I Love My Neighborhood: Nordstadt, Wolfsburg

Welcome to another edition of “I Love My Neighborhood”, where I ask expats from across the globe to share the joys of local life they’ve found in their corner of the world.

If you’re just joining in now, check out the other cities that have been covered so far here.

Being quite young myself, “family travel” is not something you’ll find me regularly writing about. To be honest, I don’t know how people do it — I can barely handle making sure I don’t fall into a ditch while I travel; never mind a small child. But more and more families are moving and living overseas these days, and today’s guest post reflects that by featuring a new perspective in this series: that of an expat mom. Read on and discover what American expat Tatiana loves about Nordstadt, her family-friendly neighborhood in Wolfsburg, Germany.

Tatiana Richards Hanebutte: Why I Love Nordstadt

Years ago, when the desire to move abroad first took hold of me, I imagined myself carefree and unattached, living a bohemian life in some some exciting world capital, dancing in bars until the sun came up. My actual story turned out to be quite different. When I moved to Wolfsburg, Germany last September, I was three months away from getting married and bringing a two-year-old with me. Needless to say, proximity to bars moved way down on my list of must-haves. That’s why I was so excited when my husband and I found an apartment in Nordstadt. Wolfsburg has made a commitment to being a great place for young families, and this commitment is very apparent in Nordstadt. It’s the perfect place for a young family to live.

Spielplatzen (playgrounds)
As the stay-at-home mom of a very energetic toddler, access to nice playgrounds is crucial! Luckily, you can’t throw a stone in Nordstadt without hitting a spielplatz. Whereas in the States we’d have to drive at least 10 minutes to get to one, here, there are three within walking distance. Going to the playground has also been a good way to meet people. I’ve learned a lot about Wolfsburg from chatting with other parents I’ve met at the spielplatz.

The Allerpark

One of the things I love most about Nordstadt is its proximity to the Allerpark. There’s so much to do in the Allerpark! It’s anchored by the Allersee, a large artificial lake with a sandy white beach, perfect for lazy days in the sun. My family’s favorite part, though, is SoccaFive Arena, which is part indoor playground, part indoor soccer field, and part sports bar. Oh, and did I mention that Volkswagen Arena, home to the VFL Wolfsburg soccer team, is just across the way? In addition to these, the Allerpark contains a bowling alley, a day spa, an indoor swimming pool, a hochsielgarten (essentially, an obstacle course made of ropes in trees), and a hockey arena for the city’s professional ice hockey team, which for some reason is named Grizzly Adams. There’s also a gigantic lot which hosts circuses, festivals and a monthly fleamarket.

Old Wolfsburg

Officially founded in 1938, Wolfsburg is young, as European cities go. Consequently, much of the town has a modern look and feel to it. However, there are still traces of the settlements and villages that predate the city’s official founding, the most visible located in Old Wolfsburg. It’s partially enclosed by a grey stone wall and is home to horse stables, half-timber houses and my personal favorite, Schloss Wolfsburg (Castle Wolfsburg). The castle was built in the 1600s by the von Bartelsleben family and is surrounded by an honest-to-goodness moat.

The Autostadt

The Autostadt bills itself as a theme park, but instead of roller coasters and popcorns, you’ll find cars. LOTS of cars. Home to the ZietHouse, the most visited auto museum in the world, it offers a cross-country, off road obstacle course and guided tours of the Volkswagen factory, among other things. But if cars aren’t your thing, fret not! The Autostadt hosts a variety of cultural activities throughout the year, including a six-week performing arts festival and a traditional German Christmas Market. As of right now, the Autostadt’s campus is peppered with 43 Easter eggs, eached decorated by a different artist. Pretty neat, huh? Though technically it’s not IN Nordstadt, the Autostadt is literally two minutes away, just across the street from Schloss Wolfsburg. Its location is a neat bit of irony: while Old Wolfsburg is a reminder of the city’s past, the Autostadt is a shiny, futuristic example of progress.

Neuer Teich

Neuer Teich is a large pond that sits in the middle of Nordstadt’s Teichbreite neighborhood. Encircled by a paved footpath, at any time of the year you’ll find people biking, walking or rollerblading around it; moms pushing strollers, elderly couples holding hands. Geese and ducks are ever-present distractions dogwalkers and objects of wonder for small children, and in the winter, when the Teich is frozen solid, whole familes go out onto the ice for impromptu hockey games. It feels like a piece of the country in the middle of the city, and it’s the thing I love most about Nordstadt.

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About Tatiana: Tatiana Richards is a writer and former social media manager from Alabama living out the latest chapter of her life as a stay-at-home, expat mom in Wolfsburg, Germany. Read about her adventures in Deutschland at Tatiana in Flux.

All photos courtesy of the author.