Würzburg in a Day: Top Things to Do + Christmas Market Guide

Würzburg, a small city nestled in Bavaria’s picturesque wine region, is a historic gem that makes for an unforgettable day trip on any southern Germany itinerary.

This charming city is packed with stunning landmarks. Highlights include the imposing Marienberg Fortress perched above the city, the iconic Old Main Bridge adorned with statues of saints, the towering twin spires of St. Kilian Cathedral, the vibrant red St. Mary’s Chapel, and the magnificent Baroque Palace Residenz.

Würzburg’s blend of history, architecture, and charm left us enchanted—it felt like a smaller, Baroque-inspired version of Prague.

About Our Visit in Würzburg

Our visit to Würzburg in early December was part of a magical tour through Bavaria’s Christmas markets. We day tripped to Würzburg from Nuremberg, traveling by train.

This city is a joy to explore, with the highlights being the views from Marienberg Fortress and the walk across the Old Main Bridge. We were also charmed by Würzburg’s Christmas market, celebrated for its large size, distinctive gift stalls, and pretty setting beneath St. Mary’s Cathedral.

Table of Contents

Würzburg Day Trip

Würzburg makes a great day trip from Nuremberg, which is exactly what we did. A direct train links these two cities together, making it very easy to get to Würzburg.

Below, we list the top things to do in Würzburg on a day trip from Nuremberg, plus a walking route through the city. Following this section, we’ll provide the necessary information about planning your transportation, where to eat, and more.

Würzburg makes a great day trip all year, but in December it is extra special, with its amazing Christmas market. If you are visiting Würzburg outside of December, you can follow our walking tour of Würzburg. Everything remains the same, with the exception of the Christmas market on Marktplatz.

Best Things to Do in Würzburg

This list of things to do in Würzburg are in order of our walking route through the city. You will start at the highest, farthest point (Marienberg Fortress) and work your way to the train station. We spent about 6 hours in Würzburg, which include time spent in the Christmas market.

Below is a map of the places to visit in Würzburg plus the walking route through the city.

How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left corner of the map to see a list of the points of interest and to turn layers on/off. Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.

To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.

Marienberg Fortress

Located on a hill above the city, this unusually large fortress was once the seat of the Duke of East Franconia. It was first constructed in the 8th century and has been continuously expanded since, incorporating Renaissance and Baroque styles into the interior and architecture.

Visitors can tour the inside of the Fortress’s various rooms and exhibits which show the history of the Fortress and the art and culture of the region.

The Fortress was under renovation when we visited, so we were not allowed inside. However, we were still able to walk the walls of the Fortress, which provide great panoramic views over Würzburg.

The view of Würzburg from the fortress

Getting Here: This fortress, with its hilltop setting across the river from town, can be a hefty, uphill walk from the city center. It’s a 30-minute walk from New Town Hall and a 40-minute walk from the train station. We hired a taxi at the train station to get to the fortress. From the fortress, it is a scenic, downhill walk into town.

Get hours, prices, and information about when the fortress will reopen on the official website.

Old Main Bridge

Walk along the Old Main Bridge for a great view of the city. This pedestrian bridge (but watch out for cyclists!) is reminiscent of Prague’s Charles Bridge, with 12 statues and saints lining the walkway.

The view from the bridge of the Rathaus, the St. Kilian Cathedral, and colorful Bavarian buildings in the old town is one of the best in Würzburg.

A Würzburg tradition is to stop at Brückenschoppen on the Old Main Bridge and enjoy a glass of Franconian wine while gazing over the city.

Exiting the bridge on the east side of the river, turn left and head towards the river for a good view of the bridge and the castle.

Old Crane & Views of Marienberg Fortress

Located on the bank of the Main River is the Old Crane, a monument that signifies Wurzburg’s importance as a hub for trade and commerce. This crane was built in 1770 to facilitate easier loading and unloading of goods.

You also get very nice views of the Marienberg Fortress and Old Main Bridge along this short stretch of waterfront.

Marienkappelle (St. Mary’s Chapel)

This late gothic hall church hosts renowned sculptures of Adam and Eve and artworks depicting key stories from the Catholic religion. At the top of the chapel is a golden statue of Madonna that miraculously survived WWII bombings.

Marktplatz, the square in front of the chapel, is the location of Würzburg’s Christmas market.

Würzburg Christmas Market

We absolutely loved the Würzburg Christmas market! It has a gorgeous setting, surrounded by the colorful buildings on Marktplatz, and was less crowded than many other markets we visited in Bavaria.

The market circles around the red and white St. Mary’s Chapel, alongside the rococo-stucco decorated Falkenhaus, and along Eichhornstraße. Stalls are very well decorated, and while many are similar to other markets, we enjoyed shopping for ornaments and toy houses, and of course we also had our daily intake of glühwein.

The day before we visited Bamberg (another great day trip from Nuremberg). The Würzburg Christmas market is much better than Bamberg’s, in our opinion, with a nicer setting, better decorated stalls, and an all-around more festive vibe.

This is a great place to have lunch, sampling local Bavarian fare. If you are doing this day trip outside of December, we have some restaurant recommendations in the Where to Eat section of this guide.

Here are some more photos of the market.

Neumünster Collegiate Church

This ornate baroque Catholic parish church can be identified by its decorated pink front, a stunning site as you walk around the city. It is next to the St. Kilian Cathedral and just outside the Marktplatz square.

Its white interior is filled with stunning artwork and intricate sculptural details. The Neumünster holds cultural significance as a venue for concerts and musical events, which visitors have the opportunity to attend.

St. Kilian Cathedral (Würzburg Cathedral)

A principal work of German architecture, the St. Kilian Cathedral is the fourth largest Romanesque cathedral in Germany. Its construction began in the 11th century and has served as a burial place for Prince Bishops of the House of Schönborn ever since. The cathedral is free to visit.

Würzburg Residence Palace

The Residence Palace, known as being one of the most extraordinary Baroque palaces in Germany, is a place that’s well worth an hour or two on a visit to Würzburg.

Designed by Balthasar Neumann, the architecture and wall frescos have French, Viennese, and Northern Italian influences. With a grand staircase opening up into the world’s largest continuous fresco ceiling and a lavish Imperial Hall, this Palace is gorgeous.

Wurzburg Residence Palace Grand Staircase

In addition to walking through the ornate rooms, you can also visit the Palace Gardens, grown in a symmetrical pattern and filled with an abundance of topiary fruit trees, hedges, trellises, potted plants and pergola walks. As it was winter, however, we did not stroll through the Gardens. This would be perfect for a visit in the spring or summer.

For pricing and hours, visit the official website here.

Martin Von Wagner Museum

Founded in 1859 by artist and sculptor Martin Von Wagner, this museum offers a rich collection of art and artifacts from Egypt, Greece, Eturia, and the Roman Empire, as well as works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. This museum is located in the south wing of the Würzburg Residence.

Get hours and pricing here.

If You Have a Car and Extra Time

The Little Chapel: Kappele Würzburg

Located on a hill overlooking the city is the Chapel of Our Lady, or Marienkapelle, one of the city’s oldest and most religious buildings. The Chapel is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and it has important statues and frescos, as well as an ornate altar and beautiful stained glass windows. Since it is further from the city, we recommend only visiting this if you have spare time and a car.

Schloss Veitshöchheim

If you are visiting Wurzburg between April and October, have a car, and have spare time, check out the Veitshöchheim Castle.

The Veitshöchheim Castle was the summer residence of the Würzburg prince-bishops until 1802. Later, in 1814, it was turned over to the Bavarian Crown and was used as a summer palace by the royal family. Today, it is a museum where visitors can tour the ornate rooms. Additionally, visitors can tour the Court Garden which boasts almost 300 statues and the Great Lake.

You can find information on opening hours and tours here. It is closed from November through March.

How to Get to Würzburg

By Train

Würzburg is easy to get to by train, with frequent connections to Nuremberg, Frankfurt, and other nearby cities.

We visited Bamberg on a day trip from Nuremberg, traveling by train. From Nuremberg, it takes 50 to 70 minutes to travel to Würzburg, with departures three to four times per hour. The regional trains (RE) are slightly slower than the longer distance trains (ICE).

If traveling by train, it is not necessary to book your tickets in advance. Tickets can be purchased in the station before you board the train. However, if you book your tickets far in advance, it is possible to get a slightly cheaper fare.

We booked our tickets in advance. There are several ticket types in Germany, and we chose to purchase the Flexpreis tickets. These are the most expensive tickets but they do have a big advantage. They are valid for any train the day the ticket is booked, so we could be very flexible about when we traveled to Würzburg and back to Nuremberg. Rather than having to book a specific train at a specific time, we could simply board the next available train back to Nuremberg, once finished in Würzburg.

To look up train timetables and book your tickets in advance, visit the bahn.de website.

The Man in Seat 61 does an excellent job explaining ticket types and things to know when traveling by train in Germany (and all around the world).

The Würzburg train station is a 15-minute walk from the old town. There are taxis at the train station, which you can hire to take you to Marienberg Fortress, or if you don’t want to walk to the city center.

By Car

If you are traveling by car, it will be much easier to visit the sites that sit outside of Würzburg, and the fortress, as that is a bit of a walk from the city center. One of the best places to park in the city center is at Parkplatz Residenz Würzburg, which is next to the Würzburg Residence and a short walk into the old town.

How to Get Around Würzburg

The majority of places to visit in Würzburg are located in or very close to the old town, within walking distance of the train station and Residence parking lot. It will be an uphill walk to the Marienberg fortress, and an even longer walk to get to Kappele Würzburg, if you choose to visit this. To get here, you can save your steps by hiring a taxi or driving here, if you have a car.

PRO TRAVEL TIP: Want to save some steps? If you arrive in Würzburg by train, consider hiring a taxi to take you to Marienberg Fortress. Visit the fortress, enjoy the view, and then work your way through the old town, ending back at the train station. Hiring the taxi is an additional expense, but it saves you about 40 minutes of walking.

Where to Eat

Happy Street Kitchen is located near St. Mary’s Chapel and gets rave reviews for its healthy fare.

Gasthaus Alte Mainmühle is located right on the Old Main Bridge. It has a fantastic setting and a terrace with views across the river to the fortress.

For local German food, take a look at Sternbäck, a beer garden that is located in the old town, near the Town Hall and Würzburg Cathedral.

Is Würzburg Worth It?

Yes! We loved our time in Würzburg, as this town is a joy to wander for its wealth of history, its large castle, and lovely squares to walk around, each unveiling a new church or historical site. Würzburg’s Christmas market became one of our favorites for its setting, size, and lovely decorations.

More Christmas Markets in Bavaria

Würzburg is surrounded by other Bavarian cities that host Christmas markets during the advent season. Nuremberg is renowned for its Christmas market, one of the largest and most historic in Germany. Like Würzburg, Bamberg makes a great day trip from Nuremberg.

Also in Bavaria, Regensburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Stuttgart are not to be missed. And the city of Munich is filled with Christmas markets, enough to keep you busy for several days.

See all of our European Christmas market guides 🎄 ↓

Explore the Europe Christmas Markets

If you have any questions about the best things to do in Würzburg or how to plan a day trip to Würzburg, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to Germany

Best way to spend one day in Wurzburg, Germany on a day trip from Nuremberg. Includes photos and info about the Wurzburg Christmas market, one of our favorite Christmas markets in Bavaria, Germany.