Stand on the Drehbrücke at the harbour and you can watch a 1905 swingbridge turn on its metalworks, still working as it did when it was built. That single piece of engineering says a lot about Krefeld: a city of silk money, tree-lined avenues and unexpected survivals, where the industrial past is still in use rather than behind glass.
Krefeld suits travellers who are already in the Lower Rhine region and want a day of castles, art and parks without the crowds of Düsseldorf or Cologne. It rewards slow movement: a water castle in the morning, a museum after lunch, a walk by a lake before dinner.
This guide covers the sights and experiences worth your time, followed by a one-day plan that strings them together.
Top things to do in Krefeld
1. Burg Linn
Burg Linn is a water castle with an exhibition on medieval history. Next to it stands a Baroque hunting château with historically furnished bourgeois rooms, along with an archaeological museum. The combination of castle, château and museum in one visit makes this the strongest single stop in the city.
Set aside a half day and pair it with the adjoining historic old town of Linn, which you can walk through on the same outing.
2. Kunstmuseen Krefeld
The Kunstmuseen Krefeld are among the city's cultural institutions, and the city is associated with modern architecture, particularly Haus Lange and Haus Esters, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. If you have an interest in twentieth-century architecture or art, this is where to spend your afternoon.
Combine the visit with the Kaiser Wilhelm Museum on Karlsplatz, which is also an art museum.
3. Kaiser Wilhelm Museum
The Kaiser Wilhelm Museum on Karlsplatz 35 is an art museum. It sits in the centre, so it fits easily into a day that also includes the old post office and the churches on the Ostwall side of town.
Visit it in the same block of time as the Kunstmuseen Krefeld if art is your main reason for coming.
4. Zoo Krefeld
Zoo Krefeld on Uerdinger Straße 377 is a full outing in itself. Adult tickets are €9.50, tickets for children up to 16, school children, students and disabled persons are €5, a family ticket for two adults plus up to four children aged 3 to 16 is €25, and dogs are €2.50.
It is on the same tram corridor as the Grotenburg-Stadion, so you can pair the two if a match is on.
5. Krefeld Swingbridge (Drehbrücke)
The Krefeld Swingbridge on Hafenstraße is a 1905 swingbridge at the harbour, notable for its interesting metalworks and for being completely functional. Take Tram 044 to the Rheinhafen terminus.
Go when you want a short, free stop between bigger sights, and look out for the bridge actually turning.
6. Grotenburg-Stadion
The Grotenburg-Stadion on Tiergartenstraße 165 is home to KFC Uerdingen football club, who play in the regional league. Tickets run from €9.00 to €23.00 in presale, with a €1–2 surcharge if bought on matchdays. The fans know they are not watching Bayern or PSG, but it is an authentic and affordable football experience.
Reach it by Tram 042 or 043 to the Grotenburg/Zoo stop, which makes it easy to combine with the zoo.
7. Stadtwald
The Stadtwald is the city park, with walkways and a lake. Krefeld is known for its extensive parks and tree-lined avenues, and this is the place to experience that side of the city.
Take Bus 058 to the Stadtwald stop and come in the late afternoon, when the light on the lake is at its best.
8. Badezentrum Bockum
The Badezentrum Bockum on Am Badezentrum 2 is an indoor and outdoor pool with large public pools and plenty of greenspace to lie down on. Opening hours are Monday 12:00–20:00, Tuesday to Friday 10:00–20:00, and Saturday and Sunday 10:00–18:00. The full charge is €4.00, two adults plus two children is €10.00, and children under 1 metre have free admission.
Take Tram 042 in the direction of Elfrath to the Badezentrum stop. It works well as a rest day or a family afternoon.
9. Horse Race Course
The Horse Race Course on An der Rennbahn 5 holds race meetings, with the next race on 28 September 2024. A race day gives you a different view of the city from the museums and parks.
Check the date before you plan around it, since meetings are not continuous.
10. Old Imperial Main Post Office (Altes Hauptpostamt)
The Old Imperial Main Post Office on Ostwall 215 is an 1894 Imperial Post Office, today used as offices. It is worth a look from the outside for its architecture rather than as an interior visit.
It sits on Ostwall, so fold it into a walk that takes in the Liebfrauenkirche Krefeld and the Gymnasium am Moltkeplatz.
11. Liebfrauenkirche Krefeld
The Liebfrauenkirche Krefeld is one of the city's churches and a straightforward stop for anyone walking the centre. It is best treated as part of a route rather than a destination on its own.
Combine it with the Old Imperial Main Post Office and the Gymnasium am Moltkeplatz, all of which are close together.
12. Moltke Square High School (Gymnasium am Moltkeplatz)
The Gymnasium am Moltkeplatz on Moltkeplatz 12 is a neo-classicist high school building. You visit it for the facade and the square, not for entry.
It fits naturally into the same walk as the Liebfrauenkirche Krefeld and the Old Imperial Main Post Office.
13. St. Dionysius
St. Dionysius is a church in the city and a quiet stop if you are already in the area. Treat it as a short pause rather than a scheduled sight.
Pair it with whichever of the central sights you are already visiting that day.
14. Michaels Church (Michaelskirche)
The Michaelskirche on Zum Zollhof 1a is a Protestant church in Uerdingen with an unusual round church tower. The tower is the reason to come.
It is at Krefeld Uerdingen station, so it works well as a stop if you are arriving from or leaving via Uerdingen.
15. Highway Chapel Geismühle (Autobahnkapelle Geismühle)
The Autobahnkapelle Geismühle is a small roadside chapel at a rest area. The rest area is accessible in both directions by foot from Hauptstraße, and the chapel is on the southbound side.
It is a brief stop rather than a destination, and only worth the detour if you are already passing.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Burg Linn, the water castle with its medieval history exhibition, the Baroque hunting château and the archaeological museum, then walk through the adjoining historic old town of Linn.
Afternoon: Move to the centre for the Kaiser Wilhelm Museum on Karlsplatz and the Kunstmuseen Krefeld, including Haus Lange and Haus Esters. If you would rather be outdoors, take Bus 058 to the Stadtwald for the walkways and the lake instead.
Evening: Finish at the Krefeld Swingbridge on Hafenstraße, reached by Tram 044 to the Rheinhafen terminus, to see the 1905 metalwork at the harbour as the day closes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Krefeld?
Krefeld is accessed by the autobahns A57 (Cologne–Nijmegen) and A44 (Aachen–Düsseldorf–Dortmund–Kassel). Within the city, trams and buses serve the sights, including Tram 044 to the Rheinhafen terminus for the swingbridge, Tram 042 and 043 to the Grotenburg/Zoo stop, Tram 042 to the Badezentrum stop, and Bus 058 to the Stadtwald stop.
What is Krefeld known for?
Krefeld is known for its extensive parks and tree-lined avenues, and for cultural institutions including the Kunstmuseen Krefeld. Notable sights include the medieval Linn Castle and the adjoining historic old town of Linn, and the city is associated with modern architecture, particularly Haus Lange and Haus Esters, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
What does it cost to visit the zoo?
At Zoo Krefeld, adults pay €9.50; children aged up to 16, school children, students and disabled persons pay €5; a family ticket for two adults plus up to four children aged 3 to 16 is €25; and dogs are €2.50.
When is the next race at the Horse Race Course?
The next race at the Horse Race Course on An der Rennbahn 5 is on 28 September 2024.
Pick your dates, check the race calendar and the pool opening hours, and start building your Krefeld itinerary around Burg Linn and the museums.