According to a survey conducted by a German magazine, Bamberg is the "dream city" of many Germans. Citizens in 115 German cities were asked to assess the place where they live, and it was the people of Bamberg who claimed to be the most content with their city. Nowhere else in Germany did those surveyed identify more with their city than the residents of this northern Bavarian town.

Its majestic Baroque flair, the two branches of the Regnitz River meandering through the city, the blend of mountain and valley landscapes -- all this makes Bamberg so appealing.

The city is marked by the past in a way few other German cities are. Its "golden age" -- when Bamberg's local bishop was named pope -- may have been a long time ago, but for true Bamberg natives, those events are still part of today.

UNESCO also recognized Bamberg's historical value and placed the completely intact old portion of the city on its World Heritage List in 1993.

Rome of Franconia

What do Bamberg and Rome have in common? Like Rome, Bamberg was built atop seven hills. It was also a powerful seat of the Catholic Church for centuries.

The "golden" age of the city began in the year 1007, when Kaiser Heinrich II established a diocese in Bamberg for converting the people in the eastern part of his empire to Christianity. He also built an imperial palace and an impressive cathedral, which later caught fire.

Bamberg became a rich and powerful city, as well as a meeting place for princes and arch-bishops -- so much so that Kaiser Heinrich II named Bamberg "Rome of Franconia."

The powerful position of the church is still reflected in Bamberg's buildings: towering steeples dot the city landscape. The four steeples of the Bamberg cathedral are the most impression of them all.

The cathedral, which was consecrated in 1237, is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings from medieval Germany. The famous "Bamberger Reiter" -- an equestrian sculpture and the city's most famous artwork -- is displayed in the cathedral.

Smoked beech wood beer

Bamberg, however, has not only been beautifully crafted, but nicely "brewed," too. The city boasts nine different sorts of beer. One Bamberg specialty is the full-bodied "Rauchbier." The additional flavor of smoked beech wood gives the beer its strong, tangy taste.

Bamberg's fine brewing reputation extends beyond its boundaries. Even in neighboring Switzerland -- that is, "Franconian Switzerland," located southeast of Bamberg -- mountain hikers and climbers can stop and have a beer when they get tired. The Bamberg beverage can be found virtually everywhere in the surrounding area.

Franconian Switzerland, a popular hiking area, got its name during the 19th century due to its cliffs of lime, its narrow valleys, and impressive drip stone caves reminiscent of the natural wonders in the real Switzerland.