The Ultimate Top 5 Best Things to do in Bonn, Germany

From world-class composers to international academic excellence - here are the top 5 BEST things to do in Bonn, Germany!

#5 - Haribo Factory Outlet

Many people don’t know that Haribo, the famous gummy bear factory, was created in Bonn, Germany. Founded in 1920, Hans Riegel Sr. opened Haribo. And, in 1922, he created the first gummy bear (called Gold Bears). If you’ve ever wondered where the name Haribo comes from, it is an abbreviation of his name and city: Hans Riegel Bonn - first two letters of each name. Since his invention of the gummy bear, Haribo has become international, appearing in 100 countries around the world.

The Haribo Factory Outlet has every Haribo item you can find. Some of these concoctions you can only find here or in very select stores. You can grab your heavy bags or boxes of candy, be more selective with their self-serve candy buckets, or discover new items to try. They even have fun memorabilia, such as plush toys, blankets, jewellery, and more. Also check out the cool Haribo race car displayed outside the building!

Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (Monday - Saturday)

Average Cost: FREE (pay for what you want to purchase)

#4 - Arithmeum

The Arithmeum is a fascinating museum about mathematics. It is owned and managed by the Research Institute for Discrete Mathematics within the University of Bonn. Only recently created in 2008, you can find thousands of unique mathematical machines. They host a collection of international machines, ranging from early historical periods to the present day. You get the see the beginnings of these machines (most of which are quite beautiful and intricate) to the more present chip-based computing machines. This museum has many floors with their own time period or specialty. It will take you at least an hour to see everything.

Hours: 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (Tuesday - Sunday)

Average Cost: €9

#3 - University of Bonn

Officially founded in 1818 in its present form, The University of Bonn is world renowned for its academic excellence and achievement. The University of Bonn is the only university in Germany to possess 6 Clusters of Excellence, which is research funding granted through the Excellence Initiative by the German Research Foundation and the German Council of Science and Humanities. The university is spread throughout Bonn, but the main building is the iconic Kurfürstliches Schloss. It is a beautiful yellow palace built between 1697-1705 for the prince-elector of Bavaria. Today, you can see a huge garden and park surrounding the palace. You will see students enjoying the weather (when it’s good), often picnicking, playing sports, and enjoying the beer garden near the Rhine River. Notable alumni include Prince Albert, Karl Marx, and Andrea Nahles.

You can attend a guided tour with the university. We believe it is still free, but you may need to confirm with the office. It is a beautiful campus that should be explored while on your trip to Bonn. I was fortunate to study here one summer, and I feel it is one of the more beautiful campuses I’ve been to.

#2 - House of the History of the Federal Republic of Germany

Yes, the name of this museum is a mouthful. And, the amount of items to look at is even more overwhelming. This museum opened in 1994 and is focused on Germany after WWII. It’s interesting to see and read about, since we mainly focus on Germany prior and during WWII. Here, you will see the struggles the people of Germany had to endure during the aftermath of the war. Some went into hiding, others found new homes, and the rest stayed behind to pick up the pieces of their devastated country. It showcases many items donated after the war, photographs, videos, radio recordings, and other visuals and audios. The museum is brilliantly done and takes you from one decade to the next, perfectly displaying Germany’s (and the world’s) progress through the years. It is a very emotional museum (I’m literally tearing up as I write this) because of the pain and struggle Germans felt after the disgusting Nazi regime, even until more recent times. It is quite sad that so many Germans feel such guilt and shame for what happened so long ago. They are still stigmatised as being horrible people who started a lethal war. I think this museum aims to pick up the pieces of what was lost - not forgetting the past - but embracing the future and moving on. It is a beautiful museum that you have to see on your visit here… and it’s FREE!

Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (Tuesday - Friday); 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (Saturday - Sunday)

Average Cost: FREE

#1 - Beethoven-Haus Bonn

If you’ve ever wanted to see Beethoven’s birthplace home, this is it! The Beethoven-Haus Bonn is a wonderful museum displaying the musician’s life from birth to death. One of the most historically important composers of all time, you can get close and personal with the actual instruments that were used during his major symphony concerts, writings for compositions, manuscripts, ear phones, letters, paintings, sketches, and more. You will see how he was seen in the public eye by those who viewed him as a celebrity, as well as his portrayal in popular culture. There is much to see and explore about Beethoven, and it’s cool that you can do it in his actual birthplace home right here in this city. It takes our top spot for the best thing to do in Bonn, Germany!

Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (Wednesday - Monday)

Average Cost: €12