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Bamberg, located in northern Bavaria, stands out for its remarkably preserved medieval layout, which earned it a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Built on seven hills and often compared to Rome for that reason, the city’s architecture reflects over a thousand years of uninterrupted development. The Bamberg Cathedral, completed in 1237, houses the only papal tomb north of the Alps and features Romanesque sculptures including the mysterious Bamberg Horseman, a life-sized equestrian statue with an unknown identity that continues to intrigue historians.

The Old Town is divided by the Regnitz River, where the iconic Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) sits dramatically on an island, accessible by bridges on either side. Legend has it that the bishop wouldn’t grant the town space to build, so citizens created their own by constructing the building on piles driven into the riverbed. Nearby, Little Venice, a row of half-timbered fishermen’s houses, lines the riverbank and can be seen from gondola-style boat tours that offer a quieter view of the city’s historic core.

Bamberg is well known for its beer, and not just in the usual Bavarian sense. The city has more breweries per capita than any other town in Germany, and it’s the birthplace of rauchbier, a smoked beer that has a distinctly woody, bacon-like flavor. Schlenkerla, one of the most famous taverns, serves this beer directly from wooden barrels in a 600-year-old building. Visitors can also follow the self-guided “Beer Trail” through Franconian Switzerland, which links dozens of family-owned breweries in the surrounding countryside.