The Top Things to Do in Gelsenkirchen for Football Fans

Gelsenkirchen may not be a classic weekend break destination like Berlin or Hamburg, but this unassuming city on the banks of the Rhine-Herne Canal has plenty of attractions to keep you busy for a few days.

Many of them are built upon scars of the past, from the renowned, world-class zoo – ZOOM Erlebniswelt – founded on an area shelled during WW2, to Nordsternpark, a strikingly landscaped park with bridges and an amphitheatre, built on a former coal-mining compound. Old ‘spoil tips’ or slag heaps have become popular parks thanks to sensitive replanting and panoramic views across the region.

Gelsenkirchen’s football team, FC Schalke 04, is equally resilient, bouncing back from relegation in the past to be a real contender in Europe.

Discover the best things to see and do in Gelsenkirchen, and the best places to eat and drink by the stadium, Arena AufSchalke.

Meet the team: FC Schalke 04

Fußballclub Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04 was founded in 1904, hence the digits in the name. The club’s name is usually shortened to FC Schalke 04, S04 or simply Schalke. The club’s nicknames include ‘The Royal Blues’, after the strip, and ‘The Miners’ – a nod to the Ruhr area’s industrial heritage.

The club’s last league title was in 1958 and it has just one UEFA Cup win, in 1997. But FC Schalke 04 isn’t a walkover, having reached the UEFA Champions League Final 16 more often than not in the past decade. Klaus Fichtel, Jens Lehmann, Andreas Moller and Klass-Jan Huntelaar are among the biggest heroes who once donned the blue-and-white kit.

FUN FACT

FC Schalke 04’s links to the coal industry run back to its working-class founders, and the club has always honoured the connection; the stadium’s tunnel was designed to replicate a coal mine and, whenever a colliery closed, its last pit light was handed over to the board.

Visiting Gelsenkirchen’s football stadium: Arena AufSchalke

Arena AufSchalke** – Erle district

Getting there:** It’s a 10-minute drive from the city centre. Dortmund has the nearest airport, a 40-minute drive away. Or catch tram 302 from Gelsenkirchen’s main railway station (Hauptbahnhof) – it’s a 15-minute ride to Arena AufSchalke. On match days, your ticket entitles you to free travel on public transport throughout the region.

Looking to kill time before or after the match? Head to the neighbouring recreation centre, Sport-Paradies, which has swimming pools, water slides and a grassy area where you can purchase food for a picnic.

There’s also a cinema and entertainment complex with a few decent food options. Try L’Osteria Gelsenkirchen, a cosy spot for Italian food, or load up on delicious wok-cooked buffet dishes at XIAO Gelsenkirchen. YUMINI, a few minutes’ walk away, is a top-rated Japanese restaurant that’s perfect for filling up before or after the match.

Walk north of the arena to Buer, the city’s largest suburb and home to busy shopping street, The Hochstrasse. Or, for some football nostalgia, check out the remains of FC Schalke 04’s former (and far less flashy) ground, Parkstadion. The old pitch, which served the club from 1973, is right by Arena AufSchalke.

Partying in Gelsenkirchen after the match

Celebrating after the match: fan clubs

There aren’t many pubs by the stadium. Charly’s Schalker, overlooking the training ground, is a popular place for a beer and bite to eat before or after the match. . Biergarten am Fontänenteich, around 20 minutes’ walk north, is a nice beer garden in the middle of a park. Otherwise, the kiosks within and outside the stadium are good places to gather with supporters.

The die-hard fans, though, will head to Schalker Meile, a stretch of road by the original Glückauf stadium, still used for youth games. A group of supporters transformed the street into a kind of FC Schalke 04 shrine in 2006. Auf Schalke, a pub run by the fan club, is unsurprisingly packed on match days. Other bars by the old ground include Vereinslokal Schalke 04 ‘Bosch’, where the players used to drink.

Biergarten am Fontänenteich, Schloss Berge Gelsenkirchen, Adenauerallee 103, 45894 Gelsenkirchen

Auf Schalke Fan Club Verband, Kurt-Schumacher-Straße 119, 45881 Gelsenkirchen; Vereinslokal Schalke 04 ‘Bosch’, Ernst Kuzorra Platz 1, 45881 Gelsenkirchen