Best Things to do When You Visit Würzburg, Germany

Last updated on November 22nd, 2022 at 01:48 pm

Würzburg is not a city I had ever heard of until I moved to Germany. In fact, I’ve rarely heard it mentioned by anyone else who lives here. And, I haven’t found Würzburg listed as one of the “must visit places” on Germany travel pages too often. But, this underrated city in Germany has more to offer than first meets the eye.

I first discovered this city when I was traveling in Germany with a friend. We went to a concert in Bavaria one summer weekend in 2019. The plan was to spend the night and return home the following day. The next morning, I said “let’s find somewhere to stop and explore on the way home!” We checked the options along our route and eventually settled on Würzburg. Neither of us could imagine what was in store for us. Our only regret was that we only had a few hours to spend here as opposed to a full weekend.

Since that initial visit, Würzburg has been in the back of my mind for over two years. Of course, Covid put a huge wrench in any travel plans for quite some time. By the time I got around to suggesting it as a potential destination, I felt a little nervous going back. Maybe I had overblown this place in my head because so much time had passed? Maybe it wasn’t going to worth the precious little time we have left in Europe? Should we skip it? But, I’m so glad I didn’t listen to all the nagging questions. We had a great time and I’m sure that if you go, you will too!

***Disclaimer: Always be sure to check Germany’s travel regulations for entry as well any regulations associated with any of the activities you wish to participate in before booking any part of your trip!

Some Interesting Facts About Würzburg

1. Würzburg is a Bavarian city located in Bavaria.

2. Once the capital of the German state of Franconia, it was a place of prominence and opulence.

3. The Prince-Bishops ruled Würzburg from 1168–1803 as both spiritual and civil rulers. Two of these in particular were responsible for the construction of one of the most grand Baroque Palaces in all of Europe: Lothar Franz and Friedrich Carl von Schönborn.

4. On March 16, 1945 about 90% of the city was destroyed when ally troops firebombed the city. The medieval city center was destroyed and the Residenz sustained major damage including the loss of its roof.

5. After the bombing, temporary coverings were made to protect the interiors of the Residenz and other buildings until a more sustainable solution could be instituted.

6. Since the war, the city has taken painstaking measures to restore the historical parts of the city according to the original city plan. This attention to detail is one of the things that really makes Würzburg stand out to me as a wonderful place to spend a day or two.

7. The University of Würzburg is one of the oldest and largest in Germany. The presence of so many students give the city a young and fresh feeling.

Four Fantastic Things To Do in Würzburg

1. Visit the Residenz Würzburg

The Würzburg Residenz is stunning Baroque palace and an absolute must-see should to decide to travel to Würzburg, Germany. I personally consider it one of the most beautiful palaces I have visited in Europe thus far (second to Versailles). It’s an amazing historical work of art and a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.

In light of everything that happened during WWII, it’s a miracle that the Würzburg Residenz is still here for us to admire today. After thousands and thousands of painstaking hours spent in restoration, visitors can experience the grandeur that was created under the patronage of prince-bishops Lothar Franz and Friedrich Carl von Schönborn.

What You Will See

Your tour begins with a grand entrance up the majestic staircase. As you make your way up, your eyes will immediately be drawn upwards towards the famous fresco painted by Venetian master Tiepolo. Did you know: it is the largest fresco in the world? Throughout the tour, you will admire the luxurious Baroque decor, the awe-inspiring Imperial room, the mesmerizing mirror room, and more. After your tour of the palace, you can take a stroll in the palace’s gardens. The gardens are actually connected to the larger Ring Park. On a nice day, it’s the perfect place to take a break or enjoy a picnic.

Planning your Residenz Würzburg Visit

Parking Information

If you are coming by car, I recommend arriving early. While there is a large parking lot just in front of the palace (see image above), it does fill up quickly. For reference: we recently visited in October. We arrived at 9:30am and got front-row parking. By the time we were getting ready to leave, around 12pm, the parking lot was full and there were cars waiting to get in. If you can’t get into the Residenz parking lot, here is a list of other parking garages in the area.

Hours of Operation and Tours

The palace and its gardens are open year round. **Please note that the visiting hours are shorter in the winter vs. summer. I would recommend about 1 hour to see the inside of the palace and then as much time as you want to enjoy the garden area.

Normally, a guided tour is the only option to see the inside of the palace. I went on the guided tour when I was here with a friend two years ago. It was one of the most memorable tours I’ve had in Europe and I 100% recommend it.

Unfortunately, with Covid restrictions, they are not currently offering any guided tours. Instead you are invited to wander through at your own pace and there is signage in each of the rooms to give you more information. The self-guided tour was still great and we enjoyed our tour. But, if you can wait until they are offering the guided tours again, I would recommend doing that because you will get more from the experience.

For more information to help you better plan your visit, please visit the official Residenz website.

2. Visit Festung Marienberg in Würzburg

Since the 1000s, a fortress has existed where Festung Marienberg now stands. It has taken on many roles over the years, but its biggest role has been the residence of the prince-bishops. It served this role for close to 500 years from about 1250 to 1720 when the Residenz was built. Over hundreds of years, it has been updated, modernized, redecorated, attacked, and defended. The Swedes overtook the fortress during the 30 Years War as did Napoleon during the Napoleonic Wars. Finally, like most of Würzburg, Festung Marienberg sustained severe damage during the 1945 attack. It was fully restored in 1990.

Planning Your Fortress Visit

There are a couple of options for parking close to Festung Marienberg. The closest would be the upper parking lot and the next closest would be the festung parking lot. Please note that the hike up to the fortress is fairly steep.

As of the time of this post’s publishing, English tours have been suspended due to Covid-19, but you are allowed to walk around the fortress grounds and enjoy the view overlooking Würzburg from the Prince’s Garden.

Two museums you can visit at the fortress:

The Museum für Franken is a very nice museum that presents the history of the fortress through the arts, artifacts, and other visuals. Here, you will “walk back in time” and experience the different stages of development of the area and the fortress itself. FYI: I would describe this museum is a bit more traditional and not as interactive as many European museums are.

The Fürstenbau Museum is part of the Museum fur Franken, but it is currently closed for fortress renovations. Here you can see rooms of the fortress and the rooms furnished in similar fashion to when the prince bishops lived there.

3. Drink the Famous Franconian Wine in Würzburg

Most people know that Bavaria is well known for it’s beers: Hello Oktoberfest! But, what is less well known is that Würzburg (in Bavaria) is well-known for its Franconian wines. These specialty wines get their unique flavor from the stoney soil that the vineyards are planted in. You can find this drink of choice in special bottles called “Bocksbeutel”. These canteen shaped bottles were once used to distinguish the “pure” wine from the watered-down wines. Nowadays, they are a symbol of the area’s history. In fact, the shape of the bottle is protected by EU law and only a very few places are allowed to produce wine bottles of the “Bocksbeutel” shape. This, of course, makes for a unique souvenir to take home.

Bocksbeutel Bottles — Bocksbeutel bottles from Hofkeller in Würzburg

Ways to Enjoy Franconian Wine

Visit one of the many Weinkellers in Würzburg. We personally went to the Hofkeller Würzburg which has been producing wine since 1128. We were able to taste many of the local wines for free before choosing which ones we wanted to purchase. One thing I noticed and loved about the wines were that they were dry and had a wonderful, clean finish.

Another famous wine producer is Bürgerspital Winery. For over 700 years this winery and it is a member of the Bürgerspital foundation zum Heiligen Geist which helps support people in need. You can even tour their cellar and see the oldest bottle of white wine in the world!

On a nice day, you can grab a wine at the Pavillion Alte Mainmuhle and enjoy it on the Old Main Bridge. It may seem a bit like a hole in the wall, but enjoying the view of the river and the Marien Fortress on a sunny day makes it 100% worth while.

Summers here offer a full schedule of festivals celebrating this favorite drink. Of course Covid caused many cancelations of celebrations both last year and this year, but there is hope for future years. Even if you visit another time of year, there are many ways to enjoy the local beverage. You can find out more about some of the festivals on this website.

4. Admire the Würzburg Altstadt (Old Town)

The mass majority of Würzburg’s Medieval Old Town was destroyed in the 1945 bombing. But, when the city was rebuilt, they decided to use the original city plan. Many historical buildings were restored or reconstructed, so you can admire them today. Above you can see photos of the Marienkapelle and the Rathaus Würzburg. Other attractions you can walk to and admire during your visit to Würzburg:

Old Main Bridge

Ring Park

Wurzburger Cathedral

Stiftung Juliusspital Wurzburg

New Munster Catholic Church

How to Get To Würzburg:

Closest Airport: Frankfurt Airport

Other Nearby Airports: Stuttgart Airport and Munich Airport

Frankfurt Airport: It’s about 1.5 hrs by either car or public transportation.

Stuttgart Airport: It’s about 2 hrs by car or 3 hrs by public transport.

Munich Airport: It’s about 3 hours either by car or by public transport.

In Conclusion

I hope this post has inspired you to consider adding a visit to Würzburg the next time you come to Germany! Don’t forget to drop me a comment down below. Let me know the things to enjoyed doing in this underrated city or your other favorite places Germany!

Happy Travels,
<3 Christine