A river, historical buildings meeting old and streets decorated in beautiful white-purple flowers, that is what Saarbrücken is about. Have your first introduction to the capital of the Saarland in the following.

Hello my beloved readership,

yearly trips to the Mosel-river-region are not just casual visits to the parents- and grandparents-in-law with cake and coffee. Since it is connected to approximately seven hours of driving a distance of round about 750 km it also takes a longer weekend or a short week so that it makes sense for us to take on this road. But staying more than just a weekend where you already have to pack your clothes to return before you haven’t actually arrived makes someone like me who is living to experience new exciting adventures (and my husband whom I have contacted with this spirit) think of how to spend the trip each year and what new places to discover nearby (even if I do not bother having a trip to Luxembourg each year, I believe), especially because along the Mosel-river and around the Mosel-region there is a lot to see.

The next big city closeby with a distance of one hour of driving is the state capital of the Saarland, Saarbrücken. My husband has a lot of stories to tell during all trips we do and all places we visit around and in his childhood-home but Saarbrücken is a place he can definitely bad-mouth nonstop. Whether I can approve these bad experiences? Find out in the following.

Saarbrücken: Impressions

Entering Saarbrücken I had the same feelings I always have whenever we drive into a new place: excitement. I could not grab my phone quickly enough to take as many photos as possible while my husband is already looking for a parking lot in the city center wondering which of the notable places and buildings are import and what they are supposed to be. The first impression I have got to get were bridges along the Saar-lake decorated with an arrangement of beautiful flowers in purple, pink and white – one of my favorite combinations. Stepping out of the car finally (it was very hot and sunny which was a blessing for the trip but a curse for the ride) and walking into the shopping district I was amazed by the modern glassy and abstract architecture which was put into the city while not far off there were still standing there historical buildings. One of my most favorite spots was the fountain gracing the city center.

But as we started stepping deeper into the city I slowly but surely realized and understood the pain-point my husband had with this city. One incident that had not necessarily ruined our trip but approved my husband once again was that from the department store Galeria on people we call “lost souls” (let your imagination go free what could be meant by this) started gathering which suddenly and sadly made it hard to take photos. I did not quite notice it but husband did that when I knelt down to take a photo of our two-year-old son with his grandparents in front of what we thought to be the townhall one of these apparently homeless people approached me and tried to burn my hair which drove my husband furious as I have been pregnant for six months. It tensed him and my father-in-law more to see the same person walking around nearby just a few metres apart while tried to enjoy a glass of ice-cream on the outside seats of a café (I did not notice then while my husband did so he told me afterwards to not worry me in my state).

Talking about the so called “townhall” we learned that what we thought to be the townhall was the former townhall of Saarbrücken. The actual one we found on our way back by car opposite of a bar called “Tomato 2”. This was a perfect forward pass for my husband and his father to call the plain white building with glass front which was supposed to be the townhall according to the internet a “[lame] tomato”.

Saarbrücken: Conclusion

“…this is what Saarbrücken is about”, my husband said after our incident with that person – apparently this is not just any typical neighbourhood between people from Rhineland-Palatinate hating on people of the Saarland. Asking my husband on about Saarbrücken and his motivation not to like it he continues to say that he simply does not find its capital beautiful understanding his point of view. For what concerns me Saarbrücken is a city worth seeing at least once in a lifetime (if you are in the Mosel-region anyway). The historical buildings (regardless from what they are for) are simply breath-taking and real magnets. One of them being the St. John’s church. Saarbrücken may not be counted into my top most beautiful cities I have ever been but a precious and worthy experience with a city with a lake crossing it and its trams.

Love, Johanna