Coburg is at its best in late spring and summer, from May to September, when the Veste gardens and the surrounding countryside are green, the outdoor tables on the Marktplatz are in use, and the cultural programme at the Landestheater and Schloss Rosenau park is in full swing.
The Coburg Samba Festival in July is an unlikely highlight — one of the largest samba events in the world outside Brazil, drawing more than a hundred groups from across Europe and South America to perform through the old town over a long weekend. The contrast between the medieval rooflines and the percussion and costumes is striking. It pulls large crowds and accommodation books up fast.
Winter is cold and can be grey, but Christmas in Coburg is rewarding: the Weihnachtsmarkt on the Marktplatz is one of the nicer small-town Christmas markets in northern Bavaria, and the Veste Coburg lit up against a winter sky is a good sight. The summer opera festival at the Landestheater is worth checking dates for — it adds outdoor performances to the usual indoor season.