BREMERHAVEN, GERMANY

Upon arrival in Bremen, we will commence a guided walking tour. All major highlights of the city should be seen within the next hour. The Cathedral of St Peter, set back from the Market Square (a World Heritage Site), towers majestically over all other buildings in the Altstadt (Old Town).

Travelling by coach with an English-speaking guide, we will depart Bremerhaven for Bremen – a journey of approximately one hour. During the drive our guide will talk about Germany in general and the history of the Hanseatic City of Bremen. Upon arrival in Bremen, we will commence a guided walking tour. All major highlights of the city should be seen within the next hour. The Cathedral of St Peter, set back from the Market Square (a World Heritage Site), towers majestically over all other buildings in the Altstadt (Old Town). Originally designed in 1043 as the archbishop’s church, it was rebuilt in the 13th, 16th and 19th centuries. We will hear the story of the Bleikeller (lead cellar), and the bizarre collection of mummified corpses of workers who fell from the roof during the construction. Their bodies were discovered in 1695. Construction of the beautiful and impressive Rathaus (City Hall) – which combines Gothic and Renaissance styles – commenced in 1405. In front of the Rathaus stands the Roland statue from 1404 – the landmark of Bremen and freedom symbol of the Hanseatic city. Also nearby is the bronze statue of the Bremen Town Musicians (‘Stadtmusikanten’), immortalising the Grimm Brothers’ charming fairy tale about a donkey, dog, cat and cockerel. The animals are stacked one on top of the other in a constant pose for the ever-present cameras. We proceed to the Schnoor – Bremen’s oldest quarter with many small, old houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, and a selection of restaurants and cafés. After a short transfer, we now visit the home of one of the world’s most renowned beers – the famous Beck’s Pilsner. We will visit the brewery where this golden liquid is brewed and bottled. Starting in the brewery’s own museum, with its old working tools and interesting displays giving an insight into the art of brewing beer in medieval times, we will then learn about the raw materials (such as yeast, barley and malt) before seeing for ourselves how the brewing is done. We will also visit the historic horse stables, where old carriages are displayed. Besides these, the stable still houses five beautiful horses, which belong to the brewery. Before leaving the site we will have a traditional lunch snack of Bratwurst and Sauerkraut along with a glass of the famous Beck’s beer! We return to Bremerhaven by coach. The walking tour of Bremen covers a distance of approximately 3 kilometres (2 miles), during which a certain pace is required and cobblestones will be encountered, and the visit to Beck’s Brewery covers a distance of approximately 1½ kilometres (1 mile), plus 30 steps. This tour is, therefore, not suitable for passengers with limited mobility (not recommended for wheelchair-users). The itinerary may operate to a different order than that described. The minimum age for participants receiving a glass of draft beer is 18 years. Toilet facilities are available on the coach and at the brewery. This tour does not include inside visits to the Cathedral of St Peter or the Rathaus; it is an overview of Bremen – the emphasis of the tour being on Beck’s Brewery.