Sandeman FREE Walking Tours

Reader Contribution…

Check out the following website for specific cities:  http://www.neweuropetours.eu/

Sandeman offers free, English-speaking walking tours in major cities around Europe.  My father and I took their tour of Amsterdam, and it was incredibly informative and entertaining!  Our guide was very
engaging and was a wealth of information on the history and culture of Amsterdam.  The three-hour tour flew by, and it really was FREE!  Sandeman guides are friendly, insightful and fun!  The guides work for
tips only, so they ensure that their guests have a great time.  We had people of all ages on our tour, and the guide ensured that the pace was appropriate for everyone.  The tours run every day of the year,
rain, snow, or shine.  Of course, you get the obligatory pitch at the end of the tour for some of Sandeman’s specialized paid excursions, but the guides were not pushy about these.  These tours are a great alternative to walking around a city with your nose stuck in a guide book or listening to a recording on a bus as the landmarks whiz by. 

Carl Alexander Park – Ubach-Baeschwiler

Located between Ubach-Palenburg and Baesweiler, this newly opened park was created on and around an old coal refuse pile from the region’s mining days.

There’s a long green space with playground equipment including some really fun swings, a large rope climbing structure, and swivel chairs. Walking and biking trails weave themselves in and around to the top of the hill, and there’s an outside cafe serving ice cream and drinks. A large red building contains stairs that lead to a series of metal ramps and more stairs that will lead you all the way to the top of the hill. The walk up the ramps with small children took about 15 minutes. The leisurely walk down the trail took about 25 with stops to take photos and look at rocks.

At the top, you’ll find a nice viewing place and a amazing view of the area. The children will enjoy the piles of black rocks and may find a fossil or two among them. A great place for families, for picnics, for rollerblading and biking, or for a class to explore the rocks and flora in the area, you won’t regret the 10 minute drive from GK.

From GK, take the 221 south towards Ubach-Palenburg. Take the first exit to Ubach. At the round-a-bout, take the second exit and continue on that road past the McDonalds. At the stop light where the Plus and Fressnapf stores are, turn left. Continue on that road through the roundabout until you see a sign for the Carl Alexander park. The first parking lot is there. If you continue into Baesweiler, you’ll find another parking lot by turning left by the Aldi (I think it’s an Aldi – look for signs to the park).