Unlike many tourist hotspots, Jena (YEH-nah) is enjoyed more by its locals than by visitors. In any market and on every strasse, crowds of university students and residents make tourists the minority, and without a gift shop or pair of lederhosen in sight, Jena gives the traveler a chance to experience life as a real Deutschland-er. That said, we like our towns out of the ordinary, and Jena's illustrious and proud history as the founder of the optical industry (oh come on now, you're impressed!), celebrated at every street corner with eyeglass shops, puts it squarely in the category of absurd. Even more central to Jena is its university. Once the premier college in all of Germany, the Universität still gives Jena a vibrant student population that fuels some of the best nightlife and inexpensive eats around.
With students and locals outnumbering tourists at every corner, Jena is a place to experience what it really means to be a German. Germany Behind the Beer Stein, if you will, or The Real Life of Germany ...more
Jena's hostels don't offer all-night reception, so plan to arrive during the day to book a room. You also may want to check with the tourist office in Markt, which has free brochures that include listings ...more
Camsdorfer Brücke, When Napoleon crossed this bridge during his European conquests, he was so taken with Camsdorfer Brücke that the decided he wanted one too. And since he couldn't fit it conveniently ...more
Like most college towns, Jena has great, inexpensive restaurants. If you're looking for the basics, there's an Aldi supermarket in the basement of Neue Mitte shopping center (Open M-Sa 8-10pm) and a Spar ...more
Every student understands that Fridays deserve their own celebration. During their brief visits, Fridays need to feel special. We live in perpetual fear that a Friday will feel neglected, and decide not ...more
As a residential city, most of Jena's stores are familiar to foreign travelers. If you're in a shopping mood, try the Goethe Galerie for everything from clothing to books to electronics, or the Neue Mitte ...more
Tourist Office: (Markt 16.☎ 03641 49 80 50 www.jena.de $ Free maps, leads city tours in German €5, and books private rooms for free. Free listings for privately rented ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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