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Town in Bavaria, Germany
Photo: El Grafo, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The festival city of Bayreuth in Upper Franconia (Oberfranken) is relatively quiet most of the year until the Richard Wagner Festival settles in for 30 days every summer. Bayreuth features a wealth of impressive baroque and rococo architecture, as well as freshly-brewed Franconian beer in the local Biergartens. Although the city remains fairly tame compared to the much larger cities in Germany, the presence of more than 10,000 students at the University of Bayreuth means an active nightlife is not difficult to find.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Markgräfliches Opernhaus
The baroque opera house, commissioned by Margravine Wilhelmine and designed by famous Giuseppe Galli Bibiena and son Carlo from Italy, was completed in 1748 and remained Germany's largest opera house until 1871. This ornate opera house partially drew Richard Wagner's attention to Bayreuth. In 2012 the opera house was added to the list, and its refurbishment was completed in 2018.
Festspielhaus
Built in 1872, this opera house still ranks among the best in the world in design and acoustics. Home to the Richard Wagner Festival every summer (see Events below). Just north of the main train station, take bus 305 to Am Festspielhaus. The grounds are crowded, tours seldom, and tickets rare during the annual Richard Wagner Festival in late July–August each year.
Neues Schloss
The new residence of the Margrave Friedrich and his wife Wilhelmine after their old residence burnt down. It was designed and built by the French builder Joseph Saint-Pierre, and completed in 1754. The entrance fee includes entrance to the two museums inside as well as the State Gallery. Rooms of interest include the Garden Rooms, Cedar Room, Old Music Room, and the Cabinet of Fragmented Mirrors (designed by Wilhelmine herself).
Sammlung Bayreuther Fayencen
A collection of porcelain manufactured in Bayreuth between 1716 and 1788.
Museum Das Bayreuth der Wilhelmine
Museum highlighting the life and culture of Bayreuth during the time of Margravine Wilhelmine. The collections are part of the New Palace, see above for more information.
Staatsgalerie im Neuen Schloss
Occupying three rooms of the palace, this exhibition features 80 works of art from the late baroque.
Eremitage/Altes Schloss
The old palace of Margrave Georg Wilhelm on the outskirts of town, the palace was expanded and the gardens created by Wilhelmine as a summer residence. The ornate fountains begin their waterworks on the hour from 10:00 to 17:00. Guided tours are available.
The composer's old residence (Wahnfried House, Haus Wahnfried) has been converted to a museum chronicling his life and works. The composer, his wife, and two of their many dogs are buried in the garden. Signs and labels are mostly in German, but an English language audio guide can be borrowed at the reception for a small deposit. Extensively renovated and redesigned in 2015, this museum is a tribute to one of the most famous residents in the history of Bayreuth.
The house of Franz Liszt, the famous Hungarian composer and father-in-law to Richard Wagner. Very near the Richard Wagner museum.
Kunstmuseum
Housed in the former city hall's Renaissance-style building, the Museum of Art offers alternating collections of sculpture and painting.
Tabakhistorische Sammlung der B.A.T.
A collection of over 500 objects from British American Tobacco. The history of tobacco culture is presented, encompassing smoking, pipe, and chewing tobacco. The collection is part of the Museum of Art.
Kleines Plakatmuseum
A collection of contemporary poster art primarily concerning popular culture advertisements (such as movie and performance advertisements). The collection is part of the Museum of Art.
Iwalewa-Haus
Afro-cultural centre of the University of Bayreuth.
A small museum dedicated to the life and works of the German poet, who lived his last years from 1804-1825 in Bayreuth. The museum is in the former residence of Richard Wagner's daughter Eva.
Schloss and Park Fantaisie
The 18th-century palace designed by the daughter of Margrave Friedrich and Margravine Wilhelmine, features Germany's first garden design museum.
Maisel's Brauerei und Büttnerei Museum
The Guinness Book Of World Records' Most Comprehensive Beer Museum occupies the first brewery building of Maisel's Brewery (taken out of commission in the 1970s). The 90-minute tour covers the entirety of the brewing process, and of course finishes with a glass of Maisel's Weissbier. Group tours for 12 or more people can be booked by calling in advance.
Deutsches Freimaurer-Museum
A museum run by the German Freemasons presenting the history of the organization.
Historisches Museum
This museum chronicles the history of Bayreuth from a small Franconian village to one of the most culturally-important small cities in Germany. The 17th century building provides a suitable setting for the historical collections.
Archäologisches Museum
Archaeological finds from Upper Franconia and laid out in eight rooms, spanning the stone age through the middle ages. Most text descriptions might be only in German.
Katakomben der Bayreuther AKTIEN-Brauerei
Aktien Breweries provides an interesting tour through the sandstone beer caverns that operated from the 16th through the 19th centuries. Since the caverns stay very cool throughout the year, appropriate clothing is recommended.
Urwelt-Museum Oberfranken
The museum in the main pedestrian shopping area highlights the life, geology and mineralogy during the last 500 million years of Upper Franconia. In front of the museum looms a giant dinosaur statue, along the main shopping street.
Museum für bäuerliche Arbeitsgeräte
A collection of agricultural equipment highlighting the tools and techniques of farmers from Upper Franconia. What started as a private collection by Günter Schmidt was taken over by the city and offered as a public museum starting in 1972. Housed in a historic farmhouse.
Naturkundemuseum
This small museum in a farmhouse just outside the city describes the flora and fauna of Bayreuth and Upper Franconia. The museum is especially designed to engage and educate children.
Deutsches Schreibmaschinenmuseum
A collection of typewriters dating back to 1864. The collection in Bayreuth began in 1936, and has expanded ever since.
Feuerwehrmuseum
A collection of fire engines from different eras and regions.
Hofgarten
The court garden of the Neues Schloss, this park provides a welcome bit of green in the middle of the city. On sunny days, you can find many residents here relaxing or exercising with a little sport.
Ökologisch-Botanischer Garten
The concept behind the Ecological Botanical Gardens is to show plants in an environment that represents their natural habitats as closely as possible. Hence, it is structured in multiple sections, representing different ecosystems from different parts of the world. Opening hours depend on the season and day of the week (closed on Saturdays); the greenhouses have slightly shorter opening hours than the rest of the gardens.
Eremitage
See Hermitage/Old Palace above for information.
Park surrounding a small lake (the Röhrensee). It has a small Zoo and a large playground.
Upstream the Red Main, to the north-east of the city centre, lies the Wilhelminenaue. This section of the river underwent renaturation in the 2010s, and the surrounding fields were turned into a park for the 2016 Bavarian Landesgartenschau ("State Garden Show"). A great place for running, walking your dog, etc., especially when the Hofgarten is just too small for you.
Schlosskirche and Schlossturm
The court chapel and tower were also commissioned and built by Friedrich and Wilhelmine, completed in 1758. The burial vault of the Friedrich and Wilhelmine is located here. The spiral staircase in the tower features a ramp to bring supplies up to the guardroom, which has a great view over the town and to the nearby Fichtelgebirge.
Spitalkirche
Stadtkirche
The main church of the formerly independent city of St. Georgen was completed in 1718.
Kreuzer
The Kreuzsteinbad is a classic outdoor swimming pool as you may find it in any German town. Nothing fancy, but dearly loved by residents, university students and travellers alike, not only because of the incredibly low entrance fees. It has been modernized and features a 50 m competition pool for serious swimming, a wave pool, diving tower, water slide and a children's pool. There's a playground for children and courts for playing beach volleyball, basket ball, football and badminton, but also plenty of lawn to enjoy some lazy time in the sun. Bringing your own food and drinks is allowed (no glass bottles, though!) – and probably a good idea unless you want to survive the day on fries and ice cream. If you want to use the lockers you'll have to bring your own padlock or borrow one from the front desk (for a deposit of €10). If you plan to only spend a few hours, consider coming after 17:00, as entrance fees will be even cheaper then!
Bayreuth's public swimming pool in the heart of the city offers a 25 m competition pool, a children's pool, a hot tub, a steam bath and two saunas (non-nude).
The Lohengrin Therme is all about Wellness and relaxation. It consists of three sections: the thermal baths with different kinds of pools and tubs, the large sauna area and the spa where you can book massages and other treatments. The sauna and the spa are clothes-free zones, towels and bathing gowns can be rented for €2 and €4, respectively. Children younger than 6 are not allowed in any section. The spa has an additional minimum age of 14 and is ladies-only on Tuesdays (except holidays).
Probably your best choice if you're into some serious swimming, the SBV-Hallenbad offers a 50-m competition pool and a 5-m diving tower. There's also a variable-depth (30–120 cm) pool for babies and toddlers and a steam bath. The sauna (not included in the normal entrance fee) is women-only on Mondays (mixed after 18:00) and Wednesdays, men-only on Tuesdays (mixed after 18:00) and Thursdays and mixed on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
A bit outside the core city (but still within the Landkreis Bayreuth) lie the Obernsees thermal baths. If you prefer the sporty side of swimming this may not quite be your cup of tea, but pretty much everyone else should find something here. There are plenty of options for fun and relaxation, indoors and outdoors: pools, water jets, slides, and more than half a dozen different saunas. Obernsees is a good destination for a bike tour, as the bike path along the former railway line between Bayreuth and Hollfeld passes right through it.
Tacos, Burritos and other Mexican-style fast food.
The regular westernized Asian cuisine you'll normally find in Germany, vegan options available.
Hansl's Wood Oven Pizzeria
Small but popular pizzeria at the intersection of Ludwigstr. and Friedrichstr. In warmer months, the outdoor seating provides a great dinner atmosphere.
Well-established meat-free restaurant/bistro/café/bar with a large menu, as well as breakfast and a great weekend brunch. Great alternative to the heavy Franconian cuisine.
Located in the historic town hall right on the main pedestrian street, Oskar offers a typical Franconian Wirtshaus atmosphere with a gently modernized touch. Decent vegetarian and Vegan options available.
Traditional Franconian cuisine with a modern touch. The Eule has a rich history: it was Richard Wagner's favourite pub, and hundreds of artists followed his lead over the years, as evidenced by photo-covered walls.
Fine Italian cuisine and grilled beef specials.
Mediterranean fine dining.
Bayreuth's Irish Pub, featuring Irish beer, British cider, a large selection of whisk(e)y (ask for specialities not on the menu) and even some Irish Stew. Occasional live music.
A cozy pub serving local brews and good food specials. Get there early as the seats normally fill up quickly.
In a renovated part of the old Maisel's brewery building, the Liebesbier offers a huge selection of regional and international craft beer. It's a bit on the pricey side, but the excellent food and rustic-modern atmosphere easily make up for that.
For decades, the infamous Kanapee has been a pillar of Bayreuth's nightlife — mostly because it's inexpensive and open late. You might go there on purpose if you're looking for a place that plays Rock and Metal. More likely though, some locals you just met will try to drag you there early in the morning when everything else is closed and you still haven't had enough. Go with them.
Run entirely by volunteer university students, the Glashaus is the cultural heart of the campus. During the semester, it is the perfect spot for an afternoon-study break with a mug of fair-trade coffee or tea. In the evening, it turns into a popular location for a wide variety of cultural (an not so cultural) events: concerts (from electro to metal, from reggae to punk), open mic sessions, movies, readings, talks, poetry- and science-slams. You will have to become a member to take part, but that's really just a formality (and a small fee).
Bayreuth's main dance club and your number one address for electronic music.
Bayreuth's other dance club with a themed events and a broader range of music — check.the website before you go.
Bayreuth's largest Biergarten dates back until 1889. Was built as the Bierkeller of the Bayreuther Bierbrauerei, which today is part of the Maisel's group.
Located in a former farm house outside town, this is about as traditional as it gets in terms of beer gardens in Bayreuth. In the summer, you'll find an interesting mixture of all kinds of people here: bikers, hikers, families, university students, suits, hippies … They have their own amber colored beer brewed for them by a local brewery not far away. Drinks and cold dishes you'll have to order and pick up yourself at the counter. The choice of hot foods depends on what time it is, what day, what season, but at least they will be brought to your table. If you don't like the heavy Franconian cuisine, maybe try the Flammkuchen or grilled fish from the black kitchen. And yes, of course you may bring your own Brotzeit instead as well. Cash only!
Rather new hotel in the heart of the city.
Claimed to be entirely barrier-free.
Access to WiFi, pool and sauna included
Highly reviewed hotel near the train station. Staff can speak English, French, and Italian.
This self-proclaimed "Franconian" hotel sits a short walk from the city centre.
Specialized on conferences, congresses, etc.
Highly reviewed hotel very near the Margravial Operahouse, featuring wireless internet and on-site parking.
Small family-run guest house in the northern part of Bayreuth with restaurant and an attached Biergarten. Located near the Bezirkskrankenhaus at the edge of the city, the Gasthof Kolb lies within walking distance to the forests around the Hohe Warte as well as the Festival Theater.
A small hotel with only 8 rooms, located in a quiet area (unless it's festival season).
Jugendherberge Bayreuth
Bayreuth's Youth Hostel was re-built from the ground up in 2017, paying special attention to the needs of people with handicaps. For example, several wheelchair-friendly rooms are available. As with all DJH hostels, the rate includes a bed (possibly in a dorm room), sheets, and a breakfast. Dinners are also available nightly. Guests over 27 will pay a slight surcharge. The closest bus stop is the Prieserstraße (Bus #310 or 315); Mensa at the University is not too far away either (Bus #304, 306 or 316).
A small guesthouse in the northern part of the city, part of the attached restaurant.
This hotel occupies a 19th-century building around 3 km from the centre of Bayreuth and run by the Opel family. Free wireless internet and free parking is available.
Chain hotel near the autobahn. Offers normal amenities such as breakfast, free parking, and wireless internet.
Larger hotel 3.5 km east of the city centre. Features wireless internet and bicycle rental.
Single room apartments and suites with a basic kitchen. Great for families or visiting scientists. No breakfast, but there's a Lidl, a bakery with coffee and a butcher right across the street.
Bayreuth's souvenir shop, run by the tourist information office.
Farmer's market
A good place to get fresh produce and regional products.
Sigikid is mainly known across Germany for their high-quality plush toys, but they also offer fashionable clothes for children and different kinds of toys and child-related accessories. The factory outlet at their home base in Mistelbach offers discounts on remaining stock from past seasons and objects with minor production errors.
On foot
Several hiking trails go through Bayreuth. Some of them are themed around a special topic (e.g. Jean Paul, a local author, or a beer-themed trail)
By car
Bayreuth is well connected to the German autobahn network.
By plane
The nearest airport with regular commercial service is in Nuremberg (NUE). Many international flights arrive in Germany via Frankfurt Airport (FRA) or Munich Airport (MUC), however.
By bus
Intercity buses do not stop at the central bus station (ZOH); most of them stop at the Goethestraße bus stop instead, where you'll find connections to several regional buses.
By bus
The bus network around Bayreuth provides extensive coverage of the city and surrounding areas, with most buses running in 20-minute intervals.
By bike
Biking is easy and convenient in Bayreuth and likely the best way to get around. Riding your bike in pedestrian zones is allowed virtually anywhere, but remember that pedestrians have priority.
By car
Compared to larger cities, Bayreuth is relatively easy to tackle by car.
By taxi
Like in most German cities of this size, taxis in Bayreuth are expensive and rare – don't waste your time trying to hail one in the street.de).
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Nuremberg · International · NUE
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