Bamberg blooms! — Day of the Open Nurseries
Spring festival of the UNESCO Garden City with twelve open traditional nurseries
About Bamberg blooms!
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A City with Gardens in its Heart
Bamberg is one of the few cities in Europe where traditional commercial nurseries still operate right in the city center, nestled between the Cathedral, the Old Town Hall, and the Sand district. The Bamberg Gärtnerstadt — characterized by narrow, long plots behind the townhouses, with greenhouses, beds, and courtyards — has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Old Town of Bamberg" since 1993. It is one of the rare examples of urban vegetable cultivation since the Middle Ages that is still practiced today.
Bamberg blooms! — a spring festival since 2011
Since 2011, the Bamberg Gardeners' Interest Group, together with the Bamberg Cultural Office, has been organizing the Day of the Open Nurseries. Every year at the end of April, twelve of the traditional nurseries open their gates — a mix of plant market, courtyard tours, and a folk festival where the public can get to know the true custodians of the World Heritage site.
What the twelve nurseries offer
- Over 100 old tomato varieties as seedlings — from 'Bamberger Hörnchen' to 'Ochsenherz' and 'Roter Russe'.
- Bamberg specialties — the famous 'Bamberger Hörnla' potato, 'Bamberger Knoblauch' (garlic), 'Bamberger Süßholz' (licorice), and 'Bamberger Rettich' (radish).
- Spring bloomers and summer flowers — geraniums, petunias, pansies, perennials, and ornamental plants from their own cultivation.
- Herbs and medicinal plants — from fresh fields and dried crops of the nurseries.
- Plant advice from master gardeners — on sustainable gardening, variety selection, soil, and climate issues.
Supporting program — more than just a plant market
Throughout the day, hands-on activities take place in the nurseries: flower arranging, planting salad bowls for children, bouncy castles in the courtyards, culinary stations with vegetarian specialties, smoked sausages from regional butchers, and Franconian beers. An e-mobility shuttle connects the quarters free of charge for visitors with limited mobility.
More than 12,000 visitors per year
The event has developed into one of the most popular spring festivals in Franconia. More than 12,000 people come every year — Bamberg families, weekend visitors from Nuremberg, Würzburg, and Erlangen, and increasingly, garden tourists from all over Southern Germany. Free admission.
Bamberg blooms! — edition 2026
Confirmed Date and Opening Hours
The Bamberg Cultural Office and the Bamberg Gardeners' Interest Group confirm the date: Sunday, April 26, 2026, 10 AM to 5 PM. Admission to all events is free.
What's on offer in 2026
- Over 100 old tomato varieties as seedlings, plus vegetable seedlings, herbs, medicinal plants, and ornamental plants
- Bamberg specialties: the Bamberger Hörnla (potato variety), Bamberger Knoblauch (garlic), Bamberger Süßholz (licorice), Bamberger Rettich (radish)
- Spring bloomers and summer flowers: geraniums, petunias, pansies, perennials, succulents
- Advice from master gardeners on sustainable gardening
- Hands-on stations: flower arranging, planting salad bowls for children
- Bouncy castles in the courtyards for children
- Vegetarian dishes, smoked sausages, Franconian beer
- Free e-mobility shuttle between quarters for visitors with limited mobility
The twelve participating nurseries
The final list of participating courtyards and the route with a map will be published from early March 2026 at www.gaertnerstadt-bamberg.de/tdg. Based on past experience, nurseries from the Heinrichsdamm, Mittelstraße, and Untere Sandstraße quarters participate.
Programme Bamberg blooms! 2026
Sunday, April 26, 2026
- 10:00 AM–5:00 PM — Open doors at twelve Bamberg nurseries
- Throughout the day — Advice from master gardeners at the consultation stands
- Throughout the day — Hands-on stations for children (flower arranging, planting salad bowls, bouncy castles)
- Throughout the day — Culinary offerings (vegetarian specialties, smoked sausages, Franconian beer, coffee and cake)
- Throughout the day — Free e-shuttle for visitors with limited mobility
Specific map and program highlights per nursery: available online from March 2026 at gaertnerstadt-bamberg.de/tdg.
Highlights Bamberg blooms! 2026
- 12 traditional Bamberg nurseries open their courtyards
- Over 100 old tomato varieties as seedlings
- Bamberg specialties: Hörnla potato, garlic, licorice, radish
- Free e-mobility shuttle for people with limited mobility
- Experience the UNESCO World Heritage Gärtnerstadt
Prices Bamberg blooms! 2026
Free admission to all program points. Plant sales and refreshments at respective daily prices, cash payment at the courtyards.
Practical information — Bamberg blooms!
Getting there
By train: Bamberg main station is directly accessible (ICE on the Munich–Berlin route). The Gärtnerstadt is about a 15-minute walk southeast of the station. By car: A70 exit Bamberg, paid parking garages in the city center; on event days, public buses are recommended.
On site
Twelve nurseries open their doors, spread across the World Heritage area (especially in the Heinrichsdamm, Mittelstraße, and Untere Sandstraße quarters). The official route with a map will be available online at gaertnerstadt-bamberg.de/tdg from early March.
Tips
- Bring: a cloth bag or basket for plant purchases
- Free e-shuttle for people with limited mobility
- Activity: paths between quarters are easily walkable
- Afterwards: visit Bamberg (Cathedral, Old Town Hall, Little Venice)
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Travel to this festival
Reserva tu tren o autobús para llegar a Bamberg blooms! al mejor precio.
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Where it takes place Bamberg blooms!
UNESCO-Welterbe Gärtnerstadt Bamberg