My Bremen – a love letter to the Schnoor quarter

Here she is, our brand-new sightseeing coach. During my maternity leave (did you miss me?!), I spotted her on the streets of Bremen a few times. But with a baby and all the accessories in tow, I never managed to get a picture.

You want to go on a trip, but are short of money? Whether it's after work at the Schlachte, feasting in the Überseestadt or cycling out into the countryside - summer in Bremen puts you in a good mood. A holiday in the city on a budget? For those on a budget, you'll find lots of useful insider tips here.

When it comes to the sweet temptation of cocoa, Bremen is at the forefront. From fine craftsmanship in patisseries to well-known brands - chocolate has a special place in the Hanseatic city. And for special occasions, delicate melting can be perfectly combined with the right fine wines.

Sugar and spice and all things nice … Gingerbread bakers Manke and Coldewey are well stocked on all the usual ingredients with one exception – wheat flour. Their handmade Elisenlebkuchen are in fact gluten free. But that’s not all the Bremen manufacturer has to offer – far from it.

The first time you read about typical Bremen dishes and see names such as kohl und pinkel, labskaus and knipp, you’re unlikely to get very excited. But maybe names such as hochzeitssuppe, or ‘wedding soup’, kaffeebrot or backfisch will tempt you to give them a try. Where in Bremen can you tuck into typical local food?

I’ve got to admit I love drinking tea. I get through at least two pots a day. Maybe it’s because I’m originally from Oldenburg – not all that far from East Friesland with its tea drinking tradition. According to statistics, every East Frisian drinks more than 300 litres of tea a year – I think I can match that.

“Please send us a recipe for a typical Bremen delicacy”. OK, so the people from the Dutch magazine were quite clear in what they were after. The editors wanted to run an article on Bremen – much to our delight – and were looking to add a little extra in the form of a practical tip for their readers. We were pleased about that, too, but it did present us with a bit of a challenge.

Situated in the harbour basin of Bremen’s Europahafen, Schuppen Eins was built in 1959 as a double-storey cargo transshipment facility (or Stückgutumschlagschuppen in German, a bit of a tongue-twister!), constructed around a skeleton of reinforced concrete. In contrast to a storehouse, where goods were stored away for long periods, Schuppen Eins was a warehouse and short-term unloading and loading point for all manner of goods. It was one of the most striking buildings to emerge from the post-war reconstruction of Bremen’s ports. Once complete, it was by far the largest port warehouse in Bremen.

It’s impossible to miss Bremen’s 146-metre-high Fallturm drop tower, an amazing laboratory that creates zero-G conditions without having to fly out to space.

Have you seen our brochures and leaflets? They’re ideal for planning a trip to Bremen from the comfort of your own home – simply order one from us or flick through the online version. Of course, you can find all the latest information on our website too. But, there’s something special about leafing through a brochure – you see things differently.

Bremen’s town hall, or Rathaus, has survived undamaged for 600 years, and has been on the list of World Heritage sites for ten years. For Bremen, it’s a symbol of the independence of the city state and its citizens, and this autonomy has always been influenced by the city’s proximity to the Weser river and the sea.

Sabine Marquardt and her employees at Bremer Bonbon Manufaktur create sweets of all shapes and sizes, from huge lollies dangling from the ceiling, to tiny sweets that fit into test tubes. And the variety of flavours also offers everything your heart could desire, such as liquorice, sweet, sour, coffee, strawberry, caramel, and even something called damenschrei, or ‘lady’s shout’.