On the 275th anniversary of his death, all eyes and ears on Bach!

Plenty of influential artists have emerged from Germany, but alongside Beethoven and Haydn, there's no question that Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the greatest. The New York Times has even lauded the creator of Baroque masterpieces such as the Christmas Oratorio or the St Matthew and St John Passions as the most important classical musician of all time. So it is only fitting that he should be celebrated in a special way on the 275th anniversary of his death – with an extensive programme and Bach-focused travel itineraries.

hether on recordings or at a live concert, listening to Johann Sebastian Bach's masterpieces is a pleasure. But you can also see and feel the star composer of the Baroque era, and put yourself in his shoes. But how? By following in his footsteps – and you can find a number of them in Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt in particular: from his birthplace in Eisenach, to the places he used to work in Arnstadt, Köthen and Weimar, all the way to Leipzig, where he enjoyed his greatest successes and where he was also laid to rest.

Concerts, festivals, exhibitions – 2025 will bring an abundance of Bach! Dozens of events are on the programme between Rostock, Weimar and Würzburg, including classics such as the Thuringia Bach Festival, the Leipzig Bach Festival and the concert series in Dresden, as well as a number of special pieces. Our extensive Bach calendar reveals what's on when and where.

Anyone keen to see Bach's places of influence in real life should check out our six travel itineraries. These connect all the important and worthwhile spots associated with the musical genius and also include other cultural and natural highlights, all of which are well worth a detour. The practical bits: you can easily travel to all these routes by train or other public transport, and sometimes you can also continue your journey by bike – or even by boat!