Small-town charm meets metropolis
Life in Witten
Discover your study location!
Welcome to Witten! The best of both worlds awaits you here: With just under 100,000 inhabitants, Witten offers you the cosy atmosphere of a small town with creative neighbourhoods, relaxed cafés and an ideal starting point for your next outdoor adventure. At the same time, you are in the heart of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region. The cities of Bochum, Dortmund and Essen are just a stone's throw away and offer you a wide range of options: from cultural offerings and sporting events to shopping highlights and the best party locations.
Go on a discovery tour with us: we'll show you what you can experience off campus in Witten, introduce you to the favourite places of current students and take you to the hotspots of the Ruhr region that you shouldn't miss.
Just switch off for a bit!
Cosy cafés and iconic pubs
Want to experience Witten to the full? Then pop over to Witten’s Wiesenviertel! The Wiesenviertel is the place to be on balmy summer evenings or for a cosy visit to a café or pub when the weather’s a bit cooler. In this neighbourhood, community spirit is a top priority. Along the bustling streets, you’ll discover communal vegetable patches, green backyards and outdoor seating areas that give the neighbourhood its special charm.
If you’re looking for a relaxed place to study away from the uni library or fancy a delicious coffee after lectures, Witten has just the thing for you!
These are our students’ favourite cafés:
- Raum Café: During the day , the perfect blend of café and co-working space – in the evening, a meeting place for student initiatives, neighbourhood groups and other movements.
- Café Leye: A coffee house with vintage charm – here you can enjoy your coffee in cosy plush armchairs or, in summer, on the roof terrace. In the evenings, events organised by the WittenLab. Zukunftslabor Studium fundamentale are often held here, such as the Philosophical Salon.
- Kijami Café: Kijami isn’t just a café, but also a roastery for fair-trade organic coffee from Tanzania – founded by a UW/H student! As well as hot drinks, they serve their own homemade cake creations. And so that you don’t have to go without a good cup of coffee even in the midst of your university routine: you can also get Kijami specialities at Café Larix, right on the UW/H campus.
- Café Dubbels: Located in the Alte Feuerwache and just a few minutes’ walk from the campus, Café Dubbels is a relaxed spot to unwind between seminars or get some focused work done. Bright rooms, industrial charm and bold colours create a cosy atmosphere. A highlight during the warmer months is the small terrace – the perfect spot for a quick coffee or a midday bite to eat with hearty open sandwiches, salads and stews.
In the evenings and at weekends, Knuts and Kitten in Witten town centre are bustling with life. Both bars are popular meeting places for our students! Kitten is run by Unikat e. V. – a cultural association that grew out of a student initiative at the UW/H. The members regularly organise iconic events in Witten town centre or on the university campus, such as ‘Reading for Beer’ or a summer night’s cinema. At Knuts, it’s worth taking a look at the back courtyard, where you can relax in a beer garden atmosphere. If you want to experience the classic pub culture of the Ruhr region, you’ll find what you’re looking for at the Klimbim and the Alte Post. Here you can sit at rustic wooden bar counters, watch football with friends and even stay out a bit later at the weekend.
Whether travelling by kayak, pedal boat or SUP board - the Ruhr offers many opportunities for water sports.
At Schauspielhaus Bochum, students not only benefit from discounted ticket prices; at the weekend, the theater forecourt becomes a popular meeting place.
Knut's is one of the cult bars in Witten. Our tip for the summer: relax in the cosy beer garden! (Photo: Wiesenviertel e. V. | Dana Schmidt)
There are many pretty little shops in Witten city centre. (Photo: Wiesenviertel e. V. | Dana Schmidt)
Fancy a bit of history? A hike or cycle tour through the Muttental valley will take you to the impressive Hardenstein castle ruins.
Café Leye has an idyllic terrace where you can enjoy your coffee or a hearty breakfast.
(Photo: Café Leye)
Celebrate in Witten's neighboring city of Bochum: In the trendy Bermuda 3Eck district, you'll find bars, restaurants and great events.
In the Wiesenviertel district, residents work together to promote projects and organise events. (Photo: Wiesenviertel e. V. | Dana Schmidt)
Do you want to get to know your place of study and the people in Witten? Then the Wiesenviertel Festival is a must! (Photo: Wiesenviertel e. V. | Dana Schmidt)
Your guide to Witten
This is how our students party
When the kitchenette turns into a cocktail bar and the hall turns into a beer pong arena, that’s when the shared flat party’s in full swing! You don’t always need the trendiest club or the hottest DJs to party hard and have a great time with friends. Thanks to the friendly atmosphere on campus, you’ll quickly make friends and find out from your fellow students which shared flats are hosting the best parties – or you can become the host yourself, together with your flatmates. A must for UW/H students: the MdM party at the start of the semester! Witten/Herdecke University is renowned for its student initiatives, which showcase themselves at the ‘World of Possibilities’ (MdM) during Freshers’ Week. Afterwards, our students officially kick off the new semester with this university-wide party.
If you don’t want to miss out on clubbing, you’ll find plenty to suit your tastes in the neighbouring cities of Bochum and Dortmund. By train from Witten Central Station, you can reach Bochum’s Bermuda3Eck in 20 minutes – the starting point for bar-hopping and long nights out. In just 15 minutes, you can reach Dortmund to party in trendy clubs such as ‘Oma Doris’, ‘Tresor.West’ or the ‘FZW’.
From football stadiums to theatre stages
The B63 in Witten is a place for people to meet and interact – with creative workshops, concerts, parties, brunch and lectures. The Centre for Urban Culture is run by the Hochschulwerk Witten/Herdecke e. V. (HSW) and is committed to sustainability, inclusion and diversity. Right in the city centre, you can use the co-working spaces during the day, have a game of table football or attend one of the many events in the evening.
FC Schalke 04, VfL Bochum 1884 and Borussia Dortmund (BVB): you simply can’t avoid football in the Ruhr region! Whether you’re a fan or not, the sport is so deeply rooted in the culture that even newcomers quickly get to know the region’s club names.
Another advantage of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region? The wide range of museums, theatres and concert halls! At many cultural venues, such as the Schauspielhaus Bochum, the Theater Dortmund or the Philharmonie Essen, students benefit from discounted ticket prices or enjoy free entry.
Discover the most beautiful places around your university town
So much for concrete wastelands and grey industrial wastelands. You’ll realise as soon as you visit the UW/H campus for the first time: Witten and the Ruhr region are green! Whether on foot, by bike or on a SUP board – exploring your place of study is well worth it for achieving the perfect balance between your studies and your personal life. Take a stroll along the banks of the Ruhr, climb Witten’s Hohenstein, walk around the Hammerteich, relax by the Kemnader Reservoir or hike through the Muttental valley to the ruins of Hardenstein Castle. If you’re keen on micro-adventures in the fresh air, the Komoot app is your best friend. Here you’ll always find new and popular tour suggestions for your next outdoor activity.
The Ruhr region is also home to numerous slag heaps. These hills are relics of the area’s mining history and are now popular destinations for day trips. With unique sculptures such as the Tetrahedron in Bottrop or the Horizon Observatory on the Hoheward slag heap in Herten, the ‘mountains’ around Witten are definitely worth a visit.
Do you prefer an urban setting but still don’t want to miss out on the feeling of being in nature? How about a picnic in Witten’s Stadtpark? Nearby is the Helenenturm, from which you can enjoy a fantastic view of the city.
How to incorporate sustainability into your everyday life
Whether it’s when you’re shopping for food, choosing what to wear or planning your leisure time – by taking lots of small steps and making personal choices, you can make your everyday life more sustainable and make a difference.
There are lots of innovative places and initiatives in Witten that will inspire you. Together with the City of Witten, we at UW/H have published a guide introducing you to these places.
Discover shops where you can buy unpackaged, regional food of organic quality, browse fair-trade fashion shops, or get help getting your bike ready for your next cycle ride. Often, less is more. Conscious consumer behaviour helps to protect our environment and the climate. To furnish your shared flat or your own flat, why not pop into the second-hand building materials and furniture market! Want to try out a product first or just use it for a specific purpose? Why not borrow it instead of buying it yourself? You’ll find what you’re looking for at the Library of Things in Witten, and in doing so you’ll be helping to combat mass consumption.
Behind many of Witten’s sustainable initiatives lie student ideas or societies where you can get involved and help make Witten a great place to live.
Find out more
This is how our students party
When the kitchenette turns into a cocktail bar and the hall turns into a beer pong arena, that’s when the shared flat party’s in full swing! You don’t always need the trendiest club or the hottest DJs to party hard and have a great time with friends. Thanks to the friendly atmosphere on campus, you’ll quickly make friends and find out from your fellow students which shared flats are hosting the best parties – or you can become the host yourself, together with your flatmates. A must for UW/H students: the MdM party at the start of the semester! Witten/Herdecke University is renowned for its student initiatives, which showcase themselves at the ‘World of Possibilities’ (MdM) during Freshers’ Week. Afterwards, our students officially kick off the new semester with this university-wide party.
If you don’t want to miss out on clubbing, you’ll find plenty to suit your tastes in the neighbouring cities of Bochum and Dortmund. By train from Witten Central Station, you can reach Bochum’s Bermuda3Eck in 20 minutes – the starting point for bar-hopping and long nights out. In just 15 minutes, you can reach Dortmund to party in trendy clubs such as ‘Oma Doris’, ‘Tresor.West’ or the ‘FZW’.
From football stadiums to theatre stages
The B63 in Witten is a place for people to meet and interact – with creative workshops, concerts, parties, brunch and lectures. The Centre for Urban Culture is run by the Hochschulwerk Witten/Herdecke e. V. (HSW) and is committed to sustainability, inclusion and diversity. Right in the city centre, you can use the co-working spaces during the day, have a game of table football or attend one of the many events in the evening.
FC Schalke 04, VfL Bochum 1884 and Borussia Dortmund (BVB): you simply can’t avoid football in the Ruhr region! Whether you’re a fan or not, the sport is so deeply rooted in the culture that even newcomers quickly get to know the region’s club names.
Another advantage of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region? The wide range of museums, theatres and concert halls! At many cultural venues, such as the Schauspielhaus Bochum, the Theater Dortmund or the Philharmonie Essen, students benefit from discounted ticket prices or enjoy free entry.
Discover the most beautiful places around your university town
So much for concrete wastelands and grey industrial wastelands. You’ll realise as soon as you visit the UW/H campus for the first time: Witten and the Ruhr region are green! Whether on foot, by bike or on a SUP board – exploring your place of study is well worth it for achieving the perfect balance between your studies and your personal life. Take a stroll along the banks of the Ruhr, climb Witten’s Hohenstein, walk around the Hammerteich, relax by the Kemnader Reservoir or hike through the Muttental valley to the ruins of Hardenstein Castle. If you’re keen on micro-adventures in the fresh air, the Komoot app is your best friend. Here you’ll always find new and popular tour suggestions for your next outdoor activity.
The Ruhr region is also home to numerous slag heaps. These hills are relics of the area’s mining history and are now popular destinations for day trips. With unique sculptures such as the Tetrahedron in Bottrop or the Horizon Observatory on the Hoheward slag heap in Herten, the ‘mountains’ around Witten are definitely worth a visit.
Do you prefer an urban setting but still don’t want to miss out on the feeling of being in nature? How about a picnic in Witten’s Stadtpark? Nearby is the Helenenturm, from which you can enjoy a fantastic view of the city.
How to incorporate sustainability into your everyday life
Whether it’s when you’re shopping for food, choosing what to wear or planning your leisure time – by taking lots of small steps and making personal choices, you can make your everyday life more sustainable and make a difference.
There are lots of innovative places and initiatives in Witten that will inspire you. Together with the City of Witten, we at UW/H have published a guide introducing you to these places.
Discover shops where you can buy unpackaged, regional food of organic quality, browse fair-trade fashion shops, or get help getting your bike ready for your next cycle ride. Often, less is more. Conscious consumer behaviour helps to protect our environment and the climate. To furnish your shared flat or your own flat, why not pop into the second-hand building materials and furniture market! Want to try out a product first or just use it for a specific purpose? Why not borrow it instead of buying it yourself? You’ll find what you’re looking for at the Library of Things in Witten, and in doing so you’ll be helping to combat mass consumption.
Behind many of Witten’s sustainable initiatives lie student ideas or societies where you can get involved and help make Witten a great place to live.
Find out more
"The Ruhr is a great place to go for a walk and enjoy the beautiful weather - the Nachtigallbrücke bridge in particular offers a fantastic view."
"The best pizza rolls can be found at City Kebab in Witten - even at 04:00 in the morning! So it's always a safe harbour for long party nights."