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BAYREUTH TRAVEL INFORMATION
Not all events during the Richard-Wagner-Festspiele
have been posted.
Please note that this page will be updated in June and once more in
July.
Suggestions, Corrections,
and Additions gladly accepted!
please send to: Sandra
Molyneaux and Evan
Baker
Bayreuth itself is a smallish Bavarian town of 75,000 people set out
in roughly an inverted T-shape. South from the Festspielhaus on
the “green hill,”
the continuous Burgerreutherstraße-Bahnhofstraße-Luitpoldstraße
stretches toward the old city with its pedestrian area centered on
Maximilianstraße
– Richard Wagner-Straße. The area between the Hauptbahnhof
and the Neues Rathhaus might be considered the commercial
center of Bayreuth with many hotels and restaurants; while the pedestrian
region fanning out from the Spitalkirche is the historic center, with
the Marktplatz at its core. Conveniently, all buses converge
at the Marktplatz. One can walk from almost anywhere in the city to
any other point, but the walk from the old city to the Festspielhaus might
be a stretch in high heels or on a very hot day. The walk back, however,
is delightful.
Here is a map
of Bayreuth. (powered by Google Maps)
Getting There, Getting Around
The Tourist Bureau, located near the Neues Rathaus (City Hall),
on Luitpoldplatz, will also assist in finding hotels and rooms in the
area (see below). Be sure to pick up not only city maps but calendars
of events taking place during your stay as well as brochures for sites
you might want to visit (see below). Note particularly brochures on
Bayreuth churches, the Festival
junger Künstler Bayreuth, and the monthly calendar of
cultural events. A nice orientation to the city can be had from the
roof of the Neue Rathaus (weekdays 10:00-16:00).
Lufthansa/United has the best flights from San Francisco to Germany
with direct flights either to Frankfurt or Munich.
German trains provide terrific service throughout the country. Trains
from Nürnberg to Bayreuth run hourly, and there is a public transportation
direct from the Nürnberg airport to the train station. Obviously,
one can arrive at Bayreuth via train or car from any city in Europe.
If one plans to do a lot of train travel within Bavaria, one can purchase
a Bavaria Card in any Bavarian train station which permits steeply discounted
train travel in the region. Also available are Bahn-50 and Bahn-25 cards
good for one year which permit a 50% or 25% discount on travel, including
overnight accommodations to neighboring countries. However, one needs
to do a lot of train travel to make this Bahn discount card expense
worthwhile. In 2004, the Bahn-50 card cost approximately $200 per person
and $100 for anyone over 65. The staff in the train station ticket offices
(especially in Bayreuth) is helpful and will provide detailed itineraries
as well as tickets, and all train stations (no matter how small) have
elevators which permit easy transit from track to track.
The Bayreuth bus system is very efficient and well marked so that using
the bus for excursions is very easy. However, it is not cheap—€1.70
per ride. Depending on need, you may want to investigate day, 3-day,
or weekly passes, all available at machines outside the major stops
or from bus drivers. One caution—the buses generally stop running
about 20:00, and the night buses run only about once an hour. This should
not be a problem for anyone attending the Festspiel, however.
Taxis do not cruise but can be ordered from hotels or the nearest commercial
establishment. Taxi stands are at the Bahnhof and at Citibank (Marktplatz),
and they do line up at the Festspielhaus following the performance.
Do not worry if it looks as if there are no more taxis after the first
crush, more will appear quickly.
Driving from Nürnberg is faster than taking the train through
to Bayreuth. If time is a factor, however, watch the road signs when
leaving the airport and avoid the slow, backwood road to Bayreuth. Rather,
look for route A-9 autobahn. Be sure to check road conditions
in case of construction. Also, in August there are the occasional horrific
traffic jams.
In general, it is far less expensive to rent a car from an international
company before
you leave for abroad than it is to rent locally. You will need
a good map of Bayreuth—not the Tourist Bureau variety—and
the area which can be found at the Bahnhof book and news stand. Parking
is generally easy in town so those who wish to rent cars should not
feel they will miss any of the Festival-related special events.
There is free but limited parking available by the Festspielhaus. Be
sure to arrive early to secure a space.
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Hotels
Hotels are the most expensive and important investment you will make
after the price of the tickets. It is never too early to book
rooms, even if you just think you will be attending the Wagner
Festespiele. Rooms sell out a year in advance at some hotels and guesthouses,
and prices can fluctuate depending on when you book. All prices will
rise for the Festival days. Most of the hotels in town are older, smaller
hotels or guesthouses that stretch along Bahnhofstraße. Unlike
most cities, staying near the train station can be a distinct advantage.
Another group of hotels lies within a two-block walk just west of the
old city, and at least two major hotels are within the pedestrian confines.
Most of the lectures and concerts in conjunction with the Festspiel
are held in various venues in the pedestrian zone, making staying in
these areas quite efficient. Other people enjoy and seek out small hotels
in the outlying districts and adjacent towns. The Tourist
Information Bureau will also assist in finding hotels or rooms in
private homes. Let them know what type of accommodation you want, a
price range, dates, and number of people. In addition to the hotels
listed below, a Google search may lead to other finds.
If transportation is important to you, be sure to confirm whether your
hotel, if it lies anywhere south of the Neues Rathaus, provides transportation
to the Festspielhaus — usually one hour prior to each curtain.
One might expect to pay approximately €3 per person, round-trip
which is less than the bus fare or a taxi. Also, check to see if your
hotel includes breakfast as an option, is included in the cost of the
room, or does not offer breakfast at all. If you want to eat after the
performances, a full breakfast may not be the attraction it is for someone
who eats dinner early. The town is riddled with small, wonderful bakeries
where one can pick up an inexpensive, quick, and delicious morning coffee
and pastries. Even the Hauptbahnhof has a decent bakery for train food.
Hotels are arranged below in a north to south direction. Subjective
comments come from people who have actually stayed there. This is by
no means an exhaustive list of hotels but represents places that are
in convenient locations or have been specifically recommended.
An excellent and downloadable PDF file prepared by the Bayreuth Tourist
Office containing the current listings of hotels (2007) is available
here (Adobe Acrobat Reader is required).
Another Internet listing of Hotels in Bayreuth can be found here (in
German, but easy to follow).
Here a short listing of Hotels . . . (phone and faxnumbers can
be found on the hotel's website)
Hotel
Bürgerreuth
An der Bürgerreuth 20. Telephone 921/78400. Email.
15 rooms. Just north of the Festspielhaus. Good Italian restaurant.
Gasthaus Kropf
Tristanstraße 8. Telephone 0921/26298.
11 rooms. The facility closest to the Festspielhaus, literally at the
“Green Hill”. Restaurant.
Arvena
Kongress Hotel
Eduard-Bayerlein Straße 5a, at Hofbahnstraße.
196 rooms. Right at the Bahnhof. Terrific location and well-regarded
restaurants; piano bar (Herr Hemill is great). The extensive breakfast-buffet
(American-style, the best in town!) lingers to 13:00 and transforms
into lunch yet is still included in the price of the room. Afternoon
tea and wine precedes complimentary bus trip to Festspielhaus. Overseas
calls were surprisingly inexpensive (€4 for 15 minutes). Reduced
rate for early booking (via Travelaxe or Hotel.de).
Hotel
Goldener Hirsch
Bahnhofstraße 13.
41 rooms. Restaurant.
Hotel
Bayrischer Hof
Bahnhofstraße 14.
49 rooms. Indoor swimming pool; excellent restaurant (see below); quieter
rooms face an inner garden, but soundproof windows on the street side.
Walking distance to the Festspielhaus, but they will arrange for transportation
if you wish it. Champagne receptions prior to performances.
Accent-Hotel
im Kolpinghaus (****)
Kolpingstaße 5, across from Neue Rathaus.
30 rooms.
Hotel Lohmühle (***)
Badstraße 37.
42 rooms.
Hotel Goldener
Anker
Opernstraße 6.
35 rooms. A 16th century building right in the heart of the old city
a few steps away from the Markgräfliches Opernhaus. No elevator.
Anton Bruckner stayed here. Personal attention to guests’ needs
makes this spot, for some, the best hotel in Bayreuth.
Schlosshotel
Thiergarten (****)
Oberthiergärtner Straße 36.
9 rooms.
Brauerei-Gasthoff
Goldener Löwe
Kulmbacher Straße 30.
14 rooms. A short walk to the pedestrian region.
Hotel-Restaurant
Spiegelmuhle
Kulmbacher Straße 28. Email.
11 rooms. Once a working mill, the inn dates to 1555.
Gasthof zum
Herzog
Herzog 2, just off Kulmbacher Straße.
20 Rooms. Restaurant.
Ramada-Treff
Hotel Residenzschloss Bayreuth (****)
37 Erlanger Straße 37, at Humboltstraße.
104 rooms. Well run, modern, yet small hotel two blocks west of the
old city pedestrian area. Breakfast buffet optional. Bus transportation
available to the Festspielhaus (€3 PP/RT). Drinks served in the
lobby prior to boarding the bus—very civilized. Heavy discount
for booking early:
€84 double (without breakfast) vs. €150 single (with breakfast).
Not quaint, but a very comfortable hotel. The new wing has very large
rooms and wonderful bathrooms and terrific lights for reading. All rooms
face the back courtyard so there is absolutely no street noise. The
breakfast buffet is excellent. Dinner in the hotel was quite good but
a bit more expensive than the restaurants in town.
Grunau Hotel
Kemnather Straße 27
95448 Bayreuth
Tel. (09 21) 79 80 - 0
Fax (09 21) 79 80 - 100
Just on the outskirts of Bayreuth, it is on the city bus line and also
offers a for fee courtesy shuttle to the Festspiele. New, clean
and modern with a very good breakfast buffet, this hotel is best for
someone who has a car. There is no restaurant in the hotel, but
they do have a lobby bar. There is internet access in the hotel,
however it is limited to a computer in the lobby. This hotel occupies
the top floor of a regional mall, a health club, Chinese restaurant,
pharmacy and a geldautomat are among the businesses in the building. There
is a market across the street.
Hotel Eremitage
Ermitage 6.
6 rooms. Out at the Eremitage Summer Palace. Cosima used to dine at
the restaurant.
Pflaum Posthotel (*****)
Nürnberger Str 12-16, Pegnitz.
100 rooms. A Relais & Chateaux property with wellness spa and golf
course. 3 km out of town, bus to the Festspiel provided. Highly recommended
by Gourmet Magazine (August 1980) and known for its kitchen.
Herrmann's
Romantik Posthotel (****)
Marktplatz 11, Wirsberg.
89 rooms. About 12 miles north of Bayreuth; twenty minute ride on complementary
bus provided by hotel (it’s faster to drive) with drinks served
on board (charged to the rooms). Swimming pool; spa; two restaurants. “Great
hotel” and surprisingly convenient for driving to Bayreuth; near
autobahn. Breakfast is abundant and included; meals are also available
after the performances. The hotel sponsors German-language lectures
prior to each opera, and a continuously running DVD presentations of
historical Bayreuth performances of that day’s performance.
Gasthof Ruckriegel
Hauptstraße 11, Seybothereuth. Telephone 09275/206.
11 rooms.
Transmar
Travel Hotel (Best Western)
Buhlstraße 12, Bindlach. Telephone 49 (0) 9208-6960.
Modern hotel near the Nürnberg Autobahn
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Gastronomie
Eating at the Festspielhaus
With curtains so early and performances running so late, eating can
present a minor problem, but one that is easily overcome with some
planning. One may eat before the curtain, during intervals, or after
the performances. The Festspielhaus has several options:
1) Full restaurant on the lower level which will take orders in
advance and serve the courses between acts. Many people do this
every performance, some only once or twice. The food is wildly inconsistent,
and one person suggested staying clear of anything hot. It seems
expensive relative to more leisurely meals elsewhere in town, but
it is convenient. Portions are huge so spread the meal out over
several intervals. Reservations recommended.
2) Buffet line on the theater level which features light fare of
salads, sandwiches, and desserts. Tables are provided in a large open
space and balcony above the full restaurant.
3) Various snack stands, each featuring a specific type of finger
food: coffee and dessert, sausages (bratwurst with rolls), large pretzels,
champagne, wine, beer, little salmon sandwiches, and delicious ice
cream. Put plenty of mustard on the wurst and the pretzels!
Many hotels will also arrange to have picnic baskets delivered to the
Festspielhaus for consumption in the park during intervals.
Popular restaurants need reservations but not obsessively in advance.
Either during an intermission or sometime during the same day is usually
sufficient. For popular restaurants, you may end up sharing a table
with other people, but that is expected in simple restaurants in Germany.
Also hotel restaurants are usually very reliable choices. Maisel’s
Dampfbier (steam beer) is the local brew. Again, this list follows a
generally north-to-south direction.
Here is a basic
listing of restaurants in Bayreuth with addresses.
Bürgerreuth
An der Bürgerreuth 20
Popular Italian restaurant up behind the Festspielhaus. NY Wagner Society
seems to eat here a lot. You will need reservations.
Furt Kneipe
Up the hill on the left, just past the Festspielhaus and the little
postoffice.
Informal beer garden (wurst, homemade wine/beer, light fare) on a shaded
lawn. Less expensive than Festspiel, and a pleasant spot for a snack
during intervals.
Gasthof Kropf
Tristanstraße 8
Inexpensive, unpretentious place specializing in Bavarian dishes such
as fleisch mit sauerkraut. Perhaps its main attraction is that it is
the closest restaurant to the Festspielhaus and it was never full. Walk
down the hill on your left.
Holländer-Stuben
Nibelungenstraße 49
Right at the base of the Festspiel hill. Charming restaurant, wonderful
Wienerschnitzel. You will need reservations but not far in advance.
The best meal that one couple had in Bayreuth and at a very reasonable
cost (2004).
Arvena Kongress Hotel
Eduard-Bayerlein Staße 5a at Hofbahnstraße
Several well respected restaurants: Restaurant Arvena, Bella Italia,
and Die Piano Bar.
Gendarmerie Restaurant
Bayerischer Hof Hotel, Bahnhofstraße 14
Bistro food and continental dishes with a light touch. Moderate prices.
Weihenstephan
Bahnhofstraße at Mainstraße
Artists sometimes eat here after performances; pleasant atmosphere and
very good food (try Krenfleisch). You may find yourselves sharing tables.
Definitely make advance reservations.
Oskar
Altes Rathaus, Richard-Wagner Straße 24
A lively beer hall known for its potato and bread dumplings served in
a variety of ways; kitchen closes at 22:00 for full dinners, but you
can appeal for a bowl of soup or a left-over dumpling. The decidedly
younger crowd is a pleasant change of pace.
Restaurant 1927
Hotel Goldener Anker, Opernstraße 6
Highly recommended by people who stay at the hotel.
Opern Café
Opernstraße 16
Next to the Markgräfliches Opernhaus. OK meals, but really good
coffee and pastries, and a great spot to watch the parade from the street
patio. Lovely room and patio inside as well.
Schinner
Braustuben
Richard-Wagner Straße 38
Brew Pub for Schinner Beer
Café Florian
Dammallee 12A
A tucked away spot in pedestrian zone with lots of outdoor seating.
Decent food, amazing cakes, and great people watching. Pleasant spot
to get away from the bustle.
Athena or Delphi
Down a side street (north) from Richard-Wagnerstraße. “A
nice break from German fare and on a hot day, the downstairs location
was pure bliss.”
Nordsee
Marktplatz
Walk-away self-serve or cafeteria-style seafood chain with indoor and
outdoor seating. Good value/quality; great for a quick bite.
Café Journal
Schulstraße at Mainstraße
Just an example of local cafés that you can stumble across off
the beaten track. Wonderful sausage and beers (€10 for two).
Several Turkish Kebab stands throughout the city make for a change
of pace from sausage.
Excellent ice-cream to be found on Sternplatz (across from the Markgrafenbuchhandlung)
and the Markplatz.
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Suggestions, Corrections,
and Additions gladly accepted!
please send to: Sandra
Molyneaux and Evan
Baker
©
2008
Wagner Society Northern California |
