Sports, Leisure, and Extracurricular Activities

  © Andreas Herrmann / ats  

It is important to take regular breaks from your academic commitments to enjoy sports and leisure activities! Here are some suggestions:

Sports and Leisure Activities in and Around Aachen

RWTH Aachen's  Hochschulsport Sports Center offers practically the whole range of sporting activities from A for acrobatics to z for zumba!  Apart from keeping you fit, the Sports Center is a good place for meeting students from other semesters or study programs in an informal atmosphere. Every year in the summer semester, the RWTH FH Sports Day is held. Mainly focusing on competitive events, it also offers students and university staff the opportunity to try out different types of sports. In the evening, you can chill out at the concerts held at the Sports Center.

Another sporting highlight in Aachen is the traditional Lousberglauf marathon. About 2,000 runners usually take part in the race, which is 5555 meters long and takes them up and down Lousberg hill.

If you want to take a break from academic or daily life and to really relax, then try visiting Aachen's Carolus Therme spa. In addition to an extensive sauna area, there are several warm and cold pools to take a dip in. If you prefer to do some real swimming, though, you should try out one of Aachen's 5 public swimming baths (including an outdoor one: "Hangeweiher").

Aachen is, of course, famous for its cathedral - the Aachener Dom and its city hall - the Rathaus. They are both well worth a visit. You also shouldn't miss a trip to the nearby "Dreiländereck" amidst pleasant scenery, where Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany converge!

Showing Initiative and Getting Involved

The desire to help others, to gain practical experience, and to become an active member of student associations and organizations is not only a good thing for society in general but will also serve you in good stead for your future professional life. Take a look at this overview of student initiatives, organizations and recreational activities.

Annual Events in Aachen

Aachen's Christmas Market - the Weihnachtsmarkt is very famous. Numerous stalls entice visitors to do some pre-Christmas shopping as well as eating and drinking. Particularly popular with the city's students on cold winter evenings are the stalls selling Glühwein mulled wine!

One really big event in Aachen is the annual  CHIO Aachen - World Equestrian Festival. Lasting for 10  days, this horse riding event attracts a broad international audience every year. There are special student rates for seating and standing-room tickets.

Aachen's Öcher Bend funfair is immensely popular with all age groups. It comes to town twice a year, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors when it does. There is usually a "student day" when prices of rides are reduced for students.

Parties at the Beginning of a Semester

Here are the most popular student parties: