Things to do in Bayreuth, Bavaria - our top 11 tips

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated August 2026 | What to see and do in Bayreuth in Bavaria? This beautiful and special German city offers a lot of attractions in the form of castles, gardens and operas. And some good beer on top of that! Here are our best tips.

Bayreuth in Germany

Bayreuth is a German city that began to flourish in the 18th century, when Margrave Frederick III of Brandenburg-Bayreuth and his wife Wilhelmine built magnificent buildings and gardens. The city also has a strong connection to the composer Richard Wagner, who settled here and built the Festspielhaus for his opera performances.

Bayreuth is located about 50 miles north-east of Nuremberg, in the federal state of Bavaria.

What can you do in Bayreuth?

So what can you see and do in Bayreuth? We visited the city last summer with our motorhome and were impressed by the many things to see and do. We've put together a list of our top tips.

1. Walking in Bayreuth's city centre

First and foremost, you want to experience Bayreuth by walking around the city. Despite being a slightly smaller town, it is filled with magnificent and beautiful buildings.

2. Admire the new castle

One of the main attractions in Bayreuth is the New Palace. This magnificent building was commissioned by Margrave Frederick III of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, and his wife Wilhelmine had a major influence on its shape and design.

In the castle you can see the magnificent historical rooms and also visit various exhibitions and museum collections.

Outside the castle is a green and beautiful park filled with water, bridges, plants and sculptures. It is very nice to walk here!

3. Check out the old castle and castle church

The old castle in the centre of Bayreuth - not to be confused with the 'old castle' at the Hofgarten Hermitage - served as the residence of the Margraves between 1603 and 1753. Today, the building is simply a magnificent part of the historic city centre.

At the old castle there is also the castle church, which can be visited inside. This bright pink creation is now a Catholic church.

4. See the city church

Bayreuth City Church (Heilig Dreifaltigkeit) is a powerful Protestant basilica in the late Gothic style and the largest church in the city. The former city church burned down in a city fire in 1605, and the new one was inaugurated in 1614. The church is magnificent both inside and out.

5. Fascinated by the Opera House (Margravial Opera House)

One thing you won't want to miss doing in Bayreuth is visiting the Opera House (Markgräfliches Opernhaus). This impressive building was built by Margrave Frederick III of Brandenburg-Bayreuth between 1744 and 1748. The opera house is one of the few remaining opera buildings from 18th century Europe and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012.

The exterior of the building was designed by the French architect Joseph Saint-Pierre and the interior by the Italian Giuseppe Galli da Bibiena. The style is Italian late baroque.

The Opera House, which was renovated between 2013 and 2018, is both impressive and incredibly beautiful. The building is open to tourists and there is the opportunity to experience the magnificent historic interior.

6. Visit the Richard Wagner Museum

The Richard Wagner Museum is located in the ”Wahnfried” house, where the Wagner family once lived, and in a modern building next door. Here you can learn more about the famous composer who lived between 1813 and 1888 and created works such as ”The Flying Dutchman”, ”Tannhäuser”, ”Lohengrin”, ”The Ring of the Nibelung” and ”Tristan and Isolde”.

7. Experience opera at the Festspielhaus

The Festspielhaus in Bayreuth was built by Richard Wagner in the 19th century, when he felt that the Margrave's opera was not enough. One of the largest opera houses in the world, it is known for its unique acoustics, but perhaps even more so for its regular opera festival.

Every summer, the Bayreuth Opera Festival (Festspiele) is organised and has made the city internationally famous. The festival lasts just over a month and attracts visitors from all over the world.

8. Strolling in the Hofgarten Hermitage

If we were to suggest just one thing to do in Bayreuth, it would be the Hofgarten Eremitage. This is a large and incredibly beautiful park filled with castles, fountains, caves and water art, mainly created by Margravine Wilhelmine in the 18th century. The old castle here was built in 1715 and can be visited during guided tours, including the exciting water play.

The most prominent building in the Hofgarten Hermitage is the New Palace (Neues Schloss), a stunning building decorated with mosaics. In addition to the two castles, you can stroll around at length to discover ponds, statues, fountains, avenues, bridges, stairs, arches and caves.

READ MORE: Hofgarten Eremitage in Bayreuth - amazing park in Bavaria

9. Discover the Fantaisie Castle

Fantaisie Castle, built between 1761 and 1763, is another castle from the time of Margrave Frederick III of Brandenburg-Bayreuth. Today, it houses a garden museum, which tells the story of the history of gardening.

10. Take a trip to the Sanspareil rock garden

The Sanspareil Stone Garden is a stunning 18th century landscape garden located just outside Bayreuth. The construction of the Sanspareil rock garden was initiated by Margrave Frederick III of Brandenburg-Bayreuth and completed by his wife, Margravine Wilhelmine.

Here you can walk among caves and impressive rock formations and check out the special ruin theater. Adjacent to the park is also the oriental building Morgenländischer Bau and the medieval castle Zwernitz, which can be visited inside during parts of the year.

READ MORE: Sanspareil rock garden and Zwernitz castle in Bavaria

11. Tasting beer from Bayreuth

Bayreuth is located in Upper Franconia, a region with an unusually strong beer culture and a very high density of breweries.

A popular beer is Maisel, which is brewed in Bayreuth, and which can be tested at Maisel's Bier-Erlebnis-Welt (Maisel's Beer Adventure World), where there is also a beer museum. For ourselves, we settled for testing a "Bayreuther Hell", which was a pleasant acquaintance.

Of course, you can get some food with the beer as well. For us it was a simple, but good, pasta at Café Erciyes in the centre of the city.

More things to do in Bayreuth

If you have more time in Bayreuth, there is of course even more to discover. Here are some more attractions and experiences that may be worth adding to your visit.

Explore the Bayreuth Catacombs

Underneath parts of Bayreuth is a network of old underground passages, which were used for the city's beer brewing, among other things. During a guided tour, you will hear more about the history of the passages and the city.

Visit the Franz Liszt Museum

The composer Franz Liszt spent his last months in Bayreuth and died here in 1886. The house where he lived is now home to the Franz Liszt Museum, where you can learn more about his life and music.

Travel back in time at the Urweltmuseum

At the Urweltmuseum you can discover around 500 million years of geological history. The museum tells you about dinosaurs, fossils, minerals and how the landscape of Upper Franconia has developed over millions of years.

Discover the Bayreuth Art Museum

The Bayreuth Art Museum is located in the city's old Baroque town hall and mainly displays art from the 20th century.

Stroll in the ecological-botanical garden

At the University of Bayreuth there is a large ecological-botanical garden with plants from different parts of the world.

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

There are of course many different hotels and other accommodations in Bayreuth, and you will find many tips at the city's website. If you are travelling with a motorhome, there is a parking space in the car park. P Grünewaldstrasse. When we were here there was both electricity and the possibility of emptying the chemical toilet.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

There is of course more to see and do near Bayreuth. Here you will find tips for nice and interesting places to visit:

• Things to do in Bamberg
• Things to do in Nuremberg
• Things to do in Wurzburg