Franconian Switzerland: rocks, caves and castles
Dolomite towers, dripstone caves and hilltop castles between Bamberg and Bayreuth, a compact loop with good campsites along the rivers.
- Distance
- 95 km (59 mi)
- Driving
- 1 h 19 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 9
- Countries
- Germany
- Updated
- August 3, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 95 km (59 mi) with 9 stops, from Bamberg to Margravial Opera House. About 1 h 19 min of driving in total.
Route description
Start in Bamberg, a UNESCO city of bridges and smoked beer, and drive south to Forchheim, a half-timbered town with one of Franconia’s oldest beer festivals. From here the B470 turns east into the Wiesent valley, the heart of Franconian Switzerland.
Ebermannstadt is the gateway, with campsites by the river and a museum railway in summer. The road then winds under limestone cliffs to Gößweinstein, where a pilgrimage basilica and a castle sit on the hill; the viewpoints above the valley are a short walk from the village.
Stop at the lay-by for Tüchersfeld, where houses are wedged between rock towers, then continue to Pottenstein, crowned by its castle, and the Teufelshöhle cave just outside. The area is popular with climbers, canoeists and families, and cherry orchards bloom here in late April.
Leave the valley for Bayreuth, home of the Wagner festival, and visit the Margravial Opera House, a Baroque jewel. The B470 is narrow in places but fine for motorhomes; weekends in summer are busy with motorcyclists.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Bamberg
Germany - 229 km
Forchheim
Germany - 314 km
Ebermannstadt
Germany - 414 km
Gößweinstein
Germany - 53 km
Tüchersfeld rock village
ViewsPottenstein, GermanyHalf-timbered houses squeezed between jagged dolomite towers in the Püttlach valley, with the Franconian Switzerland museum inside. Use the lay-by on the B470 for the classic photo.
- 64 km
Pottenstein
Germany - 72 km
Teufelshöhle
NaturePottenstein, GermanyFranconian Switzerland’s best-known show cave, with dripstone halls and a cave bear skeleton. The entrance is right beside the B470 just outside Pottenstein.
- 829 km
Bayreuth
Germany - 90 km
Margravial Opera House
HistoryBayreuth, GermanyA Baroque court theatre of carved and painted wood, one of the best preserved in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visits include a short sound-and-light presentation.
