Wurzburg is a Bavarian city rich in history and wine, along the Main River. The city is a gateway to the Romantic Road, but is best known for its UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Wurzburg Residence Palace. The palace is one of the most important baroque palaces in Europe and showcases one of the largest frescos every painted. History buffs will be pleased to learn that there is also a medieval fortress overlooking the city. The city also just happens to be located in the heart of the Franconian wine region. So if you enjoy your history with a glass of wine, look no further!
My experience
We began our journey on the Romantic Road here in Wurzburg. We spent two nights here and one full day. In hindsight, I would have planned more time here. This was one of the highlights on our trip and the city had the kind of charm that makes you just want to hang around. We stayed in this apartment, which was an easy walk to the Old Town and cost $366 for the stay. It was two bedrooms and had a sofa bed in the common area. The toilet was separate from the rest of the bathroom which was helpful with such a large group. The owner was super helpful and friendly. Parking was free on site. It was my first day driving our rental van (which had a stick shift), and I chickened out in the driveway and opted to park by the road instead. There was a path through the vineyards that took us from the apartment to the Old Town in just 20 minutes.
Our $500 rental van
Path to Old Town
Wurzburg Residenz Palace
We planned the Wurzburg Residenz Palace as our first major site of the day. The palace offers English tours of the residence at 11am and 3pm year-round, with extra tours at 1:30 and 4:30 April through October. We arrived around 10:30am and were among the first people waiting for the 11am tour. The tour was included in the entry ticket and is well worth timing your visit for. We purchased the 14-day Bavarian Palace Administration ticket here because in theory it is a great deal if you are going to visit other sites the ticket covers. We were planning to visit the Marienberg Fortress and Neuschwanstein Castle which made the pass a good deal. However, learn from our mistake! We were only able to use the pass for the Wurzburg Residenz Palace and therefore wasted our money. The Marienberg Fortress had closures due to construction and we were denied entry at Neuschwanstein Castle because we didn’t know that the pass itself was not enough (we needed to reserve a spot in advance to be able to use our pass there). I am still a bit bitter about this!
Our visit to the palace was amazing. Having judged it initially by the exterior, I wasn’t expecting it to make the impression it did. The exterior was built between 1720 and 1744, but the interior was not finished until 1780. I think this speaks to the amount of detail and ornamentation on display in its interior that is absolutely breath-taking. In particular, the palace has one of the world’s largest painted frescoes, the Apollo and the Four Continents from artist Giambattista Tiepolo. A detailed description and history of this painting provides a focused study of the fresco and is a reason to take the tour.
Wurzburg Old Town
After the palace, we had lunch at a nearby restaurant on the patio. We then ventured back into the heart of the old town and spent some time exploring shops, cafes, and vendor stalls. The girls enjoyed fresh strawberries and I had some champagne. St. Killian’s Cathedral is worth checking out, and you can see a 360 degree tour before you even get there.
Marienberg Fortress
In the afternoon, we visited the Marienberg Fortress. There is a pleasant (but uphill) path to the fortress making for a nice walk. For those who are looking for a different option, there is a bus that runs past most tourist locations including the ‘Festung’ that runs April through October. We weren’t able to tour much of the inside because there was currently construction. Hopefully you have better luck. However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. The courtyard, Prince’s gardens and view were on their own worth the visit.
Dinner overlooking the Main River
We had a lovely dinner on the outdoor balcony at Alte Mainmuhle. We had made reservations for a table earlier that day by stopping in, but you can make a reservation online which is probably easier.
Our view
Our food
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Read the official guide to the Wurzburg Residenz before you go. While you can buy an official guide there, buying it in advance means you will have context for what you see, when you see it. Additionally, it will save space in your baggage for things you can only buy in Wurzburg.
If you are traveling with kids, this Kid’s Travel Guide to Germany: Bavaria and Munich is packed with fun activities and content to help them learn about German culture, fun facts, geography, and language. It’s a educational way to begin enjoying the trip, while you are still counting down the days.
Wurzburg Residenz Palace
- Official website
- Hours: Apr – Oct 9am-6pm; Nov-Mar 10am-4:30pm daily
- tickets: 9 EUR regular | 8 EUR reduced
Marienberg Fortress
- Official website
- Hours: Apr – Oct 9am-6pm; Nov-Mar 10am-4:30pm (check website for construction and other closures)
- Tickets: 4 EUR regular | 3 EUR reduced
Tourist Bus (Culture Route 9) website
(departs every 30 minutes from approx. April to November)
Where to Eat:
- Alte Mainmuhle (traditional German and European cuisine)
- Restaurant & Weinhaus Stachel (traditional German food and wine)
- Backofele (known for it’s schnitzel)
- Burgerspital Weinstuben (traditional German and Bavarian food)
- Weinstube Juliusspital (traditional German and international food)
Franconian Wine:
Hans Wirsching, est. 1630: website
Want to bring wine back?
Inflatable wine bags for airplane
Wine suitcase: Half clothes, half wine bottles
12 bottle wine case, TSA compliant
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