Emperors Bakers and Beasts Tour of Aachen

3.1 (8 reviews) Cologne, Germany
  1. Home
  2. Activities
  3. Cologne
Duration2h 30m
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesGerman, Russian, Portuguese, English, Italian, Polish, French, Dutch, Spanish
Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

The water under Aachen smells of rotten eggs, and for two thousand years that has been the city's secret. Romans found it, Charlemagne built his capital on it, and thirty one German kings were crowned beside it.

This self guided audio walking tour, narrated through the Tourific app on your phone, traces those springs to the cathedral, the apothecary that produced one of Germany's first chocolate bars, and the spot where Paul Julius Reuter trained pigeons to beat the telegraph.

You will meet the Bahkauv, a sulphurous calf locals say climbs onto the shoulders of drunken men, and hear how a young baker once tricked the devil with a tray of hot Printen.

Walk at your own pace, pause for a rice tart in a baroque café, and resume when you are ready. The audio runs offline.

If you would rather wander than be herded through Aachen in a group, this Aachen audio tour is for you. Over 20,000 travelers have used our self guided tours, and the tour comes with a full refund guarantee.

What's included

  • 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: If you don’t love the tour, write to us for a full refund.
  • Audio and written guide included ( AI generated )
  • Offline access to the tour (no internet connection needed) once tour is downloaded
  • Images to identify stops and in app interactive map for navigation
  • 1-year access on iOS & Android. Listen to the tour anytime, as many times as you like
  • Check or search your inbox for an email from “Tourific” with tour access instructions.
  • Any physical devices or headphones
  • Human tour guide at location
  • Transport

What to expect

  1. Elisenbrunnen
    5m
    Smell the sulphurous water that drew Romans north and once cured Europe's wealthy of bad nerves.
  2. Kreislauf des Geldes
    5m
    Circle a fountain donated by the local bank that turned into a cartoon about greed.
  3. Puppenbrunnen
    5m
    Bend the limbs of the bronze figures yourself, because every passing child rearranges this fountain.
  4. Bahkauv
    5m
    Meet the sulphurous calf that locals say climbs onto the shoulders of drunken men staggering home from taverns.
  5. 5m
    Step into the baroque interior of an Aachen café that survived two world wars somehow intact.
  6. Couven-Museum
    5m
    Stand inside the pharmacy where one of the first chocolate bars made in Germany was produced.
  7. 5m
    Spot the bronze boy caught the moment a stolen rooster crowed from inside his coat.
  8. 5m
    Bite into the spiced biscuit a young apprentice once stole back from the devil himself.
  9. 5m
    Follow the story of the man who trained pigeons to outrun the telegraph for a single summer.
  10. Karlsbrunnen
    5m
    Look up at the emperor French troops once carried off as war booty, until the mayor petitioned Napoleon.
  11. 5m
    Walk through the hall where thirty one German kings sat down to their coronation banquet.
  12. Centre Charlemagne
    5m
    Lift a piece of medieval chain mail and meet the original bronze Charlemagne, retired from the rain.
  13. Katschhof
    5m
    Cross the paved courtyard where palace servants once swapped rumours between Charlemagne's chapel and his great hall.
  14. Aachen Cathedral
    5m
    Pause beside the chapel that held the bones of an emperor for three and a half centuries.
  15. Fischpuddelchen
    5m
    Notice the toddler the city kept hiding for twenty years before a council vote finally settled it.
  16. Treasury of Aachen Cathedral
    5m
    Search out a Roman pagan coffin that once held a Christian emperor, and a knife he hunted with.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

This is a self-guided audio tour on the "Tourific self-guided tours" app. To activate the tour, check your email for instructions from Tourific or your booking platform sent right after booking. Can’t find it? Search for “Tourific” in your email inbox and spam folder. OR contact us via support.

End point

Additional information

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • The total tour duration includes the time spent at the stop and time required to walk through all the stops.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

3.1 (8)
From
$6.99 per person
Check availability & book
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
  • Instant confirmation
  • You'll choose your date and travelers and pay on viator.com. Prices vary by date, group size and option.
Operated by Tourific · Booked through Viator
More activities in Cologne
From
$6.99 per person
Check availability