Bremen travel guide

Bremen is situated on both sides of the Weser, a good distance (35 miles) from the North Sea. But the Free Hanseatic City feels entirely defined by the sea and seafaring trades that once brought it flourishing trade and independence. Today the seafaring atmosphere also brings tourism -- the heyday of the Hanseatic League left behind magnificent buildings in the historical center of Bremen, above all the UNESCO-protected Renaissance-era Town Hall. In the Schnoor district, the oldest in the city, are rows of picturesque half-timbered houses from the 16th and 17th centuries, and at the redesigned waterfront, called the "Schlachte," locals and visitors chill in countless outdoor cafes, restaurants, and beer gardens on the water. Was not there something else? That's right! The legendary Town Musicians of Bremen, who are cast in bronze on the west side of City Hall. That this strange children's story-music combo, which even became a symbol of the city, left for Bremen but (to be precise) never managed to get there, is neither further explained here nor a bad omen for your own Bremen trip.