Bremen. ..Hamberg?

Do you mean Hamburg?

I haven't been to Bremen so can't advise you on that, but I was just in Hamburg a month ago. The weather wasn't the best when I was there - it rained for part of the day nearly every day - but don't let that stop you from going. To my knowledge, the city doesn't have an old town since a lot was destroyed in the bombings during World War II, and the citizens themselves knocked down buildings in the process of modernization.

This is what I did:

-Walk through the Elbtunnel, the tunnel dug in the early 20th century that goes under the Elbe River. It has lots of Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) decorative plaques and murals.

-Climb to the top of St. Michael's Church. The view wasn't great when I was up there because of fog and clouds, but it's a cool experience.

-Climb to the top of St. Petri's Church. There are 544 steps and you feel them all, but you get a great view (if it's sunny) of the whole city. St. Petri is right across the square from the underground foundations of Hammaburg fortress, where the city gets its name. You go into a cafe and down the steps to see the foundations and some models of the fortress. St. Petri's is across the street from a grassy park where the fortress once stood. I consider this area to be Hamburg's old town/city center because it's the oldest part of the city.

-The Rathaus (Town Hall) is just down the street from St. Petri's and is next to the Innenalster, a beautiful waterfront area with a walking path.

-By all means, take a harbor tour! I did this my first evening there and it was very interesting. We were in a covered boat so although it rained, the weather wasn't an issue.

-If you like older art (Renaissance, early modern), go to the Hamburger Kunsthalle

-I didn't go to the Reeperbahn (red-light district) because my friend and I didn't have time, but a lot of tourists like to go there just to see it

Hi,

I've been to both but Hamburg first. If you only have time for one, choose Hamburg. It's the cultural center of North Germany. Historically and culturally Hamburg and its immediate suburbs connected by the S-Bahn have lots to see, including some very esoteric history museums. Hamburg is also a junction point for trains going east, ie, Schwerin, Rostock, going north ...Kiel, and into Schleswig,
going to the northwest of Germany...Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, and going southwards to Hannover.

Never been to Bremen but love Hamburg.

Hamburg doesn't really have a central Altstadt, but it's still has some walkable districts, particularly around the Binnenalster. This is one of the most attractive districts I've seen in any city anywhere.

The main reason for my visit, though...Miniatur Wunderland. It's every bit as amazing as its reputation.

If you have the time, Bremen is worth a visit. Very walkable. And a trip to Bremerhaven to visit the Auswanderer Haus (emigration) museum is interesting if you have family to look up.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. We did a quick weekend in Hamburg and had a great time. Enjoyed the harbor tour and walking around the Rathaus area. Also enjoyed our morning at miniture world....really something to see!! Walked around the park and just explored the city. We were fortunate to visit with some very nice locals and felt very welcomed. Now off to Roma in a few days to end our time here in Europe.

If you have time in Bremen and enjoy beer, visit the Haake-Beck brewery. They give a great tour and had lots of different beers to taste afterwards.