Würzburg is the gateway to the Romantic Road and the heart of Franconian wine country, anchored by one of the finest Baroque palaces in Germany. It’s smaller and quieter than Munich or Frankfurt, but its centrepiece easily holds its own against either.
Why visit Würzburg
The Würzburg Residence, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was built for the city’s prince-bishops in the 18th century and houses the largest ceiling fresco in the world, painted by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Above the Main river, the Marienberg Fortress has watched over the city for over a thousand years and now holds a museum and vineyard-covered slopes. Würzburg also sits at the start of the famous Romantic Road route through Bavaria, and its surrounding hillsides produce some of Germany’s best dry white wine, sold in the distinctive round Bocksbeutel bottle.
Getting to Würzburg by train
Würzburg is on the high-speed line between Frankfurt and Munich, roughly 75 minutes from Frankfurt, and is a common stop for travellers combining Germany’s cities with the Romantic Road towns further south.
Top things to do in Würzburg
- Tour the Würzburg Residence and its Tiepolo ceiling fresco
- Cross the Old Main Bridge, lined with stone statues of saints and princes
- Climb up to Marienberg Fortress for views over the river and vineyards
- Sample Franconian wine at a local Weinstube, ideally with a bottle of Bocksbeutel
- Wander the old town’s market square and Würzburg Cathedral