Must-Sees in Bremen: Don't Miss these Sights

Donkey, dog, cat and rooster belong to Bremen like the Weser. And they literally accompany you wherever you go in the historical city centre. The most famous figure of the Bremen Town Musicians - a bronze statue by Gerhard Marcks - can be found on the west side of the town hall. It's easy to spot the numerous visitors waiting in line to take hold of the donkey's front legs. After all, that's supposed to bring good luck! A little further on, directly in front of the Bremen Parliament, the voices of the four animals resound from the ground at the 'Bremer Loch' for a good cause. And at the Sieben-Faulen-Brunnen in Böttcherstraße you will discover one of many other editions of the famous quartet scattered throughout the city.

Bremen's pride and joy is the ensemble of the town hall and Roland statue, which UNESCO has included on its World Heritage List in 2014. The duo is beautifully presented on the north-east side of Bremen's market square and stands for democracy and freedom in a unique way. Since it was built in 1405, the town hall has been the seat of municipal self-government and the state government, while Roland, installed in 1404, has always symbolised the rights and privileges of the Hanseatic city. It is well worth a visit! Roland will gladly hold still for a photo with you and the town hall is not only an absolute eye-catcher from the outside. The doors of the magnificent building are also open to you on interesting guided tours or during a visit to the unique Ratskeller.

The old town quarter of Schnoor is a beautiful network of streets that is demonstrably one of the 'coolest in the world'. The old town quarter owes its name "Schnoor" to the Low German word for "string", and there's no better way to describe this lovingly restored district: Here, small, colourful houses and shops line up like pearls on a string, along alleys so narrow that you can touch both sides with outstretched arms. When visiting Bremen, a stroll through the Schnoor is a must! Besides wonderful souvenirs, culture and culinary highlights, you'll find fantastic motifs for taking photos.

Anyone who wants to discover Bremen should not skip the unique Böttcherstraße in the heart of the city. Built in the early 20th century by Ludwig Roselius, this alley is a true work of art. The street not only impresses with its unique symbiosis of traditional and expressionist brick architecture. It also has interesting museums and numerous opportunities to feast and browse. With the Haus des Glockenspiels (House of Chimes) and the Bremer Bonbon Manufaktur (Candy store), two very special highlights of the Hanseatic city await you in Böttcherstraße.

Experience the pure pleasure of art at the Kunsthalle Bremen art gallery. Its collection spans from the 14th century to the present: European painting from the Middle Ages to the present day, sculptures from the 16th to the 21st century and media art, including works by Masolino and Dürer, Monet, van Gogh, Beckmann, Cage and Paik. The copperplate engraving cabinet is actually one of the most important of its kind. In addition, the Kunsthalle impresses again and again with exciting special exhibitions, with which the tradition-rich but no less contemporary house presents itself again and again in a new and varied way.

Dolce Vita in the far north? Definitely! The sweet life awaits you at Schlachte - Bremen's gastronomic hotspot and promenade mile on the Weser. The former waterfront harbour invites you to stroll along the Weser, while you enjoy the numerous local beer gardens and restaurants. In summer, there is always an antique and flea market on the Tiefer on Saturdays. And during Advent, the "Schlachte-Zauber" Christmas market gets you in a festive mood with its very special ambience.

If you love to be near the water, you shouldn't miss the Maritime Meile in Bremen-Vegesack, where Germany's first artificial harbour was built 400 years ago. From here you can enjoy a fantastic view over the Weser directly onto two large shipyards - with a little luck you might even catch a glimpse of one of the million-dollar yachts that are built here. At the Utkiek, right next to the harbour, various restaurants and pubs invite you to enjoy yourself. And further along the Weser, a botanical must-see in Bremen awaits you in the Stadtgarten Vegesack.

Where ships once sailed and general cargo was loaded, the Überseestadt district now enriches Bremen's image. After the steady decline of the maritime industry, a completely new, vibrant and innovative quarter has been emerging here for several years, and you should definitely pay it a visit. Disused, huge warehouses made of red brick stand in exciting contrast to the most modern architecture. This interesting mix provides a varied location for numerous cafés, restaurants and businesses. The University of the Arts has found creative space in Speicher XI for its Department of Liberal Arts and Design. The Hafenmuseum (harbour museum) and the Speicherbühne (warehouse stage) also use the large space. The GOP Varieté Theatre, on the other hand, resides in one of the new buildings worth seeing directly on the Weser.

"Explain it to me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Let me do it myself and I will understand." In keeping with this motto of Confucius, knowledge and science are brought to life in Bremen's so-called Wissenswelten (worlds of knowledge) and presented in a vivid and creative way. In Universum Bremen you can stop real lightning, overcome gravity or outwit your own senses. At the ethnological museum Übersee-Museum you can travel from Oceania to Africa and America. And in the botanika, nature awaits you in the middle of the city. Embedded in the surroundings of the famous Rhododendronpark, you can go on vivid journeys through the world of plants and discover fascinating topics such as biodiversity or plant ecology.

Talking about innovations: As an important space centre, Bremen is reaching for the stars. The technicians at Airbus build space transporters and rocket parts. You can look over their shoulders and also learn how astronauts live on the International Space Station, which is monitored by Airbus.

Just like the Town Musicians, the football players of SV Werder Bremen are a great team. You can expect some first-class entertainment at the four-time German football champions and six-time winner of the DFB Cup - regardless of whether you're rooting for Werder or prefer to cheer for another club, you'll have fun at the Weser Stadion. If you've always wanted to take a look behind the scenes of the famous stadium on the banks of the Weser, you can do so on a guided tour of the stadium. And a visit to the Wuseum - Werder Bremen Museum is also worthwhile for football fans.