West

When you’re in Paris, you should really take the time to explore the lesser known museums in the city, for example the Musée d’art moderne or Musée des Beaux Arts, which is housed in a former exhibition pavilion of the 1900 World Exhibition. Alternatively, you can watch artists at work at 59 rue Rivoli or chat with them at Viaduc des Arts. Another venue that is definitely worth a visit is the Atelier des Lumières, a centre for digital art. If you’re a fan of photography, you could also visit Maison européenne de la photographie. Or how about something more unusual such as Musée des Arts Forains, where  many objects that were previously  used in fairs can not only be admired but also used. Get something to eat at Wild & The Moon, a restaurant that focusses on the sustainable: vegan, local, organic, plastic-free! Or make  your way to La REcyclerie Paris, a café, restaurant, urban farm, cultural centre and DIY workshop in one. From there, you can get to know Paris from a completely different angle at the aforementioned rail tracks at La Petite Ceinture. If you’re looking for more action and some fresh air, join a street art tour or admire the works of art at the modern district of La Défense. You’ll find even more modern architecture in the Paris Rive Gauche district, a neighbourhood that has been converted from a formal industrial area into a residential and shopping district. In the evening, enjoy a glass of wine at La Belle Hortense, a wine bar and bookshop combined into one, or make your way to the cultural centre La Bellevilloise, where there are regular concerts, exhibitions, discussions and other cultural events.

There are direct trains from the Gare de l‘Est several times a day to the next stop on your journey: Luxembourg (travel time: 2 hours, 12 minutes).

Start your visit to Luxembourg with an architecture and art walk on Kirchberg-Plateau, which until the early 1950s was still an agricultural area and now houses numerous futuristic residential and office buildings, EU administration buildings and the Philharmonic Hall. Afterwards, pay a visit to the Kasematten and immerse yourself in another part of Luxembourg's history - the Kasematten are the remains of an underground network of passages and caves created as early as the 17th century to defend the city against the Spanish! If you want to learn even more about the history of the city, visit the Luxembourg City History Museum, which is also worth a visit for its architecture: four venerable town houses have been integrated into a modern building with a floating glass facade, and the museum's eight floors can be explored via panoramic elevator. Art lovers will also get their money's worth in Luxembourg: how about the Contemporary Art Museum of Luxembourg, the Casino Luxembourg - Forum d'art contemporain or the Kart Gallery »Am Tunnel«, which is home to the works of 100 artists who work in Luxembourg - and all this 15 metres underground! If you’re interested in discovering the rest of the country, take a tour to the Valentiny Foundation in Remerschen or head to Clervaux for the Photographic exhibition »The Family of Man«. Other exciting possibilities include a detour to Belval, a former industrial area that is now a »Science City«. Today, you can visit one of the former blast furnaces, which offers a fantastic view of the university district. In the evening, enjoy a Luxembourg beer at Bouneweger Stuff or head to one of the many trendy pubs in the Grund district. Another option is to take a look at the programme at Abbaye de Neumünster or Rotondes, both cultural centres offer concerts and more!

Take one of the direct trains that leave twice an hour to reach your next destination of Trier (fastest travel time: 52 minutes).

In Trier, let yourself be inspired first by the ancient Roman ruins, from Porta Nigra, Imperial Baths, Amphitheatre, Constantine Basilica, Römerbrücke Bridge, the largest mosaic collection north of the Alps at Rhineland State Museum Trier or the foundations of the ancient city walls in the cellar of  City Museum Simeonstift. Then travel through time at the Parish Church of St. Michael, originally built as a step pyramid in the district of Mariahof, a neighbourhood established in the 1960s as a garden city settlement. Or drive up Petrisberg, a former military site, then the site of the State Garden Show, now a residential and business district with modern architecture and a fantastic view! It’s also the home of the  »Turm der Träume und Sehnsüchte«, designed by Luxembourg architect François Valentiny. Afterwards, enjoy a cup of Trierer Stadtkaffee, the result of a sustainability project – after all Trier is not only the oldest City in Germany, but also a Fair Trade City! Be sure to keep an eye out for the mobile raised beds that have been placed around the city as part of the »Essbare Stadt« project. Next pay a visit to Karl-Marx-Haus or the Schatzkammer der Stadtbibliothek: home to the »Codex Egberti«, which is part of the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, a Gutenberg Bible and the only known copy of a fish calendar. Alternatively, you can take a trip to the Besucherbergwerk Fell, which comprises two  typical roof slate pits on top of each other, or take a walk along the Moselle and enjoy the Mosel cranes. If you’re interested in Public Art, you’ll find what you’re looking for in Trier! When you’re planning your evening, take a look at the TUFA social cultural centre programme; the centre is housed in a former cloth factory. Or relax with a cocktail at Citybeach Trier or a glass of wine at one of the many small wine bars in Olewig Winemaker’s Village.

There are trains several times every hour that will take you to the next stop on your journey: Frankfurt am Main (fastest travel time: 3 hours, 18 minutes).

If you’re interested in modern art, Frankfurt offers an endless number of galleries to choose from! For example, visit Schirn Kunsthalle, Galerie Rundgænger, Portikus or the Kunstverein Familie Montez. There are several art galleries in a row in Fahrgasse that exhibit contemporary paintings and photography. Or how about modern art in unconventional surroundings? Ebene-B1 offers local artists the opportunity to exhibit their work at the Taunusanlage suburban railway station. Frankfurt also has plenty of Public Art, for example the »Sozialmeisenbau« bird house by the artist Guido Zimmermann in Braubachstrasse. If you‘re a film buff, head to DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum, or if you prefer photography why not take a look at Fotografie Forum Frankfurt. The Museum Angewandte Kunst is certainly worth a visit – also for its architecture, which is reminiscent of residential buildings by Le Corbusier. Anyone interested in architecture should be sure to check out the Deutsches Architekturmuseum and take a detour to Ernst-May House, built in 1927/28 as part of the »New Frankfurt« public housing programme. After that, relax at the Neuer Frankfurter Garten centre, a hidden ecological paradise in the heart of Frankfurt with Germany’s first treetop bee walk and a small café where the products that are harvested at the centre can be bought. You might just find the perfect souvenir at EiNZIGWARE – a shop selling only upcycled items! If you’re in Frankfurt on a Friday, head to Friedberg Market in the late afternoon and join people from all over Frankfurt to celebrate the start of the weekend. Otherwise, pay a visit to Das Mühlberglädchen or Yok-Yok, both small kiosks that are so much more! Or take in an event at Hafen 2 before moving on to party at Nachtleben.

Take one of the trains that leave once or twice per hour in order to reach Weimar (fastest travel time: 2 hours, 31 minutes). You have now reached the end of your journey – and are about to start experiencing the next exciting highlights!