Facts
Name of the city: Bamberg
Location: Franconia, Bavaria, Germany
Population: 77,592
Next international airport: Nürnberg Airport (NUE)
Next airport flying to Asia: Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Munich Airport (MUC)
Bamberg, also known as Little Venice or Franconian Rome, is located in the north of the Bavaria region. The city stretches over seven hills. The old town has been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors of Bamberg will be delighted by the well-preserved buildings with beautiful facade paintings. The old town is small enough that you can easily explore the sights by foot.
Bamberg Accommodation
As I live close to Bamberg, I have never booked a hotel for an overnight stay. Speaking about accommodations, I recommend choosing an option that is close to the city center so you can explore the landmarks by foot.
The city can be explored within one day. However, if you prefer to visit museums and enjoy the smoked beer in the evening an overnight stay could be preferable.
Below, I have listed some of the fabulous hotels in Bamberg.
Tandem Hotel | 8.9 | €€€
Welcome Hotel Residenzschloss Bamberg |8.1 | €€
City Hotel Bamberg | 8.5 | €€
ibis Bamberg Altstadt | 7.2 | €
Summary of Bamberg travel
Sightseeing tip: Check out the Rose Garden with about 4500 roses and spectacular panoramic view
Food&Drink tip: Stroll along the paths and sample the brewing culture at your own individual speed
Trip to the region: Give your feet a rest after the walking trip through the beautiful city of Bamberg. Enjoy the landmarks of the Richard Wagner city Bayreuth with a fun Segway tour.
City built on seven hills
Like Rome, the capital of Italy, Bamberg is built on seven hills. The Altenburg Castle is built on the highest of the seven hills. It is a landmark of the city with great panoramic views over Bamberg and the surrounding countryside.
The Michelsberg monastery is located on the Michelsberg hill. The Domberg is probably the most famous of the seven hills. On it you can find the Bamberg Cathedral, the New Residence with the romantic rose garden and the Old Court.
Bamberg Sights
Cathedral
The Imperial Cathedral of St. Peter’s and St. George’s is one of the legacies of Emperor Heinrich II’s. The Emperor constructed the Cathedral in the early 1002 and finished building it later in 1012. The construction you can see today was rebuilt in the 13th century as the first cathedral fell victim to fire.
Going inside the Cathedral is highly recommended. No ticket or entry fee is needed. You can explore several imperial tombs as well as the famous stone statue, known as the Bamberg Horseman. The statue is considered to be the first monumental equestrian statue since classical antiquity. The impressive life-size statue is made out of reed sandstone.
Opening hours of the Cathedral are:
| April to October: | November to March: |
| Monday to Wendesday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm Thursday to Friday: 9:30 am – 6:00 pm Saturday: 9:00 – 4:30 pm Sunday and public holidays: 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm | Monday to Wednesday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Thursday to Friday: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm Saturday: 9:00 – 4:30 pm Sunday and public holidays: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
New Residence and Rose Garden
Opposite the cathedral you will find the New Residence and the beautiful Rose Garden. Inside the New Residence, magnificent rooms with impressive stucco ceilings and well-preserved pieces of furniture from the 17th and 18th centuries await you. The paintings in the Staatsgalerie and Kurfürstenzimmer as well as the Kaisersaal are breathtaking. Admission costs EUR 6.00 regular, EUR 5.00 reduced (as of June 2022).
aioutravel tip:
Visiting the Rose Garden in the courtyard of the New Residence, you can enjoy the scent of roses coupled with a breathtaking view of the panorama of Bamberg. In the summer months you can expect about 4500 roses with more than 70 beds. Just imagine the fragrant smell of the roses! In addition to the large number of roses, you can find sculptures created in 1760 and 1761 by the Bamberg court sculptor Ferdinand Tietz. The visit to the rose garden is free of charge. In the Café Rosengarten you can drink delicious tea and enjoy the atmosphere.
Visiting the Rose Garden during winter months is beneficial as well. You may enjoy the lovely panoramic view of the old town.
Opening hours:
| April to October 3rd: | October 4th to March: |
| 9:00 am – 6:00 pm | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm |
Old Court
Another landmark next to the Cathedral is the Old Court. The Old Court complex has a long history dating back to the 16th century when it was used as the residence of the town’s bishop. Today, the building includes the Museum of History and St. Katherine’s Chapel where wedding ceremonies take place. You can freely admire the courtyard and enjoy the outside of the fairy tale looking Old Court.
Old Town Hall
Walking down from the Domberg (the area around the Cathedral), you can see the next iconic attraction. The Old Town Hall, located on a tiny island connected by grand bridges, is absolutely stunning. The beautiful building characterises the historical center of the city. The artificial island was built in the middle of the Regnitz River.
Besides the impressive location, the Old Town Halls’s frescoes are noteworthy, printed with a three-dimensional quality.
aioutravel tip:
Can you spot the difference between all the frescoes and the leg sculpture built out of the wall?
Little Venice
Not only Suzhou is meant to be Little Venice or the Venice of China. Also in Bamberg you find yourself in a pretty area that reminds you of beautiful Venice. Walking along the river Regnitz, you can explore former fisherman’s houses and admirable views.
Old Town
Passing the Old Town Hall and Little Venice, you can explore the center of the Old Town. Strolling around narrow streets and passing historical buildings are the key parts of the center. You may pass the lively Gruener Markt square with its Neptune Fountain and the Church of St. Martin.
While walking through the little streets, I ended in the Austreet. This street is popular with young people and students. You will find cafes offering delicious food the whole day. I enjoyed sitting outside, eating tasty cake and admiring the view including the sky.
St. Elisabeth church
Another spot that is worth a visit while walking through the streets of the historical town is the church St. Elisabeth. The church is fitted with stained-glass windows by the famous German artist Markus Luepertz.
Opening hours:
Monday, Wednesday to Sunday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Michelsberg Abbey
Besides the Cathedral overlooking the old town, another historical landmark is the Michelsberg Abbey. It is situated on another of Bamberg’s seven hills. Currently, the Michelsberg Abbey is under restoration (until 2025). Nevertheless, it is worth a visit to see the outside and the surrounding gardens.The Benedictine monastery of St. Michael was founded in 1015. After events such as an earthquake and fire, the monastery was rebuilt in a neo-gothic style. In the 18th century, a baroque facelift was given by the Dientzenhofer brothers.
Walking to the back of the Michelsberg Abbey you can explore even more great views. This time you are looking out over vineyards and fruit trees. On another hill you can see the Altenburg Castle.
Altenburg Castle and Hill
My favourite viewpoint in Bamberg is the Altenburg Hill with its castle. To reach it, you need to walk up the Altenburger Straße. Turning around while walking rewards you with a phenomenal view.
You can detect the Cathedral, the Michelsberg Monastery and other landmarks of Bamberg. Just sit on a bench and look out over the town; it is worth the walk.
After enjoying the view you continue to walk upwards to the Altenburg Castle. The castle was first built in 1109 and rebuilt in Romantic era. It is located on the tallest of the seven hills of Bamberg. The terrace offers panoramic view of the city of Bamberg as well as the surrounding countryside.
You are free to visit the courtyards, but need a tour to see the inside.
Ready for a hiking trail around Altenburg Castle?
The round trip runs through the forest as well as meadows, brilliant to play and picnic. Even on sunny days the path is not overcrowded as most visitors stay at the Altenburg Castle.
20 meters below the lower parking lot is the entrance to the trail. Follow the start at the “Weinbergweg” and keep walking around the castle. Passing the forest and meadows with beautiful views, you can take the tarred path downhill and follow the “Ruebezahlweg” on the right towards “zum Wurzelsepp”. This takes you back to the lower parking lot.
Eat & Drink
Food specialities
The Franconian specialities can be found in Bamberg as well.
Strolling through the city center you come across the Bamberger Hoernla. It is displayed in bakeries and is a delicous croissant-like butter pastry sold under the same name as the old town. The recipe is rooted in the 15th century. Locals enjoy it with a cup of coffee, tea or as a to-go snack. I have enjoyed the Bamberger Hoernla in the Dominikanerstreet in the backery “Baeckerei Seel”, they have made the pastry since 1427.
Smoked beer
Bamberg is well known for its aromatic smoked beer. It has a dark colour and smoky aroma.
Famous for its smoked beer is the brewery Schlenkerla in the Dominikanerstreet. It is just on the right side of the bakery, where you find the Bamberger Hoernla pastry. The brewery is run by the 6th generation of the Trum family. Following old tradition, the smoked beer is being tapped from the wooden barrel directly.
Interested in trying different beers within Bamberg? With the tour you can stroll along the paths of the brewing culture in your own individual speed.
Wine tradition
Besides the brewing culture, Bamberg has a long wine tradition. More than 1000 years ago, the Bamberg valley basin had numerous wine-growing areas. Bamberg is located on the border between wine and beer Franconia. Visiting Bamberg you can see various vineyards such as from Michelsberg Abbey.
Asian Cuisine
In Bamberg good Chinese restaurants are difficult to find. The next delicious one is in Erlangen about 30 minutes drive by car or train.
If you feel like you want to have a well known drink, you can find Bubble Tea in various locations.
- EnchanTee – address: Lange Str. 28
- Thirstee – address: Langstraße 3
- Anna’s best – address: Franz-Ludwig-Straße 2
Have you been to Bamberg before?
Which places did you enjoy the most? Do you have any insider tips or maybe a question about the journey or the accommodations? Just leave a comment. I am looking forward to it.
If you decided to stay at one of the places described, I would love to hear your feedback after your stay.