Things to Do in Braunschweig: Insider Tips from a Local

Tips and Info for a Trip to Braunschweig

Before we get to our interview, here’s the most important info you need before visiting Braunschweig.

Location

Braunschweig is located in northern Germany — more specifically, in Lower Saxony.

It sits roughly between Hannover and Wolfsburg.

By car, it takes about an hour to reach the state capital, Hannover. Wolfsburg is only 30 minutes away.

Braunschweig also makes a great base for a day trip to the Harz mountains.

Our Hotel Picks

Braunschweig has a manageable number of hotels. To give you a quick overview, we’ve listed places to stay across three price categories. Even the higher-end options here are still pretty affordable, so don’t let that put you off!

Interview with a Local: The Best Insider Tips for Braunschweig

Our Expert

My name is Beate Ziehres, and I’m a blogger, editor, and PR manager.

I’ve been living near Braunschweig since the early 1990s.

For several years I worked as an editor for a regional marketing magazine in Braunschweig, and after that for a regional marketing blog.

Since then I’ve also been writing for other websites that share the same goal: highlighting what makes Braunschweig and the surrounding region so special.

Because I love to travel, have a deep passion for exploring new places, and want to spark other people’s curiosity about those discoveries, I started my own travel blog.

On Reiselust-Mag.de I feature destinations that I’ve especially fallen in love with — sometimes places that have taken a piece of my heart. I can’t explain any other way the many wonderful moments I experience on my explorations, including right on my own doorstep.

Braunschweig in Three Words

Livable, innovation-driven, green city on the water.

Why Visit Braunschweig?

To see for yourself that it’s a beautiful, historically rich city surrounded by greenery, with so much to see and experience.

I also don’t know of any other city with a comparable density of great restaurants. Braunschweig is simply surprising — like a well-kept secret that everyone should discover for themselves.

What Makes Braunschweig Unique

Tough question. But the Rizzi House is certainly one of a kind.

Designed by US artist James Rizzi, the facade is covered in Pop Art paintings. This eye-catching building sits between the Schlossarkaden shopping mall and the traditional Magniviertel neighborhood — and it’s seriously unlike anything else you’ll see in Germany.

Things to Do in Braunschweig: Sights and Activities

Must-Sees

The top attraction in Braunschweig is the Burgplatz, with Dankwarderode Castle and Braunschweig Cathedral. The square — with its large lion statue and medieval facades — is also Beate’s personal favorite spot in the city.

On a Rainy Day

When the weather turns, Braunschweig has you covered. You can explore one of the city’s many great museums, spend the day shopping and browsing at the Schloss, or treat yourself to a wellness day at the Wasserwelt — Beate’s personal favorite during the colder months.

Braunschweig with Kids

It really depends on the kids.

Little climbers will love the Monkeyman climbing park in Westpark, or the Greifhaus bouldering gym on Hamburger Straße.

More laid-back kids tend to love pressing their noses against the display cases at the Natural History Museum on the TU campus on Pockelsstraße.

Teenagers? You can definitely coax them out of their shells with a session at one of Braunschweig’s two escape room centers — or with a few thrilling laps on the indoor and outdoor tracks at KartCity in Braunschweig-Wenden.

Best Day Trip from Braunschweig

Riddagshausen is a great starting point.

This old Braunschweig neighborhood has plenty to discover in every season. In summer, blooming landscapes surround the former Cistercian monastery and the freely accessible garden of the monastery church. In winter, the frozen Riddagshausen ponds seem to draw nearly the whole city out onto the ice.

The monastery church — the most popular wedding church in Braunschweig, incidentally — and the attached Cistercian museum are worth a visit any time of year.

That said, Riddagshausen is no secret. On weekends it can get quite crowded. That’s why Beate prefers to drive a few more kilometers out to the Elm.

This small ridge of hills just outside Braunschweig is home to the most extensive beech forests in northern Germany. The romantic Reitlingstal valley, with the inn Reitling im Elm, is a Braunschweig institution for a Sunday outing — the cakes and pastries here are legendary. And since the Elm is expansive and the inn has a huge number of seats, there’s plenty of room for everyone.

Best Spot for Relaxation

For a quick escape, the Botanical Garden is Beate’s top pick. It sits picturesquely along the Oker River right in the middle of the city, and all kinds of exotic plants thrive here.

The atmosphere is wonderful — a small waterfall tumbling over fern-covered, moss-covered stones that’s oddly reminiscent of Hawaii. You’ll drift away in no time.

Best Viewpoint

Head to the Nußberg in the northeast of Prinzenpark — officially called Prinz-Albrecht-Park — and all of Braunschweig spreads out at your feet.

When the sun sinks behind the city’s church steeples in the evening, the panorama is especially spectacular. There’s even an observation platform on a former World War II bunker.

Best Photo Spot

Beate’s favorite spot for truly breathtaking photos is Bürgerpark, where the Oker winds its way through meadows and dense forests. Several ponds dot the landscape, including the oft-photographed Portikusteich. Nature lovers will find magical subjects in abundance here at any time of day and in any weather.

Most Unusual Activity

A trial training session with the Broomicorns — the Quidditch team of the Turn- und Rasensportverein von 1865 e.V. — is seriously a highlight for Harry Potter fans. Grab your broom, get set, go!

Best Annual Event

Beate’s personal annual highlight is the Wintertheater in the mirrored tent, set up every year around Christmastime at the Martinikirche.

The program traditionally features the Braunschweig Christmas story, along with music and dance. With only 600 tickets per show, you’ll need to act fast if you want one.

Museums in Braunschweig

The Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum is Braunschweig’s most well-known museum and ranks as the city’s second top attraction.

It’s been around for more than 250 years and is one of the most significant art museums in Germany — the core of the collection dates back to its founder, Duke Anton Ulrich of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

Favorite Neighborhood

The Magniviertel around the Magnikirche is where Beate completely loses track of time.

Small cobblestone lanes lined with half-timbered houses are home to little independent shops, plenty of cafés and bars, and restaurants with a genuinely historic atmosphere — great spots for a long meal with friends.

One standout is Kaffeezeremonie, where everything revolves around freshly roasted Ethiopian coffee. You have to try it!

Food and Drink in Braunschweig

Local Specialty

Braunschweiger Mumme is world-famous — it served as provisions for sailors in the early modern period, which is how this historic malt brew made its way all the way to the Caribbean.

If you’d rather not try the sweet, thick malt beer straight, go for what Beate does: a hearty original Braunschweiger Mumme pot roast or Mumme goulash.

Favorite Restaurants

One of Beate’s top picks is Brodocz in the city center, known for excellent organic cuisine and great vegetarian and vegan dishes — though meat and fish are on the menu too. The fried vegetable skewers with guacamole and baked potato wedges, and the vegetable curry, are personal favorites.

At Safran near the Schöppenstedter Turm — just outside Braunschweig along the B1 — Afghan specialties take center stage. Beate loves the Aschack in the classic version with ground beef and bean sauce, served with naan. Don’t skip the Sabsie as a side: young leaf spinach with onions and fresh cilantro. Absolutely delicious.

And then there’s Troja on Bültenweg — a small Turkish-Oriental restaurant with a wonderfully cozy atmosphere. The owner personally looks after his guests, the vibe is family-friendly, and the food is genuinely excellent. The lamb dishes are especially recommended. In winter, reserve ahead even on weekdays.

Best Burger

When Beate’s in the mood for a burger, her go-to is Liebeskuh on Lange Straße 61. Everything here is homemade from their own recipes, served on enamel or wooden plates, with decor that’s truly one of a kind.

The standout is the Liebesburger: beef patty, the usual fixings, grilled bell pepper, gratin goat cheese, and a honey mustard sauce. Really, really good.

Best Ice Cream

Braunschweig has some seriously great ice cream spots.

For the most unusual flavors, head to Coney Eisland at Westbahnhof 12 — the absolute showstopper is “Black Mamba” with black cherry and activated charcoal.

In the city center, Eiscafé De Pellegrin on Wendenstraße 2 is the address of choice for especially fruity fruit flavors.

And if you’re after marzipan-nougat, it’s worth the detour to Billy – Mehr als Eis on Kasernenstraße 12A in the eastern Ringgebiet — a real local favorite. You’ll find not only delicious ice cream but also small hot dishes and even mulled wine, with a cozy terrace that’s open in winter too.

Best Breakfast

Café Tante Emmelie at Bäckerklint 1 is Beate’s favorite place to start the day. The old tables are covered with floral tablecloths, the dishes are charmingly mismatched, and everything — rolls, cheese, cold cuts, spreads — is organic and sourced from small artisan producers or local farms. You can even take home a whole loaf of the wonderfully crispy fresh bread.

Best Evening Out

In summer, Soldekk is the place to be — cocktail in hand, toes in warm sand on a parking garage rooftop in the heart of Braunschweig, city lights glittering all around. A must.

In winter, the Tresor am Bankplatz (officially called “Genusstresor”) is the spot. Plush dark brown armchairs, a fireplace, and a bar menu that leaves nothing to be desired. Beate’s favorites: Strawberry Margarita and Louise.

Where to Stay in Braunschweig

Our Hotel Pick

The Steigenberger Parkhotel is Beate’s top recommendation. It’s beautifully situated in Bürgerpark, yet just a few steps from the city center — modern and comfortable rooms, a lovely restaurant, a stylish bar, and a spa. Everything you could wish for.