Hamm

Maximilianpark's glass elephant to the Uentrop temple, morning to dusk

Hamm takes a day. See the Pauluskirche and the Egyptian collection at the Gustav-Lübcke-Museum in the morning, then ride the lift up the Glass Elephant in the Maximilianpark. In the afternoon, take bus 5 to the Sri Kamadchi Ampal Temple in Uentrop, and finish at the Tierpark or on the Lippe meadows.

Morning. Walk from the station into the centre and look into the Pauluskirche on the Marktplatz, the city's oldest church, with its tall Gothic tower. A few streets away, the Gustav-Lübcke-Museum covers local history and holds one of the larger Egyptian collections in the region, a surprise in a town this size.

Late morning. Head east to the Maximilianpark. The former Maximilian colliery closed after only a few years because of flooding, and the coal-washing building was later turned into the Glass Elephant by the artist Horst Rellecke for the 1984 state garden show. Take the lift up the trunk to the viewing level in the head, then explore the garden of kinetic objects inside. Outside are a butterfly house, playgrounds, a park railway run by enthusiasts on selected days and, at weekends, the Werkstatt restaurant for lunch.

Afternoon. Continue by bus to Uentrop and the Sri Kamadchi Ampal Temple, consecrated in 2002 and dedicated to the goddess Kamadchi. Its carved and brightly painted tower stands out against the flat fields around it. Visitors are welcome at the evening session; follow the dress and entry rules and leave shoes outside.

Evening. If you still have energy, the Tierpark in the west of the city is open until early evening in summer, or walk the Lippe meadows near the centre before dinner and a train out.

Westphalian pumpernickel plates and Tamil curries by the Lippe

Hamm eats Westphalian country food with a strong immigrant layer. Order Westphalian ham with pumpernickel, Pfefferpotthast or Reibekuchen in traditional inns, and look for Turkish grills near the station. The best-kept secret is the Tamil food sold at the Hindu temple on its big festival day, and a Pils in a corner pub.

Food in Hamm is honest Westphalian country cooking with a strong immigrant layer. Traditional inns serve the regional classics: thick slices of Westphalian ham with dark, slightly sweet pumpernickel, smoked sausage with kale in winter, and Pfefferpotthast, a peppery beef stew with gherkins and potatoes. In autumn, menus add Reibekuchen, crisp potato pancakes with apple sauce.

The Tamil community that built the temple also shapes the food scene. On the big festival day the temple grounds fill with stalls selling rice and curry, fried snacks and Sri Lankan sweets to the visiting crowds. It is the best meal in Hamm that most visitors never hear about, so check the date if you are flexible.

Elsewhere, Turkish bakeries and grills line the streets near the station, and Italian ice-cream parlours open their terraces on the Marktplatz as soon as the weather allows. For a cold beer, look for a classic Westphalian Pils in a tulip glass at a corner pub.

If you want a meal with a view, the marina at Rünthe in neighbouring Bergkamen has waterside restaurants on the canal, worth combining with a bike ride along the towpath on a summer evening.