For a four-night European city break - with return flights and hotel bed-and-breakfast - this was pretty much as cheap and cheerful a holiday as Phespirit could put togther.
Return flights (Ryanair) between London Stansted and Düsseldorf Weeze cost one penny, or £43.14 including taxes. Four nights at Hotel Famosa cost £124.48 (€35 per night). All excellent value.
He could have happily stayed on longer.
The ancient spa town of Aachen has three leading attractions: the cathedral, the cathedral treasury, and the town hall; all glorious to look at and rich in a history spanning more than twelve centuries.
Phespirit also visited the town's largest spa: the Carolus Thermen Spa. It has multiple levels of bathing pools, saunas, steam rooms and relaxation areas, both indoors and open air. With such quality and variety on a grand scale, it's the perfect place to recover after a day of exploring the Charlemagne trail.
Mönchengladbach is so devoid of interesting places that Phespirit couldn't find a single reference to it in the Dorling Kindersley, Let's Go, Lonely Planet or Rough Guide books on Germany.
Independent research was needed to track down Schloss Rheydt. Its museums are a repository for all manner of mementos. Inside, Phespirit paused to view Berti Vogts's tiny, thoroughly-knackered Puma football boots from 1977 plus assorted Formula 1 racing kit donated by Nick Heidfeld - die schnellste Mönchengladbacher.
