Bamberg is a UNESCO heritage site located in the Upper Franconia area of Bavaria, Germany, on the River Regnitz. It’s easy to see why it earned this status, with its medieval and baroque style architecture and layout. The medieval influences are all very well-preserved, and the town really is beautiful and makes you feel like you’re in the typical ‘Bavaria’ you’d imagine as an outsider.

I’ve visited Bamberg 5 times over the past couple of years, in October, February, April and May, so I’ve experienced it across the seasons and seen what it has to offer. It’s beautiful and there’s always so much to do at any time of year there, but my favourite time has to have been last October when I spent 10 days there. The rainy, cosy days made me feel like I was in a book as I sipped on a coffee at one of the local roasteries, and enjoyed a Hörnla traditional pastry from one of the many traditional bakeries there (make sure to pay a visit to one of Bamberg’s oldest bakeries, Bäckerei Seel, if you visit!).

The evenings felt magical there, especially wandering through the likes of Austraße and stopping at Rösterei MAG for some cake, with the beautiful streets lit up with fairy lights. The weather was actually mild for mid-October, just drizzly, which was perfect as I’d planned a lot of indoor things to do - it only added to the cosy charm of the town.

February was already very different, much colder, and there was snow. It was still great and undoubtedly worth visiting, and the Hainpark was beautiful with the frosted trees and the frozen pond. It was definitely much quieter, although I’ve heard that the Christmas markets are great, so if you’re going in Winter it might be best to go around Christmas time.

I’ve also visited in the springtime, and it definitely felt much busier as soon as the sun was out. I also noticed a lot of tourists there on group tours and lots of students out at the bars too. Spring was great for sitting outside at the cafes and enjoying a walk along the River, but you can do this in the colder months too - just bring a warm coat and you’ll be fine!

Take a look at my top 10 recommendations below…

1. Explore the Neue Residenz

The Neue Residenz, or New Residence, is without a doubt one of my favourite places in Bamberg. This amazing building was actually created over 100 years, and was originally the residence of the prince-bishops of Bamberg. The first two wings of the building were built in the Renaissance style, and the front part was built in the baroque style almost a century later. After the secularisation in Bavaria, the New Residence became a royal residence, housing Wilhelm (the first Duke of Bavaria), Maximilian II (King of Bavaria) and later Otto von Wittelsbach (King of Greece).

The New Residence has more than 40 state rooms, including the impressive (and my favourite as a former Classics student) room, the Imperial Hall. The ceilings and walls are decorated with frescoes of Roman emperors and the four ancient world empires: Assyria-Babylon, Persia, Greece-Macedonia and Rome.

On the walls you’ll see 16 portraits of emperors, 15 of which are from the House of Habsburg. They’re displayed chronologically, beginning with Henry II and ending with Leopold I and Joseph I who were the contemporary reigning emperors when the baroque part of the residence was being constructed.

More information here

State Gallery

2. Relax in the rose garden

If you’re at the New Residence, you need to stop by the inner court and explore the rose garden. You’ll get an amazing view of Bamberg from the walls!

According to the official site, there are over 4,500 roses in over 70 beds in summer and the garden is bordered by lime trees. I visited in February and in May and in February nothing was in bloom, but I visited anyway as I happened to be at the Neue Residenz, and the view of the town from the walls made it worth it! In May, the garden was full of tourists and there was actually a wedding at the pavilion. All the roses were in bloom and the fragrance from the roses was gorgeous. The fountain was also on in the centre of the garden and garden definitely really comes alive in the Spring.

The symmetrical arrangement of the garden reflects the baroque style it was designed in, and the sculptures were created by Bamberg’s court sculptor Ferdinand Tietz in 1760. The garden itself was designed in 1733, replacing a Renaissance garden that was previously there. Baroque gardens are typically arranged in geometric patterns and are very structurally harmonious, with fountains and statues being the main decorations. Baroque gardens focused more on sculptural decoration, as opposed to the elaborate terraces and staircases of the Renaissance gardens previously.

Note: Opening hours

April - September 9am - 6pm

October - March 10am - 4pm

3. Take a boat trip along Little Venice

If you’ve been to Venice, the name of this former fishing village in Bamberg will make sense to you. Consisting of a series of 17th century residences on the banks of the Regnitz River, this charming village was once home to a busy and vibrant fish market. Nowadays, you can walk along the river or take a boat tour along it and admire the picturesque fishermen’s houses. You’ll see pictures of Little Venice and its half-timbered buildings on souvenirs in Bamberg, and you’ll be able to say you’ve been!

4. Pub crawl of the traditional breweries and try Rauchbier (or tasty Franconian dishes)

Beer-lovers will be delighted to know that Bamberg is home to 11 traditional breweries, where you can try Bamberg’s Rauchbier (smoky beer). I’m not a drinker myself though, so for anyone else like me, there’s still something for you at these traditional Bavarian breweries - most of them also serve traditional local food, like Schäuferla (roast shoulder of pork) and Kautbraten (white cabbage, minced beef and bacon).

My favourite Bamberg pubs would have to be Ambräusianum and Ahörnla im Sand - both located on Ob. Sandstraße, on the side of the town near to the Cathedral. I had the Gemischer frankishcher Bratwurstteller at Ambräusianum, which included 3 types of Franconian sausages with sauerkraut, bread and mustard, and at Ahörnla, I had the Pulled Schäuferla Pommes überbacken - pulled pork with chips, coleslaw, cheese and bbq sauce. Each of these places also serves at least 1 vegetarian option, too.

5. Buy a book from Antiquariat Lorang

This has to be one of my favourite shops in Bamberg, and if you’re a bookworm like me, you’ll have to pay this charming little shop a visit. Antiquariat Lorang was founded in 1989 and is located on Karolienstraße, on the bridge overlooking the river near the Altes Rathaus. It specialises in old books, and you’ll also find some local artwork of Bamberg there. There’s also a small selection of English and other foreign language literature. I’d definitely recommend spending some time in this beautiful little shop and exploring the winding little corridors - if you take a look out the windows, you’ll see the River Regnitz below you.

6. Have a picnic at Stadtpark ‘Hain’

Stadtpark Hain is perfect for a walk and a picnic if you fancy going somewhere a bit quieter and seeing some nature. I’ve been here in autumn, winter and spring and it’s fascinating seeing it change throughout the seasons - the iced over pond in the winter probably made February my favourite time to visit it, it was so quiet and serene.

7. Stop for a coffee at Minges Kaffeerösterei (Bamberg’s oldest coffee roastery)

If you love your coffee and appreciate the process that goes behind coffee roasting, you should stop at Minges while you’re in Bamberg. Minges is a family roastery that’s been going since 1932, and they use a traditional drum roasting process to achieve a distinct, harmonious taste with their coffee. The atmosphere inside the cafe is modern and luxurious, but relaxed and friendly.

I tried civet coffee the last time I was there and bought a bag of beans to take back with me. They also serve various pastries and tortes (the chocolate torte was amazing) and the people working there were so friendly and helpful and will advise you if you’re trying to decide which beans to go for.

The room to the side contained some of the traditional drums used for roasting, adding to the authentic experience there, and you can also purchase accessories like moka pots and grinders there. Coffee lovers should definitely add Minges to their bucket list!

8. Discover the Naturkunde Museum

For lovers of nature, bird-watching or taxidermy, the Naturkunde Museum is an unmissable attraction in Bamberg. This natural history museum really was amazing to visit, the highlight being the famous Bamberg Bird Hall that’s been a part of Bamberg for over 200 years. The hall is 8 metres high with two levels, both of which can be accessed (the balcony on the top floor did feel very low though…) and the collection of over 2000 exhibits is truly impressive.

There was a case of small, rare South American birds and their tiny egg shells, as well as larger, regional birds too. It’s amazing to think that some of the specimens there are over 200 years old and are still preserved. This is the perfect place to visit on a rainy day in Bamberg if you love natural history (there’s also a fossil and geology section and they run various exhibitions throughout the year, tip: they only accepted cash, so make sure to have some change with you).

9. Visit Bamberg Cathedral

Bamberg Cathedral was constructed under Emperor Henrich II and completed in 1012, and the version you can see today is actually the 3rd, with both previous buildings being destroyed in fires. You’ll notice late romanesque and early gothic influences in the cathedral and some of the main highlights include the marble tomb of the Holy Imperial Kunigunde and Heinrich II, the Bamberg Horseman (Bamberger Reiter) whose identity still remains a mystery, and the tomb of Pope Clemens II.

Relics:
A supposed relic of a scared nail from the cross
Crown of Henry II
Coronet of Empress Kunigunde

10. Visit St Michael’s Monastery (once works have finished)

The Monastery of St Michael was actually under restoration when I visited Bamberg in 2023 and 2024, and works are likely to continue for at least another couple of years. However this impressive baroque-style church is worth visiting once it reopens. Bamberg’s informational site highlights the tomb of St Otton, the celestial garden and the terrace behind the church with a panoramic view of the city as worth visiting!

Other honourable mentions (I might write another piece on some of these?) include:

Karo18 for vegan froyo (I’ve been here every time I’ve visited and it never disappoints)
Rösterei MAG (buy a bag of Black Diamond coffee beans!)
Bäckerei Seel - Bamberg’s oldest bakery, established in 1427 (cash only)
Altes Rathaus
Altenberg Castle
Schloss Seehof

Top 10 places to visit in Bamberg