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Federal city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Photo: Hans Weingartz, CC BY-SA 2.0 de via Wikimedia Commons
The federal city of Bonn is one of the largest cities in the Cologne Lowland, second only to Cologne in population, with 330,000 residents in 2020. Despite the size, it maintains a cosy, relaxed atmosphere of a small town, featuring mostly low-rise buildings, a charming old town and a lot of greenery. Located only 28 km south of Cologne up the Rhine River, it has a wealth of museums and points of interest.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Altes Rathaus
Built in 1737 in Rococo style. Not open to visitors.
A beautiful basilica, in Bonn's city centre. Only Bonn Information or the Bonner Münster Foundation are permitted to arrange guided tours to the basilica. The "Bonn Information" organization can arrange for non-German tours.
A large bronze statue of Ludwig van Beethoven on the Münsterplatz that was unveiled on 12 August 1845 in honour of the 75th anniversary of the composer's birth.
The church is a beautiful example of baroque architecture. Today, the church serves as both a church and a German language and culture school, but is probably best known for the "Heiliger Steige." The church was erected in 1627/1628 on the orders of the archbishop to replace an older chapel. In 1746 Elector Clemens August von Bavarian donated the "Heiliger Steige", or holy staircase, which, according to legend has pieces of the cross the crucified Jesus set into the stone. Small brass crosses on the second, eleventh, and last steps mark the spots where the pieces of the cross are supposed to be set. Beautiful view over Bonn.
University Main Building
It is in the former residential palace of the Archbishop and Kurfürst of Cologne, built by Enrico Zuccalli from 1697-1705. It stretches from Kaiserplatz to the Rhine (Alter Zoll) and crosses two streets (Stockenstraße and Adenauerallee), the gates are called Stockentor and Koblenzer Tor. The building looks impressive and beautiful from the outside, but could use a renovation inside. Feel free to walk in. Best view on the palace is from the Hofgarten side. The Hofgarten is a park directly in front of the palace and a place for students to meet and relax in the summer between and after lectures. During Bonn's times as capital, it saw all the major anti-government demonstrations.
It was built as a resort in rococo style for the Archbishop of Cologne Clemens August from 1715 to 1753 by Robert de Cotte and today houses the university's mineral collection, several science departments and the botanical gardens. The palace itself is not open to the public. The botanical gardens next to the palace are a peaceful and beautiful place to relax, have a look at the sunbathing turtles at the pool. The gardens cultivate about 10,000 plant species. Coming from the city centre, walk there from the University Main Building via Kaiserplatz and Poppelsdorfer Allee.
The old cemetery, created in 1715, is an atmospheric cemetery with many old graves, among them the graves of Robert and Clara Schumann, Ernst Moritz Arndt, Friedrich Schiller's wife Charlotte von Schiller and their son.
The double church St. Maria (upper level) and St. Clemens (lower level) was built in 1151 and is due to its rich ceiling paintings of saints and apocalyptic scenes one of the most outstanding romanic churches in Germany. Take Bus no. 640 or 550 to Schwarzrheindorf. You can walk back to Bonn Beuel or Bonn's city centre by following the dam and crossing the Kennedy bridge, it is a popular promenade. Take a break at Bahnhöfchen or Rheinlust near the bridge.
The old and small Jewish Cemetery is in Bonn Schwarzrheindorf between the Doppelkirche and the North Bridge, you can access it from the dam which is a popular promenade.
A big park in the south of Bonn directly behind the Post Tower. You can walk there from the city centre following the rhine promenade, it is about 3 km and very popular on the weekend.
Deutsche Welle (DW) is Germany's international media outlet and is now housed in what was supposed to be the German parliament's home. After the German government decided to move the building was taken over by DW to become its headquarters and home to its radio operations. Tours are conducted in German, however, tours can be arranged in English, French, Spanish, or Portuguese when requested in advance. DW asks that anyone wishing to take a tour reserve at least two months in advance and may require you to be with a group of 6-20 persons, however, they may arrange an exception if contacted. Tours last an average of two hours.
A big nature park between Bonn (quarters Venusberg, Bad Godesberg) up to the cities of Euskirchen and Wachtberg. It is appr. 4 000 ha and popular for walking tours. The nearest ones starts at Waldesruh on Venusberg (which has also a nice cafe). Another route starts at Bahnhof Kottenforst (a pretty frame house) which you can reach by taking a train to Euskirchen, but the train only stops there on weekends).
Until 2001 it was used to house the office of West Germany's chancellor and the chancellor's cabinet. Today, the building is used as a secondary headquarters for the chancellor.
Between 1951-1994 the Villa Hammerschmidt served as the residence of the West German President, however, since the relocation of the German government to Berlin the building serves as a secondary residence for the president.
The University of Bonn-administered Egyptian Museum. The collection is on display in Poststraße 26 ("P26"). The ticket is for the entire P26 building, including the Paul Clemen museum.
Academic Museum of Art
The Academic Museum of Art is at the other end of the Hofgarten park, directly opposite the main building. It is a beautiful building, constructed from 1823-1830 and designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel and Hermann Friedrich Waesemann, and hosts one of the largest collections of plaster casts of ancient Greek and Roman sculptures in the world.
As of January 2022, the museum is closed for renovation, and the collection is housed in the north of the city (AVZIII, Römerstrasse 164).
The Arithmeum features a collection of historical mechanical calculating machines, which today comprises more than 1200 pieces and is the largest in the world. It features the history of calculators, from ancient abacuses and ropes with knots, until the modern day PC. The design of the building and its colourful art collection are an added bonus.
Beethoven House
The birthplace of the great composer is now a museum dedicated to his life and work. The museum even has a lock of Beethoven's hair on display. Bonn advertises its connection with its native son despite Beethoven's vehement hatred for his hometown. With a competent docent this museum is well worth the visit and is more interesting than Mozart's Geburtshaus in Salzburg.
August Macke, a leading member of Der Blaue Reiter, a famous expressionist group, lived in this house with his wife, Elizabeth, for a few years and produced over 400 works in the top floor studio.
House of the History of the Federal Republic of Germany
An interesting explanation of German history after 1945 that is constantly updated. A must if you are interested in history or politics. Exhibitions are presented in German only, but audio guides are available in English, guide booklets with English translations are available for a couple euros, and guided tours for school groups conducted in English are available free of charge when prebooked.
Modern art museum with a large and interesting collection as well as a good cafe.
It hosts changing exhibitions which range from visual art and cultural history up to science and technology. Most of them are world class and definitely worth a visit.
The Deutsches Museum Bonn is an offshoot of the famous Deutsches Museum in Munich (its only branch outside the Munich area) and features about 100 contemporary exhibits of science and technology.
Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig
Natural history museum and zoological research institution, named after Alexander Koenig, who donated his collection of specimens to the institution. The museum was opened in 1934 and is affiliated with the Leibniz Association. On September 1, 1948, the Parlamentarischer Rat, the organ to create the German constitution, was opened here. The actual proceedings happened in the nearby Pädagogische Akademie, the later Bundeshaus.
Bonn Women's Museum
The first museum in Europe dedicated to women and their work. Changing exhibitions.
Museum on local history. The museum was established in 1986 on the initiative of Beuel's Local Historical Society.
Museum of art and archeology, run by the Rhineland Landscape Association. Check their webpage for information about the temporary exhibitions besides their permanent exhibits.
Cold War bunker for the German Government and Bundeswehr to protect them against nuclear attack, located in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, approx. 35 km south of Bonn. Regular tours last 90min and are in German only. You can only visit as part of a tour.
Enthusiastically celebrated in Bonn, especially on 11 November, the begin of the 'fifth season', and between Weiberfastnacht and Rosenmontag in February (peak time, the exact dates differ every year). The best parties are in Bonn Beuel at Bahnhöfchen and Rheinlust, be there early (and costumed, of course!). Bonn's central carneval parade (Karnevalszug) is on Monday (Rosenmontag), but there are also parades in the different suburbs where it is not so crowded and you might catch more sweets (Kamelle).
Rhine in Flames
Rhein in Flammen is an annual fireworks display event synchronized with music, over the river Rhein. It takes place at five different locations between May and September. In Bonn, it usually takes place on the first Saturday in May. The most popular spot to watch it is the Rheinauen, where a big fair with music and food stalls is taking place, although it can become very crowded. Another opportunity is to book a ship tour in advance (often with dinner), you will get tickets at the Brassertufer (Rhine promenade, near Kennedy Bridge).
A month-long music festival in September with numerous concerts held in Bonn and around the Siebengebirge region. Many international musicians are showcased during the festival.
A big fun fair with approximately 500 businesses in Bonn's suburb Pützchen which takes place in September for five days. You can catch buses at the main bus station next to the Hauptbahnhof. Mid-September.
Starts at the end of November at Münsterplatz and Friedensplatz and the streets in between. The booths for mulled wine are a popular meeting place in the evening, but they close at 21.
Hosts classical music concerts, opera and dance. Check their website for a recent playing schedule. You can get tickets at the Theaterkasse, Windeckstr. 1, next to Münsterplatz from M-Sa 09:00-18:30, Sa 09:00-16:00. Box office opens 1 hour before the performance begins. Ticket prices are moderate, especially for students.
An amateur chamber choir made up of roughly forty members. The choir occasionally hosts free shows.
A functional multiplex in Bad Godesberg that shows one or two Films in the Original Version a day. Special prices Mon-W and for students.
Brotfabrik
A small arthouse cinema in Bonn Beuel that regular shows European films (also older ones) in the original version (not necessarily English).
Arthouse cinema in Bonn Endenich which regularly shows movies in the original version.
Arthouse cinema in Bonn Beuel (Friedrich-Breuer Straße 68) which regularly shows movies in the original version.
The Goethe-Institut Bonn is centrally located in the modern building of the Language Learning Center at the University of Bonn
Germany is famous for its bread. There are bakeries all over the city where you can buy different kinds of bread rolls (Brötchen) starting from 30 cent (the wholesome ones with grains are 50 cent or more), sandwiches (belegte Brötchen) for €1.50 and pastries and cakes.
You can get cheap and nutritious sandwiches and coffee at the student cafeterias at the Main University Building in the city centre (Am Hof/Regina Pacis Weg), Juridicum (Adenauerallee/Lennestraße) and on the first floor of the Mensa Nassestraße.
Small Korean snack bar, they offer Mandus, rolls, kimchi, glass noodles, cheap, friendly and very good.
Pizza restaurant in business since 1983 with two locations, on Wesselstrasse 4 and Sterntorbrücke 2.
Fast-food place; currywurst, fries and burgers on the menu.
Hole-in-the-wall place with different falafel wraps and fries.
Asian restaurant; Chinese, Thai and Indonesian dishes on the menu.
The official student canteen offers several dishes, Essen 1 on the second floor is vegetarian. The food is not gourmet but okay for a canteen. The salad bar on the 3rd floor is quite good. Mensa is also open for non-students who pay a higher price (about €5 for Essen 1), but they do not always ask for your student identification if you look young. As of July 2021, the building is being replaced and a temporary canteen has been set up at the University main building.
Local Bierhaus that brews its own beer. Food includes staples such as schnitzel with fries, steaks and other hearty fare.
Very good Japanese restaurant, besides very fresh sushi they also offer soups, curries, and salads. Additional locations (see website).
vegetarian food
Completely vegetarian, buffet-style, vegan meals are marked with a green dot. Quite expensive but really good, try the soups for €2!
Turkish restaurant, with Turkish and Levantine cuisine.
Indian restaurant in Bonn. Although the restaurant makes the impression of a carefully redecorated garage, the food is really good and the owners are friendly. It is also cheaper than other Indian restaurants.
Oberkassel is a bit outside of the city centre, but Karawane is worth the effort. It is basically an "All you can eat" (but not a buffet) consisting of 9 dishes from the Mediterranean and Middle East region. The dishes change two weeks (see their website), you can order a vegetarian selection or additional dishes such as lamb. The atmosphere is nice and the service friendly. It is often crowded, so better call for a reservation.
Italian restaurant right at the Rhine with a wonderful view.
Pizza, pasta and other Italian dishes.
Popular but pricy café and restaurant with delicious food, next to Poppelsdorfer Castle and Botanical gardens.
A fine dining restaurant. No à la carte, but a set menu that changes each month. It is also a hotel.
Spanish restaurant and tapas bar.
Very good coffee specialties and cake, closes at 20:00.
One of the most traditional cafes in Bonn. Not cheap, but good service and excellent cakes. Customers are mostly elderly. In the summer, they offer 300 seats outside directly at the Marktplatz.
Not a cafe, but a tea room in a beautiful frame house that hosts the Tea shop Tee Gschwendner. They brew high quality tea on the second floor and also have a small choice of cakes and scones. The shop on the first floor often offers free tea tasting of one or two teas in a Samowar.
Coffee and other warm beverages, sandwiches and cakes.
Café, coffee roastery, next door to Bonner Kaffeeschule (Bonn Coffee School).
Ice cream parlour.
The definite place to be on a beautiful summer night in Bonn. Alter Zoll is a large beergarden under an old tree with direct view of the Rhine and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. It can become very crowded and take 20 minutes to get your drinks. Many people and especially students also bring their own drinks and sit down on the meadow next to the beer garden. To find it, just follow the crowd at Koblenzer Tor down to the rhine. Payment only possible in cash.
Irish pub in the city centre, atmospheric, good food, large variety of beers and whiskies, live sports.
Popular Mexican bar, Corona beer and great Cocktails. Happy Hour from 17:00-19:30 and 23:30-00:30. Their food is also very good.
Delicious cocktails, good atmosphere. Happy Hour M-Th 18:30-20:30, F Sa 17:00-19:00 and Sunday, Cocktail €5.30.
Small and popular cocktail bar, prices are moderate, they also have pizza and tapas. Very hot in the summer. Happy Hour 18:00-20:00: cocktails €6.90 and pizza from €6.50.
Situated in the multicultural Nordstadt, an atmospheric place to have a beer in summer.
Another good place in the Nordstadt, especially in summer when they have a beergarden outside.
Fiddler's is an Irish pub that serves traditional Irish fare. Events such as weekly Karaoke and Pub Trivia are popular with the student crowd. As a bonus for travelers, a good percentage of the staff will be native English speakers as well.
The Limes is a punkrockers bar, which shows special football (soccer) events of the famous German left football team 1. FC. St. Pauli Hamburg. Events such as concerts or readings are sometimes announced on the website. As a bonus for young travellers and backpackers, the people in the bar are very helpful and open minded.
Dive bar. Speciality is funk and 1960s music. It can get smokey and very hot when crowded.
Underground rock club with young patrons. Has occasional student parties boasting free entry and half-price drinks. If the club is packed, it will get uncomfortably hot. Dress light.
Open five days a week. Theme parties. Can also get smoky and hot when crowded.
Bonn's independent youth hostel in Nordstadt. Different rooms from single and double to dorms with 8 beds.
The official youth hostel is on the Venusberg which is about 20 minutes by bus from the city centre. There are night buses going there, but only one per hour. 269 beds, mainly in quad rooms, with 9 singles and 34 doubles.
Owned by the Catholic church. They offer singles, doubles, dorms, prices start at €25. 20 minutes outside the city centre.
The interior decoration is a bit old-fashioned, but the house has a lot of flair and history and it is at the Marktplatz in the middle of the city.
Located pretty close to the city centre. Free wi-fi in all rooms.
Very central location.
4-star hotel.
To the north, approximately 10 minutes from the city centre.
Used to be the government's guest house, located on one of the Siebengebirge's mountains with a view on the Rhine and Bonn. Hosted several international conferences. 20 minutes by car from Bonn.
Design and ecological lifestyle hotel. There is ample space for conferences and meetings.
Next to the Kennedy Bridge, very central.
10 minutes from city centre by taxi.
Close to the city centre and beside the Rhine river.
Opened in 2016, it has a 17th-floor panoramic bar and restaurant.
Haribo, the world-famous candy maker, has its headquarters in Bonn (Haribo is an acronym for Hans Riegel Bonn). The new factory store is located near the location of the old factory in Bad Godesberg, 500 m from U-Bahn 16 and 63 Wurzerstraße stop. It has a small exhibition of Haribo memorabilia as well as a huge variety of gummy sweets and gadgets. Entering is a bit of a Charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory moment. There is also a smaller shop close to the Bonn Central Station in the city centre.
There is a supermarket at Kaufhof's basement where you can get normal food and many specialties, but it is quite expensive. You can find the ecological supermarket Basic at Maximilianstraße near to the Hauptbahnhof, they also have a snack bar. There is a REWE supermarket at Friedensplatz, a Lidl supermarket in the mall below central station, and an Aldi in the basement of the former Karstadt in Poststrasse. Best place to buy cosmetics is dm (Sternstraße or Friedensplatz) or Rossmann (Sternstraße).
English comics and books, role playing games, card games.
from April to September, the Rheinauen host a big flea market every third Saturday a month where you can find everything from second hand clothes to DVDs, bikes, furniture, books, board games and jewellery from India and Africa. Bargaining is allowed. It starts at 8 in the morning, best time to visit is 10. Take Straßenbahn Line 66 to Rheinauen.
This shop is located near the "street of blossom". It sells products from Latin America.
By train
As Bonn is the former capital of Germany, the railway transportation is convenient.
By bus
By public transport
Bonn has an excellent bus, night bus, tram and subway system operated by the local Stadtwerke Bonn.80), multiple tickets, and 24-hour and weekly passes.
By bike
It is also a good city to explore by bike. Rental bikes are available at the train station from Deutsche Bahn at platform 1 or from the Radstation behind the train station.
By e-hailing
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