Kulmbach – before our road trip through Franconia, we looked into questioning faces when we called the name of this city. With one single exception: beer lovers knew immediately what we were talking about. Kulmbach is considered the secret capital of beer. This is mainly due to the fact that the density of breweries is said to be nowhere else in the world as high as between Kulmbach and Bamberg.
However, it wasn’t just the beer that ultimately appealed to us about Kulmbach, but above all the cozy atmosphere in the old town and of course the city’s landmark: the Plassenburg. In this blog article we will tell you about the most beautiful sights and give you our personally tested tips for Kulmbach.
1. Kulmbach: the cozy town in Franconia It doesn’t take long until you find yourself in the manageable center of the 26. resident city has found its way around. Above all, Kulmbach is one thing: pleasantly calm – and shows a certain “understatement” at the same time. We liked that from the first moment. Kulmbach is a really beautiful city, without having to trumpet it to the world there.
When we arrived in Kulmbach, we were somehow relaxed from the first moment. Maybe it’s also because there are – apart from the Plassenburg – no really big sights in Kulmbach. But it doesn’t need to be, because in Kulmbach we have once again learned to appreciate the little things: an ice cream sundae in a really excellent ice cream parlor (or ice cream parlour, as they say in Germany), a bike trip to the lake or a good beer under chestnut trees.
2. Sights in Kulmbach The Plassenburg is definitely the number one sight in Kulmbach. In our opinion, you shouldn’t leave Kulmbach without seeing the view of the old town from the Plassenburg.
There are also some pretty squares and sights to be discovered in the old town itself. We are usually not really the type for city tours, but we found the one-hour tour through the picturesque alleyways of Kulmbach very exciting and entertaining. You can book city tours in the tourist information (Buchbindergasse 5).
Plassenburg The city’s landmark sits enthroned on a mountain high above the old town. Four museums are housed in the Plassenburg, including a particularly bizarre one: namely one of the largest tin figure museums in the world. Once a week you can see how the filigree tin figures are made in the German Tin Figures Museum. We were lucky: the tin caster was present when we visited, so we were allowed to look over his shoulder at work.
The remaining three museums, which the Plassenburg houses, are – in line with the history of the building – of particular interest to history enthusiasts. Here you can visit the Hohenzollern Museum, the Frederick the Great Army Museum and the Obermain Landscape Museum.
Of course you can also simply explore the outdoor area and then have coffee and cake in the Burgschänke in the inner courtyard of the Plassenburg. You have a great view of the city from the Rondell. We particularly recommend the place at sunset – more on that below.
One thing must we still confess: An exception was made for us for the photo of the tower of the Plassenburg. Unfortunately, you are usually not allowed to go up there. But we promise you: A visit to the Plassenburg is also worthwhile without climbing the tower.
Information on visiting the Plassenburg Opening hours: from April to October from 9 to 16 h, from November to March from 10 until 16 Watch
Guided tour: regularly once an hour, selected areas (e.g. the 2nd floor of Hohenzollern Museum) are only accessible as part of a guided tour
Admission: 7 euros for adults (all four museums), outdoor area (incl. Courtyard) accessible free of charge
Getting there: Only on foot or by bus “Plassenburg-Express”. (Attention: There are no public parking spaces during opening hours.) The walk from the city center to the Plassenburg takes approx. 13 until 20 Minutes (uphill).
Red Tower The Red Tower is a former watchtower that lives up to its name: from the base to the top, the color red is a recurring element. The Red Tower was recently renovated and, in our opinion, beautifully. We were also very impressed by the interior. Studios for artists are to be built there now – a very special place for creative work, we think.
The highlight in the Red Tower is still the view from the last floor. You can look in all directions and get a great impression of how idyllic Kulmbach actually is.
Information about visiting the Red Tower Address: Kapellengässchen 5, Kulmbach
Opening hours: Visit only possible as part of a guided tour
Kulmbacher Badhaus In the middle of the winding A historic highlight can be found in Kulmbach’s old town: the Badhaus. In the Middle Ages there was a bathing establishment within the walls. Today the house is one of the last surviving bathhouses in all of Germany.
The current bathhouse houses a small museum. You can visit the interior during the specified opening hours, but the renovated bathhouse is also a real eye-catcher from the outside.
Information on visiting the Badhaus Address: Upper heel 20, 1200 Kulmbach Opening hours:
Friday to Sunday from 13 until 17 Watch Entry: for free
Marketplace Kulmbach All roads lead to the market place – at least in Kulmbach. Somehow we ended up there over and over again. And that’s a good thing, because the market square with the Luitpoldbrunnen is really one of the most beautiful places in the city.
One of the most striking buildings on the market square is the Rathaus with its yellow rococo facade. Incidentally, our favorite place to enjoy the marketplace flair is the Eiscafé Sanremo. Not only delicious ice cream is served there, but also very good coffee.
A visit to the market square is also worthwhile at dusk: That is when both the building ensemble on the market square and the Plassenburg on the Hill very nicely lit.
Museums in the Mönchshof Not only recommended in bad weather: the three museums in the Mönchshof. The hobby horse on this former brewery area is the brewery museum, which we also visited. We would not have expected such an extensive, lovingly and very modern designed museum. If you are interested in beer, then you will like it very much here. We dare to say: You can’t collect much more knowledge about beer. The brewery museum is partially very interactive. At the end of the exhibition you can of course taste a freshly tapped beer.
On the same area you will also find the Spice Museum and the Bakery Museum. If you are unlucky with the weather in Kulmbach, you can easily spend a whole day here.
Information on visiting the museums in Mönchshof
Address: Hofer Strasse , Kulmbach Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from until 17 Watch
Entry: 8 euros (1 museum) or 15 Euro (3 museums) for adults
3. Sunset in Kulmbach Kulmbach is surrounded by hills on several sides. And that means: There are some places to discover from where you can enjoy a great view of the city and/or the Plassenburg at sunset.
Schießgraben The Schiessgraben is definitely one of our favorite places in Kulmbach. You shouldn’t miss it when you’re in Kulmbach. From here you have a wonderful view of the city and the Plassenburg in the background. With a bit of luck with the weather, the low sun bathes the building facades in a beautiful light before sunset.
Plassenburg Perhaps the best known Viewpoint in Kulmbach is located directly in front of the gates of the Plassenburg. Kulmbach lies at your feet from the roundabout, which is also accessible at any time outside of opening hours.
The ambience here is particularly beautiful at sunset. We were the only people far and wide and could have spent hours up here. By the way, you can park outside of the opening hours in a small car park, which is not far from the roundabout (however, parking is not allowed there during the day).
Rehberg We only became aware of the Rehberg when we looked from the Plassenburg to the hills opposite. Our tour guide then confirmed to us that you can enjoy a great panoramic view of the Plassenburg from the Rehberg. That’s why we spontaneously got in the car one evening and set off.
Actually, there would be an approx. 12 kilometer-long circular hiking trail, the “Rehberg-Weg”. However, we only drove to the Rehberg by car and looked for a nice spot with a view. Was it worth it?
4. Bike excursion to the confluence of the Main and the Kieswäsch A few kilometers outside of Kulmbach, the Red and White Main meet and unite into a stream. To be honest, the whole thing is less exciting than it sounds. For us personally, the highlight of our bike trip was not the Main confluence, but the Kieswäsch, also known as Mainaue Kulmbach.
This bathing lake is a natural one Oasis. On hot days there is probably no better place to cool off in and around Kulmbach. What makes the stay perfect? Clearly: A cold drink or an ice cream. There is a kiosk right on the lake, the beer garden “Zur Kieswaesch”. If you get hungry, snacks such as French fries or currywurst will also be served there.
The bicycle path to the gravel wash and on to the Main confluence is very nice well signposted. Just keep an eye out for the green wheel symbol – the respective distance is usually also there. From the city center of Kulmbach you can reach the confluence of the Main in about 26 minutes.
5. Eating & drinking in Kulmbach: Our tips Ice cream parlor Sanremo The “place to be” on the market square is clearly the ice cream parlor Sanremo. We’ve been there several times and almost every table was occupied. The ice cream is delicious here and the espresso is exceptionally good (yes, we’re demanding!). Our insider tip (which is not on the menu): order an espresso with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It doesn’t get any better, honestly!
Address: Marketplace 9, 1200 Kulmbach
Communal brew Kulmbach One of the most popular restaurants in Kulmbach is the Kommunbräu, and rightly so. Traditional Franconian cuisine with a touch of international flair is served here – or “a weng wos annersch” as the menu says. In addition to classics such as the filled Kulmbacher beer onion, you can also order a curry or enchiladas in the Kommunbräu.
Apart from excellent food, there is one thing above all else in the Kommunbräu: home-brewed beer. The special feature: In addition to the well-known beer classics, a very special seasonal beer is brewed in the Kommunbräu every month according to the in-house beer calendar. The tapping of the monthly beer is duly celebrated on the first Wednesday of the month. Then there’s a free sample for everyone.
A highlight in summer is definitely the beer garden under the chestnut trees. The rooms themselves also have a special flair: Inside you sit in the walls of a former mill.
Address: Green guard 17, 95326 Kulmbach
Patchwork Not at all traditional, but very young, creative fusion cuisine is available at Patchwork. The menu includes burgers (with and without meat), salads and much more.
If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you’ll love it here: there’s an unusually large selection of meatless dishes. We also really liked the young, hip atmosphere. Our conclusion: Highly recommended!
Address: Grabenstrasse 9, Kulmbach
6. Our accommodation in Kulmbach We slept in the Hotel Kronprinz for two nights. The hotel is located in the middle of the old town – it’s maybe a 3-minute walk to the market square. You can tell that the building has history because the staircase is quite narrow. Our room was on the third and last floor (caution: no elevator!) and was larger than expected for a city hotel. We were also able to take a look at a single room in passing and it was really very small compared to ours.
We felt very comfortable in our room. Also the bed was very comfortable. The breakfast is manageable, but the quality of the food is definitely right. We found the homemade yoghurt very tasty. By the way, you can park in the nearby underground car park, which is just a few steps away from the hotel.
You can book the hotel here: Hotel Crown Prince
Transparency: Advertising & Affiliate Links This blog article was created in cooperation with FrankenTourismus. We traveled as part of the campaign “13 cities” total 13 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 been to Kulmbach before and have additional tips? Or are you planning a trip through Franconia and still have questions? Please leave us a comment – we look forward to it!
