Schimmi tour pure (without catering)

Crime TV begins here. The Schimmi Tour Pure takes you through Duisburg-Ruhrort, the birthplace of the Schimmi cult, with a sharp eye for filming locations and small details. I like that the tour stays focused on the show rather than padding the outing with a meal. I also like the small-group limit of 10 people, which should make it easier to hear guides such as Dagmar Dahmen and Frank.

The main tradeoff is simple: no catering is included. You can buy a currywurst separately at Zum Hübi near Schimmi-Gasse, but that cost is yours. The tour is also conducted in German, so you will get the most from it if you can follow spoken German.

Key points to know before you book

• The tour starts at Neumarkt 19 in Duisburg-Ruhrort, the district linked closely with Schimmi’s early story.
• The two-hour walk focuses on filming places and cult details, including Schimmi’s first currywurst and the first body connected with his story.
• Thanner and Hänschen are part of the experience, giving the tour more than a single-character focus.
• Catering is not included, but you can order a currywurst at your own expense at Zum Hübi near Schimmi-Gasse.
• German is the only tour language, and the guide leads a small group of no more than 10 participants.
• The walk runs in any weather, so comfortable shoes and a rain plan are sensible.

Why Duisburg-Ruhrort matters to Schimmi fans

This is not a generic city walk with a few television references added at the end. The route begins in Duisburg-Ruhrort, where the Schimmi story started, and the setting gives the experience its strongest sense of place.

For fans, that matters. You are not simply hearing a list of episode titles. You are connecting the character with real streets and locations in the district that helped form the show’s identity. The appeal comes from seeing how a fictional detective became tied to a particular part of Duisburg.

The tour has been running for 13 years and has drawn more than 16,000 people, including fans from the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Austria. That long run tells you something useful: this is a well-established local activity, not a short-lived pop-culture add-on.

At the same time, I would not book it expecting a broad introduction to Duisburg. The focus is Schimmi. If you have no interest in the character, the television locations, or German crime drama, the route may feel narrow. If you already know the show, that narrow focus is exactly the point.

Starting at Neumarkt 19

The meeting point is Neumarkt 19. From there, the guide leads the group through Duisburg on a two-hour walking route that finishes at Dammstraße 27, 47119 Duisburg.

The starting point is useful because it places you directly in the Schimmi setting rather than beginning with a long transfer or a general city orientation. You should arrive ready to walk, with comfortable shoes and clothing suited to the forecast.

The tour takes place in any weather. That can be part of the atmosphere on a gray Ruhr day, but it is also a practical warning. Bring rain protection when needed, and do not treat this as an indoor museum visit. The experience depends on moving through the streets and standing at outdoor locations.

Because the group is limited to 10 people, the guide can keep the pace personal. That small size also gives you a better chance to ask about a particular scene or location. The exact amount of interaction will depend on the guide and the group, but the format is more intimate than a large coach outing.

Following Schimmi’s first landmarks

The route includes some of the most personal and unusual pieces of Schimmi lore. You will hear about his first currywurst, the first body, and, in the tour’s deliberately blunt wording, the place where he first defecated.

That last detail will not appeal to everyone, but it fits the earthy humor of the character and the cult surrounding him. This is not a polished, formal heritage tour. It treats the small, strange, and sometimes crude details as part of Schimmi’s identity.

The first currywurst is especially fitting because food is part of the character’s public image. The Pure version removes the meal from the tour, but it does not remove the reference. You still get the story and the setting. You simply decide later if you want to eat.

The first body gives the route a more serious crime-story link. The tour is built around recognizable places, so these details help explain why particular corners matter. A location may look ordinary to you at first. The guide’s explanation supplies the connection to the show.

The value here comes from the mix of major and minor points. Big filming locations are easy to remember, but odd facts often make a tour stick in your mind. The Schimmi Tour leans into both.

Schimmi, Thanner, and Hänschen

The experience is not limited to Schimmi alone. Thanner and Hänschen are also named as essential parts of the cult, and that wider focus is important for anyone who followed the characters as a team.

A tour based only on the lead figure could become repetitive. Bringing in these supporting characters gives the route more texture and helps place Schimmi within the world of the series. You should expect the guide to connect the characters with the places and stories that made the show memorable.

The precise scene-by-scene content can vary with the guide. Dagmar Dahmen is praised for leading with warmth, humor, and local flavor, while Frank is noted for a relaxed, amusing, and informative style. Those descriptions suggest that the personality of your guide will shape the outing.

That is worth keeping in mind when you book. The tour’s subject is fixed, but the delivery is human. One guide may lean into jokes and anecdotes. Another may give you more factual background on the filming locations. Both approaches can work well for this kind of fan tour.

A tour shaped by its guides

The strongest part of the experience appears to be the guiding. Dagmar Dahmen is singled out for her enthusiasm and emotional connection to the subject. Frank is praised for creating a light, entertaining, and informative walk.

I like this combination because a television-location tour can easily become a dry sequence of addresses. A guide with real enthusiasm can show you why a place matters, not only where it is. The best moments should come when the guide connects a physical location with a scene, character, or piece of Schimmi lore.

Photos of the matching filming places are also used during the tour. This is a valuable touch. Locations change, and a real street may not look exactly as it did on screen. A reference photo helps you compare the image in your head with the street in front of you.

The tour has also been described as useful even for people from Duisburg. That is a good sign for local residents who think they already know the area. Familiar streets can look different once you understand their role in a television story.

The language issue remains important. The live guide speaks German, and no other language is listed. You might still enjoy recognizing places and characters with limited German, but the spoken explanations, jokes, and local wordplay will be much harder to follow.

The Pure format and the currywurst choice

The word Pure means the tour comes without catering. You pay $25 per person for the two-hour guided walk, and that price covers the professional guide rather than a meal.

I see this as a sensible option for several types of visitors. You may have already eaten, you may prefer a different meal, or you may want to keep the outing short and focused. Removing catering also keeps the base price clear.

If you want to add the classic food element, you can order a currywurst at your own expense at Zum Hübi, a location near Schimmi-Gasse. This gives you a choice instead of forcing every participant into the same meal plan.

The extra stop is optional, so you should not assume that food forms a formal part of the two-hour experience. If the currywurst is central to your idea of a Schimmi outing, plan for that purchase separately. If you are mainly interested in filming locations, the Pure format offers better control over your time and spending.

At $25, the value is strongest for committed fans. You are paying for a small group, a professional German-speaking guide, visual references, and two hours of location-based storytelling. It is less compelling if you want a general Duisburg tour or a meal bundled into the price.

What the two-hour pace feels like

Two hours is a useful length for this subject. It gives the guide enough time to explain several locations without turning the walk into a full-day commitment.

You should expect a steady outdoor tour rather than a long lecture at one stop. Comfortable shoes are specifically advised, and that is good practical guidance. The route begins at Neumarkt 19 and ends at Dammstraße 27, so you should be prepared to walk between places instead of remaining in one building.

The finish at Dammstraße 27 gives you a clear endpoint in Duisburg-Ruhrort. You can then decide if you want to continue exploring, eat at your own expense, or head back to your accommodation. The tour does not include transportation between the start and finish.

The compact duration also makes this easy to fit around other plans. You could use it as a focused morning or afternoon activity. Just allow enough time to reach the meeting point and dress for the weather, since the walk goes ahead in rain or shine.

Who will enjoy this most

I would recommend the tour first to people who already know Schimmi or want to understand why the character has such a strong following in the Ruhr area. The references to Thanner, Hänschen, first scenes, first crimes, and first currywurst will mean much more if you recognize the names and story world.

It is also a good choice for German-speaking visitors from outside Duisburg. The route gives you a local connection to a show that has reached fans in neighboring countries, including the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Austria.

Duisburg residents may enjoy it too. The tour can turn familiar streets into screen locations, and the photo comparisons may reveal details you have passed many times without noticing.

I would be more cautious about recommending it to families with young children. The tour includes blunt adult humor and a reference to bodily functions, so the tone is not designed as a child-friendly sightseeing walk.

You should also think carefully about language. German is the only confirmed language. If you do not speak German, the visual side of the tour may still have some appeal, but the main value is in the guide’s stories and commentary.

Booking flexibility and practical planning

The tour offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if you are still arranging a Duisburg trip.

Those policies are useful, but the weather rule deserves equal attention. The tour runs in any weather, so check the forecast and bring suitable clothing rather than assuming poor conditions will cancel the walk.

The group limit is 10 participants. That is small enough for a more personal experience, but you should still book ahead if your schedule is fixed. The high overall rating of 4.9 from 19 ratings points to strong satisfaction, with praise focused on entertainment, information, guide personality, and the care put into matching scenes with real places.

One practical tip is especially worthwhile: watch the first Schimmi episode titled Duisburg Ruhrort before you go. It can help you recognize the places and make the guide’s explanations easier to follow. You do not need to be an expert, but a little preparation should make the route more rewarding.

Is the Schimmi Tour Pure worth booking?

Book it if you want a focused, good-value walk through the places tied to Schimmi and you can follow German. The small group, photo references, experienced guides, and careful attention to character details give the tour more substance than a simple fan photo stop.

Choose the Pure version if you prefer to control your meal plans or want to add a currywurst only if it suits you. The $25 price is fair for a two-hour guided experience, especially for fans who value local context and personal stories.

Skip it if you want a general introduction to Duisburg, a multilingual tour, or a meal included in the price. For the right audience, though, this is a compact and entertaining way to see where the Schimmi cult began, with enough local humor to make ordinary streets feel newly familiar.

FAQ

Where does the Schimmi Tour Pure start?

The tour starts at Neumarkt 19 in Duisburg.

Where does the tour finish?

The tour finishes at Dammstraße 27, 47119 Duisburg, Germany.

How long does the tour last?

The guided tour lasts two hours.

Is food included in the Pure tour?

No. Catering is not included. You can order a currywurst separately at your own expense at Zum Hübi near Schimmi-Gasse.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide speaks German.

How many people can join the tour?

The group is limited to 10 participants.

What should I bring, and does the tour run in bad weather?

Bring comfortable shoes. The tour takes place in any weather.