The city of Bremen in Germany is well known because of the short story “The Bremen Musicians” by the Brothers Grimm, known for writing and giving more current versions of children’s stories such as “Hänsel und Gretel “, “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Sleeping Beauty” , “Snow White”, among others.
But Bremen is also a beautiful tourist destination that is well worth including in your travel itinerary planning in Germany.
Be sure to read the Complete travel guide for Romantic Road in Germany.
How to go to Bremen in Germany
Bremen is in northwest Germany and is the smallest federal state in the country. It is 128 km from Hamburg, 400 km from Berlin and 447 km from Frankfurt.
To reach Bremen you can go by car, the German roads known as Autobahn are quite easy to drive. But it is also possible to go by train, a very interesting way to get to know Germany.
You can take a “round-trip” tour from Hamburg, however we chose to visit the city in 2 days and stay at least one night in Bremen.
Where to stay in a hotel or hostel in Bremen
The best place to stay in Bremen is close to the old town, the Altstadt, where are the main sights, the most visited places. It is worth noting, as this region is also where the most expensive hotels are located. However, as there are several options, it is possible to find something that fits in your pocket.
Anyway, the city is very easy to get around, so there is not much restriction on getting further and using public transport to get to the points to be visited.
We stayed at the Dorint City-Hotel Bremen, which is just 500 meters from Markt Platz, the central square in the historic city center. The hotel is really well located, our room had a very nice view of the windmill in the Bremer Wallanlagen park. The room was quite comfortable and large, with space for Olivia’s bags and extra bed.
As we were traveling in three people and with a car, choosing a larger room and parking was more important than choosing a hotel with breakfast. So instead of paying € 19 euros per person at breakfast, we buy bread, fruit and drinks at the market and eat in the room. But if you prefer, there are good options for bakeries and cafes close to the hotel.
Be sure to look for other options on the Booking.com website.
Main sights of Bremen in Germany
As already written, the main and unmissable points visited by tourists in Bremen, Germany are in its historic city, Altstadt, the old town. However, there are also some other places worth visiting that are outside this tourist circuit.
On the map, we include the main tourist attractions that we recommend visiting.
To eat in Bremen, there are several options for restaurants and cafés. We do not research a specific place to go, our tip here is to choose the one that you find most beautiful or even that offers a cuisine that you like.
But if it were to stand out, our recommendation is to visit Bremer Ratskeller, a traditional restaurant in the city that has been operating since 1405.
Things to do in Bremen in Germany – Travel itinerary tip
We divided our itinerary into two parts, the first night we arrived, we went to dinner and took the opportunity to visit Marktplatz during the night. The lighting of the lamps in this area makes everything much more beautiful.
There are even some tours that explore this city atmosphere:
The next day, after having a nice breakfast, we went to see the Wallanlagen park and its windmill. Then we started our walk through the Altstadt.
We went back to the old center, now with the goal of getting to know all its sights better.
At Marktplatz, the city’s old shopping plaza, we took the opportunity to admire the city hall building, the Rathaus, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Still in the square, you can see the statue of Roland, common in some cities in the region, which serve for protection and freedom. It is still in Marktplatz that is the most famous and sought after tourist spot in the city, the statue of the Bremen Musicians, formed by a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster.
It is worth looking for and reading this fairy tale written by the Brothers Grimm. In the tourist office there are several options for books in different sizes, languages and costs.
Still at Marktplatz, you can visit Bremen’s Lutheran Cathedral, St. Petri Dom. It is possible to climb its towers and have a unique view of the city.
We were lucky and the square was filled with some candy stands and a ferris wheel. Of course we took the opportunity.
Another tip, there is a manhole in the square, that if you put a coin (any coin, even the 1 cent coin), it plays the sound of one of Bremen’s animal musicians. It’s pretty funny.
We then went to Böttcherstraße, a small walkway with beautiful facades and where the tourist office is located. Be sure to follow the musical presentation of the bells at the Haus des Glockenspiel.
Watch the recording of part of the presentation, you can see that there are a lot of people watching, but it is still pretty:
We kept walking and arrived on the banks of the Weser River. We crossed the bridge to take pictures and have another view of the historic center.
From there we walked to the Schnoor neighborhood, one of the oldest in Bremen in Germany. Depending on the day it will be very difficult to walk, as many tourists get lost in its alleys, but it is worth it. It is really a very charming region with restaurant options or even for ice cream.
This tour doesn’t take much time, so we took the free afternoon to visit the Universum Science Center museum. We took the Straße Bahn, the German city train, which took just 20 minutes from the center to get there.
It is a science and technology museum with lots of fun interactive experiments, especially for children. We like a lot. And Olivia had a lot of fun.
Returning to the hotel, we visited the Hauptbahnhof, the city’s main train station, very beautiful.
Something that is worth commenting on is that although we list a few tourist spots, all this walking takes place through very beautiful streets and alleys, which are attractions in themselves. Bremen really is a must-see tourist destination to include in your Germany travel itinerary.
Tours and excursions in Bremen Germany
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