Würzburg

Würzburg or Wuerzburg (and sometimes misspelled as Wurzburg) is in Franconia, in northern Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest city in the Lower Franconia region, famous throughout Germany for its wine and as the northern end of the Romantic Road.



Understand
A city rich in history that revolves around the Franconian locality, today Würzburg is a beautiful, historic, and lively city that is often overlooked by foreign visitors. It should also not be overlooked however, that a third of its roughly 130,000 inhabitants (2018) are students of 3 colleges based here. As such, travellers can also find an extensive assortment of cheap non-German food and some partying scenes, amidst the local culture that the city preserves.

History
Founded in the 10th century, Würzburg served as the home of powerful prince-bishops for many centuries. It is renowned for the Residence, regarded as one of the finest palaces in Europe and a high point of Baroque art (UNESCO cultural world heritage). Würzburg is also home to one of the oldest churches in Germany, built in the 8th century on top of a former pagan shrine. One of its most famous structures, Festung Marienberg, is a fortress which now surrounds the church.

Würzburg was the centre of the kingdom known as Franconia, also the namesake region for the northern half of what is now the state of Bavaria. In the 19th century, Napoleon merged Franconia with its southern neighbour Bavaria, by which the city is ruled to this day.

Würzburg experienced heavy demolition during a 20-minute Allied bombing raid in 1945 which destroyed some 80% of its city buildings. Much of the city has since been rebuilt, though not as painstakingly true to its original architecture as some other historic German communities. Anyone eager to visit this town to study its historic architectural structures should be prepared to see its restored buildings placed next to several post-war modernistic houses. Until 2006, Würzburg was home to a large US military installment after World War II. As a result, many of the locals are still familiar with American customs.

Today, Würzburg is still a beautiful old town, which although still not very famous outside Germany, but offers a charming culture and exterior that entices visitors to explore the region, either as part of the Main River cruise or the Romantic Road excursion.

By plane
For commercial service, Frankfurt and Nuremberg  are the closest airports. Connection to the Frankfurt airport is faster and much more convenient thanks to the presence of a dedicated long-distance station, from where travellers can ride the Intercity Express (ICE) for 90 minutes to the city's main train station, which comes at least every hour.

If you are flying to Nuremberg, you must transfer to the main train station. From here, trains range from the expensive express train (ICE) (60 minutes) to the cheap regional service (R or RE) (minimum 2 hours). If speed and time is not of highest concern, buy a Bayern ticket which covers all local transportation and regional rail between the cities.

Munich Airport Lufthansa's second hub is geographically close and downtown Munich is indeed only two hours from Würzburg. However, you'll have to schlep 45 minutes by S-Bahn to downtown Munich before you can get on an ICE, making the connection somewhat tedious.

By train
Internationally, there's also an Austrian Nightjet sleeper train two nights a week, north via Frankfurt airport and Cologne to Brussels and south to Vienna, Munich and Innsbruck. Daytime ICE trains also run to Vienna every 3 hours.

Regional trains connect Würzburg to other cities within the Franconia area, with up to hourly connections to Schweinfurt, Bamberg, Aschaffenburg, and Nuremberg, the same train can sometimes also take you to Frankfurt in the neighboring state of Hessen. For regional trains throughout the state of Bavaria, you can get the Bayern Ticket that costs €26 for one person and €8 for every additional member of your group up to four and is valid for the whole day (starting at 09:00 unless it is a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday). The Bayern ticket is also accepted on all local public transportation. Regio-Tickets for regional trains to Frankfurt as well as Leipzig and the state of Thüringen (€32, €29, and €23 respectively, plus €8 per additional person up to 4 people) are also available. Travel to Würzburg is also covered under the Baden-Württemberg ticket for travel to or from the state of Baden-Württemberg (cost: €24 per person plus €6 per additional passenger up to 4 people). A direct train ride to Stuttgart takes around 2½ hours.

By bus
All public and private buses are served at the Busbahnhof on the left side of the main train station. While direct connections to major German towns are possible, getting outside of Germany usually requires a transit at the larger cities.

From April to October, a shuttle service runs between Würzburg and along the Romantic Road to Füssen, with connections to Frankfurt and Munich, respectively.

By car
Würzburg has an excellent connection to the German "Autobahn" (highway)-system. A3 (highway 3) from Cologne via Frankfurt and Nuremberg to Austria passes the city as well as A7 (highway 7) from Hannover via Göttingen to Ulm. In addition there is A81 to Stuttgart.

By ship
Cruises along the Main River often feature a stop at Würzburg, docking adjacent to the city centre. Ships dock during the morning so that the tourists can explore the city by day and be back in the boat by night.

Orientation
Würzburg is a municipal city with multiple districts; they are however easily distinguishable because of its separation.

The area of most interest for tourists and most commercial activity would be the city center or Innenstadt, enclosed by the Ringpark (a park circling the downtown area) up to the Main River. Sanderau is immediately south of downtown and a couple hundred meters east of the park is Frauenland. West of the river is Zellerau, where the trams also pass by. Northeast of the train station passing the bridge over the track is Grombühl, also served by a tram line. These are the de-facto central areas of Würzburg where most of the population lives and activities occur.

On foot
Most of the commercial and tourist spots in Würzburg are contained within the Ringpark. The retail area is found primarily alongside the tram lines and on the pedestrian-only Spiegelstraße and Eichhornstraße, just straight after the Marian chapel at the city square.

A non-stop walk from the main train station to the south end of Ringpark at the Sandering tram station should take only 30 minutes. With the exception of a steep climb to the Marienberg Fortress and the Käppele, you can expect to walk on flat ground on the inner side of the Ringpark.

Public transportation
Würzburg is well served by five tram lines (German: Straßenbahn or locally: Straba) and a handful of bus routes (some of which also run all night) will take you to the suburbs. Public transportation maps and timetables for the immediate city area can be found from the WVV website (in German only). In a general orientation however, all five tram lines are interconnected at a corridor spanning within the city centre between the main train station (Hauptbahnhof) at the north end and Sanderring at the south end, with most bus lines terminating or stopping at either end.

For visitors to the Marienberg fortress, a bus service (Route 9) from the Mainfranken Theater and the Würzburg Residenz runs only from Easter to mid-October. Otherwise, from the city centre cross the old bridge and walk the way up for about 30 minutes.

Fares

 * A short ride within 4 tram or bus stops will cost €1.40 for adults and 70 cents for kids ages 6 to 14.
 * A one-way ticket costs €2.50 for adults and for kids ages 6 to 14.
 * A 6-time ticket costs €6.80 and can be used in any way such as 6 rides for one person or one ride for six people.
 * A daily ticket costs €4.30 for one person and €8.70 for two adults plus up to two kids ages 6 to 14 and is valid up to 03:00 the following day; if the ticket is bought on a Saturday or the first of a two-day holiday, it is valid until 03:00 Monday or day after the two-day holiday.

All bus tickets can be bought at the automated machines in the tram stations or from the bus drivers, they give change too!

As an alternative, a Bayern ticket valid for the entire state as well as the Deutschlandticket can also be used.

By car
While a car is not necessarily needed in the city centre (and forbidden on many roads within the city centre), it might be useful for venturing out elsewhere, especially to the Marienberg fortress, due to the scarcity of bus service. The areas north of Hauptbahnhof and east of the highway are exclusively served by bus for its public transport with at least 20-minute intervals; if you don't want to wait, then a car will take you there faster.

Some of the parking lots in or near downtown Wurzburg are:

The full list of real time parking spaces can be found at the specific WVV website.

See
Most of the old history of Würzburg revolves around the former prince-bishop of the region, who were essentially both the religious and political leaders of the area.

Churches
Within the city centre are nine Catholic churches, many located less than 500 m from each other, each offering a different design of its facade and altar.

Wine tours & tastings
No trip to wine country is complete without touring the cellar and sampling the finest fruit of the vine. Although all tours are by default conducted in German, one can ask questions in English and they will be glad to help.

Wine fairs
Well-known as one of the wine regions of Germany, Würzburg hosts a number of wine fairs in the summer:
 * Würzburger Weindorf ("Wine Village"), on Market Square, the biggest of all, end of May.
 * Hofgarten Weinfest, in the Court Gardens of the Residence Palace, in July.
 * Weinfest am Stein, in a winery in the vineyards. With live music, crowded, in July.
 * Weinparade, on Market Square, end of August.

Nearly every winegrowing village in Lower Franconia has its own wine fair, so you can visit at least one if you visit Würzburg in the summer or autumn.

Other festivals

 * Faschingszug, as with the rest of Germany, the Sunday before Lent is always filled with parades of floats and festivities.
 * Africa Festival, Europe's largest African music and culture festival. Late May to early June.
 * Umsonst und draußen, the city's annual outdoor music festival. Mid-June at the Talavera Fairgrounds.
 * Kiliani is the city's largest fun fair taking place for two weeks in July in honor of the city's patron saint, Kilian. Taking place at Talavera square with amusement parks, snack booths, a tent offering wholesome fares and filled with locals dressed up in traditional costumes.
 * Mozart Festival, a classical music festival with multiple performances (both Mozart and non-Mozart pieces) throughout the period. Simply choose which performances you'd like to come to, as tickets are sold separately. Takes place at the Residenz or around Dom. Month-long from May to June.
 * STRAMU, said to be Europe's largest street festival, where every corner within the pedestrian zone is filled with music and theater performances, stand up comedy, dances, and acrobats. 4 days in late August or early September.
 * Stadtfest, celebrated on Friday and Saturday on the first week of school, is filled with music performances from noon to night on stages scattered throughout the city center. Many local establishments also erect stalls on the sidewalk to showcase their products.

Outdoors

 * Both banks of the Main River, especially on the east side, contain an almost uninterrupted walking and jogging track. For those who prefer to just chill, benches are abundant, or simply sit at the quay like the locals do.

Hiking
Hiking on the wine hills around Würzburg is a local pastime while enjoying the majestic views of the city and the Main river valley. Unlike many other parts of the world, the paths are open to the public!
 * A hike on the hill behind the main train station offers you a splendid panorama of the whole city, which also includes the landmark Marienberg fortress at the other side of the river. These are accessible from the path near the psychiatry department of Uniklinikum in the Grombühl neighborhood or a tunnel under Posthalle.
 * The wine fields adjacent to the Marienberg fortress is also an alternate route up the hill, albeit in a slower pace. Hiking here offers you three sides of views: the city center opposite the river, the Kappele and adjacent large houses, and the rear side of the fortress. These are accessible from the path opposite Lidl grocery store at Leistenstraße, Burkarder Garten next to Sparkasse Bank on the riverside, or from Oberer Burgweg (on the way along access to the fortress by car or bus).
 * Slightly away from the city is a much larger and taller winery area that overlooks the Heidingsfeld neighborhood and the Main River valley. These are accessible from Hans-Löffler Straße (bus number 6) or about 5 minute ride south from the University of Würzburg campus at Hubland.

Buy
Even though shops are to close all day on Sundays and at 20:00 on other days, as are the rest of Bavaria, there are two exceptions to this: Mantelnsonntag on the last Sunday of October (open from 13:00 to 18:00) and Kultur- und Einkaufsnacht on the Saturday before Advent (4 weekends before Christmas) when shops open until 23:00 and the Christmas Market until 22:00.

The general shopping area downtown lies along the tram tracks all the way from the main train station to Sanderring and the streets that immediately branch out of it. Away from the tram tracks, locals also frequent the pedestrian-only Eichhornstraße and Spiegelstraße (if you know German, you will see symbols on the sidewalks that resemble the street name). Eichhornstraße extends westward to the Marienplatz, where a traditional market and small stalls stand amidst the Marienkapelle and a few large shops. Here is also where the annual Christmas market takes place. West of the river, there is a strip of shops along Burkarderstraße and Zellerstraße immediately after the old bridge. Outside these areas, the stores generally cater to residents of the local district.



Wine
Germany may be world renowned for its beer, but its wine is its hidden treasure. Franconian wines are white and produced from mainly Silvaner grapes, high in minerals thanks to the soil on which the vine grows, and very dry, with sugar amounts of only up to 5 grams. Another of its unique feature is being packed in a Bocksbeutel of 3/4 or 3/8 litres. Unlike many other German wine regions, a large amount of Franconian wine is drunk in the area where it is produced.

If you do not know much about wine, buy it directly from the winegrowers or from small shops which sell only wine (Vinothek).

Learn
As one enters Würzburg from the motorway, the sign above the city name says it all, Universitätstadt (university city). Almost a third of its 150,000 inhabitants are students from three colleges, whose buildings are peppered around town. In addition, thousands of foreign full time and exchange students do flock to Würzburg annually, which explains the regular overhearing of English and other foreign languages being spoken if you happen to pass by, a good selection of international food, and noticeably fewer people during exam and holiday periods of February to March and July to September. Among the factors that entice them to come include extensive cooperation with foreign universities, availability of English courses, the medium size of the city, and its location right in central Germany. To better serve the students, a semester ticket for public transportation rides across Würzburg city and adjacent counties within the VVM network are offered after a compulsory payment set by the university. In addition, a mensa (cafeteria) is readily available at multiple locations citywide with meals only half of restaurant prices!

Eat
Even though it is in Bayern, those that look forward to the brown pretzel and white sausage (Weißwurst) are unfortunately coming to the wrong place. Instead, Franconian cuisine is traditionally served. Even then it is still an umbrella term, as even different cities can have different variations. Specialities of Würzburg include fish from the Main River and sausage with wine blend.

Otherwise, those feeling peckish for something else should not be left disappointed. Thanks to its young and multicultural student population, a couple of Asian and southern European establishments have also been established.

Splurge
Great restaurants in the town centre serve excellent food in rustic settings with by no means unreasonable prices. Service is great and you can be guaranteed a great meal. These include

Drink
Located in a wine stronghold, wineries managed to trump the number of local beer breweries. Wine and beer lovers, young and old, live and party together in harmony, as can be seen every day on the Old Main Bridge and along the Main River. Most cafés that lay along the Alte Mainbrücke allow you to drink straight from the wine glass while enjoying the fresh air outside; just don't forget to return the glass to get your hefty deposit back.





Clubs
Würzburg also has its fair share of clubs, catering especially to its student population.

Connect
At some tourist attractions, the bus terminal, and near the WVV customer service at the Rathaus tram station, you can use the municipality network WueFi for up to three hours for free. Select buses & all college buildings offer the "Bayern WLAN" network with a blue sticker where you can connect for free for unlimited time. Students can also use the eduroamnetwork at all college buildings and some establishments.

Stay safe
Like most of Bavaria, Würzburg is very safe. At worst, areas near the Hauptbahnhof and at Grombühl may be frequented with rowdy people, although they will usually not disturb anyone else's business. Use your common sense to avoid risky situations, though.

Go next
Würzburg is the start of Germany's famed Romantic Road and the gateway to explore Lower Franconia. From here you can travel down to Rothenburg and the Bavarian Alps.
 * Veitshöchheim: Take a boat ride on the river Main to this small picturesque town that also has a Schloss with a Rococo garden. (The dock in Würzburg is beside the street Kranenkai, literally "crane dock" as there is an old crane on the boat dock.) The town is also accessible by rail.
 * Schweinfurt, another large town of the Lower Franconia is 30 minutes away by the regional express train.
 * A shortlist of other attractions on the Lower Franconia include castles at Lohr am Main, Mespelbrunn, the spa town of Bad Kissingen, and Miltenberg.
 * Bamberg is less than an hour away and its unspoiled old city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
 * In Wertheim (about 35 km away), you can travel the route Charming Tauber valley from Wertheim via Tauberbischofsheim and Bad Mergentheim to Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
 * Aschaffenburg, the second largest city in Lower Franconia, is a 45-minute train ride away.