Best things to do in Bamberg

Bamberg Essentials

Bamberg’s UNESCO-listed Old Town is defined by its three historical districts: the episcopal Bergstadt, the bourgeois Inselstadt, and the Gärtnerstadt. This selection features the 13th-century Cathedral with its four towers, the iconic Old Town Hall suspended over the Regnitz River, and the medieval Altenburg castle. Visitors can explore the half-timbered fisherman's houses of Little Venice, the baroque Rose Garden at the New Residence, and sample traditional smoked beer at the historic Schlenkerla brewpub.

Bamberg Essentials — Map

Reinhard Kirchner / CC-BY-SA-3.0

A

Bamberg Cathedral

Bamberg Cathedral is a church in Bamberg, Germany, completed in the 13th century.

Immanuel Giel / Public domain

B

Old Town Hall

Built on an artificial island in the Regnitz River, this landmark is accessible by two bridges. It features 18th-century frescoes and houses the Ludwig Collection, one of Europe's largest porcelain exhibitions.

Asio otus / CC-BY-SA-3.0

C

Klein Venedig

A row of 17th-century half-timbered houses along the Regnitz River. This former fisherman’s district is characterized by tiny gardens and wooden balconies, best viewed from the opposite riverbank.

Reinhard Kirchner / CC-BY-SA-3.0

D

Alte Hofhaltun

A Renaissance building complex that served as the bishop’s residence. It features a courtyard surrounded by half-timbered structures and houses the Historical Museum, showcasing the city’s cultural history.

ermell / CC BY-SA 3.0

E

Rose Garden

Baroque garden at the New Residence containing over 4,500 roses. It features statues by Ferdinand Tietz and offers a viewpoint overlooking the red-tiled roofs of the old town and St. Michael's Monastery.

Mattana / CC BY-SA 3.0

F

St. Michael's Monastery

Michaelsberg Abbey or Michelsberg Abbey, also St. Michael's Abbey, Bamberg is a former Benedictine monastery in Bamberg in Bavaria, Germany.

G

Altenburg

Medieval castle perched on Bamberg’s highest hill. Dating back to 1109, it served as a defensive fortification and bishop's residence, offering panoramic views of the Franconian countryside.

Asio otus / CC-BY-SA-3.0

H

Schlenkerla

Schlenkerla is a historic brewpub in Bamberg, Franconia, Germany renowned for its smoked Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier.

Pudelek / CC BY-SA 3.0

I

Schloss Geyerswörth

Former city palace and residence of the prince-bishops, primarily built in the 14th and 16th centuries. The complex features a Renaissance-style facade and is located in the heart of the old town.

Berthold Werner / Public domain

J

Obere Pfarre

14th-century Gothic parish church containing a notable painting by Tintoretto. It is characterized by its high choir and a distinctively shaped, asymmetrical tower.

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