Please note that some of the links on the website might be affiliate links, which means that at absolutely no extra cost for you our website will earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting this project! Our Disclaimer
Table of Contents:
How to get to Bamberg from Munich
I have travelled around Southern Germany and I can say that the area is full of attractions. Plus, getting around is pretty much easy here, because of developed transport infrastructure. You can use trains, buses or cars to get to your desired travel destination. I tried all of these means of transport and I can confirm that they are pretty much convenient and fast.
When to travel to Bamberg
Bamberg is a medieval town in Bavaria, in the Upper Saxony region. Among the other Bavarian towns, Bamberg is one of the most visited by tourists, as many historical attractions have been preserved here. The town was almost not damaged during the bombing of World War II.
Thanks to its cultural and historical heritage, the Old Town of Bamberg has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition, Bamberg is famous for its brewing traditions. There are more than 10 breweries in the town, as well as a Brewery Museum.
I would recommend visiting Bamberg any season of the year. The weather is rather mild here even during the winter time, when the Christmas Markets and festive illumination usually take place. During the springs and summers Bamberg becomes more vibrant because warm and sunny weather attracts a lot of tourists from all over Europe.
If you look for more peaceful and quiet vibes, choose autumn to travel to Bamberg. You will be surprised with colorful nature and pleasant weather. Architecture in Bamberg is good to explore any time of the year, though. If you are interested in architecture as much as I am, you will be surprised with the great architectural variety in Bamberg.

How to get to Bamberg
Where do you fly into to get to Bamberg? You can easily get to Bamberg from any German or Czech city (the border with the Czech Republic is not far away) by road or by rail. The nearest major city with an international airport is located in the administrative center of Bavaria – the city of Munich. Most often, tourists visit Bamberg from Munich. Check the current flight timetable from your city to Munich at Aviasales booking service. Quite often, tourists also come to Bamberg from Prague or Carlsbad with one-day excursions.
How to get to Bamberg from Munich
After some research, I found out that the distance between Munich and Bamberg is 230 km. The cities are connected with highway #A9, which passes through another large city of Bavaria – Nuremberg. You can get to Bamberg by train, by bus or by car.
By renting a car: You can find car rentals both in Munich and at the airport. To rent a car, you need to have a passport, an international driver’s license and a bank card. You can also book a car in advance on the different booking services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. Based on my experience, both services are very convenient as they can sort available options by type of a car, price, transmission, fuel type, departure point, etc.
◊A useful tip: Compare a few of booking services to choose the best price. Roads in Germany are high-speed (the so-called autobahns), so you can move along quickly and comfortably. The cities are connected with the highway # A9, so you can get to Bamberg from Munich in about 2,5 hours (see on the map).
By train: If you do not have a driver’s license, you can also get to Bamberg by public transport. So, from the Main Station of Munich many trains depart in the direction of Bamberg, starting at 05.30 in the morning. The travel time usually takes from 1 hour 50 minutes to 2,5 hours depending on the type of train (high-speed or regional one). You can choose a direct route or with a change in Nuremberg. Train timetables can be checked at the Raileurope booking service. I use Raileurope regularly to check out the current train timetable throughout the whole of Europe and I can definitely recommend it.
By bus: Regular buses also run from Munich to Bamberg, however, the travel time usually takes more time – approx. 3,5 hours. Buses run up to 5 times a day and are operated by the Flixbus bus carrier. Buses run during the whole day. The first one departs at 9 am, the last one departs at 0.30 am. Buses are considered to be a cheaper means of transport. Check the bus timetable at the Flixbus service. As far as I know Flixbus is a pretty popular bus service in Europe and designed for cheaper trips with affordable prices. I often use it for comparing bus timetables with train schedules.

Where to stay in Bamberg
Bamberg is a popular tourist destination. Tourists can stay here in hotels of various categories (from 2 to 4 stars, as well as in hotels without stars), apartments and guest houses. Another advantage is the more affordable prices for accommodation, unlike other Bavarian towns.
Based on my research, Bamberg hotels are represented by both well-known chain brands and local hoteliers. Some hotels provide free breakfasts as a bonus, some also offer parking areas (there are few public parking lots in the town).
Hotel Bamberger Hof Bellevue 4* – The hotel is located in the Old Town, in a historic building of the 19th century. On the roof of the hotel, you can find a terrace with the picturesque town views. All the main attractions of the town are located nearby, the railway station is also within walking distance. The hotel has a cafe. Paid private parking is available on site. The hotel has rooms of various categories. The rooms are equipped with hairdryer, telephone, satellite TV, mini-bar, wireless internet. Buffet breakfasts are included in the rate. I checked out the reviews and found out that the hotel received the best reviews for its location, cleanliness of the rooms and professionalism of the staff. The hotel has luggage storage. The front desk is open 24/7. Check-in is from 14.00, check-out is until 11.00.
Hotel Europa 3* – The hotel is located in the historical part of Bamberg, within the walking distance of all the main attractions of Bamberg and close to the railway station. Paid public parking is available nearby. Wi-Fi is provided free of charge. You can choose among single, double or triple rooms, which are equipped with hairdryer, telephone, satellite TV, wireless internet. Buffet breakfasts are paid separately. The hotel received the highest ratings for professionalism of the staff, the cleanliness of the rooms and the quality of the breakfasts provided. The hotel has luggage storage. The front desk is open 24/7. Check-in is from 15.00, check-out is until 11.00.
Boutique Hotel Villa Katharina – This boutique hotel is located in the town centre. At the same time, the hotel is fenced off from the street noise by a garden, so its area is always quiet and calm. The hotel has a terrace and a small seasonal pool. Guests enjoy free private parking and free Wi-Fi. The hotel has standard and superior rooms. The rooms are equipped with satellite TV, hairdryer, wireless internet. The windows of the rooms face the garden. Breakfasts are included in the room rate. In summer, breakfasts are served on the terrace. The hotel received the highest ratings for the quality of breakfasts and Wi-Fi provided, as well as for professionalism of the staff. The hotel offers bicycle rental and luggage storage. Check-in is from 14.30, check-out is until 11.00.
Volkspark – This is a new hotel in Bamberg offering guests all the necessary services and a restaurant on the ground floor of the building. In addition, guests can enjoy free Wi-Fi and free parking. The hotel rooms have everything you need, from a hairdryer and TV to wireless internet. Please, note, there is no elevator in the building, the only way to get to the upper floors is by stairs. Breakfast is included in the price. The hotel received the highest ratings for professionalism of the staff, the cleanliness of the rooms and the quality of the breakfasts provided. Check-in is from 14.00, check-out is until 11.00.
Am Blumenhaus – The hotel is located in a calm and quiet area close to the town centre. Nearby you can find a park area with a river; this place is great for walking. Wi-Fi is available free of charge. Public parking services are paid separately, if needed. The hotel offers its guests with single, double or triple rooms. The rooms are equipped with everything you need. The price also includes breakfast. The hotel received the best ratings for its location and cleanliness of the rooms. Check-in is from 15.00, check-out is until 10.30.

What to see & do in Bamberg
The two main reasons why tourists go to Bamberg are historical sightseeing and the opportunity to taste real Bavarian beer in the homeland of its production. And if you can get acquainted with brewing traditions on a tour of one of the local breweries (and there are more than 12 of them in Bamberg) or even in a Brewery Museum, then in order to get to know historical Bamberg, you have to go around it all.
By the way, about the Museum of Beer – it is located on the territory of 900 sq. m. and has more than 1300 exhibits, one way or another related to brewing. In total, the museum has 5 levels or 5 floors, where you can find a distillation hall, a hall with objects dedicated to beer and telling about the culture of drinking, a bottling hall, a filtration hall, a brewing history hall, a storage and fermentation hall. There is some useful information for visiting that I discovered:
- The Museum of Beer is open from 13.00 to 17.00 on weekdays and from 11.00 to 17.00 on weekends
- The entrance ticket costs 4 euros
- You can also order an organized tour with tasting (from 10 people). The duration of this tour is 1.5 hours
In Bamberg, you can see absolutely different architectural sights – it may be either fortresses, or castles, or residences, or cathedrals, or town halls etc. The historical center of Bamberg is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. So, here you can see the Church of St. James built in the 11th century, the Geierswerth Palace, the Villa Concordia, the Upper Church of the 13th century, the Church of St. Gangolf of 11th century, the Old Residence, the Church of St. Martin, the Chapel of the Virgin Mary, the old Bishop’s Court and others. Most of these attractions are located on the main square of Bamberg and the streets stretching from the square.

That is why you should start exploring Bamberg from its main square and the main attractions located on it. Domplatz, or Cathedral Square, offers to see the majestic Bamberg Cathedral built in the 13th century. The cathedral has a height of 94 meters and is decorated with four towers. It is definitely worth visiting the cathedral not only from the outside, but also from the inside, as the interiors of the building are amazing. I found out detailed information for visiting the Cathedral:
- You can explore the cathedral on your own or with an hour-long tour (at 10.30 and 14.00 on weekdays, at 10.30, 14.00 and 15.00 on Saturday and at 14.00 on Sunday).
- The cost of the tour is 5 euros per adult.
Another once religious building of Bamberg is the old Town Hall. Over time, it lost its religious meaning, but remained one of the most recognizable symbols of the town. It was built on the Regnitz River; two small bridges lead to its entrance from both banks of the river. The Town Hall is painted with numerous frescoes with authentic motifs. Now it is a Museum of Ceramics, consisting of more than 300 pieces of ceramics, porcelain and faience.
- The museum is open daily, except Mondays, from 10.00 to 16.30.
- The entrance ticket costs 6 euros.
◊Note! The Old Town Hall, due to its miniature size, has become the most recognizable attraction of the town, and everyone who comes to Bamberg for a short visit, prefers to see this unusual building first of all.

Bamberg is located in a quite hilly area, and the old castle of Altenburg can be found on one of these hills. Its construction dates back to the beginning of the 12th century. Throughout history, the castle has suffered from disasters and destruction more than once; its last major restoration was carried out in the 18th century. Now one of the prestigious restaurants of the city is located in the area of the castle.
Another impressive building in Bamberg is the so-called New Residence, the construction of which took place at the beginning of the 17th century. Initially, the residence was built for the prince-bishops. Here you can find about 40 halls, the most remarkable of which is the Imperial Hall. All rooms are decorated with authentic furniture, paintings and sculptures, and many of them have frescoed walls.
Now the residence is an Art Gallery, which houses a collection of works by Bavarian artists. Next to the residence you can find a beautifully landscaped garden with views of the Old Town.
- The New Residence is open from 09.00 to 18.00 from April to September and from 10.00 to 16.00 from October to March inclusive.
- The entrance ticket costs 6 euros.

The real “art pearls” of Bamberg are considered to be a Historical Museum with a huge collection of objects from the prehistoric era to the present day, as well as an elegant Villa Dessauer, where a Gallery of Modern Art is located. After researching some information, I discovered the opening hours of the villa:
- The Historical Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 17.00; The entrance ticket costs 7 euros;
- Villa Dessauer is open daily, except Monday, from 12.00 to 18.00
In Bamberg you can also see a 10th-century Benedictine monastery of Michaelsberg. The monastery complex represents buildings from different periods of time, but one of the most impressive is the church of St. Michael, made in an elegant Baroque style. The church was built at the beginning of the 17th century. Climbing up to the monastery complex is also worth it because it offers a picturesque view of the entire town, since the monastery is located on one of the seven Bamberg hills. The observation deck consists of terraced gardens with fountains and sculptures. No interior observation is possible due to restoration works, though.
As you can see, a huge number of historic and architectural attractions are located in Bamberg, and you can spend time not only strolling around the town, but also visiting the most interesting museums from traditional art museums to the Brewery Museum. It is recommended to plan your trip to Bamberg for the whole day, and if you want to visit museums, it will make sense to stay here for a few days or more. In addition, Bamberg is located in the center of the historical area of Franconia, where dozens of the most beautiful small towns have been preserved, which are conveniently accessible from Bamberg with day trips.

Take a note! When going on a trip to Germany, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: rey perezoso

Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…
Bamberg looks like a beautiful place to visit. Amazing pictures. Thank you for sharing!
I hadn’t realized that Bamberg had a beer museum. I know a few people who would be quite interested in visiting that, will pass along your post.
The architecture in Bamberg looks an amazing choice to explore all year round, with the breweries and museums, I feel like I might need to saty around for a few days, would a weekend be enough to see most of it?
Hello!
I think yes, if you plan to see only Bamberg. Tourists often combine visiting Bamberg with some neighbouring towns. In this case you may need some more days.
Cheers,
Julia
Bamberg is so famous, but I’ve never been. This is a super detailed travel guide, thank you for making it so easy for independent travellers to visit!
I bet a lot of people like the beer garden!