A Travel Price Comparison for Germany Dresden vs. Bremen for Old Town, Attractions, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Dresden or Bremen?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Dresden or Bremen? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Dresden

Dresden is a architectural, cultural, and park-filled city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. Other popular activities here include nightlife, food, and shopping.

Bremen

Bremen is a colorful, lively, and historic city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Dresden and Bremen: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Dresden or Bremen?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Dresden. Although Dresden and Bremen are popular destinations, Dresden has more sights and attractions for tourists. Dresden is very popular for its big city activities, while Bremen attracts visitors for its museums, historical sights, shopping, and impressive beauty. Dresden is more touristy than Bremen and is known for its beautiful palaces, castles, and many landmarks (such as the Baroque Zwinger Palace, Semperoper Opera House and the Church of Our Lady). It is also well known for Dresden Frauenkirche and The Royal Palace. Bremen is famous for its beautiful historic center and its role as a cultural hub in Germany.

How is Dresden different from Bremen?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Bremen and Dresden. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Dresden or Bremen?

Bremen is a great destination for its museums and landmarks. Also, Dresden is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

Bremen offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. Many of the city's landmarks are located around the famous Marktplatz. You can tour the Bremen Town Hall or wander around the Medieval Schnoor Quarter. Also make sure you check out the Cathedral of St. Peter.

Dresden is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. It's rich in culture and baroque architecture. Some of the main sights around town include Dresden Frauenkirche, the Dresden Royal Palace and Museums, the Zwinger and Old Masters Picture Gallery, and the Semper Opera.

Is the Food Better in Dresden or Bremen? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Dresden and Bremen can be difficult as they are each nice in their own way.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Dresden area. The food features a number of Saxon specialties, which are typically hearty and heavy on the meat. If you have a sweet tooth, you'll also appreciate the many sweets that you can find around town. You should make sure you try a Fettbemme (open faced sandwich), Eierschecke (a cake), and Sächsische Kartoffelsuppe (potato soup) while you're in town.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Bremen. The food is hearty and filling with many meat heavy dishes. Vegetarians may struggle to find local options. Traditional regional dishes include Kohl und Pinkel (kale and sausage), Labskaus (meat and stew), and fried smelt.

Is Dresden or Bremen Better for Nightlife?

It's hard to distinguish whether Dresden or Bremen has a better nightlife scene.

The people in Dresden know how to have a good time. Head to Neustadt for the highest concentration of bars and clubs. There's a diversity of trendy clubs and casual bars. Bar hopping is easy as most places are accessible by public transit.

The nightlife in Bremen has something for everybody. There's a variety of evening activities including cocktail bars, trendy clubs, and fine dining restaurants. Head to the Viertel District for some of the most lively clubs.

Is Dresden or Bremen Better for its Old Town?

Bremen is an amazing city to visit for its historic old town charm. Also, Dresden is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historic old town.

Bremen offers visitors a world-class historical old town to explore. The old town is beautiful with its charming streets and beautiful buildings. There's a main market square which is filled with many landmarks and tourist sights.

There is a nice variety of sights in the old town of Dresden. Much of the city's old town has been rebuilt, but that's not to say it isn't beautiful. The main square and surrounding area are where you'll find the majority of the city's main sights.

Is the Shopping Better in Dresden or Bremen?

Bremen is a great destination for its shopping areas. Also, Dresden is still popular, but not quite as popular for shopping.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Bremen. The city offers a mix of historic shopping areas and large shopping malls. Some of the biggest shopping malls include Karstadt Bremen, Lloyd Passage, and Weserpark.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Dresden. Kunsthofpassage Dresden is a network of streets where you'll find crafts, art, and other eclectic items for sale. Prager Strasse is a popular shopping street near old town and Seestrasse is where you'll find all of the trendy brands that are popular throughout Europe. The city also has many shopping malls.

Is Dresden or Bremen Better for Families?

Bremen is a great destination for its family-friendly activities. However, Dresden is a city with minimal options for its kid-friendly activities.

Bremen is known to be a very family-friendly place to visit. Kids will appreciate a Sunday visit to the Bremen Town Musicians play which performs popular fairy tales. If the season isn't right, there are many other kid-friendly activities around town including Bürgerpark, the puppet theater, or visiting the beach at Café Sand. Popular museums in town for kids include Universum and Bremer Geschichtenhaus.

For families, Dresden is not always the best place to visit. It doesn't have quite the abundance of activities for kids that you may find in other Germany cities, but that doesn't mean that kids will be bored. There's the Dresden Zoo, the Dresdner Parkeisenbahn (a small steam rail), and the Saxon Folk Art Museum. Families can also take a guided to of the Transparent Factory, which is owned by Volkswagon and provided information on the manufacturing of automobiles.

Is Dresden or Bremen Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Dresden and Bremen make for a nice place to visit.

Dresden is a good city for couples to visit. Couples can explore the old town or walk through one of the city's many parks. The city has many cultural activities. In the new town you'll find many great bars and fascinating restaurants.

Bremen is a nice destination for couples. From its beautiful old town to its many great restaurants and shopping streets, couples will enjoy a romantic trip away in this beautiful city.

Is Dresden or Bremen Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Dresden and Bremen are nice places to visit for backpackers and budget travelers.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Dresden. There are plenty of hostels to choose from and the city itself is not particularly expensive.

Bremen is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. Backpackers love the old town and lively atmosphere. There are enough tourists around that you'll find a decent social scene and the atmosphere makes for a great visit.

Is Dresden or Bremen Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Bremen is a great destination for its public transit. Also, Dresden is still popular, but not quite as popular for times when you don't have a car.

Many visitors use the public transit system in Bremen. The city has both trams and buses that offer easy accessibility to most of the tourist areas.

While Dresden offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. The city has two major train stations as well as tram and bus lines around town.

Is Dresden or Bremen a more walkable city?

Bremen is an amazing city to visit for its ease of walking around. Also, Dresden is still popular, but not quite as popular for its walkability.

Getting around Bremen on foot is easy. It's one of the most walkable cities in Europe.

Dresden is very walkable. Particularly in the compact city center you'll find Dresden to be very walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Dresden Worth Visiting? and Is Bremen Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Bremen or Dresden?

How long in Dresden or Bremen?

It's fun to spend time in either Dresden or Bremen. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Bremen due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Dresden, and 2-4 days is enough time in Bremen.

Families should spend more time in Bremen than Dresden. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Bremen, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Bremen than Dresden. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Bremen that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Bremen than Dresden if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Bremen.

One day in Dresden or Bremen?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Dresden. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

In Bremen, you'll find nightlife and food. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. This city offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

A weekend in Dresden or Bremen?

Dresden is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

In Bremen, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. Visiting the old town is also a must. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Bremen has to offer.

Five days in Dresden or Bremen?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Dresden. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Bremen is a great place to explore. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

A week in Dresden or Bremen?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the architectural destination of Dresden. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Bremen. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Bremen. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Berlin, The Best 10-Day Tours from Berlin, The Best 2-Week Tours from Berlin, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Germany.

When comparing the travel costs between Dresden and Bremen, we can see that Bremen is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Dresden Expensive? and Is Bremen Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Dresden or Bremen?

Bremen has a larger population, and is about 12% larger than the population of Dresden. When comparing the sizes of Dresden and Bremen, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Dresden or Bremen?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Dresden or Bremen in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Dresden and Bremen. The city activities and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Dresden this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Bremen for the family-friendly experiences.

Dresden is a little warmer than Bremen in the summer. The daily temperature in Dresden averages around 20°C (68°F) in July, and Bremen fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).

In July, Dresden usually receives less rain than Bremen. Dresden gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Bremen receives 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Dresden or Bremen in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Dresden as well as Bremen. Many travelers come to Dresden for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene. Additionally, many visitors come to Bremen in the autumn for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.

In the autumn, Dresden is around the same temperature as Bremen. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Dresden in October average around 11°C (51°F), and Bremen averages at about 10°C (50°F).

Dresden usually gets less rain in October than Bremen. Dresden gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Bremen receives 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Dresden or Bremen in the Winter?

Both Bremen and Dresden are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Dresden in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Also, most visitors come to Bremen for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.

Bremen can be very cold during winter. Dresden can get quite cold in the winter. In January, Dresden is generally cooler than Bremen. Daily temperatures in Dresden average around 1°C (33°F), and Bremen fluctuates around 1°C (33°F).

In January, Dresden usually receives less rain than Bremen. Dresden gets 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain, while Bremen receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Dresden or Bremen in the Spring?

Both Bremen and Dresden during the spring are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Dresden for the activities around the city during these months. Also, the spring months attract visitors to Bremen because of the natural beauty.

Dresden is a little warmer than Bremen in the spring. The daily temperature in Dresden averages around 10°C (50°F) in April, and Bremen fluctuates around 8°C (46°F).

Dresden usually gets more rain in April than Bremen. Dresden gets 53 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Bremen receives 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Bremen and Dresden