Forchheim is a small town in Franconia with an interesting old town. Forchheim is most famous for its ten-day-long beer and music festival (Annafest) which takes place in late July in an idyllic wooded hillside, home to 24 beer gardens, on the outskirts of the town.

Understand

Town wall

Forchheim is an old place even by German standards, and as it had lost most of its relevance by the 20th century it is quite well preserved. Forchheim owes its former importance to being a Kaiserpfalz, or a place where the emperor could rest and hold court during his travels and as such it served as one of several "capitals" (there being no one fixed imperial residence) during the 10th century and beyond.

Get in

By train

Forchheim has regular S-Bahn service from Nuremberg and Erlangen as well as Bamberg and is part of the VGN network. The 1 Forchheim train station is east of the centre.

By plane

The next airport is in Nuremberg (NUE ^IATA) and is connected to the main station via the subway (~12 minutes) which is part of the VGN network as is the S-Bahn from there to Forchheim. Other airports offer more connections, but you will still pass through Nuremberg when taking the train to Forchheim.

By car

Both B470 (busy on weekends in the summer) and A73 offer connections to Forchheim.

By boat

The Main Danube Canal passes through Forchheim.

Get around

As Forchheim is rather small and wasn't built with the automobile in mind, walking is a good way to see the old town. If you stay longer a car or bike might be a good idea, especially for day trips that can't be done by train.

See

The Schusterhaus, a late Gothic half-timbered house that has been used as an extension of the Town Hall since 1900

• 1 Kaiserpfalz (Burg Forchheim), Kapellenstraße 16, ☏ +49 9191 714327.  
• 2 Town Hall (Rathaus). Built in the 15th and 16th century.  
• 3 Kellerberg (Kellerwald) (Citybus 261 or by road (large car park available)). From 11:00 daily. 23 beer gardens in on an idyllic wooded hillside. Site of the world famous beer and music festival "the Annafest" taking place annually over 10 days at the end of July. (updated Apr 2018)
• 4 Burgruine Streitburg, Wiesenttal. This ruined castle is on a hill right next to the hill Neideck stands on (see below) "Streit" means "quarrel" in German and the tale goes that the two neighboring castles had a quarrel with each other leading to the destruction of both. The actual history doesn't confirm that tale but locals like to tell it regardless. (updated Jun 2018)
• 5 Burgruine Neideck, Wiesenttal. Next to Streitburg on a neighboring hill, this castle ("Neid" means envy) is said to have fallen victim to the same quarrel as Streitburg although, again, the actual history was different. (updated Jun 2018)

Museums

• 6 Pfalzmuseum (Palatinate Museum), Kapellenstraße 16, ☏ +49 9191 714326, kaiserpfalz@forchheim.de. Apr-Oct: Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Adults €5, concessions €3.50. (updated Aug 2022)
• 7 Braunauer Heimatmuseum (Braunau local history museum), Paradeplatz 2. free. (updated Aug 2022)
• 8 Feuerwehrmuseum (Fire Brigade Museum), Egloffsteinstr. 3, ☏ +49 9191 32492. Adults €1, children €0.50. (updated Aug 2022)

Do

Regular events

Annafest is probably the most noteworthy event in town and regionally second only to the Bergkrichweih in Erlangen. It is usually held around late July, early August and draws crowds from throughout the region.

Eat

• Zollhaus, Hauptstraße 4, ☏ +49 9191 970990, info@zollhaus-forchheim.de. Mains €10-15. (updated Jun 2015)

Drink

Refreshment in the Kellerwald

Forchheim retains four breweries that all produce mostly for a rather local market. If you like beer, sample them all and take a bottle or two home.

• 1 Brauerei Neder, Sattlertorstr. 10, ☏ +49 9191 2400, brauerei-neder@online.de. M W-Sa 10:00-22:00, Su holidays 09:00-13:00, Tu closed. The brewery has existed since 1554. 
• 2 Brauereigaststätte Hebendanz, Sattlertorstr. 14, ☏ +49 9191 60747. F-W 08:00-22:00, Th closed. The brewery has been in existence since 1579. Today it produces 6 beer varieties and seasonal festive, anniversary, Annafest, Christmas fest and Bockbiere. 
• 3 Brauerei Eichhorn, Bamberger Straße 9, ☏ +49 9191 64768. M Th F from 12:00, Sa Su holidays from 10:00, Tu W closed. There is hot food throughout. The brewery has been in existence since 1783. In the courtyard there is a beautiful beer garden. 
• 4 Brauerei Greif, Serlbacher Str. 10, ☏ +49 9191 727920. The brewery has existed since 1848. In the Greif-Keller or in the Schindlerkeller in the Kellerwald. 

Hallerndorf

• 5 Brauerei Rittmayer, Trailsdorfer Straße 4, Hallerndorf, ☏ +49 9545 509214. Tu W 16:00-23:00; Th-Su 11:30-14:00 and 16:00-23:00, closed M. Franconian and international cuisine. 
• 6 Brauerei Lieberth, Forchheimer Straße 2 Hallerndorf, ☏ +49 9545 8558. Beer sales: M-F 08:00-12:00 and 14:00-19:00, Sa 08:00-16:00. The Brauereigasthof is open daily from 17:00 on weekends and on Sundays from 10:00; closed M W and during the summer. .
  • 7 Dorfkeller Lieberth, Kreuzbergstraße 17, Hallerndorf, ☏ +49 9545 4437373. Beginning/mid-Apr to end of Sep: M-F from 15:30, Sa from 15:00, Su holidays from 10:00; closed in bad weather. Specialty is caraway roasts. Friday’s mackerel and herring from the charcoal grill (updated Feb 2017)

• 8 Gänstaller Bräu, Schnaid 10, Hallerndorf, ☏ +49 9542 7741255. Founded in 2011, specialties such as Imperial Indian Pale Ale or Quartor-Doppelbock 
• 1 Landgasthof Brauerei Rittmayer, Willersdorf 108, Hallerndorf, ☏ +49 9195 94730. Hot meals are available M Tu 17:00-21:00; W-Su 11:30-14:00 and 17:00-21:00. Rittmayer has his own recipe brewed and stored the young beer itself. Cozy inn with its own carp and cattle breeding and a large selection of dishes. 
• 9 Brauerei Roppelt, Stiebarlimbach 9, Hallerndorf, ☏ +49 9195 7263. F-Tu from 10:00; hot food 11:30-14:30 and 16:00-21:00; closed W Th. Franconian cuisine, carp from their own ponds, game specialties from their own hunting. 
• 10 Brauerei Witzgall, Schlammersdorfer Straße 17, Hallerndorf, ☏ +49 9545 7452. F-W from 09:00, Th closed. The Witzgall family has been standing in the brewhouse since 1898 and behind the counter. The Landbier always receives good grades in international rankings. The Christmas beer is available from mid-November to mid-January. 

At the foot of Kreuzberg

• 11 Roppelts Keller, ☏ +49 9195 7263. F-Tu from 11:00; W Th from 15:30. The beer cellar is at Stiebarlimbach at the foot of the Kreuzberg and is connected by a narrow footpath with the beer cellar on the Kreuzberg, walking time about a quarter of an hour. 

On the Kreuzberg

On the Kreuzberg

On the Kreuzberg near Hallerndorf in the middle of the forest, below the medieval pilgrimage church, three breweries invite you to eat and drink. From the parking lots to the first beer you have to walk a few steps.

• 12 Rittmayer-Keller, Kreuzberg 18, Hallerndorf - Berg, ☏ +49 9545 440940. May-Sep: daily from 11:00; Oct-Apr: M-Sa from 11:00; closed Su holidays. If there is no weather for beer garden, there is a restaurant with a tiled stove for 60 persons.  
• 13 Friedel`s Brauhaus am Kreuzberg, ☏ +49 9545 4736. Apr-Oct daily from 11:00; every Friday, in good weather, from 15:00 grilled herring and mackerel. From mid-Nov: F-Su from 11:00. The Brauhaus was rebuilt in 2007 with a large children's playground 
• 14 Lieberth - Kreuzbergkeller, Kreuzberg, Hallerndorf - Berg, ☏ +49 9545 70746. May-Oct: M-Sa from 15:00, Su holidays from 11:30; Dec-Apr: F Sa from 16:00, Su holidays from 11:30; closed in Nov. 

Sleep

• Roter Ochs, Kirchplatz 3, ☏ +49 9191 4511. €29 per person, higher rates during Annafest. (updated Jun 2015)

Go next

• Forchheim is the perfect entry point for (though not located inside of) Franconian Switzerland
• If you enjoy old towns Bamberg makes for a fascinating, and easy, day trip, as there is a direct train connection

Routes through Forchheim

Bamberg ←

Main  Danube

→ Erlangen → Nuremberg