Cycle in the footsteps of the Romans and follow the former Roman road "Via Belgica" on the second stage from Quadrath-Ichendorf to Jülich and immerse yourself in the Roman history of the Rhineland.

The approx. 30 km long second stage of the Via Belgica takes us from Quadrath-Ichendorf to the fortress town of Jülich. On the outskirts of Thorr, we come across the original route of the Via Belgica. An information board on the old church tower provides information about the village's Roman past. The path continues in the direction of Elsdorf and we pass another information board along the way. This provides information about a former roadside settlement, a so-called vicus with a Gallo-Roman temple, which was located here around 2,000 years ago. Here we follow the former course of the Via Belgica for several kilometers and the route still gives an impression of the straightness of the Roman road before the Hambach open-cast mine forces us to turn north and leave the course of the Via Belgica. A vantage point provides a spectacular view of one of Germany's largest open-cast mines. We initially follow the northern edge of the open-cast mine, bypass Sophienhöhe and rejoin the original route of the Via Belgica shortly before Stetternich. Impressive historical milestones to the west of the slag heap are reminders of the Roman past and modern milestones of the section of the Via Belgica that is even listed here. On our way towards Jülich, we then pass a "Michelsberg earthwork" dating back to the Stone Age, about which another information board provides information, before we reach the historically rich fortified town of Jülich with its numerous contemporary witnesses such as the citadel, witches' tower and bridgehead park. There is also an information center on the Roman roads in the citadel.

Highlights/stops along the route

• Thorr
• Vicus Elsdorf
• Hambach open-cast mine
• Sophienhöhe
• Roman milestones
• Michelsberg earthworks
• Jülich Citadel with information center "Erlebnisraum Römerstraße"
• Witches' Tower
• Bridgehead Park