Xanten Archaeological Park

Xanten lies about 65 km north-west of Düsseldorf on the lower Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia and is home to the Archäologischer Park Xanten at Siegfriedstraße 39, one of the largest archaeological open-air museums in Europe, built on the site of the Roman city Colonia Ulpia Traiana. The journey takes about 1 hour 15 minutes by train: a regional train from Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof to Duisburg Hbf in roughly 15 minutes, then the RB32 to Xanten in about 50 minutes, all covered by the Deutschlandticket. Driving takes about an hour via the A57 and B57, though free parking near the old town is limited. At the park, visitors can see the reconstructed Roman city wall and gate, the Hafentempel (harbour temple), the amphitheatre, and the Roman Baths, as well as the large hall of the RömerMuseum, which displays finds from the area. Reconstructed Roman houses show daily life, and craft demonstrations are offered at selected times. The park is mostly outdoors, so a full day involves a good deal of walking across open ground. After the Roman park, the medieval old town of Xanten offers the Dom St. Viktor, a Gothic cathedral with a rich interior, narrow lanes, and cafés around the Markt. The name of the town is linked with the Nibelungen hero Siegfried, who is said to have been born here. A sensible itinerary spends the morning at the archaeological park, has lunch in the old town, visits the cathedral in the early afternoon, and takes a walk along the Xantener Südsee lakes or the Rhine before the return train. April to October is the best period, with the park at its fullest; arriving at opening time avoids afternoon heat and crowds. The journey requires a change at Duisburg, so the trip should be planned around the RB32 timetable, which runs roughly hourly. Pack water and sun protection in summer, as shade within the park is limited.