Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Places to visit near Essen

Essen is a city in Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, home to about 593,085 people. Within 50 km by road there are 300+ places to visit — 102 churches, 72 forts & heritage, 39 parks and 35 wildlife, forests & gardens. The must-see places are Marktkirche (1 km), St. Johann Baptist (Essen) (1 km) and Alte Synagoge (1 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Essen on the map

Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia
Essen, Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Essen at a glance

Location
Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Population
about 593,085
Coordinates
51.4566° N, 7.0123° E
Places within 50 km
300+ (300 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for forts & heritage; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for churches and parks

Top places to visit near Essen

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Essen: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Essen

Things to see near Essen, by type

Churches near Essen

102 churches within 100 km of Essen. The closest is Marktkirche (1 km). Best time: year-round.

All churches in North Rhine-Westphalia →

Forts & heritage near Essen

72 forts & heritage within 100 km of Essen. The closest is Alte Synagoge (1 km). Best time: october to february.

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Parks near Essen

39 parks within 100 km of Essen. The closest is Stadtgarten Essen (2 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Essen

35 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Essen. The closest is Nsg Hülsenhaine Im Schellenberger Wald (7 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

All wildlife, forests & gardens in North Rhine-Westphalia →

Hill stations & viewpoints near Essen

20 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Essen. The closest is Mechtenberg (7 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

  • Mechtenberg · viewpoint · Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf · ~7 km · Must-see
  • Halde Rheinelbe · viewpoint · Regierungsbezirk Münster · ~10 km · Must-see
  • Mottbruchhalde · viewpoint · Regierungsbezirk Münster · ~12 km · Must-see
  • Hordtberg · viewpoint · Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf · ~18 km · Must-see
  • Halde Schöttelheide · viewpoint · Regierungsbezirk Münster · ~18 km · Must-see
  • Kaiserberg · viewpoint · Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf · ~18 km · Must-see

All hill stations & viewpoints in North Rhine-Westphalia →

Museums near Essen

20 museums within 100 km of Essen. The closest is Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum-Dahlhausen (10 km). Best time: year-round.

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A one-day trip from Essen

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 7 km on the road.

  1. Start in Essen
  2. 1 km Marktkirche · church, Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf
  3. 1 km Kreuzeskirche · church, Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf
  4. 1 km Alte Synagoge · heritage site, Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf
  5. 2 km Stadtgarten Essen · park, Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf
  6. 2 km St. Johann Baptist (Essen) · church, Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf
  7. 0 km Back to Essen

Plan a longer trip from Essen — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Essen

No traveller has reported from around Essen yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Essen

    All places near Essen by distance

    Within 15 km of Essen

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Essen by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Churches102102Marktkirche (1 km)
    Forts & heritage7272Alte Synagoge (1 km)
    Parks3939Stadtgarten Essen (2 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens3535Nsg Hülsenhaine Im Schellenberger Wald (7 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints2020Mechtenberg (7 km)
    Museums2020Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum-Dahlhausen (10 km)
    Other attractions66Wasserbahnhof (13 km)
    Caves33Ziegenburghöhlen (30 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs22Lake of Kemnade (23 km)
    Mosques & dargahs11DITIB-Merkez-Moschee (24 km)

    Essen: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Essen?

    Marktkirche (church, about 1 km), St. Johann Baptist (Essen) (church, about 1 km), Alte Synagoge (heritage site, about 1 km), Kreuzeskirche (church, about 1 km), Stadtgarten Essen (park, about 2 km), Tiegelstahlgussdenkmal (heritage site, about 2 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Essen?

    300+ places on Spotwander: 102 churches, 72 forts & heritage, 39 parks, 35 wildlife, forests & gardens, 20 hill stations & viewpoints.

    Which is the nearest church to Essen?

    Marktkirche, about 1 km by road; St. Johann Baptist (Essen) (0 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest fort to Essen?

    Alte Synagoge, about 1 km by road; Tiegelstahlgussdenkmal (2 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest park to Essen?

    Stadtgarten Essen, about 2 km by road; Diether-Krebs-Platz (2 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Essen?

    Start in Essen, visit Marktkirche, then Kreuzeskirche, then Alte Synagoge, then Stadtgarten Essen, then St. Johann Baptist (Essen), and drive back — about 7 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Essen?

    October to February for forts & heritage; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for churches and parks.

    Towns near Essen

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Essen’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Essen on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.