Things to do in Celle, Germany - 12 tips for the half-timbered village

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | What to do in Celle, Germany? This historic little town offers a fantastic half-timbered idyll, with cozy alleys and cafes, but there is also more to see and do. Here are our best tips!

Celle in Germany

We immediately fell in love with Celle when we arrived here. What a wonderfully charming and cosy little town! The town is located along the German "Korsvirkesvägen", and this is where it really fits in!

Celle has also been home to the ancestors of Britain's royal family, the House of Windsor. This connection has attracted unusual royal interest and the site has been visited by Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother, as well as Prince Charles and Princess Diana. But now it was time for us to check out the town!

What to do in Celle?

So what can you see and do in Celle? Above all, of course, you want to enjoy the lovely half-timbered idyll, but there is also more to see and do. We've put together a list of our top tips here.

1. Stroll among the half-timbered houses

In Celle, there are more than 500 half-timbered houses, and you can stroll up and down the street and enjoy this idyll. Each house is individual and many are decorated with figures, texts and other embellishments.

It's hard to be satisfied, and it's also hard to stop taking pictures.

One of the most special places is the open space "Stechbahn", which is lined with large, fine half-timbered houses. This place was once used as the city's tournament venue. Today you'll find many cafés here, and it's also the site of the occasional market.

2. Be fascinated by the Hoppener Haus and the oldest half-timbered house.

The most famous of all half-timbered houses in Celle, and one of the most beautiful, is the "Hoppener Haus" on Poststrasse/Rundestrasse. This house was built in 1532 and has six floors. Here you can see plenty of different decorations and figures.

Another half-timbered house worth noting is the very oldest in the city. The fine green house dates back to 1526 and is located at Heiligen Kreuz, number 26. The house is built with a stepped gable and is decorated with Gothic ornamentation. Today you will find a clothes shop on the bottom floor.

3. Admiring the old town hall in Celle

The Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) in Celle is considered a masterpiece of the Weser Renaissance style, and is truly beautiful. When Duke Otto der Strenge built the town in 1292, the town hall was also built on the square. The building was further decorated in the 14th and 16th centuries.

The Town Hall, one of the oldest buildings in the city, consists of two parts. In the 2000s, the facade was renovated based on findings of Baroque illusion paintings by painter H.J. Suersen from 1697. Today you will find the tourist office in the building, as well as the restaurant Rådhuskällaren (Der Ratskeller Celle).

4. Coffee in a charming environment

The half-timbered town of Celle is the perfect place to relax and cosy up. There are lots and lots of cafés with all kinds of German pastries. Try for example Kiess & Krause, Museums café or Café Müller. We also stopped by Eis Café for an ice cream.

5. Check out Celle Castle and Castle Park

Celle Castle (Celler Schloss) dates back to the 13th century. In the 14th century it was transformed into a princely seat and in the 16th century it was remodelled into a Renaissance palace. During the reign of Duke Georg Wilhelm and his wife Eléonore d'Olbreuses (1665-1705), the castle took on the baroque appearance it has today.

The castle is stunningly beautiful, both from the front and the garden side. The castle garden is also nice to walk in.

6. Visit the Residence Museum in Celle Castle

Inside Celle Castle you can visit the Residence Museum (Rezidensmuseum im Celler Schloss), which tells the story of the centuries when the castle served as the residence of the Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

You can either visit the museum on your own, or join a guided tour. If you go on your own, you can expect to see beautifully decorated rooms, paintings, artefacts and exhibits, as well as interactive activities for children (and other child-minded people...) The most amazing room - the palace chapel - can only be seen if you join a guided tour, which when we were here was only given in German.

7. Learn about history at the Bomann museum

The Bomann Museum is housed in a beautiful and unusual building right in the centre.

In the museum you can look around in a number of different exhibitions that deal with history in different ways. The exhibitions are nicely arranged, but most of the information is in German.

8. See art at the art museum in Celle

The Bomann musem is linked to the neighbouring art museum (Kunstmuseum Celle mit Sammlung Robert Simon), and can be visited on the same ticket. It hosts various temporary exhibitions.

9. Take a look at St Mary's Church (Marienkirche)

St Mary's Church (St Marienkirche) in Celle is beautifully situated on the Stechbahn, surrounded by historic half-timbered houses. The church was consecrated in 1308 and is the resting place of the Dukes of Celle and Queen Caroline Mathilde of Great Britain (Queen of Denmark and Norway 1766 - 1772), who died in Celle at the age of 23.

10. Walk in the French garden

The French Garden (Französischer Garten) in Celle is a lovely green park, which is nice to walk around in. The garden was created in the 17th century by the French wife of George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Today the park offers water, beautiful avenues, lovely greenery and a memorial to Caroline Mathilde of Great Britain.

When we walked through the park on a Saturday, we also experienced it. stuffed of people with stalls or bargains at flea markets. The Germans seem to love their markets!

11. Check out Otto Haesler's architecture and museum

Otto Haesler is a German architect who lived from 1880 to 1962. In Celle, you can see one of his most famous neighbourhoods (Italian Garden Settlement) and visit the Otto Heasler Museum.

12. Have dinner at Thaers Wirsthaus

One evening we had dinner at Thaers Wirsthaus, which was a pleasant experience.

We ordered a tray of bread, cheese and charcuterie to share, as a start. In retrospect, it was perhaps a little too big as a starter, but it was on the other hand exciting to try different German specialities such as ham, jam, liver sausage and German goat cheese. Very nice quality on everything!

For the main course we chose salmon with mashed potatoes and leeks, asparagus and Riesling sauce. Very good! We couldn't manage a dessert, even though we had originally planned to have an apple strudel.

More things to do in Celle

If you have more time in Celle, there is of course even more to discover. Here are some more attractions and experiences that may be worth adding to your visit.

See the carillon in the old town

At Markt 14–16 is Celle's Glockenspiel, where figures and carillons can be seen and heard at set times. A short stop that is easy to combine with a walk through the old town.

Visit the synagogue in Celle

The synagogue in Celle is the oldest surviving half-timbered synagogue in Lower Saxony and tells the story of more than 300 years of Jewish history in the city. Today, the building serves as both a synagogue and a museum.

Discover Südheide

North of Celle, Südheide spreads out with forests, heathland and hiking and cycling trails. The area is ideal for those who want to combine a city visit with nature experiences.

Go out on Aller

The Aller River flows through Celle and offers the opportunity to experience the city and its surroundings from the water. Depending on the season, there are boat trips and canoeing opportunities.

Listen to the talking lampposts

In the center of Celle are the so-called ”talking lampposts,” which tell stories to passersby. They are in German, but are still a fun detail to look out for, especially if you are traveling with children.

Where can you live or stay with your campervan?

There are of course many different hotels and other accommodation options in Celle to choose from. We visited Celle by camper van and stayed at the car park Womo-Celle Am Badeland on 77 Street.

This site is well located for visiting the city and is very fresh and modern. It has all the services you need, including grey water drainage and a staffed reception. Please note that the site is popular and you may need to arrive in good time, or book in advance, to get a pitch.

Things to do in Celle - on film

More things to see and do around Celle

There is of course more to see and do near Celle. Here you will find more tips and reports:

• Things to do in Hannover
• Herrenhausen Gardens.
• Things to do in Hildesheim
• Things to do in Bremen