The Grain and Grape

Germany is a big country, but we managed a wonderful weekend get-away up north to Bremen, and skipped the traffic by taking the train. Our nephew Stephen was in Bremen for the weekend to visit friends, and we jumped at the chance to see him again during his time in Europe. It was really nice to see another part of Germany, a very quaint and charming city with welcoming people.

We took a direct high-speed train from Stuttgart to Bremen, a 5-hour journey, smooth travels both there and back. When you can book a direct train, and they stay on schedule, trains are a great option.

We met up with Stephen and his friends in Bremen’s Old Town, along with thousands of other visitors out to see the Christmas Markets. We were all hungry and there was no chance we were going to get into the quaint and tiny restaurants in Old Town, already full for the evening. With just a little more walking, our local guide brought us to an Irish Pub which was happy to give us a big table. A great time with great people.

Exploring Bremen

On Saturday, we explored Bremen, seeing the Christmas Markets in the Marktplatz, the Town Musicians of Bremen statue, and St Peter’s Cathedral. Following our local guide, we walked through the narrow artsy street of Böttcherstrasse just in time to see the noon Glockenspiel show.

Our favorite area is the little medieval streets of the Schnoor Quarter, the old fishermen’s neighborhood. We ate lunch at Kleiner Olymp, in a 17th century home, and both the food and atmosphere were amazing.

It was a cold and rainy day, but luckily, we found a few good spots to keep warm, from a heated bench outside of Little Mary’s Irish Pub (brilliant!) to a little Christmas stand with heat lamps, Glühwein, and hot chocolate.

Best Christmas Hotel

We stayed right across from the train station, and Hotel Edel Weiss wowed us with both their warm welcome and their decorations. They are ready for Christmas, and we also loved their every-day décor of antique and vintage treasures.

---

We had a wonderful weekend in Bremen, and we really appreciate getting to catch up with family and friends around the world.

---