Essen, Germany: Essential Travel Insights & Local Trends

Essen has no dedicated airport. The nearest airport to Essen, Germany, is Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), located about 30 km southwest of the city. Trains from DUS reach Essen Hauptbahnhof in approximately 30 minutes via the S1 line. Tickets cost around €6 to €9 on average.There’s also Dortmund Airport (DTM) that sits about 40 km east and serves budget routes across Europe. Cologne Bonn Airport is a third option, about 90 km south.Most travelers flying into the region book Essen airport connections through DUS, where the connections into the city are the most comfortable.

Essen, Germany's tourist attractions are focused on the local industrial heritage.Out of all things to do in Essen, Germany, Zeche Zollverein, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, is what draws most tourists in. The former coal mine complex covers 100 hectares, housing design museums and art spaces.The splendid Villa Hügel, the Krupp family estate built in 1873, overlooks Lake Baldeney. Museum Folkwang holds one of Germany's finest collections of 19th and 20th-century art, and Fridays are free to enter. Grugapark covers 65 hectares of exquisite gardens.All main Essen, Germany attractions sit within the city boundaries.

Hotels near Messe Essen are grouped along Norbertstrasse and around Essen Hauptbahnhof, both within 2 km of the exhibition center.The Mövenpick Hotel Essen is the best pick – it sits directly opposite the venue. Hotels in Essen range from budget guesthouses at €55 per night to four-star business hotels above €150. Cheap hotels in Essen, Germany, are plentiful in the Rüttenscheid district, a 10-minute tram ride from Messe Essen.You should book at least three weeks ahead during major trade fairs. Essen hotels fill fast during events at Messe Essen, which hosts over 50 fairs annually.

Car rental in Essen, Germany, is easy to arrange through major providers. You can find a booth of Hertz, Sixt, Avis, and Europcar at Düsseldorf Airport or get a city-center pickup near Essen Hauptbahnhof.A compact car starts at roughly €35 per day and opens up the wider Ruhr region. You can visit the quiet Bochum, which is only 15 km east, or urban cities like Dortmund and Düsseldorf, both about 30 km away from Essen.To get lower rates during fair season, book two weeks in advance. Most rental companies offer one-way rentals back to Düsseldorf Airport.

The main dining area, Rüttenscheid, is home to the majority of the restaurants in Essen. The neighborhood holds over 100 cafes and restaurants, easily located within a few blocks. Zeche Zollverein has its own restaurant inside the former boiler house and serves Ruhr regional dishes.The best restaurants in Essen, Germany, to taste the local cuisine include Résidence, a two-Michelin-star kitchen on Margarethenstrasse, which has been open since 1975. Traditional Ruhr dishes include Panhas, a fried meat loaf served with potatoes.Essen's weekly market at Kennedyplatz runs Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Essen's weather is changeable, with rainfall occurring throughout every month. Summers last from June to August and the average high is between 22°C and 24°C. No matter what you plan to do in Essen, Germany, or what time of year it is, bring a jacket because the rain is rather frequent.Winters are mild. January averages 1°C to 4°C, and heavy snow is rare. Spring arrives by April when the temperatures rise. Autumn is mostly cool, often getting overcast from October onward.The driest and sunniest months are typically June and August, and this makes summer the most popular time to visit Essen, Germany.