The US daily newspaper New York Times has published its coveted list of "52 Places to Go 2026". The Wagner city is one of the places you should definitely visit this year.
The renowned US daily newspaper New York Times has published its traditional list of the world's "52 Places to Go 2026" - and Bayreuth is the only German city to make it into the coveted ranking.
The main reason for the nomination lies on the "Green Hill"; this year, the Bayreuth Festival is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Since its foundation by Richard Wagner in 1876, it has attracted music enthusiasts from all over the world.
The Bayreuth Festival is presenting seven Wagner productions this summer to mark its anniversary, including two major premieres. Particularly exciting is the "Ring of the Nibelungs" which will be staged with AI support for the first time this year, while the rarely performed work "Rienzi" will take to the stage. For music lovers, this means that tickets are in high demand. However, the city offers an open-air festival where the magic of Wagner can be experienced al fresco.
The editors praise the combination of culture, tradition and urban joie de vivre that makes Bayreuth unique. The old town enchants with its baroque architecture, charming cafés and historic museums. If you stroll through the winding alleyways, you will discover details from centuries of Bavarian history - and at the same time feel the lively pulse of the present.
The city of Wagner is in prominent company in the New York Times ranking in 2026: Warsaw , for example, scores points with its new, gleaming white Museum of Modern Art, which forms an exciting contrast to the Polish capital's Stalinist Palace of Culture. Barcelona celebrates the 2026 World Capital of Architecture 100th Anniversary of the death of Antoni Gaudí and invites visitors to discover the creative heritage of the Catalan metropolis. Denmark beckons with the imposing chalk cliffs on the island of Møn, while exotic fans can add the Caribbean island of Saba or vibrant Bangkok to their list.
German cities have regularly featured on the list in recent years: Hamburg was celebrated in 2025 for its modern architecture, Dresden in 2024 for its historical heritage, and Leipzig in 2020 as a cool, student center that rivals Berlin in terms of creativity.
