Würzburg

Travel times from Regensburg:
Train – 2 hours
Car – 1hour, 50 mins.

Once you’ve had your fill of the ancient, the medieval and the wurst of Regensburg, head westward to Würzburg. This lively city is the northern gateway to the Romantic Road, a trade route from the Middle Ages still traveled by visitors seeking the best of medieval Germany. Today it is a surprisingly cosmopolitan Bavarian city filled with architectural and artistic treasures—and exquisite Franconian wine.

In the heart of Old Town, one of Germany’s most picturesque and enchanting Christmas markets carries on a tradition of holiday cheer dating from the early 19th century. The historic market square has seen the holiday market each year for two centuries now and provides a charming scene fit for a Christmas card with its Gothic Chapel and abundance of Baroque architecture. Visitors from all over the world choose from the large display of holiday ornaments and décor, ranging from artistic glass, straw, pewter and pottery to wooden toys.  Be sure to sample the delicious Christmas cookies and roasted almonds while sipping the traditional Glühwein, a famous hot spiced red wine.

Traditional German crafts, including glass blowing, wood carving, and engraving, are exhibited and available for purchase in the historic Town Hall courtyard at the Artists Christmas Showcase. A unique experience for young and old is the Würzburg Christmas Express. This historic tram takes visitors through the Old Town, making sure that everyone gets a touch of that Christmas Spirit.
Würzburg is dominated by its most prominent landmark, the Fortress Marienberg. The origins of this fortress date back to around 1000 B.C., when a Celtic fortified refuge existed on this site. Today it houses the Medieval Christmas Market and its 14th-century nativity scene. Jousting knights, merry merchants, bagpipers, story tellers, and roasted boar and bear contribute to the authentic medieval atmosphere.

Würzburg experienced its most prosperous period during the rule of the art-loving prince-bishops of the Schönborn family, for whom Balthasar Neumann built the "palace of palaces" from 1719 to 1744. Known as the Würzburg Residenz, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is arguably the most ornate Baroque palace in Germany. The center entryway is big enough for a stagecoach to turn around and leads to a massive grand staircase. Halfway up the stairs, eyes are drawn upward to “The Four Continents” (only Europe, America, Asia and Africa were known at the time), a fresco by the Venetian artist Tiepolo that is considered the world’s largest painting. The brilliant colors fill an unsupported vaulted ceiling, which critics of the time said would surely collapse. Not only did it outlast the critics, but it was the only part of the Residenz left standing after a 1945 bombing.

The prince-bishops hired some of Europe’s finest architects, sculptors and painters, and their legacy can be seen on nearly every block. Sights worth exploring include St. Kilian's Cathedral for its exquisite architecture and the adjacent Neumünster Church, built where missionaries were killed in 689 and the destination for thousands of pilgrims every July 7.
With Würzburg situated at the heart of the Franconian wine region, the excellent white wines produced in the area are central to life. The people of this city have a great appreciation for their quality and variety of wine from their region, as evidenced by the fact that nearly 80% of the wine produced there is also consumed there. Visitors can gain their own appreciation at one of the many annual wine festivals, during wine cellar tours, at wine tastings, in wine bars and from extensive wine lists at almost every restaurant.