Stroll through Franconia

What makes the Bavarian region of Franconia so unique? It’s not just the stubborn refusal to enunciate the letters “t” and “p”, which locals utter as a soft “d” and “b”, but - along with many other things - its cuisine, which many gourmets consider to be the best and finest Bavaria has to offer, and its wines

Tasty: Schäufele and Schlenkerla

Franconia is famous for its wines, grown on the banks of the River Main and its tributaries - distinctive in character and often sold in the unmistakeable Bocksbeutel bottle. The list of culinary specialities is a long one.

The region boasts a legendary variety of different spicy sausages - Nürnberger, Hofer, Kulmbacher, Coburger and more - preferably served in the sandwich known as a “Drei im Weggla”. It is also noted for its street food and finger food classics! The sausages are often served in a sour sauce, when they are known as “Blaue Zipfel” (blue tips).

Then there is the crispy Schäufele (pork shoulder), Franconian Sauerbraten (a marinated pot roast without raisins), Aischgründer carp, baked or steamed, and last but not least the Klöße dumplings, usually made from a combination of raw and boiled potatoes.

The Nuremberg Gingerbread is world-famous, and the density of breweries in Upper Franconia is unique in the world, as is Bamberg’s Schlenkerla Rauchbier (smoked beer). The haute cuisine is also something rather special. Over 50 restaurants in Franconia are currently awarded Gault-Millau points or Michelin stars, including the “Essigbrätlein” in Nuremberg, the “Posthotel-Restaurant” in Wirsberg and the “Sosein” in Heroldsberg.

Climbing, sailing or hiking

Anyone who enjoys keeping fit will find plenty to do here. Nature lies right outside the Franconian front door. The Fichtelgebirge mountains in the northeast rise up like a horseshoe to 1,000 metres and offer a dense network of hiking and cycling trails, as does the Franconian Forest in the north. Franconian Switzerland in the middle rejoices in a number of highly romantic castles and palaces, as well as caves and fantastic rock climbing sites.

The Franconian Lake District to the south of Nuremberg only developed in recent decades and makes an ideal destination for sailors and windsurfers, or for a family holiday. A green interplay of forest and open fields is the hallmark of the gently undulating Haßberge mountains in Lower Franconia.

Well-marked hiking trails can also be found in Spessart-Mainland and in the Steigerwald forest. Woodland, basalt knolls, remote plateaus, moorland and friendly villages characterise the Rhön, a volcanic mountain region in the northwest with the Kreuzberg, Franconia’s “Holy Mountain” (complete with monastery including brewery!)