Things to do in Bremen

Discover the dark streets of Bremen accompanied by a night guard carrying a lantern, horn and axe. But be careful to stay with your group since no one knows what might happen. Learn more about the city's exciting past on a walking tour. Find out more about historical misconducts and the long-gone times of Bremen, an old Hanseatic city. Listen to stories unknown to the ordinary citizen, as only the night guard checked the proper closing of doors and gates. Travel back in time and visit the Bremen Market Square and the Böttcherstraße up to the Schnoor while listening to the tales told by the night guard.

Wander through the market square, the heart of Bremen and one of the prettiest squares in Germany. Marvel at the UNESCO World Heritage listed town hall and the stone statue of Roland. Study the sculpture of the Bremen Town Musicians, made famous in a Brothers Grimm fairytale. Discover Böttcherstraße, a pedestrian alleyway bursting with tradition where the böttcher (coopers) used to make their barrels. Leading from the market square down to the Weser river, the most famous street in Bremen is an attraction in itself with historical red-brick buildings interspersed with modern Expressionist architecture. Take in the picturesque Schnoor quarter, the oldest part of Bremen. Wander through its rambling lanes, where fishermen, artisans and sailors once lived. Explore the cafés, taverns, top-notch restaurants and handicraft stores that now line the streets.

Join this tour through the underground of Bremen and enter premises accessed only ever by a few. Dare to look beneath the surface of Bremen. You have the choice of 2 different tours to explore the city's underworld. Saturday Tour: Your journey into the underworld of the Hanseatic city begins at the elephant statue. Descend into the crypt and learn interesting facts about its history and present-day use. Head to the only underground street in the city of Bremen. This was used for the underground supply of the surrounding shops and was unknown to the Bremen police for a long time. Cross the Bremen ramparts on the way to the Church of Our Lady, where at least 8 bunkers are located. In the Church of Our Lady, visit the crypt used as a tomb in the Middle Ages. Finally, the tour takes you into the scenic basement of the Bremen Theater. See all sorts of props and exciting technology here before making your way back from underground to the surface. Sunday Tour: Your journey begins at the ABC Hochbunker on Admiralstraße. Descend into the Hochbunker and discover the history of WWII air-raid shelters and the development of the bunker during the 20th century. Next, make your way to Bremen's freight yard. At the depot, you'll find the former banana ripening halls of the "fruit yard," where before WW1, inhabitants of Bremen could satisfy their cravings for exotic fruits. On your way to the next station at the Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), cross the Bremen ramparts, where at least 8 underground bunkers are hidden. Visit an ground-level bunker at Theaterberg. At the Church of Our Lady, visit the crypt, used in the Middle Ages as a tomb. Learn more about the Übersee Museum and Bremen's only underground cobbled street. Finally, visit the old synagogue in Bremen's Schnoor neightborhood. Here you'll go down to the preserved cellar of the former synagogue, before returning above ground. From January 2017, the Sunday tour will take place in reverse order. The start point is the former synagogue in the Schnoor district. Group tours: The route for the group tour may change depending on the day and time and may include stops from both the Saturday and Sunday itinerary.

Learn about Bremen and hear the highlights of its 1,200 years of history on an informative bus tour. Explore the past and the present of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen from your seat, and come across iconic local landmarks. Hop on the bus and begin your ride, hearing fascinating stories from the guide along the way. Pass by all of the city’s landmarks and monuments, as you hear about their unique history. See the statue of Roland, facing the cathedral in Market Square, and find out how old Roland is. Learn what the Bremen flag is called and marvel at the 146-meter-high Fallturm drop tower at the University of Bremen.

Learn about the art of brewing beer at the famous Beck's and Haake-Beck visitors center in Bremen on a 3-hour guided tour in German and English. Start with a visit to the brewery museum to discover the history of this famous brewery and its well-known brands. Then visit the raw material rooms and brew house. Continue to the malt silos and fermentation and storage tanks to see the process of beer production up close. Watch 2 different 10-minute films about beer making in the brewery's own cinema. You will then be invited to test 3 of the beers in the guest room. Soft drinks are available if you prefer.

Discover Bremen's Christmas cheer whilst exploring the City's Christmas market and prominent landmarks, the Town Hall and Roland Statue. Delight in a mug of mulled wine and delectable chocolates from Hachez, the renowned Chocolatiers.   During the festive season, meet your walking guide to begin your Advent exploration of Bremen’s highly regarded Christmas market. Admire beautiful Bremen under the festive lights as you take an extended stroll through the city. Wrap up warm and embrace the fairy tale magic of Bremen at Christmas. As your guide leads you and your group by foot through the Christmas market, you will see the magnificent Town Hall and Roland Statue, Germany’s “Statue of Liberty”. To compliment your Christmas fairy tale experience, relish the Advent ambiance with a mug of warming Glühwein mulled wine and sample delicious chocolates from Hachez Chocolatiers, a chocolate manufacturing company founded in 1890.

Immerse yourself in the history and present day of the second oldest city republic in the world and meet eccentric originals and off-kilter oddballs. Discover Bremen and its inhabitants on this staged tour of the old town. Bremen makes a puzzling impression with a vanished river and a secret main street yet at the same time presents itself as a cosmopolitan city in tune with the times. On this tour, discover what Rockefeller has to do with the Bremen Cathedral, whether Roland squints, and why Bremen is both rich and poor at the same time. On this special tour you explore the town hall, Böttcherstraße, the Schlachte, and Schnoor with a performer as your guide, who will bring imaginary and real stories to life and create an emotional approach to themes and stories. Explore Bremen from Marktplatz to the documentation center Ostertorwache, formerly the most modern prison in Germany.

Discover the dark side of Bremen, off the beaten path of tourists, and learn all about the criminal activities that have happened in the city and become infamous throughout the country. Visit what was formerly the most modern prison in Germany, built in 1900, and see the criminal archives with your guide to discover more about the historic crimes, deadly murders and elaborate heists. Visit the sites of sentencings and executions and hear blood-curdling tales of all manner of misdeeds. Investigate the murder that wasn't, yet which still constituted a crime. Learn how explosive fire extinguishers can be and think like a criminal as you figure out the puzzling death of a burglar.

Get the keys to the city of Bremen with a 1, 2 or 3-day BremenCARD. The ticket will allow you to explore the city at your own pace, without the worry of having to pay extra every time you use the buses, trams and regional trains. All local public transport in Bremen and Bremen-Nord is free of charge. The pass is available as an individual card or a two-person card.

Step inside Universum Bremen and become a scientist and explorer for the day. Check out the numerous different exhibits that will help you to learn more about the human body, nature, and technology. There's also a special exhibition and outdoor area for you to explore. In the technology area, find out more about the workings of everyday objects such as toasters, electric toothbrushes, and mobile phones. Learn about the gearing mechanisms, electric motors, and the effect of signal transmission through the interactive exhibits. The human area will show you a new side of yourself and require you to use all of your senses. Test your communicative abilities and perception as you learn things about yourself and your body from a new perspective. Discover the natural world in the next section. Explore fascinating natural phenomena and learn more about why the world exists as it does. Why is grass green? Why are mountains pointed? What do polar lights and fireflies have in common? Find out the answers to these questions and more.