Coburg might be a small city, but it’s also quite international. Every year, Coburg hosts the world’s largest samba festival outside of Brazil! You can look forward to many other festivities in this town, home to one of Germany’s largest castle complexes, the “Veste”.
Facts
40,842 Inhabitants ¹
5,294 Students ²
1 Higher education institution ²
WELCOME TO COBURG
Coburg is located in the north-western corner of the state of Bavaria. If you’d like to spend a relaxing semester abroad far away from big cities and industrial centres, if you like being outdoors in nature and want to enjoy Bavarian culture, then Coburg is an ideal destination.
Geographically speaking, Coburg is optimally situated for students. If you want to visit a larger city, , and are nearby and easily reachable by train. It’s quite practical if you want to work part-time during the semester or take a temporary job during the breaks. Being so close to these cities improves your chances of finding employment.
Coburg’s historical city centre is well preserved, and parts of the original still exist. The city abounds with ancient buildings, fountains, memorials and monuments which are worth seeing. There are four castles in this quaint city: , finished in 1547, is now home to the State Library, and , erected in 1122, is located in the Beiersdorf quarter and was once used by the dukes as a hunting lodge and summer residence. is the birthplace of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha who later married Queen Victoria of Great Britain. Possibly the most famous castle is the , situated on a hill 160 metres above the town. The Veste castle and grounds are very well-preserved and include the Hofgarten (Court Gardens) which is a nice place to take a walk in good weather.
Tip
You’re sure to spot sausage stands in town. If you’re not a vegetarian, then definitely try a Coburg bratwurst!
Interview
MABEL FROM SINGAPORE
LIVING IN COBURG
The quaint Franconian city of Coburg is often called the “Samba City”, because on one weekend in July every year, the city hosts a huge Samba Festival, which is said to be the largest of its kind in the world (outside of Brazil, of course!). Dancers and musicians swing their hips to samba music in the streets all through town. Another popular festival is the featuring concerts and culinary events in the evenings, and in the winter, there’s a beautiful Christmas market set up on the marketplace.
An event called the “Night of Contrasts” offers residents the chance to experience museums, churches, castles and libraries in a very different way. During the day, you should visit the Coburg Puppet Museum and the Art Association. In the evening, you can attend a play or concert at Landestheater which offers student discounts.
Downtown you’ll find a variety of nice cafés and bars where students get together at night before going out dancing.
You can play sports at the higher education institution or go swimming at the public swimming pool. Other sports are offered by various sport clubs in Coburg. For example, if you join the , it is easier for you to go climbing or hiking in the mountains and explore the beautiful nature around Coburg. Fencing, handball and much more are offered by the association.
The offers a lot of events for new students during orientation week. It’s a good way to quickly get your bearings in Coburg. If you’re bored and need something to do, you can always take a bike ride down the Main River valley or hop on the train and spend a day in Nuremberg.
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