Osnabrueck
Introduction
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony in western Germany, set on the river Hase in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. The surrounding hills and forest frame the valley, so the landscape is part of the city's character rather than a distant backdrop.
Before you go
Osnabrück is a mid-sized Lower Saxon city whose character blends industry with a large student presence, giving it a modern, urban feel. Historically, culturally and linguistically it belongs to Westphalia, and its story is bound up with European trade: Charles the Great founded the diocese here, the city belonged to the Hanseatic League, and the Peace of Westphalia was negotiated here at the end of the Thirty Years' War, earning Osnabrück the title Friedensstadt, or "city of peace". It is also the birthplace of novelist Erich-Maria Remarque and painter Felix Nussbaum. Before you go, know that Osnabrück is quite safe overall, with few violent crimes; the main concerns are break-ins, occasional drunks and rowdy youths. Avoid the Neumarkt and Rosenplatz areas at night.Getting there
Münster Osnabrück International Airport (FMO) is the closest airport to the city, with most flights being scheduled and public charters to Mediterranean holiday destinations, plus some domestic German flights. The X150 shuttle bus connects the airport to central Osnabrück in about 30 minutes. Many travellers instead use Bremen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Cologne or Hannover for budget airlines and international connections, though you should factor in ground transport costs, as train tickets from these airports can be expensive if not booked in advance.
Osnabrück Hauptbahnhof is a railway junction, so the city is well connected: trains on the Amsterdam–Berlin route meet those on the Hamburg–Cologne route. Deutsche Bahn operates most trains and connections across Germany and Europe, and the Dutch Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) sells discounted tickets from places such as Amsterdam. Express trains reach Amsterdam, Hamburg, Berlin and Cologne in roughly three hours, and Flixtrain also serves the city. Other operators run many local services, including NordWestBahn and WestfalenBahn from Münster, but these always appear in the DB search engine and tickets. By car, Osnabrück sits at an Autobahn junction: the A1 from Bremen to Cologne, the A30 from Amsterdam and Hannover, and the A33 from Bielefeld. Intercity buses from domestic and international destinations arrive at the ZOB Osnabrück, next to the train station; Flixbus is the biggest operator in the German market, and Ecolines carries passengers from Riga. The Mittellandkanal has a tangent running directly into Osnabrück, but there are no public boat services.
Getting around
The easiest way to get around Osnabrück is by city and regional bus, operated by Stadtwerke Osnabrück. Standard daytime services are supplemented by a NachtBus on Friday and Saturday nights if you are out late. An online trip planner helps you check connections before you set out, and many stops have digital signs showing the predicted wait time for the next bus. Buy tickets from the bus operator or from vending machines on the Neumarkt; fares are posted inside all bus shelters, most operators speak some English, and they are obliged to give change if you overpay in cash. Note that the city has no metro or tram network, so buses and regional trains are the public transport you will actually use. Taxis share the red-coloured lanes with bicycles and buses.
Walking covers much of the compact centre, and many locals ride bicycles thanks to the good infrastructure. If you cycle, take care: the red-coloured lanes are often narrow, at street level, and shared with buses and taxis. Bicycles and cars are forbidden in many parts of the city centre, so if you find yourself on a car-free street, double-check that cycling is allowed, because the police will stop you. If a lane feels uncomfortable, walk your bike on the sidewalk.
Where to stay
Where you sleep in Osnabrück depends largely on how you arrive and how much you want to spend. If you're watching your budget, Penthouse-Backpackers on Moeserstraße offers dorm beds made up with double bedsheets, along with free WiFi, a small breakfast, laundry facilities, a sauna and a rooftop terrace. Travellers wanting something more comfortable should look to the Neustadt and Innenstadt, where Hotel Advena Hohenzollern sits on Theodor-Heuss-Platz right next to the train station — handy if you're arriving or leaving by rail. At the top end, the Steigenberger Hotel Remarque occupies a spot on Natruper-Tor-Wall, within easy reach of the centre.Food & drink
Alongside typical German food, Osnabrück has plenty of foreign cuisine, and the quickest bite is a döner kebab from one of the Turkish stands and restaurants found throughout the city. Several casual spots cluster in the city centre: Manto Bistro on Johannisstraße, Zum Drehspieß on Große Hamkenstraße, Bistro de la Cameleer on Bierstraße, Pizzeria Da Franco on Möserstraße and Viet Nam Wok on Kleine Hamkenstraße. For pizza, pasta and salads, try the pub inside the Lagerhalle Cultural Centre on Rolandsmauer, or Joe Enochs Sportsbar on Heger Straße for baguette sandwiches and Greek, Scandinavian or potato salad.
For a sit-down meal, look for the local old-school Gasthäuser and Lokale. Hausbrauerei Rampendahl on Hasestraße serves traditional German dishes and craft beer, while Comeback Pub & Restaurant on Lotter Straße is known for home cooking. Mellow's on Redlingerstraße and Zinnober on Johannisstraße are further mid-range options, and if you want to push the boat out there is Kesselhaus on Neulandstraße, Almani on Heger Straße and the Romantik Restaurant Walhalla on Bierstraße. You will never have to look far for a drink: the city has youth- and student-oriented bars and clubs as well as places for a more sophisticated crowd. On a nice summer evening, people gather in the Schlossgarten to drink together. Grüner Jaeger is an original beerhall serving local Osnabrücker Pils, and Cafe Orient offers German beers along with shishas in a warm, den-like setting. For something livelier there is the Cubana Cocktailbar & Restaurant with its Caribbean cocktails and salsa, the pop-oriented Alando near the central station, the alternative club Kleine Freiheit behind the station, and Hyde Park for rock and metal nights. Trash on Meller Straße, near Rosenplatz, is an alternative student bar with vintage interior, rock music and a mixed local crowd.
What to see and do
Much of Osnabrück's historic centre was destroyed in the Second World War and largely not rebuilt, so the surviving architecture is scattered rather than continuous. St. Peter's Cathedral, founded with the diocese by Charlemagne and erected in its present late-Romanesque form in the 13th century, is dominated by two western spires built centuries apart and holds a 12th-century triumph cross. The Rathaus is where the Peace of Westphalia was signed, and the Heger Tor, a monument to soldiers who died at Waterloo, stands beside a remnant of the old town. Osnabrück Castle, now a university building, keeps gardens you can walk. The museums cluster in the Museumsquartier: the Felix Nussbaum Haus, devoted to the Osnabrück-born Jewish painter who was killed at Auschwitz, occupies a building extended by Daniel Libeskind, and the Kulturgeschichtliches Museum, Villa Schlikker and Akzisehaus stand nearby. Elsewhere you'll find the Domschatz- und Diözesanmuseum, the Kunsthalle in a former church, the natural science collections of the Museum am Schölerberg, the Museum Industriekultur and the Piesberger Feldbahn, a short narrow-gauge railway modelled on an industrial line. For sport, catch VfL Osnabrück at the Bremer Brücke in the Schinkel district, or visit Theater Osnabrück, Nettebad and Moskaubad.When to go
Osnabrück has a temperate climate, so plan around warm, rainy summers and chilly to cold, dark winters. In summer, expect wet weather and pack accordingly; daylight is long and the city is at its liveliest. Winter is chilly to cold and notably dark, with short daylight hours, cold, damp conditions and a quiet, grey atmosphere.
Three days in Osnabrueck
Day one: Arrive in Osnabrück, a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, set between the Wiehen Hills and the Teutoburg Forest. Historically part of Westphalia, it was a Hanseatic League member and later known as the Friedensstadt for its role in the Peace of Thirty Years' War negotiations. Begin with the old town around the Hase, then visit the Erich Maria Remarque and Felix Nussbaum sites. Avoid Neumarkt and Rosenplatz if you want a quieter start.
- Arrive via Münster Osnabrück International Airport (FMO) or Osnabrück Hauptbahnhof, with connections to Bremen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Hannover, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Hamburg.
- Walk the Hase and the old town.
- See the Remarque and Nussbaum places.
Day two: Explore the city's European and Hanseatic past, including its links to Charles the Great and the Peace of Westphalia. The Lower Saxon character is clear in the old streets and the Hase. Many visitors use Osnabrück as a base for the Teutoburg Forest and the Wiehen Hills.
- Focus on the Peace of Thirty Years' War and Friedensstadt history.
- Spend time in the Teutoburg Forest and Wiehen Hills.
- Return to the Hase and old town in the evening.
Day three: Use your last day for a slower look at Osnabrück's Mediterranean and German influences, then depart. If you are leaving by train, Osnabrück Hauptbahnhof links to Bremen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Hannover, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Hamburg. If flying, Münster Osnabrück International Airport (FMO) is the local option. Before you go, revisit the Hase or the old town.
- Revisit the Hase or old town.
- Depart from Osnabrück Hauptbahnhof or FMO.
- Allow time for connections to Bremen, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Hannover, Amsterdam, Berlin, or Hamburg.