3 Days in Bremen — Essential Highlights

Schnoor Viertel (the most perfectly preserved medieval neighbourhood in northern Germany — the "Schnoor" ("string" in Low German, named after the rope-makers who worked here in the medieval period)): the 15th–16th-century Fachwerk (half-timbered) houses in the most narrow and most winding alleys in Bremen. The Eselsgasse ("Donkey Lane"): the 90cm-wide alley connecting two parallel Schnoor streets — the narrowest regularly used pedestrian alley in any German city center. The craft shops: the glassblowers, potters, bookbinders, jewelers and candy-makers of the Schnoor Quarter — the most important artisan district in Bremen. The most charming and most visited neighbourhood in Bremen: take the most leisurely walk possible through the tightest alleyways.

Überseemuseum Bremen (€9.50 — the most important museum of non-European cultures in northern Germany, founded 1896 to house artifacts from the global Bremen Hanseatic trade network): the most interactive museum in Bremen (the most innovative presentation technique in northern Germany: the life-size reconstructions of non-European markets and living environments — the African market, the Japanese market and the Papua New Guinea market are the most spectacular museum reconstructions in northern Germany). The Papua New Guinea collection: the most important Pacific collection in any German museum — the 1912 "Kaiserin Augusta" expedition brought the most important collection of Melanesian artifacts to Europe (from then-German New Guinea (the "Schutzgebiet Deutsch-Neuguinea")). The Americas, Africa, Asia and the Pacific: the full global reach of the Bremen Hanseatic trade network represented.

Bremen craft beer tour: Beck's Pils heritage (Beck & Co., founded 1873 by Heinrich Beck on the Weser — the most internationally exported German beer for over 100 years: the most widely distributed German beer in the United States, the UK and international duty-free. Sold to AB InBev in 2002 for €1.8 billion — the most expensive single brewery acquisition in German history). The Bremen craft beer revolution: over 20 new craft breweries opened since 2010 — the most dramatic craft beer growth in northern Germany. The Brauerei Strom (the most innovative craft brewery in Bremen): the "Stromboli" IPA (the most popular craft beer in Bremen) and the "Weser Weizen" (the most celebrated wheat beer in the Bremen craft beer scene). The Ansgari craft beer bar in the Old Town.

Schlachte promenade (the most important riverside dining area in Bremen — the 400m promenade along the Weser with outdoor dining, bars and beer gardens): the floating bar-restaurants on historic barges ("Prammschiffe" — the most unique dining experience in Bremen: the converted historic barges moored along the Weser quay, each one a floating bar or restaurant). The Fischbrötchen (the most important north German street food — the "fish roll" in three classic versions): the Matjesbrötchen (the mild-cured Dutch-style herring — the most popular north German herring preparation), the Bismarck-Hering-Brötchen (the vinegar-pickled herring named after Otto von Bismarck — the most pungent herring preparation in northern Germany), and the Backfischbrötchen (the breaded fried fish fillet in the crusty roll with remoulade). With Beck's Pils.

Kunsthalle Bremen (€9 — founded 1823): the oldest democratic civic art museum in Germany (the Kunstverein Bremen: the citizens' art association that funds the museum — the most important democratic art patronage institution in German art history). The Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection: the largest Monet collection in northern Germany, Degas dancers and racing scenes, Renoir portraits and Van Gogh paintings (the most important Northern European Van Gogh collection in a northern German museum). The Worpswede art colony collection: Paula Modersohn-Becker (1876–1907) — the most important female German Expressionist painter, the first female artist to paint a self-portrait in the nude (the most important feminist statement in the history of German painting).

Worpswede (30km north of Bremen — the most important German art colony): the village in the "Teufelsmoor" ("Devil's Moor") peat bog landscape, the flat treeless bog with birch trees and drainage channels that inspired the most important German naturalist art colony of the late 19th century. Founded 1889 by Fritz Mackensen (the colony founder), Otto Modersohn (the landscape painter), Hans am Ende, Fritz Overbeck, Heinrich Vogeler (the most important Art Nouveau decorative artist of the colony — the Barkenhoff (his house in Worpswede: the most important Art Nouveau domestic building in northern Germany)) and Paula Modersohn-Becker (the most important Worpswede artist: the first female artist to paint a self-portrait in the nude). The Große Kunstschau: the main exhibition gallery in Worpswede (€8).

Beck's Brewery tour (€14 including tasting — the most famous brewing name in Bremen): Beck & Co. founded 1873 by Heinrich Beck on the Weser. Beck's Pils: the most internationally exported German beer for over 100 years — the most widely distributed German beer in the United States, the UK and international duty-free. Sold to AB InBev in 2002 for €1.8 billion (the most expensive single brewery acquisition in German history — now brewed under license in multiple countries, the most criticized quality compromise in German beer export history). The guided tour includes: the historic 1873 brewhouse (the copper brewing kettles), the lagering cellars (cold-conditioning at 0°C for 4–6 weeks — the most critical step in pilsner production), the automated bottling line. The tasting room: the freshest Beck's Pils available anywhere.

Farewell Bremen dinner: Grünkohl mit Pinkel (the most important winter dish in northern Germany — the cultural centrepiece of the north German winter season): Grünkohl (the curly kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica): always eaten after the first frost (the frost converts leaf starch to sugar, making the leaves sweeter and more tender)), Pinkelwurst (the most important northern German smoked sausage: coarsely ground pork + beef + oatmeal + lard + onion + salt + pepper, stuffed into large pork intestine and cold-smoked over beech wood), and Kasseler (the smoked and cured pork loin: the most important meat in the Grünkohl dish). Knipp (the most traditional Bremen dish: the "Grützwurst" — coarsely ground pork offal + pinhead oatmeal + pork fat: served cold with fried egg and pumpernickel bread). Doornkaat schnapps: the caraway-flavored grain spirit from East Friesland — the most important north German schnapps tradition.