.de

125 years of the Wuppertal suspension railway

Wuppertal's landmark is celebrating a milestone birthday: since its official opening on 1 March 1901, the suspension railway has been a reliable means of transport for locals and an attraction and excursion destination for the rest of the world. The anniversary will be celebrated throughout the year with various events and festivals. Passengers can gain authentic impressions of the early years on a ride in the Kaiserwagen: the restored carriage, in which Emperor Wilhelm II and his wife once took a test ride, now offers coffee rides, morning pint rides and, in the evening, light rides.
https://schwebebahn.de

80 years of NRW - North Rhine-Westphalia Day in Münster

For three days in 2026, Münster will be the secret capital of North Rhine-Westphalia. From 28 to 30 August, the whole of NRW will come together here to celebrate the state's 80th birthday. As the host city of the major civic and family festival for North Rhine-Westphalia Day 2026, Münster will be presenting itself as a city with a sense of tradition, liveability and friendliness. Further programme details will follow.
www.muenster.de

20 years of the Ruhr Valley cycle path

In 2026, one of Germany's most popular river cycle paths will celebrate a milestone birthday: for 20 years, the Ruhr Valley Cycle Path has linked the densely wooded low mountain range landscape of the Sauerland with the Ruhr metropolitan region over 240 kilometres between its source and estuary. The 4-star ADFC quality route is ideal for families and leisure cyclists thanks to its first-class signposting, many cycle-friendly businesses and convenient infrastructure. 
www.ruhrtalradweg.de

State Garden Show Neuss

Neuss is blossoming. On 16 April 2026, this year's State Garden Show will open in the city on the Lower Rhine. Trees, meadows and an abundance of biotopes will form the new "green heart" of the city on the former racecourse - and invite visitors to experience urban nature until 11 October. The 38-hectare park in the immediate vicinity of the harbour and just a few steps away from Neuss city centre offers around 50 home and themed gardens as well as around 1,000 events. A total of more than 600,000 visitors are expected.
www.landesgartenschau-neuss.de

FEI World Championships in Aachen

From 11 to 23 August 2026, Aachen will be the international centre of equestrian sport. The Soers, the traditional venue of the annual CHIO, will be the meeting place for the equestrian elite at the FEI World Championships: Gold, silver and bronze will be at stake in six disciplines - and in addition to around 650 athletes from 35 countries, more than half a million guests will be able to watch live from the stands. Around the sporting event, the city centre of Aachen will be transformed into a large public viewing area with concerts, talks and art events. "The Happiness of the Earth - Horses in Art" is the title of an accompanying exhibition in the Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, which opens its doors in May and can be seen until the grand finale of the sporting championships.
www.aachen2026.com | www.aachen.de | https://suermondt-ludwig-museum.de

Manifesta 16 Ruhr

The Ruhr region will host a somewhat different festival. Twelve empty post-war churches will be the setting for Manifesta 16 Ruhr from 21 June to 4 October 2026. The Ruhr cities of Duisburg, Essen, Gelsenkirchen and Bochum will host the biennial, which aims to stimulate social engagement and positive change through inclusion and participation. The focus of the events, in which artists, neighbourhood initiatives and other creative people are involved, is the historical, architectural and social reconstruction of the Ruhr area in the post-war period.
https://manifesta16.org/de