Typisch bremisch Typically “Bremish”

new hotel in Bremen Technology Park. The “7things” is a
two star superior hotel with 89 rooms in the direct vicinity
of the university. The name indicates that the hotel focuses
on the essentials, such as a comfortable bed, modern
bathroom or high-speed Wi-Fi. Bremen is currently ex -
periencing a boom with hotels in this category; from
prizeotel at the main station (opened in 2009) via Zollhaus
in Überseestadt (opened in 2012) to the B&B in Findorff
(opened in 2013), there has been continuous growth in
the range of low-budget design hotels.
Supply follows demand: ever since Ryanair made the
Hanseatic City one of its main bases for Germany in 2007,
Bremen Airport has counted around 2.6 million passengers
each year. They include above all visitors from Scan -
dinavia, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Greece or the
Baltic countries; on arriving at the airport, they benefit
from the direct tram connection to the heart of the city
centre so that after a journey of just eleven minutes, they
can already be unpacking their bags in a central, low-cost
hotel.
Tourist attractions: Town Musicians and
Werder Bremen
the port. That’s the good thing about Bremen – visitors
never have to carry their bags very far. So much of the
attractions are within walking distance or can be reached
quickly and easily by tram.
This also applies to many art and cultural facilities; the
Kunsthalle for example is located directly between the city
centre and the Ostertorviertel. It counts about 180,000
visitors each year; it also offers special major exhibitions,
recently including Edvard Munch and Friedensreich
Hundertwasser, which attract art lovers from near and far.
Many day guests come from the surrounding region, from
East Frisia, for example. And there’s a good reason for that
– or 17 good reasons per year. Each season, the Bundesliga
team Werder Bremen plays 17 home fixtures in the Weserstadion
– which again is just half an hour’s walk from the
city centre. The stadium seats around 40,000 spectators –
and if there’s a reason to celebrate (or commiserate) after
the final whistle has gone, all the pubs in the quarter will
be filled to overflowing – for one big party in green and
white!
Popular markets and festivals
187
Then what? First of all, they’ll take a stroll through the city
centre. At Markplatz they take photos of the Town Hall and
the Roland statue, together with the Town Musicians, as
small as they are famous, just to the left of the Town Hall.
Touching the donkey’s front hoof is said to bring luck. And
nearly every tourist has a go, which is what gives the front
hoofs an appealing glow. Other attractions include the
Böttcherstraße and the Schnoor. Or down to the river
Weser and the Martinianleger pier for a boat trip through
They’re good at partying in Bremen – also in international
company during the fourth and fifth season. The former
refers to the Christmas period: Bremen’s Christmas market
on Marktplatz with the Schlachte Magic on the river Weser
is popular and attracts visitors from far and wide. Day after
day they are bussed in by coaches that are filled to the last
seat. A good number of the visitors come with empty
bags that will be well filled when they return home again
at the end of the day. Continued on page 191