At Bremen’s Market Square, the Town Hall and Roland statue stand for civic autonomy and state sovereignty as they developed in the Holy Roman Empire. Together, they form a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2004. The Town Hall is open to visitors, including for guided tours, exhibitions and markets in the Lower Town Hall Hall. If you are planning a guided tour, check current visiting hours.

The Bremen Town Musicians are also closely associated with the Town Hall: the bronze statue created by Gerhard Marcks in 1953 stands with its back to the Town Hall and faces Liebfrauenkirchhof. According to a traditional visitor belief, touching the donkey’s front legs is said to bring good luck. St. Peter’s Cathedral offers a different view of history. Its museum explores the cathedral’s 1,200-year history, its architectural history, sacred art and archaeological finds from seven bishop’s tombs. The southern of the two cathedral towers, each more than 90 metres high, can be climbed and offers views over Bremen; access arrangements may change.

Art, world views and historic lanes

Bremen’s collections and museums offer a variety of perspectives. The Kunsthalle’s European paintings span the 14th century to the present day; the collection also includes sculptures from the 16th to the 21st century and international media art. More than 220,000 drawings and prints are also part of the collection. Displays change, so the works on view may vary. The Übersee-Museum focuses on the diversity of the world, with exhibitions spread across several floors.

Rather than a single museum building, an entire district shapes the cityscape in the Schnoor: Bremen’s oldest quarter consists of narrow lanes lined with small houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. The Bremer Geschichtenhaus museum is also located there. At the Bremer Bonbon Manufaktur, you can watch demonstrations of confectionery making; workshops are also offered, though availability may vary.

Böttcherstraße combines traditional and Expressionist brick architecture and brings together museums and crafts. At the House of the Glockenspiel, 30 Meissen porcelain bells ring as ten carved wooden panels depicting famous seafarers rotate on the façade. In the craft courtyard of the Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum, you can watch goldsmiths and glassblowers at work. In Bremen, history and design are encountered not only in collections, but also in streets, buildings and crafts.

Get involved, enjoy the outdoors and experience the Weser

If you prefer to explore exhibitions actively, Universum Bremen offers hands-on experiences: the science centre, housed in a whale-shaped building, is devoted to people, nature and technology. Its 5,000-square-metre outdoor area includes interactive experiments, a climbing wall, a crawl tunnel and a Moon Jumper. botanika is a family destination with interactive activities. In its Discovery Centre, exhibits and stations offer insights into plant and animal life.

For outdoor exercise, Bremen’s Bürgerpark is a good choice. Together with the adjoining Stadtwald, it forms a 200-hectare green oasis with a range of leisure facilities near Bremen Central Station. Extensive networks of paths along the Weser are ideal for cycling, jogging and inline skating. Rowing and sailing are also practised on the river. The park and the Weser offer alternatives to museums and historic streets, so you don’t have to limit yourself to just one way of exploring the city.

Trips from the Martinianleger offer another perspective on the Weser. Options include river cruises, harbour cruises and trips to Bremerhaven, Oldenburg or Verden. Routes and schedules may change, so check current connections before making plans. The connection between Bremen and Bremerhaven is also relevant for cycle tourists: a 91-kilometre section of the Weser Cycle Route links the two cities. Bicycles can be taken between them on boats or trains; check these transport options in advance as well.

Maritime dining by the river

At the Schlachte, the Weser-side setting meets Bremen’s dining scene: this maritime promenade is home to numerous restaurants, bars, pubs and local beer gardens. Alongside museums, architecture and activities on the water, there are also places to eat and relax by the river.

Discover more destinations: Vegesack, Bremen, Blumenthal, Bremerhaven.

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