Self-guided podcast tour Leverkusen: Inside a factory city

Trace the hidden story of a city built by one corporation

A self-guided podcast tour through Leverkusen, Germany, following six stations across 2.6 hours with audio narration by experts and locals. You navigate independently using the app while listening to how Bayer's presence shapes the city's sensory reality, from the industrial chemical park to parks built over toxic waste, from corporate culture to the emotional center of the Werkself stadium.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Leverkusen's industrial and social history

• Visit chemical factory gate
• Explore Bayer cultural center
• Walk through park on toxic landfill
• See modern commercial heart
• Visit historic evangelical church
• Tour Bayer 04 Leverkusen stadium

The experience

The tour starts at the gate to Bayer's chemical factory, where the deep industrial hum sets the sensory tone for everything that follows. From there, the app guides you through six stops across 6.4 km: the Bayer cultural center, which reveals how the corporation shaped leisure and community life; a park built on remediated toxic land; the commercial heart of the city, constructed over a demolished medieval village; a historic evangelical church that served as a quiet counterpoint to corporate influence; and the Bayer 04 Leverkusen stadium, where the concept of "Werkself", the identity forged by factory life, reaches its emotional peak. The podcast narration weaves verified facts into stories told by experts and locals, so you're not just walking past landmarks but understanding what they mean to people who live there.

You control the pace entirely. The app provides navigation between stops and an interactive guide that answers questions about the history and surroundings as you go. The audio is available in English or German, and the whole route is suitable for all fitness levels. Public transportation options are nearby if you need them, and service animals are welcome.

What’s included

• Podcast audio narration by experts and locals in English or German.
• interactive app guide with navigation between the six stops and answers to questions about history and surroundings.
• verified facts woven into the storytelling.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

Audio guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Red Thread

Is this one for you?Because you navigate independently with the app, you set the pace and can pause, rewind, or linger at any stop without waiting for a group or guide. This suits anyone who prefers to explore alone and wants the flexibility to spend more time at a station that resonates, or to move through others quickly.

Top questions

What exactly does the podcast cover on this tour?

The six stations trace Leverkusen's relationship with Bayer: the chemical factory's sensory impact, the paternalistic culture the corporation built into leisure and community spaces, environmental remediation efforts, urban development over erased history, religious life as an anchor, and the emotional identity the stadium represents. Each stop connects to a larger story about what it means to live in a city shaped entirely by one employer.

How long does the whole tour take?

The tour covers 2.6 hours of walking and listening time across 6.4 km, though you set your own pace and can pause or linger at any stop.

Do I need to book in advance or can I start whenever I want?

This is a self-guided tour, so you download the app and start at your own convenience. There's no fixed departure time or group to join.

What languages is the audio available in?

The podcast guide is available in English and German, so you can choose whichever you prefer.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The route is suitable for all fitness levels. The 6.4 km is spread across 2.6 hours, and you control when you walk and when you pause to listen.