One Day in Bamberg: Top Things to Do & Bamberg’s Christmas Market

With its colorful timbered houses, medieval streets, and stunning setting on the Regnitz River, Bamberg is one of Germany’s most photogenic cities. This small town simply oozes charm. And come the month of December, add in a Christmas market and holiday decorations and Bamberg becomes a magical place to visit.

Bamberg is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its medieval streets and historic buildings. Strolling the streets and the paths that run along the Regnitz River top the list of things to do in Bamberg (this town is absolutely charming!), but you can also tour the monastery, visit the Neue Residenz and the cathedral, or tour a brewery.

One day is all the time you need in Bamberg, to see its main sights. We visited Bamberg on a day trip from Nuremberg, which is about 45 minutes away by train. For those who want to thoroughly immerse themselves in this city, consider spending at least one night here, to walk the picturesque streets in the morning and evening, when they are much less crowded.

About Our Visit to Bamberg

Our visit to Bamberg was in early December, one of the most festive times of the year to visit Germany. Kara and I were on a tour of Bavaria, to visit some of Germany’s best Christmas markets. The Christmas market in Bamberg may not be as large or as famous as those in nearby Nuremberg or Munich, but this town is still well worth the visit. We absolutely loved exploring this lovely medieval town.

Top 10 Things to Do in Bamberg

Below are the 10 best things to do in Bamberg, starting with our favorite experiences. I’m listing the Christmas market separately, if you happen to be visiting Bamberg outside of the Christmas season.

1. Stroll the Medieval Streets

Our favorite thing to do in Bamberg was to explore the medieval streets of the Altstadt, or old town. These cobblestoned streets are lined with colorful, timbered houses and old stone buildings. Even on a cloudy, cold day in December, cafes spill out into the streets.

The most picturesque areas are in the old town, on either side of the Regnitz River. There is a cluster of bridges that span the river and if you weave your way back and forth across them, you can take lots of beautiful photos of Bamberg.

2. Photograph the Old Town Hall

The Old Town Hall, aka the Altes Rathaus, sits on a tiny island in the Regnitz River. It is covered with colorful frescoes that were originally painted in 1755 and repainted numerous times since then. The Old Town Hall houses the Ludwig Collection, the largest private porcelain collection in Europe.

For the iconic photo of Bamberg, walk to Geyersworthsteg, a pedestrian bridge that spans the river and gives you the best vantage point of this historic building.

Be sure to cross the bridge that runs through the Old Town Hall, for more gorgeous views of Bamberg.

Regnitz River and Little Venice

3. Go for a Walk Along the Regnitz River

For more great views of Bamberg, there is a flat walking path that runs on the west side of the Regnitz River. From this path you get views of ‘Little Venice (Klein Venedig),’ half-timbered houses that sit along the river. This path, Am Leinritt, is just a 2-minute walk from the Old Town Hall and takes just a few minutes to walk.

Here is the view.

4. The Bamberg Cathedral

The Bamberg Cathedral sits on a hilltop on the west side of town, just a few steps from the Neue Residenz. It was built in the 13^th century in a late Romanesque style. It is notable as being the final resting place for Emperor Heinrich II and Pope Clement II.

The cathedral is free to visit.

Tomb of Emperor Heinrich II

5. Visit the Neue Residenz

This palace dates back to the early 1600’s. It was used as the seat of power for prince-bishops and King Otto of Greece lived here while he was in exile.

The highlight of a visit here is seeing the Imperial Hall. These walls and ceiling were painted by Melchior Steidl between 1707 and 1709. A ticket to the Neue Residenz also includes the Royal Apartments and the State Gallery of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, which has on display old German and baroque paintings.

For pricing and hours, visit the official website.

6. The View from the Rose Garden

For an elevated view of Bamberg, visit the Rose Garden in the Neue Residenz. This does not require a ticket to the Neue Residenz, so it is free to do.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: The Bamberg Cathedral, Neue Residenz, and Old Court are all located on Domplatz, so these can all be grouped together. To get here, it is an uphill walk from the city center or you can take a taxi or the tourist train.

7. Visit the Old Court (Alte Hofhaltung)

The Old Court was the original residence of the bishops. These half-timbered buildings are worth a quick visit, as they are very interesting to see.

If you want to learn more about these buildings and get a history lesson of Bamberg, visit the Historical Museum of the City of Bamberg, which is located in the Old Court. Learn more about the museum here.

8. Go Shopping on Grüner Markt

Grüner Markt (the Green Market) is a pedestrian shopping street in Bamberg. From Monday through Saturday, this street is lined with fruit and market stalls. In December, a small Christmas market pops up here, where you’ll find gluhwein, holiday treats, and savory delicacies.

St. Martin’s Church

St. Martin’s Church is a Baroque church that sits on Grüner Markt. Step inside to see the trompe d’oeil dome.

9. St. Michael’s Monastery

Founded in 1015, this medieval monastery sits on a hilltop just outside of the city center. On our visit in 2024, it was closed, as it was undergoing a major restoration, but once open it will be well worth the visit.

From the grounds of the monastery, you will get a sweeping view over Bamberg. The ceiling of the church is painted with 578 flowers and herbs, making this a rather unique fresco to see inside of a church. The gardens that surround the monastery are also well worth the visit.

Currently, the gardens, monastery courtyard, and viewing terrace are open. The monastery church is closed and during our visit, was completely encased in scaffolding.

Get here by bus, taxi, or on foot, but be aware that it will be an uphill walk from town.

You can get updates on the status of the renovation project and projected reopening here.

10. Try Smoked Rauchbier

Bamberg is known for its smoked Rauchbier, which you can try at one of 10+ breweries in town. On this list are Klosterbräu, Brauerei Fässla, Brauerei Greifenklau, Brauerei Spezial, and Schlenkerla. You can also visit the Franconian Brewery Museum, which sits next to the monastery.

The Bamberg Christmas Market

During the advent season, Maximiliansplatz is transformed into a winter wonderland. Market stalls selling food, hot drinks, arts and crafts, and souvenirs fill the square. Things to see here include the Christmas pyramid, nativity scene, and Christmas tree.

This is a relatively small market, compared to nearby cities of Würzburg and Nuremberg. Nothing about this market really stood out to us. The market stalls seemed to be very similar to those in nearby cities and there was nothing that seemed to make this market special.

Even though I don’t think it is worth going out of your way to visit this market, we loved strolling the streets of Bamberg. If you will be touring Bavaria at Christmas, Bamberg is still worth it, more so to see the town than to visit its market.

The market runs from November 25 to December 23, 2025.

Two Places to Visit Outside of Bamberg

These two sites are worth the visit for those with an interest in castles or palaces. However, they are located outside of Bamberg, so if you are traveling by train, they can be challenging to get to.

If traveling by train, you can get to them by taxi or ride share app. If you have a car, they are much easier to add on to your visit to Bamberg, as you can drive to and park at these two sites, before or after your visit to Bamberg.

Altenburg Castle

Altenburg Castle sits on the highest hill in Bamberg, about a 10-minute drive from the city or a 40-minute walk, if you are determined to get here and won’t have a car. It dates back to 1109, was destroyed and rebuilt several times, and most of what we see today is from the castle’s restoration over 200 years ago.

On a visit here, you can walk around the castle grounds for free. For a small fee, climb to the top of the tower for a panoramic view of Bamberg.

Schloss Seehof

This palace is located in Memmelsdorf and it was used as a summer residence for Marquard Sebastian Schenk von Stauffenberg, the Prince-bishop of Bamberg in the late 17^th century. Several of the rooms are open to the public and can only be visited on a guided tour.

Learn more here.

How Much Time Do You Need in Bamberg?

A half to a full day is all the time you need to visit Bamberg, depending on how much you want to see and do.

We spent about 4 hours in Bamberg, visiting the cathedral, Neue Residenz, strolling through town and taking photos, and sitting down to lunch.

Once the monastery opens, this could be worth adding on to your visit. And if you have a car, it’s much easier to add on Altenburg Castle and Schloss Seehof, but these will both add on more time to your day.

How to Get to Bamberg

By Train

Bamberg is easy to get to by train, with frequent connections to Nuremberg, Würzburg, Frankfurt, and other nearby cities.

We visited Bamberg on a day trip from Nuremberg, traveling by train. From Nuremberg, it takes 35 to 45 minutes to travel to Bamberg, with departures two to three times per hour. The regional trains (RE) are slightly slower than the longer distance trains (ICE).

If traveling by train, it is not necessary to book your tickets in advance. Tickets can be purchased in the station before you board the train. However, if you book your tickets far in advance, it is possible to get a slightly cheaper fare.

We are Type A travelers, so I did book our tickets in advance. There are several ticket types in Germany, and I chose to purchase the Flexpreis tickets. These are the most expensive tickets but they do have a big advantage. They are valid for any train the day I booked the ticket, so we could be very flexible about when we traveled to Bamberg and back to Nuremberg. Rather than having to book a specific train at a specific time, we could simply board the next available train back to Nuremberg, once finished in Bamberg.

To look up train timetables and book your tickets in advance, visit the bahn.de website.

The Man in Seat 61 does an excellent job explaining ticket types and things to know when traveling by train in Germany (and all around the world).

The Bamberg train station is a 15 to 20-minute walk from the Bamberg old town. There are taxis at the train station, which you can hire to take you to the monastery, the Neue Residenz, or if you don’t want to walk to the city center.

By Car

If you are traveling by car, it will be much easier to visit the sites that sit outside of Bamberg and the monastery, as that is a bit of a walk from the city center. One of the best places to park in the city center is the City-Altstadt Tiefgarage, which is a paid, underground parking garage just a few minutes walk from heart of Bamberg.

Bronze model of the Bamberg Old Town

How to Get Around Bamberg

The majority of places to visit in Bamberg are located in or very close to the old town, within walking distance of the train station and parking garage. It will be an uphill walk to the cathedral and Neue Residenz, and an even longer walk to get to St. Michael’s Monastery. To get here, you can save your steps by hiring a taxi or driving here, if you have a car.

There is also a tourist train which runs to the top attractions in town.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: Want to save some steps? If you arrive in Bamberg by train, consider hiring a taxi to take you to the Neue Residenz or St. Michael’s Monastery. Visit these sites, which sit on a hill overlooking Bamberg, and then work your way through the old town, ending back at the train station. Hiring the taxi is an additional expense, but it saves you about 30 minutes of walking.

Where to Eat

We had a wonderful lunch at Vita. It is located on a colorful street in the old town, just a short walk from the viewpoints of Little Venice. Vita sits just off the main tourist trail, and with its modern ambience and quiet setting, it is a nice break from the throngs of crowds in Bamberg. Kara and I dined on tagliolini with rabbit sauce and venison ragout, but the highlight of lunch was the beetroot salad.

Lunch at Vita

Schlenkerla is a Rauchbier brewery that gets decent reviews and had a line out the door while we were here. This is a great spot to try smoked beer and Bavarian food in an old world setting.

If you want to try a different cuisine, Samrat & Spices (Indian) and Little Italy (Italian) get good reviews.

Where to Stay

Hotel Wohnbar has an excellent location in the city center, offers a variety of room types, including a one-bedroom apartment, and it is one of the highest reviewed properties in Bamberg on Booking.com.

Concordia33 is a one-bedroom apartment with an stunning setting right on the river and it is just a short walk to the city center.

Hotel Martin am Dom is a 3-star hotel that is located near the Bamberg Cathedral. It also gets very good reviews.

Altstadthotel Messerschmitt is a 4-star hotel in the city center that gets excellent reviews.

Is Bamberg Worth It?

Bamberg is a small Bavarian city that is full of charm. It is a delight to explore and photograph, with its colorful half-timbered houses, historic buildings, and picturesque setting along the Regnitz River. A visit here is well worth at least half of a day, if you are on a trip to see Bavaria’s prettiest towns or on a tour of Germany’s Christmas markets, as we were.

More Christmas Markets in Bavaria

Bamberg is surrounded by other Bavarian cities that host Christmas markets during the advent season. Nuremberg is renowned for its Christmas market, one of the largest and most historic in Germany. Würzburg is not far from Bamberg and like Bamberg, it makes a great day trip from Nuremberg. We really enjoyed the Würzburg Christmas market, much more so than Bamberg’s.

Also in Bavaria, Regensburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Stuttgart are not to be missed. And the city of Munich is filled with Christmas markets, enough to keep you busy for several days.

See all of our European Christmas market guides 🎄 ↓

Explore the Europe Christmas Markets

If you have any questions about the best things to do in Bamberg or what it is like to visit Bamberg during the Christmas season, let us know in the comment section below.

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