A Weekend Trip to Bamberg and Pottenstein
In summer, we went on a weekend trip to Bamberg and Pottenstein. It was a wonderful trip, and in this article, I have jotted down our experience in these two lovely towns in the southern state of Bavaria in Germany.
This article contains all the information you need to plan your weekend in these two towns. In addition to the places we visited, I have shared information about accommodation, travel, tips based on my experience, and additional tourist sites you can visit if you have more days.
So, let’s get started.
The southern state of Bavaria is known for its natural beauty, rich cultural heritage and incredible history. As a family, we have made several trips to various towns and cities in Bavaria. I have written articles about our trips to Rothenburg, Munich & Dachau, Nuremberg & Ingolstadt, Aschaffenburg, and Lindau. You might want to check them out.
Before I discuss the places we visited in Bamberg and Pottenstein, I will explain some basics, like arrival, accommodation, travelling within the towns, etc.
Arrival at Bamberg
By Car
If you live in any of the nearby towns, the fastest and most convenient way to reach them is by car. We live in Darmstadt, Germany, and it took us 2 hours and 30 minutes to drive about 226 km to Bamberg. Bamberg lies east of Darmstadt in Bavaria and is well connected by road, so we chose to drive down.
We left on Friday morning. We reached Bamberg in about 2.5 hours and stayed there until evening. We had booked an apartment in a small town called Breitengüßbach near Bamberg. By evening, we drove from Bamberg to Breitengüßbach and stayed at Breitengüßbach that night. The following day. i,e Saturday, we visited Pottenstein (50km from Breitengüßbach). The drive to Pottenstein was about an hour. After spending a day in Pottenstein, we returned to our apartment in Breitengüßbach. On Sunday morning, we headed to Bamberg again to explore it more. Then, by afternoon, we left for our city( Darmstadt) from Bamberg. On the way, we took a break at Wurzburg for lunch. Then we drove to Darmstadt.
I have shared more details further in the article.
Our trip looked like this:
If you don’t own a car, you can rent one. We have rented from SIXT multiple times and found their cars to be of top-notch quality.
While you are here, you can read my articles:
How to get a driving license in Germany- Step-by-Step guide
My Experience with renting a car in Germany
By Public Transport
Reaching Bamberg and Local Transport in Bamberg
The second best option is to use public transport to reach Bamberg. The station where you arrive is called Bamberg Bahnhof.
You can book your train on Deutsche Bahn’s official website
Bamberg Bahnhof is a 20-minute walk from the old town area (which has all the important tourist sites). So, if you are travelling light, you can walk to the old town from Bamberg Bahnhof.
Alternatively, you can take Buses 901,902, 911, or 931 from Bamberg Bahnhof to reach the old town. VerÂkehrsÂverÂbund GroßÂraum NürnÂberg, in short VGN handles public transport in Bamberg. You can check their official website for information regarding local public transport tickets, schedules, etc.
If you wish to go beyond the old city and explore more, it would make sense to buy the Bamberg Card. This card allows you to use public transport in Bamberg and also includes admission to many museums and guided tour of the town. You can check out the details here.
Reaching Pottenstein
Reaching Pottenstein is a bit tedious with public transport. Here are the details:
From Nuremberg to Pottenstein: Take RE 30/31/32/38 and alight at Pegnitz. From Pegnitz Bahnhof, take bus 389/393. Alight at Pottenstein.
From Bamberg to Pottenstein: Take a train to Pegnitz and follow the abovementioned connection.
Please note: It is best to reach Pottenstein by car. Many places do not have good public transport connectivity.
By Flight
If you arrive from another country, you can fly to Nuremberg. Flughafen Nürnberg „Albrecht Dürer“ is the international airport of Nuremberg and is the nearest to Bamberg and Pottenstein. From there, you can take taxi, rental car or public transport to reach Bamberg and Pottenstein.
You can check your flight options here.
Accommodation in Bamberg & Pottenstein:
Since we are a family with kids already in their teens, having enough space for each of us is essential. Hotel rooms are not spacious, and everyone is restricted to a small room. So, recently, we started booking apartments. We usually reserve a flat or house, preferably with an equipped kitchen and a minimum of two bedrooms, so that each of us has their own space and there is always the option to cook something.
As a family, we like having a good breakfast and starting our day, and apartments with kitchens allow us to make simple meals at home. We also enjoy exploring the local supermarkets, discovering what’s new, and trying out locally available foods and drinks. Apartments are an excellent option for those who want to enhance their holiday experience.
We booked an apartment for this trip as well, and, as usual, the experience was great. Since accommodations were quite pricey in Bamberg, we booked an apartment in Breitengüßbach, a small town 10 km north of Bamberg. We were lucky to find a lovely apartment at a much better price there.
Now, let me take you through our weekend in Bamberg and Pottenstein.
Weekend Itinerary in Bamberg and Pottenstein
Day 1
We left for Bamberg at about 10 a.m. from Darmstadt on a Friday and were in Bamberg by 12:30 p.m. We parked our car at the parking place in the old city and set out on foot to explore the town.
On your first day in Bamberg, you can take a 2-hour guided walking tour. In this tour, you can learn about the important landmarks, the culture and history of Bamberg through a professional guide.
OR, you can take the The Explorial Pass, which is a great alternative to conventional tours. You download an app and learn more about the town, answer questions, and explore the town at your own pace. Check out more details here.
After walking a few meters from the parkhouse, we were at Bamberg’s most famous and photographed landmark, the Altes Rathaus.
Altes Rathaus
Altes Rathaus is an old townhouse built in the Gothic style in the 15th century. It was redesigned in the 18th century and repainted later in the 20th century. This townhouse sits atop a bridge over the River Regnitz and is the most famous landmark of Bamberg. The structure is admirable and has an old-world charm.
The paintings on the outside walls are lovely. A protruding leg creates the illusion of a multi-perspective figure worth noticing. The landmark can be admired from the outside, or you can enter to check out the largest private porcelain collection in Europe, which is housed in the building. You can find out more information about the collection here.
This historical structure is also famous for another reason: It is the founding place of the German Red Cross. In 1921, the German Red Cross was founded in the Rococo Hall of Altes Rathaus. A memorial plaque in the passage of the Old Town Hall commemorates its founding.
Cafes and souvenir shops surround the Altes Rathaus. You can check out the shops, take pictures, walk on the bridge, and enjoy the lovely views along the Regnitz.
After checking out the Altes Rathaus, we stopped by for an authentic German lunch at restaurant Hofbräu. It was a great experience trying some local food with Bamberg’s famous smoked beer (called Rauchbier). Our experience was great, and I recommend this place to my readers.
After a relaxed lunch, we headed to Bamberg Cathedral Square, which was less than 300 m from the restaurant. On the way, we clicked pictures, soaked in the beauty of the medieval town and checked out speciality shops.
Cathedral Square of Bamberg (Domplatz)
The Cathedral Square, also known as Domplatz, is located on a small hill above the old town. A short walk and a flight of steps from the old town lead to the square. This square is home to several landmarks in Bamberg, including the Bamberger Dom, Alte Hofhaltung, Neue Residenz, and Rose Garden, with its lovely terrace overlooking the town of Bamberg.
Bamberg Cathedral, also known as the Bamberger Dom, is a 13th-century church and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Due to its lengthy construction process, several architectural styles, including Romanesque and Gothic, have been incorporated into different parts of the cathedral. Visitors can visit the church from the inside or walk around to admire its magnificent structure and its lovely surroundings.
While you are here, you can visit the Bamberg Diocesan Museum, which you will find interesting if you are interested in religious relics. You can purchase your ticket at the venue, or if you have already purchased the Bamberg City card, access to this museum is included. I have already shared information about the Bamberg City card earlier in the article.
A few meters from the Cathedral is the Old Court, called Alte Hofhaltung. The Old Court is a historical building complex in Bamberg. It consists of former residential and commercial buildings of the episcopal court. After the prince-bishop moved to a new palace, the buildings were used as a chancellery, library and council chamber. Today, the city’s historical museum is housed here.
If you wish to visit the museum, you can buy your tickets here, or at the venue.
Here, you can also book and watch the famous Licht und Schatten show of Bamberg, which showcases the city’s 1000-year history in a 90-minute show and takes place in Katharinenkapelle in Alte Hofhaltung. You can check out their official website for show timings, prices, etc. Note: This show is only available in German.
A few meters from the old court are the New Residence, also known as Neue Residenz and the adjoining Rose Garden. The New Residence is a multi-winged building. From 1604 onwards, it was the episcopal residence of the prince-bishops of Bamberg after they moved out of the old court (Alte Hofhaltung). Today, the sandstone complex houses the State Library and the State Gallery of Bamberg. You can admire the structure from the outside or buy tickets at the entrance to check out the gallery.
Adjacent to the New Residence is a lovely Rose Garden. It is famous for its lovely roses and the terrace from where, you get lovely views of St. Michael’s Church and Bamberg town.
Here are some pictures of the lovely views from the terrace of the Rose Garden.
We took our time exploring this area, and by the time we were done, it was already evening. We picked up our car from the parking lot and headed to Altenburg Castle, which is perched on top of Bamberg’s highest hill and is one of Bamberg’s major landmarks. This castle offers excellent views of Bamberg town.
Since the castle was closed, we walked around and enjoyed the views of the town from a viewing point outside the castle.
If you wish, you can book a 1-hour guided tour of the castle to discover 900 years of history as you explore the defences and select rooms of the majestic Altenburg castle.
After the castle visit, we decided to call it a day. We headed to Breitengüßbach, where we had booked an apartment for an overnight stay.
Day 2
On this day, after breakfast in our apartment, we headed to Pottenstein. Pottenstein is a lovely little town in the Bayreuth district of Bavaria. It is famous for its numerous cliffs and valleys, which give it its distinctive landscape and make it a scenic and lovely place.
Our first destination of the day was Erlebnisfelsen.
Erlebnisfelsen
Erlebnisfelsen is a fun place for both adults and kids. You can go on various rides, do adventure activities, climb on the skywalk for lovely views of the valley, or just stop by for a meal at the on-premise restaurant.
Interestingly, you can buy a per-ride ticket based on your interest. There is no park entry fee (like in Disneyland) that covers all rides. Since rides and experiences can vary based on age and interest, the per-experience/per-ride ticket allows you to purchase tickets for your preferred experiences.
You can check out their official website for more details.
We spent about two hours in Erlebnisfelsen, after which we had lunch at the same place.
After lunch, we headed to our next stop, Teufelshöhle ( Devil’s Cave).
Note: There is plenty of free parking space available at Erlebnisfelsen.
Teufelshöhle (Devil’s Cave)
Teufelshöhle is a series of interconnected caves in Pottenstein, accessible through guided tours. The caves are well-preserved, and it’s a lovely experience walking through them and exploring the various rock formations and limestone deposits. The tour guide leads you through the various winding paths in the caves, explaining everything in detail. Exploring the caves is an informative experience that adults and children can enjoy.
It is named Devil’s Cave because of the disappearance of livestock in the vicinity of the cave, which was attributed to the Devil. Centuries later, when the cave had been fully explored, the remains of the missing livestock were found, and it was understood that they had fallen into the cave and died.
One of these cave bear skeletons has been reconstructed and can be seen on the cave tour.
You can check out more information about the caves, entry times, ticket prices, etc, from their official website.
After visiting the caves, we relaxed for a while at the restaurant attached to the premises and then headed for a hike towards Aussichtsturm Himmelsleiter.
Note: Paid car parking is available outside the Devil’s Cave.
Hike to Aussichtsturm Himmelsleiter
A comfortable 2.2 km hike from the Devil’s Cave leads you to Aussichtsturm Himmelsleiter, a viewing tower you can climb to get lovely town views. The path to the tower is picturesque, featuring a beautiful lake, lush greenery, and stunning scenery along the way. If you do not wish to hike, you can even park your car at the parking place 800 m from the tower. From the parking place, you must hike to the tower.
The tower is 37 meters high, and you must climb about 150 steps to reach the viewing platform. The views from the platform are excellent, and access to this tower is free of cost. So, if you plan to climb the tower, you can skip the skywalk in Erlebnisfelsen (which costs approximately 5 euros per person).
We spent some time at the tower and then retraced our steps back to the Devil’s Cave parking area.
With this, we ended our day at Pottenstein. A 1-hour drive brought us back to our apartment at Breitengüßbach.
Day 3
On this day, the plan was to explore Bamberg’s old town in more detail and visit the Franconian Brewery Museum and the Michelsberg Monastery.
After breakfast, we checked out of our apartment and headed towards Bamberg. We parked our car at the same parking house where we had parked on Friday. Then, we walked and explored the town.
We started by walking in the old town area, which we had not explored on Friday, checking out the many bridges and lovely medieval structures.
Then, we headed towards the Franconian Brewery Museum.
Franconian Brewery Museum
The Franconian Brewery Museum is a must-visit for all beer enthusiasts seeking to learn more about Bamberg’s rich beer culture, its evolution over time, and the renowned beers from the region. The museum features over 1,300 exhibits, each providing a detailed explanation of the beer-making process.
Please note that there is no guided tour, and all information about the exhibits is available only in German.
Another way of exploring the beer culture of the region is to go for a Guided Beer History Tour, in which you learn about the history of this beverage and get to sample it too.
After the visit, which took us about an hour, we walked, crossing Restaurant Café Michaelsberg, and reached a terrace that offered lovely views of the town. Here is a picture that we took from the terrace.
We also got lovely views of Michelberg Monastery from the terrace.
It was a hot day, and a long walk tired us. We stopped at Schlenkerla, die historische Rauchbierbrauerei. This is a popular restaurant and brewery famous for its smoked beer. Here, people pick up the beer from the counter and enjoy it on the street. Many also visit this restaurant for local German food, but the more common activity is enjoying the smoked beer on the street. We followed the crowd and bought ourselves chilled, smoked beers to be enjoyed outside like everyone else.
With renewed energy, we walked a bit more, exploring the town and getting its last glimpses before heading to the parkhouse.
Here are some pictures:
After taking our car from the parkhouse, we drove towards Darmstadt. On the way, we stopped by Wurzburg for a quick lunch of Döner sandwiches at Original Berliner Döner Würzburg. We loved the sandwiches and the service. I would recommend this place to my readers.
Here are some glimpses of Wurzburg that we could catch.
From Wurzburg, we drove for about 1.5 hours and covered a distance of 133 km to reach Darmstadt, the city where we live.
This brought us to the end of our long weekend in Bamberg and Pottenstein.
Here is a summary of places to see and experiences in Bamberg and Pottenstein.
10 Places to Visit in Bamberg as described in the article:
- Altes Rathaus
- Bamberger Dom
- Diocesan Museum ( Behind Bamberger Dom)
- Alte Hofhaltung
- History Museum ( in Alte Hofhaltung)
- Neue Residenz
- Rose garden and terrace
- Altenburg Castle
- Franconian Brewery Museum
- Michelberg Monastery
Some more places that you can add to your itinerary:
3 Unique Experiences in Bamberg:
- Guided Tour of the town or, Exploring the city using Explorial Pass
- Guided Beer Tour
- Local Food and Smoked Beer
3 Experiences in Pottenstein as described in the article:
- Erlebnisfelsen
- Devil’s Cave
- Hike to Viewing Tower
Check out many more experiences you can add to your Itinerary if you have more days in Pottenstein here.
I have uploaded many more pictures of these two towns to my gallery page. Check them out.
To learn about other holiday destinations, click here.
Leave a Reply