Unperfekthaus is a truly unique venue. A multi level creative artistik space, complete with…read morecouches, studios, multimedia rooms, wifi throughout, and buffets for dining and drinking. It would take you days to explore and find all the nooks and crannies of this very cool place. But in any case, you will be relaxed and enjoy yourself. A variety of time based tariffs including all you can eat and drink plans. Crowd varies dramatically based on time of day and day of week, but will always be the crème of Essen's artistic crowd. Check it out!! http://www.unperfekthaus.de/e/

Unperfecthouse is one of the coolest places I have visited anywhere in the world. It is part bar,…read morepart hang out, part art gallery, part bar, and all you can eat buffet serving everything from traditional German food, to Latin food, and Vegan/Vegetarian offerings. I was with a large group from the Uni-Essen and we had the party room on the second floor. The other plus was that the "all you can eat" came with all the beer you can drink as well. This was a cool place to have a party for sure. Now it was mainly university folks but young kids came in and ate, drank beer, surfed the Internet, played music and there are many rooms in this sprawling place to eat, mingle, and basically hang out. The Men's bathroom is famous for its scrolling films on the walls. The website lists all sorts of other things going on in this mixed-use-space, but after hanging out here, drinking a few good beers, and eating all sorts of amazing cheap food, I have to say I was happy our hosts brought us here. All I can say is wow. Now, I have no idea what it is like if you are a solo traveler who happens to be in Essen, but I think it would still be a great bet for a place to eat (take your time) have a few beers, check the email with the free wi-fi, and take advantage of this unique space. If I had the money I would open a place like this in the USA. Think Warhol's Factory without all the creepy people and with good food.

For anyone who has played Civilization 6, Ruhr Valley is a wonder which confers the city in which…read moreit is built 10% increase in production and +1 for every one of its quarries and mines. This UNESCO World Heritage site is categorized as a GeoPark. Hong Kong also has a UNESCO Heritage GeoPark. Both have locations of exposed rock dating all the way back to the Devonian period. However, they're very different in terms of historical, political, industrial, and military impact. According to the Ruhr Museum, Germany had more coal in this region than the rest of Europe combined. As you can imagine, this geological boon was both a gift and a curse. Industrialization made the area an economic powerhouse. Laborers from all over Germany and the region came to work in its mines, processing facilities, and steelworks. This created a diverse community which developed its own dialect, bringing unity to people who have different religions, different cuisines, etc. From the mid-19th century, company housing was built in large tracts, similar to subdivisions in the US, which is very different how other cities developed until then - large around political or religious institutions. Like in the U.S., many of these homes have developed more character as homeowners customize them over time. Since industrial operations ceased in 2018, Germany has done an incredible job mitigating the air, noise and water pollution. It has also planted over 60% of the surface area, more than any former industrial zone. Even the heaps of waste rock generated from mining have been redeveloped into parks and areas for other leisure activities. The Ruhr Museum app guides you through the place in different languages. We wanted to a tour of the former mining and processing facilities, but unfortunately, no English language tours were available today. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ruhr-museum-audioguide/id1596946739

Very interesting local museum of the Ruhr region housed in an old coal washing complex. There is…read moresomething here to appeal to everyone - panoramic views from the roof of the whole Ruhr valley, thoughtful exhibits highlighting the past and present and captions in both English and German. It's part art exhibit, historical museum, industrial museum and natural history center all together. The best is that the old coal works is largely intact, so you can see all the huge buckets, gears, slides and catwalks. You really get a sense of the industrial past here. I love that the region takes it's heritage seriously and repurposed an old factory as a cultural center. If you are in the Ruhr area doing some sightseeing, it's a nice stop. There's a cafe and many places to have lunch as well as a large park. Very cool!