The train station in Aachen.
Even starting from the train station, it’s clear Aachen is something special. Best known as the final resting place of Charlemagne and a sobering site of heavy WWII combat, the city today feels peaceful, vibrant, and surprisingly lush.
Nestled into rolling forested hills, the landscape here is a bit more robust than the flatter stretches of Belgium. With hints of orange and yellow appearing in the trees, autumn is officially in the air. It’s a beautiful reminder that history—even the "bloody" parts—is eventually reclaimed by the quiet beauty of the seasons.
