Closing the lid of the‘Krug’ – a traditional Franconian drinking vessel – signals to the landlord that you don’t want a top-up.
Cash! If you’re travelling around Franconia, you should always carry some cash as a backup. Card machines aren’t yet widespread here, or may only be accepted for transactions above a certain amount.
Check opening days! Many brewery inns and cellars have a fixed closing day; some are only open on certain days or during the summer months. Give them a quick ring beforehand or check their opening days, otherwise you’ll find yourself facing a locked door.
Car over bus. This gives you the most flexibility, as buses here don’t run every few minutes. At the weekend, hiking buses take you to the starting points – handy if you’ve had one or two Seidels too many after your brewery hike.
Sturdy footwear. Many of the lovely trails take you over rocks and roots, and sometimes up steeper slopes.
It gets chilly in the caves. The temperature in the stalactite caves is around 9 degrees all year round. So even in the height of summer, make sure to pack something to put on.
🍺 Off to the ‘Keller’
‘Off to the cellar’. When a Franconian says this, they’re not referring to a musty cellar room, but to the beer garden up on the hillside. Beer used to be stored and chilled in rock cellars; chestnut trees were planted above them, and people would sit beneath them. That’s exactly where you drink it today – in the shade and with a view.
Bring your own snack. At many traditional beer gardens, you’re allowed to bring your own snack and just buy the beer to go with it. It might sound a bit unusual at first, but it’s completely normal here. If in doubt, just ask.
“A Seidla”, please. A beer is called a Seidla here and is half a litre. Anyone who orders “a small one” is immediately recognised as an outsider.
🎉 When to visit?
Easter fountains. Around Easter, almost every village decorates its fountains with colourful eggs and greenery; Franconian Switzerland is the home of this tradition. A tour from village to village is well worth it.
Cherry blossom in April. That’s when the whole area is in bloom; this is one of the largest contiguous cherry-growing regions in Europe. In summer, you can often buy the cherries – and the cherry brandy made from them – straight from the farm.
Kerwa. Throughout the year, every village celebrates its parish fair. Quaint, down-to-earth and the best way to experience the region’s convivial side.
🦁 The Franconian
Franconia isn’t Bavaria! Try to avoid calling a Franconian a Bavarian. Most of them take pride in this distinction. Here, tradition goes hand in hand with no Seppl hats – and the beer’s better!
Franconians amongst themselves. Franconians tend to be a bit reserved and take a while to warm up. But once you’ve cracked that tough shell, you’ll be swept away by their warmth. It’s well worth it!
‘Grüß Gott’ and ‘bassd scho’. You can’t go wrong with a ‘Grüß Gott’ when you walk in. And if a Franconian says ‘bassd scho’, everything’s fine – that’s the all-purpose ‘yes’ to just about everything here.
“Ade” when leaving. People here don’t say “Tschüss” when saying goodbye, but rather a short “Ade”. The greeting is ancient and came to us in the Middle Ages via the French “a dieu”, derived from “Gott befohlen” (God be with you). In Upper Franconia, you’ll often hear the shortened form ‘Adela’. If you call out ‘Ade’ as you leave the pub, you’re doing everything right.