We have been in Marburg for a little over a month now, so I thought I would share some of my favorite places that I have found here.

Q-

Q is a café/club about a 10-minute walk from my dorm building. Three days a week (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) they have free concerts starting at 9pm! So far, I have seen three bands from the US and one singer from Italy. It’s a small area and I haven’t seen more than 40 or 50 people in the space during a show. It’s a really intimate way to experience music and because a lot of the bands are from the US, I have been able to talk with them after the show! It’s comforting to meet other people from home and to see them get excited about meeting people who speak the same language. The building is built into the mountain and has parts that look very old, which is not unique for Marburg, but it does make for a unique performance venue. I am excited to keep going and hopefully see some German groups too!

Con:Text-

Con:Text is a café/store that I discovered when my Dad came to visit last week. Not only do they have coffee and pastries, but half of the store is a small shop filled with journals, mugs and other cute goodies. My Dad and I happened to go there on the store’s 5^th anniversary in Marburg and we got free pretzels and mimosas! There was also a live keyboard player and balloons everywhere. It was honestly magical. They have tables to sit and do homework and couches to just sip a hot drink and chill. They also have a basement downstairs that is a part of the building from the 14^th century. In the space are a few meditations mats and candles. Their goal with the entire store was to create a peaceful space, and I for one think they truly succeeded.

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Oberstadt-

The Marburg Oberstadt is something that is on every tourist recommendation when you search what to do in Marburg. Oberstadt directly translates to “upper city” and is the part of Marburg that requires an elevator to get to. I am lucky enough to live above the Oberstadt and walk through it every single day to get to class. If you wake up early enough in the mornings, the Oberstadt is completely empty, covered lightly in fog and so quiet you almost wonder if other people really do live there. On Saturday afternoons however, the town really comes alive. Everyone comes out to the farmer’s market in the main square and walks in and out of the shops that line both sides of the street. Everyone always looks like they’re enjoying themselves and you see old couples and families with small children and it’s very cozy.

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These are just three of the places in Marburg that are earning a place in my heart. There are others and I’m sure I will discover even more in the next month and a half! It’s so crazy to think about going home so soon. I am determined to make the most out of the last leg of my study abroad experience. Until next week, Aufwiedersehen!