Bremen, Free Hanseatic City (2008)

Low-cost weekend in December 2008 in Bremen, a city break among Christmas markets and more...

Seized by an unusual and sudden urge for Christmas markets, we set off in search of an interesting destination. Italy ruled out from the start, we focused on northern Europe, excellent for those looking for Christmas atmospheres.

Among the available low-cost routes, excluding the big capitals (we only had a weekend available), the choice could fall on Bremen or Lübeck. The former had decidedly more interesting fares and times, so within a few minutes we found ourselves with a couple of Orio-Bremen tickets in hand.

Friday 12 December We set off under an incessant downpour, but we manage to arrive at the airport on time, indeed early, since the departure was postponed by an hour. After about a couple of hours of a very calm flight we land in Bremen around 19.30. The airport is located just outside the city centre: a convenient tram with very frequent runs takes us to the hotel within about twenty minutes. This time, unlike usual, we didn't manage to find central accommodation.

December is probably the most touristy time of year for this small city, so we had to settle for a small room in the north-eastern outskirts in a residential district; however, thanks to the truly efficient public transport we never had any kind of problem going to and from the centre (10-15 min by tram). The room is actually a small annex a hundred metres from the hotel in a silent internal courtyard. Given the hour we decide to dine in a Tex-Mex restaurant a stone's throw from the hotel (the only one in the area). The choice proves spot on: we tuck into a big feast of chicken wings, onion rings, chips and nachos topped with cheese sauce and guacamole, all washed down with an excellent draft Beck's; the cocktails also prove excellent and relatively cheap. Satisfied, we return to the hotel to recharge our batteries: tomorrow will be a demanding day!...CONTINUES ON OUR SITE: