Bremen
Bremen was established by Charlemagne in 787, and grew from a small settlement into a wealthy medieval Hanseatic town by 1358. Bremen became a free imperial city in 1646, and to this day it is still a “Freie Hansestadt” (free Hanseatic city).The city’s Schnoor quarter has remained virtually unchanged since medieval times, and is a charming labyrinth of restaurants, bars, boutiques, and cafés, once lived in by fishermen, craftspeople, and traders. The area’s name is north German for ‘string’ – a reference to the little 15th and 16th century houses strung together along the narrow, winding streets. Here you will also find the 14th St Johann Church, a Franciscan basilica. This gothic church is the main place of worship for residents of the Schnoor quarter.
Bremen’s Markt is one of the most impressive market squares in northern Germany. The imposing Rathaus, on the north side, was built between 1410 and 1415, and is a Unesco World Heritage site. Round the west side of it is the Bremen’s most famous feature: a statue of the “Bremer Stadtmusikanten”, legendary figures of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale, depicted as everyone knows them: one on top of the other, all on the shoulders of the donkey. The Lutheran Dom St Petri was built over 1,200 years ago. Underground you will find the most interesting sights of this cathedral: eight mummified corpses in open coffins. Among them are a soldier, a student who died in a duel in 1705, and a Swedish countess. Nearer the door are the mummified remains of a monkey and a cat, which were put there by researchers trying to establish why corpses don’t decompose in this cellar. Interesting stuff, but not for the fainthearted!
Leading of from the market square is the Böttcherstraße, a remarkable 110mtrs long purpose-built street with restaurants, shops, cafés and bars, craft workshops, and a lovely Glockenspiel (carillon) with 10 rotating panels celebrating famous marine explorers such as Christopher Columbus and Leif Eriksson.
Once tired of exploring and sight seeing, go to the Schlachte Embankment on the river Weser, where many excellent restaurants tempt you with a wide variety of cuisines, you can take a river cruise from the Martinianleger, or spend your summer Saturdays at the Kajenmarkt, a massive antiques/flea/bric-à-brac market.
Airport information
Bremen Airport is located 3.5 kms from the city centre. easyJet flies into and out of terminal 1 (2 or 3 – tbc).
By car
Coming from:
- Hamburg, Hanover, and Osnabrück: follow the A1, take the Arsten exit
- Bremerhaven: follow the A27, take the Freihafen exit, and then follow the B6
- Oldenburg: follow the B75
The airport is very well signposted for motorists coming from any direction.
By train
There is no train station at Bremen Airport itself, and passengers should travel to Bremen train station instead. From there, Tram no. 6 goes to the airport every ten minutes, and stops outside the passenger terminal. Journey time is approximately 20 minutes. A single ticket costs €1.95.
By taxi
Taxis are available outside the passenger terminal. A journey to the railway station costs approximately €10, and takes 20 minutes depending on the traffic.