Discover the fascinating world of urban hiking! Inspired by the basic idea of discovering and letting yourself go, Tourismus NRW has created a unique contribution that encourages you to explore the magical Wuppertal in all its splendor. Immerse yourself in the beauty of the city and let the recommendations guide you to unforgettable experiences.

IN A SPIRIT OF OPTIMISM

On the road in the hiking paradise of Wuppertal

Tough climbs, friendly encounters and the odd surprise: on their hiking day in Wuppertal, Hannah and Silke took a completely different turn in many places than originally planned - and that has nothing to do with poor orientation, honestly! Rather, they spontaneously changed their route here and there and followed the advice of people familiar with the area. The result: a circular tour of around eight kilometers in total, which leads over sometimes sweat-inducing metres in altitude to districts and places where old and new are in beautiful tension.

First over the Wupper

Starting point at the main station. Right at the start, the city brings one of its special features into our field of vision: as soon as we get off the train, we stand on the Döppersberg, the gateway to the city, and see - stairs. But more on that later. Behind us rises the classicist building of today's main station and former Elberfeld station, in front of us we enter the newly designed pedestrian zone, which after a short distance leads to two more landmarks: We cross the Wupper river and above our heads it runs - the suspension railroad. Shouldn't we perhaps just take a little....? No, we don't get on at the station, and we don't go for a stroll through the city, but stay in walking mode - until we reach our first destination, the Luisenviertel. On the way, we pass another tourist celebrity: the Von der Heydt Museum, which displays an art collection with top works by Monet and Picasso in the former town hall of Elberfeld, has to cope with the fact that we leave it to the right. For culture fans, however, it is perhaps the first stop on the tour.

The Luisenviertel - creativity & pubs

Admittedly, at 11 a.m. on a Tuesday morning, Luisenstraße, which forms the central axis of the creative quarter, is relaxed and quiet. But it immediately captivates us and we can easily imagine what goes on here in the evenings and at weekends: small stores to the right and left, cozy restaurants, cafés and bars behind the historic facades. Posters, graffiti and stickers advertise concerts, demos and a wealth of ideas. We can't get enough of the many photo motifs. A Wuppertal resident also notices this: "Do you need any tips for photo spots?" we hear from the side. Sure, let's have them. "The Botanical Garden is my favorite place, you can spend a nice afternoon there alone." And the tip even includes an exclusive invitation to his roof terrace, "with the best view over the city". Unfortunately, that won't work out this time, but we follow the other recommendations straight away. First, we eat a delicious curry that Bernhard has freshly prepared for us in his café "Bernard". A quick look in the wine store next door. And when the owner provides us with more insider information about the different districts, beautiful streets and a small vineyard just around the corner, we briefly consider staying for a whole week.

Up to the Nordstadt - you have to climb 103 steps

Just around the corner, we head up the Ölberg in a typical Wuppertal way, via a staircase. The Tippen-Tappen-Tönchen is one of over 500 steps that make Wuppertal the city with the most steps in Germany - and leads us past the small vineyard that the friendly wine shop owner has created, up to the Nordstadt. Time seems to have stood still here: Between the beautiful and well-preserved old building facades, we feel transported back to the beginnings of the 20th century. Graffiti lettering, murals and pasted-up lampposts bring the present to the streets of Marienstrasse, Schreinerstrasse and Brunnenstrasse. "Germany's San Francisco" - that's how film director Tom Tykwer describes his home town. And with the ups and downs of Nordstadt, we can well understand that.

Next stop: coffee and culture

Trains have long since stopped running at Wuppertal-Mirke station, our next stop. The listed building, which was unfortunately completely covered in scaffolding during our visit, is now home to the "Utopiastadt" project. In this cultural and creative quarter, committed people are developing ideas for their district. The meeting point is the Café Hutmacher, comfortably furnished and with a beer garden right on the Nordbahntrasse. We opt for a rhubarb spritzer and Club Ralf - Club Mate with mint and ice cubes - and let the place take effect on us: We sense an atmosphere of new beginnings and a communal "something is still going on here", study the calls to join in and artworks on the unplastered walls and watch cyclists whizzing along the Nordbahntrasse. We continue on foot along the route. But after a few meters we stop again. The "Talbohne" coffee manufactory roasts beans here and sells fresh coffee and all kinds of handmade items. We find a little refreshment in a former railroad tunnel that resembles a stalactite cave. The air is cool and damp, the walls are dripping and we can even make out small stalactites.

Plant paradise around the Elisenturm

We walk along the path a little further than we have to in order to take a quick look at the Lego bridge by street artist Martin Heuwold - a real rainbow bridge. Then we set off on the next ascent, this time without stairs. We head up to Hardt, a large green area, including a botanical garden. We really get out of breath on this walk, but we simply take frequent breaks to catch our breath, turn around, look back and enjoy the sweeping views over the city. At the top, we discover greenhouses with cacti and a book flea market as well as Café Elise. Time for coffee and apple pie. Next door, the Elisenturm and Orangerie attract our attention: the tower is rarely open, but is also a pretty eye-catcher from the outside and a great photo opportunity. The same applies to the orangery, which can be hired as a location. Small groups, couples or individuals sit on chairs and benches in secluded corners throughout the garden. Sometimes they enjoy the sun, the scent and the sounds of nature, sometimes they are deep in conversation.

Suspension railway time - float through Wuppertal once in a lifetime

At the end of this eight-kilometre city walk, we all agree: we won't walk the last stretch, we can't leave Wuppertal without a ride on the suspension railroad. It's down the hill - of course - towards the Wupper. Fortunately, the "Kluse" station is not far away and is our next stopover. For the locals, the suspension railroad is simply a means of transportation, but for the rest of the world, it is a very unique means of transport. And so we really enjoy the short ride - and not just because of our tired legs. We have to get off at the next station: We have arrived back at the main station, which marks the start and end point for our day of walking. So if you like, you can set off again right away, give chance a chance and experience your own personal moments of happiness.

Hiking hacks for Wuppertal

We have gathered a few experiences along the way - and are happy to share them: our tips for city hiking in Wuppertal.

1. be open ... stop sometimes, look around. To get into conversation with people who are happy to share their local insider knowledge. For example with Thomas, the owner of the Wein & Sekt Laden in the Luisenviertel.

2. look at lampposts ... because they are often decorated with small pieces of adhesive art that not only look colorful, but also send a message.

3. look back ... to see the steps or stretches of path you have climbed from a different angle and enjoy the view of the city, the Wupper valley and the hills opposite.