Self-guided podcast tour Bonn: Haribo's Gold Bear Trail

Follow the gummy bear from backyard laundry to global brand on Bonn's streets

A 4.9 km self-guided podcast tour through Bonn with six stops tracing Haribo's rise from a small family washhouse to a worldwide candy empire. You navigate at your own pace using the app, listening to local experts and historians unpack the industrial revolution, Rhenish carnival traditions, and the cultural identity behind the world's most famous gummy bear. Suitable for ages 13 and up. Available in English and German.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Bonn's gummy bear heritage

• Visit modern flagship store
• See historic Old Town Hall
• Explore central square and sugar beet history
• Walk Kessenich street where Haribo was founded
• Visit historic gummy bear production site
• Discover Kessenich district community pride

The experience

The tour starts at Haribo's modern flagship store and unfolds across Bonn's neighborhoods over roughly two hours, though you set the rhythm. Each of the six stops (from the Old Town Hall and its carnival heritage to the exact street in Kessenich where Hans Riegel founded the company in 1920) is pinpointed in the app so you never need to wonder where to go next. The podcast narration weaves verified history with sensory detail: the sugar beet boom that shaped 19th-century prosperity, the sweet scent that once defined a neighborhood, the pride that still anchors the Kessenich district today.

What separates this from a walking guide is the audio itself. Experts and locals tell the story in an immersive podcast style, layering pop culture, food history, and industrial change into something that feels less like a museum tour and more like a conversation with someone who knows why this matters. The app also includes an interactive guide so you can dig deeper into questions about the history or the places around you as you walk.

You'll need a smartphone with the app installed and a data connection or downloaded audio. Service animals are welcome, and public transportation stops are nearby if you want to skip any stretch. The route is suitable for all fitness levels, so the pace is entirely yours: linger at a stop, grab a coffee, come back to it later.

What’s included

• Precise navigation between stops via the app.
• immersive audio in podcast style featuring experts and local voices.
• verified historical facts woven into a captivating narrative.
• interactive in-app guide for deeper questions about the history and surroundings at each stop.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

Audio guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Red Thread

Is this one for you?Start at the flagship store in central Bonn and walk at your own pace. There's no group waiting or fixed schedule to keep, so you can linger at the Old Town Hall, skip ahead, or come back another day. If you're staying in the city without a car, public transit gets you to the route, and the app handles all navigation once you're there.

Top questions

How long does the Bonn Haribo tour actually take to walk?

The tour covers 4.9 km across six stops and is designed for roughly two hours, but you control the pace entirely. You can stretch it longer if you pause to explore the neighborhoods or listen to the interactive content in the app, or move faster if you prefer.

What languages is the podcast available in?

The audio guide is available in English and German, so you can follow along in whichever language you prefer.

Do I need to book a specific time to start the tour?

No. This is a self-guided tour, so you start whenever you like and walk at your own pace. There's no group, no fixed schedule, and no need to coordinate with anyone else.

What is the Kessenich street stop, and why does it matter?

Kessenich is the exact neighborhood where Hans Riegel founded Haribo in a small backyard laundry in 1920. The tour takes you to that street and later to the historic production site nearby, so you're standing in the places where the company actually began.

Can I do this tour if I don't have a car?

Yes. Public transportation options are available near the route, and the tour is designed as a walking experience through Bonn's streets, so you can reach it by bus, train or on foot from anywhere in the city.

Is there an age limit for this tour?

The tour is suitable for ages 13 and up. Younger children can join if accompanied, though the content is aimed at teenagers and adults interested in history and food culture.