Hostels in North Rhine-Westphalia

North Rhine-Westphalia is a state in west Germany with a high concentration of places of interest for visitors. Cologne (its biggest city), Düsseldorf (its capital), and Bonn (the former capital of West Germany) are just some of the most attractive cities.

North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the most interesting places for travelers who are visiting Germany. In each of the cities that you want to visit, there will be at least one hostel available. A&O is a big hostel chain that offers accommodations in most of the cities. These hostels are normally big in size with many rooms and a vibe that may seem more like a hotel to some visitors. Smaller and locally owned hostels can also be found in the bigger cities.

North Rhine-Westphalia attracts several different kinds of visitors. Long-term travelers, tourists on a weekend trip, and business men can be found in the hostels.

Traveling around North Rhine-Westphalia is easy. Trains, light rail transit, intercity and local buses, and even the metro connect the different cities with frequent departures. It is therefore easy to visit several cities in North Rhine-Westphalia during one trip, even if time is limited.

Cologne, or “Köln” in German, is the biggest tourist attraction. It offers a beautiful, historical old town on the river banks. The city offers a great nightlife while its famous cathedral can be seen on many postcards. Kölsch is a type of beer that originates from Cologne and can be enjoyed all over North Rhine-Westphalia. Other historical cities that are worth visiting include Aachen, Bonn and Münster. Until the German wall collapsed, Bonn was the capital of the former West Germany. Aachen is only a stone's throw away from the Dutch border as well as the city of Maastricht and can easily be used as a last rest stop before traveling on to the Netherlands.

Düsseldorf does not have an old town as authentic as the cities previously mentioned. However, it has been rebuilt completely since World War 2 to look as it did before the bombardments. Düsseldorf is also renowned for its shopping. Another city that many people visit is Dortmund. Dortmund does not have as many attractions as other cities in North Rhine-Westphalia, but there are frequently concerts featuring great international artists in the city’s Westfalenhallen. Also, home matches from football club Borussia Dortmund attract many visitors from other places in Germany and abroad, as the atmosphere in the stadium is known to be unique. It's best to book a hostel in Dortmund after an event in one of those venues.

North Rhine-Westphalia has a lot to offer its visitors. And due to the short travel times and good connections, it's easy to combine the different cities into one trip.

Handwritten by local expert for North Rhine-Westphalia hostels Martin Straatman