Würzburg: Unhurried Bavaria
By Rick Steves
Germany's historic, friendly Würzburg is surrounded by vineyards and dotted with atmospheric wine cellars. Easily accessible by train (an hour from Frankfurt or Rothenburg) and a stop on the Romantic Road bus route, Würzburg is worth a look for its impressive Prince Bishop's palace, sculpted gardens, and lavish Baroque chapel. The small town is easy to navigate by foot or streetcar.
Each summer Würzburg bubbles with a wine festival, Mozart music festival, and the Kiliani-Volksfest, with carnival rides and beer tents. The city's produce market bustles year-round (except Sundays) on the main square.
The city's grandest attraction is its palace, or Residenz, a mini-Versailles with gilded rooms, 3-D art, and a tennis court-sized fresco by Tiepolo. Few English descriptions are provided, but you can catch an English tour — or use the self-guided tour from my guidebook. The top sights are a broad staircase with the Tiepolo ceiling, the reconstructed Room of Mirrors (destroyed during World War II), and the grandly Tiepoloed Imperial Hall. Visitors can peek inside the elaborately Baroque Hofkirche chapel next door. The city's annual Mozart festival features a glowing, candlelit evening concert in the manicured gardens behind the Residenz.
From the Residenz, visitors can stroll through town past the blocky red Kilian's Cathedral (named for a wandering Irish bishop who preached here) and across the picturesque Old Bridge, lined with statues of saints and Prince Bishops from Würzburg's past. On the far side of the bridge sits the Marienberg Fortress, a 13th-century fortified hilltop retreat overlooking the city and its muddy Main River. You can reach the fortress by taking bus #9 from the Residenzplatz or a heart-thumping 20-minute walk uphill.
Originally the residence of Würzburg's Prince Bishops, the fortress was stormed by the Swedish army during the Thirty Years' War. Later it was rebuilt in Baroque style. Along with a city history museum, the fortress contains the Mainfrankisches Museum, which highlights the wood sculpture of Tilman Riemenschneider, Germany's Michelangelo of wood carvers and the past mayor of Würzburg. Riemenschneider fans will find his work throughout the town's many churches. The fortress grounds are free and provide fine city views.
For a mellow afternoon outing, consider a cruise to tiny Veitshochheim, three miles upriver, to see fanciful Baroque gardens and the Prince Bishops' Summer Residenz.
Würzburg's several large wineries produce the area's distinctive bulbous Bocksbeutel bottles. Originally founded as homes for the old and poor, these institutions began wine-making to pay the bills. Today these grand Baroque complexes, which still make wine and serve the needy, have restaurants, wine shops, and extensive wine cellars. At the Bürgerspital winery, you can munch your own picnic while you sample the wine.
Cozy wine cellars, or Weinstuben, are sprinkled throughout the city. With fine menus and long wine lists, Weinstuben offer guests a selection of the regional specialties. With wine glass in hand, contemplate Würzburg's rich past and unhurried present.
For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' Guidebooks — or join us on one of our free-spirited tours in Germany.