The first thing that usually comes to mind when thinking about Bayreuth is Richard Wagner and the Festival Theater on the Green Hill. Yet Bayreuth's reputation as international art center began much earlier, in the middle of the 18th century, with the Prussian king's daughter, the Margrave Wilhelmine, who was the favourite sister of Frederic the Great. Every year at the end of July and in early August, the historical gardens around the hermitage and its dreamy grottos and water displays are transformed into a huge festival ground for the romantic Bayreuth Summer Night Festival. Tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world flock to Bayreuth every year for the Wagner Festival, Germany's most important opera event. But Bayreuth...

For over 250 years, the "Bergkirchweih" Fair has been a highlight for visitors and locals in Erlangen. Every year at Pentecost, for twelve days the party goes on under the old trees along the beer cellars of the Burgberg Mountain http://www.der-berg-ruft.de

The variety of flavorful bratwursts reflects the variety of Franconian cities: In Ansbach, the brats are 12 to 18 cm long and a whopping 4 cm thick, in Coburg, brats are grilled over pine cones. In comparison, the Nuremberger bratwursts are only 7 to 9 cm long and skinny. The residents of Kulmbach like to eat theirs sandwiched between the halves of a crispy bun. So they call their brats „Eingezwickte“ which means something like „the pinched ones“. Anybody who loves Frankonian cuisine needs to also sample a crispy „Schäufele“, a special pork roast.

Narrow alleys, crozy corners, medieval and baroque building fronts, plus a distinct romantic flair: Bamberg is a great piece of art. The city mesmerizes visitors with its largest intact old city in all of Europe and it has been a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 1993. Today, Bamberg is a lively art and cultural center with a long tradition of beer brewing and a thousand year history. All together this makes it a very special place to visit. The city is best explored on foot, at a leisurely pace. Must see places include the imperial Dome with ist four towers, the New Residence and romantic rose garden, the Old Court, the Old Town Hall that sits in the middle of...

In Bamberg, the motto on the third weeekend in July is „Bamberg Performs Magic“. During the festival, magicians, jugglers and street performers transform the entire inner city into a magic workshop. http://www.bambergzaubert.de

Fuerth hosts the International Klezmer Festival in March. The best of the best of Klezmer music esembles meet to study the roots and development of Klezmer music. http://www.klezmer-festival.de

„The Queen of Kirchweih-Fairs“ is going on in Fuerth from the end of September to the middle of October. The residents of Fuerth are especially proud of their Michaelis Kirchweih that takes place on the streets of the city center. http://www.fuerth.de