Bonn Tourist Information and Tourism

(Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)

A friendly city where you will find it easy to relax, Bonn is located next to the River Rhine. Bonn is known for being the actual birthplace of world-famous composer Beethoven and was once West Germany's capital city. Today, Bonn is very much central to politics in Germany and home to a number of important national parliament buildings, being classed as a true Federal City (Bundesstadt).

Over the past 20 years or so, the city of Bonn has undergone nothing short of a transformation and has successfully reinvented itself, by renovating many districts and attracting a number of prominent international companies and organisations. This has also increased the city's tourism industry and tourist appeal, with many visitors obtaining the Bonn Regio Welcome Card upon their arrival, available at the Bonn Tourist Information Centre on Windeckstrasse.

Bonn Tourist Information: Top Sights

Many of the most impressive tourist attractions are to be found within the historic Altstadt centre of Bonn, with the sightseeing around Münsterplatz being especially impressive. Tourists should look out for the August Macke Haus - the famous House of August Macke, a local expressionist painter; Kreuzbergkirche - a grand Baroque-style church once visited by crowds of pilgrims; Marktplatz - Bonn Market Place, a prominent part of the city since the Middle Ages and still home to many market stalls and traders; Poppelsdorfer Schloss - the eye-catching Poppelsdorf Castle, surrounding by magnificent landscaped gardens and beautiful scenery; and the University Botanical Gardens - located within the grounds of Bonn University and boasting many outstanding plant collections and exotic specimens. More information about Bonn Tourist Attractions.

Bonn is home to a number of truly world-class landmarks and tourists will always find plenty of sights to see. Highlights include the Alter Zoll - a former customs house known for its views across the Siebengebirge Mountains and beyond; Hochkreuz - an important local monument for penitence during the 14th century; La Redoute - hosting many of Bonn's concerts and functions, where a young Beethoven once performed; and the Marktbrunnen - the Market Fountain, sited in the heart of the Marktplatz and dating back to the late 18th century. More information about Bonn Landmarks.

Bonn's cultural scene is thriving and the city is famous for its Museum Mile (Museumsmeile), which stretches between the Bad Godesberg and Südstadt areas. The local Bonn Art Society has also made an important contribution, hosting many major exhibitions and symposiums over the years. The main museums include the House of Nature (Haus der Natur) and its many woodland displays, the Beuel Homeland Museum (Heimatmuseum Beuel) complete with Stone Age artefacts, the technological history and information at the German Museum of Bonn (Deutsches Museum Bonn), Bonn Art Museum (Kunstmuseum Bonn) and its superb 20th-century paintings, and the information about the development of the city within the City Museum (Stadtmuseum). More information about Bonn Museums and Bonn Art Galleries.

Close to Bonn are many nearby German cities and towns, all of which have plenty to offer tourists and visitors. Neighbouring Cologne is especially near to Bonn and closely related, offering everything from shopping centres and trendy boutiques, to exceptional theatres and many historical buildings. Also just a short distance away from Bonn is northern Europe's oldest cathedral in the city of Aachen, the Siebengebirge mountain many and its unusual 120-year-old cogwheel train, the acclaimed glassworks museum in the town of Rheinbach, and the popular theme park of Phantasialand, which can be found within Bruhl, a small city with plenty of tourist appeal. More information about Bonn Attractions Nearby.

More Bonn Information / Fast Facts and Orientation

• Country: Germany (West Germany)
• Location: The Rhineland / North Rhine-Westphalia
• Status: city
• Area: approximately 54 square miles / 140 square kilometres
• Population: approximately 320,000
• Currency: Euro (EUR)
• Time zone: GMT + 1 hour
• Electricity: 220 Volts AC, 50 Hz - flat two-pin plugs or third round pin are used, adaptors may be necessary in Germany
• Country dialling code: +49
• Telephone area code: 0228
• Religion: mixture of Greek Orthodox, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Protestant churches
• Average daily Bonn January temperature: 3°C / 37°F
• Average daily Bonn July temperature: 22°C / 72°F