10 Best Places to Go Shopping in Bremen

Karstadt Bremen is the destination's largest department store. As such, it offers a huge selection of brands and items, with clothing for men, women, and children. There’s also a video and music department, a large cosmetics department, and a restaurant.

Beyond its size and diverse offerings, Karstadt Bremen also boasts an impressive history and architectural background. Originally built in the 1930s, the department store is considered a prime example of interwar architecture and has been recognized by the German Monuments Act as well as the Department for Preservation and Protection of Historical Buildings.

Lloyd Passage is a bright and airy, glass-covered shopping arcade in Bremen with a range of businesses on either side of the long thoroughfare. On shopping strolls, you'll find clothing stores, cosmetics retailers, secondhand stores and more, alongside several restaurants and bars.

Lloyd Passage primarily stands apart not for its shops, but for its cultural significance to the people of Bremen. Lloyd Passage acts somewhat as a hall of fame for the area or, as they call it, “the mall of fame,” with bronze handprints scattered throughout the space, moulded after the handprints of more than 2 dozen local celebrities.

Weserpark is a go-to place in Bremen for internationally recognisable retailers and name brands such as Levi’s, MAC Cosmetics, Tommy Hilfiger and Zara. Even so, the traditional shopping mall also features a broad selection of not-as-recognisable brands that are unique to Bremen’s area of the world, such as Denmark clothing retailer Jack & Jones or German women's fashion brand Lascana.

The large mall also features over 2 dozen restaurants serving a mix of regional and international cuisine. They include both small and international brands and fast-food chains such as Pizza Hut and McDonald’s.

The Waterfront Bremen Shopping Mall is situated along Bremen’s riverfront. It’s a great shopping spot in the city where you’ll also find several observation decks, a large event venue and other attractions nearby.

The traditional mall offers more than a hundred retailers, as well as a handful of international fast-food restaurants such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and Subway. Expect a large number of clothing stores as well as international brands such as H&M, Claire’s and Primark. The mall also includes an arcade, cinema and hotel.

City Gate Bremen is a beautiful modern shopping mall that's part of a broader complex in Bremen. It also encompasses restaurants, 2 hotels and offices. Designed by an award-winning architect, the complex mixes contemporary and Hanseatic elements for a one-of-a-kind aesthetic.

Most of the shopping here is geared more toward locals, offering groceries, pharmaceuticals and quick eats. However, if you're looking for a hotel in Bremen with ample underground parking and a location right next door to the city's historic train station, the complex makes a great choice thanks to its blend of shopping amenities and restaurants.

Roland Center is a lowkey shopping centre in Bremen that primarily offers German brands and chains. Even so, some shops should still be recognisable to international shoppers, such as TK Maxx, Aldi and the Woolworth Department Store. The centre offers a large variety, from women's and men's brands to groceries.

Similarly, the centre boasts a handful of restaurants, with only a single international brand among them (McDonald’s) and a great selection, too, from seafood to coffee to bubble tea. The centre is split over several buildings, so you will need to park and then walk between the various shops.

Domshof Passage is an arcade-style mall with a covered thoroughfare and shops on both sides. Despite the mall being several decades old, it still provides a modern shopping experience with lots of contemporary, in-demand brands and a clean, updated appearance. Businesses range from clothing retailers to a tea shop and bakery, candy store and a gift shop.

Domshof Passage is conveniently located near the Domshof town square and several attractions, including the historic, Gothic Bremen Town Hall, the St. Petri Dom Bremen cathedral, the Dom Museum and a good number of historic architecture dating back to the 1400s.

Katharinen Passage is a shopping arcade that sits almost directly between Domshof Passage and Lloyd Passage in Bremen. One could easily combine visits to all 3 shopping arcades for a full day of shopping, without even leaving the neighbourhood.

Katharinen Passage includes more than 2 dozen individual retailers and most offer more luxurious, expensive shopping experiences than you might find in other shopping areas or malls around the city. In addition to clothing boutiques, cosmetics shops, and a stationer, you’ll also find a small smattering of eateries, as well as a coffee shop and bar.

Walle is a large district situated in Bremen West, with several neighbourhoods located inside the district. Walle is known for its diverse population, converted warehouses and converted 19th-century townhouses.

Head to the Westend neighbourhood of Walle to find a weekly farmers market, large supermarkets and smaller, independent shops. For a traditional shopping mall experience, visit Walle Center or Waterfront Bremen Shopping Mall. You’ll also find a robust selection of art galleries throughout all of Walle, as well as Bremen’s University of the Arts, which sits in one of the district's converted dockside warehouses.

Osterholz is a centrally located district in Bremen, a short drive from Bremen’s historic city centre. While Osterholz is highly residential, it’s also filled with shopping options. These include Weserpark, a large traditional shopping mall, and other retailers along the adjacent Hanz-Bredow-Strase, which range from hardware stores to furniture stores, a toy store to a pet supply store. Ample parking options can be found both along this street and near Weserpark.

On the other side of the district, the Bremen Blockdiek offers an arcade-style shopping experience with local shops and a farmers market.