Discover Lichtenfels

Lichtenfels combines an old town with Franconian character and a basket-making tradition that can be discovered in a variety of ways. There are also paths through the Main floodplains and natural destinations with very different landscapes. You can tailor your stay to culture, basket weaving, cycling or nature experiences.

Basket-making traditions along the way and in town

The Lichtenfels Basket Market takes place every year on the third weekend in September. If you are planning to visit specifically for the market, plan your trip around this date. Even apart from the event, the history of basket trading and the art of basket weaving give your stay a distinctive focus.

The 14-kilometre Pfad der Flechtkultur (Weaving Culture Trail) is an experience trail connecting Lichtenfels and Michelau on nature-friendly paths through the Main floodplains. It features 23 information boards about the history and traditions of basket-making, the basket industry and basket trading along the Upper Main. This places information about the history of the craft alongside visible examples of woven design.

The trail’s woven art installations include a willow labyrinth for children near Oberwallenstadt, a willow shell at the river swimming area and a woven tipi at Ortswiesensee Oberwallenstadt. The boards cover the craft and trade; the willow structures show basket weaving as a form of design. Those interested in basket-making traditions will find several ways to explore the same subject here.

Old town, city gates and collections

Lichtenfels’ old town has preserved its characteristically Franconian feel. The Bamberger Tor and Kronacher Tor gates remain, and parts of the old town wall are still visible. These tangible landmarks provide clear reference points for the historic townscape.

Lichtenfels City Palace houses municipal collections on the history of beer and brewing, railways and basket trading. The subjects therefore range from local crafts and trade to railway history. Exhibits may change; if you would like to see a particular collection, check the latest information before your visit.

Cyclists can also identify a section of their route with ease: the long-distance MainRadweg cycle route runs right through Lichtenfels’ old town. This makes it distinct from the Weaving Culture Trail, which runs through the Main floodplains between Lichtenfels and Michelau.

Natural destinations with their own character

At 539 metres, Staffelberg rises 290 metres above the Main Valley near Bad Staffelstein. Its summit lies within a nature reserve and is not accessible by car or bicycle. Bear this restriction in mind when planning your visit.

The Kleinziegenfelder Valley is about 12 kilometres long and is largely a nature reserve. Striking rock formations, clear streams, mills and half-timbered villages define the landscape; characteristic juniper heaths with dry and semi-dry grassland slopes are another feature. Unlike Staffelberg’s single high point, the valley offers a broader range of landscape features: rocks, water, settlements and open heathland.

At the small excavation site by the “Waldfrieden” hiking car park, you can search for fossils and split them open. Hammers and safety goggles can be borrowed from the Weismain Environmental Station. Check before your visit whether the equipment you need is available.

In Bad Staffelstein, the Obermain Therme has Bavaria’s warmest and most concentrated thermal brine. Public guided tours take place several times a week at Banz Abbey; check the dates before your trip. Alongside the nature-related activities, you can also choose between a visit to the thermal baths and a guided introduction to the abbey, depending on your interests.

Choose accommodation to suit your travel plans

When looking for accommodation, you can first decide what matters most to you: the basket market and old town, the weaving trail and cycle route, or natural destinations such as Staffelberg, the Kleinziegenfelder Valley and fossil hunting. This lets you choose based on your actual travel plans without assuming a fixed order for visiting the sights.

Discover more places: Bad Staffelstein, Lichtenfels, Ebensfeld, Burgkunstadt, Michelau in Oberfranken, Altenkunstadt, Marktzeuln, Marktgraitz, Weismain, Hochstadt am Main, Redwitz an der Rodach, Hochstadt-Marktzeuln.

Back to the main travel overview: Bavaria.