The city in the Ruhr area scores with a large number of event highlights and sights. Discovering Bochum means that if you have the choice, you are spoilt for choice. The range of entertainment options can easily overwhelm visitors to the city: cultural and musical highlights galore. Music lovers, theatre lovers, film fans or even partygoers get their money’s worth in Bochum. The first place among the festivals and events undoubtedly belongs to Europe’s largest inner-city open-air festival. The well-known music festival “Bochum Total” attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city every year. For over 30 years, the event has taken place every summer in Bochum’s pub district Bermuda3Eck. More than 100 bands as well as numerous national and local artists compete with each other for four days on six stages and ten locations. Many a young talent received his baptism of fire here. The music spectrum ranges from jazz, rock, hard rock to pop.
Other Parties & Events
The legendary pub district Bermuda3Eck in the city of Bochum is well known for the large number of bars, beer gardens, restaurants, cinemas and discotheques throughout the Ruhr area. The diverse offer leaves no partygoer untouched. With the opening of the open-air season, the famous pub mile becomes an open-air party and is transformed into a real street festival. The gastronomic offer is also impressive. Typical dishes include apple in a dressing gown, pearl barley soup, bread pancakes, rabbit pepper and not to forget grey beans with bacon, a famous stew made from broad beans, pork and potatoes. The delicious sausage specialties are also famous. A visit to the Bratwursthaus is always worthwhile. In the cult restaurant, guests are spoiled with spicy roast, bock, curry and Krakauer from the traditional Dönninghaus butcher’s shop. The German rock musician Herbert Grönemeyer already sang in his song Currywurst, the real currywurst from Dönninghaus. Another highlight is the rotunda. In the nationally known cultural venue at the former main station, art and culture merge with each other. The off-location in Bochum’s city centre offers classical concerts, art exhibitions, club and comedy evenings, flea markets and an extensive musical programme. A special experience is the wine festival that takes place every spring. Lovers of grape juice can enjoy high-quality wines for five days. When you think of Bochum, however, the musical highlight Starlight Express automatically comes to mind. Since 1988, it has been performed in the theatre built especially for the musical and delights young and old audiences.
A weekend in Bochum with a difference
The Capital of Culture Bochum has a lot to offer. If you want to get to know the city’s diverse cultural offerings and do something for your health at the same time, you should plan a visit to the Medi Therme. The thermal baths in the Ruhr Park in Bochum are a true oasis of well-being. A heated indoor and outdoor swimming pool connected by a lock, Kneipp pool, 16 different saunas and steam baths, waterfall and rain shower, salt grotto, whirlpool and modern solariums guarantee wonderful relaxation. The sauna and thermal spa area of the Medi Therme offers its guests lasting wellness experiences. Massage lovers are recommended the oriental hammam ceremony, a mixture of steam bath, sauna, ablutions, peeling and soothing massages.
Experience miner feelings up close
Bochum is a former mining town. If you want to get to know the miners’ workplace up close, you should visit the German Mining Museum Bochum. Nature lovers stroll through the botanical garden. The visitor mine at a depth of 20 meters can be explored on your own. Here you can also meet former miners who are happy to provide an interesting insight into the extraction of the black gold. Tip for families: Once a week, there is also an underground tour of the mine for children.
A successful weekend with children
A short holiday with children can also be well organised in Bochum. In the petting zoo of the Bochum Zoo, children can get up close and personal with the animal inhabitants. At feeding times, children can help the animal keepers and acquire a mini animal keeper driver’s license. The zoo leaves nothing to be desired. There are about 4,000 animals to discover. Especially the cute meerkats, squirrel monkeys or the mini pigs Kune Kune, make children’s hearts beat faster. The offer is supplemented by the fossilium, with many fossilized specimens from the primeval times of the earth. Horseshoe crab and co. send their regards. Another children’s highlight are the annual Halloween parties in the zoo. Ghosts, witches and other sinister figures then conquer the zoo. A unique horror program for young and old.
Special blockbusters
Other worthwhile attractions in Bochum are the Railway Museum, the Botanical Garden and the Planetarium. For those interested in history, a visit to the railway museum is recommended. Nature lovers treat themselves to a walk through the botanical garden. Finally, the planetarium is one of the most visited planetariums in Europe. It offers a sensational view of the starry sky and distant galaxies. Various astronomy shows convey a lot of interesting facts about our cosmos.
