Bremen: Discover the Town Hall, Viertel and Weser

In Bremen, the city’s history and culture meet experiences along the Weser. On the Market Square, the Town Hall and Roland stand as outstanding examples of civic autonomy and state sovereignty as they developed in the Holy Roman Empire. The Town Hall is open to visitors; guided tours, exhibitions and markets in the Lower Town Hall Hall offer different reasons to visit. If you’re planning a tour or a market visit, it’s best to check the current dates.

Historic places and special details

The Bremen Town Musicians is a bronze statue created by Gerhard Marcks in 1953. It stands with its back to the Town Hall and its face toward Liebfrauenkirchhof. According to tradition, touching the donkey’s front legs is said to bring good luck. As you explore the historic city center, you can follow the Nail Route: silver- and bronze-colored metal nails embedded in the street paving mark its course.

Bremen’s oldest district, the Schnoor quarter is a maze of narrow lanes and small houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. It is also home to the Museum Bremer Geschichtenhaus. The Böttcherstraße offers a different architectural impression, combining traditional and Expressionist brick architecture with 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 artisan courtyard of the Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum, you can watch goldsmiths and glassblowers at work; the exact work arrangements may change.

Art, knowledge and museums

The Kunsthalle Bremen traces European painting from the 14th century to the present day. Its collection also includes sculptures from the 16th to the 21st century, international media art, and more than 220,000 drawings and prints. The displays change, so the collection offers a range of artistic forms and periods. The Übersee-Museum presents exhibitions on the diversity of the world across several floors; their contents may change.

The museum at Bremen’s St. Peter’s Cathedral explores the cathedral’s 1,200-year history, its architectural history, sacred art and finds from seven bishops’ graves. Visitors can climb the southern of the two cathedral towers, which are over 90 meters high, for views across Bremen. As access arrangements may change, it’s worth checking before your visit. You can encounter modern art at the Weserburg Museum of Modern Art, directly on the Weser in former warehouse buildings on the Teerhof.

Universum Bremen is an interactive museum housed in a whale-shaped science center, with a focus on humans, nature and technology. Its 5,000-square-meter outdoor area invites exploration with hands-on experiments, a climbing wall, a crawl tunnel and a Moon-Jumper. botanika is also a family destination with interactive activities. In the Discovery Centre, stations and exhibits introduce the plant and animal worlds.

The Weser, routes and green open spaces

Bremen’s extensive network of paths along the Weser offers opportunities for cycling, jogging and inline skating. Activities such as rowing and sailing are also practiced on the river. Weser cruises, harbor cruises and trips to Bremerhaven, Oldenburg or Verden depart from Martinianleger. Routes and schedules may change, so check them before making plans. For a longer cycling trip, a 91-kilometer section of the Weser Cycle Route connects Bremen and Bremerhaven. Bicycles can be taken between the two cities on boats or trains; these transport options may also change.

Together with the adjacent Stadtwald, Bürgerpark forms a 200-hectare green oasis with numerous recreational facilities near Bremen Central Station. Alongside museums, the Old Town and the Weser, this provides a large green space as another focus for your stay.

Sweet treats and maritime dining

In the Schnoor quarter, Bremer Bonbon Manufaktur offers confectionery-making demonstrations and workshops; workshop availability may vary. Along the Weser, Schlachte is a waterfront dining district with restaurants, bars, pubs and local beer gardens. Bremen’s offerings thus range from historic lanes and art collections to riverside activities and places to eat and drink by the water.

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

Go to the main travel overview: Bremen.