Let’s be glad for Gladbeck! Neighboring the big Schalke town of Gelsenkirchen, Gladbeck celebrates every Blue win! As part of the greater Ruhrgebiet area, Gladbeck has an industrial heritage. The “industrial castle” of the Zweckel Colliery is part of the Industrial Monuments located in Nordrhein Westfalen.

Water Castle & Wooded Trails
Gladbeck has both a wonderful inner city and also some nice larger parks. The Wasserschloss Wittringen is a great attraction with a museum inside. As the name might imply, it is located right on the water and has a lovely promenade where one can sit and look out at the lake. Around the castle there are plenty of trails for hiking with a trail map located at the park entrance. Once on the trails, you may run into an old coliseum type sandstone structure commemorating the victims and soldiers of WW2.

The Pond
The other wonderful park in Gladbeck is the Nordpark off of Konrad Adenauer Allee. This park is easily accessible from a path from the Gladbeck West train station. There is a small pond in the middle of the park, and the local youth are almost always out playing in the nearby soccer area or on the skating ramps. The walk around the pond is not too long, but there is a nice dock to walk out on and on the other end, a promenade. Please don't feed the ducks, as the pond has had some environmental issues with overfeeding as of late, and you will see a sign referring to this problem, complete with an ecological diagram.

Microbrewery and a Special Bakery
While the parks are a nice attraction in Gladbeck, the inner city is also a nice place to spend an afternoon. While the German staple of Karstadt is available for shopping, there are also plenty of smaller stores located in the pedestrian zone of the city. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes. Of note is the microbrewery "Alte Post", which is located in the old post office on Postallee. While the food is typical German fare, the beer has a refreshingly distinctive micro brewed taste. Afterwards a trip to the "Gladbäcker" (hilariously combining the words bäcker, for baker, and Gladbeck) on Horsterstraße is recommended for a large cup of delicious coffee and a pastry. There are also a few bars located in the Goetheplatz, where the neighboring soccer team of Schalke 04 is celebrated on game nights.

How to get there: Gladbeck is located just 20 minutes north of Essen in Nordrhein Westfalen. There is a commuter train called "Der Borkener", which travels to Gladbeck once an hour from Essen. Other regional trains from Essen and Dortmund stop in Gladbeck through one of three stations. Tickets can be purchased at the VRR machines located at every train station. The tourist office is on Willy Brandt Platz, which is located in the inner city.

Great things: Gladbeck is my home base, so I am biased. I love every little thing about the city, from the local newspaper, to the wooded areas and the easy access to many other places here in Nordrhein Westfalen, which allows me to explore without a car.

Date of visit: often

Gladbeck website: www.gladbeck.de