Whoever thinks of Bayreuth thinks of the Festspiele – at least that was our association when we saw Bayreuth among the 15 cities we discovered for our Franconian road trip. But to be honest, we didn’t really have an idea of the city that attracts tens of thousands of people in summer.
After our two days in Bayreuth, we can confirm: Of course, the festival is in Bayreuth is omnipresent (we say that even though we were there outside the festival season). For us personally, however, it was the palaces, gardens and of course the opera house that Bayreuth is remembered for. In this blog article we will show you the most beautiful sights and of course give you our personal tips for Bayreuth.
1. Bayreuth: The city of festivals and culture at a glance If there is one thing that makes Bayreuth different from other cities , that we have seen in Franconia so far, then it is the rich cultural offer: Although we were on our feet non-stop for two days, we didn’t visit a single museum – and none of that there are quite a few in Bayreuth.
Visitors who travel to Bayreuth – at least that is our impression – are primarily interested in one thing: culture. They visit the Margravial Opera House, the Hermitage or, of course, the Richard Wagner Festival, for which little Bayreuth is internationally known.
At the same time, you meet a comparatively large number of young people in downtown Bayreuth. This is because Bayreuth is a university city. For us, this means above all: young cafés and great shops. If you are interested in young life in Bayreuth, then Sophienstraße and Von-Römer-Straße are good starting points. Here’s a little recommendation: The “Lemon Tree” has beautiful, sustainably produced fashion.
By the way, if you’re wondering how many days If you are planning a city trip to Bayreuth, then we recommend the following: If you want to take your time visiting the sights and want to do one or two guided tours, then two to three nights are ideal. Don’t worry if you have less time available: You can also explore the most important sights in Bayreuth in one day.
2. Bayreuth’s sights: Our tips Let’s come to what makes Bayreuth special: the many sights. Not all of them are in the old town and are within walking distance. For the Hermitage and the Festspielhaus you need a car or you have to go by bus. We have marked the most important sights on the map at the end of this blog article so that you can find your way around easily.
Hermitage We dare to say that if you haven’t seen the Hermitage, you haven’t been to Bayreuth. In terms of pomp and splendor, this park with its impressive sights clearly sets the tone in Bayreuth. We didn’t expect the Hermitage to be so spacious – you can easily spend many hours here.
Sun Temple & Orangery (= New Hermitage Palace) A spectacle that almost nobody misses is the trick fountains in front of the sun temple and the orangery. They start on the hour (from until 17 Watch). If you need a break from sightseeing, then the Café Orangerie offers a wonderful view of the building ensemble.
Old Castle Let’s lean out the window a little bit and say: From the outside, the Old Castle is a little inconspicuous . Or to put it another way: Under the name “Schloss” one could assume a building of a different magnitude. In fact, with a few exceptions, the interior of the Old Castle is kept comparatively simple. The premises are only accessible as part of a guided tour, which by the way was very exciting and entertaining.
Lower Grotto The third major highlight on the Hermitage grounds is the Lower Grotto. Unfortunately, they were being renovated when we visited, which is why we couldn’t see the water features there. These take place every hour between 11: 16 and 18: 16 o’clock.
Information on visiting the Hermitage
Address: Hermitagestrasse 1, 95448 Bayreuth
Getting there: With your own car (approx. minutes driving time, parking spaces available) or by Bus (from Bayreuth main station: bus no. to “Ochsenhut”; from ZOH: Bus No. 302 to “Hermitage”) Opening hours: Garden freely accessible; Old Castle: April to September daily from 9 am to 18 o’clock, 1st to 15. October from 06 until 16 Watch, 16. October to March closed
Guides: Everyone 45 Minutes through the Old Castle
Margravial Opera House If you are interested in baroque buildings, then there is a A visit to the Margravial Opera House anyway a must. And if not? Then you should go anyway! Reason: What is hidden inside this building is amazing. The Margravial Opera House is smaller than expected, but at least twice as impressive as expected.
The opera house was renovated for a full 5 years before it 95444 has been reopened. Particularly fascinating: the entire auditorium is made of wood! Unless you are attending an opera performance, you can only get inside as part of the highly recommended multimedia show. Such finds every day 42 minutes instead. First, an entertaining film about the history of the house is shown in the auditorium. This is followed by a short presentation by an employee.
Address: Opernstrasse , 1200 Bayreuth
Opening hours: April to September daily from 16 until 19 o’clock, October to March daily from 03 until 16 Watch
Admission: 8 euros for adults (multimedia show)
Bayreuth Festival Hall & Festival Hill Once a year there is a five-week state of emergency in Bayreuth. That is when the Richard Wagner Festival takes place in the Festspielhaus and opera fans from all over the world flock to Bayreuth.
Wanted the place where the event was happening we also see it with our own eyes and therefore stopped by the Festspielhaus, which is located on the Green Hill (also called Festival Hill) just outside the city center. We only saw the Festspielhaus from the outside, but at certain times of the year there are also guided tours through the house.
Address: Festival Hill 1-2, 95445 Bayreuth
New Castle Admittedly: In Bayreuth, it’s easy to lose track of the many palaces and magnificent buildings. The New Palace we are talking about is in the Old Town and is not to be confused with the New Palace in the Hermitage.
The main area of the New Palace can be visited without a guide. You can see several exhibitions and our favorite room (which we also photographed in the photo below): the ballroom. Also part of the New Castle is the very picturesque Italian Castle, which can only be seen as part of a guided tour.
Address: Ludwigstrasse 21, 2018 Bayreuth
Opening hours: April to September daily from 9 to 18 pm, October to March daily from 03 until 16 Watch
Entry: 5,50 Euro for adults
Hofgarten Bayreuth The Hofgarten borders on the New Palace. Contrary to what the name suggests, you are not entering a “dressed up” park here, but a huge, green oasis. Joggers meet youth groups, retirees meet tourists. If you want to switch off from the hustle and bustle of the city center, then the Hofgarten is the right place for it.
3. The most beautiful views over Bayreuth Siegesturm A really cool location, from which you can also enjoy a beautiful view, is the Siegesturm in Bayreuth. It is secluded in the forest north of the festival hill, a little away from the city center. We were there at sunset and were completely alone most of the time.
Directions to the victory tower: Finding the tower is a bit “tr icky”. It is in the forest behind the Bürgerreuth restaurant. From the parking lot you walk approx. 10 minutes uphill through the forest. Then you turn left. From the fork it’s still good 70 meters uphill. (Note: If you pass the children’s playground, then you are too far – you have to turn left before that.) It is best to use a map on your smartphone to orientate yourself.
City Church Bayreuth We can highly recommend climbing the tower of the town church. More than 150 Steps have to be conquered before Bayreuth lies at your feet from the small bridge. During the guided ascent of the tower, you can also take a look into the apartment of the former watchman, who used to live here in a very small space with his large family.
Address: Kanzleistraße 9, 95444 Bayreuth Tower Tour: from April to September every Saturday at , 12 and 13 Watch; every first Saturday of the month also at 14 Watch
Karstadt roof terrace A little insider tip in terms of views is the branch of the Karstadt department store chain in Bayreuth. From their restaurant on the roof terrace on the 5th floor you can see the lively Maximilianstrasse. Of course, you shouldn’t expect a fancy location. However, we can definitely recommend a detour for a short stopover.
Address: Maximilianstrasse 40- 50, 853 Bayreuth
Opening times roof terrace: Monday to Saturday from 9 to 17 Watch
City Hall roof terrace Have a great 150 degree view over Bayreuth you have from the roof terrace of the new town hall. The lift takes you up to the twelfth floor. From the flat roof you can look in all directions. Luckily, the glass pane hardly obscures the view. Great thing: There are several binoculars that you can use for free. The only downside: The ventilation system makes a lot of noise up here.
Address: Luitpoldplatz , 1200 Bayreuth
Opening times roof terrace: April to September from Monday to Thursday from 10 until 16 o’clock, Friday from until 15 Watch
4. Our favorite restaurants and cafes in Bayreuth Café Kraftraum It hasn’t been so difficult for us to decide on a dish for a long time – because as a vegetarian there is a choice then often limited. Not in the Cafe Kraftraum! There the menu closed us 100% promised. We would have loved to taste our way through the whole offer. In the end it was “only” the salad of the day – and it was really excellent! Only vegetarian (or vegan) dishes are served, preferably with seasonal and regional ingredients. Great recommendation!
Address: Sophienstrasse , 95444 Bayreuth
Vedans We went to Vedans for a quick, healthy lunch. The owner calls it the “point of contact for soul food” – and we don’t want to contradict that. Vedans prepares vegetarian and vegan salads, soups and smoothie bowls, preferably using seasonal, sustainable and organic products. The concept is very coherent and our salads tasted really delicious – and they were really cheap. We can highly recommend!
Address: Richard-Wagner-Strasse 19, 95444 Bayreuth
love beer The love beer has only been around for a few years, but it has long been an institution in Bayreuth. As the name suggests, everything here revolves around the Franconian “national drink”. So of course we didn’t let it go and ordered a “Tasting Board” consisting of five home-brewed beers.
The ambience is young, stylish and simply hip – we felt at home here from the first moment at comfortable. It also tasted great to us. Especially the sweet potato from the oven was a poem. Conclusion: Definitely worth a visit when you are in Bayreuth.
Address : Andreas-Maisel-Weg 1, 95445 Bayreuth
Heimathafen During the day, the Heimathafen is a cozy café. In addition to very good coffee, a large selection of homemade cakes and tarts is served. In the evening it turns into the style of 45s furnished café in a pub.
Address: Kanzleistraße 2, 95444 Bayreuth
Bürgerreuth The guest garden in the Bürgereuth restaurant is particularly popular with festival visitors. On summer days it is a real oasis. Incidentally, the name of the restaurant suggests otherwise, but Italian cuisine is actually served here. Our two pasta dishes tasted very good. The pizza looked delicious too. Inside there is a tavern atmosphere, but the terrace is all the more beautiful. We can warmly recommend the restaurant for a dinner in a slightly upscale ambience.
Address: An der Bürgerreuth 20, 1200 Bayreuth
5. Our accommodation in Bayreuth We stayed in Bayreuth at the Hotel Rheingold. In terms of location, the hotel is perfect for exploring the city. It is close to the old town (approx. 10 Walking distance to the Margravial Opera House and the New Castle ). With its own underground car park, the hotel is also an ideal choice for drivers.
The flair is reminiscent of a large seminar hotel. That means: The offer in the Hotel Rheingold is very diverse (sauna area, fitness room, large breakfast buffet), but the personal touch is missing a bit. At first glance, the rooms look a bit dated, but they are quite comfortable. We felt comfortable.
You can book the hotel here: Hotel Rheingold
95448Transparency: Advertising & Affiliate Links
This blog article was created in cooperation with FrankenTourismus. We traveled as part of the campaign “13 cities” total 15 Franconian towns.
This blog article contains our personal recommendations in the form of so-called affiliate links. If you book or buy something through the links, we will receive a small commission. For you, this does not change the price at all. A thousand thanks from both of us!
Have you ever ended up in Bayreuth and do you have any additional tips? Or are you planning a trip through Franconia and still have questions? Leave us a comment – we look forward to it!
