Bremen: Culture, the Weser and discoveries

Bremen combines an impressive architectural and urban history with museums, green spaces and experiences on the Weser. You can wander through historic lanes, discover art spanning several centuries, or combine your stay with cycling and a boat trip. Families can also enjoy interactive attractions focused on nature, technology and hands-on activities.

Old Town, architecture and art

Bremen Town Hall and the Roland statue stand in the Market Square. They are outstanding examples of civic autonomy and state sovereignty as they developed in the Holy Roman Empire. The Town Hall is open to visitors, including for guided tours, exhibitions and markets in the Lower Hall. At the cathedral, you can combine views across the city with a climb: the southern of the two towers of Bremen’s St Peter’s Cathedral, which are more than 90 metres high, can be climbed. The cathedral also houses a museum on the building’s 1,200-year history, its architectural history, sacred art and finds from seven bishops’ tombs.

In Schnoor, Bremen’s oldest district, lanes lined with small houses from the 15th and 16th centuries shape its historic character. The Museum Bremer Geschichtenhaus is also located there. Böttcherstraße offers a different architectural and artistic experience, bringing together traditional and Expressionist brick architecture, museums and crafts. At the House of the Carillon, 30 Meissen porcelain bells ring while 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.

The Kunsthalle Bremen spans a broad period: its collection includes European painting from the 14th century to the present and sculptures from the 16th to the 21st century. It also features international media art; the collection includes more than 220,000 drawings and prints. The Übersee-Museum presents exhibitions across several floors that bring the diversity of the world to life. Those interested in modern art will find the Weserburg Museum of Modern Art directly on the Weser, in former warehouse buildings on the Teerhof.

A well-known landmark is the Bremen Town Musicians, a bronze statue created by Gerhard Marcks in 1953. It stands with its back to the Town Hall and faces Liebfrauenkirchhof. According to tradition, touching the donkey’s front legs is said to bring good luck. The Nail Route through the historic city centre is marked by silver- and bronze-coloured metal nails set in the pavement, providing a visible guide through this part of Bremen.

The Weser, green spaces and activities

Together with the adjoining Stadtwald, Bürgerpark forms a 200-hectare green oasis with numerous recreational facilities; the park is close to Bremen Central Station. Extensive networks of paths along the Weser offer opportunities for cycling, jogging and inline skating. Activities such as rowing and sailing also take place on the river. This lets you decide whether to focus your stay on cultural discoveries, outdoor activities or experiences on the water.

Weser and harbour cruises depart from the Martinianleger, as do trips to Bremerhaven, Oldenburg and Verden. The connection between Bremen and Bremerhaven is also of interest to cycling travellers: the Weser Cycle Route has a 91-kilometre section between the two cities. Bicycles can be taken between them on boats or trains.

In the evening, the Schlachte offers a maritime dining promenade along the Weser, with numerous restaurants, bars, pubs and local beer gardens. For a different kind of discovery, you can attend confectionery-making demonstrations and workshops at the Bremer Bonbon Manufaktur in Schnoor.

Interactive discoveries for the family

Universum Bremen is an interactive museum in a whale-shaped science centre. Its main themes are humans, nature and technology. The outdoor area covers 5,000 square metres and features hands-on experiments, a climbing wall, a crawl tunnel and a Moon Jumper. At botanika, the Discovery Centre explores plant and animal life through interactive stations and exhibits; botanika is a family attraction offering interactive activities.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Bremen, you can consider what you want your stay to focus on: historic sights and art, activities along the Weser, or interactive discoveries. This helps you tailor your search to the kind of trip you want to take.

Discover more places

If you’d also like to explore other destination pages, you can find Vegesack, Bremen and Blumenthal here.

Return to the main travel overview: Bremen.