This Bavarian market town produces Amberger Lebkuchen gingerbread and German government coins. Its Gothic Michaelskirche and Renaissance Rathaus define the center.
Amberg sits within its original 14th-century walls in Bavaria's Upper Palatinate region. You can walk along the 3-kilometer medieval fortification, cross the Stadtbrille bridge whose arches create a glasses-like reflection in the Vils river, or stay in the 2-meter-wide Eh'häusl hotel. The town's narrow streets lead to a Gothic town hall from 1358, while a baroque Franciscan monastery rises on the hillside.
Getting to Amberg
Trains run every hour from Nuremberg (70 km, 1-hour journey) and Regensburg to Amberg. You'll find the train station just outside the northeastern section of the town walls. The closest airports are Nuremberg (70 km) and Munich (178 km).
Walking the Medieval Walls
A 3-kilometer wall circles Amberg's old center, containing 97 doors and gates. Begin at the Nabburger Tor, the largest of four main gates, where a drawbridge once crossed the town moat. You can walk along sections of the defensive walls and see the guard towers that protected medieval Amberg.
Main Square and Gothic Architecture
The Marktplatz contains the Gothic town hall from 1358, with its original external staircase and balcony. St. Martin's Church, completed in 1421, stands next to it, its 92-meter tower added in the 1700s. Local vendors set up market stalls three times weekly, selling regional produce, cheese, and bread.
The Unique Eh'häusl
At 2 meters wide, the Eh'häusl from 1728 is the world's smallest hotel. In the 18th century, couples bought it for one night to meet property ownership requirements for marriage. The building now operates as a one-room hotel after careful restoration.
Museums and Culture
The Air Museum occupies a 14th-century building with 650 square meters of interactive displays about air science. You'll find experiments demonstrating air pressure, wind power, and flight mechanics. The Town Museum contains industrial artifacts and artwork by Michael Mathias Prechtl. The Municipal Theatre, in a former Franciscan monastery, runs over 100 shows each year.
Along the Vils River
Take a 45-minute trip on a Plätte (traditional flat-bottomed boat) on the Vils River. These vessels once carried iron from Amberg's mines. The route goes under the Stadtbrille, a water gate from 1454 where two arches reflect in the water to look like spectacles.
Best Time to Visit
Summer temperatures range from 24°F to 76°F between late June and early September. The Christmas market runs from late November until December 23rd in the Market Square, with local craft vendors and food stalls between the town hall and St. Martin's Church.
