Shopping in London, Milan or Paris? Then you’ve probably never been to the Pott (Ruhr Region). Nowhere else are there as many shopping centres so close together as in the Ruhr Metropolis. In the following, we’d like to introduce you to the two most beautiful. Shop till you drop!

 

 

 

It’s not for nothing that the roof of the Handelshof bears the inscription: “Essen—the city of shopping”. And the one hundred stores in the pedestrian zone are not the only place you can shop; the Limbecker Platz shopping centre, opened in 2009, is a true shopping highlight located right in the middle of the city. The exterior view alone will get your attention, for the facade calls to mind a swaying dress. When the sun begins to set, hundreds of lights flicker here like sequins. And you can use your credit card in over 200 shops on 70,000 m2, in one of the largest urban shopping centres in Germany. Obviously, there is no shortage of national and international restaurants in the Gourmet Lounge, and children will enjoy having fun in the large playground. And you should be on the lookout for events and sales, which take place regularly in the centre. Our tip: Try “Midnight Shopping” on the first Friday of every month. For you can stroll and shop to your heart’s content from 10 in the morning until midnight.

 

Actually, we wouldn’t call the CentrO a shopping centre so much as a city unto itself. Not only is it the largest shopping centre in Germany, with over 220 international shops and around 120,000 m2 of retail space—the entire complex with its shopping- and leisure centre is the largest of its kind in all of Europe. Where the blast furnace plants of Thyssen AG stood until 1992 is now a unique and exquisite paradise of free time for you. The Coca-Cola oasis stands ready for hunger great and small. And with 1,100 places to sit, it’s the second-largest food court in Europe. Or simply stroll along the promenades in one of over 20 international restaurants, and relax on one of many terraces when the weather’s nice. Later on, you can visit one of the bars, cocktail lounges or clubs. Attractions around the CentrO include the Stage Metronom-Theater, the marina, the water park, Sea Life Oberhausen, the Legoland® Discovery Centre, the Gasometer and, and, we almost forgot: the 14,000 free parking spaces ;-)