Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [320]
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Sleeping
During the Wagner Festival, beds are as hard to come by as the tickets themselves. Most places are booked out months in advance and all charge ‘special’ rates for the month-long opera bash.
DJH hostel ( 764 380; www.bayreuth.jugendherberge.de; Universitätsstrasse 28; dm €18.40) This excellent 140-bed hostel near the university has comfortable, fresh rooms and a relaxed atmosphere.
Hotel Goldener Hirsch ( 1504 4000; www.bayreuth-goldener-hirsch.de; Bahnhofstrasse 13; s €65-85, d €85-110; ) Not far from the train station, this landmark site has had the same name since 1753, and has been a hotel since 1900. Behind its forest-green exterior the ’70s and ’80s vibe is gradually giving way to clean-cut contemporary decor, but all rooms are spacious and welcoming.
Hotel Goldener Anker ( 650 51; www.anker-bayreuth.de; Opernstrasse 6; s €78-128, d €128-198; ) The refined elegance of this hotel, owned by the same family since the 16th century, is hard to beat. It’s just a few metres from the opera house, in the pedestrian zone. Many of the rooms are decorated in heavy traditional style with swag curtains, dark woods and antique touches.
Jagdschloss Thiergarten ( 09209-9840; www.schlosshotel-thiergarten.de; Oberthiergärtner Strasse 36; r €95-180; ) This former hunting castle is a gorgeous place that has its own white deer wandering in the gardens and luxurious rooms with canopied beds. The gourmet, traditional restaurant has a domed 13m-high ceiling, and there’s a library and bar with open fireplace. The hotel is about 5km south of Bayreuth.
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Eating
Rosa Rosa ( 685 02; Von-Römer-Strasse 2; mains €2.60-6) Join Bamberg’s chilled crowd at this bistro-cum-pub for belly-filling portions of salad, pasta and vegie fare, as well as seasonal dishes from the big specials board, or just a Friedenfelser beer in the evening. The poster-lined walls keep you up to date on the latest acts to hit town.
Hansl’s Wood Oven Pizzeria ( 543 44; Friedrich-strasse 15; pizzas from €4.30) The best pizza in town is found at this hole-in-the-wall. A check-list menu lets you choose your own toppings, and voilà, you can name your creation. Look out for the Lonely Planet ads in the tiny dining space.
Kraftraum ( 800 2515; Sophienstrasse 16; mains €5.50-8; ) This vegetarian eatery has plenty to tempt even the most committed meat-eater. Pastas and jacket potatoes hold the fort, alongside some amazing salads and antipasti platters. Sunday brunch has a devoted following.
Oskar ( 516 0553; Maximilianstrasse 33; dishes €6-15) From the wood-panelled interior to out on the cobbles this updated version of a Bavarian beer hall bustles from morning to night. The menu includes salads and baked potato dishes, but the speciality is anything involving dumplings.
Also recommended:
Miamiam Glouglou ( 656 66; Von-Römer-Strasse 28; mains €7-20) Delightful Parisian-style restaurant with an authentically French menu.
Hua Hin ( 644 97; Ludwigstrasse 30; mains €8-14; 11.30am-2.30pm & 5.30-11.30pm) A temple of tasty Thai food.
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Getting There & Away
Bayreuth is well served by rail from Nuremberg (€16.70, one hour). Trains from both Munich (€62, 2½ hours) and Regensburg (€30, 2¼ hours) require a change in Nuremberg.
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COBURG
09561 / pop 42,000
If marriage is diplomacy by another means, Coburg’s rulers were surely masters of the art. Over four centuries, the princes and princesses of the