I never imagined I would find myself in this little place in Bavaria, or, to be more precise, in the region of Franconia – there’s quite a lot of regional pride around here. For me, the city of Würzburg is a real oasis, surrounded by hills and vineyards, with the river Main flowing right through it. A friend from Israel who visited me a while back called it jokingly the Afula of Germany. But honestly? There genuinely is something so familiar and cozy about this city.
Writing this article actually catches me at a very unique crossroads, right before I leave this beautiful place. I’m about to go back home to Givatayim, Israel, after finishing my classical music studies in the city’s music academy. In a way, this is my goodbye letter to a city that I called home for the last three years. So let me take you on a little tour through my favourite places here, as I say goodbye to them myself.
1. Where do I get my coffee?
When I was auditioning for the music academy in Würzburg just over 3 years ago, a little plant-based coffee place called Cafe Koer was right in front of my hotel. Between the jitters and excitement before the audition, this place gave me a bit of peace of mind.
Thanks to its perfect location just 5 minutes from the academy, it later became my favourite spot to go with friends after concerts and between classes. But every time I go there, I can’t help but remember those first days in the city – getting to know its rhythm as I try to calm down the rhythm of my own heartbeat before the big audition.
2. Where do I go when I’m feeling fancy?
Despite being a rather small city with a population of just over 120,000, there’s one area in which Würzburg goes BIG – the views. Practically any spot could be put on a Christmas Postcard.
It does take some walking up the hill, but the view from the restaurant Nikolaushof is really worth it. Whenever family and friends visited me from Israel, we used to reserve one afternoon for the neighborhoods of Zellerau and Steinbachtal: climbing up to the city’s ancient Marienberg fortress, taking a walk to the little Käppele church and finishing the day with some wine and Flammkuchen (traditional german flatbread) and gazing at the beautiful view of the city below.
3. Cultural hub
There are so many cultural spots in the city: a philharmonic orchestra, castles, museums and theatres. But my favourite, and the one closest to my heart, is the Jewish Museum of Würzburg, Shalom Europa. However, I must admit I am quite biased: I used to be a tour guide here, and could easily call it my second home.
When the events of October 7th hit us, I was in the city for just over a month. The shock was immense, and being the only Israeli student in the entire music academy, all I wanted was to find a community. I found it in Shalom Europa, in its tight-knit Jewish community, its Jewish museum, and cultural events. After a while, I started working as a tour guide in the Museum. The most memorable and touching tours I’ve done have always been with families searching for their ancestors and roots in the city.
4. My go-to outdoor spot
The vineyard of Würzburg above my old neighborhood, Grombühl, produces the famous Würzburger wine and is hands down one of my favourite places in the entire city. A picnic on the vineyard’s hill with friends and loved ones, overlooking the many church towers of the city, is a dream come true. And on more difficult or challenging days, a stroll through the terraces and meadows is the perfect remedy.
5. A place that I don’t like in the city
There’s not much not to love about lovely little Würzburg. But when a dear friend from Israel came to visit me, and we felt a bit adventurous, we decided to go on a hike in the woods right outside the city. The walk was pleasant, but at a certain point the path just disappeared, and we got lost. It took quite a bit of staring into our Google Maps and jumping over logs to find our path again. And when we finally found our way out, we discovered we had just walked through Hexenbruch, the area where the last witch trials in Würzburg took place 300 years ago. Sure enough, we were happy to be out of there.
Photo: Bonnlander / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
6. A significant person for you who was born in the city or currently lives there
Not many people know that, but the Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai was actually born in Würzburg. He lived there until the age of 11, and even wrote a novel that’s based on his memories of the city, “Not of This Time, Not of This Place”. There’s even a memorial and a street in his honour.
My journey with Amichai began as I was invited to play at the event commemorating his 100th birthday. I’ve never actually read Amichai, and in preparation for the concert, I quickly discovered his touching poems, reminding me of my home and family. And my favourite poem of his (translated by Chana Bloch):
Forgetting Someone
Forgetting someone is like
forgetting to turn off the light in the backyard
So it stays lit all the next day.
But then it’s the light
That makes you remember.
Thank you Würzburg, for bringing so much light into my life.
