Car Hire Coburg

With a history stretching back more than 1,000 years, Coburg is blessed with plenty of character from street to street. You’ll feel every inch a local as you’re cruising along its narrow roads, laid out in a winding, medieval design.

Given its central location, Coburg is an ideal base from which you can explore the rest of Germany, well connected with roads that are pleasantly open and utterly scenic. Whizzing past your window is an awe-inspiring landscape that shifts so seamlessly it may feel like you’re passing through different countries.

If you’re travelling between cities and major towns in Germany, it’s likely that you’re travelling on an autobahn. Autobahns are the fastest moving roads in Germany – for example, if you take the A73 from Coburg, in just over one hour you’ll arrive in Nuremberg, where the significance of its history is on par with the buzz of its nightlife.

Germany’s major roads are well-known for having no enforced speed limit. However, you need to pay close attention to the signs while travelling as there are limits in certain areas that are monitored by cameras.

For a more extensive road trip, why not take the longer journey to Stuttgart? Three hours from Coburg on the A81 and you’ll arrive the home of premium car brands Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. Along the way you’ll travel through many charming villages and towns, giving you a real flavour of the German countryside.

Coburg isn’t just a city filled with sights to see – it’s a sight in itself, with an imposing medieval fortress and a long royal history. The biggest surprise of all? A huge samba festival every year, right here in Bavaria…

A historical wonder

Coburg was almost untouched during the Second World War, so much of its medieval architecture has remained intact for many hundreds of years. Veste Coburg is a must-visit, sitting high above the city and offering incredible far-reaching views of the surrounding area. It’s one of the most picturesque sights in the whole of Germany, a truly impressive fortress. You could easily spend hours touring its grounds and learning more about the role it has played in the make-up of the country. The reformer Martin Luther took refuge here in the 16^th century, and the impressive museum inside hosts work by Dürer and Rembrandt.

While you’re in the city, wander through the old town and appreciate the stunning art and architecture. In the centre you’ll find Marktplatz, home to the City Hall, with its fascinating decorative murals, tall spires and rusty red windows. There’s a statue of Prince Albert here too, better known to the world as the husband of Queen Victoria.

Nuremberg now and then

Just over an hour away is Nuremberg, a historically important place full of things to see and do. During the day you can easily spend hours in the many marvellous museums. One of the most interesting is the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds, which tells the story of the Nazi regime, focusing particularly on the rallies that were held across the country and the huge impact and legacy they left behind. This is, after all, the city where the war criminals of World War Two were put on trial by the Allies.

If you’re lucky enough to be visiting during Christmas, you’re in for a real treat. Nuremberg is the home of Christkindlesmarkt, a seasonal market that attracts visitors from all over the world. The city quite literally sparkles during the season, when stallholders sell handmade gifts and serve the tastiest Bratwurst around.

A royal dynasty

If you’ve heard the word ‘Coburg’ before, perhaps it’s as part of the name ‘Saxe-Coburg and Gotha’, a dynasty of dukes that married into royal families throughout Europe. The British royal family were Saxe-Coburgs, taking the less Germanic name of Windsor during World War One, when it was politically expedient to do so. To this day, descendants of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha are on the throne not just in the United Kingdom but in Belgium too.

You can explore their former residence at Schloss Ehrenburg, a castle where Prince Albert grew up before meeting Queen Victoria. Built in Gothic Revival style, it housed the Coburgs from the mid-16^th century through to the early 20^th. The exterior is relatively sober and the grounds manicured but simple. Step inside, however, and you’ll find the ornate Hall of Giants and art by Cranach the Elder, the notable German Renaissance painter.

Car rental in Coburg is your passport to the east of Germany, putting you within touching distance of Nuremberg, Ingolstadt and the Czech Republic. It’s a traditional corner of Germany that it’s a joy to discover.