Cities & communities

Bedburg-Hau - significantly different...

The municipality of Bedburg-Hau is an adventure community par excellence. An abundance of cultural and historical monuments, leisure facilities and local recreational destinations provide opportunities for a varied, informative and active stay.
The cultural centre of the municipality is undoubtedly the Museum Schloss Moyland, which is home to the world's largest collection of works by Joseph Beuys and attracts thousands of visitors to Bedburg-Hau every year with its historic castle architecture and magnificent gardens.
Cycling in Bedburg-Hau is more than just a way of getting around - it's a way of life. The excellent infrastructure, the breathtaking landscape and the wide range of offers make the region a perfect destination for cyclists.
A hike along the Voltaire hiking trail is not only a sporting experience, but also a cultural journey of discovery. In addition to the impressive nature, the hiking trail offers an interesting journey through the history of Bedburg-Hau.

Highlights

• Moyland Christmas market for arts and crafts
• Hydrangea Festival in Moyland Castle Park
• Open Gardens in Kleverland
• Annual matinees

© Stiftung Museum Schloss Moyland/Maurice Dorren For further information, please contact:

Emmerich on the Rhine - Pearl of the Lower Rhine

From one of Germany's most beautiful Rhine promenades, there is a wonderful view of another superlative: the longest suspension bridge in Germany, affectionately known as the ‘Golden Gate of the Lower Rhine’.
Those interested in culture can visit the Rhine Museum, while the city centre is home to historic churches as well as the modern Heilig-Geist Church with the ‘Schrottkreuz’ and the PAN kunstforum niederrhein. For those seeking relaxation, we recommend a visit to the Hochelten district with its more than 1,000-year-old collegiate church, the Drusus Fountain, the stone gate and the chair of the prince abbesses. Recently, measures have been taken to have Elten recognised as a Kneipp health resort. Popular leisure activities in the Hanseatic town of Emmerich am Rhein include cycling, water sports, horse riding and golf. Excursions on the Rhine are always a great leisure tip.
Emmerich am Rhein, with a population of around 30,000, has a diverse industry with well-known companies and is an administrative town and service centre. The favourable transport connections by rail, water and road make the town a preferred industrial location not only for freight forwarders and transport companies.

Highlights

• Rhine promenade with culinary mile
• Eltenberg with motorhome site and Sebastian Kneipp square
• Longest suspension bridge in Germany
• Nature reserve ‘De Hetter’

© Wirtschaftsförderungs- und Stadtmarketing Gesellschaft mbH For further information, please contact:

Geldern - the LandLebenStadt

With more than 35,000 inhabitants, Geldern is the third largest municipality in the district of Kleve. The medium-sized centre offers numerous shopping, sports and cultural facilities.
The historical heritage of the old ducal town can be found in many places. For example, underground passages and casemates can be visited at the Geldern mill tower, while art exhibitions are held in the tower itself. Idyllic cycle and hiking trails lead around Geldern to castles, manor houses and churches. Haag Castle, for example, is one of the most important moated castles on the Lower Rhine and is home to a restaurant and a golf course. Walbeck Castle, situated directly on the River Niers, is a stylish and natural accommodation, seminar and event venue with a wide range of leisure activities. The district of the same name is known nationwide for the asparagus produced there and the parade of the asparagus princess. It is also home to the idyllic outdoor forest pool, which is not only one of the largest outdoor pools in Germany, but has also established itself as a great leisure and concert location for several years now.
Geldern also has a large catchment area in the areas of education, work and supply.

Highlights

• Walbeck with forest outdoor pool, castle and asparagus
• Haag Castle
• Whitsun fair
• Mill tower

© Gerhard Seybert For further information, please contact:

Goch - a town together

With an area of around 115 square kilometres, the town of Goch is the largest municipality in the district of Kleve. The approximately 35,000 inhabitants enjoy the charming natural surroundings in the middle of two rippling arms of the Niers, a wide range of educational and shopping facilities and the pronounced ‘togetherness’ of the people of Goch.
The modern town centre is located in one of the most beautiful areas of the left bank of the Lower Rhine in the immediate vicinity of the Dutch national park ‘De Maasduinen’ and on the edge of the largest contiguous forest area in North Rhine-Westphalia, the Reichswald. The water and the green lungs represent an enormous recreational value. The GochNess leisure pool in the Kessel district with its natural bathing lake, sandy beach, swimming and adventure pool and sauna area is popular with locals and tourists alike. The extensive range of sports and leisure activities, sights, events and exhibitions offer many possibilities and are complemented by other leisure activities such as leisure cycling, hiking or canoeing, various riding areas, an air sports field, a fun and action park as well as canoe and bicycle hire.
Every year, Goch is the destination of thousands of pilgrims who come to learn about the town of St Arnold Janssen's birth by following in his footsteps.
Economically, Goch has a diverse mix of industries, and the town offers good conditions for commercial and industrial settlements, thanks in part to the two connections to the motorway.

Highlights

• House of the Five Rings
• Museum Goch
• Stone gate
• Susmühle

© Axel Breuer Plan B Fotografie For further information, please contact:

Friendly Issum - home of the old art of brewing

When travelling to the tranquil old beer village, the glowing Diebels hexagon on the high brewery tower catches the eye from afar. It is therefore not surprising that the municipality of Issum is also known beyond the borders of the country as the home of the old art of brewing. The old beer village and its districts are embedded in a landscape that offers the best conditions for day trips and short holidays with its cycling and hiking trails.

Golfers can experience one of the most beautiful 18-hole courses in the region here and for cycle tourists, the cosy village is often the starting point for cycle tours through the varied surroundings. The many expressive sculptures that can be found everywhere will catch your eye as you stroll around. The small art and local history museum in the historic His-Törchen directly next to the town hall park, the former synagogue and the traditional Herrlichkeitsmühle mill are all well worth a visit.

Highlights

• His-Törchen art and heritage centre
• Former synagogue
• Herrlichkeitsmühle mill
• Fun pool Hexenland

© Gemeinde Issum For further information, please contact:

Kalkar - The Lower Rhine lives here

The old Hanseatic town of Kalkar impresses with its medieval town centre and special atmosphere. The Rhine pebble-paved market square, invitingly redesigned with many benches, is surrounded by gothic stepped gabled houses. The mighty town hall and the courthouse lime tree blend into the scenery. Nearby, the tower of St Nicolai's Church, which houses important examples of late Gothic art, greets you. The beguinage, the ramparts with pigeon tower, the fully functional town windmill with brewery and the municipal museum with its own collection are always worth a visit - as is Boetzelaer Castle, a moated castle in the Appeldorn district.
Kalkar has attractive residential and commercial areas, a comprehensive range of schools and educational facilities, shopping facilities close to the town centre and a wide range of cultural and leisure activities. These include the Wisseler See leisure park with a campsite and natural outdoor pool as well as Wunderland Kalkar with a family park, a wide range of accommodation and an adjacent exhibition centre. Kalkar is also home to the German Armed Forces and NATO.

Highlights

• St Nicolai Church
• Town windmill
• Boetzelaer Castle
• Wunderland Kalkar

© Kurt Michelis / Stadt Kalkar For further information, please contact:

Kerken - Experience Well-being Enjoy

Idyllically surrounded by green meadows, blooming fields and shady forests, the municipality of Kerken is an attractive destination for those seeking relaxation.
With optimal transport connections (train stops in Aldekerk and Nieukerk - Kleve-Düsseldorf railway line, motorway 40 and federal road 9), Kerken is quick and easy to reach for everyone. The many well-developed cycling and hiking trails take cyclists and hikers through the typical quarry landscape around the four villages of Aldekerk, Eyll, Nieukerk and Stenden.
The Eyller See natural outdoor pool with diving courses, a barbecue area, play stream, volleyball court, barge operation, sunbathing lawn, a popular restaurant and the possibility of pedal boating is a national attraction for bathing enthusiasts and nature lovers.
The youth campsite not far from the Eyller See lake has a football pitch and an adventure playground, camping facilities, table tennis tables and a recreation room for groups and families.
The historic buildings in the main towns of Aldekerk and Nieukerk, with their many monuments and historic buildings worthy of preservation, are also well worth a visit. Town tours and church tower tours included.

Highlights

• Eyller See
• Aldekerk heritage centre
• Youth campsite Eyell

© Dirk Langer For further information, please contact:

Kleve - culture and joie de vivre

The district town of Kleve with its more than 53,000 inhabitants is both modern and steeped in history. Its landmark, the Schwanenburg, characterises the silhouette of the town. From its tower, you can enjoy an unrivalled and impressive view of the Rhine plain all the way to the Netherlands. The lively town centre, above the picturesque course of the Kermisdahl river, with its numerous shops, restaurants and cafés is a magnet for visitors.
Kleve is widely known for its historic gardens and parkland, which were designed in the 17th century under Prince Johann Moritz von Nassau-Siegen. The Museum Kurhaus Kleve with its works of art from the Middle Ages to the present day is also a major attraction. A trip on the trolley from Kleve via Kranenburg to Groesbeek/NL through the fascinating Lower Rhine landscape is a special experience. The Reichswald forest and the ‘Düffelt’ nature reserve provide the perfect backdrop for extensive cycling and hiking tours, while Kleve Zoo with its many animal species is the most visited leisure centre in the city. With its ‘City - Land - Water’ concept, the city of Kleve was awarded the contract to organise the 2029 State Garden Show.
The town of Kleve has a broadly diversified SME economic structure and offers a wide range of Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes at the main location of Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences.

Highlights

• The Schwanenburg, the landmark of Kleverland
• The historic gardens - a European garden monument from the 17th century
• Museum landscape with Museum Kurhaus Kleve and B.C. Koekkoek House
• Leisure attractions such as the Grenzland draisine and Kleve Zoo

© Maro Fotodesign For further information, please contact:

Kranenburg

On the border with the Netherlands, the municipality of Kranenburg is an attractive destination for art lovers, pilgrims, nature lovers and cyclists. The landmark mill tower and the Katharinenhof Museum characterise the historic town centre, as does the large late Gothic pilgrimage church of St. Peter and Paul, which houses a large number of art treasures. The nine districts of Frasselt, Grafwegen, Kranenburg, Mehr, Niel, Nütterden, Schottheide, Wyler and Zyfflich belong to the municipality of Kranenburg.
The extensive lowlands, the ‘Düffel’ nature reserve with its fields, meadows, gnarled pollard willows and bushy hedges as well as the neighbouring Reichswald forest offer a real nature experience. In winter, the numerous wintering wild geese can be observed on a goose excursion.
Situated on the ‘Via Romana’ - a historic trade and transport route between Xanten and Nijmegen, which the Romans built 2000 years ago - Kranenburg invites you to linger. Kranenburg's shopping landscape is also well-known and popular with its Dutch neighbours.
A variety of small and medium-sized businesses have settled in the ‘Im Hammereisen’ industrial estate. The area is conveniently located directly on the B9 motorway (Nijmegen-Kranenburg-Kleve).

Highlights

• Abbey and pilgrimage church of St Peter and Paul
• Katharinenhof Museum with mill tower
• Nature trail ‘Kranenburger Bruch’
• Grenzland-Draisine GmbH

© Markus van Offern/Gemeinde Kranenburg For further information, please contact:

Rees: The oldest town on the Lower Rhine

Discover the special flair of Rees on a tour: on the one hand the oldest town on the Lower Lower Rhine with one of the most beautiful Rhine promenades, numerous monuments and sights, on the other hand a modern shopping town with sophisticated gastronomy and contemporary art and culture as well as a wide range of leisure activities. Visit the defence structures on the historic ramparts. The city fortifications were once among the most important on the Lower Rhine and the underground casemates are among the best-preserved early modern fortifications in the Rhineland. Anyone interested in art and the city's history will find what they are looking for in the municipal museum. Museum Koenraad Bosman and the sculpture park located directly behind the museum, with its walk-in sundial and planetary hiking trail, invite you to linger. Quiet dyke, forest and farm paths offer visitors ideal conditions for discovering the Lower Rhine landscape on foot and by bike, also in combination with the passenger ferries and passenger boats.

Highlights

• Rhine promenade
• Leisure and cultural activities (cabaret, comedy, market concerts, etc.)
• Art for everyone and at any time (sculpture park, everyday people, etc.)
• Passenger ships and passenger ferries (Rääße Pöntje, Inseltreue B, Niederrhein Flotte)

© Diana Roos / Stadt Rees For further information, please contact:

Rheurdt - the eco-village on the Lower Rhine

Surrounded by extensive nature reserves and wooded hills, the municipal area offers fantastic views as well as signposted cycling, skating, riding and hiking trails through the charming Lower Rhine landscape.
The Oermter Berg in the Lower Rhine Landscape Park is one of the largest terminal moraines on the left bank of the Lower Rhine and is now a popular excursion destination and local recreation area. There is a forest nature trail, a geological nature trail, game reserves, barbecue areas and three children's playgrounds. Rheurdt is known as a horse and rider-friendly community: An 18-kilometre network of bridle paths stretches around Rheurdt.
One of the sights is the tower windmill, built in 1880 as a ‘round Dutch mill’. The first youth hostel in the Rhineland was established in the former tower windmill in the village of Schaephuysen in 1924. Leyenburg Castle is a stately rococo castle from the 18th century that is well worth a visit.

Highlights

• Oermter Berg
• Thriller hike
• Rheurdt tower windmill

© Gemeinde Rheurdt For further information, please contact:

Straelen - The flower town on the Lower Rhine

‘Everything in the green’ - this is how the town, which is home to production horticulture, advertises itself. For those who are not familiar with the multi-layered structure of the town of Straelen, it is simply the ‘flower town’. Year after year, more flowers and vegetables are marketed here than anywhere else in Germany, in the centre of one of the largest closed horticultural areas in Europe.
Straelen's landmark is the Green Couch in front of the town hall. It symbolises growth, change and well-being. It has stood in this spot for more than 20 years and invites you to take a seat - true to the motto ‘People like to settle down here’.
The old houses, idyllic squares and churches are cherished and cared for. Historic facades rich in detail and new buildings form a successful interplay of tradition and modernity. In between are lovingly laid out flowerbeds - just as a flower town should be.
More than 300 kilometres of well-maintained cycle paths, away from the busy roads, await friends of silent travel. Cyclists can glide effortlessly through the beautiful, flat landscape of the Lower Rhine past farms and greenhouses. The various cafés along the route provide refreshments. Those who prefer travelling on foot should visit the ‘Paesmühle’ recreation area. The smugglers' trail on the German-Dutch border in Straelen-Kastanienburg is also recommended for children. The adventure route in the middle of nature offers climbing fun and hide-and-seek.

Highlights

• Idyllic market square with cafés and restaurants to linger in
• Numerous events in Straelen city centre and the surrounding villages
• Well-developed cycle paths with many varied cycle routes according to the junction system
• Guided GreenCity cycle tours and GreenCity bus tours through the Straelen horticultural area with a visit to a local business

© Stadt Straelen For further information, please contact:

Uedem - worth living ...lovable

This is the motto of the municipality located on the edge of a charming chain of wooded hills. The former shoemaker's community is located on the lower left bank of the Lower Rhine in the north-west of North Rhine-Westphalia and is a district municipality in the centre of the Kleve district. Around 8,568 inhabitants live in four districts over an area of 61 square kilometres: Uedem, Keppeln, Uedemerbruch and Uedemerfeld. The idyllic and wooded landscape makes Uedem an oasis of peace and tranquillity for residents and guests alike. Despite the peaceful surroundings, boredom is never an issue. Nature lovers will find a true paradise in Uedem. The Hochwald, one of the most beautiful hiking areas in the Lower Rhine region, stretches over an impressive 9.5 km² and is largely located in the municipality of Uedem. Smaller peripheral areas extend as far as the neighbouring towns of Xanten and Sonsbeck. With its old stands of trees, the Hochwald offers a unique natural experience. The forest area is criss-crossed by an extensive and well-developed network of hiking trails. Thanks to its convenient transport links to the 57 motorway, the municipality is very popular both as a place to live and as a business location.

Highlights

• Hohe Mühle (one of the oldest stone-built windmills on the Lower Rhine)
• Alley cycle path (cycle path on the tracks of the Boxtel railway)
• Seemannbrunnen market square
• Historical circular route

© Thomas Momsen For further information, please contact:

Wachtendonk - Rich history in the town centre

Visiting Wachtendonk is like travelling back in time through the centuries. There are around 120 listed buildings in the historic town centre, which meander along the street layout that has been documented since 1560. Many of the buildings date back to the time before the last major town fire in 1708, making Wachtendonk a real ‘pearl’ on the Lower Rhine.
Worthwhile destinations include the town hall, the brick powder tower, the ruins of Wachtendonk Castle and Haus Püllen with the Schwalm-Nette Nature Park Centre. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful nature around Wachtendonk on a walk or cycle tour through the heathland with its meadows, forests and moors. The ‘local river’ Niers can be navigated in canoes and rubber dinghies. The leisure paradise ‘Blaue Lagune’ in the Wankumer Heide offers the opportunity to swim, play, water ski and wakeboard.
The convenient location near the motorway 40 and the great popularity with tourists offer the best location conditions for companies.

Highlights

• Listed town centre
• Wachtendonk Castle
• Blue Lagoon leisure paradise
• Powder tower

© Gemeinde Wachtendonk For further information, please contact:

Pilgrimage town of Kevelaer - a place of relaxation

With around 800,000 visitors and pilgrims a year, the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer is one of the most important pilgrimage towns in Germany. In the centre is the Chapel Square with the Chapel of Grace and the image of the Virgin Mary ‘Comforter of the Afflicted’. Surrounded by St Mary's Basilica, the Candle Chapel and other sacred buildings, Chapel Square radiates a soothing calm and atmosphere. People from all over the world come here to seek solace, recharge their batteries or enjoy the special flair. The town centre with its numerous historic buildings and cosy cafés and restaurants invites you to stroll and linger.

The St. Jakob brine garden offers the perfect combination. Here you can promote your own health by using the inhalatorium, visiting the graduation house, which is pleasantly cool in summer, the respiratory tract or the fitness equipment. Information buildings, catering and a hotel round off the offer. The vitality hiking trails also start here and regular vitality programmes are offered.

Kevelaer is a perfect starting point for cycling tours, hikes and wellness programmes, which are wonderfully enriched by guided tours and the offers in the St. Jakob brine garden.

The ‘Irrland’ in Kevelaer-Twisteden delights hundreds of thousands of visitors every year with a constant stream of new attractions, making it one of the most popular amusement parks on the Lower Rhine.

Highlights

• Brine garden St Jakob
• City centre and Kapellenplatz
• Lower Rhine Museum Kevelaer e.V.
• Colourful calendar of events

© D. Stratmann / Wallfahrtsstadt Kevelaer For further information, please contact:

Weeze - leisure on the Niers and an airport as a gateway to Europe

The municipality of Weeze is located in the centre of the district of Kleve, surrounded by beautiful nature, right on the Dutch border in the Maasduinen National Park. The municipality is home to picturesque castles as well as architectural, soil and natural monuments. Numerous leisure activities such as cycling tours, canoeing on the Niers, the Weeze animal park with its educational forest trail and petting zoo or the nature adventure trail emphasise the attractiveness of Weeze.
Weeze Airport connects the municipality with many destinations and cities in Europe and is also an important economic factor. More than one million passengers have recently used Weeze Airport as their departure and arrival point.
The Parookaville Festival, which takes place every year on the airport grounds, is internationally renowned. With a total of around 225,000 visitors, it is one of the largest festivals in Germany and Europe. The San Hejmo Festival has also established itself there.
Some large companies feel at home in Weeze, most recently the relocation of Rheinmetall to the airport site and Tricor to the Weeze-Goch business park made headlines.

Highlights

• Weez zoo
• Nature adventure trail
• Three castles: Hertefeld Castle, Kalbeck Castle and Wissen Castle
• Airport Weeze with the Royal Air Force Museum

© Gemeinde Weeze For further information, please contact: