Highlights 2023

The multifaceted travel destination Franconia in the north of Bavaria is considered by many guests as a "miniature image of Germany". In addition to this given offer of travel landscapes and cultural as well as culinary history, special themes will be added in 2023:

50 years Franconian Forest - the "Green crown of Bavaria"

The Franconian Forest is one of the unique nature parks of Franconia. In 2023 it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

The occasion is the founding of the "Naturpark Frankenwald e.V." in 1973, which was followed by recognition as a nature park in 1980. The diverse natural and cultural landscape, which is home to numerous protected plant and animal species such as the rare arnica or the shy black stork, today covers an area of 1,022 square kilometers. A special feature of the Franconian Forest is the "Green Belt": it runs where the inner-german border once was. During the time of the divided Germany, nature remained untouched there and today shows itself to hikers and cyclists particularly rich in species. The anniversary is celebrated at various events where children and adults learn about the special features of the Franconian Forest.

more information about the Franconian Forest

Round birthday in the World Heritage

Franconia's cultural treasures are world-class: this is demonstrated by its UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The Upper Germanic-Raetian Limes, the magnificent Würzburg Residence, Bamberg's Old Town, the Bayreuth Margravial Opera House and Bad Kissingen as part of the "Great Spa Towns of Europe" hold this great distinction. This means that five of the total of ten Bavarian UNESCO World Heritage Sites are located in Franconia. In Bamberg 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of the elevation of the entire Old Town ensemble to UNESCO World Heritage status: a good occasion, for example, to take part in the Bamberg World Heritage Run on May 7, 2023, or to explore the World Heritage Visitor Center. 2023 will also be an anniversary year for the Margravial Opera House in Bayreuth: the 275th anniversary of the opening of the magnificent baroque building. One of the best birthday presents will be the new World Heritage Center in the Redoute. Right next to the opera house, it will feature a lively exhibition providing information about the special features of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the baroque festival and theater culture at the Bavarian Royal Court.

Sustainable vacation in Franconia

Climate-friendly travel, regional products and accommodations that value sustainability and environmental awareness - welcome to Franconia!

Where can guests find sustainable accommodation? This has long been a matter of the heart for Franconian hoteliers and hosts. With regional ingredients in the kitchen, natural materials, green electricity and much more, they keep their climate footprint small. In Erlangen, guests can even make their beds in Germany's first climate-positive hotel. Those who want to sleep even closer to nature are welcome to trekking sites, shepherd's caravans or tree house hotels. And for the way to the Franconian accommodation, the car can also be left at home: For a climate-friendly journey, the "Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft" (BEG) and the "Verkehrsverbund Großraum Nürnberg" (VGN) are recommended. Thanks to them, a dense network of bus and rail lines crosses Franconia. Many buses and trains deliberately head for leisure destinations or starting points for hiking and biking routes.

The nature parks are also an indicator of the great importance of sustainability in Franconian tourism. After all, one of the central tasks of a nature park is to actively protect, maintain and develop its landscapes and at the same time make them available to people. An important aspect of sustainability is also regional value creation - and in Franconia, you can let that melt in your mouth: The many different regional products ensure this - from tender asparagus to freshly caught fish and lamb. Projects with old cattle breeds such as the "Yellow Franconian Cattle" or the "Sechsämter Red Cattle" also enrich the menus of Franconian restaurant owners.