Nature Park Region
The metropolitan region stands out for the diversity of its landscape. Apart from seas and very high mountains, it has just about everything else: low mountain ranges, mountain forests, rolling hills, river valleys, lakes and ponds. Much of the region’s charm results from this geographical diversity and the easy accessibility of these areas.
Wonderful hikes through unspoiled nature, a canoe trip down an idyllic river, action-packed shows featuring birds of prey at the Greifvogelpark, learning about herbs in farm gardens or cultural highlights – the ten nature parks are the “green oases” of the metropolitan region and offer something for everyone.
Deep into the underworld of caves in Franconian Switzerland and high up to the peaks of the Fichtelgebirge Mountain Region: The highlights and unique qualities of the ten nature parks in the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region were brought together in a shared initiative supported by the Federal Office for Regional Planning as a pilot project. We invite you to discover the metropolitan region’s “green treasures”.
A magnet for discovery and relaxation
There is one imposing mansion, castle and residence after another – like pearls on a necklace. Proud medieval towns proclaim the region’s glorious past, including two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the historic city centre of Bamberg and the Upper Germanic and Rhaetian Limes near Weißenburg.
High quality of life
Locals and tourists alike particularly appreciate the high quality of life and leisure and the picturesque areas of varied countryside within the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region. Of course the area also has its share of culinary delights. Characteristic of the region are the great variety of good breweries, Franconian wine, the famous bratwurst sausages, as well as asparagus cultivation and the distinctive meadow orchards with scattered fruit trees.
Highlights:
Gentle riverside meadows, sunny juniper heathland and bizarre rock formations all feature prominently in the Altmühltal Natural Preserve. Along the Altmühl Valley cycle trail, on foot on the Altmühl Valley panoramic track or gently paddling about in boats - there are many ways to discover the magical countryside of the Altmühl Valley. The Rhaetian Limes in the Roman city of Weißenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the starting point for an unforgettable journey into the past.
Altmühl Valley Nature Park Central Tourist Information
Telefon: +49 (0) 8421/ 98 76-0
The legendary Fichtelgebirge Mountain Region has a character all its own, with an unforgettable array of activities and rustically cosy accommodations. Cultural highlights of any visit to the Fichtelgebirge Mountain Region are stays in Bayreuth, noted for festivals and opera, and Selb, celebrated for chinaware – both enjoyable regardless of the season.
Fichtelgebirge Tourism Centre
Telefon: +49 (0) 9272/ 96 90 030
Countryside rich in variety, ideal for recreational breaks for the active holiday maker and nature lover alike. Something for everyone – climbing, canoeing, mountain biking and hiking. Castles and caves invite exploration and create a great experience for families and culture lovers. The Franconian Switzerland is a paradise for connoisseurs, for example drinkers of beer and spirits and lovers of such culinary delights as trout and fruit from traditional meadow orchards.
Franconian Switzerland Tourist Centre
Telefon: +49 (0) 9191/ 86 10 54
The Franconian Wineland seems to have been created specifically for gloriously untroubled days. The charming landscape between the River Main and the uplands beckons with delightful pursuits, on foot or by bike, as you wish. And everywhere, there is the sense, sight and scent of the region’s outstanding wine, which lends the Franconian Wineland its own special character with an almost Mediterranean charm.
Franconian Wineland Tourist Association
Telefon: +49 (0) 931/ 37 23 35
The Franconian Jura in the Nuremberg region - Experience untouched countryside, gentle hills and idyllic river valleys. Woods that seem to go on for ever, bizarre ravines and mysterious caves. Historical castles and mansions, countless monuments of art, picturesque villages with half-timbered houses and typical Franconian hospitality. An ideal walking and cycling area, very popular with canoeists and climbers – and just a stone’s throw from the gates of Nuremberg.
Tourist-Information Franconian Jura
Telefon: +49 (0) 9123/ 950 60 61
The Franconian Forest Nature Park in Northern Bavaria stretches from the River Main, Franconia’s principal artery, to the former border with East Germany and to Thuringia in the ‘Green Belt’. Look forward to the genuine hospitality which comes as standard with tradition, culture and fine food. It is a true activity park where the long-distance "Frankenweg", "Rennsteig2 ridge walk, Franconian mountain track and the Main cycle route all converge.
Franconian Forest Tourism Service Center
Telefon: +49 (0) 9261/ 60 15 17
The speciality of the Haßberge region is its role as melting pot of nature and history and the enticing prospects this affords for exploration. Walking or cycling in the historic footsteps of the knights and noblemen of yore is what makes the Haßberge so special. With its half-timbered little towns straight out of a picture book and good home cooking, this is a romantic vacationing region where some things remind of yesteryear.
Tourist Information Haßberge
Telefon: +49 (0) 9523/ 92 29 70
Delightful little half-timbered towns, idyllic landscapes, country breweries, walking and cycle routes and Bavaria’s warmest thermal natural brine in the Upper Main hot springs in Bad Staffelstein, the singing spa superinetndent at the Bad Rodach hot springs, culture from old-town festival to samba – all this forms part of the veritable feast of leisure time pursuits that is Franconia. Of all Franconia’s splendours, the rococo pilgrimage basilica of Vierzehnheiligen and the baroque gem of Banz Abbey are the foremost. Coburg, too, is particularly rich in art treasures and monumental buildings, notably the Veste citadel.
Upper Main Valley-Coburg Countryside Tourist Information
Telefon: +49 (0) 9571/ 182 83
If you want fun, relaxation and water, all your dreams will come true in this really special holiday environment. The seven lakes, Lake Brombach for example, all fit seamlessly into the countryside. Complete with modern leisure facilities, they are the focal point of any holiday or trip and make an ideal starting point for cycling and walking tours. A rich history and lively cultural scene form the ideal companions for the region’s exquisite cuisine.
Franconian Lake District Tourism Association
Telefon: +49 (0) 9831/ 50 01 20
Nuremberg Urban Region is made up of four strong team players - Nuremberg itself and Fürth, Erlangen and Schwabach. Each has its own individual charm - Nuremberg, Franconia’s world-renowned trade fair city with medieval flair; Fürth, famed for its abundance of monuments and sublime, well-preserved and stately town houses; Erlangen, the pinnacle of baroque university life and research; and Schwabach, home of the goldbeaters.
Nuremberg Urban Region c/o Fürth Tourist Information
Telefon: +49 (0) 911/ 23 95 87 0
The great historical heritage of romantic Franconia’s gentle uplands can be found predominantly in the beautiful old towns of Rothenburg ob der Tauber or Dinkelsbühl, in former abbeys and in the dynastic seat of Ansbach. For lovers of nature and outdoor activity, the region can be explored on countless cycling and walking trails and families have a wealth of “holidays down on the farm” options to choose from.
Tourist Information Romantisches Franken,
Telefon: +49 (0) 9803/ 9 41 41
Enjoy the products of small, idyllic wine-producing towns, and the great variety of beers from family-owned breweries. The Aisch river valley is known for its delicious fish dishes. Walkers and cyclists alike will discover a true paradise in the Steigerwald. And given picturesque villages, historic small towns and imposing mansions and castles, there is much for culture lovers to discover. The old part of Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, and Bad Windsheim with its open-air museum and Franken-Therme hot springs and brine bath are all worth a visit in any season.
Steigerwald Tourism Association
Telefon: +49 (0) 9162/ 1 24 24
Gently rolling uplands and untouched natural parkland studded with castles and small towns steeped in history, baroque churches and abbeys are all typical of the Upper Palatinate Forest. Zoigl beer, with its cult status, the Geo-Zentrum in Windischeschenbach, the Parkstein dubbed the “most beautiful basalt outcrop in Europe”, the pilgrimage church of Kappl near the abbey town of Waldsassen, cycling tracks on former railways, and the Sibyllenbad spa all make this an area of unique experiences.
Oberpfälzer Wald Tourism Centre
Telefon: +49 (0) 9602/ 79 10 50
For everyone, whether on a bike, on Shanks’s pony or on a boat trip, the Bavarian Jura has a great range of ways on offer to indulge in relaxation or sports. There are top-class walking routes, the low-gradient Five Rivers Cycle Trail and Europe’s largest equestrian sport centre in Kreuth. Not to mention outstanding golf courses and a unique leisure pass giving access to Europe’s biggest sand ski slope, Monte Kaolino, open throughout the summer as well.
Bavarian Jura Tourism Office
Telefon: +49 (0) 9181/ 47 02 53
