Emden

Emden is a city of 50,000 people (2020) in Lower Saxony. The 1,200-year history of the city is closely linked to the seaport. The cityscape of Emden is characterized by 150 kilometers of canals and the typical brick buildings. The city can be explored very nicely by canoe or pedal boat ride from the water. For those who like it easy, there are harbour and canal cruises.

Understand
Emden is primarily known in Germany as the "capital" of the region East Frisia and for its most famous son, comedian Otto Waalke, who frequently alludes to his East Frisian heritage. While Emden does have a somewhat important harbour, it is a rather small city in a mostly rural area and struggled economically in the early 2010s. Besides the harbour and a big Volkswagen car plant the main economic draws in the area are tourists who pass through on their way to Borkum and the production and sale of windmills for the generation of energy.

History
Alongside Geneva and Wittenberg, Emden was one of the most important sites of the Reformation in the 16th century. The baptism of 300 adults in an antechamber of the Great Church marked the beginning of the Anabaptist movement in north-west Germany and the Netherlands. The Synod of Emden (1571) was the first national synod of the Dutch Reformed Church.

By train
Emden sees regular hourly train service from Bremen. There is also Inter-City service from further away with direct service to/from Cologne and Leipzig among others.

By car
A31 connects the city to the German Autobahn network.

By plane


If you are arriving from farther away, Bremen, Groningen and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport  are your best bet.

By boat
AG EMS runs ferries to Borkum and a couple of other places. The ferry to Borkum is able to carry cars.

Go next

 * Aurich
 * Norden Norddeich
 * Leer
 * Delfzijl (Netherlands)
 * Groningen (Netherlands)
 * Many visitors to Emden only pass through on their way to Borkum, the largest by area of the East Frisian islands