The city on the Rhine-Herne Canal and hometown to the Bundesliga club Schalke 04 has far more to offer than top-class football. One of its main attractions is the ZOOM Adventure World, the former Ruhr Zoo, with 4 themed areas.

Music and sports events like the Gelsenkirchen Jazz Days or the Ruhr Olympics fill the city's event calendar. A good part of what once shaped the region so strongly can still be experienced along the Industrial Heritage Trail.