Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [523]
Right next to it, the alpincenter Bottrop ( 709 50; www.alpincenter.com, in German; Prosperstrasse 299; day pass weekday/weekend €30/40; 9.30am-midnight) is the world’s longest indoor alpine ski run (630m); it’s especially popular with teens and the Dutch (and Dutch teens, for that matter). Tickets include ski rental, unlimited food and drink, including beer and wine – is that really a good idea? Take bus 262 from Bottrop Hauptbahnhof to Brakerstrasse to get to both the centre and the Tetraeder.
More silly fun awaits at the Movie Park Germany ( 02045-8990; www.moviepark.de; Warner Allee 1; adult/senior & 4-11yr €31/27, parking €5; at least 10am-6pm, closed Nov-Mar), the Ruhrgebiet’s version of Disneyland with thrill rides, live-action shows, restaurants and shops. There are direct RE train connections hourly from Essen; get off at Feldhausen. If you’re driving, take the Kirchhellen-Nord exit off the A31, then follow the signs.
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Gelsenkirchen
0209 / pop 262,000
We’re not huge fans of zoos, but we make an exception for Gelsenkirchen’s Zoom Erlebniswelt ( 954 50; www.zoom-erlebniswelt.de; Bleckstrasse 47; adult/child/concession €13/9/10, parking €3; 9am-6pm Mar & Oct, 9am-6.30pm Apr-Sep, 9am-5pm Nov-Feb). That’s because the animals here don’t roam in cages but in habitats that re-create their natural surroundings as closely as possible. ‘Alaska’, for instance, has rivers, a gushing waterfall, canyons and rock formations where grizzly bears lumber, timber wolves prowl, otters tumble and elks strut. Fencing is minimal and unobtrusive – you can get surprisingly close to even the fiercer animals thanks to ditches and glass walls. Africa and Asia (set to open in 2010) are the other continents represented. From Gelsenkirchen Hauptbahnhof, tram 301 goes straight to the zoo.
To football (soccer) fans, Gelsenkirchen is of course synonymous with Schalke 04, the legendary club that’s long been a mainstay in the Bundesliga. The team plays home games at the state-of-the-art Veltins Arena ( tickets 01805-150 810; www.schalke04.de; Ernst-Kuzorra-Weg 1; tickets €13-53). Tours run Tuesday to Sunday and cost €9 (under 21 €7), but you must call 389 2900 for specific times. Tour tickets include a visit to the newly revamped club museum ( 389 2900; adult/child €5/3; 10am-7pm Tue-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat & Sun). To get to the stadium, take tram 302 to Veltins Arena from Gelsenkirchen Hauptbahnhof.
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WESTPHALIA
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MÜNSTER
0251 / pop 281,000
When strolling around Münster’s Altstadt, it’s hard to imagine that nearly everything you see is only 60 years or so old. After near-total destruction in WWII, the cultural capital of Westphalia opted for creating a carbon copy of its medieval centre rather than embracing the ideas of modern town planning. Although the decision epitomises the rather conservative mindset of locals, Münster is not mired in nostalgia. Its 50,000 students definitely keep the cobwebs out and help make a success out of alternative projects such as the Hafenviertel (old harbour quarter) redevelopment. More than anything, though, it’s the 500,000 bicycles – called Leeze in local dialect – that quite literally bring energy and movement to this pretty city.
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Orientation
Münster’s shared airport with Osnabrück is about 20km north of town in Greven (Click here for travel between the airport and town). Many of the city’s main sights are within the confines of the easy-to-walk Altstadt, a short walk northwest of the Hauptbahnhof via Windhorststrasse. The bus station is right outside the station’s west exit. The Altstadt is encircled