About Aachen Guide

Aachen Guide is a joint project by Maria and Marcus. Neither of us was born in Aachen; both of us more or less ended up here by chance – and both fell in love with the city immediately. Two different stories, one shared reason: Aachen has given us both something that we would like to give back.

I wasn’t born in Aachen. When I decided to study aerospace engineering, there were only a few cities in Germany to choose from – Berlin, Munich and Aachen were on my list. I looked at all three. Berlin and Munich were exciting, no question, but also huge – I still remember how overwhelmed I felt by their size. Aachen, on the other hand, touched me from the very first visit. It reminded me of Bad Homburg, the city I came from – manageable, with its own charm, friendly rather than intimidating.

So I moved to Aachen – basically just to study. The aerospace engineering degree eventually turned into a different path, but Aachen became my home. What still fascinates me about this city today: You can reach almost everything on foot. The cathedral, the town hall, Pontstraße, a good café – everything is close together, embedded in a history you can feel on every corner. Many students I’ve met over the years wanted to leave Aachen as quickly as possible after graduating. I never really understood that. I fell in love with this city – and with the people who live here.

Maria also came to Aachen more or less by chance – and fell in love just as quickly. What particularly excites her about the city is the Three-Country Point: that you can simply pop over to Belgium or the Netherlands, that several cultures exist side by side so naturally here. Added to that, Aachen is a relatively young city thanks to all the students – there’s always something going on.

hat fascinates Maria most, however, is the cultural and historical side of the city. When you walk through Aachen’s old town as an outsider, you often feel like you’re taking a little journey through time – between the cathedral, the town hall and the old alleys, history is palpable on every corner. And yet Aachen is not a city that lives only in the past: excellent museums, interesting artists and a vibrant cultural life make the city exciting in the here and now as well.

The other path that grew out of the aerospace engineering degree: Alongside his studies and in numerous part-time jobs, Marcus looked beyond the horizon and discovered his true passion – creative work with digital media: photography, videography, web design and everything that can be shaped around computers and digital tools.

He followed this passion: First came M2 BROTHERS, and later M2AIX – his agency that helps companies and people from across the region become visible online.

Many of the businesses you find here on Aachen Guide are clients of M2AIX. We prefer genuine Aachen originals – independent businesses instead of faceless chain restaurants. In justified exceptional cases, when we are truly convinced of a place’s quality and individuality, we point this out transparently.

The fact that a company is a client of M2AIX does not automatically lead to an entry on Aachen Guide – and an entry does not mean that anything is paid for the mention itself. We only feature businesses here that we are personally convinced of, often because we got to know them through M2AIX and have come to appreciate them over the years. These recommendations are our own independent editorial decision.

Aachen Guide is our shared way of giving back something of what this city has given us. A city that welcomes students, newcomers and a great many visitors every year deserves a guidebook that has just as much heart as the city itself – written by two people who were once new here themselves and stayed because they no longer wanted to leave.

Whether you want to discover the well-known sights as a tourist – such as Aachen Cathedral, the Town Hall and the Route Charlemagne – are looking for a hidden gem off the tourist trail as a cross-border visitor from the Netherlands or Belgium, or have just moved to Aachen to study and still need to find your bearings – Aachen Guide is here for you. With genuine recommendations, verified facts and the conviction that a city is best told by the people who truly love it.

Questions, suggestions or a tip we should definitely include? We look forward to every message – feel free to contact us.