The 7 Best Day Trips From Bamberg, Germany

Nuremberg regularly makes the list of the must-see places in Germany. The city is a beautiful mix of cobbled streets and half-timbered houses, ancient city walls and a medieval castle, historical museums and beautiful churches – visit in December and you’ll experience of the most enchanting Christmas markets in Germany. There are plenty of trains running regularly between the two cities, so your trip from Bamberg to Nuremberg shouldn’t take much longer than 45 minutes. You can take the RE14, RE19, RE20 or RE29.

Nearly three million years’ worth of dripping rainwater has carved a vast labyrinth of delicate dripstone caves into the ground below near Pottenstein, 55 km (34 miles) east of Bamberg. Guided tours of the Teufelshöhle take you underground to artificially-lit chambers of stalactites and stalagmites, and tell the story of how archaeologists unearthed skeletons of the now-extinct cave bears here which provided proof that the large mammals lived in the area some 25,000 years ago. The best way to reach Teufelshöhle is by car, which takes just under an hour from Bamberg. Public transport will take you on a rather elaborate (and significantly longer) route but if you are planning to visit by bus or train, try to get to Pottenstein and things should be easy from there on.

A day in Würzburg means a jam-packed sightseeing tour of some of Bavaria’s most impressive architectural and historical landmarks. The city is primarily known for the ostentatious Bishop’s Palace, which boasts an eclectic mix of Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical architecture, and which these days also proudly bears UNESCO status. Other must-visit sites are the Cathedral, the Old Bridge and Marienburg Fortress. There are multiple train options from Bamberg to Würzburg, including the RE20, RE53 and RE54, and whichever you choose should get you to your destination in under an hour.

Greifenstein Castle is one of those underhyped locations in Upper Franconia – the fortress-turned-Palais is well worth the drive from Bamberg if you’re into history and want to roam the historic weaponry and wine cellar, check out the bergfried tower, and explore the richly decorated castle church which boasts both Gothic and Baroque elements. Greifenstein is a little further away from Bamberg than the other places on this list, so we recommend pre-booking a transfer, renting a car or even booking a guided excursion to get there and back.

Coburg is another Franconian gem which is situated approximately 50 km (31 miles) north of Bamberg. A day in the city is just about enough to cover the highlights which include Germany’s largest fortress, the Veste Coburg, the striking Ehrenburg Palace, historic churches and a quaint market square. To round things off, the city has a number of fantastic restaurants which dish up the most delightful specialities Bavaria has to offer. You can get to Coburg in less than 40 minutes from Bamberg if you drive, but the EV train also goes direct between the two cities in less than an hour.

The municipality of Aufsess in Franconian Switzerland boasts the worldwide largest cluster of breweries per capita. A signposted 14-km (8.7-mile) hiking trail takes you through the hilly landscape past museums, castles and other historical sights and most importantly, four village breweries in Sachsendorf, Hochstahl – Heckenhof and Aufsess, which all serve you their brew in a chilled glass mug. Where you begin and end your trail is up to you. You obviously won’t want to drive if you’re going to make the most of all those breweries. There are buses heading across Aufsess but your best bet is to book an organised group tour – that way you have some drinking buddies to hit the road with!

The Druidenhain in Franconian Switzerland, 40 km (25 miles) southeast of Bamberg, is a magical beech wood forest known for the giant moss-covered boulders covering the ground. A circular hiking trail takes you through the eerie landscape between Wohlmannsgesees, Muggendorf and Streitberg, where you can stop for a quick visit to the Neideck castle ruins which sit perched on a hill near the village. That fastest way to get to the Druidenhain trail is by car, which should take around 40 minutes of scenic country driving.