exploring Bremen & its surrounding areas
your are here: excursions in the surroundings
Surrounding area overview
Crossing the city limits of Bremen means simultaneously leaving the smallest federal state, with its mere 420 square kilometers, and stepping onto the second-largest area in the republic. Compared to Lower Saxony's horizontal expanse of 47,593 square kilometers, Bremen seems modestly small - but perhaps true greatness lies elsewhere.
Thus, "surrounding area" is synonymous with Lower Saxony. Historically, parts that now belong to the state of Bremen were also considered part of the surrounding area. Some neighborhoods still bear traces of this origin, such as those retaining the name suffix "dorf (engl. village)." In others, it's less obvious - for example, Oberneuland or Vegesack in northern Bremen.
The Hanseatic city is well-connected regionally and beyond via highways A1 and A27, rail transport, and cycling routes like the Weser Cycle Path. This makes day trips an attractive option.
Brake & Harriersand Island
A stroll through the harbor city's downtown area and along the city quay can be quite enjoyable, but due to the town’s size along the Weser Cycle Path, it may not fill an entire day. A visit to Brake becomes a perfect day trip when combined with Harriersand, Germany's longest river island. While accessible by land, crossing via the small passenger ferry is far more interesting. By the way: the city center is easily reachable on foot from the train station.
Cuxhaven and Its Seaside Resorts by Bike
The coastal city at the mouth of the Elbe is a popular destination for many people from Bremen - and not just them. From a tourism perspective, it ranks among the top destinations along Lower Saxony's North Sea coast. This is mainly due to the seaside resorts of Döse, Duhnen, and Sahlenburg, which are also connected by a dike. At low tide, you can walk across the mudflats to the small island of Neuwerk and return by ship.
Dangast on the Jadebusen
Curiously, Dangast has two distinct faces, so to speak. On one hand, there’s the main beach, campsites, and extensive tourist infrastructure; on the other, some visitors may only know the part accessible via a turnoff near the town entrance, leading close to the regionally famous spa house.
Fischerhude – farming village & artists' colony
Signposts make it clear to any previously unaware visitor that this place differs significantly from many other traditionally agricultural villages. While time seems to pass more slowly in some places - where clocks have barely moved for decades - Fischerhude is vibrant. Numerous cafés and restaurants, ceramics studios, art galleries, a local history museum, the Modersohn Museum, and others vie for the favor of an audience that regularly strolls through Fischerhude in large numbers, whether art-interested or not.
Heligoland – the rock in the surf
From Cuxhaven as well as Bremerhaven, you can take day trips to Germany’s only high-seas island (which technically isn’t one). The few hours spent on this rocky islet are enough to explore it a bit. The cliffside path leads as a circular route from the upper town past Lange Anna, but perhaps more interesting is encountering thousands of seabirds.
Lilienthal by bike
It’s about 11 kilometers from Bremen's city center to Lilienthal in Lower Saxony, just beyond the city limits. Although tram line 4 connects both places, a bike tour is more fun. On the Jan-Reiners-Weg, you cycle through a green landscape without car traffic, and even within Lilienthal itself, the path along the Wörpe leads via small roads with light traffic to the historic town center.
Oldenburg in Oldenburg
Today the third-largest city in Lower Saxony was once the seat and capital of ruling counts, dukes, and grand dukes, later a free state and state capital. Remnants of the time when nobles ruled the city include the castle and numerous primarily classical buildings in the city center. But there’s plenty more to discover in the expansive, largely car-free downtown area. And during a stroll, you’ll repeatedly encounter water, such as the Old Harbor.
Stade - on the banks of the Schwinge
Do you know Stade? No? What a shame! Then please continue reading if you’d like to learn about this smaller Hanseatic city on the Elbe, neighboring the much larger Elbmetropole Hamburg. But Bremen is also nearby, making Stade easily and quickly accessible from there—which is why it appears here as an excursion tip. And as usual, the tourist gaze doesn’t fall on the entire city but in this case on the historic core and a bit of the outskirts. For a short visit or a few days more, Stade is a beautiful and worthwhile destination, in our opinion.
Wangerooge – the East Frisian island
The beautiful sandy beaches and good swimming opportunities on most North Sea islands significantly contribute to their popularity. This includes the chain of East Frisian Islands. The easternmost of the inhabited isles is Wangerooge. In the warm months, day trips by tour bus are often offered from Bremen, including ferry rides in the price and arrangements for tickets. Those who take the wheel themselves cover the roughly 140 kilometers in about 1½ hours. The ferry port is Harlesiel in Wangerland.
Weltvogelpark Walsrode
"World Bird Park"(Weltvogelpark) sounds ambitious, but the park in the Lüneburg Heath is indeed the largest of its kind globally and has carried the "World" addition since 2010. Over 4,000 birds, including very rare species, live on the 24-hectare grounds, representing around 650 species from all continents. The bird park was founded in 1962 as a private breeding station and expanded into a park a few years later. A highly recommended day trip for the whole family.
Wilhelmshaven on the Jadebusen
It’s hard to imagine Wilhelmshaven without its naval presence, especially since the city only developed after the construction of a naval base in the 19th century, and the Bundeswehr still maintains a large base with several squadrons here today. Nevertheless, there’s plenty more to discover in this port city.
Wolfcenter Dörverden
Since the year 2000, wolves have returned to Germany. These European gray wolves migrated from Eastern Europe into a country that had been wolf-free from 1850 to 2000. Naturally, encounters with these animals in the wild have since occurred, not always without conflict. Calls for their culling have already resurfaced. But what do we actually know about wolves? Answers and insights can be found at the Wolfcenter in Dörverden near Verden on the Aller. And you can get up close to these animals - almost close enough to touch.
Worpswede
Highly recommended for a longer excursion is Worpswede, located about 25 kilometers northeast of Bremen in the Teufelsmoor. Especially for art enthusiasts, this place has grown from a small moor village into an artist colony far beyond its borders. In 1889, painters Fritz Mackensen, Otto Modersohn, and Hans am Ende laid the foundation for this art center with their decision to work and live in this previously unknown village.
Neu-Helgoland (New-Heligoland) / Hammehafen Worpswede
From April to October, the Hammehafen (Hamme River harbor) Worpswede is a destination for many day visitors, weekend trippers, cyclists, and campers. The campsite operators run not only a bistro & beer garden with seats by the water but also rent kayaks and canoes. If you don’t want to paddle on the Hamme yourself, you can alternatively book an excursion trip on one of the barges of the Adolphsdorfer Torfschiffer. Food & drink are also available just a few meters from the harbor at "Hamme Hütte Neu Helgoland." A great tip for a beautiful bike trip from Bremen.
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Water-based activities in and around Bremen
In a city on a major river with numerous lakes, it's natural to extend sporting or leisure activities from land to water. The most family-friendly water activity is certainly taking a rowboat ride on the canals of Bürgerpark. But there are also more options outside the city limits.
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Vegesack
Speicher (warehouse), Museumshafen (museum harbor), Utkiek (viewing point) with Walkiefer (jawbone of a whale) and more are part of Vegesack's Maritime Mile, which extends for about one nautical mile (approximately 1.8 kilometers) to the former site of the 'Bremer Vulkan' shipyard, which went bankrupt in 1996. This also includes the Stadtgarten (city garden), which stretches almost from the ferry terminal to the former 'Vulkan' site.
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DGzRS - The Maritime Rescuers
Anyone in distress at sea today has far better chances of receiving help, even out on the open water, thanks to modern technology and professionals who take care of it. Along Germany’s North and Baltic Sea coasts, these are primarily the approximately 1,000 full-time and volunteer men and women of the DGzRS (German Maritime Search and Rescue Service), also known as "The Maritime Rescuers." In 2020 alone, they conducted 1,720 operations and rescued 357 people. Since its founding, the organization has helped 86,000 individuals.
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Böttcherstraße
Since at least 1931, the name Böttcherstraße is no longer primarily associated with the scent of wood and the sound of coopers' hammers, but rather with a very special, almost enclosed ensemble of buildings. Over a length of just over one hundred meters, museums, open artist workshops, specialty retailers offering upscale goods, dining establishments, and a hotel create a unique atmosphere between brick and sandstone structures that is unparalleled in Bremen.
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Kunsthalle Bremen
The core of the Kunsthalle's collection represents European painting from the Middle Ages to the present day. A particular focus is on French painting of the 19th and 20th centuries, primarily showcased through one of the largest Delacroix collections. German Impressionism is another key highlight, featuring works by artists such as Liebermann, Corinth, and Slevogt. The collection also includes painters from the renowned Worpswede artist colony near Bremen, such as Heinrich Vogeler and Otto Modersohn.
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Metalhenge
In 2021, an observation platform was opened on the first decommissioned and surface-renovated section of the landfill in Blockland. At a height of 40 meters, the barrier-free Planet Path leads visitors along. Planets? Yes, the Metalhenge structure, inspired by the famous Stonehenge, is positioned on the circular observation platform according to selected astronomical aspects. Information about this can be accessed via QR code on your smartphone. Even for those not particularly interested, the view stretches approximately 23 km across Bremen on one side and Blockland on the other.
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Bremerhaven - Zoo am Meer (Zoo by the Sea)
In addition to the 19th-century harbor facilities, the Zoo am Meer is the oldest attraction on the site between the Weser River and the pedestrian zone. It opened in 1928 under the name "Tiergrotten." The enclosures house polar bears, seals, penguins, various bird species such as gannets and keas, reptiles like turtles, raccoons, Arctic foxes, pumas, monkeys, and others - almost 50 animal species in total.
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Market square
As it was in the past and as it is today, the market square is the political center of Bremen and also a major attraction for thousands of tourists, undoubtedly due to its unique architectural atmosphere. Almost unobtrusive and plain in appearance, the Bürgerschaft (Bremen's parliament) stands next to the magnificent Old Town Hall.
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Roland statue
The Roland statue stands on the market square in front of the town hall and has been there since 1404. It is a 5.55-meter (10.21-meter total) tall sandstone figure of a knight with a drawn sword and shield in front of his chest. Like in many other European cities, the Roland in Bremen symbolizes the city's freedom, which historically stemmed from market rights and its own jurisdiction.
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Überseestadt (Overseas City)
When the Overseas Port required renovation, the decision was made in 1991 to simply close off the basin instead. In 1998, the Overseas Port was finally filled with sand obtained from dredging operations in the Outer Weser. Alongside the also decommissioned but still existing Europa Harbor basin, this formed the foundation for the conceptual development and creation of today's Überseestadt (Overseas City).
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Übersee-Museum (Overseas Museum)
In 1896, what is now known as the Übersee-Museum first opened its doors under the name 'Municipal Museum for Natural History, Ethnology, and Commerce.' The exhibits initially came from the 'Municipal Collections of Natural History and Ethnography,' which were partly displayed as a 'Trade and Colonial Exhibition' at the 'Northwest German Trade and Industry Exhibition' in 1890 with great success. Since its founding, the museum's concepts have changed several times, evolving toward a stronger focus on museum education that continues to this day.
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Weser cruise from Bremen to Bremerhaven
Of course, you can take a car for a visit to Bremerhaven from Bremen or board the regional train at the main station. However, with suitable weather and enough time, it is more interesting to cover the route on the Weser by ship. The shipping company "Hal över" operates the connection from May to September. The ship departs from the Martinianleger near the city center along the Schlachte. Those who wish can even take their bicycle with them; additionally, you can pre-book a breakfast onboard.
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German Emigration Center Bremerhaven (Deutsches Auswandererhaus®)
Opened in 2005, the German Emigration Center® vividly and engagingly presents the history of emigration to America across five eras, spanning from 1830 to 1974. In total, 7.2 million people departed from Bremerhaven to seek a new home and build a new life beyond the Atlantic. For its emotionally compelling and historically grounded exhibition, the museum received the European Museum Award in 2007.
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Klimahaus® Bremerhaven 8° Ost
In this futuristic building, visitors embark on a journey along the 8th meridian east, traveling around the globe through all climate zones. Across multiple levels, there is plenty to read, see, hear, and experience sensorially and tactilely about climate and its impact on local nature and human life. Visitors are not limited to being passive observers but are invited to actively engage with numerous exhibits.
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Rhododendron Park
Also located in the Horn district is the 46-hectare Bremen Rhododendron Park. The origins of this park actually lie in two separate parks. Around 1890, beech, ash, spruce, and especially oak trees were planted on the site. In 1936, the area - originally designed as a wildlife park - was expanded with an extensive collection of rhododendrons. To this day, the numerous deciduous trees on the park grounds provide important protection for the rhododendrons against sun and wind.
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Findorff district
The history of the Findorff district is closely tied to the moors of Lower Saxony's surrounding countryside. In 1819, the so-called "Torfkanal" (Peat Canal) was dug to transport peat as fuel, particularly from Teufelsmoor, by waterway to Bremen. Even today, the second peat harbor, built in 1873, exists in a smaller form within the district, with traditional peat barges still moored there. However, peat transportation no longer plays any role.
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