Die Bergischen Drei On The Road

Van life with Die Bergischen Drei? You bet!
This tour was devised by the “Die Bergischen Drei – On the road“ project team at the Cologne School of Tourism in cooperation with Bergisches Land Tourismus Marketing e.V. to spoil you with great views across the Bergisch tri-city area.

At the heart of the tour are six hotspots that have been carefully selected by the team and tailored for you. Together they form a unique route that can be reinvented to suit your mood. You will also find selected overnight accommodation where you can rest at the end of an exciting day.

There are, of course, restaurants too where you can grab some sustenance for your journey of discovery. For those of you travelling in your own van/motorhome, we have made an arrangement with Gaststätte Rüdenstein for you to simply park up there and stay overnight.

So... on your marks, get set, go! Pack your bags and surrender to the glorious natural surroundings, culture and uniqueness of “the Bergisch three”!

Brückenpark Müngsten, your starting point in the Bergisch tri-city area
Start at the Müngsten Bridge which, at 107 metres, is Germany’s highest railway bridge. The Brückenpark Müngsten, which is at the foot of the bridge, is a great place to relax. If you fancy it, you can try a delicious waffle here at Haus Müngsten while watching the trains pass over the bridge. Or keep an eye out for kingfishers on the Wupper. With a bit of luck, you can see them here from time to time.
Schloss Burg in Solingen, timber frame character you can touch
Next it’s on to Schloss Burg... Canny people park their van in Unterburg and take the cable car up to the castle. Oberburg, as the part of the town around the castle is called, has a fantastic feel with its timber-framed buildings. Cafés and restaurants provide a place to rest for a while. Ever heard of the Bergische Kaffeetafel (coffee and snacks)? This opulent spread of sweet and savoury dishes served with coffee from a famous Bergisch Dröppelminna, a tall, two-handled coffee pot, is available in almost every eatery.

Schloss Burg itself is an absolute highlight. The former ancestral seat of the Counts of Berg, who gave the Bergisches Land its name, became a magnet for tourists following its reconstruction in the 19th century. The castle gained new resplendence following extensive renovations. The keep offers a unique panoramic view of the vastness of the Bergisches Land.

After visiting the castle, take the cable car back down to Unterburg and then continue on the tour to Remscheid-Lennep. This historic old town is captivating with its unmistakable Bergisch architecture - sometimes fully covered in slate and sometimes with open timber frames. But always with green doors and shutters. Small cafés and shops make this a good place for a stroll. What’s more: Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen was born in Lennep. You can learn all about the inventor and his life's work at the German Röntgen Museum.

The tour continues from Remscheid to the easternmost part of the neighbouring city of Wuppertal, to Beyenburg. Here too, you’ll find a picturesque timber-framed village nestled above the Beyenburg reservoir around the St Mary Magdalene cloister church, also known as “Beyenburg Cathedral”. You should definitely take a walk through the village here and along the reservoir. If you are lucky, you can watch the dragon boats on the far section of the reservoir.

Our next stage takes us through some built-up areas. First, we head for Wuppertal Südhöhen. Here, above the Barmer Anlagen park, stands the Toelleturm which offers breathtaking views of the valley. Back down again in the valley, we stay on the valley floor, sometimes driving close to the suspension railway, weaving our way underneath it until we leave Wuppertal in Vohwinkel in the direction of Solingen Gräfrath.

The old town of Gräfrath is also a delight with its wealth of history and great places to stop for refreshment and stay overnight, such as the Gräfrather Hof. Those with a penchant for culture can walk to the German Blade Museum (Deutsche Klingenmuseum) and the Solingen Art Museum (Kunstmuseum Solingen), which also houses the Centre for Persecuted Arts (Zentrum für verfolgte Künste).

The route takes us across the city of Solingen, down to the river Wupper to the enchanting village of Rüden. Here, at the Gaststätte Rüdenstein, campervanners can park and stay overnight by arrangement with the hosts. As well as taking an extended walk along the Wupper, it’s definitely worth having dinner here.

The tour ends where it began – at the Brückenpark Müngsten.