Brunswick (Germany)

Brunswick (German: Braunschweig) is a city of around 250,500 people in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser.

Old Rathaus and St Mary's fountain

The date and circumstances of the town's foundation are unknown. Tradition maintains that Braunschweig was created through the merger of two settlements, one founded by Bruno II, a Saxon count who died before 1017 on one side of the river Oker - the legend gives the year 861 for the foundation - and the other the settlement of a legendary Count Dankward, after whom Castle Dankwarderode (Dankward's clearing), which was reconstructed in the 19th century, is named. The town's original name of Brunswik is a combination of the name Bruno and Low German wik, a place where merchants rested and stored their goods. The town's name therefore indicates an ideal resting-place, as it lay by a ford across the Oker River. Another explanation of the city's name is that it comes from Brand, or burning, indicating a place which developed after the landscape was cleared through burning. The city was first mentioned in documents from the St. Magni Church from 1031, which give the city's name as Brunesguik.

Brunswick Cathedral /w Lion

Understand

Brunswick was a city of importance in medieval Germany. Economically, it was situated at the intersections of major trade routes; moreover, the river Oker was navigable from Brunswick, allowing access to the sea port of Bremen. It was among the last nine cities of the Hanseatic League.

Politically, Brunswick gained importance through one of its most important rulers, Henry the Lion, duke of Saxony and Bavaria. During his reign, Henry founded several German cities (among them Schwerin and Munich), defying his cousin German Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, and married Richard the Lionheart's sister Matilda of England, thus establishing familial ties to the royal family of England, which still exist. His son, Otto of Brunswick, was crowned German emperor in 1209. To document his claim to power, Henry had the Lion monument erected in 1166, which also appears in the city's coat of arms. You can still find the red lion on the coat of arms of Scotland and the British Royal Family.

Brunswick is considered having been one of the most tumultuous cities of Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe (next to Paris and Ghent). Numerous constitutional conflicts ended in uprisings and civil unrest.

Despite its rich medieval tradition, Brunswick's appearance today owes much to its almost complete destruction during World War II. Allied bombing destroyed 90% of Brunswick's medieval city centre (leaving only 80 of over 800 timberframe houses). Only a small number of buildings have been re-erected; the majority of downtown buildings nowadays exhibit the sombreness of 1950s post-war architecture.

An important industrial hub, the district of Brunswick is home to many companies, such as the steel industry in Salzgitter (Salzgitter AG) and Peine, or Volkswagen in Wolfsburg.

The region of Braunschweig is the most R&D-intensive area in the whole European Economic Area investing a remarkable 7.1% of its GDP in the research & technology sector (places two and three go to Varsinais-Suomi and East Anglia with 4.1% each). It is home to the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), the national institute for natural and engineering sciences and the highest technical authority for metrology and physical safety engineering in Germany. Part of its assignments is the accurate measurement of time. It is responsible for the German atomic clock CS2 and the longwave time signal DCF77. In addition, the PTB operates time servers for the distribution of time on the internet.

Brunswick is further known for its universities Technische Universität Carolo-Wilhelmina zu Braunschweig, Hochschule für Bildende Künste Braunschweig, Ostfalia Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften, Welfenakademie Braunschweig, and 19 research institutes, among them the Johann Heinrich von Thuenen Institute (the Federal Agricultural Research Centre until 2007), and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research.

Braunschweig was declared Germany's City of Science 2007.

Get in

By plane

The nearest commercial airport is Hannover Airport (HAJ ^IATA) (approximately 30–40 minutes by car, or around 1 hour by train).

Braunschweig Airport (BWE  ^IATA) is mainly a research airport and is primarily used by the Technische Universität Braunschweig, the German Federal Agency of Aviation (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt), and the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Investigation (Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung). It is, however, served by Volkswagen Air Services, Volkswagen 's corporate airline, with a few destinations in Europe (Prague, Poznań, or Ingolstadt). Tickets can be booked through the airline, or directly at the airport.

By train

Braunschweig Hauptbahnhof

Due to its location in the centre of Germany, Braunschweig Hauptbahnhof is well-served by German national railway company Deutsche Bahn. There are lots of high-speed trains ICE that stop in Brunswick.

Picturesque Goslar and the Harz Mountains, as well as the Luneburg Heath can be reached by local train. Travellers can purchase a Niedersachsen-Ticket, valid on local trains in the whole state of Niedersachsen for €21 for a single ticket, or €29 per ticket valid for up to 5 people. A Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket, which is valid for up to 5 people for all local routes of Deutsche Bahn in Germany on weekends (Saturday and Sunday).

Brunswick main station is not very close to the centre, and the surrounding area does not offer a lot of sights worth seeing (Ringcenter commercial centre and the clubbing area behind it Stereowerk/Cube 11. Take the bus or tram from here to reach your final destination in Brunswick.

By car

Combined station for buses and trams in front of Braunschweig Central Station

Brunswick is served and easily reached by the German Autobahn highway system. Autobahns include one of Europe's main traffic artery the A2 (sometimes jokingly referred to as Europe's biggest parking lot since traffic jams are not uncommon, especially on Fridays). In addtition, the A39 cuts through Brunswick, connecting the city with adjacent Wolfsburg and Salzgitter, and merging into A7 to Kassel and Frankfurt. City autobahns are the A391, A392 and A395.

Depending on the traffic, Berlin can be reached in two hours - Hamburg, Bremen and Kassel in one hour and a half, Frankfurt in 3½ hours, Hannover in 30–40 minutes, and Magdeburg in one hour using the autobahn. Goslar and the Harz mountains are approximately 30–40 minutes away by car.

By bus

Brunswick serves as a major stop for bus travel throughout the country and Europe, thanks in large part to its central location. Buses frequent cities in Eastern Europe, especially Poland. Tour operator Rainbow Tours offers low-cost (and often bumpy) trips to European metropolises.

For information on domestic bus routes see Long distance bus travel in Germany

The central bus station (Zentraler Omnibus-Bahnhof or ZOB) is on Berliner Platz between the main station and the German Mail building (next to the Steam Locomotive monument).

Get around

The city centre is easily explored on foot. Most places of interest can be reached walking. The downtown shopping district is a car-free pedestrian zone. In case you need to visit places further out, you can rely on the public transportation system .

By car

All major car rental companies have branches in Brunswick. But since Brunswick's highways tends to get gridlocked during rush hours (neighboring Peine is the county with the largest number of commuters in Germany, most of which commute into either Braunschweig or Hanover). Moreover, Brunswick is rumored to have the highest per-capita-density of traffic lights in Germany. Try to count your number of stops when moving around by car in Braunschweig.

Brunswick has many parking garages, which are organized through a pretty efficient parking guidance system. You can access information on spaces available, fees, and opening hours via your cell phone at wap.braunschweig.de

By public transportation

The Braunschweiger Verkehrs-AG serve the city and the district of Braunschweig. Places within city limits are easily reached by public transportation, either bus or tram. Ticket prices vary depending where you need to go based on various zones.

Prices are available here. Tickets can be purchased at the driver, at certain stores, or via cell phone. The price for a one-way ticket within city limits is €2.50 (€2.30 by mobile, €1 less for children 6-14), or €5.50 for a day ticket (€5.30 by mobile) (Dec 2018).

Information on schedules and connections can be found either at the BSVAG itself, or on the EFA site, where you can look up connections for all of Lower Saxony and Bremen.

By taxi

Taxis are comparatively expensive in Germany, and Brunswick is no exception. They are usually used by locals on weekends (after buses and trains stop running) for a ride home, or if you need to move lots of luggage to, e.g. the train station. The concept of sharing a cab with strangers is foreign to locals and drivers alike, although some people can be persuaded to share a cab, if your stop is on the same way (and when cabs are sparse e.g. in inclement weather).

Publicly registered taxicabs - those with yellow signs on top which say Taxi and are usually taxi-colored (creamy eggshell color) - can be phoned (0531-5 55 55 or 0531-6 66 66) or hailed. Private companies, such as MiniCar or HighlineTaxi, only pick you up with a prior reservation.

See

• 🌍 The Brunswick Lion. It is the best-known landmark in the city of Brunswick. It stands on the Burgplatz square in front of Dankwarderode Castle and Brunswick Cathedral. Within Brunswick it is thus commonly known as the "castle lion" (Burglöwe), giving the city its moniker Lion City (Die Löwenstadt). Originally erected by Henry the Lion in 1166, it was replaced by a replica in 1980 due to damages to the original caused by air pollution. The original can be found inside Dankwarderode Castle. 
• 🌍 Dankwarderode Castle. 
• 🌍 Brunswick Palace (Braunschweiger Schloss or Braunschweiger Residenzschloss). It was rebuilt in 2007 after having been bombed out in World War II and torn down in the years to follow. Now merely the façade of the former castle with a shopping mall on the inside. The quadriga Brunonia (the allegorical deity of the old duchy, the free state, and the city of Brunsick) is by far Germany's largest (making it de facto the largest in the world). It is possible to climb to the top of the Schloss and see the statue from up close) The building also hosts the Braunschweig public library. Two equestrian statues are placed in front of the castle, one featuring Duke Karl II. Wilhelm Ferdinand of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel, founder of the Braunschweig Technical University, under whose reign Braunschweig for a brief period of time turned into the German centre of Enlightenment, and Duke Friedrich Wilhelm von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel, one of the most renowned German military leaders during the Napoleonic Wars. 
• 🌍 Literaturzentrum (Raabe-Haus). It is a historical builidng in which German author Wilhelm Raabe lived from 1901 until his death in 1910. The house now functions as a museum, centre for literature and research, and venue for literary events. 

Rizzi-House

• 🌍 Rizzi-House. Office building designed by New Yorker pop-artist James Rizzi, located next to the Schlossarkaden. 
• 🌍 Bruchstraße. It is Braunschweig's red light district. Referred to as Gurke (gherkin or cucumber) by locals, this area is off-limits to minors and "non-working "women (women are likely to be subject to harassment and verbal abuse through prostitutes when walking down this street), and shielded from public views by two iron gates. It has an interesting historic side to it though, since it is one of the oldest red lights districts in Germany, maybe in the world (prostitution in this part of town was documented as early as 1594), featuring some Medieval-style timber-framed houses, which can be seen from outside the gates. 

Museums

Museum of Natural History

• Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum. Second-oldest museum in the world (after the British Museum in London) (in German)] 
• Braunschweigische Landesmuseum. (BLM) 
• Jüdisches Museum (part of the BLM). The world's oldest Jewish museum 
• Museum für Fotografie Braunschweig (Museum of Photography). 
• Naturhistorisches Museum. Museum of Natural History. 
• Museum of Agricultural Engineering Gut Steinhof (Landtechnikmuseum Gut Steinhof). 
• Cistercian Museum Riddagshausen Abbey. 

Churches

• Brunswick Cathedral (Braunschweiger Dom). 
• Ägidienkirche. 
• St.Magni. 
• Jakobskirche. 
• St. Andreas. 
• St. Katharinen. 

Parks

• Prinz-Albrecht-Park. A nice park, where many people barbecue in the summer 
• Riddagshausen Nature reserve and arboretum. 

Do

• Canoeing around the city (go to Kennedyplatz, there is a place for renting). 
• Hugo the Nightwatchman. Enjoy a tour with "Hugo the Nightwatchman" through medieval Brunswick. Other tours offered are "Carl-Friedrich Gauss" (sights related Germany's famous mathematician) and "Count Hugo" (Renaissance Brunswick). Phone ahead for tours in English. 

Sports

• Watch a game of Eintracht Braunschweig, Brunswick's traditional football team which plays in Germany's second division. 23,500 people can watch the games in the stadium in the north of Brunswick.
• First division basketball team Braunschweig New Yorker Phantoms plays at Volkswagenhalle.
• Brunswick is home to the very successful (ten times German champions, most German Championships of all teams to date (2015), "three-peat" champion 2013-2015) first division American Football Team New Yorker Lions Braunschweig. They play their home games (season roughly May to September, pre season in April, playoffs in September/October) in the same stadium as Eintracht Braunschweig.

Festivals

Floats at Schoduvel

• Traditionally on the Sunday before Rosenmontag the Schoduvel takes place. Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) is the Shrove Monday before Ash Wednesday (usually in mid-February). It marks the beginning of Lent and is the highlight of the German Karneval (carnival). The Schoduvel is the largest carnival parade in Northern Germany and the fourth largest in Germany, behind those of the traditional carnival strongholds of Cologne, Dusseldorf, and Mainz. The term originates from Low Middle German, meaning "to shoo the devil". It was first documented in 1293, making it the oldest recorded carnival celebration in Germany. However, this tradition has not been a continuous one in Brunswick. Schoduvel celebrations include dressing up in costumes, dancing, heavy drinking, and the parade of Schoduvel floats. Usually candies are thrown into the costumed crowds lining the streets among cries of "Brunswick" to which the spectators respond "Helau". The procession starts at 12:30 and ends around 17:00. Afterwards, the crowd continues drinking and celebration in bars along the procession route and in the bars of Magniviertel.
• Braunschweig Classix Festival. The is an annual classical music festival held in and in the area around Brunswick. The main concert season is from May to June and consists of more than 60 concerts and events, and concerts are presented throughout the year. 
• The Brunswick Schützenfest (German "marksmen's festival", a traditional festival featuring a target shooting competition) is celebrated with the Braunschweiger Masch each June. Over 70 rides and several beer tents attract a crowd from Brunswick and the surrounding area. Highlight are the fireworks on the last Friday. Usually, although taking place in June, it rains during the Masch. Legend has it that this festival is hexed, since the festival site used to be the old Jewish cemetery.
• Traditionally over the Pentecost weekend, Brunswick's castle square turns medieval during the annual Medieval Market Fair .
• Nord LB Open. The is a professional tennis tournament played on outdoor red clay courts. It is part of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Challenger Tour. It is held annually at the Braunschweiger Tennis und Hockey Club in Brunswick. 
• The festival Kultur im Zelt takes place each August and September, featuring acts, readings, bands, and stand-up comedians in a circus tent in Bürgerpark. Tickets should be bought in advanced, as this festival is usually booked out pretty early.
• On every first September weekend, the quaint neighborhood Magniviertel is host to the Magnifest . During this weekend, the whole area is closed is for car traffic, and food stands and band stages are erected throughout the Magniviertel. Artisans offer their products during the day, whereas bands play and people celebrate during the evening and nights. Drinking goes on until way past midnight.
• Braunschweig International Film Festival. The takes place in November. Arthouse and independent films are shown in cinemas all over town. Prizes, such as the Heinrich and the Europa are awarded to independent movies, actors, and directors.
  

  Brunswick Christmas Market
   
• Braunschweiger Weihnachtsmarkt (Brunswick Christmas Market). The opens its gates during the week before the first Sunday of Advent (usually late November), and closes the week after Christmas (end of December). It is one of the most picturesque in Germany and is voted the most beautiful in Northern Germany on a regular basis. Typical beverages served include Glühwein (a mulled wine), Feuerzangenbowle (literally translates as fire-tongs punch - a traditional German alcoholic drink for which a rum-soaked sugar loaf is set on fire and drips into mulled wine), Met (German mead), and Mummebier. Various specialties such as Braunkohl, Meterbratwurst (One-meter-long bratwurst), Heideschinken (baked ham in a rye bun), shashlik, baked camembert, etc. are also offered by numerous vendors on and around the castle square, along with sweets such as sugar-coated almonds and apples, Schmalzgreben (yeast dough squares seethed in oil) and Brunswick specialty Prillecken. Market booths open around 10:00 and close at 21:00. Do not miss it, should you happen to be in the area in December. 

Buy

Brunswick has a lot of options for shopping for a city its size, making it one of two major shopping locations in Lower Saxony (the other one being Hanover). Shopping opportunities in Brunswick can more or less be broken down into three sections.

Schloss Arkaden shopping mall

Schloss-Arkaden is a large shopping mall in the re-built façade of old Brunswick Palace. It is Brunswick's main shopping spot, boasting over 150 shops and stores, and attracting people from Lower Saxonay and neighboring Saxony-Anhalt. The mall's parking garage is in the centre of Brunswick's downtown area, making it a good spot to park, especially on weekends when the city is crowded.

The downtown shopping area is roughly delineated by Lange Straße, Bohlweg, Bruchtorwall, and Güldenstraße. Many shops and eateries can be found within, such as:

• Mini-mall City Point accommodates over 40 shops on five floors.
• The shopping area features three shopping passages. Welfenhof connects Packhof and Lange Straße, and is home to a recommended tobacco store and one of Brunswick's finest cheese delicatessen. Burgpassage hosts a variety of stores on two floors. When walking towards Burgpassage from the Wrestlers' Fountain, turn left before entering it to get into Schlosspassage. This rather small passage will lead you to night club Tango.
• Brunswick-based fashion chain New Yorker's flagship store (Schuhstraße 27, 38100 Brunswick) is in the downtown shopping area. The building is hard to miss due to Northern Germany's largest video screen.
• German department store chain Karstadt has three branches in Brunswick. The main branch offers higher quality clothing, stationaries, toys, etc. The basement contains an extensive grocery and deli. The branch Gewandhaus carries books, consumer electronics, chinaware, etc. Brunswick souvenirs are sold on the first floor. The branch Sporthaus sells sporting goods.
• A good address for books is book store Graff , close to Welfenhof has a wide selection on books about Brunswick. They also have English books in stock. Read your latest purchase in their café, overlooking the Sack shopping street from their third floor.
• When shopping for electronics, Mediamarkt on Lange Straße is a good address.

Nestled in the shadow of Schloss-Arkaden lies Magniviertel , the only Medieval neighborhood that survived WII more or less intact. The small timber-framed buildings house little art shops, wine stores, pawn shops, and stores selling health food. Great for a relaxed stroll on an otherwise busy Saturday. In summer, sit down on one of the bars or cafés and watch people play boules in the yard of St.Magni church on a Saturday afternoon.

• Department store Galeria Kaufhof, right next to Schloss-Arkaden is on the other side of Bohlweg, so it is not part of the main shopping district, but it doesn't fit in with the small stores of Magniviertel either. Most notably, it hosts the Brunswick Lions fan shop and also carries a small selection of Eintracht Braunschweig fan articles.

Souvenir shopping

The best general address for Brunswick-related articles is Braunschweig Stadtmarketing Touristinfo . Besides souvenirs, they sell Braunschweig Phantoms fan articles, tickets for various concerts and theater plays, etc. Moreover, you can book guided tours and rent audio guides (e.g. of Medieval Brunswick ).

Brunswick chinaware, mugs, and steins can be bought at Karstadt am Gewandhaus(Poststr. 4-5).

Eintracht Braunschweig articles can be purchased at Galeria Kaufhof (Bohlweg 72). For a wider selection, pay the Eintracht Fan Shop a visit at Eintracht-Stadion (Hamburger Straße 210), or the recently opened one inside Schlosscarree .

Fan articles of American football club Braunschweig Lions can also be purchased at Galeria Kaufhof (Bohlweg 72).

The pharmacy Hagenmarkt-Apotheke (Hagenmarkt 20) carries Stadtrath, a herbal liquor, destilled in Brunswick.

Eat

Having been one of the most important cities of medieval Germany has left its traces in the Brunswick cuisine, be it the Mumme (Brunswick Mum) (apparently the oldest man-made nonperishable food) or its rich selection of sausages and cakes. Take the opportunity to shop for Mumme specialities. A must-try are Eulen und Meerkatzen (owls and guenons - Ulen un Apen in Brunswick dialect), which, according to legend, were baked by Braunschweig trickster Till Eulenspiegel to play a prank on the people of Brunswick, and which are to this day sold by Braunschweig bakeries. Watch out for seasonal food; the asparagus grown in the Brunsick district is regarded as one of the best in the world, curly kale, served as Braunkohl, is a specialty of the Brunswick region, as well as the local chanterelles. A good opportunity to try Brunswick specialities is the Christmas market in December. Vendors have lots of local food to offer, and you can try and share various dishes without having to sit and order in a restaurant

Budget

• Tiziano. Arguably some of the best Italian ice creams north of the Alps. They serve their home-made ice cream at three parlors in Braunschweig. Their branch at Schlossarkaden also serves Italian food and wine. 
• Stresa, Bohlweg. A very traditional pizza parlor 
• Pizza Room, Sophienstr. 12, ☎ [phone]. This pizza parlor consists of only one room (hence the name), in which the owner and chef toils away while making pizzas to order or to go. Recommended: Pizza Montaverde. 
• When you are in the city centre some good options for a fast meal are the pizza restaurant in the 'Burg Passage' and the Dutch French fries "Imbiss" near 'Karstadt'.
• Turkish-German dish doner kebab places can be found all over town (like in any major German city). Most renowned for its Doner are the Bohlweg (Beyti Grillhaus and Kebab Haus), Tandir near night club Merz, and the Dönerdreieck (Doner Triangle - Mesopatmien Grill, Güney Grill, Olive, and others) wegded in between the downtown shopping district and the red light district.
• Kim-Kim (Located on the party mile next to club Schwanensee). Asian eatery, very popular with the nightlife crowd. Usually packed on the weekends, they serve their meals to go. 
• Zu den Vier Linden, Wiesenstraße 5, ☎ [phone]. A somewhat bohemian restaurant and bar, in keeping with its neighborhood Östliches Ringgebiet with a very mixed local crowd. Nice and laid-back atmosphere and a kitchen that stays open till past midnight make this venue a (hidden) gem. 
• Schalander, Stobenstr. 12, ☎ [phone]. Offers a rustic interior and inexpensive German cuisine. 

Mid-range

• Mutter Habenicht, Papenstieg 3 (tucked in behind the Braunschweiger Landesmuseum, Brunswick State Museum), ☎ [phone]. Very typical Braunschweig cuisine. English menus are available. Smoking is permitted in this restaurant. In order to avoid the smoke, ask for a seat in their beer garden (all the way through the restaurant, and then to the left). 
• Schadt's, Marstall 2, ☎ [phone]. Do not miss when in Brunswick. Restaurant with German cuisine, famous for their home-brewed beer. A Braunschweig classic. 
• Fried´rich am Magnitor, Am Magnitor 5, ☎ [phone]. Features one of the best beer gardens in the city. Enjoy your beers or meals under their chestnut trees (open in summer). 
• Stadl am Kohlmarkt, Kohlmarkt 10, ☎ [phone]. Serves Bavarian cuisine in an old timber frame house with nice dark wood interior. Portions here are generous. May be crowded on occasion, staff is very helpful and friendly. 
• Schnitzelhaus, Wendenring 1-4, ☎ [phone]. Serves typical German schnitzel in many variations and sizes. The place has an all-you-can-eat for €9.90 offer on each month's last Friday. 
• William's Dorfklause, Ohlenhofstraße 11, Timmerlah, ☎ [phone]. Serves Germany's largest schnitzel. Eat two of those monsters (1.5 kg/3 lbs each) and you plus 20 of your friends eat and drink on the house. It's a little outside the city centre in Timmerlah. 
• Fischer (Altewiekring 44, 0531 7071410). A chic somewhat artsy place with a very nice atmosphere, an even nicer staff, and an even more excellent Flammkuchen. The selection of cakes is also worth a shot. Live music on occasion. 
• El Gaucho, Wendenring 1-4, ☎ [phone]. Argentinian steak house, and one of the best in town. Try their pepper steak. 

Splurge

• Tandure. An upscale Anatolian restaurant in the building complex 'Artmax', close to the 'Volkswagen Arena'. Among its regulars has been the Turkish ambassador to Germany. Reservations recommended. 
• OX steakhouse (Haus zur Hanse). Features an excellent restaurant, which has been remodeled into a top-notch steak house. 
• Naske. Acclaimed, offers a pretty international yet selected menu (bison burger next to Vietnamese duck curry and Southern rumpsteak in peanut sauce). They also serve their own beer Naske Dunkel. 
• Gewandhaus Restaurant, Altstadtmarkt 1, ☎ [phone]. Serves German cuisine in the city's old cloth hall. The restaurant is in Northern Germany's oldest vaulted cellar. 

Drink

Bars and pubs

• The Wild Geese. Irish pub and hangout for the English-speaking expat crowd. 
• Bolero. Bar and Mexican restaurant (call ahead for reservation). 
• Okercabana. An artificial beach were you can chill to downtempo or jazz music. Sometimes there are live music events. 

Clubs

• Brain. Alternative music like Reggae, Drum'n Bass, Electropunk, Funk and so on. Different music on different days. 
• DAX Bierbörse, in the centre.

Venues

• Kaufbar. Quirky mix between bar, cafe, restaurant, and cabaret theater, this place often hosts live bands, readings, and improvs and comedy theater. 
• Nexus. This venue attracts an alternative clientele for Punk, Ska, Indie, and Alternative acts. 

Sleep

Brunswick, as would be expected of a city of this size, has a large number of excellent hotels, many in or near the city centre.

Bed & Breakfast

• B&B, Hansestraße 90A (7 km north of the city centre a short drive from the Autobahn 2), ☎ [phone]. Check-in: From 15:00, check-out: Till 12:00. This B&B hotel offers 78 rooms in a quiet suburb. Whilst the rooms are not that big, and there is no capacity for extra beds or cots for babies, there is free WiFi connection in the public rooms and free parking. There is no restaurant, but a substantial breakfast is included in the price. €45. 

Budget

• Hotel Deutsches Haus, Ruhfaeutchenplatz 1, ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. Near the city centre, 84 spacious rooms. The building is over 100 years old, but has been tastefully modernised and offers its own Italian style restaurant, Al Duomo, and has a wine bar and terrace that looks out on to the Cathedral Square. Car parking is free. €45-110. 
• Hotel Restaurant Jaegerhof, Volksmarsweg 16 (5 km to the east of the city centre), ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 17:00-22:00, check-out: 08:00-10:30. Small family-run hotel with 23 quiet and cosy rooms. Car parking is free, pets are welcomed on request, and children under 4 are free, but the rooms are not big enough for extra cots. There is a good house restaurant and in summer the garden is used as a beer garden. WiFi is offered free of charge. Although a bit of a hack from the city centre, this hotel offers a quiet respite from a busy day on the tourist or shopping trail of Brunswick. €60-80. 
• Best Western, Dresdenstraße 10 (Southern district of the city - Rautheim), ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 14:00-23:00, check-out: 06:30-11:00. In a quiet suburb to the south of the city centre. 129 rooms and a small restaurant and breakfast room. Pets are welcomed on request, and there are accompanying charges. Children under 3 are free, and other persons will be charged €30 per night - maximum one per room. The hotel is a former hospital, and this is evident in the structure of the adjoining corridors. This is a no frills hotel. €40-100. 

Mid-range

• Fourside Hotel, Joddenstr. 3. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 06:00-12:00. €70-185. 
• Mercure Hotel Atrium, Berliner Platz 3 (5 minutes walk from the Cathedral). Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Another of the many chain hotels on offer. It offers 130 rooms with air conditioning, Internet, a sauna and fitness centre as well as a solarium. There are meeting and banqueting facilities, and for those ventureing out into the Harz Mountains for the day, the hotel offers a packed lunch service. Tils Sports Bar is a good meeting place in the evening before venturing out on the town. The hotel is very close to the main railway station, but black out curtains and the air conditioning help for a sleepful night. €60-140. 

Splurge

• Pentahotel, Auguststraße 6-8, ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. A modern 4-star hotel hotel with 139 air-conditioned rooms. Rooms are individually designed and there is a free bottle of water but as with so many hotels in central locations car parking (€11 per day) and WiFi (€5.50 per day) are all extra, as are pets which cost €20 per day. There is a good restaurant and breakfast room service may be ordered. There is a sauna and a small fitness centre in the hotel. €70 - 260. 
• Stadtpalais Best Western, Hinter Liebfrauen 1a (5 minute walk from the Cathedral), ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. 45 rooms, a 24-hour service with bar, a shuttle bus to the main railway station and airport, free WiFi and car parking. The hotel has a wide range of prices for its customers, with some saying that this is the best hotel in Brunswick, but still only at a 4-star rating. The hotel is on the edge of the pedestrian area. €80-350. 

Go next

• The German Half-Timbered House Road traverses the district of Brunswick in Wolfenbüttel and Schöppenstedt.
• The Lower Saxon Asparagus Road (German: Niedersächsische Spargelstraße) is a tourist route that confers recognition of the asparagus as a delicacy in the region.
• The Harz-Heide Road is a road that runs over the Harz mountains in Germany through heath (German: Heide) landscape and which is known for its beautiful scenery.
• Elm-Lappwald Nature Park
• Visit the Jägermeister destillery Mast-Jägermeister AG, manufacturer of the 70-proof digestif of the same name in Wolfenbüttel
• The Harz mountains can be reached by public transport (Trains to Bad Harzburg, Wernigerode or Goslar).
• Magdeburg is less than an hour by train.
• Göttingen is one hour by ICE high speed train.
• Wolfenbüttel with its library is 9 min by train (or 27 by bus).
• The Autostadt Wolfsburg, home of the Volkswagen, is 16 or 24 min by train.
• phæno , a museum with 250 experimental stations in Wolfsburg.
• The former border control post at Marienborn near Helmstedt is now a memorial site.