Urban flair & plenty of charm: Saarbrücken
A sticker reading “No WIFI - Talk to each other” is affixed to a lantern on the St. Johanner Markt. Here, in Saarbrücken's “cosy lounge”, you can get a good first impression of the Saarland capital over a café au lait and croissants. In addition to old traditional restaurants such as La Bastille, Zum Stiefel or Tante Maja, cool boutiques such as Kalinski Wurstwirtschaft or Henry's Eismanufaktur, in which young gourmets serve up bold creations of regional products, can be found around the market square. It's an ideal starting point for exploring this city on the Saar.
Underground museum and giant frescoes
Just a few minutes from the old town, directly on the banks of the Saar River, lies the Saarland Museum's Gallery of Modern Art, which, with its large collection of significant works of art from Expressionism to the present day, is one of the most important museums in southwest Germany. In the brightly lit rooms, landmark works such as Oskar Schlemmer's “Blue Women's Group”, Franz Marc's “Blue Horse” and many more await you. The Stadtgalerie Saarbrücken is an excellent institution for contemporary art. Exceptional and experimental exhibitions are regularly presented in a baroque town palace. Since 2017, large-scale murals have adorned all the facades of houses in the city center. As part of the Colors of Pop festival, internationally renowned artists designed thirteen of these impressive murals, which have since given the city a colorful facet in the form of Urban ArtWalk.
The Ludwigskirche, one of Germany's most beautiful Protestant Baroque churches, is located on Ludwigsplatz. Together with the surrounding palaces and civil servants' houses, it forms a unique Baroque ensemble that was completed in 1775. Reconstructed to its original state after its destruction during the Second World War, the city's landmark now shines with new splendor.
The Saarland Historical Museum is appropriately housed in Saarbrücken Castle. It presents the eventful history of the Saarland in an exciting journey through time, from the Middle Ages to the early modern period and the 20th century. One of the museum's highlights is the Saarbrücken castle fortifications, which lie 14 meters beneath the castle square and can be visited underground. Special temporary exhibitions also cover a wide range of cultural and historical topics.
Other advantages of Saarbrücken include its proximity to nature. Forests, streams, meadows and numerous parks form a wonderfully green urban landscape. 73 public parks with a total area of around 120 hectares, 22 hectares of green city, festival and village squares, around 14 kilometers of avenues and some 150 public playgrounds and soccer fields are spread across the city. The urban forest, the “green oasis” of the state capital, is never more than a 20-minute walk away. On the outskirts of the city is the Bürgerpark Hafeninsel, Germany's only large park with a typically postmodern design. Other parks include Schlossgarten, Ludwigspark and Deutsch-Französischer Garten.
Large shopping center and creative shopping zone
Saarbrücken is a fantastic city for shopping. The shopping street begins at the railway station with the Europa-Galerie. The former mining directorate has been transformed into a shopping arcade flooded with light, while preserving many historic details. Other shopping areas can be found along Mainzer Straße, offering original fashion and antiques in buildings dating back to the founders' era. Nauwieser Viertel is also home to some superb culinary offerings, including Saar-Lor-deLuxe and Fruchteria.
The Nauwieser Viertel, located in the immediate vicinity of the city center, is a self-contained alternative. If you're looking for an original gift or something a little more exotic, you're sure to find it among the natural and organic food stores, second-hand boutiques, art and antique stores and trendy cafés.
In the baroque atmosphere of the St. Johanner Markt, with its surrounding alleys and courtyards, you'll find specialty stores selling designer clothes and chic accessories, books and original gift ideas. Friendly cafés, old taverns and restaurants with a French flair make for a perfect shopping experience.
Open-air brewery and cozy courtyards
Nauwieser Viertel is a popular entertainment district. This hip, alternative district is known for its committed art and music scene. The large number of taverns, bars and cafés guarantee a relaxed atmosphere. The inner courtyards of the district's restaurants are perfect for a relaxing end to the evening. For example, at the Café Kostbar restaurant or at a club concert.
The St. Johanner Markt, with its boutiques, taverns, bistros and restaurants, also offers a relaxed atmosphere. This is also the gateway to Fröschengasse. The old craftsmen's and workers' houses in this little street were once part of the old town wall. The alleyway has since been restored in Baroque style. Restaurants with idyllic courtyards await you. You can also enjoy a picnic along the wide promenade “Am Staden”, surrounded by greenery and with a view of the Saar, or enjoy a cold drink in the open-air brewery “Ulanen Pavillon” while the children play on the large playground.
A special landmark: The primeval forest at the gateway to Saarbrücken
The forest as it used to be: experience the primeval forest on Saarbrücken's doorstep. Experience what happens when a forest is left to its own devices in the primeval forest on the outskirts of the city. Uprooted trees, eroded paths, tree moss, colorful mushrooms, bizarre flowers and lichens invade the signs of civilization: a contrast to everyday life and plenty of fun and adventure.
Big or small, the primeval forest has something for everyone. Numerous hiking options with different themes cater for all ages: fairy-tale hikes for children, bat tours, hikes for seniors, hikes with dogs and much more.
Behind “discovering the path together” lies a veritable treasure trove of activities: true to the primeval forest philosophy, various events throughout the year offer the opportunity to actively engage with the forest theme.
The new forest information center, with its communication and exhibition building and three discovery pavilions, provides interactive information on the special features of the living space that is the primeval forest. The information center is also used for interesting lectures, readings, discussion forums, workshops and parties, as well as for in-school and out-of-school ecological education. With the “Findet Turid” radio play app, little naturalists can accompany the Schröder kite on its adventures through the rainforest.
And there's no shortage of culture either: from literary events and festivals to music and comedy, the Scheune Neuhaus offers it all throughout the year. The Ministry of the Environment, the German nature conservation association NABU in Saarland and the SaarForst Landesbetrieb wish you lots of fun and many new sensations in the primeval forest on the outskirts of the city!
