For more tips, for the dark season in Göttingen
In cooperation with Göttingen Tourismus & Marketing e.V.
A city trip in winter? Yes, please! Some destinations even show their particularly charming side in the cold season. How about Göttingen, for example: Here you don't have to worry about freezing feet or frozen noses. The university city offers you plenty of heart-warming flair and lots of cool locations where you can warm up!
A good starting point for a winter city stroll is the Goethe avenueThe street is lined with stately linden trees and leads straight to the center. Besides Goethe, who gave the street its name, the Grimm brothers and Robert Koch once lived here! Continue on the Göttingen Planetary Path, where the sun and planets can be admired on artistic bronze stelae. For number fans: The scale is 1 : 2 billion!
At the transition to Prinzenstraße Michaelishaus is worth a look: Goethe came and went here, as did Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, and in 1787 it was the first place where a woman received a doctorate from the Faculty of Philosophy. Once in the pedestrian zone, you can continue your stroll here - or warm up in the Lichtenberg House: The Kunstverein Göttingen regularly presents exciting exhibitions there.
Only a few minutes further on, you will cross Weender Straße at the so-called "Nabel": a popular meeting place and equally popular photo motif between beautifully restored houses, sculptures and the Jacobi Church. If you're in the mood for some shopping, you've come to the right place! For a sweet refreshment we recommend the "Le Papillon": the cakes, tarts and macarons do honor to the French patisserie art.
If you like it student-lively, individual and creative, you should visit the Castle Street visit. Wilhelmplatz is something like the epicenter of this area. The options for culinary stops and browsing in owner-operated stores are so varied that there is something for every taste.
Extra Tip: Do not let the Half-timbered highlights escape the city! The Junkernschänke at the intersection of Barfüßerstraße/Jüdenstraße is quite rightly one of the most photographed houses in the city. And also the Schröder's house with its rich decorations is admirable.
This is simply part of a stroll through the city in winter: a cozy stop for tea or coffee. In a student city like Göttingen, the range of such places huge - and even if you only stop in by chance: the likelihood is quite high that you won't want to leave again...
Recommendable is for example the Birds in Nikolaistrasse. You are welcomed there by a cozy mix of different furnishing styles and by the warm owner Sophie! In addition to coffee and homemade cakes, there are also selected wines. The Birds is always well attended; two evenings a week it even transforms from a café into a bar.
At Kaffehus not far from the university's main campus, Scandinavian serenity reigns - brothers Jan and Jens delight with their selection of unusual coffee specialties, served artfully. In addition to cakes, there are also hearty dishes to eat here; the sandwiches with vegetarian and vegan spreads are particularly popular.
For music lovers there is another way to warm up besides going to the café: browsing extensively in Record and vinyl stores! Göttingen has a fascinating variety of such gems: The Vinyl Reserve on Rote Straße, for example, is dedicated to classical music, modern jazz, blues and rock. The Antiquarian bookshop René Krieger at Kurzen Geismarstraße 17 offers vinyl as well as books, CDs, DVDs, comics and a whole range of enchanting old comic play figures. A place with extraordinary flair is also the Göttingen violin storeWith experience and sure instinct, master violin maker Dagmar Loepthien dedicates herself here to classical instruments.
In the evening, if you want, move on to one of the city's many live music clubs.
What is the highlight of the winter season? For many, the answer is: the Advent and Christmas season! Even if some traditions don't take place in the usual way this year - a city like Göttingen offers a lot even without official Christmas market some ways to get into contemplative anticipation of the holiday!
For example, there is a huge Advent calendar in the windows of the public library. And the Göttingen churches are always worth a visit: For example, there is a wonderful nativity scene exhibition in St. Albani Church. And the church of St. Johannis was reopened right on time on the first Advent weekend - after almost three years of renovation! The plans for the future are big: St. Johannis wants to be an open citizens' church in the future, to present its own events and also to offer a stage to other cultural workers.
By the way: Some Goettingen church towers are also open for visitors. Just imagine how wonderful the view is from up there! If you're lucky enough to look down on the city on a winter's day after snowfall, you'll notice: That special, heartwarming Christmas feeling sets in all by itself!
Take the train to Göttingen comfortably and without traffic jams: Plan arrival.
Cover photo: The Old Town Hall in wintery Göttingen © Göttingen Tourism and Marketing / Mischke
