What can you do in Wuppertal? If you’re asking yourself this question because you want to discover Wuppertal on a day trip, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I’ll give you an overview of the best sights in Wuppertal that you can discover on foot in just one day.
Wuppertal is a great city that you can explore in just one day. Of course, it’s also worth coming here more often or staying longer. But everything you read in this article can be discovered in one day on foot or by public transport.
You can easily get here by train. Your Wuppertal adventure for a day can start from Wuppertal train station.
1. Ride the suspension railway
The first time I was in Wuppertal and got on the suspension railway, I just wanted to stay seated and ride back and forth. And the cool thing about it: with the Deutschlandticket, you can do just that on the 13 km long route from Vohwinkel to Oberbarmen – for as long as you want. But you can also buy a 24-hour ticket for around €8. However, you only need about 1 hour there and back across all 20 stations.
The suspended railway was opened back in 1901 and is the landmark of the city. An elephant even fell out of it once.
2. Walk on the Holstein staircase
One of the most famous Instagram spots in Wuppertal is the colourfully painted Holstein steps in Wuppertal’s Treppenviertel district. The 112 steps are all painted in different colours, which makes for a cool effect in photos. Various words are also written on the steps.
The whole thing was originally a work of art called “Scala” by Düsseldorf artist Horst Gläsker.
3. Discover Wuppertal’s alternative life in the Utopiastadt
The Utopiastadt is a little more creative and alternative than the rest of Wuppertal. The cultural centre is a meeting place with coworking spaces, the Hutmacher café, a workshop and a bike hire service. Bees and insects will also soon find a home here.
4. Walk or cycle along the northern railway line
The Nordbahntrasse is a former railway line that has been converted into a cycle path that runs all the way through Wuppertal.
5. Visit the LEGO bridge
Have they really built a bridge out of giant Lego bricks here?
My thoughts when I saw the realistic graffiti for the first time
This bridge, which is also part of the Nordbahntrasse, was decorated in a special way by graffiti artist MEGX. When you walk underneath it, you feel a bit like a LEGO figure yourself, because the façade is drawn very realistically and vividly.
By the way: There are 2 such bridges. The Lego Bridge 2.0 is near the Wuppertal-Langerfeld S-Bahn station. However, it is a little too far away for a day trip if you also want to explore the other sights in one day.
6. Stroll along the Elisenturm and the Hardt-Terassen
The 21-metre-high Elisenturm is located in Stadtpark Hardt, the oldest city park in Germany built by citizens. The tower not only offers a fantastic view over the rooftops of Wuppertal, but is also a popular venue for wedding ceremonies and other events.
If this is not the case, you can also visit the tower’s domed hall yourself in the spring and summer months.
Directly next to the tower are the really great Hardt-Terrassen – Wuppertal’s oldest beer garden on approx. 900 m². Also worth a visit is the Orangerie, which is located in the Wilhelminian-style villa “Villa Eller” built in 1875. The Orangery garden is an oasis of peace and relaxation.
In addition, the Café Elise offers another opportunity to fortify yourself with coffee and cake.
7. Relax in the tropical greenhouses of the botanical garden
Even in winter or in bad weather, a visit to the botanical garden on the Elisenhöhe right next to the Elisenturm is worthwhile.
There is a large glass house with warm and cold house areas. Tropical temperatures prevail in the warm area. There are also themed area houses with cacti, succulents, bulbs and tuberous plants.
Admission to the greenhouses is free and possible all year round. On the website of the Verein der Freunde und Förderer des Botanischen Gartens Wuppertal e.V. you will find more details about the opening times.
8. Wander through the Waldfrieden sculpture park
This park is an open-air museum with numerous works of art and is known throughout the region. The artist Tony Cragg has adorned the 14-hectare forest with numerous works of art by himself as well as other international artists. For €12 admission, you can discover them all on an extensive walk.
There is also a curved villa on the site, which blends harmoniously into the landscape and dates back to the days when the Wuppertal industrialist Kurt Herberts owned the property. In the Café Podest you can fortify yourself with coffee, cake and snacks.
9. Visit the Engels House in Barmen
Yes, one of the creators of communism, Friedrich Engels, was born in Wuppertal. More precisely in Barmen, which is now a district of Wuppertal. And that’s exactly where you can visit the upper middle-class, half-timbered Bergisch house built in 1775, where Engels once spent his childhood. Today, the house is a museum dedicated to the life and work of the city’s most famous son. You will find it right next to the Adlerbrücke suspension railway stop.
If you would rather explore the district on your own, then this self-guided tour of Barmen might be just your thing.
10. Take a pub crawl through the Louisenviertel
The Louisenviertel exudes old town flair and is the meeting place for Wuppertal’s youth and art scene. There are many cafés and small shops along Louisenstraße that are well worth exploring.
11. Enjoy the view from the Skywalk in Nordpark
The Nordpark is a little further away from the suspension railway and the city centre. But if you still have enough time on your day trip to Wuppertal, it’s still worth visiting the Skywalk in the park.
From the 16-metre-long platform, you have a great view over the entire south-east of Barmen.
12. Visiodrom: marvel at Europe’s largest 360° screen
Although perhaps a little too short for a day trip, the Visiodrom on the roof of the large gas boiler is still a great place to visit in Wuppertal, especially when the weather is bad.
At the exhibition Leonardo da Vinci – uomo universale, which runs until summer 2024, you can discover works of art by Leonardo da Vinci, real models of his inventions and also enjoy the view on the skywalk.
As you can see, there are some cool Wuppertal sights to discover. Which ones are still missing from the list here? Let us know in the comments.
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