Dortmund - Altena Castle - Wuppertal

Route: Dusseldorf - Dortmund - Altena Castle - Wuppertal - Dusseldorf
Duration: 8 h
Firstly we will visit to the city Dortmund where during the city tour guide tell you in an amusing and entertaining manner about the industrial city of Dortmund as a location for coal, steel and beer production. See the new town hall, the old town house and the largest shopping temple in the eastern Ruhr area, next to the medieval churches and a reconstructed remnant of the former city wall. Find out why the rhinos can fly in Dortmund and where you can touch the stars of the football sky. A short tour of the Dortmunder U with a fabulous view from the platform rounds off our tour. Next we will visit to Altena castle which is one of the loveliest hilltop castles in Germany. For centuries it has sat enthroned up on the Wulfsegge and has been the eponym and symbol of Altena. It has had many functions over the years. Originally it was the residence of the County of Mark, then it turned into a prison, a criminal court, an almshouse, labourers house and hospital. But its use as the first youth hostel in the world in 1914 was the most remarkable one. Soon this concept conquered the entire world. Even today one can have a lie down in the original beds - for testing purposes, that is.  The permanent exhibition at the County of Mark Museum is an essential part of the castle tour. The exciting and interesting info covers the early geological history with regard to the Middle Ages, the Early Modern Age and the Industrial Age to the present day. Next we will visit the Wuppertal is home to one of the most unusual sights in Germany – a monorail road. The construction of the road began in the end of the 19th century. Despite the fact that you can see such objects in numerous cities across the country, the local road is distinguished from them all thanks to a very special event. The grand opening of the road took place in June 1903, but it served the first passenger a little earlier. The passenger was German Kaiser Wilhelm II. The carriage, in which sat Wilhelm II, has survived till our days and is now considered a valuable museum piece. The age of the carriage is more than a hundred years, but it’s still open to the public and is often used in various celebrations. Following a route just over thirteen kilometres in length that runs through the city of Wuppertal, western Germany, the 'Electric Elevated Railroad (Suspension Railroad) Installation', or 'floating train' as it is more fondly known, is the only one of its kind in the world. The tours take about one hour. Hostesses in historic costumes accompany you on these round trips and provide you with fascinating insights into the history of the city. After we return to Dusseldorf.
Price: per person