Bamberg, Nuremberg, or Regensburg?

Can’t speak for the others, but Nuremberg was pretty enjoyable and perfect for a couple days stay. The Documentation Museum was amazing. One of the best, most comprehensive museums I have ever been to. The audio guide is a must. Otherwise, Nuremberg is simply a pleasure to wander, with canals, walls, and beer halls.

Haven’t been to Bamberg, but the other two are nice. I don’t think one needs two nights for Regensburg unless you arrive late in the day. One full day is more than enough time to visit it. Believe Nuremberg may have more things to see. If nothing else, it’s larger than Regensburg.

Can you say what interests you?

It is really hard without some guidance.

What is it that is interesting to you about Bamberg? I like all the places you mention, and plenty more in that area.

Do you want the cathedral or the hill? The art museum or the beer? The river or the shopping? Help please.

Are you driving from Salzburg or on the train? Where are you going next?

When is this trip? Next month or summer or when?

What appealed about Regensburg? Nürnberg?

There absolutely loads to do in each.

We've been to all three and Bamberg was my favorite, with Nuremburg second, but they're all good choices.

We have been to all three multiple times. Regensburg is our favorite for many reasons including: the cathedral, the Roman Gate, the green belt pathway, and the wonderful squares and alleyways. That said, I can easily see other folks preferring one of the other two. To my mind, you can not make a bad choice among these three.

Nuremberg was my weekend town when I lived over there. I had friends there and spent a lot of time in (and out of) the old part of the city. I could easily give tours. the walk thru town and up to the castle is one of my favorite, but I tend to make it long by going by way of the Weisseturm to Durerhaus to the rose garden. The walk along the Pegnitz from the water gate is best at night.

Bamberg was where I'd go with a buddy who's dad had a Gasthaus along the river. Because we were chasing girls i know more about the University and the clubs than the museums. Bamberg is best in the spring and fall.

Regensburg is great too. The walk along the river, the old commercial fishing shops, the cars, and one of the best rock and paleontology shops. Strangely they have a really good golf museum.

My sister in law will tell you to go to Nuremberg, she went over for the first time a couple years back and that was her favorite place. (They spent 4 weeks going from the Deutche Eck to Salzburg.)

Thanks for all the advice. We will be there in the end of September. I like the picturesque towns not a huge museum fan but will see it if it’s a big deal. I’m interested in castles. I really want to try the beer from bamberg. But we also thought of doing a day trip in evening to Rothenberg Ob To watchmans thong and try to avoid crowds. Don’t want to stay in overcrowded place. We will be coming from Salzburg and headed to St Goar. I know wurzburg has a more central hub for transportation but we wanted to be able to checked in a nice air bnb roam the town have some food food and beer and day trip if we want. My husband does enjoy cars as well. Does this help?

A couple notes:

• Rauschbier (the Bamberg specialty) is available all over Frankonia.
• A day trip to Rothenburg odT from Bamberg or Nuremberg is pretty much the entire day, so you might just want to consider staying around there. Regensburg is even further out.
• I think the main castle in Nuremberg is better than the one in Bamberg, but there are a number of less well known castles between the two cities.
• If you want picturesque villages I'd suggest driving up hwy 13 from Munich to Wurzburg. It's not the autobahn, but it's a nice drive with great scenery and lots of smaller towns and villages. If you do that you could easily get to Rothenberg odT.
  

I based for three days in Nuremberg last summer and did day trips to Bamberg and Regensburg. Liked them all but Nuremberg was actually the favorite.

Here's the trip report I wrote - https://andiamo.zenfolio.com/blog/2018/11/bavaria-to-bratislava-and-back---part-2-bavaria

You all are great and making my decision so hard because they all sound great! How does this sound... Since we will be coming from salzburg Nuremberg is the fastest train ride at around 3 hours. What if we stopped here and left luggage at station and explored for a bit before going on and checking in at air bnb in bomber. Stay one night in bamberg and explore it. Then later that day travel to wurzburg and check in at air bnb there. From there we can make an evening trip to see Rothenburg without all the tourist and see the watchman at night and return late to wurzburg before we leave from there the next day to St Goar. Staying in Wurzburg our final night sounds like it may be worth it to shorten our trip to St goar and provide a faster evening trip to Rothenburg. This way we can experience all 3 :) I try to stay at least 2 nights in each but it seems like this may be better for this situation. Any major flaws with this plan?

Any major flaws with this plan?

only that it gives little time in each of the stops - you'll miss a lot of special things.

but if that's the amount of time you have ...

Nuremburg may get added to my list of most underrated cities in Europe (that I have been to). The German National Museum there is wonderful, the Documentation Center of course, and the Kaysersrburg even though the latter was mostly rebuilt (as was the city). We went to Bamberg on a day trip from Nuremburg and it's a fine visit, but there it's mostly just about walking the town. Regenseburg is also pleasant, visited as a stop on a river cruise and had a good visit over 6-8 hours. For two nights I would choose Nuremburg unless you really want to slow things down. If you are not worried about seeing all the sights in Nuremburg you could stay there and day trip to Bamberg as well, but then you would leave wanting to return to Nuremburg.

You have great advice already. I have been to all three cities. Regensburg is a favorite and it was not damaged much in WWII, while Nurenberg was bombed extensively. Much of the ancient city was rebuilt after WWII. Still Nurenberg is a great place to visit, as is Bamberg, which was Wagner's home.

You will need a day for each city.

I have not visited Regensburg. Bamberg is worth a visit but I'd go with Nuremberg for a couple of days.

"...Bamberg, which was Wagner's home." Wagner was a bit of a vagabond, in more ways than one, but I don't think he ever laid his hat in Bamberg long enough to call it home.

We just returned from a trip to Germany and spent two full days in Nuremberg. It was the best part of the trip. Its a fantastic city I felt with much to do. We particularly appreciated the Documentation Center, old Nazi rally grounds, the German Museum, the Cellar Tour, Nuremberg Castle, the Frauen Kirche,the Heilige Geist Hospital, and the Christmas markets which were going while we were there. Its a great walking city.

I have been to Nuremburg twice..It has a terrific market/altstadt. I have also been to Bamberg and Regensburg. I would stopover in Nuremburg...leave your baggage in the hbf. You can catch a tram to the Documentation center and return to the hbf. You can walk across the street and get the altstadt. Maybe 4 hrs. Then catch a train to Bamberg.. i loved it. Referred to as the Rome of Germany. You can walk to most sites. The river is scenic and the town has many excellent dining halls. Bamberg is a great place to spend two days.

My husband and I will be there in SEPT 2019 and will be coming from a night stay in Bamberg. We need one more night stay before we head up north to St. Goar. I would like to see Rothenberg in the evening too. We were planning on taking train from Bamberg to Wurzburg and staying one night and doing a daytrip to Rothenber Ob tauber from there and then leave the next morning from St. Goar. There is nothing in Wurzburg that I relaly want to see and hotels and Air Bnb are more pricey. Is there another quaint little town that is very close to Wurzburg that will still be about the same distance to get to st Goar and not far from Rothenberg obtauber or bamberg. Thanks!

Rothenburg has several reasonably priced hotels. Look at Rothenburg.de

If you don't want to stay in Wurzburg I'd recommend Kitzingen; a pretty little town surrounded by vineyards. It's attractive, and not visited on most tourist agendas.

another quaint little town that is very close to Wurzburg that will still be
about the same distance to get to st Goar and not far from Rothenberg obtauber

A look at the map will show you that's impossible. Rothenburg is south of Würzburg and St. Goar (far) north. Würzburg is the local train hub, where you have to change to a NW bound long distance train in any case (unless you want to do the whole route to Frankfurt with local trains). A small town north of Würzburg such as Lohr (very nice) implies therefore backtracking to Würzburg and is less favorable (same holds for Kitzingen, which is on the "wrong" train line). Among those on the railway line from Würzburg to Rothenburg Marktbreit is the most attractive. It was the residence of a tiny principality and therefore has a number of historic buildings: a modest Renaissance castle, a Renaissance town hall built over the local creek, and a church which hosts an absolute rarity, namely a so - called Biblia Pauperum (a painted poor men's bible) consisting of more than sixty pictures from the 17th century. Take about 90 minutes to complete the following tour: Start from the dock at river Main and pass through the main gate. Directly to the right, there is the Old Town Hall. Continue on the "main" road (roughly south). After a few steps you will see to the right the historic Gasthof Löwen, an imposing half- timbered building from the 14th-16th century (still in operation; recommended for lunch or dinner). After about 200 meters you reach the main square with the (modest) palace and the church. After exiting the church turn right (east) into the narrow alley until you reach the remains of the city wall, then turn left, and when you have reached the creek turn left again. Now you have the best known photo motive of Marktbreit in front of you, looking at the town hall build on a bridge arch over the creek (the "Breit", hence the place name Markt ("market") Breit).

The selection of hotels in M. is limited - I only know of three. Two of them are on booking.com, the cheapest, Gasthof zum Goldenen Schiff, is not (bed & breakfast € 58 - 80); just book directly.

From Marktbreit to Rothenburg it takes about 45 minutes by train. Buy either two single VGN-tickets (about € 15) or one VGN-"TagesticketPlus" (€ 16.80) if you'd like to make a (recommended) detour to Bad Windsheim (transfer in Steinach, same station where you transfer to Rothenburg).

I vote for Nuremberg as I found it very interesting and would have enjoyed two nights there. The market was nice and the walks along the river were very pleasant. Bamberg is nice also. I have never been to Regensburg.