The Ultimate Guide to Bamberg – Our top places to visit in Bamberg
We’ve cut the wheat from the chaff and made this list of top places to visit in Bamberg, so you don’t miss a thing in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bamberg is a place of beauty. Every lane, passage and promenade is textbook German. A town famous for its Bamberg Horseman – we’ll come to that later – and smoked beer.
The city was given its status as a UNESCO world heritage site back in 1993 and coach loads of German and American tourists have been coming to visit ever since.
We’ve put together out list of the top places to visit in Bamberg, so you can hit the ground running, so to say.
You could spend hours just wandering around here. And luckily it’s easy to get around by foot, but bear in mind that it’s got some steep hills. Nothing beats seeing a city from high above it.
Bamberg has a couple of nicknames, one of which is Seven Hill City. So be prepared for some steep climbs if you want to see the red roofs of Bamberg from up high.
True fact: On my first visit I picked up a postcard of Bamberg, it was of a view of Bamberg from a biergarten. I didn’t know the name of the biergarten but I was determined to find it.
So what did I do? I figured out the direction of the biergarten from the postcard and I walked up and down hills until I found it. Disclaimer – this was before smartphones were a thing. Luckily for me I had a very patient, beer-loving boyfriend and the biergarten was worth the effort.
So let’s get down to business. Say, you’ve only got 12 hours in Bamberg, let’s help you figure out a plan. You need to know what to see, where to eat and where to try that famous Bamberg smoked beer. Here’s our top sights in Bamberg.
Top sights in Bamberg
Bamberg has water running through its city centre. And this has shaped what Bamberg is today.
Tourists flock to the iconic Old Town Hall that straddles across the water.
But there’s more to Bamberg than the Altes Rathaus.
Dating back to the 9th century, it is home to Europe’s longest intact length of old city walls. The medieval streets and timber framed houses make it easy to see why this town is considered one of Germany’s most beautiful towns.
If you’re a history buff and want to make sure you’ve visited the most historic points of interest in Bamberg, here’s our top three places to visit in Bamberg.
Old Town Hall and the many Bridges of the Old Town
Make sure you visit one of the bridges on either side of the Old Town Hall, or Altes Rathaus. The view of Obere Brücke is jaw droppingly beautiful.
The bridge on the other side has a view of Bamberg’s Little Venice and it’s a great place to hang out with a beer or an ice cream and watch the many, many tourists and angry cyclists.
Head over to the little wooden footbridge called Geyerswörthsteg, this is where to get the best shot of you and the bridge.
Kloster Michelsberg
Kloster Michelsberg, or Michelsberg Abbey, is a monastery with a view overlooking the whole of Bamberg.
The view from the top is well worth the steep walk. And one route to the monastery, takes you through the monastery’s old vineyards that are still in production.
Make sure you treat yourself to coffee and cake at the Abbey’s café. The cakes are to die for.
Bamberg Horseman in Bamberg’s Cathedral
The Bamberg Horseman is famous. Found in the cathedral, this equestrian statue was sculpted between 1225 and 1237 by anonymous sculptor.
My husband’s Oma asked us on many occasions whether we had visited the Horseman yet. Turns out she had only ever seen it on TV but was insistent that we saw it in real life.
While the horseman is much smaller than expected in real life, the cathedral is also beautiful to look around and does not disappoint.
Bonus Content - The best beach in Bamberg
Bet you didn’t think you’d see a beach on this list of the best places to visit in Bamberg?!
Before you start getting your hopes up about a sandy beach with umbrellas and sunbeds, think again. This is a river beach.
Hainbadestelle
The pool isn’t free, but it doesn’t cost a fortune to get in. Decking on the side of the river makes it easy to dip into the water, then float your way down to the end of the decking to hoick yourself out.
Perhaps not the place to visit if time is of the essence. But if you’ve got a little time to spare or are visiting in the midst of a heatwave, get yourself down to the river beach.
Where to get the Best View in Bamberg
The City of Seven Hills is not a lie. There are indeed seven hills of Bamberg and the city looks a treat from above.
If you’re keen on a good view, we’ve picked two to check out.
Spezial Keller is the Biergarten in Bamberg that I saw on a postcard and just had to find. It’s a convenient location less than a ten minute walk from the Old Townhall. But it is a steep climb. This biergarten is quintessentially German. Locals take their own Abendbrot – bread supper – to this biergarten and have their evening meal with a beer or two..
Kloster Michelsberg is an obvious choice for a great view of the city. Mentioned above in the best sights of Bamberg. It’s another steep hill but this view is a little closer than Stoehrenkeller. It’s a great place to get your bearings and see the town from a different angle.
The Best Restaurants and Bars to Visit in Bamberg
After a day of sightseeing on a tight schedule, you’ll need to refuel.
Having both visited and lived in the city, I’ve tried many of the restaurants.
Even on a student’s budget, the restaurants, bars and cafes are attractively priced. As with many places in Germany, you can dine like a king on very little money.
Traditional food is served all over the city and in summer there’s plenty of space to dine outside on the streets. Which is particularly nice on a warm summer evening when students are out of town.
If you are visiting on a summer’s day, you have to try the ice cream at Boussimo. A shop with a million flavours. Head over there after dinner, grab an ice cream to go, and find a spot on the bridge to people watch.
- Spezial Keller – on top of Obere Stefansberg, a beer with a view is waiting for you after the climb. Try some Rauchbier here, the smoky flavoured beer Bamberg is famous for – with tasty notes of Black Forest ham. And relax.
- Kachelofen – Traditional German food, you’ll find the pork knuckles, sauerkraut and ginormous potato dumplings right here. Wash it all down with a good beer. Eat outside if you can, the restaurant’s on a corner with benches going up the hill. It’s a great spot to watch the tourists from.
- Stoehrenkeller – Tucked away on Obere Stefansberg, come here for some “Abendbrot”, the traditional evening meal made up of oodles of bread with Leberwurst, cheeses, ham and Obazda
- Salino Holzofenpizza – if you’ve had enough pretzels and sauerkraut, how about a slice of pizza? You can dine outside amongst the trees and the candles.
Are you planning a visit to Bamberg?
Check out our Bamberg Travel Guide for information on where to stay, how to get to Bamberg, where to eat and sightseeing tips.
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