Brilliant Bonn
The former West German capital has castles, cafés, and magnificent museums galore. It also might just be the most underrated city in Germany.
Between us, the end of the last century was a bit challenging for Bonn. The city had lost its status as the capital to Berlin when Germany reunified, and much of the international prestige that went with it. To add to this, in the 1990s the flooding along the Rhine river (which goes through the city) was said to be the worst in a century and caused extensive damage.
But then Bonn did what it does best: adapt and thrive.
The city has been doing that since the Roman Empire’s local garrison was overrun by marauders, nearly 2,000 years ago. And each time, a part of the past has been preserved.
But first things first. After landing in Frankfurt, you could drive west to Bonn. Germany’s roads are legendary, though contrary to popular belief you cannot drive as fast as you want on the Autobahn. Yet a journey by train is really something to experience.
Deutsche Bahn is by far Germany’s largest train company. Its trains are clean, modern, comfortable, and usually on time. Bonn is also on a busy line between Frankfurt and Cologne, so there are many direct connections a day.
A train ride allows you to do another thing more easily: take in the scenery. Picture-perfect villages with stone churches decorate the landscape, rising above green fields and forests that come straight out of a fantasy story or film. The experience is even better if enjoyed with a cup of warm coffee or hot chocolate from the on-board café/restaurant (many of the trains have one).
If arriving by train, you’ll get off at Bonn’s pretty (and surprisingly petite, at least for the former capital of one of the world’s largest economies) central station. It’s a great place to begin exploring as it’s on the edge of the Altstadt, or ‘Old City’. This is
among the most historic places in Bonn, where you can wander along cobblestone streets and check out some of the shops, restaurants and cafés.
The Romanesque Bonn Minster is one of the oldest and prettiest churches in Germany and its sharp steeples, piercing the sky like spikes, are a good visual guide if you get lost among the labyrinth of winding streets, which is easy to do. The Altstadt is famous in its own right, but it has one other, major, claim to fame, which is as the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven.
This extraordinary and world-famous composer was born in Bonn in 1770. His childhood home near the Market Square has been preserved as a museum where
you can learn more about the man and his influential music. Not far from here you will find the Rococo-style Old City Hall, dating back to the 1770s, which is also well worth a visit.
Bonn’s more recent history is probably what most people above a certain age remember it for. After World War II, it was decided the temporary capital of West Germany would be Bonn and it remained that way until East and
West reunited. Yet many government institutions remain in Bonn.
The Bundeshaus is where the parliament met, and the beautiful Villa Hammerschmidt was where the German president (a largely ceremonial role, unlike the chancellor) lived. You can visit both. A fascinating place to learn about Bonn’s contemporary history is
the Haus der Geschichte museum, which includes an exhibition on German political cartoons.
For a museum of a different sort, take a trip to the Museum Koenig. Children will love it because there are entire dinosaur skeletons on display.
The museum is dedicated to the study of animals and plants, and besides showcasing a huge variety of species the architecture – combining classical and modern design – is outstanding.
Another museum to visit is the Frauenmuseum, the Women’s Museum. Featuring art by female artists and a rotating array of exhibitions, it’s a fascinating exploration of the cultural history of women in Germany. Though known as a progressive country now, it wasn’t so long ago that women didn’t have many rights.
All the museums and walking around will work up an appetite, and being a former capital, Bonn has a much more diverse range of cuisine than a small city would normally have.
Few foods are more emblematic of Germany than schnitzel – thin slices of fried meat, usually chicken, turkey, beef or pork. There are many varieties to try, but on a cold winter’s day, few are as filling (and warm your insides) as rahmschnitzel, schnitzel in cream sauce with mushrooms. One of the best
places to eat this is Bönnsch. Located on Sterntorbrücke in the Altstadt, they also brew their own beer, and have good French fries to accompany your schnitzel.
If you have a sweet tooth, you’re in luck: Bonn is the headquarters of Haribo, known worldwide for their gummy bears. You can sometimes even take a tour of the factory to see how their famous sweets are made, but do check in advance as things can change due to health restrictions.
Beyond the Altstadt, Bonn sits along the Rhine and it’s almost a rite of passage to take a boat cruise along it. Many companies offer short trips, even in winter. It’s a wonderful way to see the city from a different perspective.
One other way to see the city is from the highly underrated suburb of Venusberg. Being up on a hill gives you many views of Bonn from above. Walking around here feels like being in a friendly village with cosy cafés, pubs and restaurants to visit. Among the best is Mauel. At the corner of Sigmund-freud-straße and Sertürnerstraße, near the hospital, this little café and bakery does amazing lattes and chocolatey pastries and cakes. Perfect if you need warming up.
Venusberg also gives you access to the Kottenforst. Imagine a fairy tale, which is what comes to mind as you set off on foot through this very green, very large forest. Thankfully there are no dangerous witches or fire-breathing dragons to worry about.
Speaking of dragons: head across the Rhine using any one of several bridges and take the Drachenfels Railway, the oldest rack railway in Germany, up through the
hills to Schloss Drachenburg. The views you’ll get are magical, especially when there’s snow on the ground. The name alone might stir your imagination: ‘drachen’ is German for ‘dragon’ and ‘burg’ means ‘fortress’. There are no actual dragons to be afraid of (as far as is known), but this castle looks a lot like the one seen at the start of Disney films. You can take a tour inside and then eat in the restaurant. Who wouldn’t want to say they had lunch or dinner inside an actual castle?
The ancient fortress of Godesburg will also inspire you. It was largely destroyed in 1583, but has been beautifully restored. It too has a restaurant, and is closer to Bonn’s city centre.
Because it’s so close to the muchlarger city of Cologne (they are connected by light rail, making for an easy day trip), Bonn often gets overlooked by visitors. That’s to your advantage: it means you’ll have fewer queues for any local attractions. After all, aren’t holidays supposed to be relaxing?