Att göra i Bayreuth i Bayern - våra 11 bästa tips

What to see and do in Bayreuth, Bavaria? This beautiful and unique German city has a lot to offer in terms of castles, gardens and operas. And some good beer to boot! Here are our top tips.

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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 town is also associated with the composer Richard Wagner, who worked here and built an opera house.

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.

On the ground floor of the castle there are museums with exhibitions, including faience and paintings. Some rooms can be visited on your own, while others can be visited on a guided tour.

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

Att göra i Bayreuth - trädgården vid det nya slottet

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.

Renovated between 2013 and 2018, the Opera House is both impressive and breathtakingly beautiful. The building is open to tourists all year round, with almost daily tours.

6. Visit the Richard Wagner Museum

The Richard Wagner Museum is located in the "Wahnfried" house, where the Wagner family used to live, and in a modern neighbouring building. Here you can learn more about the famous composer who lived between 1813 and 1888 and created works such as 'The Flying Dutchman', 'Tännhäuser', 'Lohengrin', 'The Ring of the Nibelung' and 'Tristan and Isolde'.

Att göra i Bayreuth - Richard Wagner museum

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 dating back to the reign of Margrave Frederick III of Brandenburg-Bayreuth. It now houses a garden museum, which tells the story of horticulture.

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 stroll among caves and magnificent stone formations, and check out the magnificent ruined theatre. In summer, the Oriental House and the medieval castle of Zwernitz are also open to visitors.

READ MORE: Sanspareil rock garden and Zwernitz castle in Bavaria

11. Tasting beer from Bayreuth

Bayreuth is located in the German region of Upper Franconia, which is the region with the most breweries in the world. Around 200 breweries together produce over 1000 different types of beer.

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 to do in Bayreuth for culture and history lovers?

Want to experience even more in this interesting city? Here you will find more suggestions for things to see and do in Bayreuth, for those interested in culture and history.

Bayreuth's catacombs can be experienced under the brewery Bayreuther Bierbrauerei (Hindenburgstrasse 9).
Street art there's a lot in the form of sculptures and murals. There are also guided tours around the art.
Franz Liszt Museum talks about the composer Franz Liszt, who died in Bayreuth. (Wahnfriedstrasse 9)
Bayreuth Art Museum shows exhibitions of modern art. (Altes Barockrathaus, Maximilianstrasse 33)

More to do in Bayreuth with kids or teens

Travelling with children or teenagers? Then you'll find some more tips for things to do in Bayreuth here.

Ecological-botanical garden is a garden with 12,000 plant species, outdoors and in greenhouses. (Universitätsstrasse 30)
Rohrensee animal park showcases animals from different parts of the world (Pottensteinerstrasse).
Jungle Museum is a prehistoric museum with a dinosaur park. ( Kanzleistrasse 1)

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. The site has electricity and the possibility of emptying the chemical toilet, against payment in coins.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

There is of course more to see and do in the neighbourhood of Bayreuth. For example, you can visit the charming Bamberg, fantastic Nuremberg or beautiful and interesting Würzburg. Below you will find even more tips on places to visit around Germany.

More tips for things to do in Bayreuth?

Have you been to Bayreuth? Tell us about your experiences and your relationship with the city! Do you have any other tips for things to see and do in Bayreuth?

Facts about Bayreuth

Country: Germany
Region: Upper Franconia
Federal Republic of Germany: Bavaria
Location: Bayreuth is located just west of the Fichtelgebirge mountain range at the source of the river Main, the Roter Main, about 50 miles north-east of Nuremberg.
Residents: About 75 000 inhabitants (2019)
Read more: You can find more information at the city's website.

Travelling to Bayreuth

Flight: You can fly to Nuremberg. From there you can take a train (about an hour) or a hire car.
Car/caravan: Travelling by car from Rostock in Germany to Bayreuth takes about 6 hours, counting pure mileage.

History of Bayreuth

1231: Bayreuth is mentioned for the first time as a town, having previously been considered a village.
1430: The Hussites destroyed the city
17th century: The city was destroyed by several fires and suffered from the plague. In addition, the Thirty Years' War contributed to a period of misery.
18th century: A time of prosperity when many buildings were erected. Margrave Frederick III of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1711-1763) and his wife Wilhelmine (1709-1758) were very important.
1853: The first railway line in the city was put into operation.
1870: The composer Richard Wagner visited the city and decided to build his own opera house and villa.
1945: Bayreuth was bombed by the Allies and many buildings were destroyed.

5 Comments

Add yours →

Ann says:

Wow how green and nice it was! You are probably a little starved for greenery now during the Swedish winter months 😀.
When were you there?

18 January 2023 - 8:54

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, you almost forget how green it can be in the summer ... We were here last summer, July I think.
  
  18 January 2023 - 9:21
  
Lena - good for the soul says:

A relatively small city packed with beautiful sights it seems. Really nice it looks like!

Hug Lena

19 January 2023 - 6:32

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, just like that! Very nice to see in and around this city! 🙂
  
  19 January 2023 - 6:50
  
Elisabeth says:

So nice to see your photos and to relive Bayreuth again! A very nice and splendid old town!

20 January 2023 - 13:45

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

Bayreuth in Germany

What can you do in Bayreuth?

1. Walking in Bayreuth's city centre

2. Admire the new castle

3. Check out the old castle and castle church

4. See the city church

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

6. Visit the Richard Wagner Museum

7. Experience opera at the Festspielhaus

8. Strolling in the Hofgarten Hermitage

9. Discover the Fantaisie Castle

10. Take a trip to the Sanspareil rock garden

11. Tasting beer from Bayreuth

More to do in Bayreuth for culture and history lovers?

More to do in Bayreuth with kids or teens

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

More tips for things to do in Bayreuth?

Facts about Bayreuth

Travelling to Bayreuth

History of Bayreuth

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5 Comments

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Lena - good for the soul says:

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