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MY GERMANY - AACHEN

TRAVEL

‘Student life in Aachen is easy and a lot of fun’

Get The Local flavour of Germany with our series where insiders offer a personal take on their hometown. This week, Xueyao Jiang shares her tips about Aachen.

Published: 5 April 2013 06:25 CEST
'Student life in Aachen is easy and a lot of fun'
Photo: Private

Originally from Dalian, China, Xueyao Jiang has been living in Germany since 2009. She came to Aachen to study computer science and is currently working on her thesis.

What brought you to Aachen?

I came to Germany in September 2009 to pursue my Master’s degree at the RWTH Aachen University after I obtained a bachelor degree of computer science in China. RWTH Aachen University is one of the best universities in Germany. It offers high quality education yet inexpensive and excellent academic research opportunities, which is very attractive for foreign students.

What do you love about Aachen?

Aachen is a small city packed with historic attractions. The city is full of enthusiasm as there are a lot of students here. As a student in Aachen life is easy and a lot of fun. The city has affordable cafés, bars, restaurants, and very good sport facilities. Aachen also has beautiful parks. The best part is that Aachen shares it borders with Netherlands and Belgium. I can hop on a bus and be at the fish market in Netherlands in 20 minutes to buy fresh sea food or go shopping in a Belgian liquor store for Kwak beer.

What is the one thing that a tourist has to see there?

Anybody coming to Aachen can’t miss a visit to the stunning cathedral, which is the landmark of the city. The cathedral plays an important role in the history of the city and is the memorial and resting place of Emperor Charlemagne.

What is the food like in Aachen?

You can find many different kinds of cuisines in Aachen, from traditional German food to exotic ones. I like to go to Pontstraße for light meals, such as warps, noodle, Pizza and any kind of Chinese food. My favorite restaurant is a Chinese one called “City Garden”. They offer delicious and authentic Chinese food which is very spicy. On a hot summer day I go to Del Negro, it offers the best ice cream in town.

What do you do on a typical weekend?

Hang out with friends in Café Kittel or Middelberg, Join a guitar jamming session. I sometimes go swimming in the Elisabethalle, this swimming pool has a history over 100 years and is the most beautiful decorated swimming pool I have even seen. I also love going for a walk around the small mountain Lousberg.

What is the one thing you don’t like about Aachen?

The Rain. It rains all the time in Aachen, I wish we could have more sunshine and less rain.

Is the city friendly to foreigners?

Yes, it definitely is. The stereotype of the German people is that they are cold and distant, however the people that I have met in Aachen are very international, easy-going and open-minded. Many people, for example, shop assistants and bar tenders, can speak good English so it’s a relief for foreigners.

What do you miss about home?

My family. In China most children grow up with a strong bond to their parents. I miss our dog. And like most foreigners, I miss the food. There are some vegetables that I can easily find in China which are not available in Germany. But, otherwise the supermarkets here offer a huge range of choices.

Interview conducted by Roma Rajpal

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TRAVEL

Explore Austria: Mauer, a charming wine-hiking spot on Vienna’s outskirts

Catch the very tail-end of the wine season and autumn foliage in one of the lesser-explored corners of the Austrian capital: Mauer.

Published: 12 November 2021 17:03 CET
Updated: 24 September 2023 08:20 CEST
Explore Austria: Mauer, a charming wine-hiking spot on Vienna’s outskirts
Beautiful views and cosy taverns await you on the edge of Vienna. Photo: Catherine Edwards

Wine-hiking is an autumn must-do in Austria. There’s the official Wine Hiking Day (Weinwandertag) that usually draws in big crowds, but it’s also possible to follow the routes through beautiful scenery and wine taverns on your own.

Mauer in the southwest of Vienna is one of the routes that is mostly frequented by locals.


The footpath takes you through scenic vineyards. Photo: Catherine Edwards

You can reach this part of the 23rd district using Vienna’s public transport, and you have a few options. From the Hietzing station on the U4 line, you can take the tramline 60 or bus 56A. The former will take you either to Mauer’s central square or you can get off earlier at Franz-Asenbauer-Gasse to start the hike. If it’s too early in the day for wine just yet, you could start your day at the small and charming Designo cafe (Geßlgasse 6).

Otherwise, the residential area itself doesn’t have much to see, but keep an eye out as you wander between the taverns later — there are some beautiful buildings.

To start the hike, head west along Franz-Asenbauer Gasse, which will take you up into the vineyards, growing some red wine and Vienna’s specialty Gemischter Satz or ‘field blend’, which as the name suggests is a mixture of different types of grapes.

Photo: Catherine Edwards

The paved road takes a left turn, but the hiking route follows a smaller path further upwards. Here you’ll have magnificent views over the whole of Vienna.

If you stick to the official hiking route (see a map from Weinwandern here) you can keep the whole route under 5 kilometres. But more adventurous types don’t need to feel limited.

You can also follow the Stadtwanderweg 6 route (see a map here) either in full, which will add on a hefty 13 kilometres, or just in part, and venture further into the Mauerwald. If you do this, one spot to aim for is the Schießstätte, a former hunting lodge offering hearty Austrian meals.

EXPLORE AUSTRIA

In any case, you should definitely take a small detour to see the Wotrubakirche, an example of brutalist architecture from the mid-1970s built on a site that was used as a barracks during the Second World War.

Not far from the church is the Pappelteich, a small pond that is not only an important habitat for local flora and fauna, but a popular picnic spot for hikers. Its only water supply is from the rain, and due to climate change the pond has almost dried out in recent years, prompting the city to take action to boost its water supply by adding a permanent pipe.


The church is made up of over 150 concrete blocks. Photo: Catherine Edwards

What you really come to Mauer for, though, are the Heuriger or Viennese wine taverns. 

The most well-known is Edlmoser (Maurer Lange Gasse 123) which has previously been named as the best in Vienna. Note that it’s not open all year so check the website, but in 2021 it should be open between November 5th and 21st, and is also serving the goose that is a popular feature on Viennese menus this time of year.

Tip for translating Heuriger opening times: look for the word ausg’steckt, which is used by those taverns which aren’t open year round. They will also often show that they’re open by attaching a bunch of green twigs to the sign or front door.


Buschenschank Grausenburger. Photo: Catherine Edwards

Also worth visiting are cosy Buschenschank Grausenburger (Maurer Lange Gasse 101a), Heuriger Wiltschko (Wittgensteinstrasse 143 — located near the start of the hiking route, this is a good place to begin your tour) and Heuriger Fuchs-Steinklammer (Jesuitensteig 28).

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